Please see our recently posted statement summarizing research to develop and validate the NSSE survey and the procedures utilized to foster uniform survey administration.

The release of Annual Results 2009 coincides with NSSE’s celebration of ten years of promoting improvement in undergraduate education. As of 2009 nearly 1,400 baccalaureate-granting colleges and universities have participated in NSSE at least once. One encouraging finding this year is evidence that institutions not only can improve, but are improving. Annual Results 2009 will be arriving to all NSSE participants the week of November 16. In the meantime, read more on the NSSE Web site.

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) commemorated its milestone 10th anniversary by hosting an invitational symposium on October 24-25, 2009, at the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis, IN.  “Student Engagement and Educational Quality: An Agenda for the Next Decade,” provided an occasion to reflect on the history and growth of NSSE as a widely used institutional assessment tool, examine current practices and research in student engagement, and look ahead to NSSE’s role in an increasingly complex environment of assessment, improvement and accountability in higher education. As Alex McCormick, NSSE’s Director, comments in Scott Jaschik’s Inside Higher Ed articleon the symposium, “I want to try to make the point that there is a distinction between participating in NSSE and using NSSE…In the end, what good is it if all you get is a report?" McCormick was “excited about all the ideas shared at the meeting,” and was pleased with institutional efforts to get NSSE used more – “in the sense of acting on…results.”

The one and a half day event brought leading scholars, practitioners, and policymakers (list of participants) together for a series of talks, interactive panels, and presentations. NSSE will incorporate the valuable feedback gained from symposium participants into future planning.  Proceedings as well as video and audio podcasts of sessions from the symposium will be available in mid- to late-November on the NSSE Web site.

For the 2010 administration, all schools participating in NSSE using the Web-only mode will receive a full census of their first-year and senior year population. NSSE partners with Indiana University’s Center for Survey Research to manage the technical aspects of third-party survey administration. Drawing on ten years experience, and capitalizing upon innovation in technology, NSSE and CSR are able to expand to census administrations without increasing costs for NSSE users.

The BCSSE 2009 administration was a great success.  During the summer and early fall, about 70,000 incoming first-year students at 129 institutions completed the BCSSE survey. Each of these institutions received the BCSSE 2009 Institutional Report, as well as student-level advising data.  Many of these institutions will also participate in NSSE 2010 and receive a BCSSE 2009-NSSE 2010 Combined Report at no additional charge. Examples of a BCSSE Institutional Report and the BCSSE-NSSE Combined Report. 

The Overall Frequencies and Means for BCSSE 2009 and for the BCSSE 2008-NSSE 2009 Combined Report are now at: http://bcsse.iub.edu/results.cfm. These reports allow  institutions to compare their results with the overall frequencies and means for all participating BCSSE 2009 and BCSSE 2008 – NSSE 2009 institutions.

Where do I get more information about BCSSE?
Visit the BCSSE Web site at: www.bcsse.iub.edu, e-mail us, or call our toll free number: 866-435-6773.  We would be more than glad to help you with any questions you may have.

BCSSE Webinars
An introduction and overview of BCSSE can be found in the Webinar archives on the NSSE Web site, (enter keyword search: “Introduction to BCSSE”). Other past BCSSE, NSSE, and FSSE Webinars can also be found in the archives.

In the past year, FSSE has rolled out several new resources to assist institutional users in presenting their survey findings to campus audiences.  Whether you are looking for ways to present your data to different campus audiences, seeking examples of how other institutions are using their FSSE findings, deciding which findings to highlight, or simply questioning how to get started with your FSSE results, we have tools and resources to help! 

Please view the FSSE Resources on the FSSE Web site. In addition, if you would like to share how your institution uses FSSE results and have your institution’s story featured on the FSSE Web site, please contact us at fsse@indiana.edu. 

Over the years, NSSE has highlighted the innovative ways that institutions have used NSSE results.  We are currently interested in compiling a collection of examples of how institutions are involving students in the use of their NSSE results.  For example, William Woods University's Director of Assessment teamed with students in a Market Research class to analyze NSSE results and conduct student focus groups.  If your institution has involved students in campus committees to promote your NSSE administration, partnered with student groups to share results, or involved students in data analysis and interpretation, we would love to hear about it.  Please contact your NSSE team, or Jillian Kinzie jikinzie@indiana.edu, with your story.

New Web sites for NSSE, FSSE and BCSSE are underway, and will debut in early 2010. Look for the same great information, but easier pathways to get there.

Time Spent on Research with Undergraduate Students: Gender Differences among STEM Faculty by Amber D. Lambert, Amy Garver, Antwione Haywood, and Allison BrckaLorenz

Exploring the relationship between students and faculty has become critical to understanding high impact practices in undergraduate education. Practices such as undergraduate research tend to enhance intellectual gains, retention rates, and student/faculty mentoring relationships. The purpose of this study was to provide an understanding of the characteristics that influence a faculty member’s likelihood to spend time mentoring undergraduates in research. National initiatives to increase Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) research and literature on gender motivated the researchers to explore the difference between the time male and female faculty spend working with students on their research between STEM and non-STEM fields and whether other faculty characteristics might explain any differences.

Results from the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) 2008 administration indicate that female faculty in STEM fields spend less time on undergraduate research than male faculty do. This could mean those female faculty members are spending their time in other capacities for student learning. For example, Nelson Laird, Garver, and Niskodé (2007) found that female faculty were spending more time on active classroom practices than male faculty.

Findings like these prompt institutions to consider policies and practices towards female faculty that make undergraduate research opportunities possible. Organizational barriers or availability for female faculty in STEM may limit the opportunity for female faculty to serve as mentors and role models for undergraduates. Understanding the gender and discipline differences and their implications could make a difference in practices and policies.

Linking Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement and National Survey of Student Engagement Data to Investigate First-Year Engagement and Outcomes by James S. Cole

Everyone knows that data acquisition is only one step of institutional improvement. The decisions and policies that result from data analysis are the real fruit of assessment data.  The primary purpose of this demonstration was to help institutional researchers present their campuses’ BCSSE and NSSE results to understand the value of going beyond the produced reports and using these data to investigate institution-specific questions.  This session offers a practical approach for participants to better understand student engagement on their campus by maximizing existing reports and providing syntax to run additional reports. This demonstration includes three parts: interpretation and use of BCSSE and BCSSE-NSSE reports; using the data to produce customized reports for institutions; and audience discussion of how these data and reports can be effectively used in varying campus contexts. These results from both of these reports are of particular interest to faculty and staff involved with first-year students.  To download the syntax, click here and scroll to the presentation title (dated June 3, 2009).