Policies and Procedures Manual
Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography
Last Revised – Spring 2012
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Table of Contents
I. MISSION STATEMENT .................................................................................................................... 3 II. DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (ADOPTED 10/11/2000) ....................................... 3 III. DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE ......................................................................................................... 5 A. DEPARTMENT COMMITTEES (REVISED 2/19/2010) ............................................................................. 5 IV. ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS AND DUTIES ........................................................................... 7 A. SELECTION OF DEPARTMENT CHAIR .................................................................................................. 7 V. BUDGET .............................................................................................................................................. 8 A. EQUIPMENT PURCHASES (10/2009) ............................................................................................. 8 VI. PERSONNEL ....................................................................................................................................... 8 A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. HIRING (FACULTY/STAFF) ................................................................................................................. 8 JOINT APPOINTMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 8 FACULTY WORKLOAD POLICY (APPROVED FEBRUARY 17, 2012, REVISED MAY 4, 2012) ..................... 9 FACULTY RESEARCH ACTIVE CRITERIA (REVISED 10/23/2009) ....................................................... 11 GRADUATE FACULTY CRITERIA ....................................................................................................... 12 ANNUAL EVALUATIONS ................................................................................................................... 12 RPT POLICY EXTENSIONS (REVISED 04/27/2007) ............................................................................ 17 POST-TENURE REVIEW POLICY (REVISED 12/03/2009) .................................................................... 18 MENTORING ..................................................................................................................................... 19 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................................ 19 PROFESSIONAL/ETHICAL CONDUCT ................................................................................................. 20 VII. TEACHING ....................................................................................................................................... 20 A. CLASSROOM VISITATION POLICY (REVISED 02/19/2010) ................................................................. 20 B. OFFICE HOURS (FROM THE FACULTY HANDBOOK) .......................................................................... 21 C. ATTENDANCE/SICKNESS POLICY (FROM THE FACULTY HANDBOOK) .............................................. 21 VIII. MISCELLANEOUS .......................................................................................................................... 22 A. B. C. D. E. F. G. APPLIED LEARNING (ADOPTED 12/8/2006) ...................................................................................... 22 COMPUTER COMPETENCY ................................................................................................................ 23 PHY 101–102, 201-202 LABORATORY GRADING POLICY (AMENDED 08/16/2004) ......................... 23 PHY 495 GUIDELINES (04/19/04) .................................................................................................... 24 TEXTBOOKS FOR INTRODUCTORY COURSES IN THE SUMMER (APPROVED APRIL 5, 2011) ............... 25 DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN (ADOPTED 2/2/2001) ........................................................................... 26
DPHY 101-102, 201-202 MATERIAL COVERAGE POLOCY (ADOPTED 8/14/2015) ............................ 26
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I. Mission Statement The Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography is part of the College of Arts and Sciences. Concurrent with the mission statements of the University and the College, the Department is committed to, and values excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. The Department provides quality programs leading to the B.S. and B.A. degrees through courses that stimulate intellectual curiosity, imagination, rational thinking, and thoughtful expression, and through opportunities for student participation in the scholarly activity of its faculty. The Department further supports the College mission by providing service courses in the natural sciences that acquaint beginning students with the laws of nature and develop their abilities to reason and think critically. The Department serves as a resource to the University and community by providing professional services at the local, regional, and global levels. II. Department Goals and Objectives (Adopted 10/11/2000) Goal 1: To provide quality instruction that reflects teacher effectiveness and scholarship. Objectives | Strategies: 1. Enhance professional development of faculty by promoting and supporting travel to professional workshops and conferences, and rewarding scholarly accomplishment. 2. Improve classroom learning by employing the latest technological advances and encouraging the use of alternative pedagogical techniques. 3. Strengthen recruiting efforts to attract new faculty who value both teaching and scholarship. Assessment: 1. Monitor budget allocations and expenditures for travel. Maintain records of faculty publications, presentations, and grants, and base merit increases, in part, on scholarly accomplishment. 2. Evaluate faculty teaching effectiveness using approved student and peer instruments, and base merit increases, in part, on teaching effectiveness. Survey graduating seniors to ascertain their level of satisfaction with instruction in the major. 3. Assure that statements of teaching philosophy and research plans are submitted by applicants. Observe interview candidates in a “live” classroom setting. Goal 2: To offer academically strong programs that prepare undergraduate students for careers in the workplace, or for graduate study in Physics and related disciplines. Objectives | Strategies: 1. Maintain a curriculum that is current and complete, developing new courses (non‐
traditional, interdisciplinary, etc.) and degree paths as circumstances warrant. 2. Expand opportunities for student participation in faculty research. 4
3. Enhance experiential learning by increasing internship opportunities and improving the pedagogy in undergraduate laboratories. 4. Increase student exposure to unique and challenging problems in the discipline through honors work, in concert with the University Honors Program. 5. Increase the number of majors in the discipline to sustain the “critical mass” needed to promote healthy peer discussion and vigorous exchange of ideas, by actively recruiting the best students from the introductory courses. Assessment: 1. Compare degree requirements and curriculum offerings with those of “benchmark” institutions and other recognized model programs. Survey alumni every five years concerning their perceptions of strengths or weaknesses in department programs and offerings. 2. Maintain records of student presentations at professional gatherings, and of work submitted in partial fulfillment of the honors degree requirement, PHY 499. 3. Maintain a list of approved internship sites. Review the effectiveness of the undergraduate laboratories by comparing critically our practices with those at other institutions and by soliciting and interpreting students' perceptions of their laboratory experience. Survey graduating seniors to ascertain their satisfaction with the laboratory experience. 4. Monitor enrollments and student activities in departmental honors offerings. 5. Monitor the number of UNCW Physics majors and minors and compare with those of “benchmark” institutions. Maintain records of graduate school acceptances and job placements. Goal 3: To provide service in the discipline to the Department, the University, the region, and the global community. Objectives | Strategies: 1. Maintain, review, and expand as necessary those [service] course offerings that meet the needs of other campus departments. 2. Continue an active seminar and colloquium series that brings cutting‐edge developments in diverse areas of Physics and related fields before practicing professionals and the general public. 3. Expand public outreach via faculty participation in community‐sponsored events where faculty expertise is sought, and rewarding such involvement. Assessment: 1. Monitor the enrollment in service courses, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of University enrollment. Survey client departments to gather suggestions for modifying course content, adding new courses, etc. 5
2. Maintain annual record of colloquium speakers and titles of presentations, to assure sufficient expertise and reflect the desired balance between specialty talks in diverse fields and general‐interest topics. 3. Maintain a record of faculty service to the Department, University, and the community, and base merit increases, in part, on the service contributions of faculty. III. Department Structure A. Department Committees (Revised 2/19/2010) 1. Curriculum Committee 
Oversees requirements for all degree programs in the Department, and recommends any changes to the faculty. 
