SCE Task Force Meeting
Minutes
January 17, 2008

Minutes

Members approved minutes from December 20, 2007 with one correction
(misspelling of “SCE” fixed).

Draft Report and Final Report

Members discussed Task Force Chair’s draft report to the Provost.  Members
were satisfied with the draft and agreed that the Chair should write the
final report (due February 22) with direct input from Task Force members.

Proposed Use

Members discussed a proposal submitted by Wayne Carroll on the use of
SCEs.  The intent was to provide guidance to Division chairs regarding
the use of SCEs, but also to give Chairs some flexibility.

The proposal stated:

The purpose of student course evaluations is to obtain meaningful
data for analysis and reflection by faculty members so that faculty
members might improve their instruction and student learning. 
The data together with a variety of other considerations by
faculty members and their supervisors may help to inform
preparation of annual Job Descriptions and completion of the
broader faculty evaluation process.

Some members expressed concern over use of terms “might” and “may,”
favoring language that provided less “wiggle room.”  Other members
countered that some flexibility was necessary, given the diversity of
faculty responsibilities (e.g., some faculty have significant non-teaching
duties and in such cases a mandated reliance on SCEs would be
problematic). 

Members voted unanimously to accept the following revised version
of the proposal on SCE use: 

The purpose of student course evaluations is to obtain meaningful
data for analysis and reflection by faculty members so that faculty
members improve their instruction and student learning.  The data
together with a variety of other considerations by faculty members
and their supervisors may be used in preparation of annual Job
Descriptions and completion of the broader faculty evaluation
process.

Format for Reporting Results

Chair distributed examples of forms for reporting SCE results.

Members voted unanimously that the “SCE report shall list item frequency
and percentages, shall list rate of return, and shall list total responses
for each question.”    

Members unanimously opposed using the SCE reports to calculate
averages for individual faculty.

Dissemination and Feedback

A suggestion was made those Task Force members from the Faculty
Affairs Committee report to the Faculty Senate on the Task Force’s
recommendations, with particular attention to the safeguards against
SCE misuse.  Members agreed that any concerns about the safeguards
should be brought to the attention of the Task Force.

Chair will ask President Thomas if she is willing to publicize the final report.

Meeting Times

Members scheduled meetings for the next several weeks leading up to
the Feb 22 deadline for the final report.

Future of SCE Task Force

Chair recommended that the SCE Task Force be made a permanent
body that would oversee the administration of SCEs.

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