A new version of this site was created, following the June 24 Bylaws update. This is now the ARCHIVED site.
While not explicitly required, the standard has been to include up to three student evaluation letters, solicited from present or former SMCM students who may speak directly to their experience with you in a teaching or advising context.
Regarding solicitation of student letters:
Faculty are advised to initiate this request early in the fall semester, with occasional reminders and a clear deadline well in advance of that for the file to encourage better compliance.
Students you approach for letters should not be presently enrolled in your courses. According to the bylaws, "Students should not be asked for a letter while they are currently taking a class from the candidate." The intent is to avoid any conflict in which either the letter or a course grade may be understood as transactional, thus it's important to both ask for and receive the letter while the student is not part of your classes. For example, there's no conflict if you request and secure a letter from a student in the spring who is later enrolled in your fall course, the same semester in which you submit your file. Imagine a different scenario in which you request a letter from a student in the fall, but by the time they actually complete it during the spring, they're now in your class; the provost has determined a letter written under those parameters should not be included in your file.
Students must be advised that their letter is different from other recommendations with which they might be familiar in that this is not a confidential document, and will be submitted directly to you.
While there is no official format, students may be offered some basic direction to aim for 1-2 pages, and to refer in concrete terms to their classroom and/or advising experiences with you.
Student letters may be addressed either to "Dear evaluating committees," or to the department chair and should include an ink signature.
For ease of inclusion, begin to collect these letters in PDF or Word format in a Google Drive Folder you name "Student evaluation letters." Then insert that folder on this page using the "Insert" menu, under "Drive Folder." As additional letters are added, they will automatically be updated on this page.