Compliance Review

Ample evidence from the Faculty Handbook attests to the existence of a process for the evaluation of tenure-track and tenured faculty at NSU. The Handbook specifies the criteria for evaluation, the kinds of data (with regard to teaching, scholarship, and service) that must be included in annual faculty evaluations, how evaluations translate into considerations for merit, and what the expectations and process are for achieving tenure and promotion.

What the narrative fails to address is whether part time faculty have been evaluated annually, according to what specific criteria (the Handbook merely indicates that these criteria will be formulated by departments), and whether the terms “non-tenure faculty” and “part time faculty” should be understood as synonymous.

While the off-site team acknowledged that “ample evidence from the Faculty Handbook attests to the existence of a process for the evaluation of tenure-track and tenured faculty at NSU,” (“Report of the Offsite Committee, 2006, p. 19, section 3.7.2, non-compliance, para. 1), the University will demonstrate that the effectiveness of adjunct faculty is regularly evaluated in accordance with the University’s published criteria for evaluation of faculty.  In order to best demonstrate compliance, the definitions of full-time and part-time faculty (tenured, tenure-track, non-tenure track), and adjunct faculty will be delineated. 

• At Northwestern State University, full-time faculty, as defined by the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System (ULS Board) Board/ Rules, are those faculty assigned to teach a minimum of 24 credit hours of courses or equivalent per academic year (Chapter 3, Section 1D). Faculty assigned to teach less than the minimum are designated part-time faculty.  Full- and part-time faculty may be employed as tenured, tenure-track, or non-tenure track. Full- and part-time faculty are evaluated using the University’s published criteria for evaluation of faculty.
• As defined on p. 40 of the NSU Faculty Handbook, adjunct faculty is defined as “a person who possesses the credentials and/or experience to hold rank, but whose primary employment relationship is outside the University. All adjunct positions are term contract.” 

Procedures used in the evaluation of adjunct faculty are in accord with the Faculty Handbook and are implemented by academic deans, department heads, directors and coordinators at the direction of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.  Each semester, at least two criteria are utilized in their evaluation, including (1) course syllabi, and (2) student appraisals of teaching.   Additionally, other methodologies are engaged in various departments and colleges.  For example, in the College of Education, the dean uses three additional methodologies:  (1) Adjunct faculty are included in the peer evaluation program for full- and part-time faculty established in accord with National Council for Accreditation in Teacher Education (NCATE) requirements;  (2) the College of Education Online Course Appraisal Form is used for evaluation of on-line adjunct faculty; and (3) clinical faculty in the graduate program in counseling and student personnel services, in accord with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and the Louisiana Licensed Professional Counseling Board standards, are regularly evaluated utilizing established criteria as recognized by the profession.

A common practice used by academic units to assess all faculty is a formal classroom visitation (usually conducted by deans, department heads, directors, supervisors, or course stewards).  Upon completion of the visit, a Classroom Visitation Form is completed and used as part of the evaluation.  Additionally, clinical faculty in the College of Nursing utilize a clinical instructor evaluation form specific to the disciplines of nursing and radiologic technology.  Student input regarding the quality and effectiveness of all faculty is encouraged and is also given careful consideration by unit administrators.

In AY 2005-2006, all faculty (full-time, part-time and adjunct faculty) were evaluated by their respective dean, department head, director, or coordinator. Verification of this process is provided by the deans to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs reports concurrence with these verifications to the Office of University Planning and Assessment & EEO.