Student Evaluations of Instruction (SEIs) for Spring 2020

To our faculty, students, and staff who are teaching this semester,

I am reaching out with information about how the student evaluation of instruction will be managed this semester. We appreciate that the COVID-19 pandemic required everyone to make significant changes to their instructional and pedagogical practices this semester, and we sincerely appreciate the steps you have taken to keep teaching and learning happening this semester. We also know that students are experiencing their own challenges as they transition to remote learning—along with the other transitions and uncertainties they are experiencing. Even with all of the changes, we believe that it is important that our faculty, graduate students, and staff who are teaching this semester receive feedback from their students about their teaching. As such, the Office of Academic Affairs has determined that Student Evaluations of Instruction (SEIs) will be conducted in their usual manner, with a few critical amendments.

First, the following statement will be added to all SEIs:

The COVID-19 pandemic required everyone to make significant changes to their instructional and pedagogical practices this semester, and we appreciate that this has impacted the way that you learn. To support the extraordinary efforts of our faculty, staff, and graduate students to deliver high quality education in a rapidly changing environment, we ask that you consider the holistic instruction provided to you this semester. We also ask that you take time to provide comments to your instructor (about both their instruction and their response to the circumstances affecting this semester), as they can use this feedback as they reflect upon their own work in these challenging times.

Second, all faculty, graduate students, and staff who are teaching this semester may add this statement to their dossiers or may use this statement (or something comparable to it) in application materials.

From the Office of Academic Affairs: The COVID-19 pandemic required everyone to make significant changes to their instructional and pedagogical practices this semester. Spring semester 2020 SEI reports were shared with all faculty, graduate teaching associates, and staff who taught a course, and the numeric scores are included in the Cumulative Student Evaluation of Instruction Reports. However, the review of a candidate for appointment, reappointment, promotion, or promotion with tenure must holistically consider the candidate’s full teaching portfolio.

We wish to thank everyone for their continued work, and we hope that everyone will find value in the comments provided by your students.

Please contact me at malone.175@osu.edu with questions.

Thank you,

Helen I. Malone, PhD
Vice Provost for Academic Policy and Faculty Resources