Rick Gillis - University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, La Crosse, WI

Professor: Rick Gillis

Department: Biology

College: University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, La Crosse, WI

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO307
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Whatever you do, please DO NOT take this professor. I went to his office hours all the time and he just made me feel stupid and was not helpful at all. Honestly, I do not think that he actually knows what he is teaching. He reads word-for-word off of the powerpoint that he has and goes through them without elaborating at all. DO NOT TAKE HIM!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He can be funny at times but he he's not very helpful to students. He makes you feel like you're dumb and it's your fault for not understanding something. He's a really tough grader for the group projects. He includes pictures of his dogs in all of the lectures but he reads directly off the slides. up to .5 point extra credit per lecture.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Puts students down for not knowing answers during lectures, very rude during office hours, tough grader

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Rick is an okay guy. He is friendly but also calls people out and doesn't let you say your full question or answer to one of his questions. He goes through powerpoints extremely fast, like 150 per 50 min. class. I recommend going through the notes after class each day. Clicker questions every day for extra credit. Exams are like clicker questions.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

His powerpoint slides are SO long, but he goes through them so fast. Tests are exactly like the clicker questions, I recommend taking pictures of them. He does give extra credit points for answering clicker questions, but only up to 15 or so points. The only reason I did OK in this class was because I took AP Bio. If you can get another prof, do it

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO203LAB
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

For organismal lab, Gillis gives you all the information you need and hints as to whats on the 3 lab practicals you will have. It's not too hard to do well in this lab, but keep up to date on your lab notebook. VERY bad at giving feedback and constructive criticism. Easy teacher, but really doesn't care for his students at all

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He calls you out if you whisper in class but all around hilarious guy. Reads directly off powerpoint that he posts on D2L however you get extra credit for clicker questions at the beginning of each class and 10 points at the end for doing 90% of clicker sessions. Test questions are exactly like the clicker questions so make a quilt out of them.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: BIO307
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

PP slides are up to 220 slides long. Study guides in excess of 20 pages. He more or less took quantitative methods in ecology and renamed it BIO 307. WAY more math heavy than other ecology profs.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BIO203L
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I had Rick for Organismal Lab. He is one of the toughest graders compared to any of the other labs. He does patronize students, and it is frustrating and uncomfortable. He does try to lecture before the labs about what will be on the lab practicals, but his lectures drag on and on. He will grade the rough draft of the paper the hardest.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

For lecture he just reads off the power point slides that are accessible outside of class. Lectures are pretty boring, but he's a funny guy sometimes. Clicker questions are exam questions. There is a quiz after each section, those questions are exam questions also. A couple group projects that will take a little time. He's kind of rude sometimes.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIO307
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Awesome, funny, down to earth guy. Goes pretty fast during lectures, so it was hard to comprehend information until studying for exams. A lot of online quizzes, which should be easy if you know the information, but difficult if you haven't looked over notes since class. 20 point extra credit assignment available. Would take again.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO307
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Don't take Rick, he reads off the slides (Its bad) and you have to go to class because he makes you fill in one word on almost every slide. His tests require lots of studying and memorization, not to mention that all the answers look the same plus a "None of the above" option. I had 16 Extra credit points and still got a C, and I'm a good student.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Rick is disrespectful and not very understanding of students lives outside of school. I was diagnosed with cancer near the end of the term and he basically told me there was nothing he could do to work with me around my surgery and his final. He made me cry this was the worst class I've taken

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

if you know you're going to miss class log into the reef polling thing to take the clicker quiz even if you can't see the questions because if you miss your participation grade goes down but all of the clicker questions are just extra credit. lectures got kinda boring but pay attention to what he says is important because you'll see it on the exams

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Take Rick! He might seem rude at sometimes and seem like he doesn't care but he is just preparing you for the real world. His exams are the same as the clicker questions so WRITE THEM DOWN!!! All multiple choice exams that are literally the clicker questions, would recommend.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO307
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He reads off of his powerpoint slides word for word every class period, makes class very boring. If you talk in class, even to ask another student about a slide you missed he will personally call you out and waste class time embarrassing you. He does not give constructive feedback on assignments, his comments are degrading and hurtful.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIO203
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I had Rick for Bio 203 Lab and he was the best. He made lab fun while making it clear in terms of what we should be learning. Would recommend!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He goes kinda fast during lecture and is pretty strict about participation but if you go through the slides and learn the definition of words you will pass all of the exams. Gives extra credit for clicker questions in beginning on class but they can be difficult sometimes.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIO307
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I've had Rick twice. After you get past the fact that he can be a little rude at times, you see that he's only trying to help you. He's my favorite professor, the only times he has been rude to me is when I was irresponsible. Don't take Rick if you're not willing to work hard, but if that's the case I don't see why you're even going to college

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO105
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Rick is a good enough professor. He cares about his students and provides a lot of chances for extra credit. His lectures move very quickly and while he will answer any questions, he can come of as condescending. He also tends to repeat himself over and over again, but only on certain points.