Paper Evaluations

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the role of IP&A in the Course Evaluation process?
  Institutional Planning & Analysis (IP&A) provides an administrative service to the Colleges that includes the collection and reporting of course evaluations each term. IP&A partners with IITS on the administration and maintenance of Class Climate, the software used for course evaluations.
  
  Policies, content, methods for comparative analysis and use of results for faculty evaluation are determined by the University (in conjunction with the Faculty Affairs Committee of Academic Senate).  Procedures and certain policies are determined individually by the applicable College Dean or Program Director.  IP&A adheres to the policy and direction from Academic Affairs, the Faculty Affairs Committee, and the college deans.
• What are the different forms?

  Form A: Lecture Class (default)

  Form B: Small Seminar-type Class (no more than 20 students)

  Form C: Laboratory/Discussion Sections

  Form D: Research-based/Service Learning Courses (e.g. senior experience, qualitative field research)

  Form E: Teaching Methods Courses (COE)

  On-line Courses (Courses that are taught completely on-line)

  View samples of the forms 

• Who determines what form I use? How do I change it?

  Each college has its own process to determine which forms can be used and how one can change a form.  For example, it can be a college-wide decision to use only form A or a college might have their faculty decide what form to use.  Check with your College Course Evaluation Coordinator to see what the process is for determining the form you may use. 
  

  College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics: 
       Laurie Schmelzer
       lschmeiz@csusm.edu
       760-750-7201
  

  College of Humanities, Arts and Behavioral and Social Sciences: 
        Leo Melena
       lmelena@csusm.edu
       760-750-4275

       Angela Baggett
       abaggett@csusm.edu
       760-750-8025
  

  College of Business Administration:
       Jennifer Martin
       jmartin@csusm.edu
       760-750-4269

       Whitney Worley
       wworley@csusm.edu
       760-750-4228

   College of Education, Health and Human Services:
       School of Education, Kinesiology, Human Development:
       Donna Matanane
       matanane@csusm.edu
       760-750-4291

       School of Nursing:
       Carrie Dyal
       cdyal@csusm.edu
       760-750-7540

  First Year & University Programs:
       Adam Petersen
       apetersen@csusm.edu
       760-750-7327

   Extended Learning:
       Elizabeth Rosales
       erosales@csusm.edu
       760-750-8785

• What is the procedure for administering the paper evaluation in the class?
  You will receive a packet of forms for each of your courses. The packet will contain the version of the form selected for the course.  It will have instructor’s name, course number and title, CRN, and term and year preprinted on the forms and labeled on the envelope.  Choose two students to administer the evaluation in class and alert them of changes in the directions (directions for student administrators will be in your evaluation packet) and remind them to sign the form titled “Instructions for the TWO (2) STUDENTS administering this evaluation” form. Once the evaluations are turned in, IPA will collect and scan them.  Results will be emailed to you.  The dean’s office will be notified of “Instructions for the TWO (2) STUDENTS administering this evaluation” forms that are not returned or are returned unsigned.
• How do I add my own questions to the evaluation?
  Paper Evaluations: If you have additional items you wish to add (e.g. items 4.1-4.6 on the form), please list these on a separate sheet of paper and make sufficient copies for all students in the class.  Be sure to give these sheets to the student proctors and retain a copy for your records.  Also, be sure each question sheet includes directions for completing the additional items.
   
• How do I know which packet goes to which course section? Why is this important?
  Instructor’s name, course number and title, CRN, and term and year will be preprinted on the forms and labeled on the envelope.  The right evaluation packet must be given to the right class because each evaluation has a barcode (at the bottom of the page), which is unique to each course that the scanner reads.  This barcode is then matched to the course in software.  It is very important that the right evaluations are given to the right class; otherwise the evaluations will be matched to the wrong course in the software.
   
• Do the students need to use pencil to complete the evaluation?
  The distribution of pencils was eliminated because the new scanner scans pencil and ink. 
• What is team teaching?
  Team teaching is when two or more professors are teaching the same course.  It is university policy that each professor must be evaluated on the courses he/she is teaching. Each faculty member will have a set of evaluations.  For example, if two people are team teaching, two sets of evaluations will be distributed, for the same course, with the faculty name identified on the form. Evaluations will be conducted during the last week you are teaching.  Thus, if you are team teaching it is important to let your Course Evaluation Coordinator know in the beginning of the semester. View the list of the contact person for each college.
• What are comparative groups?
  Comparative groups are made up of courses that are similar.  Comparative groups have not changed with this system.  They remain the same as before.   FAC is reviewing comparative groups.
• What is different with reports and analysis of results?
  The new system gives the same analysis as before; the only difference is the analysis now has graphs.  Please see the section on report and explanations to view an example and to get further explanation about how to read the reports.
• What is the timeline for Course Evaluations? When will I receive results?
  Course Evaluations will be distributed to the colleges about a month before they are due.  Evaluations should be conducted during the last 2 to 3 weeks of the semester (including final’s week).   Packets are due to IP&A no later than the last day of finals. 
  
  NOTE: Packets received after the due date will be processed based on availability of resources in Institutional Planning & Analysis.
  
  Our goal is to have results emailed to instructors and colleges within two to three weeks of the close of the term.
• How do I obtain copies of past terms?
  Please contact your College Course Evaluation Coordinator to receive a copy of your results.  For the list of the contact person for each college.
• What are the past response rates for paper evaluations and online evaluations?

   CSUSM Course Evaluation Reponse Rates (Text Document)

  

• Who do I call with questions?
  Questions regarding the reporting process:
       Ben Hallowell
       bhallowe@csusm.edu
       760-750-4067
  
  Questions regarding course evaluations, contact College Course Evaluation Coordinator. For the list of the contact person for each college.