Communications
Dear Members of the Brown Community,
In light of the tragic events of the weekend, I write to share that we will proceed with collecting course feedback for Fall 2025 courses with adjustments recommended by Brown's Course Feedback Review Committee. In this communication, I am sharing a new set of measure to be implemented immediately, even as work continues to develop longer-term recommendations.
Last week, I announced the establishment of the committee, which is charged with reviewing the ways that we collect and consider student feedback on courses and provide meaningful information to instructors. The committee's work focuses on developing a full report on Brown's course feedback process and delivering recommendations in the spring, but I asked members to consider how best to manage the course feedback process this semester as we all cope with the recent events that have deeply affected our community. The measures we will implement for this semester are based on the committee's thoughtful insights.
I appreciate that there are concerns about interpreting feedback for Fall 2025 courses in light of the current emergency; changes around grading policies; and anticipated low response rates. I also recognize that many students value the opportunity to provide feedback, and many instructors appreciate hearing from students. In the new year, we will consider whether and how course feedback from Fall 2025 should be incorporated into faculty review processes, in consultation with the Faculty Executive Committee, deans and other senior academic officers.
The following measures will be implemented immediately:
- The deadline for students to submit course feedback will be extended to January 14, 2026, consistent with the adjusted date for the submission of final grades;
- Students will be permitted to opt out of the process at any time (rather than having to wait until two weeks before the closing date) and will not be required to provide any reason for doing so;
- As is the usual practice, once students have either completed the course feedback or opted out, they will be able to see their grades as soon as they are posted;
- The regular prompts in Canvas to students who have not yet submitted feedback on a course will be disabled; and
- Any automated reminders to students about completing course feedback—or to faculty, asking them to remind students—will be suspended.
The committee also recommended that when course feedback is made available to instructors, administrators and teaching assistants, there should be accompanying guidance about how to interpret it given the current circumstances. I have asked the Sheridan Center to take the lead on developing this guidance in consultation with faculty and the appropriate deans.
I would like to thank the Course Feedback Review Committee for its helpful deliberations, and all of you for your support of our learning community as we navigate the challenges of this very difficult time.
Sincerely,
Francis J. Doyle III
Provost