ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL

DRAFT

Student Opinion Survey

OFFICE OF RECORD:	Office of the Vice President
ISSUED BY:	Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA)
APPROVED BY:	02-41-01
EFFECTIVE DATE:	4/30/97 Revised 04/02/07

Policy Overview

The Council of Higher Education (COHE) Agreement (in effect July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008) stipulates that student opinion surveys will be used as part of the evaluation of faculty unit members, along with other procedures stipulated in the COHE agreement. The SD BOR System Guidelines require that this evaluation occur for every faculty member in every course every term with limited exceptions. The major purposes of the evaluation are to determine the level of performance relative to established standards, to assess progress toward promotion and/or tenure, and to inform annual salary decisions (COHE Section 11.2.1). In regard to student opinion surveys and their relationship to evaluations, the agreement states that “the evaluation…will include student opinion surveys…if the faculty unit member’s duties include teaching.” (Section11.2.2).

Procedures for administering:

1. The originating institution administers the faculty evaluation survey and establishes the specific guidelines for survey administration, in concordance with the system guidelines.

2. Every instructor of record, regardless of location and type of contract, will administer the student opinion survey in every section of every course during every term. The only exception is faculty who are teaching multiple-section courses, which may be allowed to survey only selected sections. However, if that option is exercised, all students in the multiple-section course will be given the opportunity to provide written comments in a confidential manner. If a course is taught only once during the year, the student opinion survey must be administered during the term the course is taught.

3. Any exemption from the evaluation process must be approved by the vice president for academic affairs.