Faculty Policies Handbook:

4. Policies and Procedures

4.8 Policy and Procedures in Regard to Peer Observation of Tenure-Track Faculty

4.8.1 General Guidelines
   a. Every department must have a set of procedures for peer observation of tenure-track faculty which follow the guidelines in Section 4.8.2.

   b. Peer observation procedures must be carried out on an annual basis and in a consistent fashion.

   c. Peer observation procedures must provide formative information to the faculty member being observed and provide a fair basis for summative evaluation. It is especially important that the peer observation process communicate to the faculty member any need for improvement in his or her teaching prior to the third year review.

4.8.2 Guidelines for Peer Observation Procedures for Tenure-Track Faculty
Department Peer Observation Procedures for tenure-track faculty must meet the following guidelines and are subject to the dean's review.

   a. It will be the responsibility of the department chair to provide the guidelines to new faculty during the first semester of their employment, to annually review the guidelines with tenure-track faculty, and to see that the procedures in the guidelines are carried out in a timely fashion.

   b. During tenure-track years at least one course must be observed each semester.

   c. Peer observation of tenure-track faculty over the course of their tenure-track years must not be left solely to one individual.

   d. The means and the timeline of the feedback provided to the faculty member being observed must be specified in departmental guidelines. At the conclusion of the observation process each observer must submit a formal, written report to the department.
      1. The report shall take into account the consultations between the observer and the faculty member being observed as discussed below in sections e, f and g.
      2. The language of the report should take into consideration the fact that it may be read by faculty from outside the department during the tenure process.
      3. The faculty member being observed has the right to attach his or her own response to each written report.

   e. Each peer observation must involve at least three contacts, the classroom observation itself, and two conferences between the observer and the faculty member being observed. One contact must occur before the observation and one after the observation but prior to the submission of the written report.

   f. The observer must consult the faculty member being observed on the appropriate number of class visits for the course being observed. The faculty member being observed must also be consulted concerning the scheduling of visits and the selection of the observer. These consultations should take into consideration the particular nature and structure of the specific course, the faculty member's style of teaching, and the potential disruption to student learning and class preparation which might result from outside observation.

   g. Before any observation occurs the faculty member being observed must provide the observer with relevant course materials in order to give the observer a sense of the pedagogical goals and strategies for the course being observed. The observer must talk with the faculty member being observed about his or her expectations for each class session to be observed.

   h. Department procedures for peer observation of faculty involved in interdisciplinary programs must take into consideration the peer review requirements of that program.

   i. The department must consult the tenure-track faculty member concerning the desirability of being observed by someone from outside the department and when determining who might best serve as outside observers. If an outside observer is deemed appropriate, the department has the responsibility for facilitating that arrangement. An outside observer could come from present faculty, emeritus faculty or from another institution.

   j. Departments should consult tenure-track faculty about their interest in observing the teaching of other faculty and facilitate such opportunities.