Official

Policy and Procedure Statement 8.01 Development/Evaluation of
Revised: 04/07 Tenure-Track Faculty
Review Cycle: May 1, ENY (19 paragraphs)
Review Date: 5/1/2010
Reviewer: AVPAA

           

           

 

PURPOSE

  1. The years preceding a tenure-track faculty member’s receipt of tenure constitute a probationary period. During this period, the faculty member's performance is carefully assessed. The purpose of this policy and procedure statement is to outline the review process that is used in this assessment. Departments and schools are encouraged to develop supplementary policy and procedure statements consistent with this statement to provide more specific guidance about expectations of particular areas.


GENERAL INFORMATION

  1. The following outline describes the procedure and criteria for evaluation and reappointment of full-time, probationary faculty.   The model described below is based on a typical full six-year tenure-track period. Formative reviews are conducted in all years, and summative reviews are required in at least the third and sixth years but encouraged annually.

 

3. During each fall semester the department chair should meet with each tenure-track faculty member to discuss relevant policy and procedure statements to explain departmental, college and university expectations, and to make available information regarding requirements that tenure-track faculty must fulfill in order to qualify for annual reappointment and, ultimately for tenure. PPS 4.02 through (4.03, 4.04) 4.05 may serve as useful guides for chairs and tenure-track faculty members. In each review, the chair should communicate any serious concerns about the tenure-track faculty member's performance and note that failure to improve might jeopardize continuing employment in the university, tenure and promotion.

 

 

FIRST-YEAR FACULTY EXPECTATIONS

  1. In the first contract year, effectiveness in the classroom (mastery of the subject matter, the ability to communicate with students, the ability to create a classroom environment conducive to learning, etc.) is crucial to successful progress toward tenure. The chair and experienced faculty are responsible for ensuring that tenure-track faculty members receive as much guidance as may be necessary.
  2. The chair or assigned mentors and Departmental Personnel Committee should observe the first-year tenure-track faculty member's performance in the classroom at least three times during the academic year to assess his/her strengths and weaknesses as a teacher, giving particular attention to classroom environment, and interaction between teacher and students.
  3. An equally important objective for a beginning tenure-track faculty member is to initiate scholarly and professional contributions such as articles in refereed journals, books, grants, conference presentations and creative works.
  4. Since the first-year tenure-track faculty member's priorities are excellence in teaching and the development of a scholarly/creative program, he/she should not be expected to devote substantial time and energy to community engagement, professional and university service.


SECOND-YEAR FACULTY EXPECTATIONS

  1. In the second-year, tenure-track faculty members should follow the first-year guidelines. In addition to their teaching and research responsibilities, tenure-track faculty members may undertake some limited and targeted service. The Chair and experienced faculty mentors should monitor the second-year faculty member's progress through informal dialogue and at least one classroom visitation.  Student evaluations should be one of the primary factors in the Departmental Personnel Committee's evaluation.


THIRD-YEAR REVIEW

9.      During the third-year, the regular, annual formative review is complemented with a summative review. The summative review is designed to assess the tenure-track faculty member's cumulative record as a teacher and scholar and to determine whether or not he/she has met institutional expectations. During the third-year, the chair should consult with tenure-track faculty members regarding their past and present performances. The conference will provide an opportunity for the chair to identify the teacher's/scholar's strengths and to suggest ways to overcome any major weaknesses. The reappointment decisions should be based largely upon the faculty member's ability and willingness to:

a.      Stimulate students' intellectual curiosity and communicate effectively with students in lectures, studio situations, and conferences.

b.      Provide current student evaluations showing evidence of high quality teaching along with evidence of students' achievements as revealed by outstanding research projects, noteworthy creative endeavors, awards, honors, etc., as appropriate.

c.      Maintain harmonious working relationships with colleagues.

d.      Provide lists or samples of major research projects, books or published monographs (if any), published articles, major works, performances, productions, exhibits, external and internal funding activity, and other activities, and peer review of scholarly/creative activity as dictated by departmental and school policy.

e.      Provide materials showing evidence of the targeted service achievement.

 

The Departmental Personnel Committee's recommendation to renew, not to renew, or terminate a tenure-track faculty member's contract should be formed by evidence that directly reflects on the faculty member’s satisfactory progress toward meeting criteria for tenure and promotion at this stage of the probationary period, including evaluation of teaching and scholarly/creative activity and service.  After reviewing the Departmental Personnel Committee's recommendation on each faculty member undergoing third year review, the Chair will forward that recommendation along with the Chair's recommendation to the College Dean. The packet submitted by the Chair may include copies of evaluative letters from any faculty members, copies of letters from the Chair to the faculty member regarding the results of the department's annual reviews and third-year review, and other appropriate materials regarding the faculty member's performance.

The College Dean will review the recommendations of the Departmental Personnel Committee and will make a recommendation to renew, not to renew, or to terminate a tenure-track faculty member's contract. After reviewing the recommendation on each faculty member undergoing third-year review, the Dean will forward that recommendation along with the Dean's recommendation to the Provost. The College Dean's recommendation should indicate what material was reviewed by the Dean and should include copies of letters from the Chair and the Dean to the faculty member regarding the results of the departments and college's annual reviews and third-year review.

An unsatisfactory third-year review normally leads to termination of employment.

FOURTH- AND FIFTH-YEAR REVIEWS

10. In the fourth contract year, successful faculty must demonstrate sustained growth and development in research and scholarly/creative record, successful teaching and service. Those with truly exemplary and stellar research and teaching records may prepare documents for promotion and tenure review in the fifth year.

11. In the fifth-year, the chair and Departmental Personnel Committee should assess the faculty member's progress and development in the key areas previously identified (teaching/advising, scholarly/creative activity, and service) with a continuing emphasis on excellence. The chair must advise tenure-track faculty members about assembling of documents required for the upcoming mandatory tenure deliberations.


SIXTH-YEAR REVIEW

12. In the sixth contract year, tenure-track faculty members must document their development and maintenance of excellence in teaching and research, and scholarly/creative endeavors and services.  In preparation for the tenure review, tenure-track faculty members should assemble the documenting material required in PPS 8.10 including

    1. All student evaluations (including current ones).                               
    2. Peer review by colleagues in the probationer's department, college, University as well as outside the University, as dictated by departmental and college policy.
    3. Bibliography of publications, and a list or samples of research projects, and scholarly/creative work in progress, as dictated by departmental and college policy.

 

13. Further information about the tenure review process may be found in PPS 8.10, Chapter V, Regents Rules and Regulations, Sections 4.2 and 4.7, plus a review of the paragraph on academic tenure, in the Faculty Handbook.


WRITTEN FEEDBACK FOR TENURE-TRACK FACULTY

14. In each year of the probationary period, the chair will provide a written performance review to all faculty members on tenure track. This annual review should be made available to tenure-track faculty members prior to the notification deadline for reappointment (copies to the appropriate Dean and the Provost).


DEADLINES AND REPORTING PROCEDURES

15. The deadlines and reporting procedures related to the policies outlined above are listed in the attached calendar (Attachment A) and the attached form (Attachment B).

 

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

16. This PPS has been approved by the reviewer listed below and represents Texas State's Division of Academic Affairs policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Review Cycle: ___________________    Review Date: ____________________

Reviewer: ______________________    Date: __________________________

Approved: ______________________    Date: ___________________________

           

Perry Moore

            Provost and Vice President

            for Academic Affairs

 

 

 

Texas State University-San Marcos
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Last Updated: April 10, 2007
Send comments and questions to: tg12@txstate.edu