Probationary faculty in tenure track positions will be reviewed by both the department head and the PAC during their first evaluation cycle.
At
the end of the third year, midway through the probationary period, the
department head and PAC will initiate a more extensive review.
(Timing of the review for faculty coming to the university with a
shorter than usual probationary period will be negotiated with the faculty
member at the time of the initial appointment.)
The purpose of this review will be to consider the accomplishments of
the faculty member, to assess the progress toward tenure, and to identify all
areas of concern that should be addressed in order to attain a level of
performance which will result in a positive tenure recommendation from the
department.
The
department head will request a self-evaluation from the faculty member, as
well as a brief outline from the faculty member regarding professional plans
for the next three years in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service.
The faculty member will also provide support materials which should
include publications and other documentation of
professional activity, appropriate materials relating to teaching (such
as sample exams, assignments, etc.) and teaching
evaluations. Other
materials, such as support letters from collaborators, may be
included at the faculty member’s discretion.
The
department head will assemble the above materials, along with copies of annual
evaluations and faculty activity documents, and submit these to the PAC.
The PAC chair is responsible
for arranging for one or more PAC members to visit classes prior to the
review, and reports from these visits will be included in the evaluation
materials. Following review of
the materials by PAC members, the chair of the PAC will call a meeting with
the department head in which the materials will be discussed.
The department head will write a summary of this discussion, and submit
it to the PAC for an approval vote. The
PAC will either approve the report, or make recommendations for revisions,
which the department head and PAC
will then negotiate. In the event
that it is impossible to reach agreement, the department head and PAC will
each complete a report.
The
report will be submitted to the faculty member.
The faculty member will then accept the report or meet with the
department head and PAC chair (or the entire PAC, if appropriate)
to discuss changes in the report’s recommendations.
A copy of the final report will be submitted to the dean of the
college.