School of Civic Life and Leadership: Post-Tenure Review Policy

The purpose of post-tenure review at UNC-Chapel Hill and the School of Civic Life and Leadership ("SCiLL" or "School") is to contribute to achieving the School and University missions of educational excellence. The review process for all tenured faculty members should assist them in their ongoing professional development, including efforts to enhance their skills as teachers, their accomplishments as scholars, and their contributions to the profession and the public.

Unit Policy

Title

School of Civic Life and Leadership: Post-Tenure Review Policy

Introduction

Purpose

The purpose of post-tenure review at UNC-Chapel Hill and the School of Civic Life and Leadership ("SCiLL" or "School") is to contribute to achieving the School and University missions of educational excellence. The review process for all tenured faculty members should assist them in their ongoing professional development, including efforts to enhance their skills as teachers, their accomplishments as scholars, and their contributions to the profession and the public, including efforts contributing to the mission of the School and the University. Should performance deficiencies be found, the process should constructively and specifically address these issues to aid the faculty member in re-establishing performance that meets or exceeds expectations. (See: https://facultyaffairs.unc.edu/policies-and-procedures/faculty-reviews/post-tenure-review-policy/)

Scope

This policy applies to all tenured faculty members of the School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL) at UNC Chapel Hill.

Policy

The SCiLL policy and processes are intended to conform to the Tenure Policy in the Appointment, Promotion & Tenure Guidelines in the Faculty Handbook Accordingly, each tenured faculty member must be reviewed at least once every five years following conferral of tenure. . Reviews must examine all aspects of faculty activities and performance. Criteria for evaluation will be determined by the Director and Dean in consultation with the tenured SCiLL faculty but must conform to those cited in the SCILL Appointments, Promotions and Tenure Manual and be in compliance with applicable university and system policies. The review process must involve faculty peers and be conducted by at least three persons who constitute the Post-Tenure Review (PTR) Committee. Committee members, selected by the Director and Dean in consultation with the Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Curriculum, may hold tenure in SCiLL but given the small size of the school, faculty with tenure in other UNC-Chapel Hill units or in other UNC constituent institutions with suitable expertise may be selected. Comprehensive evaluations conducted for other purposes, such as promotion or reappointment, may be substituted for or combined with post-tenure review. Under very unusual cases, a review may be delayed for compelling reasons approved by the Dean and Provost.

If a faculty member is reassigned to other duties (e.g., department chair or academic unit head) for .50 FTE or more or is occupying a leave-earning position (e.g., SAAO Tier I or Tier II), that faculty member shall not be required to undergo post-tenure review until having completed a five-year cycle following the reassignment.

Expectations of Faculty Members

All faculty members are expected throughout their careers to maintain standards of excellence and integrity in teaching, research, and service as stated in the criteria for tenure and promotion detailed above.

Those who have advanced to the rank of professor may contribute to the SCiLL and University's missions of educational excellence in varied roles, such as serving as a Dean, associate dean or a leader in scholarship. Such contributions are a noteworthy reflection of academic impact. Accordingly, time and energy spent in these commitments should be considered in assessments of faculty success. Expectations will be developed by the Director and Dean in consultation with the SCiLL faculty.

Effective upon the award of tenure, and coincident with the start of each post-tenure review cycle, faculty should develop, in consultation with the Director and Dean, long-term work plans that are aligned with annual performance evaluations and consistent with the expectations of the department/school. These long-term work plans will cover the five years of the post-tenure cycle. The long-term work plan can be modified annually by the faculty member in consultation with the Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Curriculum. Plan modifications must be approved by the unit head.

The long-term work plan shall correspond with the annual work plan and evaluation required by the University Policy on Faculty Workload. While annual evaluations may inform the process, they are not a substitute for a periodic, comprehensive post-tenure review. The finalized long-term work plan must be approved by the college/school dean or designee. Comprehensive evaluations conducted for other purposes, such as a review for promotion, may be substituted for or combined with post-tenure review.

Post-tenure Review Procedures

1. Cycle of review, notice and participation

1. All faculty members who are to undergo review will be advised of such reviews at least six (6) months in advance of an upcoming review.
2. All faculty members who are to undergo review in a given year will take active roles in the post-tenure review process by assisting with planning, preparing relevant background information, engaging in constructive dialogues with colleagues and the Director and Dean, and participating in creation of a faculty success plan, if needed, to address deficiencies in performance.

2. Composition of Post-Tenure Review committees

1. The Director and Dean shall convene either an ad-hoc committee each year or a standing committee, called the "Post-Tenure Review (PTR) Committee." The PTR committee must include at least three tenured faculty members and involve faculty peers to oversee post-tenure reviews.
2. The post-tenure review process should be flexible enough to acknowledge different expectations in different disciplines and changing expectations at different stages of faculty careers.

