Evaluation of Part-Time Faculty
State University of New York at Albany
A. Background – This statement is an addendum to the “Guidelines for the Appointment
of Part-time Faculty Members,” issued annually by the Provost’s Office, and is intended
to articulate more specific expectations and standards for evaluating the performance of
the University’s part-time faculty, particularly in the area of teaching. Like the
Guidelines, this statement was generated by a joint labor-management group, and will be
reviewed from time to time to improve its usefulness in providing encouragement and
direction for the institution’s academic departments in fostering an environment that
values and promotes the professional contributions of part-time faculty members.
The University at Albany has a long history of policy and practice for both student and
peer assessment of teaching. Student feedback is regularly solicited for courses, using
the Student Information Retrieval Form (SIRF) coordinated by the Office of Institutional
Research or some other instrument endorsed by the instructor’s department or program.
In 1984, the University Senate passed legislation requiring each school or department to
adopt a procedure for peer evaluation of teaching. The legislation does not mandate a
single, uniform approach, but rather describes several standard and accepted techniques
to serve as examples for the faculty of each unit to use in developing a response that is
tailored to the particular character and needs their curriculum. Compilation and
presentation of data generated from these student and peer assessment processes is
routinely incorporated into the documentation accompanying term renewal and
promotion recommendations for the full-time faculty. This effort reflects the mutual
interest in extending these evaluation processes and expectations in so far as possible to
part-time faculty.
B. Recommended Expectations – While departments and programs are encouraged to
give serious and deliberate assessment attention to the performance and contributions of
all part-time faculty members, this addendum statement focuses particularly on paid
employees of the UUP bargaining unit. Approximately 250 individuals in this status are
appointed to the University each semester to teach a variety of lecture and seminar
courses as well as to interact with students doing required practica, independent study,
and directed research.
1)
At a minimum, all departments and programs are expected to install procedures as
necessary to solicit student evaluations for courses taught by part-time faculty.
Data obtained from this source must be compiled and submitted to the department
chair or dean and to the faculty member, together with comparative departmental
or school-wide statistical mean scores.
2)
In addition to student course evaluations, departments and programs are expected
to evaluate part-time faculty members on a regular basis. In all respects, the
procedures for the evaluation of part-time faculty should adhere to the guidelines
provided in the Administrative Memorandum on the Evaluation of Teaching
(Office of Academic Affairs, April 24, 1984). At a minimum, these evaluations
should include review of course syllabi and other teaching materials, review of
grade distributions and other student performance evaluations at least once every
three semesters. In addition, an initial direct classroom observation should be
made within the first three semesters of the appointment, and periodically
thereafter in departments and programs where the practice exists for full-time
faculty members. An extension of the normal time period for the initial
observation, by one semester, may be granted by the applicable dean. Part-time
faculty members in departments and programs where classroom observation is not
the normal practice, may nonetheless request one. Documentation of these
evaluations shall be maintained in the department or program office, though
available to the applicable dean in conjunction with renewals and other personnel
actions.
3)
Lastly, part-time faculty should be invited to submit annual faculty activity
reports. These reports provide a convenient mechanism for gathering regular and
systematic information about a faculty member’s larger, more comprehensive
professional achievements and contributions. The report is available on the
UAlbany website at
http://www.albany.edu/academic_affairs/faculty_activity_report/
C. Recommended Outcomes – The purpose of encouraging more concerted efforts on
behalf of teaching evaluation is to document the high quality of performance of part-time
faculty and to promote and assist their professional development. Toward these ends,
departments and programs are urged to create and maintain individual performance
portfolios for their part-time faculty, especially those persons who have been (or are
likely to be) associated with the unit on a long-term basis. The evidence gathered
through this evaluation process is to be used in making a variety of personnel decisions,
including renewal actions, recommendations for discretionary salary awards, and targeted
institutional honors and awards intended to recognize the particular accomplishments of
part-time faculty.
D. Selected Resources
1)
Guidelines for the Appointment of Part-time Faculty Members, Office of
Academic Affairs
2)
Administrative Memorandum on the Evaluation of Teaching, Office of Academic
Affairs, April 24, 1984
For more information contact: Office of Academic Affairs, 956-8030.