{"schema_version":1,"url":"https://uwcourses.com/instructors/MICHAEL_KEMENY","title":"Michael Kemeny — Courses & Reviews | UW–Madison","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":"AAE","count":90},{"subject":"ABT","count":20},{"subject":"ACCTIS","count":36},{"subject":"ACTSCI","count":14},{"subject":"AFAERO","count":10},{"subject":"AFRICAN","count":87},{"subject":"AFROAMER","count":71},{"subject":"AGROECOL","count":21},{"subject":"AMERIND","count":53},{"subject":"ANAT&PHY","count":7},{"subject":"ANATOMY","count":2},{"subject":"ANESTHES","count":8},{"subject":"ANSCI","count":57},{"subject":"ANTHRO","count":95},{"subject":"ART","count":125},{"subject":"ARTED","count":10},{"subject":"ARTHIST","count":121},{"subject":"ASIALANG","count":129},{"subject":"ASIAN","count":109},{"subject":"ASIANAM","count":28},{"subject":"ASTRON","count":38},{"subject":"ATMOCN","count":69},{"subject":"BIOCHEM","count":51},{"subject":"BIOCORE","count":10},{"subject":"BIOLOGY","count":14},{"subject":"BIOMDSCI","count":18},{"subject":"BME","count":66},{"subject":"BMI","count":41},{"subject":"BMOLCHEM","count":10},{"subject":"BOTANY","count":69},{"subject":"BSE","count":44},{"subject":"C&ESOC","count":73},{"subject":"CBE","count":48},{"subject":"CHEM","count":101},{"subject":"CHICLA","count":52},{"subject":"CIVENGR","count":133},{"subject":"CLASSICS","count":47},{"subject":"CNP","count":10},{"subject":"CNSRSCI","count":50},{"subject":"COMARTS","count":137},{"subject":"COMPBIO","count":15},{"subject":"COMPLIT","count":11},{"subject":"COMPSCI","count":138},{"subject":"COUNPSY","count":78},{"subject":"CRB","count":19},{"subject":"CS&D","count":71},{"subject":"CSCS","count":40},{"subject":"CURRIC","count":193},{"subject":"DANCE","count":93},{"subject":"DERM","count":8},{"subject":"DS","count":88},{"subject":"DYSCI","count":35},{"subject":"ECE","count":155},{"subject":"ECON","count":145},{"subject":"EDPOL","count":114},{"subject":"EDPSYCH","count":97},{"subject":"ELPA","count":70},{"subject":"EMA","count":53},{"subject":"EMERMED","count":17},{"subject":"ENGL","count":206},{"subject":"ENTOM","count":40},{"subject":"ENVIRST","count":148},{"subject":"EP","count":15},{"subject":"EPD","count":67},{"subject":"ESL","count":16},{"subject":"F&WECOL","count":60},{"subject":"FAMMED","count":22},{"subject":"FINANCE","count":50},{"subject":"FOLKLORE","count":40},{"subject":"FOODSCI","count":43},{"subject":"FRENCH","count":63},{"subject":"GEN&WS","count":145},{"subject":"GENBUS","count":72},{"subject":"GENECSLR","count":17},{"subject":"GENETICS","count":60},{"subject":"GEOG","count":113},{"subject":"GEOSCI","count":83},{"subject":"GERMAN","count":82},{"subject":"GLE","count":48},{"subject":"GNS","count":38},{"subject":"GREEK","count":27},{"subject":"HDFS","count":41},{"subject":"HEBR-BIB","count":13},{"subject":"HEBR-MOD","count":10},{"subject":"HISTORY","count":233},{"subject":"HISTSCI","count":56},{"subject":"HONCOL","count":13},{"subject":"ILS","count":43},{"subject":"INFOSYS","count":9},{"subject":"INTEGART","count":7},{"subject":"INTEGSCI","count":22},{"subject":"INTER-AG","count":18},{"subject":"INTER-HE","count":11},{"subject":"INTER-LS","count":22},{"subject":"INTEREGR","count":16},{"subject":"INTLBUS","count":21},{"subject":"INTLST","count":50},{"subject":"ISYE","count":83},{"subject":"ITALIAN","count":53},{"subject":"JEWISH","count":56},{"subject":"JOURN","count":88},{"subject":"KINES","count":128},{"subject":"LACIS","count":26},{"subject":"LANDARC","count":61},{"subject":"LATIN","count":24},{"subject":"LAW","count":120},{"subject":"LEGALST","count":48},{"subject":"LINGUIS","count":35},{"subject":"LIS","count":89},{"subject":"LITTRANS","count":78},{"subject":"LSC","count":52},{"subject":"M&ENVTOX","count":7},{"subject":"MARKETNG","count":62},{"subject":"MATH","count":153},{"subject":"MDGENET","count":8},{"subject":"ME","count":130},{"subject":"MEDHIST","count":43},{"subject":"MEDICINE","count":60},{"subject":"MEDIEVAL","count":32},{"subject":"MEDPHYS","count":39},{"subject":"MEDSC-M","count":29},{"subject":"MEDSC-V","count":41},{"subject":"MHR","count":68},{"subject":"MICROBIO","count":45},{"subject":"MILSCI","count":16},{"subject":"MM&I","count":22},{"subject":"MOLBIOL","count":6},{"subject":"MS&E","count":59},{"subject":"MUSIC","count":165},{"subject":"MUSPERF","count":126},{"subject":"NAVSCI","count":20},{"subject":"NE","count":44},{"subject":"NEURODPT","count":11},{"subject":"NEUROL","count":7},{"subject":"NEURSURG","count":4},{"subject":"NTP","count":11},{"subject":"NURSING","count