Periodically updates course descriptions for all existing Department offerings. 
Recommends new course offerings | deletions to the faculty. Provides suggestions on titles, descriptions, pre‐requisites, and semester credit for any new courses to be offered. All program and course changes go through this committee according to the charge. Thus, new catalog copy should be due by February 15 for ample consideration by committee. Approved changes should then be forwarded to department for approval before the of spring semester. (10/2009) 2. Lab Development Committee 
Inventories equipment available to all undergraduate teaching laboratories, and makes specific recommendations to the Department Chair for new acquisitions. 
Oversees the quality of the laboratory experience in both the introductory and advanced laboratories, and establishes future directions for capital purchases in support of the laboratory experience at all levels. 3. Undergraduate Research Committee 
Promotes research, scholarly, and creative activity of undergraduate students through advertising, providing on campus and off campus research opportunities, displaying student work, and encouraging student participation in honors and student conferences. 4. Senior Faculty 
Senior faculty in the department are tenured faculty holding the rank of Associate Professor or Professor. The chair of the department is also part of the senior faculty in the event that the chair is not 6
tenured. For decisions on reappointment, tenure, and promotion, only those senior faculty members currently at the rank or higher for which the candidate seeks can vote in the process. B. Special Faculty Assignments 1. Colloquium Coordinator 
Invites speakers to campus for scheduled talks, and makes arrangements for their meals and lodging (with assistance of Department Secretary and in consultation with the Department Chair). Plans a daily schedule for each visitor to allow for discussions with UNCW faculty having mutual interests. 2. Computing Resources Coordinator 
Monitors computing needs for faculty and provides limited assistance in setup, networking, and web page development. 3. Undergraduate Laboratory Coordinator(s) 
Sets schedule for introductory labs. 
Maintains laboratory class handouts and posts online. 
Works with laboratory technician on equipment inventory and maintenance. 4. SPS Advisor 
Supervises activities contemplated by the Society of Physics Students 5. Sigma Pi Sigma Advisor 
Coordinates plans for an annual ceremony inducting new members into Sigma Pi Sigma. 6. Library Representative 
Works as a liaison between the library and the department. Informs the department regularly about library budgets. 8. Faculty Senator 
Attends all Faculty Senate meeting and represents the interests of the department. 
Keeps the department informed of issues brought up at Faculty Senate Meetings of interest to the department 9. Academic Advising 
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Provide academic and career guidance to all undergraduates in the major field, including transfer students. IV. Administrative Positions and Duties A. Selection of Department Chair Job Description/Duties of Chair 1) Serve and represent the faculty of the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography. Most importantly acting as an arbitrator toward departmental consensus on important issues, and carrying out departmental policy. 2) Represent the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography to the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and the University as a whole. 3) Direct departmental decisions regarding Degree Programs to benefit the students majoring in Physics. 4) Preparation of class schedules. 5) Serve as arbitrator between students and faculty. 6) Evaluation of the faculty of the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography. 7) Hire and supervise SPA staff in the department. 8) Monitor the budget and approve all expenditures. 9) Preparation of reports to administrative offices. Selection Process for Recommendation to the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences* 1) Early in the fall semester of the terminal year of the current chair's tenure it will be made known to all faculty that a new chair will be chosen. At that time, those eligible faculty, including the current Chair, shall indicate to the Department their interest in being considered for the position. If the current chair wishes to continue and the department and Dean support renewal of the chair’s appointment, then no search is necessary. 2) A candidate for the new Chair must be a tenured member of the department at least at the rank of associate professor. 3) The term will be for three years, and previous chairs may be considered for the new term. 4) The Department will elect a tenured faculty who is not a candidate for chair to arbitrate the process. 8
5) A date will be set for a departmental meeting in which each candidate will be given the opportunity to verbalize views on the position of chair and to answer questions from the faculty. 6) At least four days previous to the above meeting each candidate will transmit to the faculty of the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography a written statement of his/her approach to the Chair position. This statement will be one page or less. 7) The faculty will re‐convene at a date set at the end of the meeting discussed in 5) above to submit secret ballots in sealed departmental envelopes which will be counted by the arbitrator. Absentee ballots may be submitted. 8) A majority of votes will determine the recommendation for the new Chair. The results of the process will then be forwarded to the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences for consideration. * In cases where an explicit search outside The Department is not made. V. Budget A. Equipment Purchases (10/2009) 
All purchases should be approved by the Department Chair. Purchases of over $10 and under $50 can sometimes be covered by petty cash. Due to the amount of paperwork and effort needed, purchases under $10 will not be reimbursed. 
