Collecting Dust or Creating Change:

This study examines a group of institutions that have recently participated in a national survey focused on student learning. In doing so, the study investigates how institutions decide upon using an externally developed instrument, how campuses use the results to improve their practices, and what barriers and challenges they face in translating survey results into actionable strategies for change. The study highlights issues surrounding assessment use, while also presenting a set of recommendations that might serve as a guide for those campuses concerned about “closing the loop” in their assessment practices.