":111},{"subject":"NUTRSCI","count":65},{"subject":"OBS&GYN","count":18},{"subject":"OCCTHER","count":39},{"subject":"ONCOLOGY","count":14},{"subject":"OPHTHALM","count":5},{"subject":"OTM","count":43},{"subject":"PATH","count":34},{"subject":"PATH-BIO","count":29},{"subject":"PEDIAT","count":26},{"subject":"PHARMACY","count":31},{"subject":"PHILOS","count":77},{"subject":"PHMCOL-M","count":11},{"subject":"PHMPRAC","count":45},{"subject":"PHMSCI","count":60},{"subject":"PHYASST","count":37},{"subject":"PHYSICS","count":88},{"subject":"PHYSIOL","count":3},{"subject":"PHYTHER","count":37},{"subject":"PLANTSCI","count":52},{"subject":"PLPATH","count":35},{"subject":"POLISCI","count":192},{"subject":"POPHLTH","count":58},{"subject":"PORTUG","count":33},{"subject":"PSYCH","count":101},{"subject":"PSYCHIAT","count":22},{"subject":"PUBAFFR","count":54},{"subject":"PUBLHLTH","count":23},{"subject":"RADIOL","count":11},{"subject":"REALEST","count":41},{"subject":"RELIGST","count":90},{"subject":"RHABMED","count":9},{"subject":"RMI","count":24},{"subject":"RP&SE","count":102},{"subject":"S&APHM","count":17},{"subject":"SCANDST","count":73},{"subject":"SLAVIC","count":89},{"subject":"SOC","count":149},{"subject":"SOCWORK","count":87},{"subject":"SOILSCI","count":46},{"subject":"SPANISH","count":83},{"subject":"SRMED","count":21},{"subject":"STAT","count":94},{"subject":"STDYABRD","count":52},{"subject":"STS","count":8},{"subject":"SURGERY","count":25},{"subject":"SURGSCI","count":33},{"subject":"THEATRE","count":91},{"subject":"URBRPL","count":60},{"subject":"UROLOGY","count":5},{"subject":"ZOOLOGY","count":89}],"deployed_at":null},"data":{"instructor":{"instructor_uid":"instructor_cb542ebcf378e09875b30909","source":"enrollment","source_instructor_id":"kemeny","identity_basis":"netid","identity_status":"source_identified","name":"Michael Kemeny","email":"KEMENY@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":4,"quality":1.25,"difficulty":4,"quality_count":4,"difficulty_count":4,"profile_id":"rmp:2575442","source_url":"https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2575442","match_basis":"exact_name","observed_at":"2026-09-07 16:18:02.961128+00:00","courses":{"course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808":{"review_count":2,"quality":1,"difficulty":3.5,"quality_count":2,"difficulty_count":2},"course_6a5fd6b22fd05d58426ea680":{"review_count":1,"quality":2,"difficulty":4,"quality_count":1,"difficulty_count":1},"course_60c2767a206a079d3af2a1a4":{"review_count":1,"quality":1,"difficulty":5,"quality_count":1,"difficulty_count":1}},"bayesian_quality":3.2580714862888294,"prior_mean":3.6596857835465957,"prior_weight":20},"current":true,"courses":[{"course_uid":"course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808","course_id":"HISTSCI/MATH 473","title":"HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS","credits_min":3,"credits_max":3,"gpa":3.694}],"revision":"e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349","instructor_url":"/instructors/MICHAEL_KEMENY"},"history":[{"term":"1272","course_uid":"course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808","course_id":"HISTSCI/MATH 473","title":"HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS"}],"timeline":[{"term":"1272","courses":1}],"term":"1272","courses":[{"course_uid":"course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808","course_id":"HISTSCI/MATH 473","title":"HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS","credits_min":3,"credits_max":3,"gpa":3.694,"badges":[{"id":"lecture-size","label":"Small lectures","tone":"neutral","evidence":"Fall 2026: median 20 enrolled students across 1 recorded lecture section. 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/HISTSCI_MATH_473#schedule"}]}],"description":"A historical survey of the main lines of mathematical development.","discovery":{"term":"1272","offered":true,"history":{"counts":[84,27,10,1,4,0,0],"count":126,"gpa":3.738095238095238,"topShare":88.09523809523809,"firstTerm":"1224","lastTerm":"1262"},"instructors":[{"course_uid":"course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808","uid":"instructor_cb542ebcf378e09875b30909","name":"Michael Kemeny","quality":3.2580714862888294,"quality_count":4,"instructor_url":"/instructors/MICHAEL_KEMENY"}],"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":"Michael Kemeny","review_date":"2024-12-11 02:53:15 +0000 