# Gary Dahl — Courses & Reviews | UW–Madison [View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/instructors/GARY_DAHL) ## Dataset ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### repository twangodev/uwcourses ### schema version 6 ### importer version 7 ### projection id 52a78527ff09011d88cb04c7d43867d9fbfec2930bf1dd2ec359ebd2844e0b07 ### observed at 2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### built at 2026-09-10T19:50:42.743001+00:00 ### courses 8951 ### current instructors 5754 ### limited false ### terms * 1272 * 1264 * 1262 * 1254 * 1252 * 1244 * 1242 * 1234 * 1232 * 1224 * 1222 * 1212 * 1204 * 1202 * 1194 * 1192 * 1184 * 1182 * 1174 * 1172 * 1164 * 1162 * 1154 * 1152 * 1144 * 1142 * 1134 * 1132 * 1124 * 1122 * 1114 * 1112 * 1104 * 1102 * 1094 * 1092 * 1084 * 1082 * 1074 * 1072 ### term 1272 ### departments | subject | count | | --------- | ----- | | AAE | 90 | | ABT | 20 | | ACCTIS | 36 | | ACTSCI | 14 | | AFAERO | 10 | | AFRICAN | 87 | | AFROAMER | 71 | | AGROECOL | 21 | | AMERIND | 53 | | ANAT\&PHY | 7 | | ANATOMY | 2 | | ANESTHES | 8 | | ANSCI | 57 | | ANTHRO | 95 | | ART | 125 | | ARTED | 10 | | ARTHIST | 121 | | ASIALANG | 129 | | ASIAN | 109 | | ASIANAM | 28 | | ASTRON | 38 | | ATMOCN | 69 | | BIOCHEM | 51 | | BIOCORE | 10 | | BIOLOGY | 14 | | BIOMDSCI | 18 | | BME | 66 | | BMI | 41 | | BMOLCHEM | 10 | | BOTANY | 69 | | BSE | 44 | | C\&ESOC | 73 | | CBE | 48 | | CHEM | 101 | | CHICLA | 52 | | CIVENGR | 133 | | CLASSICS | 47 | | CNP | 10 | | CNSRSCI | 50 | | COMARTS | 137 | | COMPBIO | 15 | | COMPLIT | 11 | | COMPSCI | 138 | | COUNPSY | 78 | | CRB | 19 | | CS\&D | 71 | | CSCS | 40 | | CURRIC | 193 | | DANCE | 93 | | DERM | 8 | | DS | 88 | | DYSCI | 35 | | ECE | 155 | | ECON | 145 | | EDPOL | 114 | | EDPSYCH | 97 | | ELPA | 70 | | EMA | 53 | | EMERMED | 17 | | ENGL | 206 | | ENTOM | 40 | | ENVIRST | 148 | | EP | 15 | | EPD | 67 | | ESL | 16 | | F\&WECOL | 60 | | FAMMED | 22 | | FINANCE | 50 | | FOLKLORE | 40 | | FOODSCI | 43 | | FRENCH | 63 | | GEN\&WS | 145 | | GENBUS | 72 | | GENECSLR | 17 | | GENETICS | 60 | | GEOG | 113 | | GEOSCI | 83 | | GERMAN | 82 | | GLE | 48 | | GNS | 38 | | GREEK | 27 | | HDFS | 41 | | HEBR-BIB | 13 | | HEBR-MOD | 10 | | HISTORY | 233 | | HISTSCI | 56 | | HONCOL | 13 | | ILS | 43 | | INFOSYS | 9 | | INTEGART | 7 | | INTEGSCI | 22 | | INTER-AG | 18 | | INTER-HE | 11 | | INTER-LS | 22 | | INTEREGR | 16 | | INTLBUS | 21 | | INTLST | 50 | | ISYE | 83 | | ITALIAN | 53 | | JEWISH | 56 | | JOURN | 88 | | KINES | 128 | | LACIS | 26 | | LANDARC | 61 | | LATIN | 24 | | LAW | 120 | | LEGALST | 48 | | LINGUIS | 35 | | LIS | 89 | | LITTRANS | 78 | | LSC | 52 | | M\&ENVTOX | 7 | | MARKETNG | 62 | | MATH | 153 | | MDGENET | 8 | | ME | 130 | | MEDHIST | 43 | | MEDICINE | 60 | | MEDIEVAL | 32 | | MEDPHYS | 39 | | MEDSC-M | 29 | | MEDSC-V | 41 | | MHR | 68 | | MICROBIO | 45 | | MILSCI | 16 | | MM\&I | 22 | | MOLBIOL | 6 | | MS\&E | 59 | | MUSIC | 165 | | MUSPERF | 126 | | NAVSCI | 20 | | NE | 44 | | NEURODPT | 11 | | NEUROL | 7 | | NEURSURG | 4 | | NTP | 11 | | NURSING | 111 | | NUTRSCI | 65 | | OBS\&GYN | 18 | | OCCTHER | 39 | | ONCOLOGY | 14 | | OPHTHALM | 5 | | OTM | 43 | | PATH | 34 | | PATH-BIO | 29 | | PEDIAT | 26 | | PHARMACY | 31 | | PHILOS | 77 | | PHMCOL-M | 11 | | PHMPRAC | 45 | | PHMSCI | 60 | | PHYASST | 37 | | PHYSICS | 88 | | PHYSIOL | 3 | | PHYTHER | 37 | | PLANTSCI | 52 | | PLPATH | 35 | | POLISCI | 192 | | POPHLTH | 58 | | PORTUG | 33 | | PSYCH | 101 | | PSYCHIAT | 22 | | PUBAFFR | 54 | | PUBLHLTH | 23 | | RADIOL | 11 | | REALEST | 41 | | RELIGST | 90 | | RHABMED | 9 | | RMI | 24 | | RP\&SE | 102 | | S\&APHM | 17 | | SCANDST | 73 | | SLAVIC | 89 | | SOC | 149 | | SOCWORK | 87 | | SOILSCI | 46 | | SPANISH | 83 | | SRMED | 21 | | STAT | 94 | | STDYABRD | 52 | | STS | 8 | | SURGERY | 25 | | SURGSCI | 33 | | THEATRE | 91 | | URBRPL | 60 | | UROLOGY | 5 | | ZOOLOGY | 89 | ## instructor ### instructor uid instructor\_3aacf95596af43ab576afe0c ### source enrollment ### source instructor id gdahl2 ### identity basis netid ### identity status source\_identified ### name Gary Dahl ### email DAHL\@CS.WISC.EDU ### first observed at 2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### last observed at 2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### ratings #### review count 155 #### quality 3.16 #### difficulty 3.48 #### quality count 155 #### difficulty count 155 #### profile id rmp:2770358 #### source url #### match basis exact\_name #### observed at 2026-09-07 16:38:39.940872+00:00 #### courses ##### course 6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770 ###### review count 23 ###### quality 1.65 ###### difficulty 4.09 ###### quality count 23 ###### difficulty count 23 ##### course 583cd0f265d9f29704ca13ea ###### review count 84 ###### quality 3.2 ###### difficulty 3.39 ###### quality count 84 ###### difficulty count 84 ##### course 28c3390ba944d49fd17f7c72 ###### review count 34 ###### quality 3.71 ###### difficulty 3.41 ###### quality count 34 ###### difficulty count 34 ##### course e0f984e8747ee9ccaba16d75 ###### review count 1 ###### quality 1 ###### difficulty 5 ###### quality count 1 ###### difficulty count 1 #### bayesian quality 3.2171069466910396 #### prior mean 3.6596857835465957 #### prior weight 20 ### current true ### courses | course\_uid | course\_id | title | credits\_min | credits\_max | gpa | | -------------------------------- | --------------- | ------------------------------------ | ------------ | ------------ | ----- | | course\_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770 | COMPSCI/ECE 354 | MACHINE ORGANIZATION AND PROGRAMMING | 3 | 3 | 3.098 | ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### instructor url /instructors/GARY\_DAHL ## history | term | course\_uid | course\_id | title | | ---- | -------------------------------- | --------------- | ------------------------------------ | | 1272 | course\_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770 | COMPSCI/ECE 354 | MACHINE ORGANIZATION AND PROGRAMMING | ## timeline | term | courses | | ---- | ------- | | 1272 | 1 | ## term 1272 ## courses ```json [ { "course_uid": "course_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770", "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 354", "title": "MACHINE ORGANIZATION AND PROGRAMMING", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 3.098, "badges": [ { "id": "rated-teacher", "label": "Highly rated instructor", "tone": "positive", "evidence": "Fall 2026: Hina Mahmood (4.27/5 adjusted; 47 ratings). At least one assigned instructor qualifies. This describes instructor reviews across courses, not a course rating.", "sources": [ { "label": "Hina Mahmood", "href": "/instructors/HINA_MAHMOOD" } ] }, { "id": "grade-outcomes", "label": "Lower grades", "tone": "negative", "evidence": "Spring 2026 · latest released grades before Fall 2026: 3.13 GPA across 618 letter grades, versus 3.62 for UW–Madison (1283 courses). Requires a difference of at least 0.20 and 30 letter grades. Historical outcomes, not predicted difficulty.", "sources": [ { "label": "Grade history and sources", "href": "/courses/COMPSCI_ECE_354#grades" } ] }, { "id": "lecture-size", "label": "Large lectures", "tone": "neutral", "evidence": "Fall 2026: median 113 enrolled students across 4 recorded lecture sections. Small means 30 or fewer; large means 100 or more. Enrollment at scan time, not capacity or typical historical attendance.", "sources": [ { "label": "Sections and enrollment", "href": "/courses/COMPSCI_ECE_354#schedule" } ] } ], "description": "COMPSCI/ECE 354 introduces computer system structures and C programming, covering memory, assembly, and compilation.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 1180, 1015, 1588, 690, 385, 120, 58 ], "count": 5036, "gpa": 3.107922954725973, "topShare": 43.58617950754567, "firstTerm": "1224", "lastTerm": "1264" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770", "uid": "instructor_cce649041a2db573b9b63872", "name": "Hina Mahmood", "quality": 4.270204711506447, "quality_count": 47, "instructor_url": "/instructors/HINA_MAHMOOD" }, { "course_uid": "course_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770", "uid": "instructor_3aacf95596af43ab576afe0c", "name": "Gary Dahl", "quality": 3.2171069466910396, "quality_count": 155, "instructor_url": "/instructors/GARY_DAHL" } ], "instructorHistory": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "courseComparison": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "review_date": "2025-10-24 03:28:16 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "d04e038ffd975276f9cae490", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxNzUyMTQ1", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "review_date": "2025-11-14 00:50:43 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "efe24e388278dc20d76641c9", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQxODY0NTYx", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "review_date": "2025-12-12 23:22:05 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "266a907aa14fa70d9fea5a1b", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyMjE3ODIy", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "review_date": "2025-12-24 01:26:35 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "39878e534f8f55d640dd393d", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyMzg5MTYy", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "review_date": "2026-02-05 07:56:19 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "9f9c4042cb82d1a23a25eb3b", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyNTg1NjQ0", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "review_date": "2026-03-17 01:13:10 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "f9c90e92996219fc43cc3e97", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyNzA1MjE5", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "review_date": "2026-03-18 21:14:31 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "447749d862298fb41c38dee5", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyNzEyNjM0", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "review_date": "2026-04-09 00:03:04 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "65b938c9e86f23e06cd1a0ed", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyODAyMzk3", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "review_date": "2026-05-01 17:33:54 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "60627715f08a250b1126d54f", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyOTk2NTA0", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "review_date": "2026-05-09 05:31:24 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "05f705dbf39ab5175ab01f7e", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQzMDc4MjMy", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "type": "review" } ], "text": "Gary Dahl receives uniformly poor reviews for COMPSCI/ECE 354, with students citing confusing lectures, poor organization, and a lack of subject mastery. Reviewers describe his teaching as boring and unhelpful, noting that he fails to clarify concepts or answer questions effectively. While one student notes he is a stickler for policy, the consensus is that his instruction is significantly worse than other sections." