Faculty EvaluationFaculty Workshop on Promotion & Tenure

March 29, 2013A Peer Reviewer’s Perspective

About Me• Tenured Professor – I’ve been through the

process• Longevity – tenure-track since 1984, adjunct

from 1980 to 1984• Served on the University-wide Faculty

Evaluation Committee since 1997• Current Chair• Served on and/or chaired all sub-committees

• Member of the Provost’s Task Force on Evaluation of Faculty Work for Promotion, Tenure, Post-tenure Review and Hiring

The Evaluation Process

• Outlined in the Faculty Handbook• Up to seven levels of review – takes 9

months• Timeline is available on the Faculty

Services website listed by Union

Levels of Review

• Extended Campus Director/President• Department Head/Chair• School or College Peer Review Committee• Dean or Director• University-wide Faculty Evaluation Committee• Provost• Chancellor*Not all files go through all levels of review.

General Timeline

• Files are due in the dean’s office in September• Department Heads/Chairs review files

in September or October• School or College Peer Review

Committees review files in October

About School/College Peer Review Committees

• The make-up of the School/College Peer Review Committees varies from unit to unit and between unions.• Generally the committees are made up of 5

tenured professors (or tenured associate professors).• The background of the committee members

also varies. Large departments may have committees made up of members entirely from that discipline.

General Timeline (continued)

• Deans/Directors review files in November• The files go to the University-wide

Faculty Evaluation Committee (UFEC) in mid-December or early January.

About the University-wide Faculty Evaluation Committee

• Fifteen members serving 3-year terms• Five each from the three workload

categories – Tripartite Academic, Bipartite Academic, and Bipartite Vocational• Three sub-committees each representing a

workload category.• Each sub-committee is comprised of three

members of that workload category and one each from the other two categories.

Committee Responsibilities

• Review the recommendations of the previous levels of review.• To compare the information in the

candidate’s file with the appropriate criteria.• Review proposed changes to unit

promotion and tenure guidelines.• Make recommendations to the Provost.

UFEC Workload

• UFEC reviews files from all schools and colleges, plus the extended campuses, for 4-year comprehensive review/ retention, promotion, tenure, 6-year post-tenure review, distinguished professor, and emeritus (79 files this year).• Each sub-committee meets every Friday

from the beginning of Spring Semester in January until the 1st of March.

UFEC Workload• Each sub-committee meets until all the files

in that workload category are reviewed.• The Tripartite Academic sub-committee

usually has the largest workload.• Each week the sub-committees review

between 5 and 10 files.• Each sub-committee member must read all

the files for that week.• In addition, each member will be assigned

one or two files for which they will be responsible for writing the Findings and Recommendations.

UFEC Workload• It’s a lot of work in a short amount of

time.• The files are kept in a secure location

at the Administration Building and are only available for review Monday – Friday from 8 to 5.• Hopefully, you have a better

understanding of the process, and how it works.• The upshot? Make your file easy to

review!

The Review• Regent’s policy on the evaluation of faculty

describes the purpose of review as follows. • To appraise the extent to which the faculty

member has met their professional obligation.• To appraise the extent to which the faculty

member’s professional growth and development has proceeded.

• To appraise the prospects for the faculty member’s continued professional growth and development.

• To identify changes, if any, in emphasis required for such growth.

The Review• First I review the unit guidelines.• Then I read the previous levels of

review.• Next I read the Vita and the Self

Review.• Then I compare the Workloads with

the Annual Activity Reports and the Student Evaluations. • Then I compare the different workload

components with unit criteria.

Your File

• You are responsible for the creation of your file.• It is important so allow enough time to

do a good job.• Some estimates are up to 100 hours.

• Make it easy to review!

1 – Find the Rules.

• Obtain and carefully read 4 documents• Chapter 4 of the Board of Regent’s Policy• Chapter III of the Faculty Handbook (UAA

Policy)• The guidelines for your school or college • The Collective Bargaining Agreement for your

union • Where can you find them?

• The Faculty Services website

2 – Determine the review period.

• Review period for promotion is from the last promotion or initial hire.• Review period for tenure is from initial

hire.• If given credit for work at another

institution, include appointment letter and information for that work.

2 – Determine the review period (continued).

• If the review period includes a sabbatical, include the application and report.• If UNAC, advise dean, or director of

your intention at the end of your appointment period (May).

3 – Gather the required information.

• Workload Agreement(s)• Make sure they have all signatures

• Annual Activity Report(s)• Make sure they have all signatures• Must match Workload Agreement

• Current Vita• Past Review Summaries

• The “colored” sheets• Student Evaluations

• Required!• Include documentation for missing ones

3 – Gather the required information (continued).

• Course syllabi for the review year(s)• One for each different course• If you taught multiple sections of the same

course, only include the latest syllabus.• Verification of degrees, certificates, licenses

• Original transcripts or a letter from Marian Bruce stating that the transcripts are on file.• Do not copy diplomas.

3 – Gather the required information (continued).

• Additional documentation of teaching, service, and research/creative activity.• Letters of recommendation• Addressing all areas of workload• Internal• External• External reviewers

4 – Organize the information.• This is very important!• Follow the list in the Faculty Handbook and

add other sections as necessary.• Include summaries for each element of

your workload.• Establish a chronology - be consistent.• Use index tabs with word labels (not

numbers or letters)• Most reviewers do not like sheet

protectors

5 – Write the Self Review.

• This should address each element of your workload.• Explain what you do and how you do it.• Include goals and objectives.• Address any problem areas.• Why is it a problem?• What are you planning to correct the

problem?

6 – Include a Letter of Transmittal.

• State clearly the intent of the file – retention, promotion, and/or tenure.• Reference the rules with which you

wish to be evaluated.• Has there been a recent change in your

school or college’s criteria?• Do you want to be evaluated on the new

rules or the old ones?

Important NotesTime in Rank• The current UAA Policy (Chapter III of the

Faculty Handbook) has always allowed for exceptions to minimum time in rank, terminal degree, and experience qualifications. • In 2007, the Provost entered into a

Memorandum of Agreement with UNAC that reinforced that fact. • The caveat is that “the basis for exception

shall be outstanding academic performance and/or outstanding professional experience.”

Additional Thoughts

• Don’t be afraid to brag.• Reviewers may not be from your discipline

– be clear and go easy on the acronyms.• Reviewers are evaluating your file not you

– make sure it’s all in there.• “Would you accept this file from one of

your students?” What grade would it get?

The Future• As Emily Litella would say, “What’s all

this about premonition and tension?”• The Provost’s Task Force on Evaluation

of Faculty Work for Promotion, Tenure, Post-tenure Review and Hiring met from April, 2008 to March 2010.• Our charge was to review the current

status of the faculty evaluation process and develop recommendations for revision.

The Future• We finished our work and submitted the

proposal to Provost Driscoll.• Our proposal is a complete re-write of the

UAA’s Promotion and Tenure Guidelines (Chapter III of the Faculty Handbook).• Hopefully, you have been following the

progress and participated in the process.• It will mean a change.

The Future• Our recommendation for implementation

would not change the current evaluation process for current faculty members until after their next major review.• During AY 2012-2013 units (schools and

colleges) reviewed and revised their Evaluation Guidelines.• There will also be multiple training

opportunities for both faculty and reviewers.

The Future

• Newly appointed faculty will be reviewed under the new guidelines beginning in AY 2013-2014.