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ASUNM Sen. Holly Marquez thought the teacher evaluation process at UNM needed work.
The University keeps students in the dark when it comes to teacher evaluation results, Marquez said, so she organized a teacher evaluation committee in order to increase awareness about the teacher evaluation process and increase its efficiency.
The University performs teacher evaluations every semester, but Marquez said students are not aware of the specifics of the process. She said that the committee aims to research how teacher evaluation is done and inform students about it.
“Teachers get to keep their evaluations, and forms are distributed with students at the end of every semester,” she said. “That’s all we really know.”
Marquez said she first thought of creating a teacher evaluation committee in August, and that the committee, which currently has five members from ASUNM and GPSA, first met in October. She said the committee plans to meet again in November.
In addition to researching the process, Marquez said the committee aims to add a teacher evaluation survey that will be conducted halfway through the semester. She said the survey will provide professors with feedback earlier in the semester so that they can alter inefficient aspects of their instruction sooner.
“One of my goals is to make a mid-semester survey to supplement a second teacher evaluation at the end of the semester,” she said. “It will be helpful for teachers and students to speak halfway and at the end because there’s more result.”
Marquez said incentives for teachers who earn the most positive evaluations from students should be established to encourage them to work more closely with students.
“We want to make sure that teachers are working to the best of their ability,” she said. “We want to make incentives for teachers to be the best teachers that they can be.”
ASUNM President Caroline Muraida said she is pleased with the formation of the committee, and that professor evaluations at the University may improve the evaluation process.
“The work that they will accomplish will have meaningful implications,” she said. “The outcomes that we have can change the way we evaluate teachers … and how teachers react to the evaluation process.”
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Muraida said one of the problems with the existing teacher evaluation process is that it lacks student feedback. She said a mid-semester survey would improve interactions between faculty members and students.
“The existing teacher evaluation process is run through faculty, and not through students,” she said. “So I think having student perspective will help it.”
But Muraida said she will not be deeply involved with the committee and that she will serve as a resource for the members’ plans.
“Thus far, I have been more of an adviser,” she said. “I would provide counsel as far as who to speak to. But really, I’m just a resource as needed.”
Although the committee is expected to last only until the end of the semester, Muraida said the committee may continue next semester depending on what it accomplishes. She said she expects the committee to initiate improvements soon.
“Depending on the outcomes of the work that might be completed, they might choose to continue,” she said. “I have very high expectations of the senate. I can only see things moving forward.”
Marquez said she has already spoken to UNM President Robert Frank about the committee’s plans, and that Frank had a “very positive” response to the committee. She said the committee will start suggesting improvements by the spring 2013 semester.
Marquez said she hopes an improved teacher evaluation can bring the University community together.
“I would hope this would make a better connection with faculty,” she said. “Teacher evaluation is seen across campus, and I would just want it to get better because it’s around every year.”
