Policy and Procedures for Meritorious Performance and Professional Promise Awards; Supercedes EM 85-003

From: Robin S. Wilson, President

Subject: Policy and Procedures for Meritorious Performance and Professional Promise Awards, Supercedes EM 85-003; Superceded by EM 99-013

POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR MERITORIOUS PERFORMANCE AND PROFESSIONAL PROMISE AWARDS

Attached is the approved policy on awards for Meritorious Performance and Professional Promise (MPPP) as recommended by the Faculty Senate. I will ask that the Senate review this policy after a year, particularly Paragraph 5 under "Procedures" about which I have some concern.

This policy implements Articles 31.1 through 31.25 of the Memorandum of Understanding for Unit Three Faculty. Faculty who have previously received rewards are encouraged to apply more than once, provided consideration for subsequent awards is not based on the same documentation used to justify previous MPPP awards.

CRITERIA

MPPP awards will be given in two categories:

• Retrospectively, for performance, to recognize excellence in teaching, professional achievement, or service.
• Prospectively, for promise, to promote excellence in one or more of the same areas of endeavor.

Each college will develop criteria appropriate to its disciplines for distributing MPPP awards and establish the anticipated ratio of performance to promise grants. These criteria will be approved by the dean and distributed to college faculty prior to the President's call for applications.

Applications and nominations for MPPP awards for performance must document a candidate's accomplishments in teaching, professional activity, or service while employed at CSU, Chico.

Applications and nominations for MPPP awards for promise must document performance predictive of excellence or proposed activity likely to enhance performance in teaching, professional activity, or service.

Awards will be based upon activities not previously recognized by an award in this program or in the Exceptional Merit Service Award Program which preceded it.

While each college will determine its own anticipated distribution, the University recommends that at least half the awards be for promising work.

PROCEDURES

The President will allocate the number of awards to each college based on FTEF. Fractional allocations will be determined by the same process used for sabbatical leaves.

All applications will be submitted, together with any supporting documentation, to the designated college MPPPA evaluation committee. (Note: the term "college evaluation committee" will hereinafter reference the MPPPA evaluation committee.) Such applications must be signed by the candidate and be in the form stipulated by the Office of Faculty and Staff Affairs.

Applicants for MPPP awards may not serve on college evaluation committees during MPPPA deliberations.

Faculty in each college will determine by ballot whether an existing committee (e.g., personnel or leaves) or a specially constituted committee will review MPPPA applications.

Only tenured faculty are eligible to serve on a college evaluation committee. Members of college evaluation committees who also serve on the Faculty Recognition and Support Committee (FRAS) may not participate in the FRAS reviews of contested awards, described in paragraph 8, below.

The college evaluation committee will review the applicants and forward a list of award recipients, by category (Performance, Promise) and area (Teaching, Research, Service), and their supporting documentation to the dean, indicating the rationale for each award. Recommendations are not to exceed the total number of awards allocated to the college.

The college dean will evaluate the recommended recipients on the basis of their supporting documentation. The dean will forward approved recommendations to the President.

Should the dean disagree with any of the recommendations, such application and documentation, with the basis for disagreement, shall be transmitted to the President, who will refer all disagreements to the Faculty Recognition and Support Committee.

The Faculty Recognition and Support Committee will recommend to the President a resolution of each case it is given. In those cases where the President ultimately agrees with the college evaluation committee, the award will be granted. In those cases where the President does not concur, such application and documentation will be returned, along with the President's reason for denial, to the college evaluation committee. The committee will then forward a substitute recommendation for another applicant to the dean, and the process will be repeated (on an accelerated timetable) until all awards have been filled.

The review, from the time the college evaluation committee begins its deliberations, will be confidential. Each review level will use the applicant's supporting material submitted with the application as a basis for the purpose of the evaluation.

No awards will be given without a recommendation from an appropriate college evaluation committee.

Materials submitted by the applicant will be returned to the applicant at the conclusion of the process. Any other materials will be destroyed at the end of the process.

An ongoing list of recipients by category and area, with a statement of the basis for the award, will be maintained in the college office. This list will be used to assist committees in the evaluation of future awards.

The implementation of this policy will be reviewed annually by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate.

TIMETABLE

Applications for MPPPAs will be solicited by the President no later than the first Monday in October.

Applications for MPPPAs will be due to College evaluation committees by the first Monday in November.

Applications and recommendations will be due to the college deans by the first Monday in December.

In cases where the dean disagrees, the dean's referral will be due to the President by the first Monday in February. Dean concurrences will also be given to the president by the first Monday in February.

The President will announce the recipients of the awards and the nature of the achievement or promise on or before the first Monday in April.

Should changes in the timelines become necessary, they must be approved by the President.