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Handbook of Operating Procedures
Handbook of Operating Procedures
Chapter 2 - Faculty and Academics
Publication Date: August 30, 2011
Responsible Executive: VP for Academic Affairs


2.22 Periodic Performance Evaluation of Tenured Faculty

POLICY STATEMENT

The periodic performance evaluation (PPE) of tenured faculty should be viewed as a significant part of the faculty member’s long-term career development, with the objective that a tenured faculty’s career will demonstrate a record of leadership through performance of the highest caliber in the areas of teaching, research, and service.

RATIONALE

This policy sets forth the process for periodic performance evaluations of tenured faculty members.

SCOPE

This policy applies to all tenured faculty at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).

WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY

http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter2/2-22.html

RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS

UTSA or UT System Policies or the Board of Regents' Rules and Regulations

  • UTSA Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) policy 2.10, Faculty Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure
  • UTSA HOP policy 2.13, Termination and Non-reappointment of Teaching Personnel
  • University of Texas System (UT System) Board of Regents' Rule 31001, Faculty Appointments and Titles
  • UT System Board of Regents' Rule 31007, Tenure
  • UT System Board of Regents' Rule 31102, Evaluation of Tenured Faculty
  • UT System Board of Regents' Rule 31008, Termination of a Faculty Member

CONTACTS

If you have questions about HOP policy 2.22, Periodic Performance Evaluation of Tenured Faculty, please contact the following office:

Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
210-458-4110

DEFINITIONS

Tenure
A status of continuing appointment as a member of the faculty at UTSA.

Tenure Titles
Except for the titles Regental Professor, and Regents' Research Scholar, the only titles to be used henceforth in which faculty members may hold tenure are as follows: (a) Professor and (b) Associate Professor.   

PROCEDURES

  1. General Provisions
    1. This policy for comprehensive periodic performance evaluation (PPE) at UTSA accords with UT System policy as set forth in the Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations Rule 31102, Review of Tenured Faculty.
    2. Purpose of Periodic Performance Evaluation
      1. The periodic performance evaluation (PPE) of tenured faculty should be viewed as a significant part of the faculty member’s long-term career development, with the objective that a tenured faculty’s career will demonstrate a record of leadership through performance of the highest caliber in the areas of teaching, research, and service.
      2. The faculty member will clearly demonstrate the attainment of goals achieved in the areas of research, teaching, and service that have been established as part of a cohesive plan in the faculty member’s career development, consistent with the goals outlined in HOP policy 2.10, Faculty Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure.
      3. PPE criteria will be developed at the department level by the Chair and faculty in consultation with the Dean of the college. The cohesive plan should be reflected in annual workload plans and in the PPE file prospectus.
  2. Review Process and Timetable
    1. Review Frequency
      1. Faculty will be subject to a PPE review every six (6) years after tenure.
      2. When they coincide, the promotion review includes the PPE review.
      3. The Department Chair will provide the faculty member with notice of intent to undertake a PPE review at least six (6) months prior to the review.
      4. The evaluation may not be waived for any tenured faculty member but may be deferred in rare circumstances when the review period will coincide with approved leave.
      5. No deferral of review of an active faculty member may extend beyond one (1) year from the scheduled review.
      6. Periods when a faculty member is on unpaid leave, medical leave, or assigned a full-time administrative position will not be counted toward the six-year period between successive PPE reviews. Periods when a faculty member is on development leave will not be counted toward the six-year period between successive PPE reviews.
    2. Review Committee
      1. The six-year review will be carried out at the department level by a committee of no less than three (3)of the tenured faculty at or above the rank of the faculty member under review.
      2. When there are fewer than three (3) tenured faculty at or above the rank of the faculty member under review, appointed at least half time to the department (in addition to the faculty member under review), the Chair, in consultation with the Dean, may invite tenured faculty at or above the rank of the tenured faculty member under review from other departments to participate as members of the committee.
      3. When the faculty member undergoing review is the Department Chair, the Dean will appoint another faculty member at or above the rank of the Chair to serve in the role of chair for this policy.
      4. The committee is elected each fall in those years when a committee is required by the voting members of the department faculty.
      5. The chair of the committee will be elected by committee members.
      6. Faculty members with part-time administrative positions are eligible to serve on the review committee.
    3. Review Process
      1. The faculty member under review will submit a current curriculum vitae, a summary statement of professional accomplishments, teaching evaluations, annual reports, and other supporting materials, including research products, documentation of teaching effectiveness, and a record of service contributions to the department, college, university, and professional community.
      2. Faculty members appointed to part-time administrative positions will be reviewed under this process, with appropriate consideration given to the demands of administrative assignments and their impact on the level of research activity, courses taught, and the extent of service contributions.
      3. The review committee will examine the submitted materials, provide the faculty member being evaluated with an opportunity to meet with the committee, and make a determination concerning the quality of the faculty member’s continuing contribution to the mission of the department and college.
      4. The chair of the committee will communicate the result of the committee’s review in writing to the Department Chair.
      5. The Department Chair will transmit the committee’s results to the Dean of the college, along with his or her written recommendation as Department Chair.
      6. Upon review of the department's recommendation, the Dean will make a final decision concerning the results of the review and communicate those results to the Provost and the President for their review and recommendations for appropriate action.
      7. The faculty member under review will be informed in writing by the Dean of the final result of the review.
  3. Outcome of Periodic Performance Evaluation
    1. If the record of annual merit evaluation or the PPE review raises concerns about the faculty member’s performance, then the faculty member may be asked to provide further evidence of contributions or activity in the areas of concern.
    2. If the final result of the PPE is unsatisfactory, the Dean in consultation with the Department Chair will place the faculty member, including those with part-time administrative appointments, on a short-term performance improvement plan.
    3. Failure to meet the goals laid out in the short-term performance improvement plan may result in an additional review to determine if good cause exists for termination under the UTSA HOP policy 2.13, Termination and Nonreappointment of Teaching Personnel and the Regents’ Rules 31008, Termination of a Faculty Member and 31102, Evaluation of Tenured Faculty.
    4. The Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee of the UTSA Faculty Senate is charged with monitoring this review process and with reporting its findings annually to the Faculty Senate and the UTSA administration. If its findings warrant, the committee will recommend revisions of the procedures for faculty review at UTSA, the system-wide guidelines for post-tenure review of faculty, or both.
  4. Protection of Individual Rights
    Nothing in this institutional evaluation policy, or its interpretation, will be interpreted or applied to infringe on the tenure system, academic freedom, due process or other protected rights, nor to establish new term-tenure systems or to require faculty to re-establish their credentials for tenure.