About the SERU
The mission of the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) project is to help improve the undergraduate experience and educational processes at research universities by generating new, longitudinal information on the undergraduate experience–via an innovative survey–to be used by administrators, policy makers, and scholars. The SERU provides important information about how students of diverse backgrounds and with varying economic pressures and competing obligations organize their time, define their academic purposes, respond to the curriculum and the extra-curricular opportunities for intellectual development, and make use of the resources of the institution.
2016 is the first year of UGA participation in the SERU. This longitudinal survey will provide UGA faculty and administrators with ongoing information to improve academic programs and student services at UGA and to compare our progress and share ideas with other comparable institutions.
History and purpose
The Student Engagement in the Research University (SERU) survey was created in 2002 and first used within the University of California system. Participating universities found that student responses helped faculty, staff and university leadership identify both successes and potential areas for improvement at their institutions, and in 2008 member institutions of the Association of American Universities (AAU) were invited to participate. The SERU consortium was further expanded in 2010 when the survey was opened to international members and the group now includes research universities in Asia, Europe, South America, and Africa. National and international consortium members cooperate to create a longitudinal, multi-campus database on the educational experience of undergraduates at major research universities. The purpose is to promote institutional self-improvement by serving research, policy analysis, and programmatic assessment needs.
2016 SERU consortium
The following institutions are participating in the 2016 SERU:
| Texas A&M University | University of Pittsburgh |
| University of Florida | University of Southern California |
| University of Michigan | University of Virginia |
| University of Minnesota | University of Washington |
| University of North Carolina | University of Georgia |
The survey
The SERU is administered online to all degree-seeking undergraduate students. It provides an extensive overview of the student experience, gathering information on academic and community engagement, evaluation of the major, overall satisfaction, and perceived campus climate for diversity. The survey asks students about their backgrounds, motivations, and perspectives, providing insight into factors influencing student learning and development throughout their time at UGA. Where enough majors respond to the survey, a summary of the feedback regarding the major will be provided to academic programs. The 2016 survey includes approximately 65 items and takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Administration
Student participation is voluntary and students may elect to skip any question. All responses are confidential. Because of the importance of a high response rate, students are automatically entered into a random drawing to win one of several prizes.
Administered by:
The SERU is coordinated by the UGA Office of the Vice President for Instruction. If you have questions about the survey, please contact us at seru@uga.edu.