3. Information considered during PTR review process

1. The PTR Committee review process will be conducted in a way that provides members of the PTR Committee relevant information concerning the faculty member's accomplishments and plans in teaching, research, and service in relation to the missions of the School and University, at least over the last five years.
2. Each faculty member being reviewed should provide to the Post Tenure Review Committee the following items:
   1. A concise summary of accomplishments and plans.
   2. Additional evidence of performance, which may include annual evaluations, a current curriculum vitae, copies of publications, evaluations of teaching, and other documentation of contributions and accomplishments.
   3. A written self-assessment, using SCiLL's self-assessment tool, encompassing the faculty member's career objectives and future aspirations.

4. Consultation between faculty members being reviewed, PTR Committees and the Director and Dean

1. As appropriate, faculty members being reviewed may meet with the PTR Committee and the Director and Dean to discuss teaching, research, service and other accomplishments.
2. The PTR Committee will do the following:
   1. Use all information provided by the faculty member being reviewed in evaluating performance, as outlined in the three preceding sections: 1. Cycle of review; 2. Composition of PTR committee; 3. Information considered.
   2. Provide a written summary to the faculty member with assessment of overall performance and specific performance in pertinent categories of scholarship, teaching and mentoring, practice, service and engagement, and clearly specify if the faculty member meets, exceeds, or does not meet expectations. This summary should also include any recommendations for improvement and describe any substantial deficiencies in performance that should be addressed and articulated in a faculty success plan.
3. Faculty members being reviewed must be permitted to provide written responses to Committee reports.
4. The Director and Dean will review the PTR Committee's report, the faculty member's response, if any, and applicable materials and provide her/his written review which is submitted to the Dean.

5. Recognition of outstanding performance

1. When faculty members being reviewed are considered outstanding (e.g., "exceeding expectations") in overall performance, the Director and Dean may use this as an opportunity to recognize them for example by recommending that the individual is nominated for awards, distinguished professorships, etc.

6. Disposition of reports

1. These PTR Committee materials (and a faculty success plan when necessary) will be reviewed by the Director and Dean. If a faculty success plan is required, the Director and Dean will document what it is, work with the faculty member to design the faculty success plan, implement it, and establish accountability benchmarks.
2. All final PTR Committee reports, as well as quarterly and annual updates on faculty success plans, are filed with Human Resources and the Provost's office.
3. The Director and Dean then gives final approval on the annual PTR Committee report sent to the Provost.

Approval Process

The faculty member's materials including the department chair/unit head's review, the post-tenure review committee report, and any written response from the faculty member shall be provided to the dean/administrative officer to whom the unit head reports. The dean/administrative officer shall also conduct a written evaluative review of the information received.

1. A faculty member whose PTR results in an overall rating of exceeds expectations shall have completed the post-tenure review process and will be recognized by the institution for their performance.
2. A faculty member whose PTR results in an overall rating of meets expectations shall have completed the post-tenure review process.
3. A faculty member whose PTR results in an overall rating of does not meet expectations shall be subject to a faculty success plan.

Establishment and monitoring of faculty success plan

1. For faculty members whose overall performance does not meet expectations, the report of the PTR Committee shall include a statement of the faculty member's primary responsibilities and specific descriptions of where performance does not meet expectations on teaching, research or service as they relate to the faculty member's assigned duties. In consultation with the faculty member, the Director and Dean develop specific, measurable objectives for improvement.
2. Faculty success plans are individualized to address areas where expectations are not met, considering the faculty member's intellectual interests, abilities and career stage, and school needs.
3. The faculty success plan should describe changes, if any, to be made in the faculty member's teaching, research, or service responsibilities. The success plan should include: 1) measurable objectives/milestones and specify steps designed to achieve those objectives; 2) indicators of whether (or not) objectives have been attained; 3) a clear time frame for the completion of the objectives; 4) resources available to assist the faculty member in achieving the objectives; and 5) clarification of consequences of failure to meet stated objectives. Faculty members with a success plan should report on progress toward meeting stated objectives to the Director and Dean on a quarterly basis, and annual progress reports on the plan are shared with the HR Team Lead and the Dean.
4. Sometimes it is helpful to have peer support to achieve objectives in the faculty success plan. The Director and Dean and the faculty member should discuss the benefit of peer mentoring/support.
5. Progress meetings between the faculty member with a faculty success plan and the Director and Dean must occur quarterly during the specified timeframe. A quarterly report that summarizes faculty progress made (or not made) on the success plan will be provided for the duration of the plan. The quarterly report is to be submitted to Human Resources within two weeks after the quarterly meeting with the faculty member and is to be reviewed by the Director and Dean. A report that summarizes the progress over a year (e.g., all quarterly reports) is to be filed annually in the Provost's office that documents faculty who have a faculty success plan.
6. If and when the faculty member has met the objectives specified in the faculty success plan, the Director and Dean shall acknowledge in writing a faculty member's successful completion of objectives in the success plan and forward that document to the faculty member. This information will be updated in the annual report sent to the Provost's office.
7. In the event that insufficient progress on objectives or other substantial deficiencies in performance continue at the end of one year, the Director and Dean will notify the faculty member in writing, detailing the nature of continued deficiency. It is expected that communications between the Director and Dean and faculty member will be ongoing, and that the Dean has been informed (having reviewed quarterly reports) if there is a lack of progress. Generally, discussions about a lack of progress also involve consultation with other appropriate campus offices, including the Provost's Office and the Office of University Counsel.
8. In the event that a faculty member fails to successfully complete a faculty success plan and performance continues to be deficient despite regular communication that includes the faculty member, the Director and Dean, in collaboration with the Provost or their representative, will consider whether there are grounds for demotion, dismissal, or other disciplinary action under the Tenure Policy. Dismissal or severe sanctions may be imposed only in accordance with and on the grounds stated in the Tenure Policy.

