Using Activity Insight to Standardize the
Annual Adjunct Faculty Evaluation Process
Vicky Fennell
AI Administrator & Faculty Records Analyst
Kaplan University
October 2014
Overview
• Why did we need a new annual
process for adjunct faculty
evaluation?
• What is the new process and how
was it developed?
• What does the ongoing use of the
evaluation and follow up look like?
2
Why Did We Need a New Process?
• At KU, faculty performance is evaluated based on the
five criteria found in the Faculty Handbook:
- Substantive Expertise
- Preparation
- Presentation
- Classroom Management
- Cultural/Environmental Contribution
• Even though all faculty are evaluated on the above
criteria, the frequency, and format for doing so has
differed from school to school
- Emails
- SharePoint
- Word documents
- Some bi-annually, some annually, some never, etc.
3
Building the New Process
To meet HLC requirements, the Vice Provost of Kaplan University made the
decision to standardize the process for completing annual reviews for adjunct
faculty.
Pre-change steps:
1. Create a new annual review form that would be used across ALL schools
within KU
- Our Vice Provost worked with several Deans and Chairs to create the form that
made sense but was also aligned with the faculty handbook
2. Get buy-in and approval from all Deans and Assistant Deans
3. Review form with HR and the University Provost
4. Build the form in Activity Insight along with any reporting to go along with
the process
5. Communicate the new process to all Deans, Chairs, and Faculty and
provide training on the new form
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What Is the New Process?
• The Annual Adjunct Evaluation form was built right into
Activity Insight, helping it to increasingly become the
one-stop shop for faculty members’ professional
information.
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The New Evaluation Form
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A Sample Email to Faculty
Dear Barbara,
As you may recall, at Kaplan University we complete a formal, holistic evaluation of each
faculty member’s performance each year. I have had the opportunity to review your
classes and contributions in the past year, and look forward to sharing that feedback with
you. To access the evaluation, go to KU Campus > Quick Links > Activity Insight >
Manage Your Activities > Teaching > Annual Adjunct Faculty Evaluation.
I would like to set up a time to give you a call so we can discuss your many strengths as
well as areas for further concentration. I also want to hear more about your professional
goals and discuss ways in which I can support you in reaching them. I am available during
the following time slots next week. Please let me know a couple times that would work for
you: Monday 1 – 4 pm ET, Wednesday 5 – 8 pm ET, Friday 9 – 11 am ET.
Best regards, and I look forward to our discussion,
Sally
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Associated Reports
Two reports were built to aid this new evaluation
process:
1. Anniversary Report
• Pulls all faculty with a hire date within
the month the Chair pulls the report in
order to determine which of their
faculty need to be evaluated that
month
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2. Evaluation Verification Report
• Pulls list of faculty and shows the date
their evaluation was entered. If no date
is listed, there is no evaluation
entered.
Ongoing Use, Feedback, and Improvement
• New process for adjunct
faculty annual evaluations
was rolled out in March of
this year
• Going smoothly ever since!
• Currently in the process of
surveying Chairs for
feedback
• We are also VERY excited
about the new workflow
function in AI which will
make this entire process
even better!
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Appendix A: The Evaluation Form
Annual Adjunct Faculty Evaluation
Adjunct faculty members are evaluated annually on the basis of five core criteria. No single criterion
predominates; rather, evaluations should reflect their overall attainment of the aspirations expressed in
these criteria. A description and brief examples of each criterion are listed below.
Evaluation Criteria
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Description
Substantive Expertise
Knowledge of subject matter, currency of knowledge, breadth of
topical expertise, commitment to professional development,
contributions to scholarship.
Preparation
Relevancy and efficacy of examples, discussions, and exercises;
responsiveness to student inquiry
Presentation
Energy, attitude, and enthusiasm; engagement of students
Classroom Management
Participation and contribution; time management; completion of the
assigned curriculum
Cultural/Environmental
Contribution
Support for the University’s mission, including participation in retention
efforts and activities related to the achievement of student outcomes;
collegial relations; participation in student support
Appendix A: The Evaluation Form (Cont.)
Calendar Year
Date of Review
,
Overall Evaluation
Overall Performance
Comments
When the evaluation is complete, average the ratings in the 5
areas and round to the closest half point:
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Appendix A: The Evaluation Form (Cont.)
