National Survey of Student Engagement 2023 & gradSERU 2023 (PDAD&C #19)

From: Sandy Welsh, Vice-Provost, Students
Susan McCahan, Vice-Provost, Academic Programs & Innovations in Undergraduate Education
Joshua Barker, Vice-Provost, Graduate Research & Education and Dean, School of Graduate Studies
Date: January 11, 2023
Re: National Survey of Student Engagement 2023 & gradSERU 2023 (PDAD&C #19)

In the coming weeks, the University of Toronto, along with all Ontario universities and Canadian peer institutions, will participate in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). We will also be conducting the Graduate Student Experience in the Research University (gradSERU) survey. I am writing to request your cooperation in ensuring we secure the highest response rates possible for these important institutional surveys of undergraduate and graduate students.

NSSE begins March 1, 2023 and will invite all first year and all senior year undergraduates to participate from the following faculties:

• Arts & Science
• Architecture, Landscape & Design
• Music
• Kinesiology & Physical Education
• Applied Science and Engineering
• University of Toronto Mississauga
• University of Toronto Scarborough

All senior year undergraduate students in the Faculty of Nursing will also be invited to participate.

GradSERU begins on March 14, 2023 and all degree-seeking graduate students who started their program during or prior to Fall 2022 are eligible to take the survey.

To ensure we do not violate protocols for NSSE and/or bias the response rates, messaging and promotion for this survey will be coordinated institutionally by David Newman, Executive Director, Student Experience in cooperation with your registrars, student affairs staff and communications staff. Posters, digital signage, PowerPoint slides for classes, and social media tools will be made available for everyone to use and will be circulated at the end of the month. The School of Graduate Studies will coordinate the messaging and promotion for gradSERU and will work closely with the Council of Graduate Deans and graduate units.

Survey fatigue can significantly and negatively affect response rates. For this reason, we ask that you refrain from conducting surveys of first- and final-year undergraduate students and all graduate students between March 1 and May 15.  If there is a need to survey this group of undergraduates or if you have any questions about NSSE, please contact David Newman at david.newman@utoronto.ca, and for graduate students and questions about gradSERU, please contact Brian Desrosiers-Tam at brian.desrosierstam@utoronto.ca

Thank you for your cooperation.