Recordkeeping

1. PTR Committee reports are established and filed with Human Resources after approval by the Director and Dean.
2. The Director and Dean will maintain a list of faculty members reviewed each year, a record of completed reviews, and any faculty responses to reviews. The names of the faculty members for whom faculty success plans are recommended, a copy of the success plans, and all related quarterly reports will remain on file in Human Resources, as well.

Procedure for requesting a delay of the Post-Tenure Review

1. Requests to delay an upcoming post-tenure review should be submitted to the Director and Dean at least 6 months in advance of the scheduled review to ensure timely processing of the request.
2. Requests must be submitted using the Review Deferral Request Form and specify the compelling reason(s) for the request to delay the review.
3. Requests must include a written justification from the Director and Dean and be approved by the Provost.
4. Request forms should be submitted to the Office of Faculty Affairs for review and approval. Once the request is reviewed, a notification will be sent from the Office of Faculty Affairs to the faculty member, the Director and Dean, and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences indicating whether the request has been approved.
5. If the request is approved, the Director and Dean must then complete an electronic action in the existing system, with the approval form attached, to finalize the change to the Post Tenure Review date.

Reports and Appeals to the Dean

1. Annual reports

1. Human Resources at the SCiLL will provide a yearly report to the Director and Dean that lists all faculty members reviewed during the prior academic year, including outcomes for each individual.

2. Appeals for findings of substantial deficiencies/not meeting expectations and faculty success plans

1. Faculty members found by PTR Committees to not meet expectations and for whom faculty success plans are established may appeal the findings of substantial deficiency or the terms of the success plan within 14 days of receiving the final letter, including such findings.
2. Such appeals are to be made to the Dean, who may consult with University Counsel and the Provost's Office.

Records and Confidentiality

1. Maintenance of written records

1. The Director and Dean will maintain each post-tenure review committee's review summary, and the response, if any, by the faculty member as part of that faculty member's confidential personnel file, along with all background information, other materials used in connection with the review, a success plan, if required, and all quarterly progress reports associated with the success plan. A copy of the success plan should also be on file in Human Resources.

2. Obligation of confidentiality

1. All matters relating to post-tenure reviews are confidential. All those who participate as members of PTR Committees or who otherwise advise on individual cases should be advised of their obligations to abide by this requirement of confidentiality.

Workload Allocation

In consultation with the dean/administrative head, the chair/unit head may redefine faculty workloads and distribution of teaching, research/creative activity, and service when a faculty member's PTR results in an overall rating of does not meet expectations. In such cases where revisions are made:

1. The department chair/unit head and dean shall ensure any changes to these duties are not punitive responses to the faculty member and instead address ways to support the department, school/college, and institution to better leverage the faculty member's expertise and abilities and improve their performance.
2. The faculty success plan shall detail the changes in duties and responsibilities. The faculty member's annual work plan shall also change accordingly to ensure the faculty member is evaluated appropriately, based on the relevant allocation of workload.

A faculty member who fails to satisfactorily complete their faculty success plan and whose performance continues to be deficient, may be subject to the imposition of a disciplinary sanction or dismissal in accordance with the Trustees Policies and Regulations Governing Academic Tenure.

Records and Reporting on Post-Tenure Reviews

The unit head shall maintain a record of the Post-Tenure Review Committee's report, the faculty member's response as well as the reviews of the unit head and the administrative officer. This material shall be maintained as part of the faculty member's confidential personnel file within the unit.

Copies of SCiLL's post-tenure review procedures, as revised from time to time, will be filed with the Dean or Provost, as appropriate. Unit heads will maintain a list of the faculty members reviewed each year, a record of completed reviews and responses to the reviews, the names of all faculty members for whom a faculty success plan was recommended, and a copy of the faculty success plan.

The Dean will submit annual reports to the Office of the Provost giving the following information:

• Number of faculty members reviewed during the previous year,
• Number of faculty members for whom a faculty success plan was recommended and established, and
• Number of faculty who are subject to review, but for whom a delay was approved by the Provost along with the compelling reasons for the delay.

Consistent with the UNC System Regulation 400.3.31[R], the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost will document UNC Chapel Hill's adherence in an annual report on post-tenure review to the UNC System Office.

Dispute Resolution

Faculty who wish to contest determinations regarding their post-tenure review may seek resolution through the Faculty Grievance Committee. under Section 607 of the Code of the University of North Carolina during their term of employment.

Contact Information

Primary Contact

Name: Jed Atkins

Email: Jed.Atkins@unc.edu