Academic Employee Evaluation FAQs

At the department level, there is no longer a requirement for PRG review of adjuncts. There is a review at both the chairperson and dean’s level but the provost/vice president for academic affairs no longer evaluates files for adjuncts.

The evaluation process skips the chair step as faculty cannot evaluate themselves. The file goes to the Peer Review Group (PRG) as usual. If the faculty wishes to write a response letter, they can submit one according to the timeline published in the performance review calendar. The file then skips the chair evaluation and goes to the dean at the scheduled time.

No. They should recuse themselves.

Only materials that were not available at the time of the original submission are admissible into the file at a later date in the cycle. Materials that were available at the time of the original submission should not be added at a later date. If there is a desire to request an exception so that those materials can be added after the file submission deadline, a request may be made to the president for review and decision.

Peer Review Groups may be either elected committees or committees of the whole. For elected committees, organizational units with nine or more academic employees eligible for service on a PRG, the PRG will have five members. In organizational units with fewer than nine academic employees eligible for service, the PRG will have three members. Regardless of the size of a given PRG, one member must be assigned from the External Review Panel (ERP). In addition, there must be an alternate member who will vote in place of a member who is ineligible to participate in a particular case or who has excused him or herself.

For committees of the whole, the PRG will consist of all academic employees holding continuing appointment at the academic rank of associate professor/associate librarian or higher except for the chairperson, center director or immediate academic supervisor. If the committee has six or fewer members, one additional member must be assigned from the ERP; if the committee has seven or more members, then two additional members must be assigned from the ERP.

For both elected committees and committees of the whole, all PRG members must hold continuing appointment at the academic rank of associate professor/associate librarian or higher. Department chairpersons, center directors, and academic supervisors may not serve on any PRG. For more information, see Article III. 2. 1. of the Performance Reviews of Academic Employees: Policies and Procedures (Third Edition, July 2005).

No. The department, center, or organizational unit is responsible for securing adequate eligible members for their Peer Review Group (PRG), excluding those assigned by the ERP. If unable to do so from within their own department, center, or organizational unit, membership may be sought within the appropriate school. Members will be nominated and elected by the department, center, or organizational unit according to their bylaws and/or past practice. Those selected to serve on the PRG will have adequate knowledge of the discipline