4.08 Post-Tenure Review
A. Introduction
Post-tenure review (PTR) is a comprehensive, formal, periodic evaluation of all tenured faculty. The purpose of this review is to support continuing faculty development, to promote faculty vitality, and to encourage excellence among tenured faculty. This is achieved by recognizing and rewarding faculty performance, offering suggestions to enhance performance, providing a clear plan and timetable for improvement of faculty members whose performance is found less than satisfactory; and providing for the imposition of appropriate sanctions for those whose performance remains deficient. Post-tenure review shall be consistent with the University of North Carolina Board of Governors' policy of giving teaching primary consideration.
B. Faculty to Be Reviewed
PTR is required of all tenured faculty whose primary responsibilities (50% or more) involve teaching, scholarship, and/or service.
C. Timetable
A tenured faculty member may elect to undergo PTR during any academic year. Faculty for whom PTR is required must undergo a review no later than the fifth academic year following the most recent of any of the following review events: award of tenure or promotion at Western Carolina University, prior post-tenure review, or return to faculty status following administrative service. Exceptions shall be made in the following cases: 1) when on leave from duties, that period shall not be included as part of the five years between mandatory review events and/or 2) when temporarily assigned to duties away from Cullowhee/Asheville during the period of a required review, PTR occurs upon return.
D. Materials to Be Submitted for Review
A faculty member being reviewed will provide the four most recent annual faculty evaluations and a current curriculum vitae (CV).
E. Procedures
Performance to be reviewed is limited to the five years preceding review or to the period subsequent to the prior review event, whichever is less.
The tenured faculty of each department shall establish a procedure for post-tenure review. These procedures must be approved by the dean of the college and the Provost. Each department establishes a PTR committee with at least three tenured departmental colleagues, excluding the department head. Whenever a department finds it impossible to form a committee containing at least three tenured faculty, the matter will be referred to the Provost. The Provost, in consultation with the tenured faculty of the department and the dean of the college, will, by selecting tenured faculty from similar departments, constitute a committee of three tenured faculty for the department.
Peer reviewers shall present their written evaluations to the department head. The department head shall provide a copy of this evaluation to the faculty member and shall meet with the faculty member to discuss the review. The department head shall then append his/her evaluation relative to the mission of the University, college/school/library, and program. The faculty member then has the option of attaching a written response. In the library the role of the department head will be performed by the University Librarian. When a department head is reviewed, the dean shall perform the roles ordinarily performed by the department head.
F. Criteria
Criteria for acceptable faculty performance include professional competence, conscientious execution of duties–taking into account distribution of workload as developed by the department head–and efforts to improve performance. Exemplary faculty performance, as determined by the department, involves sustained excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.
G. Outcomes
In the case of a satisfactory review, results are documented for university award and merit pay decisions. In addition, suggestions to enhance performance may be provided.
In the case of an unsatisfactory review, the department head, in consultation with the faculty member, PTR committee, and dean of the faculty member's college, will create a three-year development plan within one month of the review. The plan shall include (1) specific improvements to be accomplished within three years, (2) resources to be committed to the improvement efforts, and (3) other support provided by the administration. The department head and PTR committee will monitor the faculty member's progress relative to the development plan and provide verbal and written feedback to the faculty member semi-annually.
The plan shall also include a clear statement of consequences should adequate progress not occur by the end of the third year. The consequences may range from suspension of pay raises to, in the most extreme cases, reduction in rank, temporary suspension of employment, or termination of employment.
H. Appeals
The Faculty Post-Tenure Review Appeals Committee shall consider problems and appeals that arise from PTR.
I. Due Process
"A faculty member, who is the beneficiary of institutional guarantees of tenure, shall enjoy protection against unjust and arbitrary application of disciplinary penalties. During the period of such guarantees the faculty member may be discharged or suspended from employment or diminished in rank only for reasons of incompetence, neglect of duty or misconduct of such a nature as to indicate that an individual is unfit to continue as a member of the faculty" (Code of the University of North Carolina, Chapter VI, Section 603). Disciplinary actions for noncompliance with the development plan are limited to those established in Chapter VI of the Code of the University of North Carolina. Due process and the right of appeal as specified in the Code of the University of North Carolina and the "Tenure Policies and Regulations of Western Carolina University" in the Faculty Handbook shall be guaranteed.