Nearly 75% of Syracuse University professors have been fired due to lackluster student evaluations. In fact, every professor in the Sociology department has been let go. Administrators cited several student evaluations that, “did not place the professors in a good light.”
Officials are saying that, when rating professors, many students did not “strongly agree” with the statements, “My professor made the material interesting,” and, “My professor was well prepared for class.”
Many students are surprised by the rash decision by SU officials. “I didn’t know that the word “strongly’ had such an impact on professors’ job security. I mean, I agreed that my professor made the class fun, but I didn’t strongly agree. So I guess I was partly responsible for him getting fired.”
The only school to not fire a single professor was Newhouse. In the Newhouse school, every professor received an outstanding evaluation from every single student, all of whom indicated that they expected to get an A in the class. “It’s Newhouse,” said Tom Kavelaw, a junior PR major. “Everybody gets A’s. So everybody loves the professors.”
Despite these surprising results, students have stated that they don’t intend to change their evaluation habits. “To be honest, I wouldn’t have done anything differently,” says senior marketing major Melinda Becker. “I’m just not comfortable agreeing or disagreeing with something strongly. Sure, I’ll agree or disagree, or even be neutral at times. But STRONGLY agree? I’m just not ready for that commitment.”
