Evaluation of Faculty Orientation--1975. Research Report Series, Vol. 7, No. 4.

In order to evaluate the four-day faculty orientation offered by William Rainey Harper College, a survey was sent to all 202 full-time faculty in the fall of 1975. Ninety-one completed evaluations were returned. About 50 percent of the faculty felt that the orientation was very beneficial and should be continued as is. In 1974, 71 percent felt this way. In both years about 19 percent felt it should be discontinued. The big difference between 1974 and 1975 was that more faculty in 1975 felt the orientation should be modified to shorten the formal orientation, allowing more time for individual preparation and committee work. About 42 percent of the faculty were prevented from attending all or part of the orientation because of other commitments. In 1974 about 20 percent had suggested meeting off campus. Although this suggestion was followed, only 34 percent of the respondents felt that it was worth the money. Thirty percent felt money would be better spent attracting top educational leaders as speakers. New faculty felt the mentors assigned to them and the new faculty meeting were very helpful. An outline of the orientation program is included, data are organized into tables, and the survey instrument is appended. (Author/NHM)