Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) Frequently Asked Questions - Faculty & Staff
- Where can I login?
You can login using the links provided in automated Blue emails, or at set.american.edu. The process for your students is the same: they receive automated Blue emails alerting them when their surveys are ready that include the link, and they can access their surveys via set.american.edu. - What login do I use?
Blue uses a Single Sign-On technology, which allows users to authenticate with their myAU portal credentials. Blue is currently only accessible to instructors who manage section surveys or students who complete SETs. - Why isn’t my login working?
Do note that the SET system typically prefers you use your log-on without the “@american.edu” following the username. For example, if your username is “OIRA_SET@american.edu” try logging-on with just “OIRA_SET” in the username. If your credentials still are not working and do allow you to logon elsewhere at AU (for example into the myAU portal or Blackboard) please contact the SET team for help (Faculty_SET@american.edu for questions from faculty, and OIRA_SET@american.edu for questions from staff and all others.) If the attempted set of login credentials do not work, please contact the OIT Help Desk for assistance at 202-885-2550 or helpdesk@american.edu. - As an instructor, will I be able to keep SETs closed until the specific class time in which I want to have them completed?
Yes. Instructors can manage the dates for the beginning and ending of the survey. Typically emails will be sent to the instructor regarding the management of their surveys approximately a month before the surveys begin (surveys are typically the last week of the semester). The management task (SVM) not only allows you to view the default survey timing but also modify the timing as well and track response rates. The start and end dates can be separated by entire days, or just minutes. However, it is advised to keep the survey open for 24-48 hours for higher response rates. - What is the “Due Date” and why does it not change to reflect my survey end/due date for?
The task “due date” is the date by which any modifications of that task must be submitted and does not change. For a question personalization (QP) task, the Due Date will be the day before the default survey start date. For management of due dates and response rates (the SVM task), the Due Date will be on or close to the section end date. The Due Date does not dynamically adjust based on any changes you make to your tasks. - I am fine with the default survey timing, and I do not want to add personalized questions. Do I need to do anything?
It is always recommended that the section SVM and QP tasks are at the very least reviewed to ensure that they meet your expectations. Not submitting either of these tasks does not prevent the survey from being distributed but finalizing the tasks does prevent you from receiving further reminders to complete them. - I am concerned I may have inadvertently entered dates that pre-dated or ended my survey via SVM. How do I double-check or undo this?
Blue does allow for this to happen. As long as your dates fall in the valid global range, Blue will accept your entry when you click Apply Changes. To correct this, just enter new, valid, future dates and click Apply Changes again. - What does the Finalize button do? Will it end my survey?
The Finalize button in an SVM task notifies Blue that you have completed the review of your SVM task. It prevents Blue from sending you additional emails regarding completing the task. It has no impact on the survey status, other than confirming the selected dates that are defined in the task itself. - The instructor assignment for a section changed over the course of the term. How will this impact the SET?
Blue is designed to incorporate updates in courses, student enrollments, and faculty assignments. If this faculty change is completed prior to the survey distribution, the update process in Blue is seamless and there are no observable ramifications.
If the instructor change occurs after the SET has been distributed, the affected students will observe (or may recognize after the fact) a sudden swap of the old SET for a new SET. Within this process, the old SET is automatically rescinded, students will lose access to that SET and the contained responses, and the new SET will be distributed with the corrected instructor name. As two entirely separate SETs, the new SET will not carry any answers from the previous, so any students who submitted the old SET will need to do so again with the new SET. - When will the report(s) be made available?
The timeline for generating individual teacher reports still follows a traditional release cycle wherein reports are generated within the first two-three weeks of the standard term ending. Certain academic programs follow a non-standard calendar which dictates their reports be made available at a separately specified date. Please remember reports can only be distributed after final grades for all courses within a given semester/term are posted.
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Quick Links
- Refer to past survey results in the myAU portal.
- Read about SET updates.