USRI Review
The University of Calgary is reviewing the current course feedback system, the Universal Student Rating of Instruction (USRI) questionnaire and process.
Background
The Universal Student Rating of Instruction (USRI) questionnaire, the guidelines for administration of USRI, and the reporting of USRI data were approved by General Faculties Council at the University of Calgary in 1997. The USRI system was subsequently launched in the Fall term of 1998. The USRI at that time was a 12-item Likert-scale questionnaire developed to gather student feedback at the end of a course, and serve as one facet in understanding teaching quality at the University of Calgary. The guidelines that govern the USRI administration including expectations, form of the instrument, reporting, access to USRI data, guidelines for instructors, other use of the data, and archiving of USRI have not been modified since 1998.
USRI Working Group
In January 2019, a working group was formed to conduct a review of the University’s USRI system, including the current questions, the platform used to administer the USRI and the processes around communication, collection, and distribution of student course feedback. Upon a comprehensive review of the research, trends in student feedback in higher education, and consultations across campus, the USRI Working Group wrote a recommendation report.
The report was presented and passed at General Faculties Council (GFC) on April 7, 2022. The Teaching and Learning Committee will oversee the appropriate actioning of the recommendations including the formation of the Course Feedback Implementation Working Group (CFIWG).
Important documents
1998 USRI Report
2003 USRI Review
Literature review
USRI Working Group Terms of Reference
USRI Technology Refresh
Leslie Reid (Chair)
Administrative Co-Chair
Vice Provost, Teaching and Learning (ex officio)
Nicole Wyatt
Academic Co-Chair
Faculty of Arts
Erin Spring
Academic staff representative
Werklund School of Education
Wendy Benoit
Academic staff representative
Faculty of Science
Brianne Burkinshaw
Academic staff representative
Faculty of Science
Shaziah Jinnah Morsette
Student representative
SU Vice President Academic
Adrian Alcantara
Student representative
SU Vice President Student Life
James Steele
Graduate student representative
GSA Vice President Academic
Keira Gunn
Graduate student representative
GSA Associate Vice President Labour
Jackie Lambert
Office of Institutional Analysis representative
Fouzia Usman
Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning representative
Aruna Srivastava
Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion representative
Carla Bertsch
Office of Indigenous Engagement representative
Justine Wheeler
TUCFA representative