Large Purchases of equipment should be submitted to the Laboratory Committee for approval. Large purchases are generally defined as anything not purchasable with a PCARD, or greater. Target dates of September 15th and February 15th for submitting large requests for the following semester. Decisions on these purchases should be made by September 30, or February 28, for the respective request dates. Purchases can roughly be split up in thirds ‐ upper level courses, 100 level courses, 200 level courses with a possible edge given to PHY 201‐
202. 
Software purchases are only for classroom instruction and individual purchases should generally be funded by other means. VI. Personnel A. Hiring (Faculty/Staff) Currently, every faculty member participates in the hiring process. There is no formal process at this time. B. Joint Appointments Currently there is no formal policy. 9
C. Faculty Workload Policy (approved February 17, 2012, revised May 4, 2012) With some exceptions faculty workload is based solely on contact hours. For example, a four credit hour lecture, which meets three times per week, contributes 3 toward the total faculty workload. Specifically, the Credit Hour Equivalent (CHE) equals −1 so that the number of credit hours plus equivalents, i.e. workload, is three. In determining workload, the following CHE’s are assigned to physics courses: Course PHY 101, 102, 105 (lecture) PHY 101, 102, 201, 202, 105 (lab) PHY 260 CHE −1 +2 +2 PHY 491, 495 −3 All other courses 0 Justification See above Labs are assigned 0 credit hours, but meet for two hours This course meets an additional two hours per week for night viewing No credit is given for DIS courses or seminar courses For these courses, the number of credit hours equals the contact hours Considering that some teaching activities contribute to faculty workload, faculty may bank CHEs for subsequent course load reductions. This is covered in the Course Banking Policy. This includes teaching courses with enrollments significantly above the departmental caps and supervision of theses when resources are available. We define the typical enrollment cap for introductory physics courses which are the ideal number for the learning environment and double sections would be twice the ideal numbers. A. Labs ideally should have two students per setup. Considering the current resources, that would be 16 in DL 205 and 12 in DL 204. We could accommodate caps of Introductory Labs (PHY 101‐102, 201‐202): 24 in DL 205 and 18 in DL 204. B. Caps for the lectures, based on these lab caps, would be twice the lab caps for courses with labs in DL 205 (48) and three times those for courses with labs in DL 204 (54). C. Currently, caps for other courses would be set only for PHY 300 and PHY 400 as the instructor works with students in a lab setting. Ideal caps for these classes would be 10. Course Banking Policy 10
A. Rationale The College of Arts and Sciences operates under Guidelines for Faculty Workload (accessible at http://www.uncw.edu/cas/documents/CASPolicyandProcedureManual.pdf) that provide for the assignment of additional Credit‐hour Equivalents (CHEs) for “courses not taught in the standard lecture format or for courses in which content and/or pedagogy requires a different load measurement than their published credit hours.” Typically, departments may grant “credit” to faculty members for such work as supervision of internships, master's and honors theses and “courses that require greater outside preparation such as graduate courses and large or double section undergraduate classes.” These credits are accumulated, or “banked” until they amount to at least 3 CHEs, which can result in a one‐course reassignment, depending on “curriculum needs and . . . subject to the approval of the department chair and dean.” Given the fact that faculty undertake many of the kinds of teaching outlined in the CAS policy, and that it may become increasingly desirable that the faculty undertake these kinds of assignments in the future, the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography will operate under the below Banking Policy within the parameters of the CAS policy. B. Policy and Implementation 1. Where the CAS Workload Policy suggests CHE for specific types of work, the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography adopts these equivalents (in the 2011 CAS Policies and Procedures Manual):  Supervision of master's thesis = 1 CHE.  Supervision of honors thesis (499), DIS (491 or 591) or internship (498): 1 student credit hour = 0.2 CHE (so that for a 3‐hr course the instructor earns .6 CHE). 2. Bankable CHE may also be earned for courses that require more preparation than classes of comparable course level and content. Ordinarily a 3‐credit course will not receive additional CHE. Allocation of CHEs for such assignments will be determined by the assistant chair in consultation with the chairperson and presented to the department for its approval. 3. Department members will be responsible for completing a Record of Banked CHEs for each semester in which these CHEs are earned and submitting this form to the department chair. The department chair will keep a copy of each of these forms in the faculty member's file and return a signed copy to the faculty member. 4. When a faculty member has accumulated 3 CHEs s/he may petition the department chair for a one‐course reassignment. The chair should grant the request, subject to a. other pending faculty requests for CHE reassignment. b. the chair's determination of instructional needs, c. consultation with CAS Dean’s office and relevant CAS faculty work load policies (CAS III‐1). 11
5. A faculty member may bank CHEs as compensation for teaching documented, unpaid overloads. Department of Physics & Physical Oceanography Faculty Report on Credit‐Hour Equivalent (CHE) Overload (approved May 4, 2012) As noted in the Course Banking Policy, faculty in the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography can report activities beyond their normal teaching loads. This form will be used to report these activities and kept on file by the Chair and may be used in consultation with the Assistant Chair when scheduling classes. This is consistent with the College of Arts and Sciences Guidelines for Faculty Workload that provide for the assignment of additional Credit‐hour Equivalents for “courses not taught in the standard lecture format or for courses in which content and/or pedagogy requires a different load measurement than their published credit hours.” (accessible at http://www.uncw.edu/cas/documents/CASPolicyandProcedureManual.pdf). Report Report the following providing specifics such as semester, student, course enrollment, etc. 


