Systematic administrative uses
- UCUES responses about the academic experience in the major are reported to each department for its upper-division majors. The results are also analyzed in detail for Academic Program Review, the periodic in-depth evaluation of every instructional program. Students are asked to rate how satisfied they are with such aspects of their major as instruction by faculty and graduate student instructors, advising, equitable treatment by faculty, and the availability and quality of courses. UCUES data have helped shift academic program review from a predominant focus on faculty and graduate students to one of increasing attention to the undergraduate experience.
- Reporting of topics of interest to campus constituents and administrators to inform decision making (for example, students' experiences with housing and food security, research engagement, advising, and campus climate).
- UCUES responses are a key component of the UC system's public accountability initiative, which is akin to the Voluntary System of Accountability template proposed by AASCU and APLU (formerly NASULGC).
Non-routine administrative uses
- Tabulation of responses for academic departments (majors) and colleges for self-study and assessment.
- Tabluation of responses for specific student programs, such as former Fall Program for Freshmen or Summer Bridge participants.
- Providing facts and figures for official communications, including speeches and publications.
- Evaluating admissions policy (for example, pp. 79-83 of the 2008 UC Systemwide Academic Senate's review of the BOARS' Revised Proposal to Reform UC's Freshman Eligibility Policy).
Scholarly research
- Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) conferences and publications, as a program of the Center for Studies in Higher Education.