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Information for Students

Click here to Access the SPLS System 

How will I know when surveys become available?

Students will be emailed information and reminders for their course surveys.

Do I have to fill out all SPLS forms for all classes in one session?

No. You may fill out as many forms as you want in each visit to the SPLS application. After filling out one or more forms, you may log off and return later to fill out others.

Can I decline to participate?

There is an option on the SPLS form to decline to participate in the survey. We hope students are willing to provide frank and constructive feedback so the information can be used to enhance the quality of teaching in the future.

Can my instructor see my responses?

All SPLS responses are reported as an aggregated summary. After the period for submitting grades has closed, instructors, graduate teaching assistants, and authorized teaching unit administrators are able to see aggregated results. Multiple-choice questions are reported as an aggregate and all comments are listed by question and cannot be linked with responses from a particular student’s online form. Results are not available for any given course in which fewer than three students complete the survey.

Could my survey responses have any impact on my grade?

No. Instructors and graduate teaching assistants do not get access to the aggregated results of survey responses until after the window for submitting grades closes.

I missed the window for completing the survey. Can you re-open the survey?

No. The university policy requires surveys to close when the period for instructors to submit grades opens. There is no impact on grades or the release of grades. 

Whom can I contact for more information?

Send an email to spls@spls.msu.edu.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

A: The university policy ensures that students can provide feedback about the quality of their learning experiences. All instructional personnel, regardless of rank – including graduate teaching assistants, are covered under the policy in credit-bearing classes.

A: Some colleges or departments may seek further feedback from students using an alternative survey instrument with questions that are more specific to their area. In addition, instructors and graduate teaching assistants may seek student feedback that is very specific to the course.

A: Surveys are open for 5, 7, or 10 calendar days depending upon the length of the course: 

  • open for 5 calendar days for courses that are less than six weeks 
  • open for 7 calendar days for courses that are six weeks to less than 11 weeks 
  • open for 10 calendar days for courses that are 11 weeks or longer