Policy Title: Faculty Professional Development

Impact: Faculty

Responsibility: Office of Instruction

Effective Date: 11/20/96

Last Update:

Relates to Procedure: 3.02.21

Legal Citation(s):

I. Policy Narrative

North Idaho College evaluates all faculty every three years using multiple data sources in accordance with the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges’ accreditation standard on faculty evaluation, and the following Evaluation Rights and Responsibilities.

II.  Purpose

The purpose of evaluation of faculty at North Idaho College is to maintain and enhance instructional excellence, assist in making sound personnel decisions and tenure recommendations by providing information on the performance of faculty in their major areas of responsibility.  Specific timelines, reports and evaluation instruments are outlined in the evaluation procedures.

III. Evaluation Rights and Responsibilities

1. The criteria to be used in evaluating performance should both be related to job responsibilities and understood by all parties before evaluation begins.
2. Evaluation can only be fair and useful if all results of the evaluation are discussed with the person being evaluated.
3. Documentation of evaluations and other pertinent information or incidents should be thorough, impartial and open to examination by both parties.
4. Allegation of deficiencies in performance or other serious problems can be considered as a reasonable basis for loss of status or termination of employment only when legitimate opportunity for remediation has been offered.
5. Summative evaluation should not be confused with or considered a substitute for open, ongoing communication between supervisors and subordinates.

IV. Faculty Groups to be Evaluated

All faculty groups that exist at NIC will be evaluated.  The groups are:

1. Tenured faculty
2. Probationary tenure track faculty
3. Special appointment faculty
4. Part time credit faculty
5. Counselors
6. Librarians
7. Non-credit faculty

V. Criteria

Faculty are evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Academic or Technical Preparation; Board Policy #3.02.8 (Faculty Employment)
2. Teaching Effectiveness; Board Policy #3.02.21 (Faculty Evaluation) and Policy 3.02.9 (Tenure Policy and Procedure)
3. Dependability in Meeting Contractual Responsibilities; Board Policy Manual Appendix (Duties and Responsibilities of NIC Faculty)
4. Professional Growth; Board policy #3.02.20 (Instructional Professional Improvement)
5. Professional Ethics; Board Policy #3.05 (Academic Freedom & Professional Ethics)

* Note: Performance Effectiveness may also be used as criteria #2 for faculty whose primary responsibility is non-classroom in nature.

VI. Professional Improvement and Development

Through the evaluation process, when improvement and professional development needs are identified, the responsibility for improvement and/or change rests with the faculty member.  The institution assists by providing development and improvement opportunities.

Procedure Title: Faculty Professional Development

Impact: Faculty

Responsibility: Office of Instruction

Effective Date: 08/27/03

Last Update:

Relates to Policy: 3.02.21

Legal Citation(s):

I. Evaluation of Tenured Faculty Members

1. Formal Evaluation
   Tenured faculty members will be formally evaluated once every three years. These procedures apply to faculty members serving as division chairs, with the exception that the evaluation will be administered directly by the vice president for instruction. The evaluation will be based on student surveys, administrative evaluation, self-evaluation, and optional peer review. By September 1 the vice president for instruction’s office will send notification to faculty members scheduled to be evaluated that academic year.
2. Student Surveys (Once each year)
   Once each year, student surveys will be administered in one class chosen by the faculty member. By the second week of the semester to be evaluated, the faculty member will submit to the division chair the name of the class that he or she wishes to have evaluated through student surveys. If the faculty member does not submit a class within this time, the division chair will choose a class.  The office of the vice president for instruction will administer student surveys through the division chair approximately 2 3 weeks before the last class meeting.  In addition to the student surveys administered by the vice president for instruction, faculty members are encouraged to routinely employ informal feedback techniques to assess their teaching effectiveness.
3. Self-Report
   By March 1 of the evaluation year, the faculty member will submit a self-report to the division chair. The self-report will be inclusive of the time since the previous formal evaluation and shall address the criteria outlined in the Tenure Policy.   
4. Peer Review
   If desired, the faculty member may select up to two peers to submit a peer review report to the faculty member and the division chair by the fourth week of the spring semester. The report may include reviews of course outlines, syllabi, textbooks, manuals, and other course materials, and measures of student performance.  A course observation form may also be submitted for classes observed by the peer reviewer.
   1. Division Chair Teaching Observation and Summative Evaluation
      The division chair will observe the classroom or lab performance of the faculty member. By:
   2. March 1, written teaching observation report(s) will be prepared and forwarded to the instructor.
   3. March 15, the division chair will have written and submitted to the faculty member a summative evaluation report. The report shall address the criteria for tenure as written in the Tenure Policy. Commendations or areas of concern will be noted in the report. 
   4. April 1, the division chair will have met with the faculty member and discussed the student surveys, the faculty member’s self-report, the peer reports, the teaching observation(s), and the summative evaluation report prepared by the division chair. The faculty member and the division chair will sign and date the written reports to acknowledge their review.
   5. April 15, the summative evaluation report prepared by the division chair, and any written comments by the faculty member, will be forwarded to the vice president for instruction. If the division chair and the vice president for instruction determine that a remediation plan is necessary, it will be developed in consultation with the faculty member and the Tenure Committee as described in the Remediation Policy and Procedures.
   6. May 15, the division chair will place all student evaluations and summative evaluation reports in the faculty member’s Human Resource personnel file.

