How Lebanon Valley College Uses RealResponse to Close the Loop With Students
Photo courtesy of Lebanon Valley College
Today’s college students constantly share feedback about their experiences in and outside the classroom. Some of this information comes through casual conversations with faculty and staff, some through formal conduct or conflict resolution meetings, and plenty through email and social media channels like Yik Yak.
In other words, student affairs teams have no shortage of signals to identify individual concerns or problematic patterns on their campuses. The biggest obstacle isn’t simply listening to students, it’s closing the loop when someone speaks up.
For years, Lebanon Valley College (LVC) received reports about students’ most sensitive concerns through anonymous online forms that prohibited any two-way dialogue. Even if staff could act on the information, they had no way to let the student know.
Dr. Sarah McDowell, Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at LVC, knew there had to be a better way. “Trust is foundational to everything that we do. You can't have a culture of inclusion and belonging if there isn't a way to address students when they bring forward issues.”
About Lebanon Valley College
Founded in 1866, Lebanon Valley College (LVC) is a private institution in Annville, Pennsylvania, serving 1,600 undergraduate and 400 graduate students. In 2026 alone, the College was recognized as Best Regional College by Princeton Review, one of America’s Top Colleges by Forbes, and one of the Best Colleges in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal. LVC plans to welcome its largest incoming undergraduate class in Fall 2026.
Bringing clarity and closure to the reporting process
In the past, most LVC student concerns traveled through familiar channels: emails to staff, conversations with resident assistants, conduct meetings, campus safety reports. For more sensitive issues like hazing or potential discrimination, students often turned to anonymous online forms instead.
Their anonymous mechanisms, however, made it impossible for McDowell’s team to keep the conversation going or acknowledge that action was taken. “There was no way to close the loop. There was a breakdown of trust because students had no idea if their concern was being addressed. It felt very impersonal.”
Many students were also unsure which office was even responsible for a given concern, making it hard to know where to turn in the first place. To create closer relationships across campus and help students when they need it most, LVC had to make reporting less of a black box.
“Communication can't just be a one-way street, especially for young people today. If students are taking the time to provide feedback, they deserve to know that their feedback was heard and someone is taking action."
Two-way conversations, not one-way forms
LVC adopted RealResponse in the summer of 2025 as part of a broader push to strengthen communication, trust, and transparency between students and the institution. The goal was to give students an accessible way to reach out, and give staff the ability to directly address student feedback—without sacrificing anonymity.
That distinction matters to McDowell. Anonymity lowers the barrier for students to come forward about sensitive topics, but that doesn’t mean they don’t expect staff to follow up. “Anonymity doesn’t mean silence,” says McDowell. “It’s about empowering students to start a conversation in a way that feels safe for them and still receive guidance without ever having to identify themselves.”
The reports LVC captures through RealResponse cover a wider spectrum than McDowell anticipated. Alongside misconduct concerns, the platform has surfaced trends in and beyond the classroom that were difficult to pinpoint before, such as:
Real-time facility and safety issues. Now students can easily alert staff to an icy, unplowed walkway outside a residence hall during a snowstorm—the kind of small, practical concern they previously had no easy way to report.
Vandalism and other disturbances in residence halls. Before RealResponse, McDowell’s office would receive emails from students reporting issues like loud music in their dorms, but they could never follow up to get more specifics about where, when, or who was involved. Today, a 3 a.m. text about students playing sports in the hallway gives Student Affairs staff a specific time to check camera footage and investigate.
Students acting on behalf of a friend. Many LVC students report concerns about friends who have recently gone through a traumatic experience. RealResponse makes it easier to acknowledge their bravery, and remind them about campus counseling and mediation services that can help manage their own wellness. It’s also inspired a larger conversation about how LVC can more proactively address the anxiety that comes with helping peers navigate their own crises.
Welcoming more voices into the fold
Every report McDowell’s office receives is a proof point that students feel comfortable opening up. She sees the overall volume of inbound reports, even small complaints, as a positive indicator that students believe in the new reporting system. It’s also changed who she hears from.
“There are students I’ve interacted with this year through RealResponse that I likely never would have before, because they could simply text. It wasn’t a form, it wasn’t an email, and it wasn’t coming to see someone,” she says.
Now, LVC can gather more intelligence to solve acute, isolated issues and implement longer-term changes that elevate the entire student experience.
“I've been here for five years. There were concerns that came up through RealResponse, things we’ve learned about our campus that I did not know were concerns.”
Learn more about how RealResponse can amplify the voices and insights you need to strengthen your institution’s culture.