Course Evaluations

Faculty Course Evaluation FAQs

• Why should I encourage students to complete my course evaluations?

  Course evaluations are a primary means of soliciting student feedback that an instructor can use to assess their quality of instruction and effectiveness of teaching methods. The information gained through course evaluations can be also used by administrators, along with other input, to make summative decisions about promotion or tenure and make formative recommendations such as identifying areas where a faculty member can improve.  Typically, course evaluations are combined with other assessment methods to create an overall picture of an instructors teaching performance.

• How do I access my course evaluations?

  There are three ways faculty and students can access course evaluations.

  1. The CoursEval portal is directly accessible through the MyCourseEval link.
  2. You can access the MyCoursEval portal via MyDSU under the Applications tab.
  3. Email announcements sent to you from MyCoursEval will contain a login link.

   

• What is the general schedule for course evaluations?

  The schedule by which course evaluations are administered is dependent upon the type of course (TD, ACCESS, or graduate) and the duration of the course in weeks.

  Each instructor can view the open and close dates for their course evaluations by logging into the MyCoursEval portal and selecting Surveys from the menu at the top of the page and then selecting My Course Surveys from the drop-down menu.  Response rates can also be viewed under the Status Rcv/Exp column.  Should you wish to alter your scheduled course evaluation dates, please contact courseval@desales.edu.

  Below is a general overview of the course evaluation schedule:

  For traditional day courses running 16 weeks (full term):

  • Pre-evaluation notice and request for class list verification is sent to instructors 14 days prior to the course evaluation open date for student completion
  • Evaluation is open for student completion 14 days prior to the course end date
  • Evaluation is closed on the Wednesday prior to the start of finals week as indicated on the academic calendar

  For ACCESS and graduate courses running 6 weeks or more, and traditional day courses running less than 16 weeks:

  • Pre-evaluation notice and request for class list verification is sent to instructors 14 days prior to the course evaluation open date for student completion
  • Evaluation is open for student completion 14 days prior to the course end date and remains open for 10 days
  • Evaluation is closed 4 days prior to the course end date

  For all courses running less than 6 weeks:

  • Pre-evaluation notice and request for class list verification is sent to instructors 14 days prior to the course evaluation open date for student completion
  • Evaluation is open for student completion 7 days prior to the end date of the course and remains open for 5 days
  • Evaluation is closed 2 days prior to the course end date

  Each instructor will receive a pre-evaluation email announcement 14 days prior to their evaluation opening for student completion.  This email will contain the courses to be evaluated, a class list for each course, and the evaluation open and close dates for each course.  This email requests that instructors verify their class list and report any discrepancies to the course evaluation administrator by replying to the email.**

  **This is a very important step in the course evaluation process.  Class lists are manually uploaded to the MyCoursEval portal by the administrator only at designated points throughout each term.  Therefore, if changes are made to a class list outside of these timeframes, it may not be reflected in MyCoursEval.  Therefore, it is important that each instructor carefully review the class list and respond to the email with any changes that need to be made.  An accurate class list will ensure that all students receive the correct evaluations and response rates are accurately calculated.

  Instructors will also receive an automated email reminding them to encourage student participation in course evaluations.

  Finally, instructors will receive an automated email announcing when they can view their evaluation reports.  The release dates for instructor reports are based on when course grades are due to the Registrar’s Office.  Evaluation reports are made available to instructors one day after course grades are due.

• I cannot log into MyCourseEval. What should I do?

  There are several possible reasons why you may not be able to log into MyCoursEval.

  1. In order to log into MyCoursEval, you will need to use your DeSales email address and network password just as you would log in to MyDSU.  If you have forgotten your network password, you will need to contact the DeSales University Help Desk at helpdesk@desales.edu or by calling extension 4357.  The Help Desk will be able to help you with resetting your password.

  2. For some faculty, the last time they changed their network password, it did not correctly sync across all of the DeSales systems. The only way to force a reset is to change your password again. We understand that this can be an inconvenience, and apologize for that. However, if you remember your previous password, you might be successful using that to log in.

  3. If you are receiving a “Login Failed” error or another error message, then you may not have been added to the MyCoursEval system. Faculty who are new to DeSales may not have been added to the MyCoursEval system yet, or faculty who may not have taught in quite some time may be inactive in the MyCoursEval system and may need to be reinstated.  This may be the reason you cannot access the MyCoursEval portal.  In either of these cases, please contact courseval@desales.edu.

  If after you have tried the above solutions and are still not able to log into MyCoursEval, please contact courseval@desales.edu.

• What do students see when completing their course evaluations?

  You can view the MyCoursEval Student Experience Video on YouTube to gain an understanding of what student will see when you are completing course evaluations in the MyCoursEval system.

• I did not receive a notification about my course evaluations. What should I do?

  There are a few possible reasons you may not receive a notification about course evaluation for a class you are teaching.