UTC","review_id":"65d9578a16410b808562acaa","run_id":"20260907T155543-ce3781c4","source_instructor_id":"rmp:2575442","source_review_id":"UmF0aW5nLTQwMjEyNDEx","source_url":"https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2575442","type":"review"},{"instructor_name":"Michael Kemeny","review_date":"2024-12-13 06:45:00 +0000 UTC","review_id":"da764a1db83f13279856b6da","run_id":"20260907T155543-ce3781c4","source_instructor_id":"rmp:2575442","source_review_id":"UmF0aW5nLTQwMjcxNzcx","source_url":"https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2575442","type":"review"}],"text":"Michael Kemeny's HISTSCI/MATH 473 is heavily proof-based with minimal history content, contrary to expectations. Reviewers report that exams are difficult, potentially made harder to lower grades, and the grading structure is high-stakes. Additionally, Kemeny has been described as confused by his own proofs and dismissive of student questions."},"reviewFiles":["/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808-0.json"]}}],"reviews":{"items":[{"observed_at":"2026-09-07 16:18:02.961128+00:00","run_id":"20260907T155543-ce3781c4","source_review_id":"UmF0aW5nLTQwMjcxNzcx","source_instructor_id":"rmp:2575442","instructor_name":"Michael Kemeny","course_label":"MATH473","course_id":"HISTSCI/MATH 473","course_uid":"course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808","review_date":"2024-12-13 06:45:00 +0000 UTC","comment":"The only history we got is the life span of mathematicians. Only math on the midterms. The 2nd midterm being 20% of our grade, 20 points, and only having 4 questions means that if you get one of the questions wrong or make small mistakes on two of them your grade is screwed. He also cut me off while I was asking a question. ","source_url":"https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2575442","quality_rating":1,"difficulty_rating":3},{"observed_at":"2026-09-07 16:18:02.961128+00:00","run_id":"20260907T155543-ce3781c4","source_review_id":"UmF0aW5nLTQwMjEyNDEx","source_instructor_id":"rmp:2575442","instructor_name":"Michael Kemeny","course_label":"MATH473","course_id":"HISTSCI/MATH 473","course_uid":"course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808","review_date":"2024-12-11 02:53:15 +0000 UTC","comment":"Instead of focusing on the history aspect of this class in any way, it was very much proof and mathematical based. I have heard from other math majors this isn't the way the class usually is. He made the 2nd and 3rd exams purposefully harder because people, \"did too well.\" Also, sometimes he could not read his own proofs and was confused/lost.","source_url":"https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2575442","quality_rating":1,"difficulty_rating":4},{"observed_at":"2026-09-07 16:18:02.961128+00:00","run_id":"20260907T155543-ce3781c4","source_review_id":"UmF0aW5nLTM4ODA3NTg2","source_instructor_id":"rmp:2575442","instructor_name":"Michael Kemeny","course_label":"MATH443","course_id":"MATH 443","course_uid":"course_6a5fd6b22fd05d58426ea680","review_date":"2023-12-29 06:27:15 +0000 UTC","comment":"The midterm and final were each worth 40% of your grade. Stared at the board, didn't go over examples, put proofs on the midterm in a nonproof class, and the textbook was above the level of the class. The homework was impossible and I'm not sure he could do them they were so hard. Wasted the last 2 weeks of class teaching material not on the final.","source_url":"https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2575442","quality_rating":2,"difficulty_rating":4},{"observed_at":"2026-09-07 16:18:02.961128+00:00","run_id":"20260907T155543-ce3781c4","source_review_id":"UmF0aW5nLTMyOTM3MTA3","source_instructor_id":"rmp:2575442","instructor_name":"Michael Kemeny","course_label":"MATH542","course_id":"MATH 542","course_uid":"course_60c2767a206a079d3af2a1a4","review_date":"2020-02-27 15:03:53 +0000 UTC","comment":"He tries to teach at a level that is inappropriate for the given class. He often will ask the class questions during lecture and no one will be able to answer them. When he lectures, he normally talks to the board and stands directly in the way of what he is writing so you cannot see. Unhelpful office hours.","source_url":"https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2575442","quality_rating":1,"difficulty_rating":5}],"total":4,"page":1,"courses":[{"course_uid":"course_858c09056ac5ed119a96d808","course_id":"HISTSCI/MATH 473"},{"course_uid":"course_6a5fd6b22fd05d58426ea680","course_id":"MATH 443"},{"course_uid":"course_60c2767a206a079d3af2a1a4","course_id":"MATH 542"}],"matched":true},"socialImage":true}}