Okay, so as far as I can tell, that letter about the UUG never found its way into the Daily Universe, but I did notice another letter of mine made it in:
http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/46374
I, too, was disturbed by the Online ratings so I asked what the deal was (and how my privacy was protected). Here are the replies I got from Trav Johnson and Merrill Bateman. Take it for what it's worth. It certainly wouldn't be hard to record only whether or not a student had submitted feedback (and not attach it to the actual feedback) but it's unlikely that they would actually do that. Timestamps on one or both types of records would have to be removed too.
Oh well. I only give feedback when I have something I want to feed back. And then I don't mind telling the professor in person. Sometimes I wonder if privacy is overrated. Only sinners really need it right? ;)
--- Begin Message ---Thanks for your feedback. The current online system is set up so that there is NEVER any reporting of data that is connected to students' identity. We guard this very carefully. In addition, only group data are reported. Even the open-ended student comments are reported as a group and not linked to other responses on the form. This is more anonymous than the paper forms where instructors receive each paper rating form with comments and ratings from each student on each form. As far as students seeing results, this is an issue that I'm sure will be part of the discussion on student ratings in the future. I don't know where these discussions will lead. We'll see what happens. We are analyzing all comments from students, which includes requests about access to the results, in reports on the online rating process and how to improve the process in the future.Trav Johnson Online Student Ratings > -----Original Message----- > From: Andrew James Jorgensen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 10:11 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Anonymity of Student Ratings > > > I understand how important getting feedback about the > learning experience is to BYU. I'm disappointed that Testing > Services has chosen this particular medium (route y) to > submit student ratings. > > I'm one who only gives evaluations if there is something to > say. I rarely have a course or instrutor that is exceptional > in either direction. When I do, my evaluations will show it. > > Using paper evaluations I was able to completely disregard > the process and still preserve my anonymity. You could never > know that I was one of the ones who didn't fill out the form. > > Under the new system you (testing services, and possible > anyone with the right access to route y) can know exactly > which students are not completing the evaluations. This makes > student ratings more coersive as the only way for me to > preserve my anonymity is to complete the survey (probably > feeding you false data anyway). > > I guess what I'd like to know is if we can be given your word > (if not a written > statement) that the student body will not be harassed for not > completing the survey and that data on which students did not > complete the survey will be destroyed before evaluations are > reported to departments and instructors. > > I'd also like to propose that in exchange for our cooperation > we be given access to the evaluation data. This may sound > harsh for the professors who aren't as "popular", but as the > students are taking their time to give this data to the > university, they ought to have access to the results. I'd > just like to see the numbers, I'm not interested in seeing > student comments unless the student expresses a desire for > her comments to be made public. > >
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---Dear Andrew, The change in the evaluation procedure was made to improve the efficiency of the process, not to identify students who do not participate. I am sorry to learn that you feel coerced, or that you fear some kind of retribution for failing to participate. Or that you would value your own opinions so little that you would consider feeding false data. I urge you to participate in the process and give the faculty member and department honest feedback. Sincerely, Merrill J. Bateman President Andrew James Jorgensen wrote: > I understand how important getting feedback about the learning experience is to > BYU. I'm disappointed that Testing Services has chosen this particular medium > (route y) to submit student ratings. > > I'm one who only gives evaluations if there is something to say. I rarely have a > course or instrutor that is exceptional in either direction. When I do, my > evaluations will show it. > > Using paper evaluations I was able to completely disregard the process and still > preserve my anonymity. You could never know that I was one of the ones who > didn't fill out the form. > > Under the new system you (testing services, and possible anyone with the right > access to route y) can know exactly which students are not completing the > evaluations. This makes student ratings more coersive as the only way for me to > preserve my anonymity is to complete the survey (probably feeding you false data > anyway). > > I guess what I'd like to know is if we can be given your word (if not a written > statement) that the student body will not be harassed for not completing the > survey and that data on which students did not complete the survey will be > destroyed before evaluations are reported to departments and instructors. > > I'd also like to propose that in exchange for our cooperation we be given access > to the evaluation data. This may sound harsh for the professors who aren't as > "popular", but as the students are taking their time to give this data to the > university, they ought to have access to the results. I'd just like to see the > numbers, I'm not interested in seeing student comments unless the student > expresses a desire for her comments to be made public.
--- End Message ---
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