And I chafe at the notion that indifferent evaluations might count against someone when there is long-standing bad teaching that everyone knows about, but no one disrupts. That said, I stand by the students' rights to make assessments and to be active, respected members of the university community. I have seen thoughtful, conscientious students talk gravely about their responsibilities as evaluators. And on the whole students are pretty fair and forgiving. If we believe that they lack critical ability, perhaps we should direct our fervor into teaching the elements of assessment rather than into denying the right to assess.
Systems usually feed quite happily on their internal tensions.
I would argue that our own resistance to evaluation creates the very problems we then furrow our collective brows over time and again. The fear and suspicion of those we teach is not, I submit, a pretty picture. But then, I laugh at their jokes. Faculty are asked to announce events to your classes. The Faculty-Student Sponsoring Committee promises a learning experience with much material pertinent to classroom subjects.