A. The Annual Review
Overview: A probationary member of the Faculty undergoes an annual review in each of the first six years of appointment. This frequent review schedule provides feedback on progress towards a successful tenure review and identifies areas that require attention prior to a tenure review.
The period of time covered in an annual review is the preceding calendar year; that is, it includes the previous spring and fall semesters. The annual review is conducted very early in the next spring semester (January) by the probationary Faculty member’s department chair. The department chair reviews materials on teaching, scholarship and service. The department chair or a designated senior colleague in the department visits selected classes (this will also be done during the fall semester). The department chair then determines a recommendation in each category of evaluation using the description of performance described in the previous section (Section VIII). The department chair meets with the probationary Faculty member to discuss the chair’s observations and recommendations as well as the probationary Faculty member’s plans for future work.
The department chair’s recommendation (including the reasons for the assessments) and the appropriate documentation are sent to the Dean of the Faculty, or Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for Faculty Personnel for review, usually late in January. If the Dean of the Faculty agrees with the chair’s recommendations, the chair will be informed of this decision at a meeting in mid-February. If the Dean of the Faculty′s review is not in agreement with the department chair’s recommendation, the reasons for variance will be discussed during the February meeting. The department chair conveys in writing the results of these discussions to the probationary Faculty member being evaluated.
The Process: The Faculty member being evaluated prepares a portfolio for examination by the department chair. The portfolio will be completed and given to the chair in early January. This portfolio contains:
- Student evaluations from all classes taught during the previous calendar year.
- Course syllabi, as well as representative exams and assignments for all courses taught during the previous calendar year.
- A brief statement describing additional teaching experiences (DI’s, undergraduate research, honors research, etc.), new course development, major changes to existing courses, and any initiatives taken to improve teaching (workshops attended, etc.).
- A current curriculum vita. A list of all scholarly presentations, publications, and creative activities along with copies of such materials.
- A list of any other forms of professional activity within the Faculty member’s academic discipline (editorial work, officer of a professional society, workshops attended, etc.).
- A list of all forms of service to the college.
- A list of all forms of service to the wider community (noting especially those activities that seek to integrate Rhodes and/or the Faculty member’s discipline with the external community).
In addition to the portfolio, the department chair reviews final grades for all courses taught by the Faculty member during the previous calendar year. This information is provided by the Registrar’s Office.
Special considerations that apply to evaluations early in the probationary period: Because annual evaluations are assessments based on the previous calendar year’s work (a spring semester and a fall semester), and they occur in January and February of the next calendar year, a probationary member of the Faculty in the first year of appointment normally receives a basic salary increase as determined by the Dean of the Faculty and the Council of Department Chairs. This basic salary increase, occurring after one semester of work at the College and not linked to any specific evaluation of a level of performance, is not a factor in any subsequent review.
The Dean of the Faculty notifies a probationary member of the Faculty by March 1 of the first year of appointment and by December 15 of the second year of appointment if there will be no reappointment for the subsequent year. In the third and later years, notice of non-reappointment is given twelve months before the end of a contract.
Normally, probationary Faculty members are not reappointed beyond the second year if the appropriate terminal degree has not been awarded.
A shift in curricular requirements or a substantial change in enrollment patterns may make it necessary to change the definition of a position in the Faculty from probationary to temporary, or to eliminate the position entirely. The probationary member of the Faculty in such a position will be informed about the possibility of a change in status as early as is reasonably possible. Reappointment or tenure may be denied if such shifts have reduced the need for a permanent position in the discipline of the Faculty member.