Faculty Survey of Student Engagement
Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE)
Spring 2026
This survey collects information about faculty perceptions on the experiences of undergraduate students from approximately 120 institutions across the United States and Canada. FSSE measures the expectations of instructional staff (faculty, instructors, and/or graduate students who teach) for student engagement in educational practices that are empirically linked with student learning and development. FSSE focuses on:
- Instructional staff perceptions of how often students engage in different activities.
- The importance instructional staff place on various areas of learning and development.
- The nature and frequency of instructional staff-student interactions.
- How instructional staff organize their time, both in and out of the classroom.
The findings from this survey are intended to complement the data gathered in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), which is also being administered this spring. The findings from the FSSE will be used at UW-Whitewater to understand and improve the undergraduate experience at our institution.
Participation in this survey is completely voluntary. All responses to the survey will be kept confidential, and the data collected will be reported in the aggregate. For specific information on how participants will be treated, what they can expect should they choose to participate and their rights to withdraw from the survey, please read the FSSE Informed Consent [External link].
The 2026 FSSE Survey will open on March 10th, 2026 and will close May 11th, 2026. Faculty and instructional staff will be invited to participate in the survey.
UW-Whitewater participates in this survey on a three-year cycle. The last time that the FSSE was administered at UW-Whitewater was Spring 2023.
The Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) is being conducted by UW-Whitewater and the Center for Postsecondary Research (CPR) [External link] at Indiana University at Bloomington. The CPR is a national organization that has conducted the FSSE survey since 2003. CPR reports the results of the survey in its own publications, as well as in other venues, such as the Chronicle of Higher Education.
If you have any questions about UW-Whitewater’s participation in this survey, please contact the Office of Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning at 262-472-5671 or email the IRAP office.
At the end of a survey administration cycle, institutions participating in the FSSE are provided several reports highlighting various aspects of their survey results. These include:
Snapshot
Snapshot reports provide a concise collection of key findings about student engagement at an institutional level for each year available.
FSSE Snapshot 2023 [PDF]
FSSE-NSSE Combined Report
The FSSE-NSSE Combined Report shows item by item comparisons of student and faculty responses.
FSSE-NSSE Combined Report 2023 [PDF]
The following FSSE reports from the 2023 administration of the survey at UW-Whitewater are available upon request:
- Respondent Profile
- Higher-Order Learning, Reflective & Integrative Learning
- Learning Strategies, Quantitative Reasoning
- Time Spent, Reading, Challenge, Writing
- Collaborative Learning, Discussion with Diverse Others
- Student-Faculty Interaction, Effective Teaching Practices
- Quality of Interactions, Supportive Environment
- Sense of Belonging, Teaching Environment
- High-Impact Practices
- Time on Scholarly Activities
- Time on Teaching Activities
- Course Time on Task, Course Goals
- Additional FSSE Items
To receive a copy of the most recent survey reports, please email the IRAP office.
Data from the FSSE is also available on the following Dashboard:
Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) Dashboard - Administered and updated every three years.
FSSE allows participating institutions to add up to two topical modules (External link)-- short sets of questions on designated topics such as academic advising, civic engagement, diversity on campus, technology, and/or writing.
FSSE topical modules administered at UW-Whitewater:
- 2020: Inclusiveness & Engagement with Diversity
- 2017: Academic Advising
- 2016: Academic Advising
- 2014: Civic Engagement
The FSSE reports from the most recent administration of these modules are available upon request. To receive a copy, please email the IRAP office.