ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, is looking to engage in conversations with university officials to give students the power to evaluate their professors midway through each semester.
At its March 14 general assembly meeting, ASMSU unanimously passed the bill, which it hopes will give students the chance to communicate any issues or concerns with the class through an evaluation similar to the surveys MSU distributes at the end of each semester.
While there is no timeline put in place, this new policy could be added as soon as fall 2013, ASMSU President Evan Martinak said, adding ASMSU is hoping to set up a meeting with the Office of the Provost to discuss the bill.
“I think that basically giving the students (the chance) to voice their input directly to the faculty in any sort of institutionalized way is a good thing for both, so the faculty can learn from the students and the students can offer their support and input,” Martinak said.
The anonymous survey would contain about a handful of short answer questions, ASMSU International Student Association Representative Rajeeth Dev Anand said.
“What we planned is four simple questions that get straight to the point, ‘What are thoughts on the professor?’ (or) ‘What would you change about this class?’” said Dev Anand, who introduced the bill. “It doesn’t take that much time, but gets the job
done.”
Dev Anand pointed out some other large universities, including Pennsylvania State University and Princeton University, have similar programs.
ASMSU Lyman Briggs College Representative Mitchell Goheen, who seconded the bill, said he doesn’t expect survey results to dictate huge mid-semester changes, but students could suggest minor changes, such as focusing more time on a specific course topic.
MSU engineering professor Dean Aslam likes the idea of improving communication amongst students and faculty, but worries about changes being made during the semester.
“I think the idea is good, but the accuracy will be limited,” said the professor of 22 years. “Most of the professors at any major research university, and MSU is one of them, are so busy and might not have time to look at (the forms), and they won’t be effective if (professors) don’t look at them.”
Aslam added if students are having trouble communicating with the professor, or need extra help with course material, they always can utilize office hours, which professors are required to hold.
Like Aslam, finance junior Lucas Gosser is on the fence about whether adding a mid-semester evaluation form would be helpful.
“It depends because a professor could just change his complete teaching method,” Gosser said. “Once you’re just getting used to his teaching method, everything changes and you just get screwed again.”
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