Adopted by Academic Policies and Curriculum Committee 11/10/15; Adopted by Faculty Senate 12/11/15; Adopted by the President 2/14/16; Revised March 2022, December 2022; Approved by Academic Policies and Curriculum Committee 5/8/23; Approved by Faculty Senate 5/19/23; Approved by President's Cabinet 8/9/23; 2/2/24

Policies and Regulations Governing Annual Evaluation of Faculty

Institutional policies align with the Board of Regents (BOR) Policy Manual: 8.3 Additional Policies for Faculty and the University System of Georgia (USG) Academic Affairs Handbook: Section 4.0: Academic Personnel.

Overview

Faculty are evaluated annually by their appropriate supervisor as defined by East Georgia State College (EGSC) against the minimum criteria listed in the BOR Policy 8.3.5.1 and BOR Policy 8.3.7.3. The annual evaluation will be appropriate to East Georgia State College’s mission and encompass

    1. teaching;
    2. student success activities;
    3. research/scholarship/creative activity or academic achievement;
    4. service to the institution, profession, or community; and
    5. continuous professional growth.

Definitions of these five areas of evaluation are provided in the Promotion and Tenure Policy. Examples of activities for each of the areas

East Georgia State College expects all its faculty members to prioritize teaching, emphasizing best practices for engaging students. Student evaluations of teaching are conducted each semester to provide instructors with feedback. Annual evaluations may also incorporate a system of peer evaluations, with emphasis placed on the faculty member’s professional development.

Since East Georgia State College is an access institution that grants primarily associates degrees, faculty must direct a large portion of their professional time and energies to instruction and other student success activities. Therefore, in keeping with the college mission, service, professional development, and academic achievement should be broadly defined.  Examples of faculty activities and accomplishments which may be attributed to each of the evaluated areas are found in the attached appendix.

Department Chairs must ensure that workload percentages for faculty roles and responsibilities are factored into the performance evaluation model in a consistent manner.  The overall evaluation must indicate whether the faculty member is making satisfactory progress toward the next level of review appropriate to their rank, tenure status, and career stage. 

As part of the annual evaluation process, the Department Chair and faculty member should determine the weighting to be allocated to each of the evaluation areas for the next evaluation period. Weightings must be within the ranges prescribed below, and total 100%.  These weightings must be determined in advance of the evaluation period and then used to determine the overall rating for the period being evaluated.

Teaching 50 - 60%
Student Success 15 - 25%
Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity or Academic Achievement 5 - 20%
Service 5 - 20%
Professional Growth 10 - 20%

Per USG Policy, performance will be evaluated using a 5-point Evaluation Likert Scale.

Evaluation Likert Scale

The following scale with descriptions will be used for all evaluation points for all faculty members, tenure track and non-tenure track. Evaluation points include annual evaluation of faculty, pre-tenure review, tenure, promotion, and post-tenure review.

1 -  Does Not Meet Expectations: Rating for faculty whose performance clearly fails to meet requirements for the duties and responsibilities of the position. Improved performance is expected and required as a condition of continued employment.
2 - Needs Improvement: Rating for faculty whose performance has approached, but not yet met, requirements for the duties and responsibilities of the position.
3 - Meets Expectations: Rating for faculty whose performance consistently meets requirements for the duties and responsibilities of the position.
4 - Exceeds Expectations:   Rating for faculty whose performance clearly and consistently exceeds requirements for the duties and responsibilities of the position.
5 - Exemplary:    Rating for faculty whose performance far exceeds requirements for the duties and responsibilities of the position on a consistent basis.

 

NOTE:  Noteworthy achievement as referenced in BOR Policy 8.3.7.3 is reflective of a 4 or 5 on the above Likert Scale. Deficient and unsatisfactory as referenced throughout this document is reflective of a 1 or a 2 on the Likert Scale.

Procedures

    1. The faculty member is responsible for providing documentation and materials for the annual evaluation. Documentation must include the Faculty Annual Report, a current Curriculum Vita, Student Course Evaluations (ratings and comments), and grade distributions for each course. All documentation must be submitted to the Department Chair by February 15 (or the next business day if February 15 falls on weekend).
    2. The Department Chair will review the faculty submission and complete the Faculty Evaluation Report. Feedback on performance will be based on the Evaluation Likert Scale and written comments.
    3. The Department Chair will meet with the faculty member to discuss the content of the Faculty Evaluation Report and his/her progression towards achieving future milestones.This meeting should occur no later than April 15 (or the next business day if April 15 falls on weekend) of the year following the calendar year to which the evaluation applies.
    4. The faculty member will sign a statement to the effect that he/she has been apprised of the content of the Faculty Evaluation Report. 
    5. The faculty member will be given 10 working days to respond in writing to the Faculty Evaluation Report, with this response to be attached to the evaluation. 
    6. The Department Chair will acknowledge in writing the receipt of the response, noting changes, if any, in the Faculty Evaluation Report made as a result of either the conference or the faculty member’s written response. This response should be made within 10 working days from the faculty member’s rebuttal/response. This acknowledgement will also become a part of the official personnel records.  Annual reviews are not subject to discretionary review.  
    7. If the performance in any of the categories is judged to be a 1 – Does Not Meet Expectations or a 2 – Needs Improvement, the faculty member must be provided with a Performance Remediation Plan (PRP) to remediate their performance during the next year. The Department Chair will develop the PRP in consultation with the faculty member. This will become part of the official personnel records.

