Graduate Student Experience Survey (GSES) 2024

The Graduate Student Experience Survey (GSES) is a survey administered internally at KU. The questions were devised by an internal committee in 2022.

The survey captures information on the graduate student experience across many facets of graduate education, training, and academic development. Participation in the survey provides KU with vital information about student experiences in and out of the classroom. The results drive campus-wide conversations and shape changes to policies and practices that support the success of all graduate students.

The data gathered in this survey will inform our responses to questions from our accreditors, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and help us align efforts with Jayhawks Rising, the strategic plan for the Lawrence/Edwards campuses.

The Office of Graduate Studies uses these survey data to evaluate and prioritize our efforts, including programmatic initiatives and policy work, to improve the graduate student experience. The Office of Graduate Studies works with the Deans, and the Deans in turn work with Department Leadership, to use the data to monitor graduate student experience over time and inform strategic decisions about the graduate program.  

GSES is one of KU's Campus Constituent Surveys for the Lawrence/Edwards campuses. Since 2022, these surveys follow a consistent process of planning, administration, analysis, engagement, and the creation of actionable recommendations. A Campus Constituent Surveys Implementation Team is then tasked with reviewing, prioritizing and communicating updates on recommendations three times a year promoting continuous improvement and transparency. 

As a KU Campus Constituent Survey, GSES is a key process for assessing the success of Jayhawks Rising, our strategic plan.  

KU last administered the GSES in 2022 and will administer the GSES in 2024. Moving forward KU will administer the GSES on a three-year cycle. The next survey will be administered in  2027. 

In previous years, graduate students completed the Graduate Student Satisfaction Survey (GSSS) and this was administered in 2020, 2016, 2013 and 2009. 

In 2023, KU surveyed graduate student employees (Graduate Teaching Assistants, Graduate Research Assistants, and Graduate Assistants) via an internal 3Gs survey. 

Please consult the Campus Constituent Survey Archive page for details on past administrations.

All full-time and part-time students enrolled in Lawrence Governing Campus programs at the Masters, Education Specialist Program, and research Doctoral level as of the 20th day of the spring 2024 semester will receive an invitation to complete the survey.

Lawrence Governing Campus includes programs at Edwards, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Pittsburg, and Salina.

If you have questions about the survey administration, please contact the Office of Analytics & Institutional Research, and Effectiveness at aire-help@ku.edu

Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies at graduate@ku.edu 

All responses are confidential. 

KU’s Office of Analytics, Institutional Research, and Effectiveness (AIRE) administers the survey and uses established protocols to anonymize data.  All data is aggregated by School and then Department/Program and shared with staff in the Office of Graduate Studies. Department-level reports of aggregated data are only shared with department leadership if the number of responses from students in the program (master’s program in X department or doctoral program in X department) is greater than five.  Individual narrative feedback is carefully reviewed and omitted from all reporting if confidentiality cannot be assured.  In all cases, narrative feedback is only provided if the number of responding students from the program is 10 or greater.   

 

Findings for particular demographic groups (based on institutional data sources and that reported in the survey) will primarily be used to inform campus-wide efforts.  These will not be shared with individual programs unless the representation of said groups in the population is sufficient to protect the privacy of individual respondents.   General concerns about program climate may be shared.  

 

All staff in the Office of Graduate Studies are mandatory reporters. This means that if you disclose complaints of discrimination on the basis of race (including racial harassment), color, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual harassment, and sexual violence), national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in your survey, OGS will report the complaint to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX (OCRIX). If a report is made, OCRIX will contact you to start a conversation about the complaint, but it is entirely up to you whether you respond to that email.  Students can find more information about support services on the OCRIX Help and Support page.