Interest Arbitration Decision at Ryerson – Student surveys cannot be used to evaluate teaching performance
A recent arbitration award between the Ryerson Faculty Association and Ryerson University sets a significant precedent for academic staff across the country on the use of anonymous student questionnaires. Arbitrator William Kaplan found that student evaluations are biased and unreliable, and ordered that the collective agreement at Ryerson be amended to ensure that results of student questionnaires are not used in measuring teaching effectiveness for promotion or tenure. As part of the decision, Kaplan writes, “The expert evidence convincingly establishes…