Final Question

Evaluating

Evaluation is an important part of the accreditation process. SACSCOC speaks to the requirement of evaluation for following college groups:

 

· The Board of Trustees must do a self-evaluation.

· The Board of Trustees must evaluate the President or CEO.

· Non-faculty must be evaluated by their supervisors.

· Faculty must be evaluated by their chairs/deans.

SACSCOC speaks specifically to what colleges and universities must do about faculty evaluation when it says:

...it is imperative that an effective system of evaluation be in place for all faculty members that addresses the institution’s obligations to foster intellectual freedom of faculty to teach, serve, research, and publish.

Since we have already acknowledged the importance of faculty and its impact on students, then we must also acknowledge the importance of faculty evaluation. As discussed in an earlier lesson, faculty is expected to perform on three levels—teaching, research, and service.

At Mississippi College, Chairs/Deans use a form with this information on it when evaluating faculty:

Teaching Effectiveness. Cite evidences of the faculty member’s effectiveness as a teacher. The faculty member should have demonstrated: competency in the field and a high degree of proficiency as a teacher; quality in performance of assignments and adequacy of load; availability to students for advisement; and cooperation and willingness to move department curriculum and program forward.

Scholarly Achievement. Cite evidences of the faculty member’s effectiveness as a scholar, including a commitment to ongoing scholarly growth, research, and/or publication.

Contribution to the University. Cite evidences of how the faculty member is helping to move the University forward that extends beyond effective teaching. There should be evidence that the faculty member: actively promotes the objectives and directions of the University; energetically works as a member of the college community; and participates willingly in activities which promote the well-being of students and fellow employees.

Service and Outreach. Cite evidences of how the faculty member is contributing his/her professional expertise to the well-being of the larger public. There is evidence that the faculty member is contributing in a positive way to the profession and to the larger community.

As you can see, the form supports the areas mentioned above—teaching, research, and service. Each year, the faculty member completes a data sheet with information to support these areas for the purposes of the unit’s annual report.

Evaluation means performance appraisals, normally on a yearly basis. It is essential to learn how to provide an effective appraisal of subordinates. Please watch the video I made with a few essentials necessary for effective performance appraisals.