  1. Faculty who are new to DeSales, or who have not taught in quite some time, may not be active in the MyCourseEval portal.
  2. Sometimes an instructor is assigned to a course very close to the start date, or there may be a change in instructor for a particular course.  If this is the case, you may not receive a course evaluation as you have not been assigned as the instructor for the course.  Instructor information is only uploaded to the course evaluation system at certain times during the term.  Therefore, an instructor may unintentionally be missing from a course assignment and will not receive the course evaluation.
  3. Not all of the courses you may be teaching in will receive an evaluation.  Certain independent studies, internships, research, and other specialized courses are not evaluated.  Therefore, if a particular course is missing from your course evaluation list, you should first check with your department chair to determine if your course should receive an evaluation.

  In any of these cases, you can also contact courseval@desales.edu to ask if a particular course is being evaluated, or why you have not received an evaluation for the course.

• Information about my course evaluation is incorrect. What should I do?

  If any information you receive via email about your course evaluation is not correct, please contact courseval@desales.edu so that it can be corrected.  This applies to changes to your class list, open and close dates, the number of students enrolled in your class, or any other information.

• Can students edit course evaluation once it is submitted?

  Yes.  As long as the course evaluation window has not closed, students can submit a request to have their course evaluation reset. To do this, they will need to send an email to courseval@desales.edu.  In the email, they need to include the course number, section, and the instructor’s name to ensure that the correct evaluation is reset.  The student will be notified by return email that they can resubmit the evaluation.

• Can students provide proof that their course evaluation was completed?

  Yes, CoursEval allows students to Send Proof to their instructor that a course evaluation has been completed, without sharing individual responses. Once a course evaluation is completed, student should follow these steps to send proof:

  1. Log into MyCourseEval if you are not already logged in.
  2. Select the Surveys link toward the top left corner of the homepage and then choose Completed Surveys from the drop down menu.  If you are on the mobile site, please click on the Full Site link to be able to access your Completed Surveys.
  3. On the Completed Surveys page, make sure the most recent surveys appear by clicking on the downward arrow to the right of Date/Time Completed.
  4. In the Date/Time Completed column, click on the Send Proof link for your completed survey. An email will be sent to your professor letting them know that you have completed the course survey.
     
     

• What will I receive when a student “sends proof” of their evaluation completion?

  Once a student “sends proof” of their evaluation completion, the instructor will receive an email similar to the following:

  

• Can a course evaluation be reopened once the close date has passed?

  If students missed the deadline to complete a course evaluation, you can submit an email request to courseval@desales.edu to have an evaluation reopened.  In your email, please include the course number and section, and the new close date.  Please keep in mind that the new close date must be before course grades are due to the Registrar’s Office.  You will be notified by return email when the evaluation is reopened for completion.  Students will also continue to get reminder emails to complete the evaluation until the new close date.

• Are responses on course evaluations anonymous?

  Yes.  Student responses to online course evaluations are anonymous. Instructors and department chairs only have access to overall feedback (not individual responses) after final grades are due. Student identities will not be released to the instructor.  Student identities may only be known to the instructor if a student chooses to identify themselves in written comments to open-ended questions.

• When will I see the results of my course evaluations?

  The exact date instructors can access the results of course evaluations will vary, but instructors will not see results until after final grades have been posted.

Student Course Evaluation FAQs

• Why should I complete my course evaluations?

  DeSales University solicits feedback from students in a variety of ways to help determine whether we are achieving our mission and to identify areas where improvement is needed. Course evaluations are one way to provide individual instructors with feedback on their teaching and their courses so they can improve the classroom experience. In addition, student evaluations of courses provide data used as part of the annual evaluation of faculty in determining reappointment, promotion, and tenure. Therefore, student feedback on courses is essential.

• How do I access my course evaluations?

  There are three ways students and faculty can access course evaluations.

  1. The CoursEval portal is directly accessible through the MyCourseEval link.
  2. You can access the MyCoursEval portal via MyDSU under the Applications tab.

  3. Email announcements sent to you from MyCoursEval will contain a login link.

• I cannot log into MyCourseEval. What should I do?

  There are several possible reasons why you may not be able to log into MyCoursEval.

  1. In order to log into MyCoursEval, you will need to use your DeSales email address and network password.  If you have forgotten your password, you will need to contact the DeSales University Help Desk at helpdesk@desales.edu or by calling extension 4357.  The Help Desk will be able to help you with resetting your password.
  2. For some students, the last time they changed their network password, it did not correctly sync across all of the DeSales systems. The only way to force a reset is to change your password again. We understand that this can be an inconvenience, and apologize for that. However, if you remember your previous password, you might be successful using that to log in.
  3. If you are receiving a “Login Failed” error or another error message, then you may not have been added to the MyCoursEval system. New student users are added at different times during the semester just before course evaluations are set to launch.  If you registered late for a course or recently added a course, this may be the reason you cannot access the MyCoursEval portal. In this case, please contact courseval@desales.edu.

