CAUT Policy Statement
Because university and college issued surveys of student opinion about teaching do not measure teaching effectiveness,1 and because research shows that they involve prejudices to the disadvantage of equity-seeking groups, student opinion surveys should not be used in any career procedures and decision making involving academic staff.
Where/when student organizations conduct anonymous student surveys and publish the results in order to assist students in the selection of their courses, academic staff participation should be optional, and no penalties direct or indirect should follow a refusal to participate. Such student-organized opinion surveys should not be used by post-secondary institution administrations as a means of assessing teaching performance and not be included in any academic staff member’s personnel file nor be used in any career procedures and decision making.
Approved by the CAUT Council, November 2016.
Editorial changes, October 2021.
Endnote
1 See CAUT Policy Statement on the Evaluation of Teaching