II. Evaluation of Probationary Faculty Members

Academic Years 1-3

1. Student Surveys
   Each semester for the first three years, student surveys will be administered to all sections taught by the probationary faculty member. The office of the vice president for instruction shall administer student surveys through the division chair approximately 2 3 weeks before the last class meeting of the semester. In addition to the student surveys administered by the office of the vice president for instruction, faculty members are encouraged to routinely employ informal feedback techniques to assess their teaching effectiveness throughout each semester.
2. Peer Review
   Peer mentoring will be carried out as described in the Tenure Procedures.
3. Self-Report
   By March 1 the probationary faculty member will prepare and submit to the division chair an annual self-report. The report shall address the criteria for tenure outlined in the Tenure Policy
4. Division Chair Teaching Observation and Summative Evaluation
   The division chair will observe the classroom or lab performance of each probationary faculty member at least once a year. By:  March 1, a written teaching observation report will have been prepared by the division chair for each class observed and forwarded to the instructor
   1. March 15, the division chair will have written and submitted to the faculty member a summative evaluation report. The report shall address the criteria for tenure as written in the Tenure Policy. Commendations and areas of concern will be noted in the report. 
   2. April 1 the division chair will have met with the faculty member and discussed the student surveys, the faculty member’s self-report, the teaching observation(s) and the summative evaluation report prepared by the division chair. The faculty member and the division chair will sign and date the written reports to acknowledge their review.
   3. April 15 the summative evaluation report prepared by the division chair, and any written comments by the faculty member, will be forwarded to the vice president for instruction. If the division chair and the vice president for instruction determine that a remediation plan is necessary, it will be developed in consultation with the faculty member as described in the Remediation Policy and Procedures.
   4. May 1 the division chair will make a recommendation regarding continued employment to the vice president for instruction. A copy of the recommendation will be forwarded to the faculty member.
   5. May 15 the division chair will place all student evaluations and summative evaluation reports in the faculty member’s human resource personnel file.
5. Tenure Application Year
   Evaluations will be carried out as prescribed by the Tenure Procedure.

III. Evaluation of Special Appointment Faculty

1. Student Surveys
   Each semester of each year, student surveys will be administered to at least a portion of the sections taught by the special appointment faculty member. The office of the vice president for instruction will administer the surveys through the division chair approximately 2-3 weeks before the last class meeting.  In addition to the student surveys administered by the office of the vice president for instruction, faculty members are encouraged to routinely employ informal feedback techniques to assess their teaching effectiveness throughout each semester.
2. Peer Review
   If desired, the faculty member may select up to two peers to submit a peer review report to the faculty member and the division chair by March 1. The report may include reviews of course outlines, syllabi, textbooks, manuals, and other course materials, and measures of student performance.  A course observation form may also be submitted for classes observed by the peer reviewer.
3. Division Chair Teaching Observation and Summative Evaluation
   The division chair will observe the classroom or lab performance of each special appointment faculty member at least once a year. By:
   1. March 1, a written teaching observation report will have been prepared by the division chair for each class observed and forwarded to the instructor.
   2. March 15, the division chair will have written and submitted to the faculty member a summative evaluation report. The report shall address the criteria for tenure as written in the Tenure Policy. Commendations and areas of concern will be noted in the report. 
   3. April 1 the division chair will have met with the faculty member and discussed the student surveys, the faculty member’s self-report, the teaching observation(s), and the summative evaluation report prepared by the division chair. The faculty member and the division chair will sign and date the written reports to acknowledge their review.
   4. April 15 the summative evaluation report prepared by the division chair, and any written comments by the faculty member, will be forwarded to the vice president for instruction.
   5. May 1 the division chair will make a recommendation regarding continued employment to the vice president for instruction. A copy of the recommendation will be forwarded to the faculty member.
   6. May 15 the division chair will place all student evaluations and summative evaluation reports in the faculty member’s Human Resource personnel file.