  If after you have tried the above solutions and are still not able to log into MyCoursEval, please contact courseval@desales.edu.

• How will I be notified to complete my course evaluations?

  When a course evaluation window opens, you will receive an email with a list of courses you are being asked to evaluate.  You will also receive email reminders to complete your course evaluations until the evaluation window closes.  Some instructors may provide time in class for you to complete the evaluation for their course.  Please keep in mind that not all of your courses may be evaluated, and not all course evaluation windows open or close on the same dates.  Open and close dates for evaluations are dependent on the start and end dates of the course and the duration of the course.

• What can I expect when I complete my course evaluations?

  You can view the MyCoursEval Student Experience Video on YouTube to gain an understanding of what you will see when you are completing your course evaluations in the MyCoursEval system.

• One of my courses is missing from my course evaluation list. What should I do?

  There are several possible reasons you may not have received a course evaluation for a class you are enrolled in.

  1. Sometimes students enroll in a course very close to the start date, or even after the start date.  If this is the case, you may not receive a course evaluation.  Class rosters are only uploaded to the course evaluation system at certain times during the semester.  Therefore, a student may unintentionally be missing from the class roster and will not receive the course evaluation.
  2. Prior to the opening of the course evaluation window, each instructor is emailed and asked to verify that their class roster is correct and to report any discrepancies to the course evaluation administrator.  However, not all instructors carefully review these emails.  Therefore, students may not receive the course evaluation.
  3. Not all of the courses you may be enrolled in will receive an evaluation.  Certain independent studies, internships, research, and other specialized courses are not evaluated.  Therefore, if a particular course is missing from your course evaluation list, you should first ask the instructor if you will have the opportunity to complete an evaluation for the course.

  In any of these cases, you can contact courseval@desales.edu to ask if a particular course is being evaluated, or why you have not received an evaluation for the course.

• I received a course evaluation for a class I withdrew from. What should I do?

  First, double check that you officially withdrew from the course.  If you did officially withdraw from the course and it is still in your course evaluation list, please contact courseval@desales.edu to request to be removed from the course evaluation.

• Can I edit my course evaluation once it is submitted?

  As long as the course evaluation window has not closed, you can submit a request to have a course evaluation reset. To do this, you will need to send an email to courseval@desales.edu.  In your email, please include the course number, section, and the instructor’s name to ensure that the correct evaluation is reset.  You will be notified by return email when you can resubmit your evaluation.  Once you receive notification that your course evaluation has been reset, log into MyCourseEval and you will see a Continue button next to the specified course which will allow you to resubmit your course evaluation.

• Can I provide my instructor with proof that I completed the course evaluation?

  CoursEval allows students to Send Proof that a course evaluation has been completed, without sharing individual responses. Once you have completed an evaluation for your course, follow these steps:

  1. Log into MyCourseEval if you are not already logged in.
  2. Select the Surveys link toward the top left corner of the homepage and then choose Completed Surveys from the drop down menu.  If you are on the mobile site, please click on the Full Site link to be able to access your Completed Surveys.
  3. On the Completed Surveys page, make sure the most recent surveys appear by clicking on the downward arrow to the right of Date/Time Completed.
  4. In the Date/Time Completed column, click on the Send Proof link for your completed survey. An email will be sent to your professor letting them know that you have completed the course survey.
     
     

• When I “send proof” of my evaluation completion, what does my instructor get?

  Once you “send proof” of your evaluation completion, your instructor will receive an email similar to the following:

   

  

• Can a course evaluation be reopened once the close date has passed?

  If you missed the deadline to complete a course evaluation, you can submit an email request to courseval@desales.edu to have an evaluation reopened.  In your email, please include the course number, section, and the instructor’s name.  You will also need to contact your instructor and request that they send an email to courseval@desales.edu with their permission to reopen the evaluation.  Please keep in mind that your instructor may turn down your request, in which case, the evaluation will remain closed.  If your instructor does provide permission for the evaluation to be reopened, this will reopen the evaluation for all students, not just an individual student.  You will be notified by return email should the evaluation be reopened for completion.

• Are my responses on course evaluations confidential?

  Your responses to online course evaluations are confidential. Instructors and department chairs have access to overall feedback (not individual responses) after final grades are due. Your identity will be unknown to the instructor unless the course enrollment is unusually low or you choose to identify yourself in written comments to open-ended questions.

• When do instructors see the results of course evaluations?

  The exact date instructors can access the results of course evaluations will vary, but instructors will not see results until after final grades have been posted.

• What if I do not want to evaluate my courses?

  While DeSales University strongly encourages you to complete each of your course evaluations, it is a voluntary process.  Therefore, you are not “required” to complete your course evaluations.  Please keep in mind that some instructors do provide incentives for completed evaluations and you would not be eligible for these incentives should you choose not to complete them.