S91-9 EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS IN TEACHING FOR ALL FACULTY

Legislative History:

Rescinds S79-9

At its meeting of May 13, 1991, the Academic Senate approved the following Policy Recom- mendation presented by David McNeil for the Professional Standards Committee.

ACTION BY THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT:

"Accepted and Approved as University Policy. Effective Fall, 1991 semester and thereafter." Signed Gail Fullerton, May 22, 1991.

Teaching effectiveness is the primary and essential condition for continuation and advancement within the university . . . (F90-3, I.B.3).

In evaluating effectiveness in teaching, departments should consider a number of factors, including the following:

A. Relation of course objectives to the purposes of the particular course taught and of the curriculum.

B. Course implementation and content in relation to "A" above, including green sheet materials and texts used; method, rigor, and level of instruction; tests; and papers.

C. The faculty member's knowledge of the subject, attitudes toward teaching and students, preparation, and grading practices. (Some departments may wish to review at least one set of graded papers or examinations.)

D. Circumstances such as the nature of particular courses, whether required, experimental, a revision of an older course, a new course or new preparation, a course outside the faculty member's primary area of specialization, a team-taught course, or a course involving close coordination of labs and lectures. Other relevant considerations might be whether a course is taken to fulfill major or General Education requirements (F90-3, B.1.a).

E. Student Opinion of Teaching Effectiveness

1. Student Opinion of Teaching Effectiveness (SOTE) and Student Opinion of Laboratory or Activity Teaching Effectiveness (SOLATE):

a. Information from SOTE is BUT ONE source of information for assessing teaching effectiveness. Other sources of information about faculty teaching effectiveness MUST be employed before reaching an RTP decision (Interpretation Guide for Student Opinion of Teaching Effectiveness Results).

b. Faculty shall request a review for a minimum of two classes annually in classes representative of the faculty member's teaching assignment (CFA/CSU Agreement, Article 15.14; F87-6, p. 2, #4). The classes to be evaluated shall be jointly determined in consultation between the faculty member and his/her department chair (Article 15).

2. Other Student Opinions

a. Any student communications or opinions provided outside of the regular evaluation process must be identified by name to be included in a Personnel Action File (Article 15.16.b).

b. Unsigned written responses from students (F83-2):

A separate department-prepared form shall be available in conjunction with the usual questionnaire, to be used at the faculty member's option. These forms may include questions devised by the department and must allow space for open-ended student comment. The written forms shall be collected and taken to the department office in the same manner as the machine processed questionnaires. After reviewing the responses with the department chair or the chair's designee, the faculty member shall a) retain all responses for his/her personal use in improving instruction; or b) authorize the department chair and appropriate committee to include all the responses collected in his/her performance review or periodic evaluation of the faculty member; and/or c) authorize the department chair and/or appropriate committee to review all responses collected for the purpose of improving the faculty member's teaching effectiveness (F83-2).

F. Classroom, including laboratory, and supervision (F90-3, B.1.a) visits conducted by a peer (faculty of equal or higher academic rank) should, whenever possible, be made in the context of factors "A" through "D" cited above. Peer evaluators should be assigned by the department chair and/or department personnel committee. A faculty member may request additional peer evaluations..

1. For probationary candidates seeking tenure, classroom visits shall be made in at least one course per semester. Over the entire probationary period, visits should be made in the range of courses taught.

2. For candidates seeking promotion, classroom visits shall be made in at least one course per year. By the time of review for promotion, visits should have been made in a representative sampling of courses.

3. For tenured full professors, classroom visits may be made upon request by the faculty member.

a. The goal of the visits should be for professional development.

b. An appropriate departmental committee of equal or higher rank at its discretion, may require class visits when problems of instruction come to its attention. The committee or its evaluators may make appropriate recommendations for the improvement of instruction (e.g. referral to the Instructional Resource Center).

4. For teaching faculty continuing in full-time temporary appointments, classroom visits shall be made in at least one course per year and should have been made in a representative sampling of courses (S88-4).

5. For teaching faculty continuing in part-time temporary appointments, classroom visits shall be made in at least one course in the first semester of appointment, and at least every third semester thereafter. If this is not feasible, visits should be made as often as is practicable (S88-4).

6. Report of Classroom Visit:

A written report shall be provided to the faculty member in a timely manner (within ten working days). The faculty member has the right to respond to or rebut in writing the report within seven calendar days after receiving the report.