Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Regarding the Rowan University Student Evaluation in Banner

(Updated Fall 2015) 

Q: Is this student evaluation mandatory for all Rowan courses?

No, this student evaluation is not mandatory; it is an option. Departments should agree to use a particular method of student evaluation and communicate this to their respective Dean.

Q: My department already has its own preferred method of student evaluation but I am interested in using this evaluation for my classes. What should I do?

According to the AFT-negotiated Memorandum of Agreement on Tenure and Recontracting (https://sites.rowan.edu/academic-affairs/aftlocalagreements.html), departments may choose their accepted method(s) of student evaluation. Therefore, individual instructors interested in using the Banner evaluation in place of their department's currently-accepted evaluation should receive approval from their department and also communicate this intention to their respective Dean. Instructors may also be interested in obtaining departmental approval to use the evaluation in Banner as a secondary form of evaluation, in addition to the department's currently-accepted evaluation; use of an evaluation as a secondary measure should also be communicated to the Dean. 

Q: Is it possible to use this evaluation as the "official" student evaluation for my courses?

As long as instructors have received approval from their departments and their intention has been communicated to their respective Dean, they may use the student evaluation in Banner in an official capacity (i.e. to submit along with their T&R files). In order to ensure the likelihood of a higher response rate among students, candidates for T&R and promotion should have their students complete the evaluateion during class time rather than outside of class. In this case, it is necessary that the instructor leave the room while the students complete the evaluation. Additionally, it is recommended that a proctor other than the instructor be present while students complete the evaluation online.

Q: How can I and my colleagues view the questions of the student evaluation, prior to deciding whether or not we want to use it for our classes?

Log into Banner. Next, click on the "Personal Information" tab and then the "Answer a Survey" menu option. Click on "Student Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness" in order to view the questions.

Q: Is the Banner evaluation available as a paper evaluation?

No, this evaluation only exists online, in Banner.

Q: Which students are eligible to complete the Banner student evaluation?

All students having a "Registered" or "Audit" status at the time the evaluation opens are eligible for participation.

Q: How far in advance must student evaluations be requested?

As soon as an instructor submits a request for the student evaluation, it is automatically created and stands ready to be deployed to the relevant students.  If the request is submitted prior to the last five weeks of a fall or spring semester, the evaluation will be open to students throughout the last five weeks of the semester.  If the evaluation is requested during the last five weeks of the semester, it will remain open through the last day of the semester, at 5pm.

Q: How do I request the student evaluation for my classes?

1. Go to http://www.banner.rowan.edu.
2. Click "Self Service Banner".
3. Click "Access Banner Services - Secure Area - login Required".
4. Enter User ID and PIN.
5. Click "Faculty & Advisors".
6. Click "Request Student Course Evaluation".
7. Select one of the classes that you are currently teaching.
8. Click "Choose" and enter "Survey open date".
9. Click "Submit".
10. Repeat for other classes.

Q: May students complete the student evaluation either during class time or outside of class?

Yes, departments have a variety of options regarding how to "administer" the evaluation. Some departments may decide that instructors may have their students complete the evaluation on their own time, outside of class. Some departments may prefer for instructors, especially those who plan to use the results for tenure or promotion, to reserve a computer lab for their class or have students bring their laptops/tablets/smartphones to class in order to complete the evaluation during class time. The online evaluations have been optimized for use on small screens, including smartphones. If students are to complete the evaluation during class time, departments may prefer for a fellow colleague to be present to supervise. The instructor should leave the room while students complete the evaluation online. 

Q: For how long should the Banner evaluation be made accessible to students?

In accord with the AFT-negotiated Recontracting and Tenure Memorandum of Agreement, instructors must choose a "Survey open date" that falls within the last five weeks of a fall or spring term and the last week of a summer session. The semester ends at 5pm on the last day of final exams, as per the MoA (APPENDIX B, p.39) Depending on a variety of factors, including whether the evaluation is to be completed by students during class or outside of class, instructors may choose to make the survey accessible to students on one day only (the last day of final exams), starting at any point in the last 5 weeks of the term (for Fall and Spring classes), throughout the last five weeks of a fall or spring term, or throughout the last week of a summer session. The final date of all online surveys has been agreed upon the MoA as the last day of final exams (last day of term). The uniform close date was set in part due to capacity issues, and partly in the interest of best practices which allow for students to evaluate their entire learning experience for a course.

Q: If the evaluation is to be completed by students during class time, should the instructor leave the room?

 Yes, in keeping with the guidelines of the AFT-negotiated Recontracting and Tenure Memorandum of Agreement (APPENDIX B, p. 39), the instructor being evaluated must leave the room while the students complete the evaluation.

