Faculty and instructors are essential to ensuring that the students respond to the survey. Above all else, communicate with your students regarding the importance of the survey to improve your own teaching, as well as the importance to the university as a whole. Consider taking the following actions:
Set aside some class time and have the students complete the survey in class. This will often result in response rates equal to the paper surveys. While the survey is running, direct your students to sirs.rutgers.edu/blue. Do not rely solely on email messages, or on the Canvas pop-up message (both of which may sometimes fail) - be sure to give this link to your students via multiple channels. Do not rely on our email reminders - students may not read the email, and we cannot send emails to students who do not provide an accurate email address to the university. Include a statement on your syllabus that you expect all students to complete the SIRS survey. Use informal, midcourse surveys throughout the term. When the survey begins, take some class time to discuss the importance of the survey. Give the students personal examples of how you have used prior surveys to improve your teaching. Inform the students that the surveys are used by the University in promotion, tenure, and reappointment decisions. Assure students that their comments and responses will always remain anonymous. Invite students to view survey data from previous semesters at sirs.rutgers.edu. Read more about student participation.