Memo from Dr. Richard Rhodes, Ph.D

ACC President/CEO

This spring, Austin Community College will again participate in the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), a national survey focusing on teaching, learning, and retention in technical and community colleges.

Research shows that students who read and write more, and who interact in positive ways with their teachers and peers, increase their essential skills and competencies. Identifying what our students do in and out of the classroom, knowing their goals, and understanding their external responsibilities can help enhance student learning, development and retention.

The results of both the CCSSE and the CCFSSE will be used to facilitate discussions about student and faculty perceptions of student engagement.

In addition, ACC has elected to participate in the companion survey, the Community College Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (CCFSSE). The CCFSSE is designed to mirror the CCSSE and asks faculty about their perceptions regarding students’ educational experiences. The survey also elicits information from faculty about their teaching practices and the ways they spend their professional time, in and out of class.

The results of both the CCSSE and the CCFSSE will be used to facilitate discussions about student and faculty perceptions of student engagement. Being able to view faculty expectations and perceptions of student engagement (in the aggregate) compared to student responses will help us identify areas of strength to recognize challenges or gaps for further consideration.

Details/Dates:

Faculty Survey – I am inviting faculty to participate in the faculty survey. The CCFSSE office will send you an email with a link to the faculty survey during the third week in March, and you will have until May 15th to complete the survey online.

Upon completion of the online administration period, CCSSE staff will analyze the results of the CCFSSE, and we will receive an electronic report of results when we also receive our CCSSE Institutional Report this fall.

Student Survey – During April, the student survey will be administered in classes randomly selected by CCSSE to ensure a representative sample and to preserve the integrity of the survey results. Instructors whose classes are selected for survey administration will receive specific information from the appropriate administrator.

Your participation in this survey can assist us in identifying where we are and what further action may be helpful in our continuing work to support and strengthen teaching and learning.

Learn more about the surveys at the CCSSE website. If you have any questions about the administration of CCSSE/CCFSSE this spring, please contact Dr. Richard Griffiths at 223.7606.