Q: If an instructor has requested the evaluation, are his/her students required to complete it?

No, according to the AFT-negotiated Recontracting and Tenure Memorandum of Agreement, students are not required to complete student evaluations for their courses 

Q: Once I've requested the evaluation for my class(es), how will my students know that they should complete the evaluation?

Students should be informed that they are expected to complete the evaluation. The instructor may infoorm his/her students in person or over e-mail. Additionally, the department administrative assistant or department chairperson may inform students that they are expected to complete the evaluateion over e-mail (using a distribution list).

Q: What instructions should I or my departmental secretary or chairperson provide to my students so that they may complete the student evaluation for my class?

1. Go to http://www.rowan.edu/selfservice 
2. Click "Student Self-Service" icon.
3. Click "Access Banner Services - Secure Area - login Required"
4. Enter User ID and PIN.
5. Click "Personal Information".
6. Click "Answer a Survey".
7. Click on one of the student evaluations for your classes.
8. Complete the student evaluation.
9. Click "Survey Complete" to submit your completed student evaluation.
10. Repeat for other classes.

Q: How will I know how many of my students have completed my requested evaluation?

1. Log into Banner.
2. Click on the "Faculty Services"
3. Click "View Student Evaluations of Teaching Effectiveness Requested" menu option.
4. Select the appropriate term and click "Submit".

A table will appear; in the rightmost columns of this table, under "Survey Counts", the number of students eligible to complete the evaluation appears along with the number of evaluations completed to date and the percentage that this represents of the total number of eligible students. Additionally, under "Survey Counts", a column appears, titled "Completed and Rolled to AH", which refers to the number of students who completed the evaluateion for whom the final grades have rolled to academic history for a given semester. After all students' final grades have rolled to academic history for a particular class, the instructor will automatically receive the results report as an e-mail attachment.

Q: Is it necessary to use a signature sheet along with this evaluation?

As students must log into their own Banner accounts in order to access the evaluation, there is no need to have their identity verified by means of a signature sheet. However, should the need arise, it would be possible for EIS to produce a listing of the names of students who have completed a course evaluation.

Q: What if I submit my request and then decide that I want to change my "Survey open date"?

Instructors may change their "Survey open date" before their students have been granted access to the evaluation (before the evaluation has opened) by e-mailing a request to Natalie Kautz (kautzn@rowan.edu), Assistant Director of the Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. 

Q: What if I submit my request and then decide that I do not want to have my students complete the evaluation after all?

Instructors may disable a previously-requested evaluation before their students have been granted access to the evaluation (before the evaluation has opened) by first logging into Banner. Next, click on the "Faculty Services" tab and then the "View Student Evaluations of Teaching Effectiveness Requested" menu option. Next, select the appropriate term and click "Submit". A table will appear; under "State", choose "Active" or "Disabled" and click "Submit".

Q: Who receives the results report for the evaluation?

Only instructors are e-mailed the results report as a PDF attachment to an e-mail message. Departments may decide to require that the results reports be shared with the department chairperson or the chairperson of the departmental tenure and recontracting committee. In this case, the instructor may forward the e-mail with the attachment to the necessary individuals or provide hard copies.

Q: I understand that the student evaluation results report will not contain comparative national norms. How am I to interpret my results?

As the student evaluation was developed by the Joint Senate-AFT Student Evaluations Taskforce 2011-2012 and is not used outside of Rowan, no national norms are available for comparison. However, department- wide, college-wide and university-wide comparison statistics have been programmed to appear in the results report. Therefore, an instructor may gain insight regarding his/her results in comparison with others at Rowan.

Q: I understand that the evaluation in Banner contains thirteen core items. Is it possible for my college or department or individual instructors to submit supplemental questions?

No, all surveys contain identical questions.

Q: Can I offer my students extra credit or other reward incentives to increase the response rate of student evaluations of teaching?

No, the MoA states: “It is a violation of best practices in evaluation to offer incentives for students to complete student evaluations, so faculty are strongly discouraged from doing so, even if it means a reduction in the number of responding students,” (APPENDIX B, p. 39).

Q: How can I increase the response rate of students completing the online student evaluation of teaching?

 A list of tips for increasing response rate is located under the “Teaching Evaluations” section of (http://www.rowan.edu/provost/facultycenter/campus_initiatives/).

Q: Who should be contacted with any additional questions or concerns?

Contact the Assistant Director of Rowan University’s Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Natalie Kautz, by email (kautzn@rowan.edu) or phone (856-256-4669).