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About Faculty Evaluations
This page provides a general overview of the Retention, Tenure & Promotion (RTP) process, the governing documents, and the Working Personnel Action File (PAF), which includes the faculty candidate's dossier.
With the exception of Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP) faculty, all faculty will be scheduled for routine evaluations during their tenure with Chico State.
Process Overview
1. Classroom Observation/Classroom Visitation
An in-person, or virtual, peer observation that is completed as a way to receive formative, developmental feedback to improve teaching effectiveness.
Observations/visitations are typically completed the semester prior to a faculty candidate's scheduled evaluation, but may be completed in the first or second week of instruction of the semester of the faculty candidate's scheduled evaluation.
2. Prepare Dossier Materials
Faculty candidate prepares and maintains a dossier concerning their teaching, professional growth and achievement, and other contributions to the university. These dossier materials will eventually be uploaded to their packet in Interfolio.
The maintenance and storage of the dossier is the responsibility of the faculty candidate (FPPP 8.1.3.a)
3. Evaluation Notification
Within 14 days after the start of the semester, the faculty candidate will receive a notification via email informing them that they will be scheduled for an evaluation. This notification must include evaluation criteria and procedures.
Notifications may also include the type of evaluation the faculty is scheduled for, as well as their period of review.
4. Upload Packet Materials into Interfolio
Included in the notification will be a link to the faculty candidate's Interfolio packet, where their materials will need to be uploaded.
Materials must be uploaded by the file closure date posted in the current RTP Deadline Calendar.
5. Files Reviewed
Uploaded packet (dossier) materials are evaluated by various levels of review: Department Personnel Committee, Department Chair, College Personnel Committee, Associate Dean, Dean, Vice Provost, and Provost.
The list of reviewers varies depending on the type of evaluation scheduled, any delegation of review by the Dean to the Associate Dean, or any delegation of review by the Provost to the Vice Provost.
6. Reports Shared with Faculty Candidates
Completed RTP reports and signature pages will be shared with the faculty candidate after each level of review has completed its evaluation.
There will be two opportunities throughout the evaluation process where the faculty candidate can submit rebuttals in response to the shared reports.
Types of Evaluations
Performance Reviews
Performance reviews are a critical assessment of the faculty member's performance where the faculty candidate receives the following ratings: "Exceeds expectations", "Meets expectations", or "Does not meet expectations."
Performance reviews also result in a decision to either retain/not retain, tenure/not tenure, or promote/not promote the faculty candidate being evaluated.
Types of performance reviews:
- 1-2 Year Retention
- For tenure-track (probationary) faculty only
- 3-5 Year Retention
- For tenure-track (probationary) faculty only
- Tenure and/or Promotion
- For tenured faculty
- For tenure-track (probationary) faculty
Periodic Evaluations
Periodic evaluations provide feedback, both positive and negative, that is primarily developmental in nature with the goal of maintaining and/or improving performance (FPPP 10.1.4).
Types of periodic evaluations:
- Post-Tenure Periodic Evaluation
- For tenured faculty only
- Probationary Periodic Evaluation
- For tenure-track (probationary) faculty only
- Annual/Biennial/Mid-Cycle Periodic Evaluation
- For lecturer faculty only (includes rehired annuitants)
- 6th Yr Cumulative Periodic Evaluation
- For lecturer faculty only
- 3rd Yr Cumulative Periodic Evaluation
- For lecturer faculty only
Typical Evaluation Schedules
Tenured Faculty
| Promotion Performance Review to Associate Professor or Full Professor | After holding the same rank for four years following tenure and/or promotion, a promotion performance review is scheduled annually, unless the faculty member requests in writing that the performance review not take place that year (FPPP 11.1.1) |
| Periodic Evaluation | Every 5 years (FPPP 11.2.1.a) |
Probationary Faculty
| No Service Credit | 1 Year Service Credit | 2 Years Service Credit | |
| 1st Year | Periodic Evaluation | Service Credit Year | Service Credit Year |
| 2nd Year | 1-2Yr Retention Performance Review | Periodic Evaluation | Service Credit Year |
| 3rd Year | Periodic Evaluation | 3-5Yr Retention Performance Review | Periodic Evaluation |
| 4th Year | 3-5Yr Retention Performance Review | Periodic Evaluation | 3-5Yr Retention Performance Review |
| 5th Year | Periodic Evaluation | 3-5Yr Retention Performance Review | Periodic Evaluation |
| 6th Year | Tenure and/or Promotion Performance Review | Tenure and/or Promotion Performance Review | Tenure and/or Promotion Performance Review |
Lecturer Faculty - Not currently holding 3-Year Appointments
| Typical Schedule - AY, Fall Only, Spring Only | Fall Only or Spring Only with First Term Deferred (FPPP 9.1.4.a) | |
| 1st Year | Periodic Evaluation | First Term Deferred |
| 2nd Year | Periodic Evaluation | Periodic Evaluation |
| 3rd Year | No Evaluation | Periodic Evaluation |
| 4th Year | Periodic Evaluation | No Evaluation |
| 5th Year | No Evaluation | Periodic Evaluation |
| 6th Year | Cumulative Periodic Evaluation | Cumulative Periodic Evaluation - Faculty candidate will be evaluated on work performance during six or more years of consecutive service - Faculty candidate will be eligible to receive an initial 3-year appointment with a satisfactory evaluation |
Lecturer Faculty - Currently holding 3-Year Appointments
| 1st Year | No Evaluation |
| 2nd Year | No Evaluation |
| 3rd Year | Cumulative Periodic Evaluation - Faculty candidate will be evaluated on work performance during all three years of appointment - Faculty candidate will be eligible to receive a subsequent 3-year appointment with a satisfactory evaluation |
Governing Documents
All faculty evaluation processes are governed generally by:
- Collective Bargaining Agreement
- Faculty Personnel Policies and Procedures (FPPP) (overruled by CBA)
- Department Standards (overruled by FPPP)
Working Personnel Action File (WPAF)
The personnel action file (PAF) and dossier are combined during the time of evaluation to create the WPAF. The WPAF is specifically generated for use in a given evaluation cycle. All recommendations and decisions during a faculty candidate's evaluation are based upon information contained in the WPAF
The WPAF includes:
- Required forms and documents
- Information specifically provided by the faculty candidate being evaluated (dossier materials)
- Information provided by faculty unit employees, students, and academic administrators
- All faculty and administrative level evaluation recommendations from the current evaluation cycle, including all submitted rebuttal statements/responses
At a minimum, the faculty candidate dossier includes:
- Copy of Department Standards
- Current Curriculum Vita (CV) or Resume
- Narrative, which includes -
- Reflective statement on teaching philosophy/strategies/objectives and how they've impacted the faculty candidate's teaching
- Reflective statement on faculty candidate's professional development, describing what they do and why, how it's evolved and where it might be going over the next few years, and how it's impacted the faculty candidate's teaching
- Support Materials
- Index of Support Materials
- Other materials as required per the faculty candidate's department standards