Supervision of graduate thesis = 1 CHE. Supervision of capstone (PHY 495), honors thesis (499), DIS (491 or 591) or internship (498): 1 student credit hour = 0.2 CHE (so that for a 3‐hr course the instructor earns .6 CHE). Sections of courses that exceed the enrollment caps: 1 CHE per one third over‐
enrollment. ___________________________ Faculty Signature ____________________________ Chair Signature _________ Date _________ Date D. Faculty Research Active Criteria (Revised 10/23/2009) Members of the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography are expected to maintain a high level of scholarly productivity throughout their careers. The department provides research‐active status in order to promote and encourage scholarship. The Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography has adopted 12
the College of Arts and Sciences criteria (Section III‐2 of the CAS Policies Manual http://www.uncw.edu/cas/documents/CombinedPP.pdf), which provides a minimum of scholarly activity necessary to maintain research‐active status. E. Graduate Faculty Criteria Need to modify and make consistent with Research Active Criteria. 1. Produce at least one manuscript which has been accepted for publication in a refereed research journal of national or international reputation. 2. Make at least one oral presentation at a professional meeting (contributed or invited, regular or special session), or at a departmental colloquium or seminar (on‐campus or at other institutions). F. Annual Evaluations Guidelines for Tenure and Academic Rank (These guidelines are essentially those given in Appendix C of the Faculty Handbook.) A. Tenure Because of the commitment of the University to excellence and to the individual faculty member, tenure decisions are more important than promotion decisions. To be granted tenure at any academic level faculty members must have evidenced proficiency and a pattern of growth in areas of teaching; scholarship and
research/artistic achievement; and service. Of these, teaching
effectiveness is the primary criterion for the granting of tenure. When a
faculty member who has served two years or longer at the rank of
assistant professor is recommended for permanent tenure, he/she will
also be recommended for promotion. B. Academic Rank 1. Assistant Professor For appointment to the rank of Assistant Professor a candidate shall show promise as a teacher and evidence of progress in the area of research or
artistic achievement. 2. Associate Professor For appointment to the rank of Associate Professor a candidate shall show evidence of having developed into an effective teacher, of a continuing pattern of research, of regular professional service, and of scholarship and professional development. 13
3. Professor For appointment to the rank of Professor a candidate shall have exhibited during his/her career distinguished accomplishment in teaching, a tangible record of research or artistic achievement, and a significant record of service. An individual with the rank of professor should have a reputation as an excellent teacher and be recognized as a scholar within her/his professional field. System of Evaluation I. Chair meets with each faculty member before the fall schedule is submitted to the Dean's office. The purpose of the meeting is to set weightings in each of the areas of teaching, research, and service. II. Evaluation of Teaching In the evaluation of teaching there will be both a student and a peer component. A. Student Component The student component will be SPOT, the evaluation instrument approved by the Faculty Senate. B. Peer Component Each faculty member will prepare documentation of effective teaching that includes copies of tests and the syllabus for each individual course taught during the academic year. At the end of each academic year, peers will review each faculty member's documentation and evaluate it according to the following scale: 1) Excellent 2) Good 3) Needs Improvement 4) No Opinion Any evaluation other than "Good" or "No Opinion" must be justified in writing. C. Classroom Visitation (Revised 02/19/2010) Each nontenured faculty member and graduate teaching assistant shall be observed each academic year according to the Classroom Visitation Policy.. 14
CLASSROOM VISITATION GUIDELINES FACULTY MEMBER_______________________________ DAY ___________ TIME ___________
PERSON CONDUCTING VISITATION _____________________________LOCATION _________
COURSE _______________________________________
NO. OF STUDENTS IN ATTENDANCE ________
NO. OF STUDENTS IN SECTION_________
A. General comments on the course
B. Presentation:
1.
Introduction
2.
Apparent Preparation
3.
Use of Blackboard
4.
Clearness of Speech
5.
Habits
6.
Rapport with Class
7.
Handling Questions
8.
