Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
Performance and Periodic Evaluation Procedures
(Revised Spring 2008)
I.
DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
A. FUNCTION
The committee shall review and make recommendations concerning hiring and appointment
level, retention, tenure, and promotion
B. STRUCTURE
1.
Eligibility: All full-time tenured members of the department not currently under
review and not currently serving at other levels in the department or college are
eligible to serve on the department committee. In the event an insufficient number of
department members are available to serve, eligibility shall extend to all tenured
faculty within the university. Probationary faculty may serve on hiring committees.
2.
Election of committee members shall take place by the end of the preceding academic
year or no later than the second week of the fall semester. The meeting and its
purpose shall be announced to all faculty at least 5 business days in advance.
A list shall be prepared of all eligible faculty by the department Chair. The
department (all tenured and probationary faculty) shall vote by secret ballot for
the representative to the college personnel committee. After that person has
been elected, the department shall vote for three or five (preferred) of the
remaining eligible faculty to serve as the department committee (the number
shall be determined by the actual number of eligible faculty in the department at
the time of the election). A minimum of one member must come from each
program within the department (CMST and CMSD).
Election shall be by closed, written ballot with a simple majority required for
election.
3.
II.
Review committees for Post-Tenure reviews (5th year review) shall consist of
professors. Review committees for faculty review up to associate professor may be
all professors or some combination of professors and associate professors totaling a
minimum number of three.
DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL COMMITTEE OPERATION
The committee shall function within the following guidelines:


Current FPPP
These Department Retention, Tenure, and Promotion (RTP) Evaluation Areas and
Criteria (Section VIII)
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Performance and Periodic Evaluation Procedures Spring 2008
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III.
APPOINTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR PROBATIONARY
FACULTY
[See current University FPPP]
IV.
APPOINTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR TEMPORARY
FACULTY
A. APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT FOR PART-TIME TEMPORARY
FACULTY
1.
Appointees shall be selected from a pool of applicants established by course in accord
with approved University, College, and Department Affirmative Action Guidelines.
Appointees shall be selected primarily on the basis of their anticipated excellence as
teachers, as indicated by previous relevant experience in teaching and/or academic or
practical preparation for the course or courses to be taught.
2.
Their level of appointment shall conform to the guidelines of the current Faculty
Personnel Policies and Procedures document.
3.
The pool shall be established by periodic and appropriate local and regional public
notice of the positions available or anticipated.
4.
The pool shall be evaluated and ranked by a concurrence between the Department
Chair and the program faculty (CMST or CMSD). Final selection shall be based upon
budget allocation, need, and availability of candidates.
5.
Appointments shall be made by the Department Chair, in consultation with the
Program Coordinator or Course Coordinators in the case of multi-sectional courses.
B. APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT FOR FULL-TIME TEMPORARY FACULTY
[See current FPPP]
V.
EVALUATION FOR RETENTION, TENURE, PROMOTION
GENERAL EXPECTATIONS FOR RETENTION, TENURE, PROMOTION,
ACCELERATED TENURE, ACCELERATED PROMOTION
Normally, a faculty member will be reviewed for promotion and/or tenure in the sixth year of
his/her appointment or for promotion only when the faculty member has reached the top merit
step within a given rank. (For specific evaluation criteria see Section VIII.)
A. Decisions about tenure and promotion shall be based on the full record since initial
appointment, which shall include relevant accomplishments during years granted as credit
Department of Communication Arts and Sciences
Performance and Periodic Evaluation Procedures Spring 2008
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for prior experience. To be tenured, and promoted to associate professor a candidate must
achieve a rating no lower than effective in teaching, professional achievement, and (other
contributions) service. The identical standards apply for promotion to associate professor. It
is the department’s explicit policy that tenure and promotion to associate professor are
based on identical criteria.
B. Promotion to the rank of professor shall require a rating of superior in two of the three
categories of evaluation (instruction, professional achievement, and other contributions to
the university), and at least a rating of effective in the other category.
