What is Institutional Research (IR) Policy on Access to Self-Reported Survey Data?
IR is dedicated to upholding the integrity and proper utilization of self-reported survey data collected from our campus community. Access to raw survey data is restricted to education officials, faculty, and staff members who possess the necessary expertise to accurately interpret, analyze, and contextualize this information; for reference please see the IR Policy on Evaluative and Research Use of FERPA‐protected Data.
Summary data is typically accessible to all faculty and staff with active credentials. The objective of this policy is to empower faculty and staff with relevant expertise to curate selected data exhibits and publish findings with adequate methodological context, limitations, and interpretive frameworks, ensuring the accurate representation of the information. This access policy is implemented in acknowledgment of the concerns related to the general release of self-reported survey data, including the inherent limitations and potential biases of such data, the risk of misinterpretation without proper statistical expertise, and privacy and confidentiality issues that may compromise respondent anonymity.
Faculty and staff granted access to survey data are required to comply with established data governance protocols, maintain the confidentiality of the raw data, and, when appropriate, submit proposed publications of findings for review by the University's Institutional Research Board. This approach seeks to balance our commitment to academic freedom and the dissemination of knowledge with our responsibility to ensure methodologically sound research practices and protect the privacy of and respect for our community members. Requests for exceptions to this policy must be submitted in writing to the Office of Institutional Research for review.
The Office of Institutional Research offers a service to review any data exhibit derived from self-reported survey data for statistical accuracy; please Submit A Service Request.
What is the CIRP Freshmen Survey?
| The CIRP Freshmen Survey is the country's best-known and longest-running student study and continues to provide Santa Clara with a method of collecting comparative data on entering students for use in institutional decision-making, research, assessment, and accreditation. |  |
When will I receive my invitation?
All new students at Santa Clara are asked to respond to the survey email invitation. Freshmen will receive an invitation near the beginning of June and completion is expected before you arrive on campus for orientation. Transfer students will receive an invitation in September.
What number do I use as my student identifier?
When the survey requests your student identifier, please enter the numeric portion from your e-Campus ID (e.g. from W09876543, enter 09876543). More information is available at: http://www.heri.ucla.edu/cirpoverview.php
What is the HERI College Senior Survey?
| The College Senior Survey is a national, longitudinal survey designed to measure and assess graduating students' college experience, including: satisfaction with the college experience; student involvement; cognitive and effective development; student values, attitudes, and goals; degree aspirations and career plans. The survey is administered by Santa Clara University in association with the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA. All responses are confidential. More information is available at: http://www.heri.ucla.edu/cssoverview.php |  |
Who is asked to complete the HERI College Senior Survey?
The survey is administered biennially in spring term (odd years) to all seniors who graduate or petition to graduate during the current academic year.
Why am I asked to identify myself?
The CSS is a follow-up to a similar survey, the CIRP Freshman Survey, administered to you during orientation--your ID is used to match responses from the senior survey with your responses from the freshman survey. We ask that you please enter your campus ID (drop the leading zeros). All responses are confidential. No individually identifying information is ever released.
Santa Clara uses these data for assessment, program review, and to measure student development and quality control. Santa Clara values your opinion and appreciates your help by completing this survey.
What is the NSSE?
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The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) was specifically designed to assess the extent to which students are engaged in empirically-derived good educational practices and what they gain from their college experience. Santa Clara uses the results from this survey for program review, faculty development, and to improve delivery of services. Additional questions and answers about the survey instrument can be found at: http://www.nsse.iub.edu/html/about.cfm |
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Additional questions? Please send an email to surveys@scu.edu