Administering NSSE
Administering NSSE involves active collaboration between NSSE staff and institutional participants for about a 12-month time span. NSSE participants are assigned a Project Services Team upon registration approval that will assist users with every aspect of preparing and administering NSSE.
The Institution Interface (see "Institution Log in" in our Web site header) provides a secure portal for uploading all necessary files and managing your survey administration from start to finish.
The timeline below approximates the general activities of the 12-month cycle. Check our Deadlines section for more specific deadlines and important dates.
Summer (June through August)
- Register online
- Survey promotion planning begins
- Institutional Reports from the previous survey cycle are delivered to last year's NSSE participants
Fall (September - December)
Materials preparation (e.g., customized survey invitations, population files) occupies attention between September and December. NSSE participants submit materials and NSSE staff review and process materials for the spring administration. Materials processing can be lengthy, and NSSE staff will communicate with NSSE participants regularly throughout this period to resolve questions and issues on materials.
- Academic calendars are submitted and message schedule is created
- Messages to students are created
- Population files are submitted to NSSE staff
- Annual Results from the previous survey cycle are sent to last year's NSSE participants
Winter (December - early January)
- Mailing lists for the survey messages are created from population files
- Technical considerations relating to third party Web-survey administration are discussed with campus IT contacts
- Promotional strategies are implemented on campuses
Spring (late January - May)
- NSSE administrations begin in late January (depending on previously created schedule)
- Response rate is monitored by participating institutions and NSSE staff
- Promotional activities continue on campuses throughout May
- NSSE closes June 1
