Wellesley College 2007 First Year Survey

Welcome [FNAME] [LNAME]!
(If you are not [FNAME] [LNAME], please retrieve your unique web link to this survey.)

The survey you are about to complete is a national survey of first year students conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) of the University of California, Los Angeles. It has been given to incoming Wellesley students since 1971. It asks questions about a wide-range of student characteristics, high school achievement and involvement, education and career goals, values, attitudes and beliefs, with the aim of better understanding how students learn and develop over time. The survey findings are used by Wellesley faculty and administrators for planning and policy making.

Near the end of the survey (question 42), you will be asked whether HERI can release your identifying information along with your survey responses to Wellesley. This will allow us to relate your answer from this survey to later surveys you take at Wellesley. Please answer YES to this question (42). Whether you answer yes or no, all your responses are confidential. You will not be personally identifiable in any report on the survey data.

Your participation in this survey is important and greatly appreciated! Welcome to Wellesley!

Enter the Survey >>

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Lawrence Baldwin, Director of Institutional Research.

---

University of California, Los Angeles
Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Freshman Survey Information Sheet

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
You are asked to complete this survey as part of a national study of higher education conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles. One major goal of this research is to determine what happens to students when they attend college. Since 1965, over 10 million students at over 1,700 colleges and universities have participated in this research. The data gathered are used in studies designed to better understand student learning and development and to help improve the quality of college education. Your decision to participate (or not to participate) will not affect your relationship with your college nor your grades.

PROCEDURES
If you volunteer to participate in this study, we would ask you to complete the attached survey and return it to the designated person at your campus. [Filling out the survey online will return the survey.]

POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO SUBJECTS AND/OR SOCIETY
You may have the opportunity to reflect on your prior academic experiences and your expectations for college as you complete the survey, which may enhance self-understanding. Results of your participation also will be directly beneficial to your college or university, and may benefit future generations of college students as well.

POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
There could be survey items that you are uncomfortable answering or to which you would simply prefer not to respond. Your participation in this study is strictly voluntary, and you will be under no obligation whatsoever to answer any questions that you are not inclined to answer. You may choose not to answer any specific questions you do not want to answer and still remain in the study.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Please note that your responses will be used for research purposes only and will be strictly confidential. Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be identified with you will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your permission or as required by law. In an effort to improve the college experience for students, institutions may be interested in conducting additional research that involves linking their students’ responses to this survey with other student data. We will release your survey data back to your institution with identifying information only if we have your explicit permission to do so (survey question #42). As part of its agreement to participate in this survey, your institution has agreed not to examine your individual responses to any question. Any research your institution performs must be conducted on groups of students only. If you do not give us your permission to release your survey data with identifying information, we will provide your college with non-identifiable data.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you volunteer to complete this survey, you may decide not to complete the survey for any reason at any time without consequence of any kind. The Higher Education Research Institute does not offer payment for participation. Your completion and return of the enclosed questionnaire indicate your consent to participate in the study.

IDENTIFICATION OF INVESTIGATORS
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please contact Mr. John Pryor at this address:
Higher Education Research Institute
UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies
Box 951521
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1521
Email: heri@ucla.edu
Phone: 310-825-1925

RIGHTS OF RESEARCH SUBJECTS
You may withdraw your consent at any time and discontinue participation without penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims, rights or remedies because of your participation in this research study. If you have questions regarding your rights as a research subject, contact the Office for Protection of Research Subjects, 2107 Ueberroth Building, UCLA, Box 951694, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1694, (310) 825-8714.

UCLA IRB: G00-06-053-14
Expiration Date: 02/26/2008