WISDOM OF PRACTICE IN FACULTY EVALUATION

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WISDOM OF PRACTICE IN FACULTY EVALUATION

• Dr. David L. Carr
• Provost and Executive Vice President
• Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

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Reviewing Faculty in the RPT Reflections on
Policy, Procedures, and Techniques
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Wisdom Of Practice

• Mix of specific evaluation contexts with
  experience
• Specific techniques that are effective and where
  possible, understanding of under what conditions
  they are effective
• Best Practices that transcend institutional or
  system contexts
• Ways of saying yes, ways of saying no

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My Initiation

• The case of the promising faculty member

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Beginning

• Conveying the job offer
• The contract and/or expectations
• Sharing expectations with others

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Working with New Faculty

• Clarity of responsibilities
• Clarity in the evaluation system where do new
  faculty get their information?
• The critical nature of alignment
• Ensuring that resources are available
• We often do cohort-based education, but miss the
  opportunities to build and use new faculty cohorts

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Your Evaluation Practices

• Every Institution is different
• Collective bargaining, state mandated practices
  are powerful contexts
• What is the culture of evaluation?
• What is the history of faculty evaluation?
• What is the role of the Provost/VPAA?
• How do you work with other evaluators?

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Bring Relevant Information Together in One Place

• Original advertisement
• Employment contract or other documents outlining
  individual responsibilities
• All past letters of review/recommendations
• Formal written expectations for reappointment,
  promotion, tenure
• Vitae used for hiring or last personnel action
  (sometimes useful)

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Function Follows Form

• Standardizing the presentation of information
• Does everyone in the evaluation process have
  access to the same information?
• How are evaluators informed of recommendations
  from prior evaluations?

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Structure the Pattern of Information

• Information is most useful when it reveals a
  pattern
• Rather than leaving the evaluation file in a
  chronological or other form, structure it to
  highlight patterns
• The pattern reveals trends, identifies areas
  needing closer examination
• The pattern can help you focus your evaluative
  comments

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A Teaching Example
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Scholarship

• Standard form for vitae
• Clear delineation of distinctions between
  different types of scholarly or creative activity
• How do you handle pending?
• Array information in a manner consistent with
  your institutions standards

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Scholarship (continued)

• How do you handle foreign language publications?
• Is the faculty member doing their scholarly or
  creative work in those areas specified at the
  time of hiring or goal setting processes
• Look for the patterns
• Only local or regional presentations?
• Refereed or juried/reviewed activities

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Scholarship (continued)

• Comments from external reviewers
• Continuity of contribution
• Grants or contract research

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Service

• Definitions of what counts/expectations vary
  widely
• Paid activities are not service
• Document impact

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High Significance Work

• You will have to adapt ideas and principles to
  your local situation
• This is one of the most important contributions
  we make to the future of the institution
• Good luck!