Summarized by James T. P. Yao, 7/23/99

"Some Basic Principles:

• The committee must be sensitive to the disciplinary perspective of its members. … Remember, too, that there is no single determinant of what constitutes quality professional and disciplinary work or scholarship. …
• … techniques do exist. The problem of evaluating teaching effectiveness is one of time and resources. In the past, individuals and institutions have been unwilling to devote the resources and energy necessary for such an evaluation. Until an appropriate level of energy is devoted to the task, teaching will never be given the weight it deserves in the faculty evaluation process.
• The better the information the candidate receives as he or she prepares for review, the easier the process will be for both the candidate and the committee. … Publications, for example, can be reviewed in many ways. Will they simply be counted using some formula for weighing, or will a small number be reviewed against a specific set of standards? How will the quality of teaching or advising be determined, and how will the quality and significance of other professional activities be measured? Is there a set formula for the importance of specific functions, or will these be determined on an individual basis according to assignment and documentation? Is there a particular approach for determining weight of the activities?

The very act of developing these guidelines will help to focus and clarify the evaluation process."

"Important Considerations

• Existing policies and statements relating to promotion and tenure …
• The priorities of the institution …
• The priorities of the academic unit …
• The differences among the disciplines …
• The time in a faculty member’s career when the review is taking place …
• New and developing disciplines …
• Interdisciplinary or collaborative work …
• Special assignments …"

"Documenting and Assessing Faculty Work

1. Working with students in many different settings and using many different methods for:

• Teaching undergraduates and graduates
• Advising pre-freshmen to post-doctoral fellows

2. Citizenship:

• Serving on departmental, school, or institutional committees
• Assuming leadership roles within the institution and in professional organizations
• Representing the institution on external committees, task forces, commissions, etc.

3. Scholarship activity involving:

• Research that leads to the production of intellectual and/or creative works
• Writing for publication, presentation, or performance

4. Professional service through the application of:

• Disciplinary expertise to assist the institution, citizen groups, government agencies, business, industry."

"Documenting Teaching Effectiveness

1. Which characteristics will be evaluated?

• Good organization of subject matter and course
• Effective communication
• Knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject matter and teaching
• Positive attitude toward students
• Fairness in assessment and grading
• Flexibility in approaches to teaching
• Appropriate student learning outcomes

1. How will data be collected?

• Self-assessment/report
• Classroom observations
• Structured interview
• Instructional rating survey
• Test or appraisal of student achievement
• Content analysis of instructional materials
• Review of classroom records

1. Who will do the evaluation?

• Self
• Students
• Faculty
• Dean or department chair
• Alumni
• Other appropriate administrators"

"Documenting Advising Effectiveness

(selected items from the ACT survey of academic advising)

• Allows sufficient time to discuss issues or problems.
• Is willing to discuss personal problems.
• Anticipates my needs.
• Helps me select courses that match my interests and abilities.
• Helps me to examine my needs, interests, and values.
• Is familiar with my academic background.
• Encourages me to talk about myself and my college expectations.
• Encourages my interest in an academic discipline.
• Encourages my involvement in extracurricular activities.
• Helps me explore careers in my field of interest.
• Is knowledgeable about courses outside my major area of study.
• Seems to enjoy advising.
• Is approachable and easy to talk to.
• Shows concern for my personal growth and development.
• Keeps personal information confidential.
• Is flexible in helping me plan my academic program.
• Has a sense of humor.
• Is a helpful, effective advisor whom I would recommend to other students."

"The Basic Features of Scholarly and Professional Work

1. The activity requires a high level of discipline-related expertise.
2. The activity breaks new ground, is innovative.
3. The activity can be replicated or elaborated.
4. The work and its results can be documented.
5. The work and its results can be peer-reviewed.
6. The activity has significance or impact."

"The Faculty Essay

• A description of issues from the faculty member’s perspective
• Rationale for choices the faculty member made
• The extent to which the candidate’s expectations were met
• Circumstances that promoted or inhibited success
• The significance of this work as an intellectual contribution, from the faculty member’s perspective"

"Sources of Documentation (Some Examples)

1. Establishing Quality

• Expert testimony (formal reviews, juries, and solicited testimony)
• Faculty essay (describing the process that was followed, the rationale behind the decisions that were made, and the quality of the products)
• Formal reports and studies
• Publication, display, or presentation (video based)

2. Establishing Significance

• Faculty essay (explaining why the work is important, to whom, and for what purposes)
• External reviews focusing on the significance and usefulness of the activity or product
• Impact on the intended audience

• size and scope
• documentation (changes in learning, attitudes, performance)

• Relation to the mission statement of the institution/department
• Documentation of individual assignment (what is the department requiring of the faculty member?)
• Disciplinary statement reinforcing type of work involved"

[The purpose of these summary notes is to encourage you to read the original paper, if you become interested in this topic. The paper has more details than that can be summarized herein. For other summary notes, see http://lohman.tamu.edu under the heading "Summaries of Papers on Faculty Reward Systems."]

Return to the Lohman homepage