From: Joshua Barker, Vice-Provost, Graduate Research & Education
Micah Stickel, Vice-Provost, Students
Date: February 25, 2021
Re: Graduate and Undergraduate Student Experience in the Research University & Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership 2021 (PDAD&C #48)

In the coming weeks, the University of Toronto will be participating in two surveys for both graduate and undergraduate students under the aegis of the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) consortium and the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (undergraduates only). We are writing to request your cooperation in ensuring we secure the highest response rates possible for these important institutional surveys. 

ugSERU

Student Experience in the Research University is a comprehensive survey targeted at better understanding the experience of undergraduate students at research-oriented institutions. Approximately 40,000 undergraduates are invited to participate in the survey and share their experiences with courses, faculty, and classmates, their engagement in research and other high-impact practices, and their plans beyond UofT. This is the first time that we have participated in SERU, and the survey has been customized for 2021 to reflect the remote learning environment.  We look forward to the results to better understand our strengths and opportunities.

SERU was launched on February 23 and will close at the end of March. Participating students are eligible for one $250 gift card or one of fifteen $50 gift cards.

gradSERU

The Graduate Student Experience in the Research University survey (or gradSERU) is a powerful way for graduate students to tell us what is working well—and perhaps not so well—in classrooms, labs, and campus life. The results from the survey will help the University of Toronto to enhance graduate programs and curricula, improve services and policies, strengthen research and scholarship opportunities, and ensure a vibrant and supportive environment for all graduate students. We will also share our data with the members of the gradSERU consortium to improve our understanding of educational best practices at leading research universities.

The gradSERU survey was launched on February 23 and will close on April 20. Participating students will have a chance to win an iPad Air, a $250 gift card of their choice, or gift cards ranging in value from $25 to $50. To help increase participation, we have also put together some promotional materials that graduate units can use in communications with students.

Please note that new students as of Winter 2021 are not eligible to participate in this edition of gradSERU. All degree-seeking graduate students who started their program during or prior to Fall 2020 are eligible to take the survey.

MSL

The Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) is an undergraduate student survey designed to better understand co-curricular involvement, including campus clubs and organizations, peer programs, and experiences as a mentor or mentee. Approximately 23,000 undergraduates are invited to participate and share their experiences. Like SERU and gradSERU, the survey has been customized in 2021 to better reflect that these experiences have largely occurred in a remote learning environment. We last participated in MSL in 2018 and produced individual reports for each Division and College. We look forward to the results to better understand our strengths and opportunities.  

MSL was launched on February 22 and will close at the end of March. Participating students are eligible for one $250 gift card or one of ten $50 gift cards.

Please encourage your students to take part in these important surveys and help us improve the student experience at the University of Toronto. If you have any questions about the ugSERU survey and MSL please contact David Newman, Executive Director, Student Experience at david.newman@utoronto.ca. For questions about the gradSERU survey, please contact Brian Desrosiers-Tam, Director, Office of the Vice-Provost, Graduate Research & Education at brian.desrosierstam@utoronto.ca.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.