C. Accelerated (early) tenure and/or promotion will be considered in cases where there is
abundant and unequivocal evidence to support a rating of superior in each of the appropriate
categories of evaluation. Further, the more accelerated (early) the consideration for tenure
and/or promotion, the more abundant and unequivocal must be the documentation in
support of the candidate.
D. Probationary faculty will be evaluated in terms of their progress toward tenure and
promotion during each performance review period. Further, the RTP committee conducting
the performance review of probationary faculty is required to state explicitly whether
satisfactory or unsatisfactory progress is being made, and delineate the specific reasons on
which such a statement is founded.
E. Faculty will be evaluated in accordance with the current FPPP
F. Faculty tenured and promoted to the rank of associate professor may undergo a progress
evaluation toward promotion to full professor evaluation no later than the third year
following their tenure and promotion; this review can be initiated by either the RTP
committee or the candidate.
G. In consideration of promotion, the review process must take into account the faculty
member’s record of performance during all years since appointment or promotion to the
present rank.
VI.
EVALUATION AND REAPPOINTMENT OF LECTURERS
A. The Review Committee shall consist of immediate course supervisors, appropriate course
coordinators, and other qualified faculty. Tenured faculty not serving on the personnel
committee shall be expected to participate in the evaluation of lecturers as directed by the
Department Chair.
B. Evaluation of Part-time Lecturers
1. Part-time lecturers moving within ranges will normally be evaluated following the
procedures and guidelines in this section.
2. Criteria for Evaluation
a.
The primary mission of this university is teaching, which shall be the primary
criterion for evaluating part-time and fifteen-unit base faculty.
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Performance and Periodic Evaluation Procedures Spring 2008
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b.
In evaluating teaching effectiveness the following shall be the main criteria for
evaluation:
1) Organization
2) Scholarship: Knowledge in the field
3) Effective communication
c. In addition to the primary criterion of teaching, part-time faculty shall be
evaluated with respect to the following:
4) Their engaging in professional activity in the field appropriate to their
teaching field as determined by department criteria
5) Their duties as defined by their assignment
6) Their professional ethics and conduct
7) Other contributions which may not have been specified in the job
description but which represent positive assistance to the department
3. Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness shall consist of:
a. Signed written peer evaluations
b. Student evaluations, according to university regulations
c. Part-time faculty shall submit relevant documentation to include sample exams,
course syllabi, class handouts, and the like.
d. Other duties (as specified in the job description); e.g. course coordination,
internship supervision
e. Other contributions that may not have been specified in the job description but
that represent positive assistance to the Department ( e.g., assisting with
forensics, outcomes assessment)
4. Evaluation Procedures
a. All part-time faculty will undergo an annual review for the initial two personnel
cycles, followed by biennial rather than annual reviews. If the candidate’s
course assignment changes, the review process returns to the initial two-year
annual followed by either annual or biennial review cycle. At the discretion of
the personnel committee, Department Chair, or upon the candidate’s petition, a
review may be scheduled in a year succeeding an annual or biennial review.
b. All part-time faculty will participate in the normal Student Evaluation of
Teaching process at least once each year they teach.
c. The Personnel committee shall notify the temporary faculty at the beginning of
each personnel cycle that it is the responsibility of the faculty member to update
his/her personnel file and supporting materials on an annual basis regardless of
whether the faculty member is scheduled for review during that cycle.
d. At least one classroom visit shall take place at least once each academic year for
the purpose of assessing the faculty member’s teaching performance. Details
regarding the time of the visits, the documentation of the assessment, etc. shall
be determined by the department Personnel Committee prior to the start of the
review process.
e. The department Personnel Committee shall submit a report to the candidate and
to the Department Chair. The Department Chair shall concur, with or without
attached comments, or not concur, with attached comments. The Department
Chair will transmit the report and his/her attached comments, if any, to the
appropriate Dean for review and entry into the PAF (or WPAF). The report
shall contain a written evaluation of teaching effectiveness and a statement as to
whether the teaching performance is satisfactory.
