BY
      ANDREW
      MACPHERSON
     
     
      VICE-PRESIDENT
      INTERNAL
     
     
      UPEI
      STUDENT
      UNION
     
    

    
     
      IN
      THE
      LAST
      ISSUE
      OF
      THE
      X-PRESS
      THERE
     
     
      appeared
      an
      eight-page
      segment
      which
     
     
      constituted
      the
      results
      of
      a
      recent
      Student
     
     
      Union
      initiative.
      This
      consisted
      of
      a
     
     
      questionnaire
      on
      the
      quality
      of
      teaching
      at
     
     
      UPEI.
      This
      survey
      was
      distributed
      to
      as
      many
     
     
      UPEI
      students
      as
      was
      possible
      during
      our
      given
     
     
      time
      span.
      In
      this
      article
      |
      will
      review
      the
     
     
      recent
      history
      of
      student
      teacher
      evaluation
      at
     
     
      UPEI,
      |
      will
      outline
      the
      goals
      of
      the
      Student
     
     
      Union
      in
      conducting
      this
      survey,
      and
      |
      will
     
     
      provide
      some
      analysis
      of
      the
      results
      of
      the
     
     
      survey.
     
    

    
     
      Over
      the
      past
      number
      of
      years
      the
      senate
     
     
      of
      this
      university
      has
      been
      looking
      into
      whether
     
     
      or
      not
      mandatory
      student
      teacher
      evaluations
     
     
      should
      be
      implemented
      at
      UPEI.
      To
      be
      blunt,
     
     
      this
      process
      has
      been
      dragged
      out
      much
      too
     
     
      long.
      |
      will
      not
      give
      you
      a
      complete
      history
      of
     
     
      the
      senate
      subcommittee
      on
      the
      evaluation
      of
     
     
      teaching
      at
      UPEI,
      but
      the
      proposals
      of
      this
     
     
      committee
      have
      been
      introduced
      to
      senate
     
     
      three
      times,
      the
      last
      being
      April
      of
      1993.
      It
      is
     
     
      this
      last
      proposal
      which
      |
      would
      like
      to
      focus
     
     
      upon
      because
      it
      is
      what
      finally
      forced
      the
     
     
      Student
      Union
      to
      take
      action.
      This
      final
     
     
      proposal
      was
      not
      dealt
      with
      in
      the
      spring
      of
     
     
      1993
      and
      was
      thus
      put
      off
      until
      senate
     
     
      reconvened
      for
      the
      new
      academic
      year
      in
     
     
      September.
      When
      it
      finally
      came
      up
      for
     
     
      discussion,
      representatives
      from
      the
      faculty
     
     
      association
      requested
      that
      they
      be
      given
      a
     
     
      chance
      to
      review
      it,
      and
      it
      was
      put
      off
      again
      for
     
     
      several
      months.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Student
      Union’s
      chief
      concern
      is
      the
     
     
      fact
      that
      the
      faculty
      association
      was
      given
      a
     
     
      chance
      to
      review
      this
      report
      and
      give
      input
      at
     
    

    
     
      that
      time.
      There
      was
      no
      need
      for
      the
      process
     
     
      to
      be
      repeated.
      It
      is
      clear
      that
      some
      members
     
     
      of
      the
      faculty
      of
      this
      university
      are
      not
      interested
     
     
      in
      what
      students
      have
      to
      say
      about
      their
     
     
      teaching
      methods.
      That
      is
      not
      to
      say
      that
      all
     
     
      professors
      feel
      this
      way,
      but
      enough
      do
      to
     
     
      delay
      this
      process
      an
      undue
      length
      of
      time.
     
     
      Since
      being
      sent
      to
      the
      faculty
      association
      the
     
     
      report
      of
      this
      committee
      has
      been
      on
      the
     
     
      agendas
      of
      no
      less
      than
      four
      senate
      meetings
     
     
      but
      has
      not
      yet
      been
      discussed.
     
    

    
     
      Student
      representatives
      on
      the
      UPEl
      senate
     
     
      are
      elected
      for
      one-year
      terms,
      and
      for
      this
     
     
      reason
      don’t
      know
      the
      background
      history
      of
     
     
      what
      has
      happened
      to
      past
      reports
      to
      senate,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Students
      fight
      for
     
    
   
   
    
     
      professor
      ratings
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Struggle
      for
      student
      evaluations
     
     
      of
      professors
      continues
     
    
   
   
    
     
      and
      are
      not
      aware
      of
      the
      mickey
      mouse
      game
     
     
      which
      has
      been
      played
      with
      student
      teacher
     
     
      evaluations
      at
      this
      university.
      When
      the
      Student
     
