Student Rating of Faculty Instruction Committee
2015-2016 Committee Report
Committee Members: Samantha Adams (student representative); Karen Adsit (ex-officio); Gwen Carlton; Karen “Casey” Casebier; Elicia Cruz; Emily Duggen (student representative); Dawn Ford (ex-officio);Cuilan “Lani” Gao; Timothy Gaudin; Stephanie Henderson; Jenny Holcombe; Hope Klug; Xuhua “Roy” Liu; Alleene “Anne” Pingenot (Chair); Cathie Smith; Shantelle Swaren; Cindy Williamson (ex-officio).
The committee met four times this academic year (28 Oct 15; 27 Jan 16; 17 Feb 16; 23 Mar 16). Several committee members who were unable to attend in person provided input to the discussion via emails which were contributed to the discussion. A number of issues were discussed (see minutes for details). The committee revised a previously developed policy and procedure which describes current practice of surveying students for rating faculty instruction. It was understood that the policy is worded generally and that the procedure part of the policy is subject to updating based on further evaluation of methods used to accomplish the goals of the policy. This policy was proposed to the Faculty Senate on 10 March and was accepted. It is currently under review by the university policy committee.
The committee developed a survey of faculty and administrators to identify future directions for this committee’s work. This survey is currently beginning its second week of availability. It will be open until the end of the first full week of April. Dr. Pingenot, Chair of this committee, will analyze the data from this survey and provide it to the committee at the beginning of Fall 2016.
A survey of students who withdraw from classes was proposed by Dr. Adsit. This proposal was discussed in the 23 March meeting. Several suggestions were made by committee members. Dr. Adsit will use those suggestions to revise the proposed survey, including a clear statement of the purpose of the proposed survey and how data from it would be used.
Three items of discussion are currently tabled pending further information and are tabled:
The committee asked if student demographics including GPA could be included along with their student rating of faculty “course evaluation” survey. The obstacle to this possibility is that there must be a way to prevent students from changing that data on their survey submission.
The committee has been exploring the ability to aggregate data from cross listed courses (when one faculty member teaches a class under two or more course numbers). The advantage of aggregation is that it would increase the N for a given faculty’s evaluation of a course. Dr. Adsit is continuing to work on this possibility.
The committee has discussed methods of increasing student rate of return. An increase in rate of return for surveys was promised faculty if the result of surveys would be published for students. A publication student rating of faculty for students was begun Fall 2014 with the understanding it would be re-evaluated after three semesters. Since then, rate of returns have not risen and recently have fallen. This arrangement will be re-evaluated by the committee Fall 2016.
Respectfully submitted 28 March 2016
Alleene “Anne” Pingenot, PhD