Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume. 33, Number 9. 25 June, 1970
Sensitive lecturers
Sensitive lecturers
Professor D.F. McKenzie, a representative of the Professorial Board, made this statement at a meeting of the Joint Committee of the Council, the Professorial Board and the Students' Association on 10 June.
Professor McKenzie, speaking in the course of a discussion on course evaluation, said he had known a member of staff who had been very upset by student criticism of his course. "It is undesirable to upset sensitive lecturers," Professor McKenzie said.
Students' Association representative Margaret Bryson said that "course evaluation should be anonymous, and the staff member concerned should not assess his own evaluation".
The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Taylor, said that "a sensitive lecturer might be motivated to miss out one particular part of the course that is criticised."
The Committee agreed to recommend that "the heads of departments scrutinise questionnaires carefully to ensure that they elicit full, frank, and responsible answers, and that they take such measures as they deem necessary to protect their staff members from any undesirable effects of irresponsible answers."