Information and forms for the Annual Faculty Report, Student Course Evaluations, and Classroom Observation are included in this Faculty Handbook.
Annual Faculty Report
The Faculty Annual Report (revised in 2017) is a combination of the previous Annual Report and the Professional Development Plan. In addition, it calls for reflection and commentary by both the faculty and their immediate supervisor. Done between the end of one academic year and the onset of the next academic year, it provides a documentation of faculty accomplishments and sets expectations for the coming year. It also serves as a focus for and documentation of substantive conversations of formative evaluation and professional support for faculty development.
Two forms are available through the Dynamic Forms online portal: “Self-Refection on Past Academic Year” and “Planning the Academic Year”. Both core and management faculty in each school may use the same set of forms; management faculty will have one additional section to complete.
Each form may be accessed here: lesley.edu/faculty-staff/provost/dynamic-forms-for-faculty.
After selecting the link on that page for the form of interest you will be prompted to log onto Dynamic Forms, where the form will be displayed.
As outlined in the CBA, the Annual Report (both parts) is due between May 15 and August 30. Between May 15 and October 15 of each year, the faculty and supervisor will meet and discuss the report.
“Self-Refection on Past Academic Year” is used to reflect on the past year's activities and shall be submitted to your academic supervisor between May 15 and August 30.
"Planning the Academic Year" report should be submitted to your academic supervisor between May 15 - October 15. This report covers activities that will be undertaken between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019.
Student Course Evaluations
Course evaluations are distributed to faculty during the last month of each semester. Faculty must follow the directions distributed with the form, and evaluations are completed by students near the end of every course. Faculty are to receive summaries of results as soon as possible. Student course evaluations consist of a standardized, computer-scored page. Course Evaluation Forms are distributed to students, completed by students, and returned by an in-class student designee or by electronic submission for all courses offered by the University. Administration of the distribution and processing of the Course Evaluation Forms is the responsibility of the School Deans. Faculty and academic administrators may recommend to their School Dean that specific courses be exempt from the University evaluation forms based on the inappropriateness of the Evaluation Forms due to course content or number of students in the course.
Classroom Observation
The Classroom Observation component of faculty evaluation is valued in particular because of its emphasis on improving the quality of teaching. An observation is undertaken a minimum of one time in the faculty member's contract cycle. The observation includes a pre- and post-observation meeting, an in-class visit to the faculty member's class, and a review of the syllabus and course materials.
The Classroom Observation is performed by the academic supervisors or their designees. A designee may be appointed to alleviate the workload of the academic supervisor or to meet a faculty member's need to work with a person with expertise in his/her field. While the selection of the observer remains with the academic supervisor, the supervisor is strongly encouraged to discuss the selection of the observer with the faculty member and attempt to find a designee acceptable to both parties.
The pre-class meeting involves a review of the course, including its goals and objectives, the syllabus, and the course materials. The intent of the pre-observation meeting is to discuss both parties' expectations about the observation. Both parties are encouraged to view the meeting as a way to share information and to develop, as much as possible, a collegial relationship related to the Classroom Observation process.
The observer should ask the faculty member whether there is anything in particular on which the faculty member would like feedback, and the faculty member should feel free to ask for constructive and supportive suggestions about any aspect of the class, including:
- suggestions about how to work with a particular student or group of students;
- advice regarding an unproductive dynamic or situation;
- changes in the syllabus; etc.
The class visit is then scheduled to take place at the convenience of the supervisor or designee and the faculty member.
The faculty member should inform the academic supervisor or designee what level of participation in the class would be most appropriate. It is also suggested that the class be notified in advance of an observation. Under most circumstances, the observation should be minimally one hour in length.
The academic supervisor or designee and faculty member should discuss the visit as soon as possible after the class meeting. The post-observation meeting is most effective when the session encourages interaction between the observer and faculty member.
The Classroom Observation Summary Form should be completed by the academic supervisor or designee within two weeks of the class meeting. Descriptive information about the class and the faculty member should be briefly written by the academic supervisor or designee to include but not be limited to comments on the subject matter, methods, effectiveness of presentation, student participation and observed strengths. Any aspect of teaching that the academic supervisor/designee feels the faculty member should improve should also be mentioned. Under most circumstances, the academic supervisor or designee writes approximately one page of documentation of the Classroom Observation.
When completed, the Classroom Observation Summary Form is sent by the academic supervisor or designee to the faculty member. The faculty member must sign the form and also has the option of writing, on a separate page, any corrections, elaboration, or disagreements. This should take place within one week of receipt of the Summary Form. The faculty member's signature acknowledges he or she has reviewed the Classroom Observation Summary Form and that the academic supervisor has shown the attached documentation (if any) of the Classroom Observation to the faculty member. The faculty member's signature does not indicate that the faculty member agrees or disagrees with the results of the evaluation.
The Classroom Observation component of faculty evaluation should be completed during the spring semester prior to the year in which the faculty member's contract expires. It must be completed prior to the academic assessment meeting.
Evaluation and Observation Forms
Course Evaluations Completed by Students
Classroom Observation Summary
Peer Review
Peer Review by faculty is a valued component of the Faculty Evaluation process that is intended to contribute to the faculty member's professional development. Faculty from related fields of study can provide as peer reviewers a perspective on the faculty member that might otherwise be lacking. The focus of Peer Review is on the professional growth and development of the faculty member being evaluated. The Peer Review component supplements but does not replace other components of the faculty evaluation process.
The Faculty of the University recommended that the procedures for Peer Review be left open to the discussion and mutual agreement of the individual faculty member and his or her academic supervisor. For this reason, no guidelines about content or process of Peer Review are included here. Peer Review may address all or any of the various components of evaluation.
Peer Review takes place before the end of the spring semester of the year in advance of the faculty member's expiration of contract date. Peer Review should be initiated by the faculty member two months before the due date for the Peer Review summary.
Reappointment
See Article 12 of the Core Faculty CBA (lesley.edu/faculty-staff/faculty-academic-resources/handbooks-cba).
Promotion
See Article 12 of the Core Faculty CBA (lesley.edu/faculty-staff/faculty-academic-resources/handbooks-cba) and the Handbook on Promotion in Rank at Lesley University in the Addenda of this Faculty Handbook.