To: Principals, Deans, Academic Directors, and Chairs
From: Heather Boon, Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life
Susan McCahan, Vice-Provost, Academic Programs and Vice Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education
Date: April 16, 2020
Re: Further to PDAD&C #57 re: Winter 2020 Course Evaluation Data: COVID-19 (PDAD&C #65)

I am writing to provide further information concerning the reporting and use of course evaluation data from courses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The University has already advised all Chairs, Academic Directors, and Deans reviewing course evaluation data for the purposes of PTR (Progress Through the Ranks), tenure, continuing status and promotion processes, and for the sessional lecturer advancement process, to consider course evaluation data in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and significant changes made to course structures and delivery format. See PDAD&C #57, issued March 24, 2020.

Further, we have reached an agreement with the Faculty Association on the following:

1. The “opt out” period for an instructor to elect to opt out of the reporting of course evaluation results on Quercus is extended to April 30, 2020. (Note: this deadline is for any instructor who wishes to request that course evaluation results collected in the winter term for their course not be posted to Quercus).
   
2. Any faculty member or librarian teaching a course that normally includes in-person classes in the period during which physical distancing measures were in place and in-person classes could not continue (beginning March 16, 2020 and ending August 30, 2020), may determine whether or not the student course evaluations for courses taught in that period may be relied on in any academic review process, including the PTR process, and that no adverse consequences will flow from a decision not to consider those course evaluations.