By Eric Hoffman
Will you be evaluated next year, or do you expect to participate in another faculty member’s evaluation as an observer? Be aware that changes are coming to our evaluation process. For the last three years, a committee of CCFT members and Deans have been discussing possible improvements to the system.
The California Education Code requires faculty to be evaluated on a regular basis—at least once in the first year and every three years for tenured faculty. It also requires peer participation. The specifics are left up to union negotiations, in consultation with Faculty Senate. The criteria, procedures, and forms we use for evaluation are detailed in Article 17 of our contract.
Why make a change? Evaluation has two main uses, which sometimes conflict. One is to help improve each person’s teaching and other work for the college. The other is disciplinary, since poor evaluations can lead to reductions in assignment, loss of reemployment preference for adjuncts, and even an end to employment at the college. The committee felt the current system wasn’t adequate for either task.
Aside from making the criteria and procedures easier to understand (the current Article 17 is difficult to read), the committee had several goals based on research and the materials we looked at from other colleges:
- to use the self-evaluation as a central part of the process rather than a sidelight
- to help everyone involved pay closer attention to the specific criteria in the contract
- to recognize areas where each faculty member excels and where they want or need to improve
- to promote continuity by asking about work on goals from the previous evaluation
- to identify faculty that require additional mentoring and resources to meet college standards
- to clarify the consequences of unsatisfactory work
As part of the committee’s work, we revised several of the important forms we use in the evaluation process, including the self-evaluation, the classroom observation, and the administrator’s final evaluation form. We used an earlier draft of these forms in a pilot program in the HASS division last fall, and made a number of changes based on the feedback we received. You can take a look at the current drafts of these forms on the Faculty Senate website at http://www.cabrillo.edu/associations/facultysenate
The Faculty Senate voted to support the new system at its April 19th meeting. The changes will go to the negotiation teams soon, and we hope to have the new system in place for fall. We will be hosting a Flex Week session for anyone involved in fall semester evaluations.