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Performance and Periodic Evaluation Procedures Spring 2008
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C. Evaluation of Full-Time Lecturers
1. All full-time temporary faculty will undergo an annual review for the initial two
personnel cycles, followed by biennial rather than annual reviews. If the candidate’s
course assignment changes, the review process returns to the initial two-year annual
followed by either annual or biennial review cycle. Evaluation of full-time temporary
faculty will follow the periodic evaluation procedures for tenure-track faculty. The
timetable for evaluation of full-time Temporary Faculty, regardless of the number of
years the individual has served, shall follow the schedule of Periodic Evaluation for
probationary faculty, with evaluation notice to the individual due on or before May 15.
2. The areas of performance to be included in the Periodic Evaluations of each full-time
temporary faculty shall be consistent with, and inclusive of, the individual’s assigned
duties, as specified at the time of hire. Should those assigned duties change, an explicit
statement of the change will be placed into the PAF, so as to properly inform those
conducting subsequent Periodic Evaluations.
3. The Periodic Evaluation of full-time temporary faculty will result in a performance
report, but no recommendation regarding future employment will be made.
D. Grievance and Appeal Procedures
1. Any part-time faculty member who wishes to appeal a personnel decision affecting him
or her should first meet informally with the Department Chair and the coordinator of the
course that the part-time appointee has been teaching. If the appellant is not satisfied
with the outcome of this meeting, he/she may then meet with the full Department RTP
Committee on a formal basis.
2. If the matter is not resolved by the foregoing procedures, the aggrieved should then
proceed according to the grievance procedures for all academic employees set forth in
the current University Faculty Personnel Policies and Procedures document.
VII. EVALUATION OF TENURED FACULTY (FIFTH YEAR EVALUATION)
Tenured faculty who have not been reviewed for five years will be reviewed and evaluated by at
least two (2) tenured faculty of equal or higher rank than the person being evaluated plus the
Department Chair.
A.
Reviewees will submit a dossier for the five-year period. At least one classroom visitation
shall take place. The evaluation will focus on teaching effectiveness, professional
currency, scholarly activities, and service to the university and community.
B.
The report shall be completed and forwarded to the Dean by April 15 or the date required.
C.
The Departmental Committee shall utilize departmental criteria as outlined in the current
Faculty Personnel Policies and Procedures.
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Performance and Periodic Evaluation Procedures Spring 2008
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VIII. RTP EVALUATION AREAS AND CRITERIA
Areas of evaluation include: 1) Instruction, 2) Professional Growth and Achievement, 3) Other
Contributions to the University, and 4) Contribution to Strategic Plans and Goals of the
Department, College, and University.
INSTRUCTION
Contribution to the creation and support of innovative, high-quality, student-centered learning
environments is the first, minimum and indispensable requirement for retention, tenure, or
promotion for teaching faculty. The models of effective teaching are complex and diversified
in the Department of Communication Arts & Sciences. They include but are not limited to
teaching resulting in greater communicative competence for undergraduate majors, general
education students, and students teaching K-12. While the following description is not
comprehensive, it does suggest the complexity of teaching roles in the Department. All
activities legitimately a part of a candidate’s instructional assignment must be considered in the
evaluation process. New faculty will meet at least once each academic year with the department
chair until they submit their application for tenure and promotion. Meetings should take place
near the beginning of the fall semester. At the meeting, the chair will review the FPPP and
department guidelines for RTP with the faculty member. The faculty member will establish
goals for instruction and determine a plan of action for the academic year and share that with
the department chair. Areas of instruction for which faculty may be responsible include:
 Regularly scheduled classes (including those for general education as well as for the
major) and related instructional activities
 Field center instruction, which includes coordination of University and K-12 learning
activities, and off campus internships in schools, medical facilities and private practices
 Instruction, which includes widely diverse programs of instruction, on and off campus
 In-service instruction, which includes off campus activities, weekend workshops, and
conferences
 Supervision clinical education
 Chairing M.A. advisory committee
Evidence of consistent high quality teaching will be primarily derived from four categories
of information:
1.
