Toward a Social Audit of Colleges: an Examination of College Student Outcomes in Terms of Admissions Information

ACT RESEARCH REPORTNo. 7575Juno 1975TOW ARD A SO C IA L AUDIT OF C O LLEG ES: AN EXAM INATION OF C O L L E G E STU D EN T O U T C O M ES IN TER M S OF ADMISSIONS INFORMATIONLeo A. MundayUJ THE A M ERIC AN C O LLE G E TESTING PROGRAMP. O. BOX 168, IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240 TOWARD A SOCIAL AUDIT OF COLLEGES:AN EXAMINATION OF COLLEGE STUDENT OUTCOMES IN TERMS OF ADMISSIONS INFORMATIONABSTRACTStudent development is seen as a set of variables that can be used by a college to assess its social contribution to the region, state, or community in which it resides. In doing so, it is important to take account of student characteristics upon admission. A study was completed to provide an illustration. Student records from three colleges and universities were combined to study college outcomes in the context of admissions variables. A total of 1,927 student records were complete with admissions and alumni information. College outcomes in the career area were studied, and these included curricular major upon leaving college and occupation after college. It was found that students generally implemented their plans at college entrance, and in this sense college could be seen as helping students achieve their career goals. A second outcome of interest was income. College students expect to earn over $6,000 more per year than their parents. Although students from high income backgrounds themselves expect high future incomes, students just entering work from college all have about the same income. We conclude that college appears to increase the expected earnings of its students. A third outcome area studied was educational behavior. Most college students earn a baccalaureate, and college plans at admission are related to persistence. While student educational plans at admission are potent predictors of what the student will do in college, the college experience itself is seen as reinforcing the importance of education and raising educational aspirations. Prepared by the Research and Development Division The American College Testing ProgramACT, a nonprofit organization, is an Equal Opportunity Employer.© 1976 by The American College Testing ProgramAll rights reserved. Printed in the United States of AmericaFor additional copies write:ACT PublicationsThe American College Testing Program P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, Iowa 52240(Check or money order must accompany request.) Price: $1.00Order No. 4-7-75 TOWARD A SOCIAL AUDIT OF COLLEGES:AN EXAMINATION OF COLLEGE STUDENT OUTCOMES IN TERMS OF ADMISSIONS INFORMATIONLeo A. Munday1Some industrial firms, both in this country and abroad, are using the concept of “social audits” to describe corporate activities designed to meet their social responsibilities. Besides making money for its stockholders, a corporation has responsibilities to its employees, its clients, and the general public. The performance of the corporation in meeting each can be quantified, often in dollar terms. For example, everyone knows corporations exist to make money. In calculating the net contribution of a corporation to society, however, deductions should be made for possible bad corporate perfor­mance with respect to employees, such as layoffs or an ineffective affirmative action program; to clients, such as by providing inferior products or making late deliveries; and to the general public, such as by polluting the environment or maintain­ing an unsightly physical plant. Since social per­formance can be quantified in dollar terms, it can be treated as part of the financial statement in a corporation annual report. The Annual Report and Social Audit 1973 of Abt Associates, Inc. shows how one corporation has done just this. Hunt (1974) describes how one firm, General Mills, went about developing a social audit.To educators, alLthis has a familiar ring. Corpo­rations, like colleges and universities, are called upon to be accountable, to be responsible for their actions, including those potentially undesirable side effects that are consequences of their normal activities. In a skeptical social environment, all kinds of institutions, including colleges and univer­sities, are being called upon to account for their activities, in a word, to conduct something like a social audit of themselves.It is true that the college payroll contributes to the economic well-being of a region, just as collegedrama, symphonies, athletic events, and lectures contribute to its cultural quality and provide enter­tainment. Equitable and competitive salary schedules help meet a college’s responsibilities to its faculty and other employees. Books and articles published by faculty are part of a college's contri­butions to the general public.