Motivation of Class
C. Additional Comments (concerning course material, exams, innovations, etc.):
D. Suggestions:
E. Summary
_________________________________
PERSON CONDUCTING VISITATION
_____________________________
FACULTY MEMBER
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III. Evaluation of Research or Scholarly Activities Each faculty member will prepare documentation of research or scholarly activities for that academic year that includes 1) a one‐page description of research or scholarly activities, 2) a list of manuscripts (published or unpublished), 3) a list of presentations, poster sessions, etc., 4) a list of grant proposals (funded or not funded). At the end of each academic year, peers will review each faculty member's documentation and evaluate it according to the following scale: 1) Excellent 2) Good 3) Needs Improvement 4) No Opinion Any evaluation other than "Good" or "No Opinion" must be justified in writing. IV. Evaluation of Service Each faculty member will prepare a record of service for the academic year that includes 1) a list of committee assignments, calling special attention to those committees on which the faculty member is serving as chair; 2) a list of committee reports which the faculty member has authored; 3) descriptions of counseling or advising service; 4) reports of community involvement. At the end of each academic year, peers will review each faculty member's documentation and evaluate it according to the following scale: 1) Excellent 2) Good 3) Needs Improvement 4) No Opinion Any evaluation other than "Good" or "No Opinion" must be justified in writing. V. Untenured faculty will be reviewed by senior faculty on a yearly basis. VI. All peer evaluations will be submitted to the Chair. The Chair will treat these evaluations with the utmost confidentiality. 16
Peer Evaluation Form
Faculty member being evaluated:
Please return the completed form to the Chairman by ________.
Forward the Chairman's evaluation to the Dean.
Based on the documentary evidence provided, evaluate the faculty member's performance
in each of the categories of teaching, research, or service. Any evaluation other than
"Good" or "No Opinion" must be justified in writing.
1) Teaching - Evaluate the faculty member's teaching.
a) Excellent
b) Good
c) Needs Improvement
d) No Opinion
Comments:
2) Research - Evaluate the faculty member's research or scholarly activities.
a) Excellent
b) Good
c) Needs Improvement
d) No Opinion
Comments:
3) Service - Evaluate the faculty member's service to the University and community.
a) Excellent
b) Good
c) Needs Improvement
Comments:
d) No Opinion
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G. RPT Policy Extensions (Revised 04/27/2007) Mentoring of Untenured Faculty: On appointment, each junior faculty member will be apprised by the department chair of departmental and university expectations in teaching, research, and service. The chair will continue to act as mentor with regard to these matters. In addition, a junior faculty member may consult with the chairperson to select a senior member to provide additional mentoring. The decision to seek an additional mentor is entirely optional and will be viewed without prejudice. Process for Faculty RTP Evaluations: (Revised 12/1/2009) Candidates for mandatory or optional personnel actions will compile dossiers that conform to the University RTP application form, in consultation with the department chair, and submit the dossiers for review by each tenured member of the department senior to the candidate. Full Professors evaluate promotion to Professor. Professors and Associate Professors evaluate promotion to Associate Professor. All tenured faculty evaluate reappointments. The department chair, prior to writing an evaluation, must assemble, consult with, and take an advisory vote of the senior faculty. Along with writing a detailed evaluation of the candidate, the chairperson must report the numerical results of the vote and state his/her recommendation for or against the RTP action. At least five business days prior to forwarding the candidate’s dossier to the dean, the chairperson must notify the senior faculty whether the recommendation is for or against the action. If a majority of the department’s senior faculty disagrees with the recommendation of the chairperson, they may submit a separate elaborated recommendation. Only one such dissenting recommendation may be submitted, and it must be signed by a majority of the department’s senior faculty. Both the chairperson’s recommendation and the dissenting recommendation, if any, are forwarded as part of the candidate’s RTP dossier. External Review Policy and Procedures: External reviews for RPT tenure, promotion to associate, and promotion to full professor decisions are optional. Specifically, external reviews of RPT candidates will not be sought unless a request is made in timely fashion by the candidate or a majority of the senior faculty. When requested, external reviews are solicited for the sole purpose of evaluating the candidate’s scholarship (not teaching or service). Procedures to be followed for external reviews are: 1. Requests for external reviews must occur during the semester prior to the actual RPT action. 2. The candidate will supply the Chair with names of three to five potential reviewers, including a brief description of their qualifications to write the review and their prior association with the candidate. In consultation with the Chair, the candidate will select two reviewers from this list. The senior faculty will 18
select a third reviewer; the selection by the senior faculty is not limited to names supplied by the candidate. 3. The candidate will be given the choice to sign a waiver of access, so that letters of evaluation can be held in confidence. 4. Materials sent to the evaluator will consist of (1) the candidate’s CV, (2) two‐to‐
three samples of the candidate’s work (e.g., reprints) selected by the candidate, (3) the UNCW criteria for rank (as presented in the Faculty Handbook), and (4) mission statements for the Department and the University. 5. Materials will be sent to the evaluator by the Chair and accompanied by a cover letter that includes the points to be addressed in the review (quality and impact of the candidate’s work, reputation and standing in the candidate’s field), the date for receipt of the review, and a statement of whether the candidate has waived his right of access to the review. The letter also should emphasize that UNCW is a comprehensive level one institution whose primary mission is teaching. 6. Reviewers will be asked to submit a cover letter identifying themselves, their affiliation, and any personal or professional connection to the candidate. The evaluation shall be submitted as an attachment to the cover letter and contain no information identifying the reviewer. 