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Students urged to take National Survey of Student Engagement

February 12, 2015

NSSE survey posterThe Office of Student Engagement & Experiential Learning (OSEEL) is encouraging student participation in the National Survey of Student Engagement, a survey that NIU participates in every three years.

NSSE is exclusively taken by freshmen and seniors.

This survey takes into account the opinions and perspectives of freshman and seniors on their abilities, experiences and opportunities to engage in activities on campus. NIU is then able to take these responses into account while designing potential programs for students. This is an opportunity for students to speak their minds and make known their likes and dislikes. It also allows NIU to see how it compares to other schools all over the country.

NSSE enables student’s voices to be heard; freshmen can sculpt their future time at college while seniors can reflect and improve NIU experience for the students who are still here. The results from the survey play a key role in change at the university. In 2008, for example, students who took the survey reported there were not enough themed learning communities or research opportunities available.

OSEEL, in response to the students’ feedback, created more Themed Learning Communities and Research Rookies, a program aimed to allow undergraduate students to pair up with professors to partake in research. These wonderful programs came about directly as a result of the students that participated in the NSSE survey.

NSSE logoNSSE should not be confused with NIU’s MAP-Works. The MAP-Works survey is taken by first year or transfer students which gives a personalized report to summarize their strengths and possible challenges they might face. Hosted by the Office of Student Academic Success, MAP-Works is still open and closes Monday, Feb. 23.

Invitations to complete NSSE were sent Wednesday to students’ email accounts. This deadline to complete the survey is Monday, March 23.

For more information, call (815) 753-8154 or email engage@niu.edu.