Developing Effective Faculty
Evaluation Processes:
Controversies, Faculty Roles, and
Best Practices
Kale Braden, Cosumnes River College
Carolyn Holcroft, Foothill College
David Morse, ASCCC Executive Committee
Cynthia Reiss, West Valley College
What Does Education Code Say
About Faculty Evaluations?
TIMING:
• Contract [probationary] employees shall be evaluated
at least once in each academic year
• Regular [tenured] employees shall be evaluated at least
once in every three academic years
• Temporary employees shall be evaluated within the
first year of employment. Thereafter, evaluation shall
be at least once every six regular semesters, or once
every nine regular quarters, as applicable.
--Ed Code Section 87663
What Does Education Code Say
About Faculty Evaluations?
PROCESS/PROCEDURES
• Evaluations shall include, but not be limited to, a peer
review process. This peer review process shall:
– be on a departmental or divisional basis
– address the forthcoming demographics of California, and
the principles of affirmative action
– require that the peers reviewing are both representative of
the diversity of California and sensitive to affirmative action
concerns, all without compromising quality and excellence
in teaching
• The Legislature:
– recognizes that faculty evaluation procedures may be
negotiated as part of the collective bargaining process
– intends that faculty evaluation include, to the extent
practicable, student evaluation
--Ed Code Section 87663
What Does Education Code Say
About Faculty Evaluations?
“In those districts where faculty evaluation
procedures are collectively bargained, the
faculty's exclusive representative shall consult
with the academic senate prior to engaging in
collective bargaining regarding those
procedures. “
--Ed Code Section 87663 (f)
Academic Senate-Union Relationship
Regarding Evaluations
• Similar language exists for evaluation of both
tenured and tenure-track faculty.
• Were you aware of the Ed Code language that
mandates consultation with the senate?
• How is this language applied or interpreted at
your college or in your district?
Does ACCJC Mandate the Use of SLO
Data in Faculty Evaluations?
• “Faculty and others directly responsible for
student progress toward achieving stated
student learning outcomes have, as a
component of their evaluation, effectiveness
in producing those learning outcomes.”
--ACCJC Standard III.A.1.c
• How is this language interpreted on your
campus or in your district?
What Should Faculty Evaluation
Be and Do?
• What is the goal or purpose of evaluations?
– Quality assurance
– Improvement of teaching and learning
– What else?
• How can we balance the need to make
evaluations meaningful without making them
seem (or be) punitive?
Processes and Practices,
Both Best and Otherwise
• Do evaluations at your college have real
meaning and consequences?
• Are evaluations perceived as threatening?
Does any perceived threat seem to match the
reality?
• Do members of evaluation committees at your
college receive any sort of training to help
ensure quality and consistency of evaluations?
Processes and Practices,
Both Best and Otherwise
• How are student evaluations used in your faculty
evaluation process?
• What instruments are used in your evaluation
process? Do you use, or would you consider
using, instruments created by outside vendors?
• How, if at all, is service to the college factored
into your faculty evaluations? Is such service
truly monitored? Are there consequences for not
completing your college service?
What Can the Senate Do For You?
What information or assistance would you be
interested in receiving from ASCCC regarding
faculty evaluations?
Thank You for Joining Us
Additional comments and questions?