To be approached realistically, improvement of college teaching must be viewed from a faculty perspective. The real world of college teaching offers little information about objectives and outcomes. The situation can be changed most effectively by increasing available information and stimulating communication among faculty about instruction. (MSE)

To identify reasons for peer evaluation of college teaching being more honored in rhetoric than in practice, events that occurred on the campus of a prominent public research university are described and suggestions offered as to why peer evaluation is not often practiced. A Committee on Teaching Effectiveness was appointed in response to…