| College of Arts and Sciences
Guidelines for Preparing Evaluation Files
(Third-Year, Tenure, & Promotion)
Each file should cover the current areas of evaluation in Section 5.2 of the Faculty Handbook. To insure sufficient flexibility and integrity in the evaluative process, each department (or school) is expected to develop and maintain a description of: 1) the types of scholarship, 2) the particular kinds of public scholarly products, and 3) the types of peer review that are most common and valued within their discipline; as well as 4) a sense of the trajectory of a productive scholar in their discipline at institutions like SPU.
Curriculum Vitae
An up-to-date CV should introduce the candidate. The CV includes date of hire, title or rank, previous professional employment, account of the candidate's education (including dissertation title), publications (note which are refereed), conference papers, committee work and other contributions to SPU since hire or last promotion, leaves, honors and awards.
Character and Congruence with Mission
This section should include statements on faith and integration
of faith and learning. Note that the Faculty Handbook includes
the following detail under Section 7.4.3.1: (i) a narrative that describes
the development of the candidate's faith over the years, (ii) discussion
of the candidate's congruence with SPU's Christian Mission as articulated
in the Catalog , (iii) reflection on how the candidate understands
Christian convictions to affect his or her scholarship and teaching,
and (iv) some indication of the current practices that form and sustain
the candidate's faith and life. This section should be at the heart of
the file—this is the section where reviewers come to know the candidate.
COMPETENCE AND CONTRIBUTION
Teaching and Advising
In support of teaching effectiveness, the candidate should include all course evaluations. It is especially helpful if they are grouped by course, then chronologically. The evaluations should be accompanied by a reflection on and response to course evaluations (qualitative and quantitative). Also included in this section of the file are course syllabi (notes on the way in which these syllabi have changed, in response to the candidate's expectations and student learning, are especially important); and peer review of teaching.
In support of advising effectiveness, the candidate should present progress in understanding and implementing the role of adviser and the significance of this role in his/her vocation. Qualitative and/or quantitative support is most helpful.
Note the updated Faculty Handbook concerning 3 letters from recent graduating seniors (for tenure, Section 7.4.3.1 (h)).
Scholarship
In many cases, it is important for the candidate to educate the reader in an evaluation of his/her professional activity. The following kinds of information are helpful: some commentary on larger research goals or trajectory for research; outside review, commenting on your scholarship; notes on the journals in which you have published (circulation, percentage of acceptance rate); explanation of why or how the journal is refereed if it is not listed in Ulrich's as a refereed journal. Professional activity other than published print texts should include a discussion of the work(s) importance in the candidate's discipline; letters of support may evaluate the apparent potential of the individual as a scholar or performer or artist. Note the emphasis on scholarship under Promotion in Section 6.4.3.1 (h)(i) and serving as a model/mentor for others (Section 6.3.3) for Promotion to Professor.
Service
Consider the candidate's leadership in university governance, service as an advisor to a student organization, service on school committees and task forces; his/her mentoring of junior colleagues; participation in Cadre and chapel programs, etc. Acting as a representative of the University to a larger regional, national or international community is probative. This category also should include a discussion of the candidate's level of involvement in a particular church community; examples of service and participation would be helpful. Community service in the form of consulting, volunteer work, etc. should be noted in this section.
File Format: loose leaf notebook, tabbed inserts highlighting sections of the file, table of contents, file pockets for separate exhibits (books, articles, CDs). No plastic sleeves, please.
General Deadlines
(check the current Academic Affairs calendar for exact dates.)
Tenure files should be completed by the candidate by August 15th. Committee review commences September 1st. After the file leaves the department's committee, it goes to the CAS Dean's office by the end of the first week of September. The full process includes the following: the Faculty Status Committee sends a letter of recommendation to the candidate and the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) at the end of Fall Quarter. The Board of Trustees (BOT) reviews the file and votes in February.
Promotion files are due in November; recommendations from the FSC are reported back by the end of Winter Quarter.
Third-Year Review files are due in February; recommendations from the FSC are reported back by the end of Spring Quarter. <<
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