IV. Evaluation of Part-time Credit Faculty

1. Student Surveys (Each Semester of each year)
   Each semester of each year, student surveys will be administered in at least one class chosen by the faculty member. Either the division chair or faculty member may choose to have more than one class evaluated.  By the second week of the semester, the faculty member will submit to the division chair the name of the class(s) that he or she wishes to be evaluated through student surveys. If a class is not submitted by the faculty member, the division chair will choose a class. The office of the vice president for instruction will administer student surveys through the division chair approximately 2 3 weeks before the last class meeting.  In addition to the student surveys administered by the vice president for instruction, faculty members are encouraged to routinely employ informal feedback techniques to assess their teaching effectiveness.
2. Division Chair or Director Observations
   The appropriate division chair, director, or designee will observe the classroom or lab performance of each part-time credit faculty member during the first semester of his or her appointment, and at least once every three years following initial employment. A written teaching observation report will be prepared after each observation visit.  If either commendations or concern are noted, they will be discussed with the instructor before the end of the semester.  Each semester, the division chair will forward copies of the teaching observation report and recommendations to the instructor and the vice president for instruction.  The division chair will place all student evaluations and review reports in the faculty member’s human resource personnel file.
3. Continuation of Employment
   The appropriate division chair or director will make a decision for continuation of employment of the part time credit faculty member on a semester by semester basis.

V. Evaluation of Librarians

1. Timeline
   For the first three years of employment, librarians will be evaluated based on an annual cycle of information collection, review, and reporting. After three years of satisfactory evaluations, librarians will be formally evaluated once every three years. Librarians who are also department managers will be evaluated by classroom faculty and campus staff every two years during the upward evaluation process.
2. Criteria
   Librarians will be evaluated on the criteria outlined in the policy on faculty evaluation:
   1. Academic and technical preparation
   2. Performance effectiveness
   3. Dependability in meeting contractual responsibilities
   4. Professional growth
   5. Professional ethics
3. Student Surveys
   1. Students and/or staff will be surveyed, when feasible, when they access the library and use its services. Surveys will be handled anonymously and consolidated into reports for review by the director and/or team managers of Learning Resources and the individual librarians involved.
   2. Individuals participating in an event conducted by a librarian will be surveyed intermittently following the event. Surveys will be handled anonymously and consolidated into reports for review by the director and/or management team of Learning Resources and the librarian(s) involved.
4. Peer Reports
   Informal peer reviews by library staff are performed routinely as part of department interaction and regular staff meeting agendas. Formal peer reports may be assigned library staff by the director or management team members of Learning Resources or the vice president for instruction when peer librarians’ or the vice president for instruction’s perspectives would be helpful in addressing identified areas of concern.
5. Self-Report
   By March 1 of the year of evaluation, the librarian will prepare and submit to the appropriate library supervisor or the vice president for instruction, a self-report. The report shall address the criteria listed in the faculty evaluation policy and listed above in the “Criteria” section.
6. Supervisor Review Report
   By March 15 of the year of evaluation, the director of Learning Resources or appropriate supervisor (library department head, vice president for instruction) will prepare a written report for the librarian being evaluated that addresses the criteria listed above. The report may include survey responses, peer reviews (when relevant), self-reports, and other materials relevant to librarian performance.
7. Review Meeting
   By April 1 of the year of evaluation, the director of Learning Resources or appropriate supervisor will meet with the librarian and discuss the evaluation materials. Any added commendations or concerns expressed in the meeting would be noted in the report.  Professional development plans deemed appropriate in response to areas of need will be designed jointly by the librarian and the supervisor, and included in the report.
   The librarian and the appropriate supervisor will sign the supervisor’s report to acknowledge its review and receipt at the meeting.  The librarian’s signature does not necessarily indicate agreement with the report, and the librarian is free to attach comments or additional materials.
8. Report to the Vice President for Instruction
   By April 15 a copy of the completed review report will be submitted to the vice president for instruction. If the appropriate Learning Resources supervisor and the vice president for instruction determine that a remediation plan is necessary, it will be developed in consultation with the librarian as described in the Remediation Policy and Procedures.  The vice president for instruction, in consultation with a librarian manager and the library’s management team that report directly to this position, may determine a remediation plan is necessary for a librarian serving on the Learning Resources management team.  All parties involved in the remediation process will follow the Remediation Policy and Procedures.
9. Reports Maintained in Human Resources
   By May 15 of the year of evaluation, the director of Learning Resources or Learning Resources management team or the vice president for instruction will place all evaluation and review reports in the librarian’s human resource personnel file.
10. Evaluation of part-time librarians
    The appropriate supervisor(s) will observe the performance of part-time librarians during the semester of his or her appointment, and at least once every three years following initial employment. A written performance evaluation report will be prepared after each observation.  If either commendations or concerns are noted, they will be discussed with the librarian before the end of the semester.  Student and/or staff surveys may also be administered if and when appropriate. 