7. External reviews are considered just one part of the overall evaluation process; they are independent assessments of the candidate’s scholarship that are used to supplement (not supplant) the judgment of the senior faculty. H. Post‐Tenure Review Policy (Revised 12/03/2009) It is the responsibility of the Chair (or Dean if the Chair is being reviewed) to evaluate the faculty member under review, based on documentation provided by the faculty member, on student evaluation summaries provided by the University and in consultation with faculty peer reviewers. The person under review suggests five names from among the senior faculty, not including the Chair, to the responsible person, who then selects three to serve as reviewers. The faculty member under review provides documentation to the reviewers and responsible person in the areas of teaching, research or scholarly activities, and service. It is understood that post‐tenure review is a highly sensitive personnel matter and should be treated as such by all those involved. Teaching The faculty member will provide evidence of ongoing conscientious discharge of teaching responsibilities by meeting classes and maintaining acceptable ratings (at or near the department mean) from students on classroom performance and/or teaching materials. The documentation to be submitted will consist of a complete set of tests and syllabi for each different course taught during the five‐year period prior to the review. Summaries of SPOT evaluations will be provided by the Office of Institutional Research for review by the department chair. 19
Research or Scholarly Activities The faculty member shall provide evidence of ongoing attention to professional development in scholarship and research through activities such as attending professional meetings; presenting to professional audiences; publishing in refereed journals and/or non‐vanity presses; applying for grants; maintaining memberships in professional societies; participating in seminars, workshops, and/or study groups as appropriate for faculty rank, workloads, and annual goals. Documentation to be submitted by the faculty member will consist of 1) a one‐page description of current research or scholarly activities, 2) a list of manuscripts, published or unpublished, 3) a list of presentations, poster sessions, etc., 4) a list of grant proposals (funded and not funded). Service The faculty member shall provide documentation of service covering the five‐year period prior to the review. This documentation will consist of 1) a list of committee assignments, calling special attention to those committees on which the faculty member has served as chair; 2) a list of committee reports which the faculty member has authored; 3) descriptions of counseling or advising service; 4) reports of professional activities, or community involvement related to the profession. I.
Mentoring The policy on mentoring is found in the section on RPT: On appointment, each junior faculty member will be apprised by the department chair of departmental and university expectations in teaching, research, and service. The chair will continue to act as mentor with regard to these matters. In addition, a junior faculty member may consult with the chairperson to select a senior member to provide additional mentoring. The decision to seek an additional mentor is entirely optional and will be viewed without prejudice. J.
Professional Development 1. Allocation of Travel Funds The Physics Department has no formal set of guidelines by which travel funds are allocated. Nonetheless, there are some unwritten criteria used in their allocation. Travel funds are allocated to faculty for 1. The presentation of papers, poster sessions, etc. at professional meetings. 2. their development, i.e. for attendance at conferences which will enhance their research productivity or teaching skills. 20
3. accompanying students to professional meetings or special events which can impact the students’ physics education or ability to make career decisions. In general, the Physics Department tries to fund, in full, any worthwhile travel request. Needless to say, the policy has required that faculty members be considerate of their colleagues as well as reasonable in their requests. Surprisingly, physics faculty have acted accordingly on both counts. For example, faculty members have voluntarily not requested travel funds for themselves on behalf of another faculty member. In addition, no faculty member has ever attempted to “hog” an unreasonable proportion of the travel funds. As long as the physics faculty maintain this attitude, it is my opinion that more stringent guidelines are not needed for determining how much funding should be provided to individual faculty. 2. Policy on Distribution of Indirect Cost Funds (Adopted 2/11/2005) Various funding agencies provide for the payment of indirect cost (also called overhead) to cover some of the expenses associated with conducting research that are not considered direct costs to individual projects. When a portion of these indirect cost funds are returned to the department, the Department Chair will allocate these funds according to the following schedule: a) 50% will be reserved to support student and faculty research initiatives, including the cost of maintaining the department's scientific instrumentation, and b) the remainder (50%) will be reserved for use by the faculty members who served as the Principal Investigators on the projects that generated the funds. The Department Secretary will track these funds and provide the chair and the faculty with regular reports on the distribution of these funds. K. Professional/Ethical Conduct The University of North Carolina at Wilmington is committed to maintaining the highest professional standards in all of its academic and administrative operations; promoting ethical practices among its students, faculty, and employees; and ensuring a level of accountability appropriate for a public institution. The full policy is linked from the Faculty Handbook to the web site http://www.uncw.edu/sp/ADMPROC/Msc100.htm VII. Teaching A. Classroom Visitation Policy (Revised 02/19/2010) The purpose of peer observation of classroom teaching is primarily to aid individual faculty to improve their teaching performance and secondarily to provide 21