Data reports that include:
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Performance and Periodic Evaluation Procedures Spring 2008
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 Data from the departmentally approved student evaluation process, which will be
weighted in accordance with the current FPPP. This data shall include the statement
of student expectation of grade to be received in the class.
 Data from the departmentally approved peer observation reports.
2. Candidates’ self reflection on instruction (including student and peer observation
reports) and teaching narrative
3. Candidate teaching materials and other evidence that may include:
 Student assessment practices (e.g., course GPAs placed in context, grading
standards/rubrics, samples of graded work, feedback on assignments)
 Involvement in significant campus teaching initiatives (e.g., service learning, civic
engagement, CELT, technology and teaching).
 Written anecdotal information supplied by faculty and students.
 Representative instructional material such as course syllabi, lab manuals, and
handouts.
 Examples of student achievement other than customary measures used for
grading; for example, recognition of student work by an external group or
agency.
 Effective use of technology for teaching
4.
Evidence of activities to enhance instruction.
5.
The interview between the faculty member under review and the RTP Committee.
B. Procedures for Classroom Visitation
1.
2.
After consulting with faculty members about possible visitation dates, all visitations
shall be announced to the faculty member being observed at least two days prior to
visitation.
Prior to the observation, the observer will consult with the instructor on:
 Goals for class session
 Strategies to be used to achieve goals
 Materials to be read in advance, if relevant
This will provide a focus for the observer and will be included in the report.
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3.
The descriptive and evaluative observation report will address:
 Organization of content and material
 Preparedness
 Time on task (Time Efficiency)
 Classroom Atmosphere
 Clarity of the material presented
 Degree to which session goals were met
Overall rating for that particular session: Inadequate, Adequate, Effective, or Superior.
4. All visitations and written narratives for any faculty member must be completed and
made available to the faculty member prior to that member's RTP interview.
5. Visitations shall not be made in the first two weeks or last two weeks of classes.
Intersession classes shall be appropriate for observation.
6. Typically evaluations will be for regularly assigned classes. However, faculty members
not regularly scheduled to teach during the period of evaluation may be required to teach
a guest lecture in a class mutually agreed to by the committee and the candidate.
C. To achieve a rating of superior in instruction, a candidate should have very strong
evidence of excellent teaching in most categories (including data reports and student
assessment practices) listed in VIIIA; for effective, a candidate should have strong
evidence of competent teaching in most categories (including data reports and
student assessment practices); for an adequate rating, a candidate should have
evidence that reflects minimally acceptable teaching; for an inadequate the evidence
fails to demonstrate satisfactory teaching.
PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT
CSU, Chico is fundamentally a teaching institution, however, performance in professional
growth and achievement is expected of all tenure track faculty. Professional growth and
achievement at a comprehensive university may take many forms. In the Department of
Communication Arts & Sciences, professional growth is a necessary but not sufficient
requirement of retention, whereas professional achievement is a necessary but not sufficient
requirement of tenure and promotion. New faculty will meet at least once each academic year
with the department chair until they submit their application for tenure and promotion.
Meetings should take place near the beginning of the fall semester. At the meeting, the chair
will review the FPPP and department guidelines for RTP with the faculty member. The faculty
member will establish goals for professional achievement and determine a plan of action for the
academic year and share that with the department chair. The Department requires a faculty
member being reviewed to have the terminal degree or equivalent. The terminal degree shall be
the doctorate in the appropriate field. Issues regarding the terminal degree or any equivalency
must be resolved at the time of appointment, and should not, therefore, be in question for tenure
or promotions.
