Students play small part in prof evaluations
While Vice President of Academic Affairs David Brailow promises the Academic Affairs office takes student evaluations of professors seriously, evaluations are only one tool used in the overall evaluation process.
“[They’re not used] so much to hammer someone,” he said.
Some students said they don’t feel their peers give helpful praise or criticism and it diminishes the purpose of the professor evaluations.
“They’re helpful for the growth of the professor, but some people don’t take them seriously, so they may not be very effective,” freshman Kathy Walke said.
The evaluations are anonymous and professors cannot be in the room when the evaluations are administered. A student from the class must collect and bring the evaluations to the Academic Affairs.
“They are effective because it allows for an anonymous opinion of the professor that is from the student,” junior Taylor Montague said.
After the evaluations are returned to academic affairs, they are processed and computerized reports are developed. After grades are turned in, the evaluation reports are returned to the professor.
If there are less than six students in the class, the professors don’t get to see the comments students can write at the bottom of the evaluation.
Professors are required to give class evaluations every semester while on tenure probation, which are their first six years at the college. Once they become tenured, professors are required to give evaluations once every two semesters. Professors are not required to give them during winter and summer terms.
Along with peer evaluations, dean evaluations and portfolio assessment, professor evaluations can be used for intervention or to have an impact on promotion to full professor.
The evaluation itself cannot prevent a professor from being tenured.
Brailow said evaluations may or may not factor into a decision to investigate a professor who is rated badly by students.
“This is not a simple formula and depends a lot on context: what course(s), how long the professor has been here, etc.,” he said.
Students said they often feel that the evaluations are not useful if the professor doesn’t make changes recommended to improve the quality of the class.
“Professor evaluations are beneficial only if the professors make the necessary changes, otherwise they are a waste of my time and resources,” freshman Jon Thompson said.
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