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
The purpose of narrative comments completed by students is to encourage students to reflect on and provide feedback to their instructors about the student experience in the course. Students are encouraged to provide constructive feedback on the teaching and learning elements of the course.

To fulfill that purpose and also to adhere to the codes of conduct which protect an environment to make it conductive to learning where the safety, dignity, and worth of every individual is respected, and to abide by University policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment, students’ comments to the instructor will be available for viewing by unit heads or personnel committees in a way that is devoid of discriminatory, obscene, or demeaning language. Thus, any comment that meets the definitions below for discriminatory, obscene, or demeaning, may be flagged by the instructor and brought to the attention of the Committee on Educational Policy (CEP).

DEFINITIONS

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.
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.

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 discriminatory, obscene or demeaning.
If the comment meets any of these definitions, and the instructor wishes for it to be redacted (removed) from the report, the instructor should flag that comment and can provide additional information that may help put the student comments in context
Flagged comments (absent course or instructor name) will be provided to CEP or its designated work group or sub-committee
CEP or its delegate will review the flagged comments and make a recommendation to CEP, which will have the final say in indicating whether the comment should be redacted (removed) or retained; this will be conveyed to the instructor.

RESPONSIBILITY
Committee on Educational Policy

REFERENCES

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 2021; 3-year cycle