Institutional surveys support planning efforts by describing what motivates respondents, what is important to them and what respondents think of our efforts. Satisfaction, service levels and opportunities for improvement are common areas where institutional surveys can generate discussion, help us base decisions on objective information and compare results across time or peers.
As part of VCU’s commitment to continuous improvement, IRDS administers and analyzes several institutional surveys. These surveys provide insight into employee and student satisfaction and engagement. Results can be used by faculty and administrators for recruiting, setting priorities, planning, and demonstrating effectiveness.
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) assesses the amount of time and effort first-year students and seniors spend on academic and extracurricular activities, as well as the degree to which institutions emphasize and encourage students to participate in activities that are considered important to their learning and development. Every three years (the typical cycle, nationally, for the survey), the NSSE is administered in the spring to first-year students and seniors. VCU uses the results of this survey to estimate how undergraduates spend their time and what they gain from attending college.
Population:First-year students and seniors
Frequency:Every 3 years since 2011 (annually before 2011)
More Info:NSSE’s websitecontains a variety of resources related to utilizing NSSE data, as well as information about the history and development of the survey.
The Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey (SSI) survey assesses undergraduate student satisfaction across many facets of their educational experience, as well as what issues are most important to them. Faculty and administrators can use the survey to identify students’ priorities, areas of strength and challenge for the institution, and difference in experience among subgroups of students.
Population:All undergraduate (Richmond) and all students (Qatar)
Frequency:Every 3 years
More Info:The Ruffalo Noel Levitz websitecontains a variety of resources related to utilizing SSI data, as well as information about the history and development of the survey.
IRDS also conducts the Noel Levitz Adult Student Priorities Survey (ASPS) for graduate and first-professional students.
The Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) can be aggregated into 12 scale measures. Each scale measure gets an average score for satisfaction (1 = not satisfied at all, 7 = very satisfied), importance (1 = not important at all, 7 = very important), and gap score representing the difference between student satisfaction and importance scores. The scale measure of responsiveness to diverse populations is an exception that only has a satisfaction score (no importance or gap scores).
The following figures present averages satisfaction and importance scores for each of the 12 scale measures across the past four administrations of the Noel Levitz SSI.
Time Trends for SSI Summary Items
The Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) includes three summary items that take the major pulse of student perceptions during that administration. Students respond to each item on a seven-point scale worded appropriately for the question. For ease of interpretation, administrators commonly combine the positive, negative, and neutral valenced response choices.
The following figure presents percentage frequencies of student positive, negative, and neutral valenced response choices across the last four administrations of the SSI. The specific summary item wording and grouped response choices are listed above each figure.
The Noel Levitz Adult Student Priorities Survey (ASPS) survey assesses graduate and first-professional students’ satisfaction across many facets of their educational experience, as well as what issues are most important to them. Faculty and administrators can use the survey to identify these students’ priorities, areas of strength and challenge for the institution, and difference in experience among subgroups of students.
Population:All graduate and first professional students
Frequency:Every 3 years
More Info:The Ruffalo Noel Levitz website contains a variety of resources related to utilizing ASPS data, as well as information about the history and development of the survey.
IRDS also conducts the Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) for undergraduate students.
The Adult Student Proprities Survey (ASPS) items can be aggregated into 8 scale measures. Each scale measure gets an average score for satisfaction (1 = not satisfied at all, 7 = very satisfied), importance (1 = not important at all, 7 = very important), and gap score representing the difference between adult student satisfaction and importance scores.
The following figures present averages satisfaction and importance scores for each of the 8 scale measures across the past four administrations of the Noel Levitz ASPS.
Time Trends for ASPS Summary Items
The Adult Student Proprities Survey (ASPS) includes three summary items that take the major pulse of adult student perceptions during that administration. Students respond to each item on a seven-point scale worded appropriately for the question. For ease of interpretation, administrators commonly combine the positive, negative, and neutral valenced response choices.
The following figure presents percentage frequencies of student positive, negative, and neutral valenced response choices across the last four administrations of the ASPS. The specific summary item wording and grouped response choices are listed above each figure.
VCU First Destinations Survey
TheVCU First Destination Surveycollects graduating students’ first destination occupation (e.g., employment, graduate school, military, etc.). The survey is open for 6 months after graduation, but graduating students have an opportunity before the closing date to update their information.
Population:All graduating students and recent graduates (up to 6 months post-graduation)
The Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness, and Success monitors and reports on the university's progress toward a more diverse and inclusive culture and climate. Major academic and administrative units are assessed every 18 months and are rated and ranked based on their performance on three indices: diversity index, inclusion index and engagement index.
