An essential and common component to the social sciences and humanities are readings by scholars and experts related to a field of study. UNC has cultivated a culture where “Did you do the reading?” exists within the same lexicon as “How was your break?”
Even though many professors choose not to require students to print, and bring with them, each assigned reading, there are professors who do and also ban laptops and tablets that may be used to reference readings electronically.
Even as technology is banned in some classrooms, the amount of reading has not changed, or has increased in some classes, with the expectation that students should print and bring the readings to class. In the long run, professors and the administration should invest in reducing waste by asking students to print less.
For now, teacher evaluations, completed by students at the end of each semester, should include “green” ratings.
A “green” rating could be based on a scale from one to five and should consider the professor’s relative impact on the environment over the course of a semester. Current metrics account for a professor’s communication skills, in addition to others. Letting professors know what their environmental impact is could be helpful.
Critics, who are ambivalent to their impact upon the environment, can continue to opt out of rating their professors but should consider offering a helping hand regardless.
