Institutional Effectiveness coordinates and administers a range of surveys relevant to student engagement and University strategic planning (
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Surveys
The AI Faculty and Student Surveys are designed to measure attitudes and usage patterns regarding artificial intelligence tools in higher education.
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
The NSSE is designed to measure student engagement, i.e., academic challenge, learning with peers, experiences with faculty, and campus environment.
Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE)
The BCSSE measures new students' prior academic experiences and their expectations for the coming college year. The fall 2021 administration also included some questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about BCSSE, please visit the BCSSE website.
CIRP Freshmen Survey
The Collaborative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Survey is carried out by the Higher Education Research Initiative (HERI) at UCLA. It includes questions pertaining to student values, goals, concerns about finance, and more. The overview of the CIRP Freshman Survey is available at the UCLA CIRP Overview page.
Freshman Survey
The Freshman Student Survey aims to assess incoming freshmen's background, aspirations, expectations, finances, and views of themselves.
Transfer Survey
The Transfer Student Survey aims to assess incoming transfer students' background, aspirations, expectations, finances, and views of themselves.
Senior Survey
We developed a survey targeting graduating seniors. It assesses graduating seniors’ learning experiences, interaction with faculty members, study habits, and plans after graduation.
Alumni Survey
The Alumni survey aims to assess our alumni's employment status, salary, and attitudes toward Cal State LA.
Advising Surveys
The Advising Center Advising Experience survey aims to evaluate students' satisfaction with their academic advising experience based on appointment availability, advisor-student relationships, and the support provided by the advising center. The Assigned Advisor Experience survey aims to evaluate the efficacy of academic advisors based on their availability, support for student progress, and rapport with students.
Survey Schedule
To maintain the integrity of student feedback, it is critical that our institution avoid overlapping student surveys. Research shows that frequent or clustered survey requests lead to survey fatigue, which diminishes both response rates and the quality of data collected (Porter, Whitcomb, & Weitzer, 2004). Students often cite lack of time and survey overload as reasons for nonresponse, which can result in disengagement and biased findings (Porter et al., 2004). By thoughtfully coordinating survey schedules and reducing duplication, we demonstrate respect for students’ time while also improving participation and data accuracy.
To promote coordination, the schedule below identifies major institutional surveys administered throughout the academic year. We ask that colleges and departments consider this framework when scheduling their own surveys, ensuring they complement the broader survey calendar.
| Survey Name | Population | Schedule | Administration Dates | Next Planned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) | Freshmen and Seniors | Every 3 years | March-May 2023 | TBA |
| Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) | New Freshmen and Transfers | Every 2 years | June-August 2023 | TBA |
| Freshmen Survey (In-house) | New Freshmen | Every year | July-August 2025 | Fall 2026 |
| Transfer Survey (In-house) | New Transfers | Every year | July-August 2025 | Fall 2026 |
| Senior Survey (In-house) | Graduating Seniors | Every 2 years | March-April 2024 | Spring 2026 |
| Alumni Survey (In-house) | Alumni | Every 5 years | December-January 2024 | TBA |
Note. Please see our Survey Cycle sheet for more details.
Fall 2025 Survey Schedule
| Survey Name | Surveyor | Population | Administation Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Commute Survey | Commuter Services | All student commuters | October 16 - October 31 |
| Student Experience Survey | ASI and University Student Union | All students | October 1 - October 15 |
Note. The survey above is the known college constituents' survey scheduled for Fall 2025.
Survey Administration Protocol and Guidelines
Surveys of campus constituents (i.e., students, faculty, staff, and alumni) are recognized as an important means for collecting information to support and improve educational quality, institutional effectiveness, and student and employee experience. Survey administration, however, must be done while ensuring that campus constituents’ time and resources are respected. The following guideline establishes a procedure for managing surveys conducted on the Cal State LA campus to ensure that the redundancy and frequency of surveys are minimized and that the surveys align with our University’s mission and values.