Procedures for the Periodic Evaluation of Tenured Faculty

PREAMBLE: The Sonoma State University Academic Senate recognizes the autonomy of each department or equivalent unit in the conduct of periodic evaluation of tenured, faculty-unit employees. It notes that periodic evaluation in separate and distinct from performance review evaluation. Performance review evaluations result in recommendations concerning reappointment, tenure, and promotion.  The purpose of periodic evaluation is to maintain and improve the effectiveness of tenured, faculty-unit employees. Periodic evaluations of tenured faculty result in discussions, suggestions, and reports concerning the maintenance and improvement of effectiveness. With this purpose in mind, Sonoma State University establishes the following procedures for the Periodic Evaluation of Tenured Faculty. (For relevant provisions of the current MOU, July 1, 1987-June 30, 1991, see Article 15.1-15.19, 15.28-15.30.)

FREQUENCY OF PERIODIC EVALUATION:  Periodic evaluations shall occur at intervals no more frequent than the greatest interval permitted by the MOU in effect at the time of the evaluation. (Currently 5 years.)

INITIATION:  Each department or equivalent unit shall initiate the periodic evaluation of tenured faculty.

CONDUCT OF THE PERIODIC EVALUATION

1. The responsibility for conducting the periodic evaluation shall lie with the department or equivalent-unit periodic review committee and the school dean. The periodic evaluation committee and the school dean will conduct separate evaluations based on the common periodic evaluation file.
2. For each periodic evaluation, the departmental of equivalent-unit faculty shall select a three-member periodic evaluation committee of tenured, full-time, faculty-unit employees acceptable to the individual being evaluated. In the even of disagreement over the membership of the periodic evaluation committee, the individual being evaluated and the department or equivalent-unit chair shall each select one member of the periodic evaluation committee, and those selected shall choose a third faculty member to complete the committee. Department or equivalent-unit chairs may be members of the periodic evaluation committee. Each periodic evaluation committee shall elect its own chair. The chair of the periodic evaluation committee shall inform the school dean of the commencement of the periodic evaluation.
3. The periodic evaluation committee and the school dean shall use as a basis for evaluation a periodic evaluation file. The periodic evaluation file shall include copies of a department’s regularly conducted student evaluations of teaching performance, peer evaluations, and administrative evaluations if any. The individual being evaluated may add ay material to the periodic evaluation file which he or she deems relevant. Members of the periodic evaluation committee, the school dean, and the individual being evaluated shall have access to the periodic evaluation file. Any communication or evaluation except regular student evaluations must include the author’s name in order to be included in the file.
4. Deliberations of the periodic evaluation committees shall remain confidential.
5. The faculty member being evaluated may, at his or her request, meet one or more times with the periodic evaluation committee and/or the school dean during the course of the evaluation.
6. At the conclusion of the evaluation process, the periodic evaluation committee and the school dean shall draft their reports. A copy of each report shall be given to the individual being evaluated, who will have ten calendar days to review the reports. He or she may attach a written response to the reports. Copies of the reports and any response of the individual being evaluated shall be given to the members of the periodic evaluation committee and the school dean.
7. Following the ten-calendar-day period, the periodic evaluation committee and the school dean shall meet with the individual being evaluated to discuss his or her strengths and weaknesses along with any suggestions for improvement.

At the conclusion of the evaluation process, all materials and reports, with the exception of summary reports placed in the Personnel Action File and copies of student evaluations of instruction maintained in department or equivalent-unit files, shall be given to the individual being evaluated. The chair of the periodic evaluation committee is responsible for collecting such materials and reports from the other members of the periodic evaluation committee and the school dean for delivery to the individual being evaluated.

8. After the meeting, the periodic evaluation committee and the school dean shall write summary reports which shall be placed in the Personnel Action File of the tenured, faculty-unit member. The individual being evaluated shall have the right to review the summary reports and initiate actions to correct them as provided in the MOU. [See Article 11 (Personnel Files).]

Updated March 3, 2006 by SSU.policies@sonoma.edu