Faculty members have academic freedom--the right to teach their subject matter in the way they think is best. While this is an informal definition, it generally means that faculty have a great deal of control over how they teach their subject what happens in their classrooms.

However, academic freedom does not mean that faculty are not accountable for how they conduct their classes. They are. The teaching effectiveness of a faculty member is regularly evaluated, both by students and by the Division Chair.

Student evaluations of faculty are conducted each semester starting several weeks after midterms. Every class of every faculty member is not evaluated each semester, but enough courses are evaluated that students sometimes complain that they are tired of filling out evaluation forms.

Evaluation forms vary, depending on the academic division the course is in, but the basic form consists of a number of questions regarding the student's opinion of the faculty member's effectiveness. There are places on the evaluation form for written comments. Evaluations are anonymous.

Evaluations are given during class time. They are administered by a secretary, and the results are compiled. Faculty members do not receive copies of a course evaluation until after their grades for the course have been turned in.

These evaluations go to the Division Chair and to the Dean of Instruction. Copies are placed in the faculty member's file. These evaluations become important documents when a faculty member is being considered for retention, promotion, or tenure.

Evaluations of faculty offer students the chance to voice their opinions about the faculty member's effectiveness in the classroom. These evaluations are taken very seriously by the college, and students should take them seriously, too.