A typical NSSE administration cycle runs from registration approval in August to Institutional Reports delivery in mid-summer after administration. Once an institution registers, it can begin strategizing promotion, recruitment, and customization. We encourage you to click through the resources linked within the timeline for more details.
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Administration Checklist
NSSE Survey Administration Checklist
- Update your institution's NSSE contacts
- Review the cost of participation and NSSE's participation agreement
- View NSSE supports and resources on survey administration
- Establish relationships with individuals and campus offices that will develop materials and help in promoting the survey
- Note important dates on the administration timeline
- Register for NSSE (fall)
- Coordinate with IT staff for future recruitment emails and LMS/portal survey links
- Decide on incentives you will offer students for participation
- Consider campus events to schedule your 5 recruitment messages
- Plan promotion and recruitment strategy with your team
- View or attend a NSSE Institute webinar on customization
Questions to consider before customization:
Will your institution...
send recruitment email messages or will NSSE?
add a logo to the informed consent page and messages?
put a survey link on your LMS or student portal?
join a Consortium?
add any Topical Modules?
add a Custom Item Set?
- Customize and finalize the text, subject line, and signatory for recruitment messages
- Select options: consortium, topical module, custom item set, student response question
- Upload a logo
- Select and describe your offered incentive(s), odds statement, and applicable date(s)
- Submit your administration schedule
- Prepare and submit your population file (update the file for student eligibility at a later date)
- If your institution is sending recruitment messages, share the recruitment schedule and NSSE approved messages with IT staff. If NSSE is sending recruitment messages, share NSSE technical details with IT staff.
- View or attend a NSSE Institute webinar on survey promotion
- Place the survey link on your student portal or LMS
- If your institution is sending its own messages, deliver messages on the dates of your approved survey schedule
- Monitor administration progress with NSSE-provided resources
- Send up to 3 additional reminder messages from school servers
- Upload a new population file to reflect current student eligibility
- Customize comparison groups and major field groups in the last month
- Download your disposition file and survey materials from the Interface
- Attend or watch a NSSE webinar about how to read your reports or use your data
Late Summer / Fall: Data & Reports Released
- Institutional Report delivered and made available online; data files downloadable
- Major Field Report in Tableau
- Report Builder updated with new data
- Annual Results delivered
For important administration dates, visit the Administering NSSE webpage.