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