     
      Union
      became
      aware
      of
      the
      situation
      it
      was
     
     
      too
      late
      to
      stop
      this
      report
      from
      being
      bogged
     
     
      down
      by
      the
      faculty
      association
      again.
      Instead,
     
     
      we
      chose
      to
      make
      our
      point
      known
      ina
      slightly
     
     
      different
      manner:
      we
      followed
      the
      lead
      of
     
     
      Student
      Unions
      at
      UNB,
      Dalhousie,
      and
      several
     
     
      other
      Atlantic
      Canadian
      universities
      in
     
     
      developing
      our
      own
      survey
      on
      this
      vitally
     
     
      important
      subject.
      Support
      for
      this
      initiative
     
     
      on
      the
      students’
      council
      was
      very
      strong,
     
     
      passing
      with
      no
      opposition.
     
    

    
     
      The
      message
      we
      wanted
      to
      send
      to
      the
     
     
      senate
      with
      this
      survey
      was
      that
      the
      students
     
     
      at
      this
      university
      are
      very
      concerned
      with
      the
     
     
      quality
      of
      teaching
      at
      UPEI.
      It
      is
      obvious
      that
     
     
      those
      who
      suffer
      from
      inferior
      teaching
     
     
      practices
      are
      the
      students.
      The
      purpose
      of
      this
     
     
      survey
      was
      not
      for
      students
      to
      say
      that
      their
     
     
      professors
      mark
      too
      harshly,
      and
      |
      think
      that
     
     
      it
      is
      a
      childish
      reaction
      on
      the
      part
      of
      those
     
     
      faculty
      who
      say
      that
      students
      are
      not
      qualified
     
     
      to
      evaluate
      their
      practices.
      Most
      students
      are
     
     
      not
      looking
      for
      the
      easy
      way
      through
      university.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      We
      are
      here
      to
      learn
      something,
      not
      to
      ask
     
     
      that
      it
      be
      given
      to
      us.
      Poor
      teaching
      practices
     
     
      (in
      the
      eyes
      of
      students)
      for
      the
      most
      part
      have
     
     
      more
      to
      do
      with
      the
      way
      professors
      teach
      and
     
     
      whether
      they
      are
      able
      to
      pass
      their
      knowledge
     
     
      on
      to
      students
      in
      a
      clear
      manner
      than
      with
      the
     
     
      difficulty
      level
      of
      the
      course.
     
    

    
     
      The
      response
      to
      the
      survey
      was
      not
      exactly
     
     
      as
      good
      as
      the
      Student
      Union
      had
      hoped.
      We
     
     
      received
      731
      responses
      out
      of
      a
      maximum
     
     
      possible
      number
      of
      about
      12,000.
      This
      being
     
     
      the
      first
      time
      the
      survey
      was
      conducted,
     
     
      combined
      with
      the
      limited
      amount
      of
      time
      we
     
     
      had
      to
      distribute
      surveys
      at
      the
      end
      of
      the
      fall
     
     
      semester,
      it
      is
      an
      understandably
      low
     
     
      percentage.
      Another
      drawback
      was
      the
      fact
     
     
      that
      we
      were
      unable
      to
      officially
      hand
      this
      out
     
     
      during
      class
      time,
      as
      would
      occur
      with
      a
      survey
     
     
      conducted
      by
      the
      university.
      Incidentally,
      at
     
     
      the
      University
      of
      New
      Brunswick
      the
      student
     
     
      teacher
      evaluation
      done
      by
      the
      student
      union
     
     
      has
      been
      approved
      by
      the
      senate
      of
      that
     
     
      university.
     
    

    
     
      There
      is
      a
      major
      difference
      between
      this
     
     
      survey
      and
      the
      one
      which
      we
      hope
      will
      be
     
     
      conducted
      by
      the
      university
      next
      year
      in
      that
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      -UNACCEPTABLE
      (6.7%)
     
     
      POOR
      (10.7%)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      FAIR
      (17.4%)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      GOOD
      (24.2%)
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      OVERALL
      EVALUATION
      RESULTS
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Respondents
      rate
      their
      professors
      as:
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      VERY
      GOOD
      (40.9%)
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      our
      survey
      was
      geared
      to
      a
      certain
      exten
     
     
      toward
      being
      published
      in
      the
      X-Press
     
     
      Unfortunately,
      the
      survey
      which
      is
      bein
     
     
      considered
      by
      senate
      is
      for
      internal
      use
      onl)
     
     
      but
      it
      should
      be
      emphasized
      that
      any
      surve
     
     
      done
      is
      very
      beneficial
      because
      the
      results
      g:
     
     
      to
      the
      committee
      that
      matters
      most:
      th
     
     
      tenure
      committee.
     
