NSSE survey period begins

Concordia students in the first and final years of undergraduate studies should have recently received an invitation via email to participate in the annual National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).

Jonathan Levinson, Concordia’s new executive director, Institutional Planning and Analysis, says the survey is important for the university because its findings provide an invaluable measure of the quality of Concordia’s educational offerings. “We take the results very seriously,” he says. “They help us adjust how we focus on teaching and learning.”

Levinson is encouraging invited students to take the time to fill out the survey, since it can serve to highlight areas where the university may need to improve.

Changes made as a result of the survey’s findings will ultimately improve their university experience. “The NSSE survey forms a key input for our Academic Plan,” he says. “We’re listening closely,”

Students in their final year also stand to benefit from the survey, since improvements to the university made as a result of its findings will enhance Concordia’s reputation, and ultimately the value of their degrees, Levinson explains.

“A Concordia degree is an essential part of a graduate’s own personal brand for the rest of their lives,” he says. “The value of that degree and the way that it’s regarded evolves over time. The NSSE survey is a really key tool for helping us improve the quality and the value of that degree.”

Students can fill out the survey using the unique, secure link sent to them via their student email address. They have until the end of March to complete the survey. Those students who complete the survey by March 1 will be entered in a draw to win an Apple iPad (16Gb + WiFi), valued at approximately $450.

All students who complete the survey by March 31 will be entered in a draw to win one of 20 Chapters-Indigo gift cards valued at $20 each.

Related link:
•    National Survey of Student Engagement