Students are encouraged to make their voices heard through a satisfaction survey. Graphic by Lily O’Connor.
GRACE CRONIN | STAFF REPORTER | gcronin@butler.edu
Students are being asked to share their thoughts on academics, campus resources and belonging through the Satisfaction-Priorities Survey (SPS), a survey administered by Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL). The survey aims to help the Butler administration identify what students value most about their college experience and where improvements can be made.
Students who complete the survey by Oct. 22, 2025, will be entered to win one of 25 Dawg Bucks prizes worth $50 each. The survey is open without raffle entries until Oct. 29.
The SPS is coordinated by Dr. Bridget Yuhas, Butler’s Executive Director of Strategy, Assessment and Operations. The SPS takes about 15 to 20 minutes to complete, and the results help provide Butler with the needs of students.
“Students are asked to rate how satisfied they are with that particular aspect of their experience at Butler, and then secondarily, how important that aspect of their experience is to them,” Yuhas said. “It really helps us figure out where to focus our efforts going forward.”
The busy lives of college students hold some back from responding to the survey and the many emails sent, including senior political science, philosophy and psychology triple major Sarah Finnicum.
“I don’t really want to fill out a survey that takes up to 20 minutes,” Finnicum said. “That’s a lot of time when I’m already busy with classes and other responsibilities. I understand why they’re doing it, but I wish they would stop sending so many emails about it if I haven’t already filled it out to begin with.”
Survey questions cover nearly every part of college life, from faculty support and advising to Wi-Fi, housing, food quality, campus safety and inclusion. Students respond to statements like “Faculty care about me as an individual,” “Security staff respond quickly in emergencies” and “Most students feel a sense of belonging here.”
The final section includes demographic questions about class year, GPA, residence type and campus involvement. Students are also asked to reflect on whether Butler has met their expectations and if they would choose to enroll again.
The SPS is a widely used assessment tool in higher education. According to RNL, it has partnered with over 3,000 colleges and universities since its founding and works with nearly 1,900 campuses each year. The company specializes in helping institutions evaluate student satisfaction, retention and engagement. The firm manages 25 million student-search records and sends 240 million emails annually on behalf of its clients.
Response rates for surveys vary across institutions. RNL reports that online administrations with reminders and incentives typically see around 20% participation. Butler’s percent participation from its last round of this survey in the fall of 2023 was around 14%.
Although Butler is offering Dawg Bucks prizes to encourage participation, the true impact of the survey depends on how many students take part and how their feedback is used. Students who fill it out contribute data that could shape future decisions about advising, residence halls, dining, diversity initiatives and other aspects of campus life.
“It really is not a waste of students’ time to participate in these surveys and let us know what we’re doing well and where we need to focus,” Yuhas said. “We want to improve the experience for everybody.”