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A. Professional growth is evidenced by currency in the discipline that best represents the
training and experience of the faculty member, as well as active participation in the
discipline. Examples of such currency and active participation include but are not limited
to:
 Regular attendance at the conferences of the major professional associations and
societies representing the faculty member's discipline;
 Serving as a referee, panel member or critic relative to the papers presented at such
conferences; and
 Attending workshops for the purpose of acquiring skills necessary for professional
achievement.
 Successful completion of continuing education activities related to the discipline.
B. Faculty should provide evidence of scholarly contributions to the field as evidence of
professional achievement. CMAS faculty value a holistic vision of scholarly contributions
(Boyer, 1990), where scholarly contributions share the characteristics of originality, peerreview, and formal communication. The quality of scholarship will be evaluated by the
committee based on the products and impact of the candidate’s work.
Level 1 (in order of importance)
 Scholarly books with respected publisher (may be evaluated as the equivalent of two to
three articles, based on the significance of the work).
 Textbooks (not including self-published books)
 Articles (peer reviewed) (candidate to provide evidence of quality of publication)
Scholarly Journals
Proceedings (when subject to additional review)
 Chapters in edited scholarly books
 Significant competitive External Grants Awarded
 Editorship of a major scholarly journal
 Significant leadership in a national or regional organization.
Level 2
 Refereed convention papers at major national and regional associations
 Competitively awarded fellowships, grants and contracts external to the campus
 Refereed Proceedings or papers
 Editorial Board of a major journal
 Significant awards and honors (value to be determined by RTP Committee based on
significance of the award/honor).
 Substantial revisions of already published textbooks
Level 3
 Non-refereed presentations at professional conferences
 Non-Reviewed Publications (e.g. professional journal, newsletter, newspaper)
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Performance and Periodic Evaluation Procedures Spring 2008
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 Grant Proposals Submitted (external to the campus)
 Internal grants (other than CSU research and summer scholars) or research contracts
awarded
C. In cases where the work of a faculty member has not been subjected to rigorous external
review but achievement is claimed, the candidate will submit his/her work to an external
review conducted by three individuals exceptionally well qualified to adjudicate the claim.
These individuals will be selected by the RTP Committee on the basis of a list of five
potential external reviewers submitted by the faculty member.
D. It is the responsibility of the individual faculty member to appropriately categorize
information relevant to the RTP Committee's evaluation of professional growth and
achievement, clearly document this information, and prioritize such information on the
basis of most recent and significant, to least recent and least significant.
E. To achieve a superior rating in Professional Achievement, candidates should have multiple
high quality level one accomplishments as well as several other accomplishments at level
two. For a rating of effective, multiple level one accomplishments are required, along with
at least several other accomplishments at level two and three. To achieve a rating of
adequate, at least one level one accomplishment is required, along with at several other
accomplishments at levels two or three. The lack of any level 1 accomplishments shall
result in a rating of inadequate. In assigning weight to level 2 and 3 accomplishments, the
candidate shall be responsible for indicating their relative merit and the committee shall
consider the overall quality and quantity of the accomplishments in determining their value
as part of the overall assessment of professional achievement.
OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY
Faculty members are expected to establish professional relationships with colleagues. Each faculty
member is also expected to carry a reasonable share of committee and other work assignments that are
a normal part of the university. New faculty will meet at least once each academic year with the
department chair until they submit their application for tenure and promotion. Meetings should take
place near the beginning of the fall semester. At the meeting, the chair will review the FPPP and
department guidelines for RTP with the faculty member. The faculty member will establish goals for
service and determine a plan of action for the academic year and share that with the department chair.
Expectations for service will be commensurate with the level of academic appointment.
A. Contributions to the Department: Participation in committee work and other activity
necessary for the normal functioning of the Department is expected of all faculty members.
Work on committees such as departmental RTP or curriculum committees, participating in
program assessment and accreditation, service on MA advisory committees, serving as
course coordinators for multi-sectioned courses (such as general education courses), doing
departmental advising, student recruitment, supervising internship programs, developing
curriculum materials, giving faculty workshops, advising student clubs, or serving on other
important and/or time-consuming committees.