Performance Remediation Plan (PRP)

The Performance Remediation Plan is used to document faculty deficiencies based on the outcomes from the annual review. The purpose of the PRP is designed to enable the faculty member to correct unsatisfactory performance in some aspect of their role or responsibilities. The plan must be approved by the Associate Vice President for Academics and submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs. Two meetings during the fall semester and two during the spring semester must be held to review progress, document additional needs/resources, and planned accomplishments for the upcoming quarter. After each meeting, the Department Chair should summarize the meeting and indicate if the faculty member is on track to complete the PRP. The consequences for failure to meet the expectations of the PRP must be stated at the conclusion of each meeting.

The PRP plans should include the following components:

    • Clearly defined goals or outcomes,
    • An outline of activities to be undertaken,
    • A timetable,
    • Available resources and supports,
    • Expectations for improvement
    • Monitoring strategy

APPENDIX:  Examples of Faculty Activities or Accomplishments for Evaluated Areas

Note: The list of sample activities and accomplishments is not exclusive and the completion of a specific activity or activities or receipt of a specific award or accolade does not guarantee a specific Likert scale score. Department Chairs will provide fair, consistent, and impartial evaluations based upon their professional assessments of the faculty member’s performance.

I.   Teaching

    1. Receipt of awards, honors, or recognitions for teaching excellence; 
    2. Receipt of student comments or letters from students that testify to the instructor’s abilities to inspire student interest and to stimulate their work; 
    3. Receipt of peer evaluations by colleagues who have team-taught with the instructor, used instructional materials designed by the instructor, or have taught the instructor’s students in subsequent courses; 
    4. Clearly communicated expectations for the course, all tasks, and assessments; and clearly identified all deadlines;
    5. Posted weekly overviews, welcome videos, and held virtual office hours in addition to the institution’s required in-person office hours.
    6. Provided prompt feedback on assessments (e.g., used D2L to enter grades within 24-72 hours; provided feedback and methods of improvement to online students in addition to grades);
    7. Provided feedback that was constructive, communicated high expectations, and suggested ways for improvement;
    8. Provided a wide variety of resources to support different types of learners;
    9. Provided enhanced online instructional delivery by using a variety of techniques and strategies to meet the individual needs of different types of learners;
    10. Used Open Education Resource (OER) or inclusive access textbooks to help students reduce costs;
    11. Used PowerPoint slides and other visual medium to increase students' retention and success;
    12. Demonstrated successful integration of teaching and research or teaching and service in ways that benefit students; 
    13. Demonstrated student accomplishments related to the course; 
    14. Promoted self-reflection within content areas to create a meaningful view of the content;
    15. Developed or significantly revised existing programs or courses; 
    16. Developed a sense of belonging in the classroom by encouraging communication and cooperation between students and/or students and faculty;
    17. Created and/or implemented substantial, innovative, or creative assignments and activities; 
    18. Created and/or implemented student learning assessments (e.g., tests, essay prompts, projects) and grading rubrics; 
    19. Placed emphasis on active learning (e.g., think-pair-share exercises, group work, self-assessment, reflections, various in-class activities);
    20. Used metacognitive strategies in teaching to promote greater understanding and deeper learning;
    21. Used D2L services for students to turn in work digitally and save money on printing costs;
    22. Prepared innovative teaching materials, instructional techniques, curricula, or programs of study for use in the classroom; 
    23. Submitted an annotated bibliography of books read, related to teaching, with a summary assessment of how the materials impacted the instructor’s teaching abilities; 
    24. Attended conferences or workshops that focused on teaching;

II.   Student Success Activities

    1. Provided regular student advising and mentoring;
    2. Provided tutoring in the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE);
    3. Provided students with additional tutoring opportunities outside of the ACE;
    4. Provided for readily available student contact opportunities outside of the classroom (e.g., through email, face-to-face meetings, video conferencing, and telephone communication during office hours);
    5. Provided timely and meaningful student feedback on assessments and discussed ways for improvement.
    6. Applied methodologies such as Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TiLT) in course design; 
    7. Sponsored or advised student clubs; 
    8. Created, hosted, or assisted with academic events such as science fairs, art exhibitions, theatre performances, or student presentations of original research;
    9. Created, hosted, or assisted with student activities such as concerts, films, art opening, and poetry readings;
    10. Encouraged and monitored student participation in The Hoopee Bird student newsletter or in the Wiregrass literary and art journal;
    11. Taught Student Learning Community (SLC) courses;
    12. Implemented strategies or techniques developed through participation in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC);
    13. Implemented strategies or techniques developed through participation in the Chancellor’s Learning Scholars Program or the Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program
    14. Implemented strategies or techniques developed through participation in MomentumU@USG training programs;
    15. Implemented strategies or techniques developed through participation in Quality Matters workshops.
    16. Created classroom or field trip experiences to enhance content delivery;
    17. Engaged students in the classroom through Active Learning (e.g., think-pair-share exercises, group work, self-assessment, reflections, discussions, peer teaching, journaling, roleplaying);
    18. Shared on-campus and online student success resources with students;

III. Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity or Academic Achievement

    1. Receipt of awards, honors, or recognitions for research or scholarship; 
    2. Receipt of project funding, grants, commissions, and/or contracts; 
    3. Receipt of grants related to instruction or to innovative teaching activities or stipends for students; 
    4. Publication of peer-reviewed academic research
    5. Authorship of applied research publications (e.g., articles, manuals, agricultural extension documents); 
    6. Attended institutional or external training seminars, workshops, meetings related to enhancing skills needed to better perform duties associated with teaching, advising, scholarship, or service; 
    7. Participated in activities related to education such as methodology, approaches, textbooks, lecture notes, and/or assessment techniques that reflect the instructor’s expertise and contributions to the field of higher education; 
    8. Presented scholarly papers or posters at academic or research conferences;
    9. Provided abstracts for publications of research, books, articles, journalism, art, literature; 
    10. Provided scholarly reviews of publications, exhibitions, productions;
    11. Earned USG teaching and learning badges and certifications.

IV.  Service to the Institution, Profession, or Community

A. Institutional Service

        1. Receipt of grants, contracts, or awards related to institutional service activities; 
        2. Receipt of copyrights, patents, or inventions related to institutional service activities;
        3. Participated in college governance or committee work; 
        4. Authored institutional policies or procedures; 
        5. Participated in the development of new academic programs or projects; 
        6. Created and/or implemented internal or external workshops; 
        7. Created and/or implemented industry-based training programs;
        8. Provided consultation or technical assistance to peers and colleagues; 
        9. Reviewed and/or edited grant proposals; 
        10. Received public recognition for coaching techniques, skill of players, and team wins; 
        11. Delivered timely and helpful presentations to the institution’s faculty;
        12. Served as a program coordinator, learning support coordinator, or initiative coordinator;
        13. Served on institutional panels including judicial, financial aid, scholarships, academic appeals, Title IX, etc;
        14. Served on review committees including tenure, promotion, and post-tenure;
        15. Served on Faculty Senate committees and subcommittees;

B. Professional Service

        1. Participated in the development and/or organization of professional meetings, workshops, or conferences; 
        2. Provided editorial work and/or peer reviews of academic manuscripts; 
        3. Provided leadership professional organizations or societies related to one's area of expertise; 

C. Community Service

        1. Receipt of awards, honors, or other special recognitions for community service activities; 
        2. Receipt of copyrights, patents, or inventions related to community service activities; 
        3. Held membership and/or leadership positions in local civic organizations (e.g., Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Humane Society, Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy Scouts of America); 
        4. Provided service hours and/or expertise to local civic organizations;
        5. Provided specific needs-based training for conducting community service activities (e.g., first aid training, foster parent IMPACT classes, therapy animal certification); 
        6. Provided consultation or technical assistance to community leaders;
        7. Published articles in professional and community service-based journals (e.g., Scout Life, Eagle’s Call, The Military Officer, Youth in Action 4-H Magazine); 
        8. Created and/or implemented community workshops or conferences; 
        9. Reviewed and/or edited grant proposals for community projects; 
        10. Coordinated and/or implemented community observances (e.g., Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Independence Day).
        11. Participated in EGSC-sponsored community events (e.g., Science Olympiad, Community Days, Pine Tree Festivals, tree planting ceremonies, and charity runs);
        12. Participated in local community events (e.g., clean-ups, food and clothing drives, library sales);
        13. Served as a volunteer at local K-12 schools (e.g., Parent Teacher Association volunteer, booster club member, event coordinator);
        14. Served as a volunteer in K-12 student competitions (e.g., American Legion Oratorical Competition, National High School Ethics Bowl, 3M Young Scientist Challenge, U.S. Academic Decathlon).

V. Continuous Professional Growth

    1. Earned terminal degree or additional graduate degree(s);
    2. Earned specialized certifications;
    3. Attended institutional conferences, seminars, or workshops; 
    4. Attended professional meetings, conferences, seminars, or workshops in one’s area of expertise; 
    5. Participated in membership activities of professional organizations or societies related to one's area of expertise; 
    6. Participated in Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) training, development, promotion, and delivery;
    7. Participated in performances, recordings, or production of literary, musical, visual arts, or theatrical works from traditional or contemporary repertoires of the performing arts, or other artistic works; 
    8. Learned innovative methods for using interactive technology in the classroom (e.g., game-based learning platforms, student response systems, virtual field trips, quick response codes).
    9. Learned a foreign language;
    10. Created an annotated bibliography of the research or subject area material read by the instructor.
    11. Completed Quality Matters training workshops.
    12. Participated in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC);
    13. Participated in the Chancellor’s Learning Scholars Program;
    14. Participated in the Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program;
    15. Participated in MomentumU@USG training programs;