The supervising librarian will forward copies of the performance evaluation report and recommendations, and any student and/or staff survey results to the part-time librarian and the vice president for instruction.  If the appropriate Learning Resources supervisor and the vice president for instruction determine that a remediation plan is necessary, it will be developed in consultation with the part-time librarian as described in the Remediation Policy and Procedures.  The supervising librarian will place all evaluations and any staff and/or student survey results in the part-time librarian’s human resource personnel file.

VI. Evaluation of Counselors

1. Timeline
   For the first three years of employment, counselors will be evaluated based on an annual cycle of information collection, review, and reporting. After three years of satisfactory evaluations, counselors will be formally evaluated once every three years.
2. Criteria
   Counselors will be evaluated on the criteria outlined in the policy on faculty evaluation:
   1. Academic or technical preparation
   2. Performance Effectiveness
   3. Dependability in meeting contractual responsibilities
   4. Professional Growth
   5. Professional Ethics.
3. Student Surveys
   1. Students will be surveyed intermittently when they access counseling services. Surveys will be handled anonymously and consolidated periodically into reports for review by the Director of Counseling Services and the individual counselor(s) involved.
   2. Individuals participating in events conducted by a counselor or those events receiving support from a counselor will be surveyed intermittently following the event. Surveys will be handled anonymously and consolidated into reports for review by the Director of Counseling Services and the individual counselor(s) involved.
4. Peer Reports
   Informal peer reviews by counseling staff are performed routinely as part of department interaction and regular staff meeting agendas. Formal peer reports by counseling staff may be assigned by the director of counseling services when peer counselor perspectives would be helpful in addressing identified areas of concern.
5. Self-Report
   By March 1 of the year of evaluation, the counselor will prepare and submit to the director of counseling services a self-report. The report shall address the criteria listed in the faculty evaluation policy and listed again above in the “Criteria Section.”
6. Supervisor Review Report
   By March 15 of the year of evaluation, the director of counseling services will prepare a written report for the counselor that addresses the criteria listed above. The report may include survey responses; peer reviews, when relevant; self-reports; and other materials relevant to counselor performance.
7. Review Meeting
   By April 1 of the year of evaluation, the director of counseling services will meet with the counselor and discuss the evaluation materials. Any added commendations or concerns expressed in the meeting will be noted in the report.  Professional development plans deemed appropriate in response to areas of need will be designed jointly by the counselor and the director of counseling services, and included in the report.

1. The director of counseling services and the counselor will sign the director’s report to acknowledge its review and receipt at the meeting.  The counselor’s signature does not necessarily indicate agreement with the report, and the counselor is free to attach comments or additional materials.
2. Report to Vice President for Student Services
   By April 15 a copy of the completed review report will be submitted to the vice president for student services. If the director of counseling services and the vice president for student services determine that a remediation plan is necessary, it will be developed in consultation with the counselor as described in the Remediation Policy and Procedures.
3. Reports maintained in Human Resources
   By May 15 of the year of evaluation, the director of counseling services will place all evaluation and review reports in the counselor’s human resource personnel file.

 VII. Evaluation of Part-time Counselors

1. 1. The appropriate supervisor(s) will observe the performance of part-time counselors during the semester of his or her appointment, and at least once every three years following initial employment. A written performance evaluation report will be prepared after each observation.  If either commendations or concerns are noted, they will be discussed with the counselor before the end of the semester. Professional development plans deemed appropriate in response to areas of need will be designed jointly by the counselor and the supervisor and included in the report. Student surveys may also be administered if and when appropriate.
   2. The supervisor will forward copies of the performance evaluation report and recommendations, and any student survey results, to the vice president for student services. If the director of counseling services and the vice president for student services determine that a remediation plan is necessary, it will be developed in consultation with the counselor as described in the Remediation Policy and Procedures.  The supervisor will place all evaluations and student survey results in the part-time counselor’s human resource personnel file.

Draft Faculty Evaluation Procedure Timelines

1-20-03

 VIII.             

Deadlines                               Librarians

Mar.  1          Librarian submits self-report to appropriate library supervisor or the Vice President for Instruction

Mar. 15         Appropriate library supervisor or the Vice President for Instruction submits a summative evaluation report to librarian

Apr.  1          Appropriate supervisor or the Vice President of Instruction meets with librarian to review evaluation reports

Apr. 15          Appropriate supervisor submits summative evaluation report and librarian’s self-report to the Vice President for Instruction

May 15          Appropriate supervisor or the Vice President for Instruction places evaluation documents in personnel file

Deadlines                                         Counselors

Mar.  1          Counselor submits self-report to director of counseling services

Mar.  15        Director of counseling services submits a summative evaluation report to counselor

Apr.   1          Director of counseling services meets with counselor to review evaluation reports

Apr.  15         Director of counseling services submits summative evaluation report and counselor’s self-report to the Vice President for Student Services

May 15          Director of counseling services places evaluation documents in personnel file