Institutional Testing
Results of Student Surveys—Macon Undergraduate Programs
Mercer University uses several different surveys to assess how well the institution is serving its students needs. For more information about student satisfaction at Mercer, please refer to the NSSE site.
| CIRP | Alumni Survey |
| FSSE | BCSSE |
| YFCY | NSSE |
| GSS | Spirituality Report |
| SSI |
CIRP (Cooperative Institutional Research Program) is administered to freshmen during the first days of fall orientation. The CIRP collects demographic and attitudinal information and serves as a baseline for longitudinal follow-up. It measures trends and characteristics of Mercer freshmen. Data can be used for academic program development and review. Information collected: demographic characteristics; expectations of the college experience; secondary school experiences; degree goals and career plans; college finances; attitudes, values, and life goals; reasons for attending college. Longitudinal Analysis Report 1996-2005
YFCY (Your First College Year) is administered to first year students at the end of the spring term. It is designed to assess the academic and personal development of students of the first year of college. The YFCY survey is conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at the University of California at Los Angeles. Data can be used to compare the development of Mercer's first year students with those enrolled at other protestant four year institutions and all private four year colleges and universities.
| 2007 YFCY Institutional Profile | |
| 2006 YFCY Institutional Profile | |
| 2005 YFCY Institutional Profile | |
| 2004 YFCY Institutional Profile | |
| 2003 YFCY Institutional Profile | |
| 2002 YFCY Institutional Profile |
SSI (Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory) is administered every other year to all undergraduates in the most attended class period on the Macon campus. The SSI measures students' satisfaction. Its results can be used to improve student retention, student recruitment, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness. Information collected: ratings on importance of and satisfaction with various aspects of campus. The survey covers many aspects of the student experience.
2002 Comprehensive Report Available in the Office of the Provost
BCSSE (Beginning College Student Survey of Engagement) provides information about entering students' past engagement in and perceptions about the importance of activities associated with best practice. Student responses on the BCSSE will later be matched to their responses on the NSSE, which is administered at the end of the freshman year.
| 2009 BCSSE Means Report | 2009 BCSSE Frequency Report |
| 2007 BCSSE Means Report | 2007 BCSSE Frequency Report |
NSSE (National Survey of Student Engagement) is administered in the spring to freshmen and seniors via the mail and web. The purpose of the NSSE is to gather outcomes assessment, undergraduate quality and accountability data. It measures students' engagement in effective educational practices (level of challenge, active learning, student-faculty interaction, supportive environment, etc.). Data can be used to assist institutional improvement and benchmarking; monitoring of progress over time; self-studies and accreditation. Information collected: student reports of quality of effort inside and outside the classroom, including time devoted to various activities and amount of reading and writing, higher order thinking skills, quality of interactions, educational and personal gains, and satisfaction. Refer to the NSSE site for more information.
FSSE (Faculty Survey of Student Engagement) is a project coordinated by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) at Indiana University of Bloomington. It is designed to measure faculty expectations for student engagement in educational practices that are known to be empirically linked with high levels of learning and development. The information from faculty members can be used to identify areas of strength as well as aspects that may warrant attention. The results are intended to be a catalyst for productive discussions related to teaching, learning, and the quality of students' educational experience. The instrument was pilot tested in spring 2003. More than 16,000 faculty members at 147 colleges and universities completed the survey.
| 2003 FSSE |
GSS (Graduating Student Survey) is locally developed and is being administered through the web as students apply for graduation. It gathers outcomes assessment focusing on learning outcomes and satisfaction. Data can be used for academic program assessment, career services planning and alumni relations. Information collected: plans following graduation; development of intellect; development of character; satisfaction with programs and services, alumni services.
| 2008 Graduating Student Survey (Macon students) |
2008 Graduating Student Survey (Center & Atlanta students) |
| 2007 Graduating Student Survey (Macon students) |
2007 Graduating Student Survey (Center & Atlanta students) |
| 2006 Graduating Student Survey (Macon students) |
2006 Graduating Student Survey (Center & Atlanta students) |
| 2005 Graduating Student Survey | |
| 2004 Graduating Student Survey | |
| 2003 Graduating Student Survey |
Alumni Survey of Undergraduate Programs is locally developed and is administered to those who have been alumni for one and five years. The instrument measures evidence of institutional effectiveness including learning outcomes and satisfaction. Data can be used for academic program assessment and alumni relations. Information collected: development of intellect; development of character; satisfaction with Mercer experience; recommendations for change.
The Alumni Survey for the Classes of 1997 and 2002 is available in the Office of the Provost
The Spiritual Life of College Students is a national study of college students' search for meaning and purpose. This report summarizes findings from a survey of 112,232 entering first-year students attending 236 diverse colleges and universities, including Mercer University.
| 2004 Spirituality Report |