This fall, something important is coming to Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) – something that finally gives students a real voice in a way they haven’t had before.

For the first time, the College will launch a campus-wide Student Opinion Survey at the end of the semester. If you’re in a 15-week course, you’ll be able to share honest, anonymous feedback about your classes – what helped you succeed, what made things more challenging, and what you wish had been different.

As students, we know our experiences can be very different from class to class. Some are engaging and well-structured while others have room for improvement. Up until now, there hasn’t been a clear, consistent way to share that feedback across all campuses and put it to good use. We’re usually the first to notice what’s working and what could be even better, but there wasn’t a system to collect that input and turn it into meaningful improvements. This survey changes that.

I was part of the working group that created the questions, along with students, faculty, and administrators from all three campuses. We met throughout the spring to design something fair, thoughtful, and genuinely useful – not a “check the box” kind of survey. We focused on asking the kinds of questions that could give real insight into the student experience, like whether or not assignments matched what was taught, if the class felt inclusive, and whether it was organized well or not.

This is a big step toward making sure student voices shape decisions at SCCC. It’s not about criticizing instructors – it’s about highlighting what’s working and finding opportunities to strengthen the learning experience for everyone. This is just the start! The survey will be piloted this fall, and if it goes well, it could become a regular part of how the college supports student success.

Here’s the catch: none of this matters if we don’t actually take it. The survey only takes a few minutes, but your feedback could lead to real, positive changes; not just for you, but for future SCCC students.

At the end of the day, this is about making SCCC the best it can be for all of us. If you loved something about a class, this is your chance to say so. If something made it harder for you to learn, now’s the time to bring it up. Your responses won’t just sit in a spreadsheet – they’ll help start real conversations about how we’re taught.

So, when you see the survey in your email or on Brightspace this fall, don’t ignore it. Take a few minutes and be honest, say what matters to you. This is your education, your experience, and your voice. Use it!