G-34-3.3.3 Removal of Inappropriate Student Evaluations of Faculty Members

Approved: 9/24/2024

POLICY:
An effective evaluation program is essential to a quality educational program. As such, the College encourages open and honest feedback from students when they are asked to complete a faculty course evaluation. While students are afforded the opportunity to respond truthfully to all questions and request for comments, students must provide their responses in a respectful manner. The College will not tolerate any offensive, discriminatory, harassing and or otherwise abusive language. The purpose of this policy is to provide a mechanism under which faculty members may review and request the removal of statement(s) made by students that are in violation of this policy.

Definitions:
The following definitions will be used when reviewing student evaluations for offensive language and/or statements.

Offensive statements – Statements that are discriminatory, harassing, and/or abusive and are directed at faculty members based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), age, marital and parental status, disability, sexual orientation, or genetic information.

Discrimination - The differential treatment of an individual or group of people based on their race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), age, marital and parental status, disability, sexual orientation, or genetic information.

Harassing Conduct - Unwelcome conduct, verbal or physical, including intimidation, ridicule, insult, comments, or physical conduct, that is based on an individual’s protected status or protected activities when the behavior can reasonably be considered to adversely affect the work environment, or an employment decision affecting the employee is based upon the employee’s acceptance or rejection of such conduct.

Abusive language - Harsh, violent, profane, or derogatory language which would demean the dignity of an individual and which shall also include profanity and racial, ethnic, or sexist slurs.

Protected status - Defined as an individual’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, family medical history (including genetic information), status as a parent, marital status, or political affiliation.

PROCEDURE:
This procedure is available only for review of allegedly offensive statements in student evaluations of faculty members, and not for review or judgment of a student’s constructive feedback in assessing the quality of a faculty member’s work nor for setting the standards of performance for a course. The outcome of this review is either removal of the statement(s) or denial of the request.

1. A faculty member may submit a written request to the Department Chair to review the student evaluation which the faculty member believes contains offensive language and/or statements as defined above. The written request must specify the exact language and/or statements the faculty member believes are offensive, and request that the specific language be removed from the student evaluation.
2. Upon receipt of the faculty member’s written request, the Department Chair will meet with the faculty member to review the alleged offensive language and/or statements. The Department Chair will issue a written decision regarding whether the requested language and/or statements will be removed. A copy of this written decision will be shared with the requesting faculty member, their Instructional Dean, and the Director of Human Resources.

3. If the faculty member is dissatisfied with the Department Chair’s decision, they may submit a written appeal to their Instructional Dean. The Instructional Dean will consult with both the evaluated faculty member and the Director of Human Resources and will issue a written decision. A copy of this written decision will be shared with the requesting faculty member, the Department Chair, and the Director of Human Resources.

4. The outcome of this review is either removal of the statement(s) or denial of the request. The decision from this last meeting is final.