Higher Learning Commission urges students to answer survey about OBU

By Alyssa Sperrazza, News Editor

An email was sent out to students Monday with a assessment survey attached.  The 15 question survey covers multiple areas of topics, such as instruction by professors, ample progress in degrees and overall life here at OBU.

“As a part of the overall reaffirmation process for our accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), they require us and ask us and allow us to do a student opinion survey,” Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness Andrew Spencer said.

While plenty of surveys are sent out to students every semester, Assistant Vice President for Spiritual Life, Dean of the Chapel and member of the HLC steering committee Dale Griffin urges students to take this one as an opportunity to be heard.

“The purpose of the Higher Learning Commission is to help  [OBU] determine if we are fulfilling the goals and objectives we have set for ourselves institutionally,” Griffin said. “Feedback from the student body is vital if we are to capture data regarding successes and challenges of institutionally recognized benchmarks.  Therefore, I strongly encourage students to participate in opportunities provided for feedback through surveys requested by the HLC.”

Providing critical feedback can be awkward at times, but students can rest assured, knowing their names will not be shown.

“Those are anonymous,” Spencer said. “The link will go out [to students] and [the responses] go to the HLC and the comments come back sanitized, so they’ll take out personal information.  It provides an opportunity to provide positive or negative feedback or critical feedback to the institution and we take that seriously and we’ll be able to act on that.”

The HLC has five accreditation criterions that universities are required to meet: mission, integrity, quality of teaching and resources, teaching evaluations and effectivness of resources.

Students, again, are encouraged to check their emails and take a few moments to fill out the survey and provide feedback that will help OBU continue to make Bison Hill the best university it can be.

Photo by Alena Blakley.