Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:08:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tom Impelluso <impellus@attila.sdsu.edu>

Kris,

(Nice picture in the paper, BTW)

I'd like to raise an issue at the meeting tomorrow...
Here is the background and here are my thoughts...

Our university implemented a policy that no student can see their final 
grade until after they completed the on-line evaluation.

As a result of the policy (I am unable to claim cause and effect), all 
professor evaluations dropped by about 20%.  I have seen this (but it is 
anecdotal) because I have served on a lot of RTP committees.

This is what I think is the reason...

The final exam is a more critical assessment tool for the class - it is 
where the student proves him/her self.

In the past, paper evaluations were completed before the final exam.  And 
students completed them with a measure of honesty, course fatigue and 
anxiety over the final exam.

Now, the students have about two weeks to complete them AFTER the final 
exam, or they have to wait to have their grades mailed to them.

As a result, if the final exam is a burden, the students will take it out 
on the evaluation.

So if you give too hard a final, your evaluations drop: and I have seen 
this happen.

If you are too easy on the final, your evaluations go up, but you have to 
give higher grades: and I have seen grade inflation since we adopted this 
policy.

Essentially, faculty evaluate students (final exam) and students evaluate 
faculty (those evalluations).  I think I prefer that I get evaluated
before I give the final exam; or I am then beholding to students.

Naturally, in a pure world, none of this matters.  And now that I am a 
full professor, I really don't care...