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.
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.