Bowdoin College
Dean for Academic Affairs
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
RE:
November 16, 2015
Faculty and Lab Instructors
Jen Scanlon, Interim Dean for Academic Affairs, and
Jim Higginbotham, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Fall 2015 Bowdoin Course Questionnaires
Starting this semester, all courses and labs will use online Bowdoin Course Questionnaires or BCQs
(formerly called Student Opinion Forms) to collect student feedback on courses and instructors. Students
will access BCQs for all their courses through Blackboard. BCQs will be available to students from
Tuesday, December 1 through Tuesday, December 15, the last day of Reading Period.
Please use the following procedure for administering BCQs in your classes this semester. This procedure
(which is slightly different than in the pilots) is based on feedback from faculty and students during our
gradual transition to the online process as well as input from peer institutions. As many of you know, the
greatest concern with online course evaluations has been lower student response rates. We have found
that the single most effective method for improving response rates is to designate in-class time for
students to fill out their BCQ forms, so we urge you to plan for this. You will also have live response rate
data (the number of students who have submitted a BCQ for your course) during the fill-out period.
Procedure for Administering Bowdoin Course Questionnaires, Fall 2015
On December 1, all students will receive an automated email from Jen explaining the importance of their
feedback through Bowdoin Course Questionnaires and informing them how to access their BCQs through
Blackboard at the time designated by their instructor. A copy of this email to students may be seen
below, for your reference.
Students will log on to Blackboard (https://blackboard.bowdoin.edu/) and see a box labeled “Bowdoin
Course Questionnaires.” In this box students will find links to the BCQs for each of their current courses.
Although students may access their BCQs through Blackboard at any time during the fill-out
period of December 1-15, faculty and lab instructors are urged to communicate with their students
in advance and schedule at least 15 minutes of class time for them to log in and work on their
BCQs. Note: students should be instructed to bring laptops or mobile devices to class that day.
Students will navigate the web form by clicking “NEXT” or “PREVIOUS” at the bottom of each page.
Students do not have to complete the BCQ in one session. However, they must click “SAVE” in order to
resume their work later. To return to an incomplete BCQ, the student should go to Blackboard and click
on the link to the form; the earlier responses will be there, if saved.
To complete a BCQ, the student must click “SUBMIT” on the last page of the form.
All BCQs must be completed (submitted) by midnight on Tuesday, December 15, the last day of Reading
Period. Students will no longer have access to the forms after that time.
5800 College Station  Brunswick  Maine 04011-8449  Tel 207∙725·3578  jscanlon@bowdoin.edu
BCQs Fall 2015, page 2
During Reading Period, automated reminders will go to each student who has not yet completed one of
more or their BCQs. The reminder email will specify which course’s BCQ is not yet completed.
Instructors may also remind students as they see fit.
In addition to these automated reminders, you may remind your students in any way you choose.
Instructors will see a box in Blackboard labelled “Bowdoin Course Questionnaires: Faculty.” Within it,
you will find links during the fill-out period (December 1-15) to the response rates for each of your
courses. This information is provided to help you determine whether your students need to be reminded
again about their BCQs.
Instructors will also go to this box in Blackboard to access their individual BCQ results and reports after
the deadline for grade submission (January 4). Your reports will remain in your Blackboard box into the
future; over time, this box will accumulate reports from multiple semesters. Department chairs and
program directors will access, also through Blackboard, the reports for faculty and lab instructors teaching
courses offered in or cross-listed in their department/program.
Support for faculty
 Frequently Asked Questions (attached and on the web at FAQ on BCQs)
 Information Session, Wednesday, December 2, 4:00-5:00pm, Electronic Classroom, H-L Library
 Jim Higginbotham, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (jhigginb@bowdoin.edu, x3358)
 Jennifer Snow, Educational Research Consultant (jsnow@bowdoin.edu, x3707
 Jeanne Bamforth, Assistant to the Dean for Academic Affairs (jbamfort@bowdoin.edu, x3523)
Text of Email Students Will Receive on December 1, 2015
Sender’s name: Jennifer Scanlon
Subject line: Fall 2015 Bowdoin Course Questionnaires (BCQs)
Dear [student’s first name],
Bowdoin places great emphasis on teaching excellence and values student feedback on all of our courses.
At the end of every semester, the College solicits your input and asks that you take a few minutes to
complete an online Bowdoin Course Questionnaire (BCQ) for each of your current courses. Your
instructors will likely schedule a time in class for you to fill out your questionnaire and you will be asked to
bring a laptop or mobile device to class on that day.
You can find the link to your course questionnaires on your Blackboard page in the box labeled ‘Bowdoin
Course Questionnaires’. If you are unable to complete a questionnaire in one session, make sure to save
your work by clicking the “SAVE” button so you can resume and submit your BCQ at another time.
Your responses will be used for course improvement and as part of the process for making decisions on
reappointment, promotion, tenure, and merit pay increases for all faculty. Your BCQs are completely
confidential and will be available to the instructor only after final grades have been submitted to the
Registrar.
If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Snow (jsnow@bowdoin.edu, x.3707).
Thank you.
Jennifer Scanlon
Interim Dean for Academic Affairs
5800 College Station  Brunswick  Maine 04011-8449  Tel 207∙725·3578  jscanlon@bowdoin.edu