Redaction of Narrative Evaluations Completed By Learners

PURPOSE
To outline a protocol for addressing comments appearing in evaluations completed by students on educator teaching performance.

AUDIENCE
All faculty educators

LCME STANDARD
None

POLICY

Definitions

Demeaning: any comment that belittles or insults the instructor or appears to evaluate the instructor on criteria not related to her/his teaching performance. Comments that are critical of teaching are not demeaning under this definition.
Discriminatory: any comment, whether intended or unintended, that unreasonably discriminates among individuals on the basis of age, race, color, ancestry, national or ethnic origin, religion, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or the use of leave protected by state or federal law.
Obscene: any comment that is patently offensive by making explicit reference to sexual conduct.

Student evaluation comments to the instructor through faculty evaluations are made available to unit heads and/or personnel committees in a way that is devoid of demeaning, discriminatory, or obscene language to abide by university policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment.
Any comment that meets the definition of demeaning, discriminatory, or obscene may be brought to the attention of the Committee on Educational Policy (CEP).
CEP will have the final say in determining whether the comment should be redacted or retained; this will be conveyed to the instructor by the CEP Chair.

PROCEDURE
If an instructor reads a comment they believe should be redacted, they should follow these steps:

Compare the student comment to the definitions provided above for demeaning, discriminatory, and obscene.
If the comment meets any of these definitions, and the instructor wishes for it to be redacted from the report, the instructor should identify the comment for CEP. If desired, the faculty member may provide information that may be help put the student comment into context.
Evaluation comments identified for redaction by the faculty member for redaction request are to be emailed to the CEP analyst. The request, absent course or instructor name, will be provided to CEP.

RESPONSIBILITY
Committee on Educational Policy

REFERENCES
UC Davis Policy and Procedures Manual 400-15

POLICY OWNER
Committee on Educational Policy

REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY
Committee on Educational Policy*
Faculty Executive Committee
Academic Personnel Office

REVIEWED DATE and REVIEW CYCLE
November 2024; 3-year cycle

* Indicates the Policy Owner