“It’s been well-documented that student evaluations of teaching are often influenced by students’ unconscious and unintentional biases about the gender and race of the instructor. Prior research suggests that women and instructors of color are systematically rated lower in their teaching evaluations than white men, even when there are no actual differences in the quality of instruction.
As you fill out the course evaluation, please keep this in mind and make an effort to focus on your opinions about the content of the course and not unrelated matters (such as gender and race).”
A student objected to the “passive-aggressive” nature of the email:
[T]his announcement can be interpreted in two ways:
1) It implies that I am a bigot, incapable of providing honest feedback without my opinions being negatively influenced by the professor’s race or sex. It suggests that any negative feelings I have towards the professor or the course are more influenced by personal, subjective feelings regarding race and sex than by any objective facts.
2) It suggests that I should provide high evaluation scores, regardless of my actual feelings, in order to atone for past actions taken by others.
Both interpretations are unacceptable and represent a passive-aggressive method to artificially inflate course evaluation scores. This approach is highly unprofessional and creates an “othering” effect, implying that white males are incapable of making objective decisions that are not influenced by race or sex.
Neither the University of Illinois nor the head of the accounting department responded to media inquiries.
There are two issues entangled in this controversy. First is the decision of individual professors in issuing this type of warning rather than the university as a whole. The study looks at a statement made by Iowa State University with all evaluations:
“Student evaluations of teaching play an important role in the review of faculty. Your opinions influence the review of instructors that takes place every year. Iowa State University recognizes that student evaluations of teaching are often influenced by students’ unconscious and unintentional biases about the race and gender of the instructor. Women and instructors of color are systematically rated lower in their teaching evaluations than white men, even when there are no actual differences in the instruction or in what students have learned.
As you fill out the course evaluation please keep this in mind and make an effort to resist stereotypes about professors. Focus on your opinions about the content of the course (the assignments, the textbook, the in-class material) and not unrelated matters (the instructor’s appearance).”
Most universities do not have such a warning, which has been much debated in past years. Some professors have argued that faculty members discount lower evaluations for female and minority candidates (in hiring or promotion) due to inherent bias or racism.
The second question is the general use of a university warning and whether the statement can chill or inhibit students from offering frank evaluations of a given professor’s performance.
Professor Zhang’s views on the subject constitute protected speech and, in academic work, is a matter of academic freedom. However, there is a balancing of interests when it comes to issuing statements on evaluations as part of their courses. Universities have an interest in preserving conditions conducive to honest and uninhibited evaluations.
I disagree with those who have accused Professor Zhang of plagiarism for using language from the study. She relied on boilerplate language, which flags this language at places like ISU.
Evaluations are a curious process. Schools differ on the importance of such evaluation. Some faculties are primarily known as research rather than teaching focused. Professors often privately gripe that efforts to teach more material or more difficult concepts tend to lower evaluations. The performance of a professor should not be judged solely on his or her popularity. Some of the most substantive and profound courses are also the most challenging for students.
Some faculty members express open contempt for the evaluations. One story comes to mind that seems analogous to Professor Zhang from the opposite perspective in dismissing evaluations. I was told once about a well-known law professor at a top school, who handed out his evaluations and was walking out when he stopped at the door and addressed the class. He mockingly said that, since many students are grammatically challenged, “there are two r’s in arrogant.” A student then immediately responded by asking, “but are there are two s’s in a**hole?”
Other professors seem to relish their negative reviews. I knew one professor who actually framed his negative reviews and put them up in his law school office. One of his favorites came after a term during which he injured his neck and had to wear a neck brace to classes. The evaluation simply read, “I’m glad you hurt your neck.”
Nevertheless, most of us, and our schools, take our evaluations seriously. Of course, my own views on this matter may change shortly. My Torts students just submitted their evaluations.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. He is the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”