As part of RCC’s coordinated three-year survey cycle, we are launching the next iteration of the Student Experience Survey, led in partnership by the DEI Council and Institutional Research. This is a confidential and anonymous survey that will be open to all RCC students from April 13 through May 1, 2026.
RCC administers several student surveys on a defined schedule. National instruments such as SENSE and CCCSE help us benchmark student engagement and the entry experience against peer institutions. The Student Experience Survey serves a different purpose: it focuses specifically on campus climate, belonging, inclusion, access to resources and how students experience RCC’s environment.
When we last administered this survey in 2020–21, hundreds of students participated. Students described RCC as welcoming, respectful and supportive. At the same time, some reported experiencing or witnessing bias or discrimination and perceptions of safety varied by campus and time of day. Those insights informed campus dialogue sessions and planning efforts in the years that followed.
Now, it is time to listen again.
What’s Different This Cycle
Questions related to sexual misconduct are now administered through Oregon’s legally required Campus Sexual Misconduct Survey (ORS 350.337), which follows a separate statewide schedule. Removing those questions from the Student Experience Survey allows us to focus more deeply on belonging, inclusion, cross-cultural interactions, access to services and overall campus climate.
Together, RCC’s coordinated survey approach strengthens institutional decision-making while reducing duplication and survey fatigue.
Why Faculty and Staff Partnership Matters
Strong participation improves the reliability of results and ensures we can responsibly interpret trends over time. When faculty and staff encourage participation, students are significantly more likely to respond.
We invite you to:
- Announce the survey in class.
- Post the survey link in Blackboard.
- Share why student voice matters.
- Encourage student employees to participate.
Results will be shared in aggregate and will inform institutional planning, DEI priorities and strategic goals tied to student success, belonging and community engagement. Individual responses remain confidential, and no subgroup data will be reported when fewer than five students respond. As in past cycles, summary findings will be shared with the college community to support dialogue and action planning.
Listening well is a shared responsibility. Thank you for helping amplify student voice and strengthen RCC’s culture of belonging.
For any questions, please reach out via email or Teams to Lucia Bartscher, chair or the DEI Council.