Assessment
Surveys at the University at Albany
**Now
Running**
ECAR (Educause Center for Applied Research) National Study of Undergraduate
Students and Information Technology
SUNY Student Opinion Survey, 2012
For
more information on current surveys, as well as those from
previous semesters, please click
here (the most recent surveys are at the top).
For
reports on some of our most important institutional surveys, click
here (the most recent reports are at the top).
Frequently Asked
Questions:
"If the survey
is confidential, why did the e-mail have my name and/or why
do I need to log in?"
For most
surveys we conduct at UAlbany, we send e-mails with links
that automatically log you into the survey. Log-in is required
to ensure the validity of the survey data -- to make sure
that only UAlbany students, faculty or staff are taking the
survey and that no one takes it more than once. We use your
name on the invitation because it's more polite and welcoming
than "Dear Student." If the survey invitation says
the survey is "confidential" but not "anonymous"
that generally means that we do retain your UAlbany ID number
in the survey data file, in order to be able to match your
survey responses with key academic and demographic variables
without burdening you with a much longer survey. Even though
we have your ID number, we promise complete confidentiality
-- any reporting of the survey data will be only in aggregate
form. You will never be personally identified in any way and
your survey responses will not become part of your student
record.
For some surveys, such as last Fall's UAlbany Course Evaluation Feedback Survey, the School of Public
Health Faculty Survey, the CLUE Survey of Professional
Staff, and the Strategic Planning Surveys and Transportation Surveys from last year,
we are able to make the survey data completely anonymous,
while still having the same log-in process as usual. In those
cases, the online system we use to send the e-mail invitations
and host the surveys keeps log-in information in an entirely
separate data set from the survey response data. It is impossible
to match the two data sets. Neither your ID number nor any
other identifying information will be included in the survey
data set. In this way, we ensure that your survey responses
are both valid and completely anonymous.
"Why do
you conduct surveys?"
The University
at Albany conducts a number of surveys of its students, faculty,
staff and alumni as part of its ongoing process of assessing
our performance, and identifying areas of institutional strength
as well as areas which require additional attention or policy
change. These range from comprehensive assessment surveys
of the undergraduate or graduate student experience, to quick,
short surveys on a particular topic (for example, most recently
the NY-Alert system survey in October, 2008).
"What Surveys
Are Happening Now?"
For a
look of surveys going on at UAlbany this semester, please
click
here (the most recent surveys are at the top).
Policy on Surveys
of UAlbany Populations
It is
continuing policy that all survey and focus group activity
involving UAlbany students, faculty, staff or alumni must
be coordinated with the Office of Institutional Research,
Planning, and Effectiveness (IRPE).
- This
policy applies even when you are surveying within your own
unit of the University.
- This
policy applies even to surveys and focus groups used only
internally for assessment purposes.
- Exceptions
are surveys: (1) used only for course evaluation or teaching
purposes; or (2) involving the Psychology 101 student pool.
A copy
of the most recent memorandum of this policy
can be viewed here.
Obtaining Approval
for Surveys of UAlbany Populations
- As
a first step, contact UAlbany's Office
of Regulatory Research Compliance to determine whether
your survey or focus group activity requires IRB approval.
In general, surveys that are used only for internal assessment
purposes do not require IRB approval, but that is the IRB's
determination to make.
- If
you are going through the IRB process, simply send electronic
copies of all the files you are submitting to the IRB to
Joel Bloom at UAlbany's Office
of Institutional Research, Planning & Effectiveness (IRPE),
at uasurvey@albany.edu.
- If
the IRB determines that you do not need their approval,
please send all relevant information about the nature of
the research, the timing, information on how participants
will be recruited, including the text of all recruitment
letters, e-mails and posters, information on who will be
contacted, and a copy of all survey instruments to Joel
Bloom at UAlbany's Office
of Institutional Research, Planning & Effectiveness (IRPE),
at uasurvey@albany.edu.
- For
smaller projects, we are generally able to let you know
within 1-2 business days; larger projects may require additional
time to enable coordination with other surveys.
If you
have any questions or concerns about Surveys at UAlbany, please
contact Joel Bloom,
IRPE's Director of Assessment and Survey Research.
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