Administering NSSE
Administering NSSE involves active collaboration between NSSE staff and participating campuses for about a 12-month time span. NSSE participants are assigned a Project Services Team Team upon registration approval that provides assistance with every aspect of preparing and administering NSSE, including invitations, follow-up messages, and delivery of the online survey. This process ensures consistency and comparability among institutions and establishes a foundation for accurate comparisons.
NSSE also provides a secure web-portal for uploading files and managing survey administration details from start to finish.
The timeline below approximates the general activities of the 12-month cycle.
Summer: Register and Plan Ahead
- Registration open (June to September)
- View Webinars to prepare for survey administration
Fall / Winter: Survey Preparations
- Customize NSSE by choosing modules, joining consortia, or forming systems
- Prepare survey materials, such as population file, incentives, recruitment messages, logo image and message schedule
- Finalize and implement your promotional strategy
- Coordinate message delivery with campus IT professionals
Winter / Early Spring
- Survey administration opens
- Reminder messages sent to nonrespondents
Late Spring
- Customize your reports by choosing comparison groups, major field groups, and other reporting options
- Survey administration closes (June 1)
Summer / Fall: Data & Reports
- Institutional Report delivery and data files available for download (August)
- Major Field Report available for download (October)
- Annual Results and Executive Snapshot delivery (November)
