Using student evaluations of teaching (SET) to measure teaching effectiveness is controversial. This study explores the effects of memorizing student names on SET ratings and uses the halo effect as a theoretical foundation for the hypothesized outcome. Past research has suggested that tactics that connote flattery facilitate a halo effect, which increases one's desire to reciprocate. An experimental design was utilized to test the hypothesis. The results indicate that the memorization of student names does create a halo effect that positively affects SET ratings across the entire range of evaluation questions. The implications of these findings for promotion and tenure are subsequently discussed.