Spring 2008
The CATE Committee was formed in fall semester 2006 by interim Provost Englert, in consultation with Jane Evans, then Faculty Senate President. The joint faculty and staff committee’s charge is to oversee the implementation of the university’s policy on Course and Teaching Evaluations (02.78.14), and to review the use and effectiveness of the forms.
The committee was chaired by Peter Jones (Vice Provost Undergraduate Studies) and comprised: Pamela Barnett (Teaching and Learning Center); Ina Calligaro (Pharmacy); Arthur Chodoroff (Boyer); Jim Degnan (MARC/Staff); Chris Dennis (VP-US Office/Staff to the CATE-OC); Joseph DuCette (Education); Gene Ericksen (CLA); Peter Jones (Chair-Vice Provost Undergraduate Studies); Richard Joslyn (CLA); Zebulon Kendrick (CHP and Graduate School); Mia Luehrmann (CST); Chris Wolfgang (VP Faculty/staff); Dolores Zygmont (CHP). The committee met through the Spring of 2008.
During this period, the committee convened sub-committees to research and report on three major topics:
- Content and format of the CATE survey
- Presentation and reporting of CATE results to the university community
- Utilization and research of CATE results for the university community
The committee reviewed instructor evaluation and assessment forms from many other institutions and examined detailed statistical analyses of the responses to individual CATE items as well as the various methods by which data might be reported back to the university community. The committee spent over a year considering national models and best practices, and painstakingly evaluating and editing the questions on the proposed forms. Drafts of revised survey forms were reviewed and tested during summer session courses in 2007.
Findings and preliminary recommendations were shared with a number of groups, including EPPC, and an open meeting for all faculty was held on April 18, 2008. A web page with the revised Student Feedback Forms and a committee e-mail sff@temple.edu address were established to receive faculty comment and opinion on the proposed new forms. Recommendations for changes to the current forms, the instructor report format and topics for future consideration will be forwarded to the Provost.
