Purpose: A formal Peer Review process in the third year of employment will lay the ground work for the preparation of the Promotion and Tenure case and provide tenure-track faculty with detailed evaluations from their peers, particularly those within their own department. It will further serve to educate the department and school faculty in the work of the faculty member being reviewed.

I. Overview.

A. A formal and comprehensive review process will occur at the department level (II. Department -level Review). Presenting the case to the VPA P&T committee, for comments only, is highly recommended (III. School-level Review). Presenting the case to the chair and/or dean for comments is also highly recommended.

B. The following process will be:

• Mandatory for 3rd year tenure-track faculty.
• Optional for tenured and 4th and 5th year tenure-track faculty.

C. Each department may further expand upon this document upon vote of the faculty of the department.

II. Department-level Review: The review will be based upon department criteria for Promotion and Tenure. The faculty member will submit a case and supporting documents to this committee by September 30.

A. Procedures for the Committee.

1. Selection of the committee. The selection of the committee is to be coordinated by the department chair and to be completed by September 30.

a. Membership: All tenured or tenure-track faculty; a minimum of three members; at least two from the department of the faculty member being reviewed, one of which must be tenured,

(1) One person chosen by the Faculty member being reviewed.
(2) One person chosen by the chair of the department, in consultation with the faculty member being reviewed.
(3) One person who may be from outside the department, chosen by agreement between the department chair and the faculty member being reviewed.
(4) Any additional members are to be chosen by agreement between the department chair and the faculty member being reviewed

b. The faculty member's acceptance of the committee will be indicated by signing a document listing the membership.

2. The committee will elect a chair to write the report.

B. Teaching evaluations

1. Observation of teaching will be at the discretion of the department.
2. Materials for review shall include but not be limited to the following:

a. A statement of teaching philosophy and teaching methods used.
b. Class syllabi
c. Assessment of student work may include but shall not be limited to any of the following

(1) exams, quizzes, projects
(2) explanation of criteria used.
(3) final jury forms

d. Examples of student work.

(1) papers, projects
(2) recordings - audio or video

3. Any available records of outside evaluation should be presented.

C. Research and Creative Endeavor evaluation.

The Faculty member shall submit:
1. A listing of activities
2. Results of any outside evaluations received
3. Examples of work, if appropriate.

D. Service evaluation.

The Faculty member shall submit:
1. A listing of activities
2. Results of any outside evaluations received

E. Interview with the Faculty member
The committee is to meet with the Faculty member after review of all materials and prior to submitting the report.

F. Final Report:

1. The report will be due on or before the last day of classes in the Fall semester.
2. The report will take the form of a listing of strengths and suggestions. The report will be compiled by the chair of the Peer Review Committee and must be signed by all members of the committee.
3 The report will be forwarded only to the faculty member, to use as he/she decides best. Should the faculty member choose, these may be submitted as part of the documentation for reappointment and for the annual performance review.

III. School-level Review
This process is highly recommended to the faculty member.

A. Committee: The VPA Promotion and Tenure Committee will serve this function .
B. Documents: The case is to be forwarded to the committee by January 15.
C. Report.

1. The committee will issue its report by February 15.
2. The report will indicate strengths and suggestions for improvement
3. The report will be forwarded to the faculty member only.
4. The faculty member may use the report as support for reappointment and the annual performance review.

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