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Faculty Evaluation Official Practices

Revised August 2019

I. COMPONENTS FOR EVALUATION

  • Designated Evaluator
  • Peer Evaluation
  • Administrative Evaluation
  • Student Evaluation
  • Annual Report of Activities
  • Professional Improvement Plans

II. CATEGORIES FOR EVALUATION

  • Performance in Primary Assignment
  • Professional Improvement
  • Service to the College
  • Service to the Community

Definitions of these criteria can be found in GP Manual G-34-3.1.4.

III. TIMELINE FOR EVALUATION

A. EVERY YEAR ALL FACULTY

1. Student evaluations are performed every term in all sections taught unless enrollment is less than or equal to 4 students.  Only 1 term's evaluations are placed in HR files. (For first and second year faculty, student evaluations will be filed every term in all sections).

2. Faculty member submits Annual Report of Activities to the Vice President of Instruction via designated evaluator BY OCTOBER 15.

3. Designated evaluator and faculty member discuss student evaluations and Annual Report of Activities and review Professional Improvement Plan.

B. FIRST YEAR FACULTY

1. Peer team established.

2. Designated evaluator meets with faculty member and peer team to establish responsibilities and goals. Faculty member may share his or her goals and request feedback.

3. Pre-visitation conference between faculty member and evaluator(s).

4. Class visits and review of class materials.

5. Post-visitation conference between faculty member and evaluator(s).

6. Formative report submitted to faculty member. (Report not submitted to personnel file.)

7. Peer team members meet with designated evaluator and faculty member to discuss observations.

8. Designated evaluator evaluates for rehire.

9. Student evaluations administered and placed in personnel files each term, all sections.

C. SECOND YEAR FACULTY

1. Designated evaluator meets with faculty member and peer team to establish responsibilities and goals. Faculty member may share his or her goals and request feedback.

2. Pre-visitation conference between faculty member and evaluator(s).

3. Class visits and review of class materials.

4. Post-visitation conference between faculty member and evaluator(s).

5. Peer evaluators' summative reports submitted to faculty member.

6. Designated evaluator provides written evaluation including summary of peer evaluation reports. (Reports submitted to personnel file.)

7. Vice President for Instruction or Instructional Dean visit (generally in the second year).

8. Vice President for Instruction or Instructional Dean submits report on visit to designated evaluator and faculty member prior to submission to personnel file.

9. Student evaluations administered and placed in personnel files each term, all sections.

D. YEAR PRIOR TO TENURE REVIEW, OR EVERY FIFTH YEAR

1. Designated evaluator meets with faculty member and peer team to establish responsibilities and goals. Faculty member may share his or her goals and request feedback.

2. Pre-visitation conference between faculty member and evaluator(s).

3. Class visits and review of class materials.

4. Post-visitation conference between faculty member and evaluator(s).

5. Summative report submitted to faculty member.

6. Designated evaluator provides written evaluation including summary of peer evaluation reports. (Reports submitted to personnel file.)

IV. DESCRIPTION OF COMPONENTS FOR EVALUATION

A. DESIGNATED EVALUATOR

1. The designated evaluator is assumed to be the department chair, except when an alternative appointment is made by the Vice President for Instruction or designee. The designated evaluator for a department chair is the Vice President for Instruction, Instructional Dean, or designee.

2. The designated evaluator serves as an evaluator and as coordinator and guide of the evaluation process, overseeing the work of peer evaluators and tracking the schedule of evaluation procedures and requirements. Although the designated evaluator coordinates the process, individual faculty members are responsible for ensuring that their personnel files are complete.

3. The designated evaluator's evaluation may also include reference to professionalism and commitment to the institution.

4. Designated evaluators will be trained in the use of classroom observation techniques, along with the peer evaluators, and designated evaluators will undergo additional group training, by Chairmoot, with the aim of ensuring consistency in the evaluation process.

5. Classroom observations, and/or equivalent observation of performance in non-teaching duties, are negotiated and mutually agreed upon by the faculty member and the designated evaluator.

6. On the annual report of activities provided by the faculty member, the designated evaluator will provide a brief commentary on the year's performance, noting strengths and any areas for improvement. This document should be reviewed with the faculty member, along with student evaluation responses, and be placed in the personnel file.

7. In addition to these annual comments, the designated evaluator provides a full written evaluation, including summaries of the peer evaluator reports, in the second year for new faculty, and after that in the year prior to tenure consideration and when recommending for promotion.

