CIPD Meeting
11/4/25
Attendance: Paglione, Majerovitz, Cooper, Rashid, Donahue, Hamuyan
The meeting focused on evaluating the effectiveness of student evaluations of teaching. The committee discussed the need to improve the form's reliability and validity, noting a significant drop in compliance from a majority of students in each class to a tiny response rate (often below 10%) when switching to an online version. Suggestions included returning to paper evaluations, conducting evaluations in class, and increasing student awareness through Brightspace and the Cardinal app. The committee also considered engaging Student Affairs and the President's office to boost student participation. Additionally, the discussion touched on the broader use of the simple syllabus, highlighting its benefits and challenges, as well as the need for better integration with existing systems.
Key Notes and Takeaways
- The evaluation form is complex for faculty to access, and there are concerns about its reliability and whether it has been adequately tested.
- The transition to online evaluation led to a significant drop in student compliance; possible return to paper or in-class completion methods was discussed.
- Low response rates remain an issue even when in-class time is allotted for evaluations or when extra credit is offered.
- Some students are unaware of the importance or impact of evaluations; better communication is needed to reinforce the significance to students.
- Suggestions were made to improve visibility and ease of access, such as integrating the survey into the Brightspace app or using course app reminders.
- There is a plan to gather the actual evaluation form for committee review and to consult the administrative staff for more information.
- Engagement with Student Affairs and Communications was recommended to develop campaigns that encourage student participation.
- Discussion included scheduling a follow-up meeting in December and using a poll to determine availability.
- Expanding the use of the "simple syllabus" system among faculty was also discussed, with mixed feedback on its integration with and usability on existing technology platforms.
- Frustration was expressed over multiple disconnected platforms for academic processes and advisement.
Action Items:
- Obtain the student evaluation of teaching form for review.
- Consult with relevant administrative staff to gather information on form usage and access.
- Reach out to Student Affairs and Communications for advice on increasing student engagement in the evaluation process.
- Discuss the importance of student evaluations with classes, and collect feedback.
- Schedule a follow-up meeting in December to review progress and next steps.
Meeting Adjourned at 12:47pm
The meeting transcript was generated using Otter.AI on [11/4] and prepared by Zena Cooper
