1. Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this document is to define a regulation for administration of surveys conducted at East Carolina University for institutional enhancement. This regulation covers institutional surveys developed and conducted by constituent entities of East Carolina University. It also covers externally developed surveys conducted at the request of constituent entities of the University for the purpose of institutional enhancement. All survey requests by constituent entities of the university that serve a dual purpose of institutional enhancement and publishing/creating generalizable knowledge should simultaneously be reviewed in accordance with the policy of the University and Medical Center Institutional Review Board. This regulation DOES NOT apply to surveys conducted by faculty for purposes of research.

2. Requirement for Approval of Surveys

No survey (with the exception of surveys conducted by faculty for purposes of research for generalizable knowledge) may be conducted at ECU in person, by paper, telephone, or by using ECU's electronic resources such as email or Blackboard, by any person, including but not limited to faculty members and students, unless and until the proposed survey is reviewed and approved by the Survey Review and Oversight Committee (the "Committee") and the University and Medical Center Institutional Review Board (IRB) and, where applicable, approval is obtained.

3. Survey Review and Oversight Committee

To implement this regulation, the Committee was formed to oversee as appropriate the development, approval, and administration of surveys. The primary purpose of the Committee is to organize the administration of surveys conducted for the purpose of institutional enhancement.

3.1 Responsibilities of the Committee

3.1.1 Oversee the development, approval, and administration of institutional surveys, conducted solely for the purpose of institutional enhancement.

3.1.2 Review, approve and schedule all institutional surveys proposed for the purpose of improving existing services, or developing new services or programs.

3.1.3 Develop a university-wide schedule of surveys conducted for the purpose of institutional enhancement to increase participant's completion and to minimize where possible duplication and saturation.

3.1.4 The Committee will NOT routinely review or approve faculty research surveys as defined by Title 45 Code of Federal Regulations Part 46 (research for generalizable knowledge).

3.1.4.1 Upon the request from the faculty, the Committee will determine if it is appropriate for the Office of Institutional Planning, Assessment and Research (IPAR) to provide assistance in obtaining samples or providing other forms of assistance.

3.1.4.2 The Committee will further review the research survey, upon receipt of IRB approval, when the faculty member conducting the research requests and receives the assistance from IPAR or other East Carolina University academic support units.

3.2 The Committee will encourage the following practices:

3.2.1 Considering complementary methods for obtaining data including the use of focus groups and interviews.

3.2.2 Conducting surveys on appropriate timelines and with appropriate frequency based on current available evidence.

3.2.3 The use of representative samples as an alternative to obtaining a census.

3.2.4 Combining surveys when possible.

3.2.5 Development of a university wide schedule of surveys to increase participation rates and minimize duplication.

3.2.6 Exploring the feasibility of adding ECU specific survey questions to those surveys required by the University of North Carolina.

3.2.7 Using existing data to satisfy or complement unit data needs.

3.2.8 Compliance with any and all privacy laws.

3.2.8.1 In most cases, the Committee would, under Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act need to obtain prior (student and potentially parental) permission to survey currently enrolled students if any student records are being accessed for institutional enhancement processes. This may also extend to recent graduates whose information may no longer be accessible for such use by ECU.

3.2.9 It is anticipated that results of completed surveys will be made available to the academic community.

3.3 Survey Review and Oversight Committee membership will include at least one representative from each of the following:

3.3.1 Student Affairs

3.3.2 Library Services

3.3.3 University Advising

3.3.4 Academic Affairs

3.3.5 Health Science Division

3.3.6 Institutional Planning, Assessment and Research

3.3.7 Faculty Senate

3.3.8 Finance and Administration

3.3.9 Research and Graduate Studies

3.4 Approval Process

3.4.1 The survey proposal is submitted to the Committee via the Office of Institutional Planning, Assessment and Research web site.

3.4.2 The Committee reviews the proposal.

3.4.3 A decision is made by the Committee to approve or not approve the proposed survey and suggestions may be made for improvement or implementation.

3.4.4 If a survey is not approved, the office requesting approval may either revise the survey and resubmit it to the Committee for reconsideration, or submit an appeal to the Associate Provost for Institutional Planning, Assessment and Research.

3.5 The Committee will meet at least once per month and will respond within 15 days of receiving a request for conducting a survey. IRB approval would be a prerequisite for committee approval should the results be used for any generalizable knowledge.

4. Student Survey Support

Any student who wants to survey a university population for the purpose of institutional enhancement requires the support of an ECU faculty member or staff advisor prior to review and approval by the Committee. This includes, but is not limited to surveys which supplement a thesis, dissertation or student organization.

5. Sanctions for Policy Violations

Deliberate failure to adhere to the policy regulations will result in the suspension of survey privileges. Violators of the survey policy must receive written approval from the Associate Provost of IPAR prior to the reinstatement of survey privileges.