2. 1. Data
a. Downer
b. Dread
c. Distress
d. Delight
2. Placement
a. Panic
b. Phobia
c. Paranoia
d. Pleasure
3. Statistics
a. Stress
b. Suffering
c. Sweat
d. Sensational
4. Annual Report
a. Angst
b. Anxiety
c. Apprehension
d. Amusement
A little self assessment
6. • Return on investment (ROI) concerns
– How can we measure the value of a college education?
• Economic pressures
– Rapid tuition and fee inflation
– Erosion of public funding for state institutions
– Rising institutional costs (health care)
– Market competitiveness
• Increased need for public accountability
– Student debt load and loan default
– Completion rates
– Gainful employment
– High profile scandals both public, private and for profit
What is driving the
placement data obsession?
7. New York Times, May 3, 2013
Are college graduates more likely to be
unemployed?
8. What may begin as an
honest error, however, has a
way of evolving through
almost imperceptible steps
from self-delusion to fraud.
The line between foolishness
and fraud is thin. Because it
is not always easy to tell
when that line is crossed, I
use the term voodoo
science to cover them all…
(Page 10)
Is placement data Voodoo Science?
9. The Problems with “Placement”
• Antiquated Terminology
• Methodology
– Contrived formulas designed to yield the highest placement
rate
– No consistency between institutions
– Even the NCES has been reluctant to define a universal
methodology
• Fraud
– Career Education Corporation $10.3 million fraud settlement
for inflating job placement data
– ATI Enterprises (a career training company) will pay the federal
government $3.7 million to resolve compliance issues with
federal aid and job placement data
11. • Methodology
• Clear definition of the
survey population
• Response rates
• Practicality
– data mining and ethical
judgment
• Timing
• Clear definition of terms
– What is placed?
– What is unplaced?
– What about those we can’t
resolve
The Power of Transparency
19. • Insight into what
students find meaningful
• Working knowledge of
employer expectations
for new graduates
• Ability to identify gaps in
student preparation for
their destination upon
graduation
We have unique assets to integrate,
innovate and advance higher education
21. What kind of data are you sitting on?
• Student usage of career
services
– Counseling
– Workshops
– Career fair attendance
– Interviews
– Information sessions
– Job applications
• Student employment data
– Hours worked
– Level of responsibility
– Pay rates
– Work study
– Internships
• Student destination data
23. • Institutional student
information systems
– Student demographics
– Academic data
– Retention data
– Financial need
– Academic internship
courses
– Civic engagement
participation
– Study abroad
participation
– Undergraduate research
What data do you have/need access to?
28. • MSU Destination Survey online:
– http://careernetwork.msu.edu/exploring-
options/destination-survey.html
– Includes latest full report as .pdf and links to sections of
the report including methodology, survey pool, timing,
and terms definitions.
• MSU Collegiate Employment Research Institute
– http://www.ceri.msu.edu/
– Publications include the “high states internship” and
“unpacking” http://www.ceri.msu.edu/ceri-publications/
Resources
