Every year at the end of the semester every student is given the opportunity to reflect back on the courses they have been taking through the Universal Student Rating of Instruction. The purple scan-tron form that you fill in is much more than a trivial little survey, in fact for professors and the university it is as important as your own transcript.
The university and the Students’ Union see this rating system as such an important method of instructor evaluation, and it is compulsory that faculties give students the chance to participate. The USRI and individual faculty surveys are the only formal opportunities that students are given to speak out and be heard about the level of instruction they are receiving.
The SU and the U of C have partnered in this student-led initiative for about five years. Elected members of the SU felt it was imperative that you as a student have the opportunity to comment on the overall quality of instruction, course content, professor/student communication, and course material. Students across the country have fought for the right to openly, but with anonymity, speak about the current state of their university. The USRI has direct impact on the annual assessment, promotion, and tenure of your professors. It is your opportunity to comment on the type of instruction you receive each year. Additionally, faculties and the university use the information collected from the surveys each year to assess the quality of academic programming the university has to offer. Students have access to the results of USRI from previous years through the Infonet.
This fall approximately ten percent of all lectures will have the opportunity to fill the survey out online through the my.ucalgry.ca portal or through a direct link provided in e-mail. The remainder of teaching evaluations will be carried out in the traditional method as an in-class survey. So whether you complete the form online or in person it doesn’t really matter! The most important thing is to fill it out! As a student it is your right, but also your responsibility to make your voice heard through the USRI and faculty surveys.
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