Legislative History:

At its meeting of April 7, 1997, the Academic Senate approved the following Policy Recommendation presented by David McNeil for the Professional Standards Committee.

Supersedes S92-4

ACTION BY THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT:
"Approved as University Policy" signed Robert Caret, May 7, 1997.

POLICY RECOMMENDATION
POST TENURE REVIEW

Post Tenure Review

Guidelines for Review of the Professional Effectiveness of Tenured Faculty

A. Introduction:

This policy is to provide a process whereby faculty performance is reviewed for the purpose of acknowledging, maintaining and improving a tenured faculty unit employee's performance. At San Jose State University the emphasis in post tenure review will be on providing opportunities to take a proactive approach that will lead to an enhancement of professional practice, with a focus on faculty career paths and the professorial "life cycle." Rather than following the traditional "summative" model of faculty evaluation employed in the RTP process, faculty involved in post tenure review are to be provided the opportunity to participate in reflection about career development; the review is to be of a formative or prospective nature. A variety of activities are provided in this policy as options.

B. Basis for Requirement

These guidelines are to provide for the periodic review of the professional effectiveness of tenured faculty in accordance with the minimum standards stipulated in agreement Provisions 15.29 through 15.31 and those clauses within the general provisions of Article 15 of the Agreement that specifically relate to tenured faculty.

C. Condition of Implementation

The purpose of post tenure review shall be to promote and maintain excellence in professional effectiveness. These reviews should be conducted in a positive atmosphere of constructive and beneficial communication between all involved. As based on these guidelines, the review of tenured faculty shall be conducted in such a way as to protect the principle of academic freedom in conformity with American Association of University Professors' policies of academic freedom and due process and the right of each faculty member to such protection.

D. Review Schedule

1. All tenured faculty members shall be reviewed once every five years of service. Exceptions to this are:

a. Faculty who are reviewed for promotion need not be reviewed until the fifth year subsequent to that review.

b. Faculty will not be reviewed while on sabbatical or on full-time leave-of-absence.

2. The department as a whole, through a designated committee, or through the chair, shall establish the five year review cycle and each fall shall inform the college dean of the faculty members to be reviewed that year. Faculty to be reviewed will be notified at the same time and provided with a copy of the present policy.

3. At the beginning of each academic year each college dean will forward the list of all faculty scheduled for post tenure review to the Office of Faculty Affairs so that these faculty may be invited to workshops, retreats, receptions, and other events focusing on faculty professional career enhancement opportunities.

E. Review Committee(s)

1. Departments shall establish one or more review committees. Except for full professors, no member of the committee(s) may participate in the review of faculty of equal or higher rank.

2. No review committee shall have fewer than two members in addition to the department chair. Should the department chair be of lower rank than the faculty member under review, the department chair shall designate someone to serve in his/her place. Should there be too few faculty of appropriate rank within the department to meet the minimum number required, the department will, in consultation with the college dean, select additional members from other departments.

3. No faculty member can be a member of a committee which is reviewing his/her own professional effectiveness. However, it is recommended that the faculty member under review should meet informally with the committee to engage in reflective dialogic process.

F. Review Content

1. Initial Review: The purpose of the Post Tenure Review is to review and acknowledge the professional effectiveness of a faculty member with reference to the scope and currency of their professional work, not only for the previous five year period, but particularly with reference to their current and future professional career plans . This, to the extent possible, should focus on a positive, formative, and proactive approach to enhancing faculty careers. To that end:

a. The standard "Student Opinion of Teaching Effectiveness" (SOTE/SOLATE) ratings completed during the five year review cycle shall be considered. Additional assessment forms devised by the department, the college, or the faculty member under review should be reviewed if requested by that faculty member. Signed letters, written by students, graduates, or professional colleagues during the period of review may also be considered.

b. Currency pertinent to the professional assignment of the faculty member shall be discussed.

c. When a faculty member elects to engage in a reflective model focusing on his/her professional career as it relates to scholarly, professional or artistic work, teaching, work within the community, or service to the university he/she should have an opportunity to discuss with the committee any previously developed professional development plan(s); such plans may be prepared in advance, perhaps in consultation with the chair, college dean, Office of Faculty Affairs, or others designated to assist with faculty professional development.

d. Additional Materials, including course green sheets, faculty developed course materials or a statement from the faculty member about his/her professional philosophy or style shall also be considered at the request of the faculty member.

2. Further Review

If the committee decides that a further review is necessary, it may take additional steps, such as those identified in University Policy S91-9, Evaluation of Effectiveness in Teaching for All Faculty, approved May 13, 1991.

Other information volunteered by the faculty member shall be considered.

G. Results of the Review

1. A written summary of the post tenure review shall be given to the reviewed faculty member by May 1, The reviewed faculty member may attach a written statement to it. The summary of the evaluation shall be placed in the faculty member's personnel file by May 15; the faculty member's response, if any shall be included when submitted. If areas for commendation and/or encouragement have been identified, the committee shall inform the faculty member.

2. The department chair, in every case, shall discuss the summary with the faculty member. When appropriate, the department chair shall also inform the faculty member about opportunities available within the department and elsewhere on campus for professional support and assistance. The summary shall be reviewed by the college dean and placed in the faculty member's Personnel Action File along with the faculty member's statement by May 15.

3. When the department chair's professional effectiveness is reviewed, the committee chair, or his/her designee, shall discuss the summary with the department chair.

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