UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls

Student Senate

What Instructor Feedback Looks Like

The instructor feedback process is when a student has suggestions for an instructor that is not legal or does not involve the administration stepping in. A student usually works with the instructor or their department chair to rectify the situation. The student can choose to remain anonymous to the professor in the process by reaching out to the department chair first (see more below under “Staying Anonymous”).

Instructor Feedback vs Formal Complaints

Formal complaints involve legal documents, an investigation, and the university administration stepping in. Visit this document to learn more about the formal complaint process. Instructor feedback, on the other hand, is only addressed by the professor, the department chair, and/or potentially the dean of the college.

 

The following is about the instructor feedback process:

instructor feedback process graphic

A student should provide suggestions or instructor feedback if they have an issue with a professor relating to their grading, assignments, attendance policy, teaching method, language used in the classroom, how they treat students, and other course-specific topics. However, concerns regarding sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual assault should be reported to the Title IX Coordinator or the appropriate deputy.  Contact information can be found for concerns related to sex-based discrimination, bias incidents, or general student or employee concerns can be found at https://www.uwrf.edu/ReportIt/. 

When submitting an instructor suggestion, students should email the professor in question with the feedback. If they don’t feel comfortable reaching out to the professor (if the student wants to stay anonymous or for other reasons), then they can directly contact the chair of their department with the feedback. In the cases where the student wants to stay anonymous, and the professor is the chair of the department then the student can reach out to the dean of the college first. 

 

Steps:

  1. Email the instructor the suggestions
    1. Depending on the comfortability, schedule an in-person or virtual meeting with the professor to discuss them 
  2. Email the instructor's department chair the suggestions 
    1. For one or more of the following reasons;
      1. The student emailed the instructor and they weren’t receptive to the feedback
      2. The instructor is the department chair
      3. The student does not feel comfortable reaching out to the instructor (wanting to stay anonymous or for other reasons)
  3. Email the dean of the college
    1. For one or more of the following reasons:
      1. The student emailed the department chair, and they weren’t receptive to the feedback
      2. The instructor is the department chair, and the student does not feel comfortable reaching out to them (wanting to stay anonymous or other reasons)

The following are examples, this list is not all inclusive.

Grading

  • Concerns about how points were assigned to an assignment
  • Concerns about the grading of a specific assignment
  • Instructor grading in general
  • How group assignments are graded

Instructor Behavior

  • Instructor violating university policy 
  • An instructor not acting professionally
    • Using offensive language
    • Making inappropriate jokes
    • Not acting appropriately

Classroom Behavior

  • Group project peer participation
  • Peers are not being respectful 
    • Using offensive language
    • Making inappropriate jokes

Be clear about the change you want made after you bring forth the suggestions.

 

Email Template

Dear (Preferred Name/Instructor Last Name), 

 

Hi, I am Freddy Falcon, my major is Aviation, and I am a student in the 8:00 am Flight 101 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have some feedback regarding the use of offensive language within the classroom that I would like to be addressed. My specific suggestion is related to the incident regarding (add details). 

I look forward to your update about the situation. Thank you for your time and consideration! 

 

Best regards, 

Freddy Falcon

University faculty and staff are mandated reporters and are required to report any title IX related incidents and in these cases anonymity may not be protected. This includes any of the following:

  • gender discrimination
  • sexual harrassment
  • stalking
  • relationship violence
  • sexual assault
  • physical violence of any kind

Students can choose to stay anonymous in this process by reaching out first to the department chair or the dean of the college if the professor is the chair of the department. Usually, department chairs & deans keep the student’s identity anonymous even if the student forgets to request to be so. However, to ensure being anonymous, students when reaching out to the department chair and dean can specify that they want to be anonymous. 

 

List of Department Chairs (their email is hyperlinked to their name):

https://www.uwrf.edu/Directory/DepartmentUnitChairs.cfm 

 

List of Deans

https://www.uwrf.edu/Directory/Deans.cfm 

The Student Government Association Academic Council can answer your questions and help you through this process. Fill out the following form to get into contact with an advocate or would like to submit questions about the process:

https://uwrf.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eKUoRYKVH4svq50

Created and distributed by the Student Government Association Student Senate Academic Council. Not endorsed, approved, or created in collaboration with university administration or other shared governance organizations. Recommendations were created by the Academic Council through conversations with academic leadership and department chairs. Recommendations are subject to change after further review by the Faculty Senate and Academic Staff Council. Any questions or concerns should be directed toward the Student Government Association Director of Academic Affairs and Student Success. Please email them at sga.academicsuccess@uwrf.edu.