As students here at the UO, we should be an integral part of feedback concerning the satisfaction of our education. Educational instructional training of our professors and GTFs is terrible! Professors often have subject knowledge but no training with which to convey their brilliance. No knowledge of writing tests, homework, course pace, student-teacher relationships or fair grading policies. Teachers in all subjects are susceptible to ineptitude when it comes to instruction. I have had a couple of great professors and they got great reviews. Yet more often I find myself asking, “This is the reason I decided to go into debt for the next 10-plus years?”
Elementary school teachers must have a teaching certificate in order to get a job. Am I the only one concerned that there are higher standards of educator proficiency for them than for “higher educators?” Any academic institution should be bound to follow this simple function of employment: Hire the person with the skills to do the job – require some form of genuine education certification of your faculty or help them to attain such training. Make all student reviews anonymous to ensure better performance reviews for instructors. There are about 20,000 people enrolled at the University. At $17,000 a year or more for tuition, that $340 million should be put to good use. To all of the students here at the UO: Do you think we’re getting our money’s worth?
Tim Carbaugh
University student