Purpose

• To ensure compliance with the privacy rules in B.C.'s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
  
• To ensure that personal information on instructor evaluation forms is collected using an appropriate notice and method of collection.
  
• To ensure that the privacy of students and instructors is protected through the appropriate disclosure of personal information on evaluation forms.

Responsibility

The University officials designated by the Board of Governors in the FOI/POP Schedule of Authorized Officers are responsible for ensuring the implementation of this policy.

Scope

This policy applies to all departments that administer instructor and course evaluations.

Policy

Instructor and course evaluations are records of the University. Information collected on them can generally be divided into two types: evaluation of the instructor and evaluation of the course.

1. Collection

1.1 Instructor Evaluation

A collection notice is required whenever the University collects personal information. The collection notice on the evaluation form is to inform both the instructor and the student of the University's legal authority to collect the personal information, the purpose and use(s) of the collection and who to contact with questions.

All evaluation forms on which information about the teaching performance and effectiveness of an instructor is collected shall include one of the following notices:

1. For all staff whose bargaining agent is the Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU), [which covers Teaching Assistants, Language Instructors, Sessional Instructors and Distance Education Tutor/Markers].

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Collection NoticeThe information on this form is collected under general authority of the University Act (R.S.B.C. 1979, c.419), the SFU/TSSU Collective Agreement and/or SFU Academic Policy A12.09. It is related directly to and needed by the University to operate its personnel management and academic programs. The information will be used to evaluate the qualifications and performance of non-faculty teaching support staff according to their assigned duties and responsibilities, to decide on reappointment and to evaluate an academic program. This evaluation form is completed anonymously, however, please be advised that any handwritten comments you provide on this form will be available to the person being evaluated and university administrators. If you have any questions about the collection and use of this information please contact [Faculty or Department Position Title, Business Address, Business Phone No.].

2. For all faculty staff whose bargaining agent is the SFU Faculty Association (SFUFA).

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Collection NoticeThe information on this form is collected under general authority of the University Act (R.S.B.C. 1979, c.419) and SFU Academic Policies A11.02, A12.01, A12.02 or A12.05. It is related directly to and needed by the University to operate its personnel management and academic programs. The information will be used to evaluate the qualifications and performance of faculty according to their assigned duties and responsibilities; to decide on salary increases, promotion, contract renewal or tenure; and to evaluate an academic program. This evaluation form is completed anonymously, however, please be advised that any handwritten comments you provide on this form will be available to the person being evaluated and university administrators. If you have any questions about the collection and use of this information please contact [Faculty or Department Position Title, Business Address, Business Phone No.].

1.2 Course Evaluation

A collection notice is needed to inform the student why and how their personal evaluation of the course will be used. All evaluation forms on which information about a course is collected shall include the following notice:

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Collection Notice

The information on this form is collected under general authority of the University Act (R.S.B.C. 1979, c.419). It is related directly to and needed by the University to operate its education program. The information will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the department's academic program. This evaluation form is completed anonymously. However, please be advised that any handwritten comments you provide on this form will be available to the course instructor and university administrators. If you have any questions about the collection and use of this information please contact [Faculty or Department Position Title, Business Address, Business Phone No.].

2. Disclosure

2.1 Evaluation of the Instructor

The evaluation of the instructor by a student is part of the instructor's personal information and is available only to the instructor and those officials of the University who must need to see it in order to perform their duties. For example, the Department Chair, the members of the Departmental Tenure Committee, the Faculty Dean, etc.

The evaluation of the instructor is also part of the student's personal information because it is the student's personal evaluation of the instructor. Usually, evaluations are completed by students anonymously, therefore, the information can be routinely released to the instructor and authorized university officials. However, if the evaluation identifies the student and it is supplied in confidence, the student's privacy must be protected by removing all personal identifiers before it is disclosed.

The best ways to protect the student's privacy are to provide anonymous, statistical responses and to prepare an accurate and complete summary of all written comments. Normally, summaries of comments will not be prepared. Therefore, the collection notice on the evaluation form must also inform the student that anonymized handwritten comments will be released to the instructor and university administrators.

2.2 Evaluation of the Course

Any written comments provided by the student in an evaluation of the course are part of the student's personal information. This personal information can only be made public if all personal identifiers are removed.

Course evaluations completed anonymously by selecting multiple choice answers (often resulting in a computer generated statistical report) do not infringe the student's privacy. In these circumstances, course evaluations can be routinely released.