Effectiveness Assessment Surveys

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Research and Compliance cordinates surveys of constituencies such as students, alumni, faculty, and staff to evaluate perceptions of student engagement, student experiences, the quality of academic offerings and support services, the work environment, and the institution as a whole. Alumni surveys serve in part as outcome and satisfaction assessments. Results from many of the surveys are benchmarked against comparable institutions or national norms and provide indirect, value-added measures of the quality of the institution, its academic offerings, and services. A virtual archive of reports from the various surveys can be accessed by selecting from amongst the options below.

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)

The University of South Carolina Aiken has been participating in the NSSE for more than 20 years. The survey is completed by hundreds of first-year and senior students at four-year colleges and universities across the nation about participation in programs and activities that institutions provide for their learning and personal development. Students' responses are evaluated relative to those of students at comparable institutions on ten engagement indicators, six high-impact practices, and all survey items. Results from the NSSE identify the effectiveness of best educational practices, how students spend their time while at college, and what they gain from their experiences.

Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE)

The University of South Carolina Aiken conducts surveys to evaluate how faculty organize their time in and out of the classrooms, the types of and frequency of faculty-student interactions, faculty opinions of the importance pf various areas of learning and development, and faculty perceptions of how often students engage in different activities. The survey measures instructional staff expectations for student engagement in educational practices that have been shown to result in high levels of learning and development. Results from the FSSE are intended to be used to effect improvements in teaching, learning, and the quality of students’ educational experiences.

Alumni Surveys

Alumni surveys gather feedback from graduates about their college experiences and careers. The information can be used to improve the educational experience and help with institutional planning. The surveys are used to assess the effectiveness of educational programs, to evaluate satisfaction with service and support areas, to maintain connections with graduates, and to gather data regarding careers and civic engagement of alumni.

Other Surveys

Over the years, the University of South Carolina Aiken has periodically participated in various surveys to evaluate the characteristics, experiences, and expectations of incoming freshman and transfer students via the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Freshman Survey and the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE); to evaluate the working conditions and environment of faculty and staff via the Great Colleges to Work Survey; and perceptions of institutional priorities, goals and expectations for students, pedagogical strategies, and sources of stress and satisfaction for faculty via the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) Faculty Survey.