At the end of each semester, professors encourage students to fill out an evaluation on them and their teachings. Students, however, never see these assessments again.
Several colleges and universities, such as University of Texas at Dallas, allow students to view other students’ reviews on professors when registering for classes.
Beth Lewis, executive vice president and chief academic officer, said Del Mar does not have the evaluations online for students to view, but it has been discussed.
“We’re not required to post them online, and it hasn’t been done,” Lewis said. “There is some hesitation from the faculty to have them posted. With the new [enrollment management system] platform, we could possibly incorporate it.”
Nursing major Rebekah Quigley thinks professor evaluations should be accessible to students.
“Of course they should be online,” Quigley said. “It would make choosing classes so much easier if we know whether or not the professor will care enough when teaching their class.”
Shawnee Bonnette, professor of kinesiology, agrees with putting evaluations online for students to see.
“It’s really important and very valuable,” Bonnette said. “The problem with our evaluations, in my opinion, is getting students to do them. We have typically a low percentage of students who do them. You kind of have to hold something over their head, or take class time and have them take their phones out and do them.”
Bonnette said she goes on RateMyProfessor.com every now and then to see what students say about her.
“I learn stuff from it,” Bonnette said. “The reason I like RateMyProfessor is because the best person to ask about a professor is another student. I don’t know how it is to take a class from me, but other students know. You guys are in that world and can decide if a professor grades really hard or doesn’t give good lectures.”
Lewis said it wouldn’t make sense to attempt to put the evaluations online right now but once the enrollment management system platform is in place, it could be possible.
“We will continue to discuss it in the future,” Lewis said. “I think it’s a good idea because it helps student understand professors’ teaching styles that are similar to a style with how students learn.”
