Nonresponse is a growing problem in surveys of college students and the general population. At present, we have a limited understanding of survey nonresponse in college student populations and therefore the extent to which survey results may be biased. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore three facets of nonresponse in surveys of college students in order to strengthen our empirical and conceptual understanding of this phenomenon. This dissertation seeks to contribute to our understanding of who participates in surveys and who does not, how students experience the process of being asked to complete surveys, and whether or not students’ perspectives about surveys suggest that college student surveys should be conceptualized as organizational surveys. To begin to answer these questions, I conducted three studies—a secondary data analysis that examines student characteristics associated with the odds of completing a survey, a “survey on surveys” study that asks students about their experiences with surveys, and a series of focus groups to understand how students made sense of surveys at their institutions. Taken together, these findings provide a basis for a more developed and nuanced understanding of nonresponse in student surveys.

<p> On October 1st of every year, college campuses throughout the United States are required to publish an annual security report (ASR), which provides an overview of the institution&rsquo;s security program. The ASR includes policies and procedures as well as crime statistics for the previous 3 years. The intent of the Clery Act was to provide valuable information on campus safety and security so that students, faculty, and staff can make more informed decisions as to either attend and/or work at a specific institution. This study examined how knowledgeable campus security authorities (CSAs) are with respect to these ASRs, also known as the Clery Act. Furthermore, this research examined whether or not the Act has influence on the success of the institutions&rsquo; missions. This is a qualitative study, which consists of data collected from structured interviews from 14 participants from 2 institutions representing four-year, for-profit colleges. Questions asked during these structured interviews focused on each respondent&rsquo;s knowledge of the Clery Act and its various provisions. The study revealed that the CSAs were unsure whether the Clery Act made college campuses safer; they were aware of the Act but not very familiar with the provisions of the Act; they were unable to identify resources other than additional personnel-power; and finally, they were familiar with the annual requirement of the Act and the published data but not with other provisions of the Act.</p>