Drew Allen, PhD
Associate Vice President, Institutional Data Analytics – Georgetown University
Fellow, Steinhardt Institute for Higher Education Policy – New York University

Are students still engaged? How Georgetown University approached student survey design and analysis during the initial phase of the pandemic.

Most colleges and universities administer multiple surveys to students, faculty, and staff throughout the academic year. Institutions have dedicated survey plans that call for the collection of information about the student experience, faculty satisfaction, cultural climate, and alumni outcomes/perceptions (among other topics).

The shift to remote instruction in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that institutions had to act swiftly to rethink survey plans and other data collection methods. New types of data were also needed by leadership to quickly understand the impact of the shift and how students, faculty, and staff were faring in this unprecedented time.

This presentation will explore the variety of approaches that Georgetown University took in surveying students and faculty during the pandemic. First, the development of “pulse” surveys to measure academic engagement will be discussed, followed by a step-by-step account of how the survey data were communicated and used. Challenges in terms of sampling, questionnaire construction, survey nonresponse, and ethical use of data will be highlighted. Finally, we will discuss how these new approaches and lessons learned are helping to drive innovation in future survey efforts at the University.