Surveys

Southeastern University Survey Policies & Procedures

Surveys are an indispensable tool within higher education for collecting useful data about populations (whether they be students, alumni, faculty, staff, or others). Typically, surveys solicit respondents to respond to questions about their experiences, perspectives, or opinions. Surveys administered at Southeastern take a variety of forms, depending on factors such as the department or program administering the survey, the survey population, the rationale for the survey, the kind of data and information needed, and other factors. Some surveys administered by the university are part of national benchmarking efforts, which not only return information about our institution, but also valuable comparison data. There are a number of surveys designed to return information that is mandated for reporting purposes by the government or components of information that must be gathered for regional accreditation (SACSCOC) documentation and reporting. The most powerful aspect of survey data is its capacity to inform institutional stakeholders in order to make data-driven decisions for improvement. Still, it is important to recognize that survey data is always a matter of indirect assessment, insofar as the responses coming from any population are self-reported, and not a direct assessment of objective facts.

Demand at Southeastern University for surveys has grown exponentially over the years as stakeholders have realized the potential for quality enhancement and continuous improvement afforded by survey instruments. This has necessitated the development of official policies and procedures in order to optimize the frequency and quality of survey administration, and to ensure the integrity of all data obtained in such measures. The following policies and procedures are binding for all institutional stakeholders at Southeastern University, with a number of exceptions listed below:

Survey Request

Individuals or departments at SEU interested in conducting a survey of any population are expected to consult with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness prior to the development and/or administration of a survey. Use the following form to submit the details of your proposed survey to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, including the text of your questionnaire, administration dates, and other pertinent information: SEU Survey Proposal Form

Online Survey Calendar

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness maintains an up-to-date Google Calendar, which delineates all planned institutional and departmental surveys, course evaluations, and other measures. Please consider the timing of your survey, as overlapping measures may lead to survey fatigue among respondent populations. The calendar can be accessed by adding Institutional Effectiveness or ie@seu.edu to your Google Calendar under “Add a coworker’s calendar”.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Some surveys require approval through the Institutional Review Board. Please be sure to review the IRB requirements to determine if your survey needs IRB approval prior to launch. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness is not responsible for IRB applications. You can learn more about IRB requirements at the following site: www.seu.edu/irb/start-here/

Survey Action Plan Forms

After an office/department has conducted a survey,  the Action Plan Form must be completed within 3 months of the survey closing. This form asks for information regarding the key survey findings and proposed actions for using the survey results (for program/departmental planning and/or improvement). The form can be accessed via the following link: SEU Survey Action Plan form

Exceptions

These guidelines will not apply to the following common survey types and will not need to be submitted for review by the IE office; however, they may still require IRB approval:

• Surveys administered by faculty for scholarly research (collaboration with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness is still encouraged in this case).
• Surveys administered for thesis/dissertation research.
• Surveys administered by students for class projects.
• Surveys administered by the University Leadership Team.