Professor evaluations should include a question about political bias in the classroom, according to College Republicans who have written a letter to President Ladner about the need to ensure intellectual diversity on campus.
"Unfortunately, as is the case with many other universities, American University professors favor and actively promote only their own viewpoints in the class," the letter reads. "Students who may disagree or not notice the bias suffer, whereas students who do notice the bias feel that the class is not being taught fairly."
Lyn Stallings, who led the team that created a pilot version of the Student Evaluation of Teaching last semester, said the question of political bias is worth considering.
"I have seen faculty who were biased in the classroom but were not aware of it," said Stallings, a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
For example, she said, some math teachers tend to call on only male students without noticing their own bias against female students, who sometimes struggle with math and science compared with males. Once teachers realize bias, they can correct it, she said.
But she would have to give the question of political bias more thought before deciding to add it to the Student Evaluation of Teaching, she said.
"This is a really loaded question," Stallings said. "I think it's actually a good question to put before the committee." Stallings chairs the ad-hoc Student Evaluation of Teaching Committee in the Faculty Senate.
Political bias is an issue that could also be addressed in the narrative part of the evaluation, she said.
The letter will be sent today after signatures are collected, according to CR President Mike Inganamort. He said he understands a letter may not have a major impact, but it's a good place to start.
"Before we start a great debate over academic bias, it's important for us to determine whether it exists to the extent which we suspect. This is that first step," Inganamort said. "I think the administration will be open to the modification because it is not politically motivated. Rather it is meant to strengthen the University's academics."
The CR's letter suggested adding questions like "Were you able to identify the professor's political leanings?" and "Was the professor open to hearing opposing viewpoints?"
"[The CRs] just wanted to let the administration know that simple additions to the student evaluation forms could yield great benefits down the road," Inganamort said.
Matt Kent, vice president of the College Democrats, said it isn't a good idea to ask teachers to keep political views out of the classroom.
"I think trying to muzzle teachers is a poor plan if you want them to perform to their fullest," he said. "I feel that limiting a teacher's ability to speak on a political issue will sap their ability to effectively teach on issue they have been hired to teach."
Kent said he hadn't noticed much bias in his classes.
"I was surprised by how little [bias] there is," he said. "My professors for my Politics in the U.S. class and World Politics would never tell the class what party they belonged to. I kept trying to figure out which way they went on issues, and I could never get a grasp on it"
