Faculty Evaluation

This resource is meant to serve as an accompaniment, not a replacement, for policies and procedures outlined under “Faculty Evaluation” in the faculty handbook. Faculty, especially new faculty, are encouraged to consult their department handbooks, Department Evaluation Committee, department chair, and mentors for assistance in the evaluation process.

The teaching of FTNTT faculty members is evaluated using the same procedures applied to tenured and tenure-track faculty members. FTNTT faculty members may request a formal evaluation in all three performance categories - teaching, professional development, and service - using the same procedures applied to tenured and tenure-track faculty members.

A complete timeline of the evaluation cycle is available in the Faculty Handbook.

Overview of Full-Time Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty Evaluation

The Evaluation Cycle begins on January 1st and ends on December 31st. For newly hired faculty, the first evaluation cycle will begin on date of hire and end December 31st. On or before February 1st following an evaluation cycle, full time tenure-track faculty submit a yearly Complete Evaluation. Faculty members are evaluated according to three categories:

  • Teaching and Advising
  • Professional Development and Achievement
  • Service

Weights for each category are derived from the faculty workload guidelines established by the University System of Maryland. The Office of Assessment and Institutional Research (AIR) provides the spreadsheet that automatically assigns weights to each of the three categories of evaluation. Weights are determined within the range established by USM to result in the best possible Overall Rating for the faculty member.

Preparing your evaluation materials

The Dean’s Office strongly encourages new faculty to reach out to their department or college mentors for assistance in the evaluation process. Past mentors have been available to answer questions about the process and share examples of evaluation materials. Additionally, new faculty should consult their Department Chair and/or Department Handbook for additional instructions and expectations from their Department Evaluation Committee (DEC) and/or Department Chair, including Departmental Evaluation Guidelines. Faculty are responsible for providing information and materials needed for the DEC and/or Chair to carry out their respective rating responsibilities.

After the end of the evaluation period, on or before February 1st, full-time tenure-track faculty are expected to submit a Complete Evaluation to the DEC and/or Department Chair. Each department has their own expectations for your submission. The Complete Evaluation consists of the following at minimum:

  • Self-statement
  • Student responses
  • Teaching materials
  • Documentation of professional development and achievement
  • Documentation of service

Self-statement

The evaluation self-statement should follow Departmental Evaluation Guidelines. The statement should provide a summary of accomplishments during the evaluation cycle in all three major roles: teaching and advising, professional development and achievement, and service. The statement provides the opportunity for faculty to reflect on their performance and provides the DEC with additional context for evaluating the accompanying materials.

Student responses

Students will rate faculty members using the common online Student Evaluation of Instruction survey instrument. The survey is made available to students two weeks prior to the last day of classes and closes at 11:00 p.m. the last day of class. Faculty are encouraged to increase response rate through one or more of the following methods:

  • Setting aside class time when the instructor will not be present for students to complete the evaluation on their electronic devices;
  • Communicating the value of the student evaluation of instruction (e.g. by providing examples of how student feedback is used to improve instruction);
  • Periodically encouraging and reminding students to complete the surveys; and/or
  • Providing information to students about completion rates for course sections.

Teaching Materials, Documentation of Professional Development and Achievement, Documentation of Service

Acceptable materials to demonstrate achievement in each category will vary for individuals and departments. Faculty are strongly encouraged to consult their Department Evaluation Guidelines, Department Chairs, and mentors when collecting materials for evaluation. Additionally, examples can be found in the “Description of Faculty Role Model” in the “Faculty Evaluation” section of the Faculty Handbook.

Overview of Evaluation Procedure

Evaluation materials move through several levels of approval. Each department has determined the arrangements for evaluation by the DEC and/or Chair.

  1. Department Evaluation Committee (DEC) and/or Department Chair
    • Reviews evaluation materials
    • Prepares brief written justification supporting each element rating
    • Prepare a written assessment of the faculty member’s work as an academic advisor for the year
    • Prepare a written assessment of the professional behavior of the faculty member
    • Respond in writing to any written rebuttals submitted by individual faculty members
    • Forward completed DEC Faculty Evaluation Report to the Department Chair
  2. Department Chair

In addition to the responsibilities as a departmentally determined evaluator, the Department Chair:  

  • Forwards the DEC Faculty Evaluation Report and/or the Department Chair Faculty Evaluation Report for each faculty member to the Dean, with a copy to the faculty member. Also, complete and submit the Department Faculty Evaluation Summary to the Dean and to Information Services
  • Communicates the results of the departmental evaluation process to each faculty member, preferably in a face-to-face interview and assist the faculty member in development in needed areas
  1. Dean
    • Reviews ratings and rating justifications for each full-time faculty member;
    • Considers written rebuttals from individual faculty members regarding their Faculty Evaluation Report. The Dean should notify the faculty member of the status of their written rebuttal by April 7th, with a copy to the DEC and/or Chair
    • Forwards their endorsement of the department recommendation for merit level on each faculty member to the Provost; or should the Dean not concur with the Departmental recommendation for merit level, or should a faculty member challenge the evaluation of the Department Evaluation Committee and/or the Chair, or if the Dean’s overall rating is different from the department rating, the Dean will forward their rating recommendation and the departmental rating recommendation to the Provost, with a copy to the faculty member and the DEC/Department Chair.
  2. Provost
    • Receives and reviews the recommendations from the Department and Dean
    • Considers written rebuttals from individual faculty members regarding the Dean’s merit recommendations. The Provost should notify the faculty member of the status of their written rebuttal by May 1, with a copy to the DEC/Chair and Dean

Submitting a rebuttal

Written rebuttals to evaluations may be submitted at any phase in the evaluation process. The nature of the rebuttal and, therefore, the content of the written rebuttal will vary. Faculty are encouraged to consult the faculty handbook and initiate the rebuttal process with their department chair.

 

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