Southern Polytechnic State University Policy and Procedure Manual P&P Number:  803.0701

Original Date: November 1987 Previous Revisions: April 7, 2000 Approved: January 2, 2007

Student Evaluation of Faculty
Contents	This P&P includes the following main sections: Background Overview Faculty Evaluation Committee Administration of Evaluations Responsibilities
Background	Regents' policies (BR 803.07) require each institution, as part of its evaluative procedures, to utilize a written system of faculty evaluations by students, with the improvement of teaching effectiveness as the main focus of these student evaluations. This P&P addresses only the use of student evaluations and other methods of evaluation of instruction for the improvement of teaching. See the P&Ps on Faculty Promotion (803.09), Faculty Tenure (803.08), Library Faculty Promotion and Tenure (803.085), and Evaluation of Faculty (803.07) for use of student evaluations in tenure and promotion decisions and in annual evaluations.
Overview	Southern Polytechnic State University uses student evaluations as part of the review process for faculty teaching effectiveness.  Student evaluations should not be the only source of information about teaching effectiveness – a broad range of indicators should be used.  The Faculty Evaluation Committee is responsible for continuing to study ways to enhance the feedback and improvement process, with the goal being excellence in teaching at SPSU.
Faculty Evaluation Committee	As necessary, the Faculty Senate will request that the VPAA constitute a Faculty Evaluation Committee to investigate and recommend instrument(s) for the student evaluation of faculty to the general faculty. The Faculty Evaluation Committee is also responsible for establishing both guiding principles and university-wide procedures for the objectives, distribution, collection, security, integrity, and return of the  student evaluation of faculty. The committee is also responsible for suggesting other methods of evaluating teaching for the purpose of improving instruction.  This committee shall consist of two tenured faculty members elected from each school.
Administration of Evaluations	The administration of the SPSU student evaluations is required campus-wide in all classes with at least five enrolled students during the fall and spring terms. Coordination of the administration of the SPSU student evaluation of faculty rests with the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The results of the student evaluation of faculty will be sent to the individual faculty member, the department chair, the VPAA’s office, and the Library. The individual faculty member should consult with colleagues or others in interpreting the results of student evaluations or other evaluations and in determining strategies for improving his/her teaching. Faculty and departments are encouraged to use additional methods for the evaluation of teaching along with the SPSU student evaluations, and to consider this additional feedback along with the results of student evaluations in improving their teaching.
Responsibilities	· It is the responsibility of the individual faculty member to document that the student evaluations and other evaluations of instruction have been considered in improving his/her teaching. It is the responsibility of the department chair/school dean to document that the faculty member is using means such as student evaluations and other evaluations of instruction to continually improve instruction. Each year, department chairs must provide such documentation to their school dean and the vice president for academic affairs, and school deans must provide their documentation to the vice president for academic affairs.