Evaluation of Academic Employees

SUNY Policies of the Board of Trustees

It is the policy of the University to evaluate academic employees. The purpose of evaluation is to appraise the extent to which academic employees have met their professional obligation. Written communication of such appraisals are sent to the academic employees. These evaluations may be considered in making recommendations with respect to continuing appointments, renewal of term appointments, promotions, discretionary increases, and for any other purpose where an academic employee's performance may be a relevant consideration. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the chief administrative officer from taking such action as may be deemed appropriate to the operating requirements of the college.

Campus Statement

The SUNY Delhi system for the evaluation of instruction includes student evaluation of faculty and the classroom visitation by the academic dean, library director, or their designee. While the primary purpose of these activities is the improvement of instruction, information derived from them can assist in college personnel decisions.

Campus Procedures

Student Evaluation of Instruction

Student evaluations of all full-time, part-time, and adjunct faculty will be submitted to deans for review. This will occur on the following cycle:

Full-time faculty

First-year faculty must have a section of each different course they teach during the academic year evaluated.
Faculty in years two through seven must have at least one section of one course evaluated per semester.
Faculty with continuing appointment must have at least one section of one course evaluated per academic year.

Part-time/adjunct faculty

Adjuncts must have a section of each different course they teach during the semester evaluated.
Adjuncts with term appointments must have at least one section of one course evaluated per semester.

After Student Evaluations are Completed

Deans will review these evaluations and return them to the faculty member on a timely basis. The dean may wish to include constructive, written comments when returning these materials. The provost, at their discretion, may review evaluations.
All faculty will utilize a standard evaluation instrument. The faculty member may add individual, or course-specific, questions.
When student evaluations of faculty members indicate a cause for concern about the faculty member’s pedagogy, instructional effectiveness, respect for students, or other issues that arise, the dean will discuss these topics with the faculty member. The dean may choose to implement a performance improvement plan in conjunction with the faculty member. The purpose of this consultation, and/or performance improvement plan, is solely to assist the faculty member in improving the teaching and learning environment.
Should the issues raised by student evaluations need continued attention, the dean, in consultation with the provost, may seek to assign an appropriate mentor to encourage and improve the pedagogy of the faculty member or suggest other means of improving teaching and learning. The faculty member has the option of accepting or rejecting the offer of a mentor.
The Office of Academic Programs and Services, in conjunction with the Center of Excellence & Innovation in Teaching & Learning, will sponsor best practices in teaching workshops and will support institutional effectiveness and assessment efforts, including workshops and other activities intended to support the faculty’s strong commitment to improving teaching and learning.
All members of the faculty will utilize EvaluationKIT (or other software used institution-wide) to conduct end-of-term course student evaluations. All course sections will be pre-loaded into the system for fall, spring, and summer terms. Faculty members are responsible for reviewing their course listing for each term and removing courses they do not wish to have evaluated in conjunction with union guidelines. Student anonymity will be maintained throughout the entire process. Results are made available within the EvaluationKIT system to the respective school dean and faculty after final grades have been submitted for the term.

Classroom Visits by School Dean or Designee

Classroom visits by the school dean/designee are conducted on a staggered schedule depending upon faculty rank and appointment. The staggered system provides the school dean/designee flexibility to visit the classes of newer faculty members at the lower ranks and to spend more time assisting them. In each classroom visitation, the school dean/designee completes a form. One copy is sent to the faculty member and one to the provost for inclusion in the faculty member's personnel file. The school dean typically consults with the faculty member on the findings from the visitation. Since this document may have bearing on personnel decisions, the faculty member may attach a personal response to the school dean’s findings.

Classroom visitation by the school dean or designee, in consultation with faculty to be evaluated, is mandatory.

The frequency of evaluation will be as follows:

Faculty with a term appointment will be evaluated each year.
Faculty with a temporary appointment will be evaluated at the discretion of the school dean.
Faculty with a continuing appointment will be evaluated every third year.

Results of each evaluation will be in written form and handled as follows:

Original copy of evaluation will be sent to faculty member for review.
Faculty member will meet with school dean to discuss the evaluation.
Faculty member may attach a personal response to the findings.
After evaluation (and faculty response, if any) is signed by the faculty member and school dean, it is sent to the provost for review.
The signed evaluation will be placed in the faculty member’s official personnel folder in the Office of Human Resources.