    

    
     
      Due
      to
      the
      low
      number
      of
      responses,
      th
     
     
      results
      for
      the
      survey
      were
      broken
      down
      int
     
     
      faculty
      and
      departments
      along
      with
      the
      classe
     
     
      we
      felt
      had
      adequate
      representation
      to
      b
     
     
      published.
      The
      overall
      results
      of
      this
      surve
     
     
      show
      that
      the
      students
      who
      responded
      to
      th
     
     
      survey
      were
      generally
      very
      pleased
      with
      the
     
     
      professors’
      teaching:
      approximately
      two-thirc
     
     
      of
      the
      responses
      were
      ‘very
      good’
      or
      ‘gooc
     
     
      There
      were
      very
      few
      respondents
      who
      sai
     
     
      that
      their
      professors
      were
      ‘poor’
      c
     
     
      ‘unacceptable.’
     
    

    
     
      The
      Student
      Union
      plans
      to
      continue
      th
     
     
      project
      no
      matter
      what
      the
      senate
      final
     
     
      decides
      to
      do
      with
      student
      teacher
      evaluation
     
     
      Webelieve
      this
      is
      important
      information
      whi
     
     
      students
      can
      pass
      on
      to
      one
      another.
      Ther
     
     
      will
      be
      some
      adjustments
      of
      course,
      as
      is
      tl
     
     
      case
      with
      any
      new
      project.
      We
      will
      be
      addir
     
     
      a
      “comments”
      section
      to
      the
      questionnai
     
     
      because
      this
      adds
      another
      dimension
      which
     
     
      many
      cases
      is
      more
      valuable
      than
      simple
      fac
     
     
      and
      figures.
      We
      will
      also
      be
      approaching
      :
     
     
      members
      of
      the
      faculty
      to
      see
      if
      they
      would!
     
     
      willing
      to
      distribute
      the
      questionnaire
      in
      the
     
     
      classes.
      This
      would
      enhance
      the
      number
     
     
      responses
      we
      get
      to
      the
      survey.
      We
      will
      al
     
     
      make
      an
      effort
      to
      present
      our
      information
     
    
   
   
    
     
      a
      different,
      more
      understandable
      way.
      A
      gui
     
     
      like
      this
      with
      a
      large
      enough
      number
     
    
   
   
    
     
      responses
      could
      be
      invaluable
      to
      a
      studer
     
     
      Not
      all
      students
      have
      the
      opportunity
      to
      a
     
     
      their
      peers
      about
      the
      quality
      of
      teaching
     
     
      certain
      professors,
      but
      a
      survey
      of
      this
      natu
     
     
      could
      help
      in
      this
      area.
     
    

    
     
      At
      the
      February
      meeting
      of
      the
      UPEI
      sena'
     
     
      the
      only
      topic
      on
      the
      agenda
      that
      was
      n
     
     
      addressed
      before
      the
      two-hour
      meeting
     
     
      completed
      was
      the
      Report
      of
      the
      evaluation
     
     
      teaching
      committee
      at
      UPEI.
      Therefore,
     
     
      should
      be
      addressed
      at
      the
      upcoming
      meeti
     
     
      of
      senate
      in
      March.
      It
      is
      important
      that
      ¢
     
     
      report
      be
      accepted
      during
      this
      academic
      y¢
     
     
      so
      it
      can
      be
      put
      into
      practice
      for
      the
      |
     
     
      semester.
      If
      it
      is
      delayed
      further
      we
      could
     
     
      looking
      at
      another
      long
      year
      before
      U!
     
     
      students
      have
      their
      proper
      say
      in
      this
      matt
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      “HILARIOUS!”
     
    
   
   
    
     
      -Jack
      Mathews,
     
     
      NEW
      YORK
      NEWSDAY
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ©
      1993
      Norammax
      Firms
     
     
      As
      Rants
      Reserved
     
    
   
   
    
     
      RIS
      oResiar
      MIRAMAX
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ako
      plying
      -
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Search
      For
      Signs
      of
      Intelligent
     
     
      Life
      In
      The
      Universe
     
    
   
   
    
     
      OH
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      lial
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
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      Saturdays
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
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      faculty
     
     
      Home
      892-6269
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
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      Gym!
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |
      __x,gress
      march
      first
      1994.page8
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      AY,
      LESBIAN,
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      running
      its
      annual
      GLB
     
    

    
     
      supplement
      next
      wee
     
     
      Input
      of
      any
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      will
      |
     
     
      cherishé