In order to allow students to write their narrative opinions on the FCQ but simultaneously protect faculty from abusive comments, the standing CU Boulder FCQ task force implemented a pilot ‘comment filtering’ service for the 2006-08 academic years. This comment filtering pilot was approved as a permanent policy beginning in fall 2008.

Any faculty member may request that an independent filtering committee review the narrative comments on their FCQs for any or all of their course-sections and remove any abusive comments from processing. If requested before the end of October for the fall semester and before the end of March for the spring semester, the FCQ staff will review comments and provide copies to the ‘filtering committee’. That committee will then meet to review the comments and remove from processing any comments containing remarks the committee deems abusive. (Criteria for what constitutes “abusive” comments are based on direct feedback from various faculty and an assessment by the FCQ task force of 4,000 sample FCQ forms.)

Requests for this filtering service should be sent by email to FCQ@colorado.edu. Fall requests should be sent by the end of October and spring requests sent by the end of March.

Please note that this service can only be implemented if we are not overwhelmed with requests. Please request this service only if you have received abusive comments in the past or you have reason to be concerned that you will receive abusive comments this semester.

If you do not request this service and you find that you have received abusive comments when your FCQ results are posted, you may still request removal of the abusive comments from your record. For fall FCQs, these "post-processing" requests need to be submitted by March 1 for review, and for possible revision of FCQ data. For spring and summer terms, the deadline for post-processing requests is October 1.

Ten examples of harsh criticisms which would not result in removal of the FCQ form:

  1. this is the worst instructor I've ever had
  2. fire this instructor
  3. this instructor is ill prepared, ignorant, and lazy
  4. I hate this subject and the teacher is lousy
  5. this instructor's English is so bad, I can't understand her half the time
  6. this instructor gives unreasonable exams and grades way too hard
  7. this instructor is rude, arrogant, sarcastic and dresses awfully all the time
  8. this instructor should learn to speak English
  9. this instructor insults minorities and women regularly
  10. this instructor is never in her office nor does she ever return emails

In Fall 2006, a comment which received considerable debate among filtering committee members, but was not removed, was: "I thought you could be a jackass."

Please note that these are examples only. This is not an exhaustive list, but is for guidance only.

Ten examples of abusive comments which would result in removal of the FCQ form:

  1. this instructor is a bitch
  2. kill the T.A. (named)
  3. get a new instructor who is not a whore
  4. Mexicans have no place on the faculty
  5. send this instructor back to Africa where he came from
  6. I want to f*** this instructor
  7. screw this instructor and the T.A.
  8. make this fat slob of an instructor join Weight Watchers
  9. this black instructor should be mopping floors instead of lecturing
  10. I hate all jews and that includes this instructor

In Fall 2006, the one FCQ form which was removed contained the comment: "Pretty much all-around asshole!"

Please note that these are examples only. This is not an exhaustive list, but is for guidance only.