History of NSSE Participation

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) requires Tennessee’s public colleges and universities to engage in ongoing efforts to improve the quality of undergraduate programs offered to students. As part of the evaluation process, THEC uses results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to assess the perceptions and educational experiences of first-year students and seniors. As part of this performance-based system, the Quality Assurance Funding (QAF) process incentivizes institutions by offering the opportunity to earn an additional 5.45 percent over their operating budget. Accordingly, Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) routinely participates in both the NSSE and QAF processes. For the fiscal year 2023-24, MTSU’s performance resulted in THEC recommending an additional $6.8 million in operating expenses for the University.