[Minor revision–posted 1/20/23 (replaces 6/16/00 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 32.31: Comprehensive Performance Evaluations of Tenured Faculty Members and Faculty Members Who Receive an Academic Promotion

DATE: January 20, 2023

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to establish uniform guidelines and procedures for comprehensive performance evaluations of tenured faculty members and faculty members who receive an academic promotion.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed every two years after publication by the Vice Provost for Faculty Success with substantive revisions presented to the Provost and Senior Vice President and to the Board of Regents for approval.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1.  Background

In accordance with VTCA, Education Code, § 51.942, and Section 04.03, Regents' Rules, “Guidelines for comprehensive performance evaluation of tenured faculty and faculty members receiving academic promotions,” each faculty member who is tenured or who receives an academic promotion at Texas Tech University is subject to a comprehensive performance evaluation. The evaluation shall be conducted no more often than once every year, but no less often than once every six years after the date the faculty member was granted tenure or received an academic promotion. Notice of the comprehensive performance evaluation must be given no later than September 1, the evaluation to begin no earlier than February 1 and end no later than May 1, all of the same academic year.

2.  Procedures

Standardized procedures will be followed by each department, college, or school and shall be directed toward the professional development of the faculty member. These procedures include the following:

a.    The comprehensive performance evaluation is to be based on the professional responsibilities of the faculty member in teaching, research, service, and administration, when applicable, and includes peer review of the faculty member.

b.    The constitution of the peer review body and the precise form of the review shall be determined by the responsible academic unit in accordance with college or school guidelines and procedures agreed upon by a majority of the voting members of the faculty member's academic unit, approved by the academic dean, and in effect at the time the faculty member is given notice of his or her upcoming review.

c.    Annual performance reviews conducted under the terms of OP 32.32, Performance Evaluations of Faculty, for the period since the previous comprehensive performance review or promotion-tenure decision will comprise the primary element in the comprehensive review process. The faculty member may submit such additional supporting documentation as he or she deems is relevant for the comprehensive performance evaluation.

3.  Due Process and Rights to Appeal

The comprehensive performance evaluation process incorporates commonly recognized academic due process rights, as specified in the Texas Tech University tenure policy. Due process rights include notice of the timing, manner, and scope of the evaluation and, before a faculty member may be subject to corrective action on the basis of a comprehensive performance evaluation conducted under this policy, notice of specific charges and the right to a hearing on those charges. In all such cases, the burden of proof shall be on the university. In the case of a disputed peer review, the faculty member may request that additional reviews in writing be solicited from no more than three specialists in the faculty member’s area of teaching and/or research who are not members of the academic unit. The outside reviewers will be selected by mutual agreement between the faculty member and the administrator of the academic unit responsible for the evaluation. The specialist reviews shall be included with the evaluation materials that are forwarded to the responsible academic dean, the Provost, and the President and shall be considered in any administrative action that results from the comprehensive performance evaluation process.

4.  Actions

A faculty member may be placed in a development program as specified in OP 32.32, Performance Evaluations of Faculty, section 5, or other appropriate corrective action, or subject to revocation of tenure if incompetency, neglect of duty, or other good cause is determined to be present. If termination is recommended as a result of the comprehensive performance evaluation, the faculty member shall be given the opportunity of referral of the matter to a non-binding alternative dispute resolution process as in Chapter 154 of the Civil Practices Code or another agreed upon dispute resolution method. Termination will only be pursuant to conditions of the termination procedure specified in OP 32.02, Faculty Non-reappointment, Dismissal, and Tenure Revocation.

5.  Application

The comprehensive post-tenure review process may not be waived for any tenured faculty member of Texas Tech University.

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