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770-0.json" ] } } ] ``` ## reviews ### items ```json [ { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:38:39.940872+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQzMDc4MjMy", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "course_label": "CS354", "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 354", "course_uid": "course_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770", "review_date": "2026-05-09 05:31:24 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Course materials are dense Emacs notes that are hard to read/annotate. Lec lacks visual structure, and vague explanations with frequent fillers make new topics difficult to follow. It often feels like review for prepared students rather than teaching beginners in low level coding, especially with the fast pace and biweekly quizzes.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "quality_rating": 1, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:38:39.940872+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQzMDY3NTgz", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "course_label": "CS354", "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 354", "course_uid": "course_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770", "review_date": "2026-05-08 02:52:36 +0000 UTC", "comment": "I learned a lot from Gary and felt that the projects really helped me learn the class well. The lectures felt confusing at times but felt that I was able to freely ask him questions. ", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "quality_rating": 4, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:38:39.940872+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQzMDE4MTMz", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "course_label": "CS354", "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 354", "course_uid": "course_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770", "review_date": "2026-05-04 16:07:17 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Gary is a monotone professor. He simply reads off the slides. He does not seem at all passionate about the topic.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "quality_rating": 1, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:38:39.940872+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyOTk2NTA0", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "course_label": "CS354", "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 354", "course_uid": "course_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770", "review_date": "2026-05-01 17:33:54 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Professor Dahl seems like a nice guy but is incredibly boring. They are structured in a way that is hard to follow and will make you fall asleep. Overall, the class isn't too hard but it has been my least favorite CS course I have taken so far. ", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "quality_rating": 1, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:38:39.940872+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyODAzNjc1", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "course_label": "CS354", "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 354", "course_uid": "course_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770", "review_date": "2026-04-09 03:51:57 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Gary stalks this page and reporting every negative comment to put it down. Btw all the positive comments are written by himself. He complained about it on the lecture, that there are so many negative comments that he had to write a couple of positive ones. This guy is hilarious.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "quality_rating": 1, "difficulty_rating": 5 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:38:39.940872+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyODAyMzk3", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2770358", "instructor_name": "Gary Dahl", "course_label": "CS354", "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 354", "course_uid": "course_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770", "review_date": "2026-04-09 00:03:04 +0000 UTC", "comment": "The course structure and instruction are so poor and confusing that you will not learn anything. There is no point in attending the lectures, as you will leave feeling perplexed. Gary then complains about students not showing up for lectures.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2770358", "quality_rating": 1, "difficulty_rating": 5 } ] ``` ### total 155 ### page 1 ### courses | course\_uid | course\_id | | -------------------------------- | --------------- | | course\_28c3390ba944d49fd17f7c72 | COMPSCI 300 | | course\_583cd0f265d9f29704ca13ea | COMPSCI 400 | | course\_e0f984e8747ee9ccaba16d75 | COMPSCI 540 | | course\_6e524f2d6f14b4e14c7ac770 | COMPSCI/ECE 354 | ### matched true ## social Image true