Dear Gabby,
I love Sinclair and I think it’s a great location for this campus. When I come to school, I feel safe and comfortable. There is one thing that I have come across that has been a struggle: the English department. There have been several instances (in and out of class) where my voice hasn’t been heard about certain things. To break it down, I’ve had two experiences with English professors here. One of them was really great (and I let the board know how great she was), but the other was a nightmare. When I went to the English department to voice my frustrations, nothing was solved for me. I understand that one person isn’t going to make a world of difference in this situation, but it was a little discouraging when no one got back with me. This issue was about a grade and a conversation between my teacher and I at the end of the semester, which was rather disrespectful. I voiced my concern/frustration again, on the evaluation card. All in all, I was wondering: does the school take into consideration the bad/negative feedback the professor gets or does it have to be a recurring thing to get some attention brought to it? Will they talk to the teacher about the comment and see what happened, or wait until/if they get more negative comments.
Sincerely, Frustrated student who deserved a better grade
Dear Frustrated student who deserved a better grade,
I wish more students took the time to honestly critique teachers on the evaluation cards. From my understanding, each professor gets the opportunity to look at the comments from students, along with sitting down with the head of their department to talk about their skills as a teacher. They take it very seriously, but many students ignore the comment section of the evaluation card or just write one single sentence. It’s important to add details of what you like or dislike, and why.
It may not have seemed like the department did anything, but I guarantee they take notes about certain comments and incidents that happen between students and professors. You said you realized that only one voice wasn’t going to do much of a difference, so my biggest advice is ask classmates to voice their opinion as well. The more students who voice their opinions about the class and professor, the more likely the head of the department will make a change. Obviously, the more recurring the problems are, the faster the change will happen, but taking the time to talk to the head of the department isn’t a waste of time at all.
I’ve heard that each department is taking the comments more seriously, along with trying to make changes. I assume they get a lot of comments and opinions that are complaining about grades and such, so it’s hard to decide what issues need to be solved immediately and what issues can wait. Be patient. I know your grade was pulled into this situation, which is really annoying, but I’m sure your opinion was taken into consideration.
I know this is frustrating, but I still suggest you always write honest opinions on the evaluation cards. Even though it might seem as though change didn’t take place, your voice still matters. Next time, try to talk to multiple classmates and see if they have the same views as you. If anything, it will create a stronger student voice. The change might not happen during the semester, but letting the department know your concerns and issues will help them evaluate professors, which then can help future classes become more successful.
Stay positive,
Gabby