Academic End-of-Term Student Opinion Surveys

Policy 1.15
Approved by:	President
Responsible Officer:	Provost and Senior Vice President for academic affairs
Responsible Office:	Academic Affairs
Originally Issued:	10/30/1986
Last Revision:	05/21/2023
Category:	Academics
Related Policy
SD BOR Policy 6:3 Student Opinion Survey Administration Guidelines

I. REASON FOR THIS POLICY

This policy governs the implementation of academic end-of-term student opinion surveys, which are mandated by the South Dakota Board of Regents.

II. DEFINITIONS

None

III. STATEMENT OF POLICY

South Dakota Guideline 6.3 stipulates that student opinion surveys will be used as part of the evaluation of faculty unit members. The Guideline requires that this evaluation occur for every faculty member in every course every term with limited exceptions.  The major purpose of the evaluations are to determine the level of performance relative to established standards, to assess progress toward promotion and/or tenure, and to inform annual salary decisions for faculty unit members whose duties include teaching.” 

Dakota State University shall administer the faculty evaluation survey and establish the specific guidelines for survey administration, in concordance with the system guidelines. The Office of the Provost shall appoint the survey coordinator.

Faculty shall review the results of their student opinion surveys at the conclusion of each term to determine whether there is cause for curricular or instructional changes that may improve student outcomes in future terms.

The president, provost, relevant dean, and members of the Promotion & Tenure Committee (where applicable) shall review the results of student opinion surveys for faculty annual review, promotion, and tenure consideration.

Results of student opinion surveys will be available only to those academic and technical administrators with responsibility for the evaluation of faculty or the administration of the student opinion surveys to the extent that their responsibility requires.

Exclusions

None 

Exceptions

The following course sections are exempt from academic end-of-term student opinion surveys:  undergraduate research/scholarship, practicums, student teaching, internships, dissertations, master’s research projects, sections with no enrollments, and labs where the instructor teaches both the lab and lecture section.  Any other exemption from the evaluation process must be approved by the provost.

IV. PROCEDURES 

1. Student opinion surveys will be made available to students with sufficient time prior to the onset of finals week for completion.
2. Students will be provided reminders to prompt them to participate in order to increase response rates.  
3. Faculty will provide any required data necessary for administration of the student opinion surveys. For the IDEA survey, the required data includes identification of the course outcomes from the provided list prior to the conclusion of the survey period.
4. Faculty should make a concerted effort to encourage students to complete the student opinion surveys to promote response rates, which improve the reliability of the responses.
5. The university will ensure faculty have access to the results of their student opinion surveys immediately following the deadline for submission of final grades. 

V. RELATED DOCUMENTS, FORMS AND TOOLS

SD BOR Student Opinion Survey System Guidelines for Administration

SD BOR IDEA Student Rating of Instruction Implementation Procedures

DSU Student Opinion Survey Guidelines for Administration

VI. POLICY HISTORY

Adopted: 10/30/1986

Revised: 09/07/2007