Student Evaluation of Teaching

The Student Evaluation of Teaching is an opportunity for our students to provide feedback about their experiences with an instructor and a course.

Surveys are automatically generated and made available to the students the last two weeks of each semester and close to student before finals begin. 

Fall and Spring surveys are mandatory.

Summer surveys and Mid-Semester surveys allow an instructor to opt-out of the survey process.

Summer surveys and Mid-Semester survey results do not count toward promotion or tenure.

Instructors can see their survey results and comments the day after final grades are due.

Chairs, Deans, and the Provost can see survey statistics the day after final grades are due.

Chairs can see comments approximately two and a half to three weeks after instructors receive their results. This allows the instructor time to review comments, request any comment redactions, redaction requests determination, and comment redaction if approved.

Deans and the Provost do not see comments unless they are shared by the instructor.

Mid-Semester Feedback results and comments are only available to the instructor.

A form will be made available when the results are distributed to the instructors.

You have the option of flagging comments for potential removal if they are offensive and you don’t want your supervisors to be able to read them. This procedure is focused on offensive and discriminatory comments, especially those related to race, ethnicity, gender, or other protected classes. It is not intended for comments that are merely critical, irrelevant, or those that you feel misrepresent the course.

Example comment that meets these criteria: "This instructor would look better if she wore a shorter skirt"
Example comment that does NOT meet criteria for removal: "This instructor treated students rudely"

To make a request, please copy/paste the full comment in the form. PLEASE DO NOT redact any information in the comment before submitting it. We need to have the entire comment to correctly identify it in the database.
If you have more than one request, fill out the form multiple times.

After the comment is submitted, the Blue admin will remove any identifying information, such as the instructor's name or course name/number. The admin will then forward the updated comment to the review panel.

A review panel consisting of the Faculty Ombudsperson, the chair of the CET, and a diversity office representative will vote to approve or reject your request. Approved comments will be removed from the reports you or your supervisors see.
This entire process is anonymous: no panel members will know your identity. Your name and email address will be collected so the Blue administrator can notify you of the panel's decision.

Pre-Summer 2024

Summer 2024 and later

  • Survey results can be viewed on your Blue dashboard. 
    • Login with your umsystem username and password.
    • On your Home page, scroll down to view the reports available by semester.

NOTE: The results for a specific semester may not be visible if your course had a low number of responses.

Post Summer 2024

Blue provides a screen or pdf version of your survey result per class. Each question has an individual graph of the results.

Example of graphs shown in Blue ReportingPre Summer 2024

Explanation of graphs shown in legacy evaluation system

There are three sections of default survey questions. These questions were created by the CET committee.

BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS:

The following questions are asked of all respondents on the following scale:

Consistently / Often / Sometimes / Rarely / Never / Not Applicable

"Please rate your instructor on the frequency that they exhibit these qualities and behaviors:"

  1. Knowledgeable About Subject Matter (for example, appropriately answers students’ questions; provides value beyond required texts)
  2. Establishes Learning Objectives (for example, prepares/follows the syllabus; has clear learning objectives)
  3. Uses Relevant Assessments (for example, assignments/tests target key learning objectives)
  4. Provides Constructive Feedback (for example, provides useful, timely feedback on returned work)
  5. Accessible (for example, posts/attends office hours, gives contact information, responds in a reasonable amount of time)
  6. Attentive to Student Learning (for example, asks questions to check student understanding; reinforce information when necessary)
  7. Engaging and Interesting (for example, uses relevant examples; supports and enhances lectures with educational tools and/or technology)
  8. Receptive to Feedback (for example, requests course feedback from students; responds to student suggestions)
  9. Respectful (for example, is considerate and polite, encourages students, promotes an inclusive environment)

STANDARD QUESTIONS:

The following questions are asked of all respondents on the following scale:

Strongly Agree / Somewhat Agree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Strongly Disagree / Not Applicable

  1. The instructor is an effective teacher.
  2. I will tell other students that the instructor is effective in communicating the content of the course.
  3. I will tell other students that the instructor describes and consistently follows course and grading policies.
  4. I will tell other students that the instructor is prepared for class.
  5. I will recommend this instructor to other students.

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS:

The following written questions will be asked of your students:

  1. With regards to teaching, what are the strengths of the instructor?
  2. What suggestions do you have for improving the quality of instruction?

Yes, in the two weeks prior to the student access to the survey instructors have the opportunity to add up to 3 questions to their survey. These questions can be a combination of scale based or open ended questions.

NOTE: Some departments add survey questions. Check with your department to make sure you are not adding a duplicate question.

Two weeks prior to student access to the surveys, you will receive an email asking you to check your assigned surveys.

Survey data is loaded from JoeSS to Blue automatically, so any changes to how courses show in Blue must start at the department level.

Let your department chair know if you are missing a course or assigned to a course you are not the primary instructor of.

Frequently Asked Questions for Course Evaluations - November 2024

If you have any questions about the SET process, please contact the CET Committee