Section 1
Substantive Expertise
Clicking on the
Overall Substantive Expertise Comments
symbol opens the rubric for the item:
1. Performance is below expectations: Faculty demonstrates one or more of the following: poor
or out-of-date subject-matter knowledge, low topical expertise, insufficient professional
development (less than mandated), or scholarship contributions as required by role.
2. Performance meets expectations: Faculty demonstrates a good, current subject-matter
knowledge, breadth of topical expertise, professional development (meets or exceeds annual
requirement), and scholarship contributions as required by role.
Performance exceeds expectations: Faculty demonstrates most of the following: a strong, current
subject-matter knowledge, excellent breadth of topical expertise, strong professional development
(exceeds annual requirement), and scholarship contributions that may exceed those required by role.
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Appendix A: The Evaluation Form (Cont.)
Section 2
Preparation
Clicking on the
Overall Preparation Comments
symbol opens the rubric for the item:
1. Performance is below expectations: Faculty demonstrates one or more of the following:
failure to provide relevant and effective examples regularly; poor preparation for seminars,
discussions and other class activities; frequent lack of responsiveness to student inquiries.
2. Performance meets expectations: Faculty provides relevant and effective examples;
demonstrates preparation for seminars, discussions and other class activities; and responds to
student inquiries in a timely manner.
3. Performance exceeds expectations: Faculty demonstrates most of the following: provides
personally and professionally relevant and highly effective examples; demonstrates a high
level of preparation for seminars, discussions and other class activities; and responds to
student inquiries quickly.
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Appendix A: The Evaluation Form (Cont.)
Section 3
Presentation
Clicking on the
Overall Presentation Comments
symbol opens the rubric for the item:
1. Performance is below expectations: Faculty demonstrates a pattern of negativity or
discouragement. Communication tone is often abrupt, cold, or disengaging.
2. Performance meets expectations: Faculty is energetic and enthusiastic and engages students
well.
3. Performance exceeds expectations: Faculty is highly energetic and enthusiastic and engages
students exceptionally well.
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Appendix A: The Evaluation Form (Cont.)
Section 4
Classroom Management
Clicking on the
Overall Classroom Management Comments
symbol opens the rubric for the item:
1. Performance is below expectations: Faculty demonstrates one or more of the following:
Seminar does not allow opportunities for interaction, is unfocused, and off topic; discussion
facilitation is infrequent, irrelevant, or impersonal; grading feedback lacks a positive
component, does not set goals for future assignments, lacks effective examples, does not
provide explanation of how the grade was derived, or is posted after the deadline.
2. Performance meets expectations: Seminar is interactive, focused, clear and easy to follow;
discussion facilitation is frequent, relevant, and personalized; grading feedback has a positive
component, goals are set for future assignments, effective examples are provided, the rubric
in included with the explanation of the grade's derivation, feedback submitted on-time.
3. Performance exceeds expectations: Faculty demonstrates most of the following: Seminar is
highly interactive, very well-focused, clear and easy to follow; discussion facilitation is
frequent, highly relevant, personal, and requires students to expand their knowledge and
make additional connections; grading feedback has a positive component, goals are set for
future assignments, effective examples are provided, explicit reference to the rubric in
included with the explanation of the grade's derivation, feedback submitted early.
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Appendix A: The Evaluation Form (Cont.)
Section 5
Cultural/Environmental Contribution
Clicking on the
Overall Cultural/Environmental Contribution Comments
symbol opens the rubric for the item:
1. Performance is below expectations: Faculty demonstrates one or more of the
following: Little attempt to create good relationship with students, little student
outreach, rarely works with education advisors to support student learning, not
responsive to administration and fellow faculty, not present or active in
department, school or institutional meetings.
2. Performance meets expectations: Strives to create good relationship with
students, provides student outreach, works with education advisors to support
student learning, responsive to administration and fellow faculty, and typically
present and active in department, school or institutional meetings.
3. Performance exceeds expectations: Strives to create strong and ongoing
relationship with students, provides extensive student outreach, seeks
opportunities to work with education advisors to support student learning, very
responsive to administration and fellow faculty, volunteers for special projects,
and regularly present and active in department, school or institutional meetings.
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Appendix A: The Evaluation Form (Cont.)
Please provide any comments you may
have regarding your annual
performance appraisal
I acknowledge I have received and
reviewed this evaluation.
Date Reviewed
17
,