Students will soon receive a chance to share their views about college life because Mississippi State University will be participating in the countrywide National Survey of Student Engagement this year. Last year, 362,000 students from 595 four-year colleges and universities took the survey, the NSSE website said.
According to NSSE.com, the purpose of this survey is to assess how efficiently students use their time on studies while being involved with extracurricular activities and organizations. The survey also evaluates how effectively the university itself uses its resources to provide students with quality curriculum and prospects.
Timothy Chamblee, director of the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, said the survey results will enable MSU to compare itself with other universities of similar ranking.
“Institutions nation wide take the survey to look at all the factors outside of the classroom that are an important part of the education process, including different clubs and Greek activities,” he said.
As mentioned on the NSSE website, the survey identifies the constructive activities and organization associated with learning and what kinds of benefits students are gaining from their experiences at the university. Although the survey does not give a definite ranking as a result, it does provide a good picture of the strengths of the university as well as the aspects that need further development.
Besides the universities, prospective college students, students’ parents, academic advisers and institutional researchers can also use this information for a variety of purposes, NSSE website said.
A sample questionnaire from the NSSE website shows the online survey asks a range of questions about many aspects of a student’s experience at college. It can ask general questions such as the student’s major and career goals, or very specific questions such as whether or not the student has ever communicated with professors via e-mail and how often the student attends class without doing the previous night’s reading assignments.
The NSSE website says it believes these questions give students an opportunity to share their experiences anonymously with everyone and gives the institution a chance to fulfill students’ needs and improve the university’s facilities and curriculum.
Thomas Sellers, Student Association president, said last year’s participation was 26 percent, while the national average was 30, but MSU’s data is somewhat skewed.
“The key to get people to participate is to let them understand the importance of the survey,” she said. “Our university will collect the information after the survey is completed and use that information for the future. They will use it for future planning, allocating resources and developing areas of satisfaction and areas that needs to grow.”
Tyler Edmondson, freshman mechanical engineering major, said he has not seen much advertisement for the survey.
“I’ve seen only two or three posters in the library and Perry, I think,” he said.
However, Chamblee said, this year, MSU will take a more active approach to increase awareness among students concerning the significance of the survey. SA, Residence Hall directors and other organizations will be working actively to spread the information among students, he said.
Students will receive an e-mail from President Mark Keenum on Feb. 7 encouraging them to participate in the survey. Once they fill out the survey, they will stop getting e-mails, Sellers said.
He said he will also be sending an e-mail asking those who have not completed the survey to participate in the survey.