Ratemyprofessors.com evokes controversy on campus

Whitney Waters / Reporter

"He will destroy you like an academic ninja."

"Boring! But I learned that there were 137 tiles on the ceiling."

"Not only is the book a better teacher, but it also has a better personality."

These are just a few of the comments students have made about their college professors on ratemyprofessors.com, an online open forum where students may rate and read ratings of professors at their school, and communicate with their fellow students about which professor to select for the semester.

Ratemyprofessors.com was created in 1999 and now contains over 4 million ratings from 5,242 schools. The professors are rated in five major categories: average easiness, average helpfulness, average clarity, hotness total and overall quality.

These ratings, on a scale of one to five, are accompanied by an optional comment section explaining why the student chose these particular ratings.

 Also displayed is the number of ratings a professor has received since the site has been up and running.

The rising debate among teachers and students lately is whether these ratings are accurate.

Associate Professor of Sociology Lisa Peloquin is one of the many professors who have complaints about this Web site. She doesn't believe the site is the most appropriate form of communication for students to select the proper professors.

"Students' word of mouth is still the most powerful source of knowledge on teacher's abilities," she said. "The more seriously a student approaches their academic work, the less valuable the Web site is."

Associate Professor of Business Administration Brian Nienhaus agrees, but said that he likes the fact that the site exists.

"It's a leveler," he said. "Anyone can use it, whether they are a residential, commuter or a transfer student."

Nienhaus also compared the Web site to Wikipedia. Because the site is an open forum, it is much like the popular online encyclopedia in that anyone can post entries. A student does not have to log in or have proof that they have taken the class or even go to the school. Because of this reason, many professors have questioned theaccuracy of the site.

"If the Web site were monitored, I feel that would help as far as accuracy," said Assistant Professor of Art Kristin Ringelberg.

However, students generally trust the Web site to be true.

"It's usually pretty accurate as far as how helpful the professors are," freshman Andrew Maurin said.  "I don't always know someone who has taken the class to ask."

Freshman Rebekah James agrees.  "Occasionally professors are misjudged, but overall, the ratings are pretty accurate."

The Web site displays student comments and complaints about professors, but one of the main issues professors find with it is that it provides no forum for response or discussion. Teachers are not allowed to respond to a student's problem as they would in person and students are unable to ask questions or verify ratings.

"I try to respond to my students' needs in class, and I encourage them to come to me with any issues they have," Peloquin said. "I would rather them approach me in class than to snipe me online. That way I would be able to respond to their problem. I try to make myself available for students and work with them."

Another issue that professors find with the Web site is the "hotness" aspect provided by the chili-pepper rating. Ringelberg said she found it "disturbing."

Perloquin agrees. "It could be categorized as sexual harassment," she said. "For a young woman faculty to be reading comments about her dress and physical appearance does not make her comfortable in the work environment, and I don't see why it's relevant as to her abilities as a professor."

Even aside from the comments on the appearance of professors, Peloquin said that the comments often say "cruel and hurtful things."

"Elon is supposed to be a community, and teachers are human beings," she said.  "It turns into two sides of warring factions. There are the students who post aggressive slander, the students who attempt to rescue the professor from attack and then the spectators to the skirmish."

While some professors say they are offended by the negative comments posted against them, others welcome them.

"Sometimes I like the negative comments, depending on the kind,"

Ringelberg said. "It can be a positive tool for scaring away students not interested in making the effort.  Students make the point clear that I'm not easy. The kind of students who don't take me because they hear I'm hard shouldn't be taking my class anyway," she said.

However, Ringleberg, like other professors, finds fault in the Web sites "easiness" rating.

"The rating system equates how easy you are with how good you are," she said.

Peloquin agrees, "It tends to be more of a popularity contest than an accurate analysis of teachers and learning."

Many students said they look for "interest" and "excitement."

"I look for how easy they are to understand, how available they are, and how they communicate what they want done," James said.

The main advice faculty gives students is to be discerning.  Though Nienhaus believes the criticism student's offer is relatively reliable, he cautions students.

"Some professors that everyone hates would be perfect for some people," he said.  "Student's friends can better tell them what they want."

Ringelberg says that those who frequent the Web site should look at the dates and the numbers of comments to get a fair rating of a professor.

"If they have more than ten comments spanning over one year, they tend to be more accurate overall," she said.

Contact Whitney Waters at pendulum@elon.edu or 278-7247.