Since it’s teaching eval season again, just a reminder that numerous studies have shown that these evals measure bias, not teaching effectiveness. Their use in for anything beyond feedback directly to the prof—ie tenure & promotion—is legally dubious, professionally irresponsible, and ethically wrong.

So, read yours with a glass of wine and a whole shaker of salt. Solidarity to all the women out there who get comments on being motherly or mean, well-dressed or unattractive, too challenging or a push-over.

Using teaching evals for promotion and tenure is professionally irresponsible and ethically wrong, but it may soon be legally mandatory in the state of Ohio.

Sec. 3345.452.(D)(4): "Student evaluations conducted pursuant to section 3345.451 of the Revised Code account for at least fifty per cent of the teaching area component of the evaluation."
https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/135/sb83