Faculty Personnel Policy
Draft Agenda for Unit Personnel Meeting
Candidate Name:
Davia Downey
Personnel Action (check all that apply):
Unit: SPNHA
Meeting Information:
__X_ Contract Renewal
Date: February 5
_____ Tenure
Time: 10:15–11:50AM
_____ Promotion
Location: 303C DeVos
1. General review of applicable criteria (over)
2. Criteria for Personnel Action:
a. Effective Teaching
Achievements
Questions, issues, concerns
b. Scholarly/Creative Activity (or Achievement - Librarians)
Achievements
Questions, issues, concerns
c. Service to Unit, College/Library, University, the Profession, Community
Achievements
Questions, issues, concerns
Suggestions for revisions to final agenda due to Unit Head by: 5PM, January 29
UNIVERSITY STANDARDS
Renewal of Probationary Appointments. Appointment renewals for regular faculty on probationary
appointments normally will be for a period of three (3) years. A renewal for less than three years may be
recommended if:
A. The three (3) or two (2) year period extends beyond the regular faculty member's total
probationary period;
B. The College's Personnel Committee recommends a one (1) or two (2) year renewal and the
recommendation is accepted by the Dean;
C. The Dean recommends a one (1) or two (2) year contract and gives the College's Personnel
Committee the reasons for such action;
D. The regular faculty member does not have the accepted terminal degree in the discipline.
A. Effective Teaching. Effective teaching facilitates student learning and includes, but is not limited to,
knowledge of the field taught, classroom and mentoring performance, and communication and human
relations skills. Faculty members teach effectively by challenging and engaging students, by supporting
their academic and professional growth, and by establishing and maintaining high academic standards.
They address in their courses relevant knowledge together with intellectual and practical skills pertinent
to the discipline or profession. They use appropriate pedagogies and relevant assessments of student
learning. They contribute to revising or developing courses and curricula as needed by their units.
Effective teaching must be documented by: a) self-evaluation, b) peer evaluation, and c) student
evaluations.
B. Scholarly/Creative Activity. This includes, but is not limited to, professional research, creative
activities, scholarly writing, editorial boards, scholarly presentations at conferences, participation in
professional activities, degrees and continued education, and holding official positions in professional
organizations when the position has scholarly outcomes.
C. Service to Unit, College, University, the Profession, and the Community. A faculty workload includes
service to the unit, College, and University, as well as to the community/profession. Unit, college and
university service includes, but is not limited to, participation in university governance, unit, college and
university committees, curriculum development, serve as an advisor to student organizations, and carry
out special assignments. Community service and service to the profession involves the engagement of a
faculty member's professional expertise. Community service includes, but is not limited to, engaging in
community outreach, acting as a board member in a community based organization, participating in
public service programs, and work as a pro bono consultant on community projects when representing
the University. Service to the profession includes leadership or committee roles in professional
organizations. Each unit will determine the types of community/professional service most appropriate
to its specific mission and program objectives. It is the responsibility of each faculty member to describe
the nature of the service and the time commitment involved.
SPNHA STANDARDS
Teaching: At GVSU, teaching is the most important aspect of your evaluation as a faculty member. An
excellent teacher is one who is able to apply appropriate teaching methods and technologies to a topic
area and successfully engage students in the learning enterprise. All faculty members should strive for
excellence in teaching, which means that both students and colleagues recognize that your teaching
methods and course content are effective, innovative, and up-to-date or even at the cutting edge of
your field. Student advising is an aspect of this dimension of faculty performance. Effective advising
entails keeping regular office hours, staying well informed of the curricula and university requirements,
and helping students select courses that fit their interests and career goals.
Criteria of effective teaching include, but are not limited to:
 Knowledge of the field taught
 Classroom performance (e.g. clarity, pacing, breadth and depth of coverage)
 Communication skills
 Evaluation skills
 Course development
 Performance as an academic advisor
Faculty members should maintain a careful, complete, and consistent record of their course design,
activities, and methods. The ability to articulate one’s teaching methods is critical to faculty evaluation
(see section below on candidate portfolio).
Scholarship. Scholarship is an integral part of the mission of the School of Public, Nonprofit, and Health
Administration (SPNHA) at GVSU. SPNHA faculty members demonstrate their professional development
by contributing scholarly articles, books, and reports to the peer reviewed academic literature in their
fields of expertise, and to organizations that serve the public. Examples and types of scholarship
include, but are not limited to:
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Original research (creation of knowledge)
Integration of knowledge (synthesis and reorganization). Review articles and books, metaanalyses, and well-crafted texts that bring diverse findings together, including theoretical
analyses, surveys, analyses of archival data, outcome research, qualitative and case studies
Application of knowledge (e.g. research reports, program audits, program evaluation)
Scholarship of pedagogy and teaching in public affairs and administration.
While the form of scholarly work may vary, all scholarship will be evaluated using the same framework.
To qualify as scholarship, the critical elements of scholarship outlined above will be considered. For
purposes of determining professional achievement and excellence, work must reflect a high level of
expertise through substantive content and contribution to the field beyond those involved in other
faculty duties (e.g. teaching and service). In order to reach this determination, the work should involve
a product that is peer reviewed by qualified professionals using the following criteria:
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Theoretical conceptualizations conveyed by the work
Methodological considerations reflected in the work
Appropriateness of analytical methods used and conclusions reached
Implications for professional practice
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Ethical considerations and professional integrity.
Community Service. Serving the community is an important part of the career of faculty members in
SPHNA. The expertise developed in scholarship and teaching ought to be made available to the
organizations that provide services to the public. Faculty members do this by serving on boards of
directors, by consulting, by participating in public forums and speaking to organizations on current
affairs, providing interviews with the media, writing columns in local newspapers, etc. Faculty must
demonstrate that their community service is related to or flows from their academic expertise and
interests. Community can also include one’s professional community, and activities such as reviewing
journal articles, serving on conference program committees, moderating panels at professional
conferences, etc., are among examples of service to one’s professional community.
Unit and University Service. Service to the unit and university involves curricular development for SPNA,
course development for general education, proposal writing, and serving on unit, divisional, and
university-wide committees. Examples include:
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Committee assignments
Curricular development
Special unit assignments
Writing letters of recommendation
Mentoring colleagues
Enhancing public relations