The Senate recommends that:
- Michigan Technological University replace its current mechanism for gaining a
student rating of instruction, the IDEA system from Kansas State University,
with an internally administered evaluation instrument. The Center for Teaching,
Learning, and Faculty Development shall administer and process this instrument
in accord with established University procedures.
- During the 1998-99 academic year, the
Center, in consultation, with the
Instructional Policy Committee, shall examine the overall responses obtained
from students with the goal of determining the efficacy of the individual
questions. If necessary, modifications of individual questions shall be proposed
to the Senate in order to advance the goal of providing information to faculty
members that helps improve their teaching.
- Also during the 1998-99 academic
year, the Center for Teaching, Learning and
Faculty Development, in consultation with the Instructional Policy Committee,
shall study means of organizing and reporting the data generated from student
responses. A report should be brought to the Senate on this subject no later
than the Fall quarter of the 1999-2000 academic year.
- The Senate reaffirms the position
that the primary purpose of conducting
student ratings of instruction is to provide information that may assist faculty
in the improvement of their teaching activities. While recognizing that
information from student teaching evaluations is used in both tenure and
promotion decisions and in the determination of merit pay increases, the Senate
requires that no more than 50 percent of any evaluation of teaching should rest
on this instrument.
Adopted by Senate: October 7, 1998
Approved by President: December 17, 1998