About the SERU Survey

Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) is a campus-wide survey of degree-seeking students at the University of Iowa. SERU originated at the UC-Berkeley Center for Studies in Higher Education (CSHE), and is currently used by a consortium of large public research universities to broaden our understanding of student experiences on campuses like ours.

SERU undergraduate and graduate student surveys are administered online to all Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD students. These surveys provide an extensive overview of student experiences, including perceptions of classes and programs, satisfaction and interaction with faculty, campus and community involvement, and perspectives on the campus climate for diversity.

CSHE provides an overview of both the undergraduate and graduate SERU survey design.  For more information about the history and development of SERU, see the SERU Mission at CSHE.
 

Survey Questions

All students at SERU institutions receive the same set of Core questions, and students on our campus also are invited to respond to a set of UI-specific questions.

gradSERU Questions:

• Core Questions - Evaluation of program experiences, financial concerns, advising and mentoring, research and teaching opportunities, overall satisfaction
• UI-Specific Questions - Career and professional development opportunities, perceptions of campus climate for diversity, equity, and inclusion

Undergraduate SERU Questions:

• Core Questions - Academic engagement, evaluation of the major, future plans, financial concerns, overall satisfaction
• UI-Specific Questions - Obstacles to student success, perceptions of campus climate for diversity, equity, and inclusion
   

Contact

SERU is administered at the University of Iowa by the Office of Provost. For more information, contact Wayne Jacobson, Assessment Director in the Office of the Provost.