Boston University professors say they rarely check how former students rank them on multiple dimensions through the popular website, ratemyprofessors.com.
The website is a fixture for many students trying to find the most engaging, easiest professor in a certain class. It boasts reviews of more than one million professors at 6,000 schools across the United States, Canada, England, Scotland and Wales.
Biology professor and Graduate Studies Director Robert Hausman said he has read the site, but not regularly and encouraged students to do it.
“My opinion depends&-since I don’t know the students&-on the perceived fairness and usefulness of their comments for improving the course. We all enjoy the cheap shot but it seldom produces real change,” he said.
Asked if he sees the site as a form of bullying, he said, “I’m human so, of course, my feelings can be hurt.
Hausman said he takes criticism on the website with a grain of salt.
“I don’t teach for the short term, I teach for the students who come back or contact me after five to ten years and realize how much they go out of my courses . . . if I am simply making you happy, I am not doing my job,” he said.
Rate My Professors scores teachers on average easiness, average helpfulness, average clarity, hotness and overall quality. Students can search by school or a professor’s last name.
College of Arts and Sciences freshman Amanda Austin said she has never written on Rate My Professors.
“I find it rude to insult people online,” she said. “If someone really has a problem with a teacher or a class, there are more mature and responsible ways to deal with it.”
Other students said they use Rate My Professors to inform other students.
CAS sophomore Andrew Corse said he has written on the website twice.
“Once was because I had a teacher that was deplorable and I wanted other people to know not to take that class,” he said. “The second time was to give praise to a teacher that deserved it.”
Physics professor Robert Carey said he has only looked at the site once many years ago when it was relatively new.
“This website only provides two functions: It can provide useful feedback . . . and provides an outlet for angry, depressed, bored, thrilled and bewildered students.”
Other professors said they were pleasantly surprised by an overall positive review.
CAS Core professor Stefan Kalt said he did not feel hurt by anything on the site.
“I remember thinking that, by and large, the statements were positive, there were some critical comments too, but nothing terrible,” she said.
College of Communication freshman Becca Rutenberg said she relies on Rate My Professors when choosing classes.
“It gives an accurate representation of each teacher. It’s always open when I’m registering for new classes,” she said.
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