Mapping the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Satisfaction-Priorities Surveys to the HLC criteria
Many institutions rely upon the RNL suite of satisfaction and priorities survey results as a way to demonstrate the fulfillment of institutional accreditation requirements. In the 19-state region served by The Higher Learning Commission, HLC-accredited colleges and universities must document in years 4 and 10 of their accreditation cycle how they meet the HLC requirements.
Accreditation reviews conducted on or after September 1, 2020 must address the Criteria and Core Components that became effective September 1, 2020, comprised of 18 Core Components and 68 Sub-Components.
The PDF documents available via the links below show the Ruffalo Noel Levitz survey items mapped to the HLC requirements, tailored specifically to each Ruffalo Noel Levitz survey.
RNL survey items mapped to the HLC Core Components and Sub-Components
Download the appropriate document(s) based on the survey version(s) you are using on your campus:
Make note of the following
- Every requirement stated begins with its HLC-numbered identification (e.g. “1.A” and “1.A.1.” etc). The HLC Core Components and Sub-Components are copyrighted (2014) by The Higher Learning Commission.
- The documents reflect the survey item and the text of the item as it appears on the survey instrument. Items are clustered based on the criteria they support.
- In order to simplify print formatting in the PDF available for download, the text of some HLC requirements has been lightly edited and/or truncated, especially if the original text is more than 20 words. Key words and phrases from the original have been preserved; please see the original text of HLC to understand any requirement in its entirety.
- Not all HLC requirements refer to processes that students can experience, so not all HLC requirements have a survey item affiliated. Also, only the Ruffalo Noel Levitz survey items which students rate for “Importance” and/or “Satisfaction” appear in these mappings.
- Most relationships in these mappings should be self-evident. Mapped relationships between a survey item and HLC requirements may be either direct or indirect. For example, not only do students experience instructional and support services directly, but also the institutional training programs for faculty and staff indirectly affect the quality of the services that students experience. The mappings are meant to be illustrative, not comprehensive and definitive.
- The final section of the document lists survey items which may be related to HLC requirements at the discretion of the survey user (especially, the campus-created items.
- Questions about these documents or the survey instruments? Please contact Ruffalo Noel Levitz.
Additional Assessment Tools
Within this family of surveys are instruments for various populations:
- Student Satisfaction Inventory, the instrument for traditional students, available in versions for four-year colleges and universities, community colleges and career schools;
- Institutional Priorities Survey, the companion to the Student Satisfaction Inventory, assesses campus personnel;
- Adult Student Priorities Survey, used by many graduate and adult undergraduate programs;
- Priorities Survey for Online Learners, for students in online distance learning programs;
- Parent Satisfaction Inventory, a companion to the four-year Student Satisfaction Inventory, for the parents of currently enrolled students.
You receive the data in an organized tabulation report that you can use right away. Of particular interest:
- College Employee Satisfaction Survey, which measures satisfaction of faculty, staff, and administrators in areas such as institutional mission and planning, level of support, resources to accomplish objectives, campus communications, and work environment;
- Alumni Outcomes and Loyalty Survey, which measures institutional success and alumni engagement;
- Employer Satisfaction Survey, which measures employers’ satisfaction with your institution’s graduates;
- And many other tools for particular populations.
Our custom research projects can include such elements as telephone and written surveys; in-depth interviews; predictive modeling; geodemography; focus groups; environmental scans; awareness and opinion measurement; research-based publications and websites; and audits of current practices, programs, and communications. We have experience conducting small, medium, and large market research projects that are highly customized to each institution, campus, and system. Our research has helped institutions take the actions they needed to be more competitive.
