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3.7.2 Faculty Evaluation

The institution regularly evaluates the effectiveness of each faculty member in accord with published criteria, regardless of contractual or tenured status.

Judgement of Compliance:

Compliance

Narrative:

The University of Tennessee of Chattanooga (UTC) evaluates full-time and part-time faculty members regularly.

Full-Time Faculty Evaluation
UTC conducts annual reviews of all full-time faculty members regardless of rank or status through an institution-wide Evaluation by Development of Objectives (EDO) process. The EDO evaluates a faculty member's effectiveness in the areas of teaching, research, and service. Reviews are undertaken by department heads, deans, and the Provost according to the policies and criteria for faculty rank published in Chapter 3 of the Faculty Handbook, "Guidelines for Faculty Appointment, Evaluation, Promotion, Tenure, and Dismissal" (sections 3.1 and 3.2).  These reviews follow best practices for evaluating teaching, research, and service as published in Faculty Handbook appendices. (See also the EDO forms and the 2009-2010 EDO calendar.)

The EDO process can result in one of four performance designations: (1) Exceeds Expectations for Rank, (2) Meets Expectations for Rank, (3) Needs Improvement for Rank, or (4) Unsatisfactory for Rank. A survey of EDO Outcomes for 2003-2008 (reported by the Provost’s Office 06/03/2009) shows that very few full-time faculty members are determined to perform below expectations for rank while many exceed expectations for rank:

Year

Total
Reviewed

Exceeds
Expectations

Meets
Expectations

Needs
Improvement

Unsatisfactory

2008-2009

384

101

279

2

2

2007-2008

383

89

288

5

1

2006-2007

372

82

278

9

3

2005-2006

376

78

293

3

2

2004-2005

361

74

287*

0**

0**

2003-2004

340

68

272*

0**

0**

* This data is based on the assumption that there were no "Needs Improvement" or "Unsatisfactory" ratings of those reviewed
**  No data available

UTC also conducts additional annual evaluation of full-time faculty members who are eligible for tenure and/or promotion. Candidates are reviewed by departmental rank, tenure and reappointment committees, and by department heads, deans, and the Provost according to the policies set forth in Chapter 3 of the Faculty Handbook (sections 3.3 and 3.4). (See also the Faculty Handbook appendices containing folder checklists for reappointment, promotion, and tenure, and the 2009-2010 reappointment calendar.)

Evaluation records for full-time faculty members are maintained by the academic department and by the office of the Provost and Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs.  An example of a 2009-2010 faculty evaluation can be seen here.

Part-Time Faculty Evaluation
According to Chapter 3 of the Faculty Handbook (section 3.2.1), each academic department is required to evaluate all non-tenure track faculty members, including those with part-time appointments. Further, according to the Handbook, "Individual academic departments will be responsible for establishing procedures for the regular review of adjunct faculty."

A recent review of evaluation procedures reveals that methods of performance assessment vary, but almost all departments rely on semesterly student evaluations reviewed by the department head and on formal classroom observations by the department head or other senior, full-time faculty members.

Each department or college has developed a policy for the evaluation of Adjunct Faculty. These policies are communicated to adjunct faculty during adjunct faculty orientation, by the department head, or in a departmental handbook. General information about evaluation, such as a description of the Student Evaluation of Faculty, is available on the Adjunct Faculty Orientation Web Page.


Documentation:

  1. Faculty Handbook, Ch. 3: Guidelines for Faculty Appointment, Evaluation, Promotion, Tenure, and Dismissal
    http://www.utc.edu/Departments/fcouncil/FacultyHandbook/Ch3Handbook.pdf

  2. Faculty Handbook appendices on best practices for evaluating:
    a. Teaching:
    http://www.utc.edu/Departments/fcouncil/FacultyHandbook/Appen/Teaching.pdf
    b. Research:
    http://www.utc.edu/Departments/fcouncil/FacultyHandbook/Appen/Research.pdf
  3. c. Service:
    http://www.utc.edu/Departments/fcouncil/FacultyHandbook/Appen/Service.pdf

  4. Forms for Evaluation by Development of Objectives
    http://www.utc.edu/Departments/fcouncil/FacultyHandbook/Appen/EDOforms.pdf

  5. EDO Calendar 2009-2010
    http://www.utc.edu/Administration/AcademicAffairs/documents/EDOCalendar.doc

  6. Reappointment Folder Checklist
    http://www.utc.edu/Departments/fcouncil/FacultyHandbook/Appen/ChecklistReappointment.pdf

  7. Promotion Folder Checklist
    http://www.utc.edu/Departments/fcouncil/FacultyHandbook/Appen/ChecklistPromotion.pdf

  8. Tenure Folder Checklist
    http://www.utc.edu/Departments/fcouncil/FacultyHandbook/Appen/ChecklistTenure.pdf

  9. Reappointment Calendar 2009-2010
    http://www.utc.edu/Administration/AcademicAffairs/documents/ReappointmentDeadlines.doc

  10. Faculty EDO Evaluation Example

  11. College and Department Evaluation Procedures for Part-Time Faculty Members

  12. Adjunct Faculty Orientation web page
    http://www.utc.edu/Academic/Adjunct/

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09/8/10 11:02:56 AM (EDT)