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B. Contributions to the College, University, and Community: As with departmental
contributions, contributions at these levels will be evaluated according to the significance of
the contributions.
C. Contributions to the Discipline: Consultancies with organizations external to the university
and offices held in and services for professional association will be evaluated according to
the significance of the contribution and its relevance to a faculty members training and
teaching responsibilities.
D. Commensurate with the level of academic appointment, faculty minimally shall provide service to
the program and department. As faculty members advance in rank, they shall be expected to
contribute service beyond the department. To achieve a rating of superior, a candidate should have
a consistently high level of involvement; for effective consistent ongoing involvement is required,
for adequate infrequent assumption of key roles would be evident, and for inadequate a lack of
assumption of key roles would be evident.
CONTRIBUTION TO STRATEGIC PLANS AND GOALS OF THE DEPARTMENT,
COLLEGE, AND UNIVERSITY
Faculty members will be evaluated in terms of their ability and willingness to assume both the
currently defined duties of their position and other teaching assignments or instructionally
related assignments, if the need arises.
The candidate will present evidence of activities that demonstrate his/her willingness and
ability to respond to the changing needs of the University and of the College and Department of
Communication Arts & Sciences. The candidate is advised to consult the university and
department strategic plan in crafting the narrative.
In this category, a rating of satisfactory or unsatisfactory will be made.
IX. DOSSIERS
FULL-TIME FACULTY
Candidates being reviewed for retention, tenure and/or promotion are to submit a dossier
according to the current FPPP guidelines to the Dean's office according to the given timeline.
Post Tenure Review Faculty (i.e., 5th year reviews) are to submit a dossier according to the
current FPPP guidelines to the Department office according to the given timeline.
The candidate shall submit a Narrative with the dossier as required in the current FPPP. The
Narrative will include:
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A. A one-to-two page reflective statement on his/her teaching philosophy/strategies/objectives
and how these have impacted the candidate's teaching.
B. A description of how the candidate's professional development relates to his/her teaching.
C. A brief section highlighting the scope and quality of his/her performance in the areas of
Instruction, Professional Growth and Achievement, and Other Contributions to the
University.
D. A brief description of how his/her professional activities support the Strategic Plans and
Goals of the Department, College, and University.
E. The goals and objectives for professional development he/she plans to accomplish in the
next review cycle.
In order to provide meaningful evidence of teaching performance, the candidate may
include the following in the dossier (see current FPPP):








Course syllabi
Creative teaching materials
Sample graded tests
Samples of evaluated student papers and/or projects
Descriptions of student-centered learning activities
Student outcome assessment plans, materials and results
Evidence of involvement in general studies courses
Description/evidence of curriculum and program development (e.g., new courses and
programs).
LECTURERS
Candidates are to submit a dossier according to the current FPPP guidelines to the Department
office according to the given timeline.
The candidate shall submit a narrative with the dossier as required in the current FPPP. The
narrative will include:
 A one-to-two page reflective statement on his/her teaching
philosophy/strategies/objectives and how these have impacted the candidate's teaching.
 A description of how the candidate's professional development relates to his/her
teaching.
In order to provide meaningful evidence of teaching performance, the candidate may should
include the following in the dossier (see current FPPP):
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







Course syllabi
Creative teaching materials
Sample graded tests
Samples of evaluated student papers and/or projects
Descriptions of student-centered learning activities
Student outcome assessment plans, materials and results
Evidence of involvement in general studies courses
Description/evidence of curriculum and program development (e.g., new courses and
programs).
XI. INTERVIEWS
A. Each full-time faculty member under review shall have an interview with the full RTP
committee prior to the University deadline for the relevant RTP report.
B. All interviews will be audio taped; the tape will serve as the official record of the interview.
The interview summary will be abstracted from the tape.