XXIX. Evaluation of faculty teaching

A. Student Evaluation of Teaching

Each appropriate unit of the faculty shall make provisions for student evaluation of faculty teaching through the use of a standard evaluation form established by the University.  The unit may also include a form which has been developed for the specific use of that unit.  The results of the evaluations shall be made available to the individual, to the unit committee(s) charged with making personnel decisions (to include, but not limited to, renewal, tenure, promotions, and salary adjustments), and to the chair and other appropriate administrative officers for the purpose of assessing the individual’s teaching performance and for the purpose of program review. However, data from student evaluations will not be the only basis for comparisons between units.  The anonymity of the students shall be preserved.

A joint committee composed of three members appointed by the Association and three members appointed by the University shall serve as an advisory board to the Provost in the development and use of standard forms and other instruments for student evaluation of teaching.  The committee shall also consider requests for waivers from the use of the standard instrument, or proposals for alterations in the standard instrument.  Each appointing entity should appoint, among its appointees, some person having expertise in evaluation.

If the committee makes recommendations to the Provost that s/he is not prepared to implement, s/he will first discuss these differences with the committee.  If there is not a satisfactory resolution to the differences, the current standard form shall remain in use.

B. Teaching Portfolios

Each school, college, or equivalent unit shall adopt a policy for the creation of teaching portfolios for faculty.  These policies shall accurately and adequately reflect the nature of teaching in the school, college, or equivalent unit’s discipline(s).

Each school, college, or equivalent unit portfolio policy must receive the approval of the dean/director of the school/college, or equivalent unit prior to implementation.

Faculty may submit evidence of teaching excellence which has not been specifically listed under the portfolio policies.

No later than February 15 of a given year the President or his/her designee may request that a unit review its portfolio policy statement, and by no later than March 31 of that year the unit shall either reaffirm its current portfolio policy statement or submit a revised statement.  The reaffirmed or revised statement must receive the approval of the dean/director of the school, college, or equivalent unit prior to implementation.  If the dean/director and unit are unable to agree upon a portfolio policy statement, the President or his/her designee shall appoint a committee of faculty, using the procedures described in Article XXX, which shall advise the dean/director on the matter by September 15.  The dean/director shall then develop the statement by September 30.  Such a statement shall be in effect for the following academic year.  The previous portfolio statement shall remain in effect prior to formal implementation of the newly developed portfolio statement.

The portfolio policies of units should address relevant dimensions of teaching, such as evidence of student learning.  The teaching portfolio must include numerical SET scores for the three global questions and may include student comments, peer reviews, and other testimonials; innovations and instructional techniques such as syllabi and methods of learning assessment; student research, publications, and professional achievements under faculty direction.  The portfolio must not exceed 20 pages in length. Faculty teaching portfolios will be used only for tenure and promotion evaluations.