Last semester’s online course evaluation trial proved unsuccessful because of low student participation.Before the online course evaluations get a second trial, students must first understand the implications of course evaluations.

Forty-one percent of the student body responded to the online evaluations compared to 75 percent who filled out the paper-and-pencil Student Perception of Teaching evaluations during class, said Catherine Welhburg, executive director of the Office for Assessment and Quality Enhancement.

Thus, the course evaluations have returned to the classrooms and Wehlburg said the online evaluations will not be tested again for at least a year.

This hiatus is reasonable considering course evaluations don’t hold a high place in most students’ priority lists.

Ultimately, course evaluations exist to serve the student body. With adequate feedback, professors would be better equipped to improve courses and programs.

Eventually, increased interest in the evaluations has the potential to raise the value of a TCU degree. Online course evaluations not only allow students to respond on their own time, they allow for course-specific questions, making it possible for students to offer more constructive and accurate feedback.

Some students say they prefer the hand-administered version of course evaluations because they would rather spend class time answering them as opposed to their free time.

The potential improvements the online course evaluations offer the university outweigh any excuse for these students’ failure to spend the two minutes to fill out an online evaluation.

Students should take time to think beyond their immediate convenience and consider the long-term benefits of their two-minute investment in course evaluations.

While it is too late to salvage the online evaluation option now, it is important to realize the significance of these simple opportunities to give a voice of the student body to the administrators.

Features editor Saerom Yoo for the editorial board.