information for annual faculty evaluation and reappointment, tenure and promotion. According to the UNCW Faculty Handbook, “For new and non‐tenured faculty and graduate teaching assistants, peer review includes direct observation of classroom teaching.” Other faculty may be evaluated at their request. Faculty seeking promotion are encouraged to use this process as additional evidence of teaching effectiveness. Faculty will be observed teaching lecture courses and not laboratory courses. Annually the Chair, in consultation with the evaluatee, will appoint two peer observers from the tenured faculty to perform classroom evaluations for the year. These appointments will be rotated every year in order to give all tenured faculty ample opportunity to observe the teaching of tenure track faculty before the RPT process. Each academic year the peer observers will conduct one classroom observation for each faculty member to whom they are assigned. The faculty member whose class is to be evaluated will be notified at least one week prior to the evaluation. The evaluators will prepare individual written reports summarizing their perceptions of the teaching effectiveness of the faculty member. All reports for faculty who request optional evaluations will be given to the evaluatee and, if he or she wishes, also to the Chair. All other reports will be given to the Chair. Graduate teaching assistants will be observed each semester. In this case the classroom observation will be conducted by either the student’s thesis advisor, if the advisor is a member of the department, or the Laboratory Coordinator. The observer will provide a written report summarizing his, or her, perceptions of the teaching effectiveness of the teaching assistant. Evaluations from the peer observers will be used as a component under teaching for annual evaluation. The results of the classroom visitations will not be available to annual peer evaluators, only to the Chair. The chair meets once each year with an untenured faculty member to apprise the faculty member of his/her progress toward tenure. During that meeting the chair will interpret the report, providing feedback to the faculty member and making recommendations for improvement when necessary. The evaluatee may provide a written response to the Chair to be included with the Chair’s summary report. B. Office Hours (From the Faculty Handbook) Although the university has no specific requirements regarding faculty office hours, each member of the faculty is expected to be available to students and advisees for at least two hours per day during the regular academic year, and at least one hour per day during the term of a summer session in which a faculty member teaches. Office hours should be posted on office doors and should be at times convenient for students. On any occasion when an unavoidable conflict arises, faculty should post a note (or have the secretary post a note) on their office door. C. Attendance/Sickness Policy (From the Faculty Handbook) Any faculty member who contemplates being absent from regular campus duties is expected to make arrangements in advance with the department chairperson. 22
Where possible, the faculty member should prepare an assignment for each class affected and should arrange for a colleague to provide instruction. In the event of an absence caused by an emergency or sickness, the faculty member should inform the department chairperson. VIII. Miscellaneous A. Applied Learning (Adopted 12/8/2006) Applied Learning Requirement: To graduate with a bachelor’s degree in physics, every major must engage in an Applied Learning experience, defined as an activity that involves the application of physics principles to problem solving, as practiced by professionals in the field. To qualify as Applied Learning, the activity must carry academic credit and be closely supervised by a Department faculty member in a one‐on‐one or small group setting. The student will make a written report of project activity to the supervisor and deliver an oral presentation of project results to an audience of faculty and peers. Implementation: The Applied Learning requirement can be met in any one of the following ways; other options may be possible, subject to approval by the Department Chair. 1. Participation in faculty‐directed research in any scientific discipline, accompanied by a written and oral report of project activities and results. To earn physics credit, the student would register for PHY 491 (Directed Study). 2. Election of PHY 495 (Senior Seminar) for credit hours in excess of the minimum (1 hour). The additional credit hour(s) reflect the higher expectations indicative of an Applied Learning experience, as outlined previously. A written report will be required [in addition to the usual oral presentation], and the inquiry must involve problem solving at some level (a literature survey alone is insufficient). 3. Participation in departmental honors in any science department. Honors students earn a total of 6 credit hours over 2‐3 semesters for project work, and are required to write an honors thesis and make an oral presentation. 4. Election of PHY 493 (Physics Laboratory Teaching Practicum). A [future] course offering where the student works under the tutelage of a faculty member to develop skills needed to prepare, conduct and evaluate introductory laboratory assignments. Some instruction and report grading in an ongoing introductory physics laboratory is required; specific responsibilities are set by the supervisor in consultation with the student trainee. 5. Election of PHY 496 (Applied Learning in Physics). A [future] course offering tailored specifically to satisfy the Applied Learning requirement, with students working in teams of 2 or 3 to solve a problem posed by the instructor. Team competitions would be an expected component of this experience. Depending 23
on timing and availability, this could include participation in competitive events at the regional and/or national level. Implementation Notes: The current PHY 495 requirement (1 hr.) would be replaced by the more generic “Applied Learning requirement (1 hr.)”, thus leaving the total hours required for the degree unchanged. PHY 495 would remain as an elective offering carrying variable credit (1‐3 hrs) that could be taken to satisfy the Oral Competency and/or Applied Learning requirements. B. Computer Competency Computer Competency Requirement: Advanced Lab (10/30/2000) Current Course Description PHY 400. Advanced Laboratory (1) (May be repeated for up to three hours credit) Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Designed to acquaint students with the various laboratory techniques, error analysis and reduction of data by digital computer. Description of assignment(s) that involve basic computer skills including knowledge of campus use policies, facility with standard applications, and awareness of legal and ethical issues: Students will be expected to analyze experimental data with a standard mathematical analysis software program, viz. Mathematica, Matlab, Kaleidegraph, etc. They will be expected to be able to prepare lab reports using standard word‐
processing software. They must be capable of conducting online research. Some facility with a high‐level programming language (Fortran, C, C++, etc.) will be expected. Students will be expected to familiarize themselves with and abide by campus use policies, as well as contemporary ethical standards regarding the use of copyrighted material. How will computer competency be evaluated? The skillful use of appropriate analytic software and/or programming languages is intrinsic to the data analysis and reduction task. Lab reports requiring computer‐