8. If the designated evaluator does not support the faculty member's candidacy, the DE should provide a letter analyzing faculty performance in line with the criteria for advancement, making clear the DE's concerns. The letter and file will go to the Promotions or Tenure Committee, which will review the file (if the file is otherwise complete) in light of the criteria. When someone is not recommended for Promotion, the designated evaluator, the dean, and the faculty member need to work out a plan for improvement.

B. PEER EVALUATION

1. During the first year of employment, peer teams will be established for a strictly formative purpose. After the first year, all references to peer evaluation refer to summative evaluation.

2. Schedule of Evaluation: Summative peer evaluation will occur in the second year for new faculty, and after that only in the year prior to tenure consideration. After tenure has been granted, a summative peer evaluation will occur every fifth year.

3. To promote consistency in evaluation, annual training will be provided in the Fall (at the Annual Retreat) if possible, to those who are working as peer evaluators in that year and to any other faculty members who wish to attend.

4. Peer Team Make-Up

a. Faculty peer evaluators will be selected through consultation among the faculty member, the designated evaluator, and the potential peer evaluator. Peer teams are approved by the Vice President for Instruction or designee. Someone other than the designated evaluator may serve as the third member of the formative peer team.

b. A peer team will be assembled during the first month of the faculty member's contract period.

c. The peer team will consist of the designated evaluator, one member from the faculty member's department or from a related department, and one member from outside the faculty member's department/division. After tenure has been granted, the peer team may be reduced to the designated evaluator and one other faculty member.

d. The designated evaluator is responsible for contacting potential peer-team members and requesting their participation on the peer team.

e. Department chairs should keep track of peer team assignments within their departments to ensure that assignments are made fairly among department members.

5. Initial Meeting of Peer Team

a. The designated evaluator will call an initial meeting among peer team members and the faculty member to discuss peer team responsibilities and establish deadlines.

b. The faculty member is given the opportunity to share individual goals and requests for feedback from the peer evaluators, and to give peer evaluators the opportunity to ask questions and offer suggestions.

6. Classroom Visitations and Review of Materials

a. The number and nature of classroom visitations should be decided upon by the peer team, the designated evaluator, and the faculty member.

b. Each peer team member and the faculty member should arrange a pre-visitation conference to select class meetings for visitation, to discuss specific learning goals for these classes, as well as to continue the dialogue on the relevant background information introduced at the initial meeting.

c. A post-visitation conference should be held promptly (ideally within 48 hours) between the visiting peer team member and the faculty member to debrief on class observations. Follow up visitations and review of additional course material may be arranged at this point.

d. Peer team members are encouraged to consider classroom materials (syllabi, handouts, assignments, even the faculty member's critiques of student work) in their evaluation.

e. It is important that the peer team serve a mentoring role during the formative evaluation year offering specific, constructive suggestions as well as introducing the faculty member to the procedures and culture of COCC.

7. Final Reports

a. Formative: Individual feedback should be submitted to the faculty member. Peer teams should meet with the faculty member and designated evaluator to discuss their final observations. At that time, possible concerns for future summative evaluation should be raised. No written report will be submitted to the faculty member's personnel file.

b. Summative: Peer evaluators should be prepared to write complete, detailed reports to offer positive feedback, to provide guidance for further growth (perhaps by identifying goals for the development of the faculty member's teaching effectiveness), and to document perceived problems.

8. The "Peer Evaluation Handbook" provides guidelines for Peer Team meetings, classroom peer evaluation, review of classroom materials, and review of unique teaching situations.

C. ADMINISTRATIVE EVALUATION

1. The Vice President for Instruction and/or Instructional Dean will go through the same training and follow the same methodology as the other evaluators. Vice President or Instructional Dean reviews all evaluation documents, and under unusual circumstances may conduct an extraordinary evaluation.

2. The Vice President and/or Instructional Dean will give reports of his or her class visits, generally made in the second year, to the designated evaluator and the faculty member for review, prior to inclusion in the personnel file.

 

D. ANNUAL REPORT OF ACTIVITIES

1. The faculty member has the option of attaching a one-page self-evaluation essay to the annual report, perhaps addressing individual goals achieved during the year, or any weaknesses noted in the file.

2. Such documentation as the faculty member has to support the annual report should be kept by the faculty member until requested by the designated evaluator or the promotion or tenure committees.

3. The faculty member and the designated evaluator should review the Professional Improvement Plan as they review the annual report.

4. The annual report is completed by October 15th.

F. FACULTY RANK see GP Manual G-34-3.1.4