Incentives for teaching evaluations defeat purpose

In response to your article discussing the response rate to online teaching evaluations, it is necessary to point out that offering any kind of incentive to increase the response rate is counter to the accepted implementation of this online evaluation tool (see Faculty Senate

resolution 5-07/08).

Student evaluations provide a format that if utilized appropriately, can be useful for evaluating and improving our teaching.

Sincerely offered critiques and suggestions are seriously considered by faculty in order to provide the best possible instruction in our courses. However, incentives, effectively bribes to fill out a form, raise serious question as to the validity of an evaluation.

Jim Martin

Professor of Chemistry

Chair of the NCSU Faculty