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General Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI) Information

SEIs at Ohio State

The University Faculty Rules, 3335-3-35 (C)(14), stipulate that students be given the opportunity to evaluate the instruction provided in each course. The Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI) is the official, university-wide instrument for this purpose. It is available electronically via the Ohio State App, Carmen, or through Buckeye Link. The SEI is administered using Blue, from Explorance Inc. 

SEIs are automatically generated for all instructors, with the exclusions explained below. To add SEIs to an excluded class, or for further information, contact seiadmin@osu.edu

 

The SEI consists of 10 questions. Responses utilize a 5-point Likert scale: 5-strongly agree, 4-agree, 3-neutral, 2-disagree, 1-strongly disagree.

  1. The subject matter of this course was well organized
  2. This course was intellectually stimulating
  3. The instructor was genuinely interested in teaching
  4. The instructor encouraged students to think for themselves
  5. The instructor was well prepared
  6. The instructor was genuinely interested in helping students
  7. I learned a great deal from this instructor
  8. The instructor created an atmosphere conducive to learning
  9. The instructor communicated clearly
  10. Overall, I would rate this instructor as: (excellent, good, neutral, fair, poor)

An open comment box is also included unless the instructor opts out.

 

SEIs are activated when a class is 90 percent complete. Instructors may delay the activation date as long as students have at least five days to respond to the SEI. All instructors for a class must use the same activation date.

The SEI deactivation date is always the last day before final exams begin (generally, the reading day). Posting a grade for a student will cause the student's access to the SEI to end overnight. The SEI deactivation date is set in accordance with the Academic Calendar, and should not be modified.

In the Student Information System, one class may have multiple meeting patterns, each with its own start and end dates. The interval used to compute the default activation date for SEI spans the earliest of all the start dates listed for the class, to the latest end date listed for that class. For example, if one meeting pattern for the class runs from October 1 through November 30, and another meeting pattern for that same class runs from September 15 through November 15, the 90 percent computation for activating SEIs would be based on the interval from September 15 (the earliest start date) to November 30 (the latest end date).

Classes with atypical schedules can result in the activation date occurring after SEIs close for the term. Contact SEI Admin to request an activation date change.

 

These departments do not use SEIs for their courses or instructors:

  • Internal Medicine
  • Law
  • Optometry
  • Pediatrics
  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  • Surgery
  • Veterinary Medicine (VMCOLL)

These course types are automatically excluded from SEIs:

  • Catalog number (course) is x999 or x998 or ends in xx93.
  • Class component is Independent Study (IND) or Field Experience (FLD).

SEIs are automatically generated for individuals whose names appear in the Schedule of Classes for an SEI-eligible course. SEIs are not generated for instructors with either of the following characteristics:

  • Those listed with an Instructor Role of GRDR-N-SEI for the course. 
  • Individuals whose names are marked not to print on the Schedule of Classes.