Career-Oriented Historic Events and their Impact on Student Ratings: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Student ratings of instruction (SRI) are widely used sources of information among higher education staff and faculty. Numerous factors influence these SRIs both within and outside the classroom. The present longitudinal case-study illustrates a practical methodological approach to reveal the impact that one-time career-related events may have on students’ perception of teaching quality. OLS regression compared SRI trends before and after tenure and a governance position were received by a faculty member. Results show that these events may have at least a temporary negative impact upon several measures that reflect quality of the courses as perceived by the enrolled students.