Executive Summary
This briefing is intended primarily for department chairs and other unit
administrators responsible for regular faculty performance reviews. It
offers an overview of faculty performance reviews in the broader context
of faculty development at the unit level and provides guidance for
academic administrators on conducting reviews and writing appraisals.
The role of the faculty performance review has been elevated in recent
years for a number of reasons. Increasingly, colleges and universities
award salary increases on the basis of merit or performance, which
requires an accurate assessment of performance relative to some
standard. In a resource-challenged environment, aligning the efforts of
faculty with unit and institutional goals becomes more critical;
performing well in important areas becomes more important. Standards for
earning tenure and promotion seem to rise constantly. A record of
excellent performance is usually necessary for a favorable tenure and/or
promotion decision. In the face of public criticism and/or institutional
self-examination, many institutions have initiated post-tenure review to
ensure that tenured faculty are performing at acceptable levels. The
annual faculty performance review, especially when it has a
developmental component, helps to ensure that faculty perform at high
levels year in and year out.