Academe Today: Teaching evaluations are broken. Can they be fixed?

Faculty strike over raises sparks debate about Cal State’s finances; teaching ignorance in Florida; your niche in international admissions; and more. ADVERTISEMENT [Academe Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. RATINGS REVAMP [Teaching Evaluations Are Broken. Can They Be Fixed?]( By Beth McMurtrie [STORY IMAGE]( Superficial assessments hurt professors and students, but reform is hard. ADVERTISEMENT BACKGROUNDER [A Spat Over Teaching Evaluations Roils a Department]( By Charlotte Matherly [STORY IMAGE]( Economics professors at James Madison University say they were reprimanded for giving too many low grades. CALLING ALL FACULTY [Tell Us About Your Experience With Teaching Evaluations]( [STORY IMAGE]( The ritual has frustrated instructors for years, but little has been done to reform it. We want to hear what you think about teaching evaluations, and if they’ve changed your teaching. Fill out [this short Google Form]( to help us gather information and insights. SPONSOR CONTENT | University of Birmingham [A breakthrough for maternal health]( ACADEMIC LABOR [How a Fight for Faculty Raises Sparked a Debate Over Cal State’s Financial Health]( By Forest Hunt [STORY IMAGE]( As a vote looms next week on the faculty union’s tentative agreement — with a smaller pay raise than desired — questions swirl over whether the university system could afford more. THE REVIEW | ESSAY [Teaching Ignorance in Florida]( By Peter Brooks [STORY IMAGE]( Prohibitions on knowledge draw attention to what they prohibit. LATITUDES [How to Find Your Niche in a Competitive International-Admissions Market]( By Karin Fischer [STORY IMAGE]( They’re not brand names, but these colleges attract students from abroad. NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. 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