Chapter 9 - Performance Management and Appraisal

Faculty at FGCU are evaluated annually on their teaching, research/scholarship, and service (i.e., volunteer work at the student, college, university, and professional levels). The evaluation form is simply a blank sheet of paper where the department chair will write their evaluation of how the professor has performed over the last academic year. Some department chairs write a half page for their evaluation while others write two-three pages. Department chairs receive no guidance on what the evaluation should look like. Faculty are accessed on a three point scale of below expectations, meets expectations and exceeds expectations for each of the three areas of teaching, research/scholarship/ and service. They are then assigned an overall rating of either does not meet or meets expectations. The department chair then puts their evaluation into the mailbox of the faculty member for them to read, sign, and return. A feedback meeting is only established if the faculty member requests it.

1. Discuss which performance appraisal methods outlined in the chapter would be more effective than the current process and list some pros and cons of each of these alternatives. Which method do you feel would be best to evaluate faculty and why?

2. Suggest a new evaluation process for FGCU faculty members that would facilitate their development and address performance weaknesses while reinforces their strengths.