3.7.2

The institution regularly evaluates the effectiveness of each faculty member in accord with published criteria, regardless of contractual or tenured status. (Faculty evaluation)

Compliance Judgment

X      In compliance     Partially compliant     Non-compliant

Narrative

To encourage the faculty to maintain a high standard of excellence in teaching, scholarly activity, and service, Francis Marion has established and published a formal, annual performance review of all faculty members.

The performance review consists of three parts: (1) a self-review in the form of the faculty member’s annual report, (2) annual summary data provided by the Student Rating Form, and (3) an annual faculty review and evaluation by each faculty member’s department chair or school dean [1].

Copies of performance evaluation forms are provided for review. The attached forms include the Annual Report of Faculty Member Form [2], Student Rating Form [3], and Annual Faculty Review and Evaluation Form [4].

Annual Review

The guidelines and individual components that govern the annual faculty performance review system used to improve teaching and scholarly activity are published in the Faculty Handbook 2016 [5]. Chairs and deans receive further instructions on the Annual Faculty Review and Evaluation Form that “the individual faculty member should be assessed with respect to teaching, scholarly activities, and professional service” [6].

The following samples of actual evaluations with names redacted are attached: Redacted Annual Report of Faculty Member [7] and Redacted Annual Faculty Review and Evaluation [8]. University-wide results from Students’ Evaluation of Courses: Summer 2014-Spring 2016 are also provided [9].

To complete the annual performance review, chairs and deans consult the self-review of the faculty member, but also a number of other sources, including day-to-day observations, review of course syllabi, formal and informal student evaluations, review of student performance, and classroom visitation(s) [10]. Faculty retain copies of their self-review, student ratings, and evaluation. They use these materials for the purpose of reflecting on and improving performance and must include them in their dossiers submitted to a university-wide committee for tenure and promotion consideration [11].

Evaluation of Part-Time Faculty

Deans or department chairs have the responsibility of evaluating part-time faculty. Since part-time faculty members are employed on a semester-by-semester basis [12], they do not undergo the same annual performance review as full-time faculty, which include activities of service and scholarship, but are evaluated by deans and/or chairs based on classroom observations and student ratings [13]. Students rate instruction in every class taught by part-time faculty, and this data is reported to deans and/or chairs. Contracts for part-time employment are issued based on the evaluation by the deans and/or chairs.

Documentation

  1. Faculty Handbook 2016-2017, Preamble, p. 11
  2. Annual Report of Faculty Member Form
  3. Student Rating Form
  4. Annual Faculty Review and Evaluation Form
  5. Faculty Handbook 2016-2017, Faculty Performance Review System, p. 11-16
  6. Annual Faculty Review and Evaluation Form, p. 1
  7. Redacted Annual Report of Faculty Member
  8. Redacted Annual Faculty Review and Evaluation
  9. Students’ Evaluation of Courses Spring 2014 – Spring 2016
  10. Redacted Annual Faculty Review and Evaluation, p. 3
  11. Faculty Handbook 2016-2017, Procedure for Continuous Tenure, p. 22
  12. Faculty Handbook, 2016-2017, Part-time Faculty, p. 4
  13. Psychology Part Time Evaluation Faculty Sample