Assessing the Undergraduate Experience in the Postmodern University (SERU/UCUES Research Symposium: April 25, 2007)

Assessing the Undergraduate Experience in the Postmodern University

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CSHE > Events > Assessing the Undergraduate Experience in the Postmodern University

Wednesday, April 25, 2007
370 Dwinelle Hall

Throughout the world, universities are undergoing a major transition in the demography of their students, in funding sources, public expectations, and in technology and pedagogy — changes that mark the new condition of the postmodern university. Benchmarking the current state of the undergraduate experience and the varied background of students provides context for both current and future discussion and analysis on the teaching, research, and public service functions of universities.

The Student Experience in the Research University Project, based at the Center for Studies in Higher Education at UC Berkeley, will hold a one-day research symposium on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 on the Berkeley campus focused on the experience and characteristics of students in the postmodern university.

The SERU Project is fostering an ongoing research program on student life, culture, and perspectives and has developed the University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES), an on-line census survey of all undergraduates at UC.

The symposium will gather scholarly and policy-oriented researchers to present papers and findings focused largely on the undergraduate experience at the University of California, but open as well to scholars doing work at other major research universities. It is our goal to encourage research, analysis, and discussion on the current state of, and possible methods for improving, the undergraduate experience.

The symposium is also intended to encourage interest in the use of the robust UCUES data base by scholars and policy analysts. We invite the academic community interested in the goals of the SERU project to participate in the symposium. Seating is limited.

For further information on SERU, UCUES, and the symposium, contact Steve Chatman, SERU Project Director: or (510) 643-7141