Grading the Professors

NC State professors get high marks when the tables are turned and students are asked to rate their experiences in the classroom.

You can see it the results of the latest Campus Climate survey of all undergraduate and graduate students:

• 85 percent of those responding said their professors made them feel welcome in class.
• 85 percent said instructors took their comments seriously.

After hearing that, you’re probably not surprised to learn that NC State students say they have better relationships with faculty than students at peer universities, based on the most recent National Survey of Student Engagement. NC State students are more likely to:

• Talk about career plans often with a faculty member or adviser.
• Get prompt feedback on academics.
• Work with a faculty member on a research project other than coursework.

An Unscientific Poll

In fact, some students and alumni can’t stop talking about their favorite professor … and they have trouble narrowing it down to just one, as we found out with an unscientific poll on Facebook. Within hours, we had hundreds of names, ranging from producer Jim Alchediak in communications to history professor David Zonderman, along with beloved professors of the past.

The favorites often teach the toughest courses, like organic chemistry professor Kay Sandberg, recently named a “tough love” professor by MyEdu. Best professors also teach calculus, genetics, business, textiles, meteorology, design, engineering, economics, environmental science, linguistics, computer science, fiction writing and physics, among other subjects.

Who should be added to the favorite professor list? Let us know on Facebook.