Faculty Evaluation Policy and Procedures
First Year Evaluation: During the faculty member’s first year at AUIS he or she will be the subject of an extended evaluation. This will include a portfolio submission, at least one class observation, and a conference with the department chair.
Retention Review: After the completion of a successful first year evaluation, during each subsequent cycle of contract renewal the faculty member will be the subject of a retention review. The retention review will include an updated portfolio submission, and a conference with the department chair.
Discretion Review: A department chair may initiate a discretion review of any faculty member in his/her department in response to unanticipated performance or conduct issues. Discretion reviews may be conducted at any time deemed appropriate by the department chair. These reviews consist of at least one class observation, an updated portfolio submission, and a conference with the department chair.
The portfolio is a collection of representative materials compiled by the faculty member under review. The portfolio documents annual work and accomplishments, articulates goals for growth and development, initiates critical self-evaluation, and provides structure and content for the evaluation conference with the department chair. The portfolio is required for every type of evaluation.
The portfolio consists of the following documents:
- A written summary of activities and accomplishments relating to teaching, professional activity, and university citizenship during the review period (approximately two typed pages).
- A current curriculum vitae (CV).
- A list of professional growth and development goals for the next year, and a specific plan for achieving them (should include a timeline).
- Syllabi and major assessments for all courses completed or in progress, and student evaluations for courses completed. Student course evaluations are available from the registrar’s office.
- Optional: Any additional materials that might contribute to the evaluation may be included at the faculty member’s discretion.
Department chairs may require the submission of additional portfolio materials at their discretion. These may include, but are not limited to:
- A statement of teaching philosophy
- Reflective writing
- Examples of student work
Early in the semester of review, faculty and chair will meet briefly to go over the timeline and expectations for the review. At this meeting the faculty member may discuss anything that he or she wants the chair to look out for, to keep in mind, or to provide specific feedback on during the review. The faculty member may also indicate specific class meetings that may not lead to productive class observations (exam times, scheduled library visits, classes set aside for individual student work, etc.).
Class observations will be conducted by department chairs both for faculty in their first year evaluations and for faculty who are the subjects of discretion reviews. Class observations will NOT be announced ahead of time. Department chairs will attend a class taught by the faculty member under review and take notes on the class observation form. These notes will accompany the portfolio as evidence for faculty assessment, and they will be shared with the faculty member as structured feedback for growth and improvement.
The evaluation conference is a time for the faculty member to discuss his or her work, accomplishments, goals, and plans for the next year with the department chair. Faculty and chair will discuss each item of the portfolio and any class observations. Together they will agree on a plan for achieving the professional goals described in the portfolio, and the chair will help keep the faculty member accountable for these goals. At the end of the conference the chair will complete the evaluation report. The evaluation conference should be scheduled by the faculty and chair to occur no later than two weeks after the portfolio is submitted.
The evaluation report represents the final assessment of the faculty member. It is a form completed by the department chair at the end of the evaluation conference (page 99). It includes a rating of the professor (Exceeds expectations, Meets expectations, Needs improvement, Unsatisfactory), and an executive summary which describes the evaluation and justifies the rating. This evaluation report, along with the portfolio and class observation notes, is submitted to the Dean of Faculty at the completion of the evaluation process.
First Year Evaluation:
- The first year faculty is notified by the department chair early in second semester of teaching that he or she will be evaluated; the faculty and chair hold a pre-review meeting.
- The faculty member writes and compiles documents for the portfolio.
- The department chair conducts class observations.
- The faculty member submits the completed portfolio to the department chair before the ninth week of the semester.
- Faculty and chair schedule and conduct the evaluation conference no later than the eleventh week of the semester.
- Chair completes the evaluation report, and submits the complete evaluation to Dean of Faculty.
Retention Review:
- The faculty member is notified by the department chair early in the semester that he or she is due for a retention review; the faculty and chair hold a pre-review meeting.
- The faculty member updates his or her portfolio.
- The faculty member submits the updated portfolio to the department chair.
- Faculty and chair schedule and conduct the review conference.
- The department chair completes the evaluation report and submits the complete review to the Dean of Faculty.
Discretion Review:
- The faculty member is notified by the department chair that he or she will be the subject of a discretion review; the faculty and chair hold a pre-review meeting.
- The faculty member updates his or her portfolio.
- The department chair conducts class observations.
- The faculty member submits his or her portfolio at a time requested by the department chair. The department chair must give the faculty member at least two weeks to update and submit the portfolio.
- Faculty and chair schedule and conduct the review conference.
- The department chair completes the evaluation report and submits the complete review to the Dean of Faculty.
In the absence of exceptional circumstances, faculty contract renewals are considered by the Dean of Faculty at the start of the faculty member’s final contracted semester.
Faculty members who intend not to renew should submit a note to the Dean of Faculty to this effect during the first week of classes.
Faculty members up for renewal will be contacted during the first two weeks of classes with their renewal status.
Faculty may receive one of three messages:
- They may be informed of the university’s intent to renew their contract. This will either be accompanied by a copy of the new contract for review, or a time when such contract will be available.
- They may be informed of the university’s intent not to renew their contract. Reasons for this may be that the position is no longer needed, that the faculty evaluation indicated unacceptable performance, or others, depending on the specific circumstances.
- They may be informed that they will be placed on probation for the semester, with the final renewal decision postponed until the faculty member’s performance has been reviewed that semester.
If both the University and the faculty member intend to renew the faculty member’s contract, a new contract will be provided by the HR office no later than the end of the 3rd week in the semester, and the faculty member will have 10 business days to sign and return the contract.