assisted analysis will not be regarded as complete unless the computer‐assisted analytic tasks are correctly performed. Estimated percentage of the final grade assigned to computer competency? Between 10–20%, depending on the material being covered in a particular semester. C. PHY 101–102, 201‐202 Laboratory Grading Policy (Amended 08/16/2004) Lab instructors will be responsible for assigning grades to individual lab reports for the students in their sections. Lecture instructors will be responsible for incorporating the cumulative lab grade report into their course grading scheme in a 24
meaningful way that emphasizes the importance of the laboratory component of the course. Students who miss a lab for an excusable reason will be assigned a grade of (E) for that lab. The grade E will be awarded those students who miss a lab but nonetheless provide documentation, in a timely manner, that their reason for missing lab was excusable. Acceptable excuses include 1) a medical crises involving members of the immediate family or a significant other, 2) a communicable or debilitating illness, 3) attendance at a funeral or the wedding of a sibling or parent. Non‐excusable absences include, but are not limited to; car failure, work obligations, non‐
emergency medical care for a non‐communicable condition, attendance at the weddings of friends or non‐immediate relatives, attendance at social functions (reunions, etc.). A common (inter‐sectional) make‐up experiment will be set up at the end of each semester. Students may perform this experiment in order to make up one unexcused lab absence. For each zero that a student receives, his or her grade for the lecture course will be reduced by “one‐half letter grade”. For the purposes of the lab grading policy, this is defined as “one bubble to the right” on the course grading sheet. This algorithm will be applied after the lecture course grade is computed. For each section, the lab instructor will be responsible for providing a written lab summary at the end of the semester to the lecture instructor. This summary will comprise 1. The grades assigned to all individual lab reports for the semester. 2. The average lab grade (excluding zeros and E's) for the section. 3. Each student's average lab grade (including zeros but excluding E's) for the semester. D. PHY 495 Guidelines (04/19/04) Course Objectives 1. Develop competency in oral communication. [Physics majors use PHY 495 to satisfy the university’s Oral Communication Competency requirement.] 2. Become familiar with the tools and methods of independent inquiry. 3. Gain acquaintance with some of the latest scientific advances in the field. Procedures for Students 1. Prior to the Add/Drop deadline, identify a supervising faculty member and select a topic for investigation, then register for the section of PHY 495 assigned to your supervisor.* 2. Meet with your supervisor on a regular basis to report progress updates. 25
3. Become acquainted with techniques and methods of oral presentation by observing professionals engaged in the activity. 4. Make a 30 minute oral presentation on your chosen topic. This presentation will be advertised in advance and open to the public. Responsibilities of Supervisors 1. Assist the student in the selection of a topic for investigation. A suitable topic will address some contemporary problem in physics, and be one in which the supervisor has some expertise. 2. Facilitate the organization and direction the inquiry will take, provide guidance concerning the level of detail expected, physics principles involved, sources of information, and delivery techniques. 3. In consultation with the student, determine a time and date for the oral presentation and oversee proper advertising for the event. 4. Assign the course grade, taking account of input solicited from faculty attending the oral presentation. *All students are strongly encouraged to identify a PHY 495 supervisor during the term preceding the semester in which they expect to register for the course. E. Textbooks for Introductory Courses in the Summer (Approved April 5, 2011) For the introductory courses PHY 101‐102 and PHY 201‐202, the required textbook (author and edition) is approved by the department for the academic year. Students who have purchased that particular textbook will not be required to purchase a different textbook for the subsequent summer course. Students will be advised by the instructor as to what textbook will be required during the academic year in case that student plans to continue the sequence the following year. This policy does not include peripherals, though instructors are expected to inform their students about the possible requirements and complications so they can make an informed decision. Faculty who chose not to use the required edition of the textbook, are responsible for Mapping out problems between the newer edition and the older edition that they have chosen for the benefit of students. The department will not support copying problem sections for large portions of the class. Notifying the bookstore of the need to have the current edition in several formats, and the earlier edition that they are allowing. Informing students of the implications of the choice of an edition not required during the academic year. 26
F. Disaster Recovery Plan (Adopted 2/2/2001) Disaster Recovery Personnel and Contact Information 1. Lynn Leonard, Department Chair Home Phone: Office Phone: 910‐962‐2338 Office Location: 108 DeLoach Hall 2. Edward Olszewski, Computing Resources Coordinator 304 Country Haven Dr. Wilmington, NC 28411 Home Phone: 910‐686‐4071 Office Phone: 910‐962‐3464 Office Location: 206 DeLoach Hall Critical records needed to support unit operations (listed by priority) 1. Current semester grade records. 2. Research data and manuscripts. 3. Hardware/software license agreements. 4. Current budget sheets. 5. Room key tracking log. 6. Department policy statements. 7. Department planning documents. 8. Annual faculty evaluation records. 9. Web‐based course materials. 10. Department annual reports. 11. Department newsletters; student handbook. 12. Department meeting minutes. Most documents vital to department function are duplicated at other campus locations (e.g., student academic records, financial records, etc.), and are not listed here. All remaining administrative items are in electronic format and reside on computers located in the office of the chair or in the Physics Department office. Thus, restoration of department operations becomes principally an issue of electronic data storage and recovery. Individual faculty are responsible for ensuring the safety of student records and any critical research data in their possession. Faculty are encouraged to retain these records in electronic G. Policy on content coverage for the PHY 101—102 and 201—202 courses. Instructors teaching the PHY 101‐102 or 201‐202 sequences must cover all the material that is detailed in the course description in the UNCW catalog. Instructors may cover more than that if they wish to. Additional policies related to assessment might be added later.