March 24, 2013
Revised August 22, 2013
Revised October 24, 2013
Revised December 12, 2013
Revised December 19, 2013
Revised October 5, 2015
Revised April 28, 2022
Preamble
The spirit and intent of the Faculty Development and Evaluation System for Virginia Western Community College is to provide a mechanism for investing in the professional growth, development, and performance of each faculty member. Faculty are expected to pursue high standards, challenging goals, and teaching excellence. They can expect that their dean/supervisor will provide them with guidance, support, encouragement, due recognition, and a fair assessment of their contributions to the college’s mission. As a community, we honor those who have chosen to serve others, who share their passion and commitment for learning with others, and who lead the way by demonstrating their beliefs through continuous learning and improvement.
Guiding Principles
The following are Guiding Principles that are inherent in the Faculty Development and Evaluation System.
- VWCC intends to foster a culture of high performance and a shared commitment to the mission of the VCCS and the Colleges.
- A commitment to excellence with a focus on student success should be evident in all that we do.
- Faculty efforts should encompass effective performance in Teaching, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, Institutional Responsibility, and Service.
- Faculty should take ownership of their performance and professional development as an ongoing job responsibility and as a responsibility of a member of the college community.
- Professional Development, Evaluation, and Recognition should be purposefully mutually reinforcing of each other.
- Evidence should inform evaluation and professional development decisions.
- Achievement should be recognized.
- Exemplary performance should be rewarded.
- Peer involvement and collaboration should be encouraged.
- Stakeholders who use the Faculty Development and Evaluation process should be well-trained in its purpose and use.
Definitions
Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives (APPDO): The annual goals that are required of all teaching faculty regardless of the length of their appointments.
College Plan: A set of policies, procedures, and practices that operationalize the VWCC Faculty Development and Evaluation System. The college plan must be approved by a majority of full-time, nine-month teaching faculty who vote on the question, approved by the college president, and certified by the Chancellor as embodying the philosophy, matching the high standards, adhering to VCCS policy, and addressing the technical requirements of the VCCS Faculty Development and Evaluation System.
College Citizenship: Service activities that are in support of college or VCCS initiatives and that involve a direct connection between the faculty member who engages in the specific activity and the faculty member’s position at the college in which the participant is not in a leadership role for the activity.
College Representation: Service activities that involve a direct connection between the faculty member who engages in the specific activity and the faculty member’s position at the college.
Community Citizenship: Service activities that are indirect in which the faculty member is acting as a community resident who also happens to be a college employee.
Data Sources: Information generated and used for evaluative purposes from Student, Self, Supervisor, and Peers (per college policy).
De Minimis: A non-monetary small gift or token of appreciation-such rewards are not taxable under IRS regulation due to their small or minimal nature.
Development: Structured or formal learning experiences designed to help the individual perform better or learn new knowledge and skills.
Domains (or Performance Domains): Teaching, Service, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, and Institutional Responsibility.
Evaluation: The periodic assessment of performance that is facilitated by the dean/supervisor.
Evaluation Cycle: The evaluation cycle for all teaching faculty within the VCCS is the calendar year, January to December (See Appendices A& B).
Faculty/Faculty Member/Full-time Faculty/Teaching Faculty: For the purposes of the Faculty Development and Evaluation System and associated VWCC Plan, “faculty,” “faculty member,” “full-time faculty,” and “teaching faculty” refer to nine-month, full-time teaching faculty, except for those in the associate instructor category of employment.
Forms/Instruments/Devices: The actual documents or templates used to conduct an evaluation session, to set goals and objectives, to nominate a faculty member for an award, or otherwise to execute the development and evaluation system.
Goals: See Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives.
Institutional Responsibility: Performing assigned or presumed duties in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and procedures. This includes, but is not limited to, adherence to college and VCCS policy, collegiality, student advising, administrative duties, departmental supervision or other college community leadership duties, and additional duties as assigned. Activities that do not otherwise fit into Teaching, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, or Service, but which are job related, should be counted in the Institutional Responsibility domain.
Policy: VCCS Policy 3.6 which provides the principles and guidelines that outline the development and evaluation system.
Probationary Faculty: Faculty that are in their first fall/spring appointment year.
Recognition: A non-monetary or de minimis award such as certificates for preferred parking spaces for a semester.
Reward: Significant annual monetary awards-bonus, percentage pay increase, or professional development stipend-that are available on a competitive basis to a limited percentage of faculty each year.
Scholarly and Creative Engagement: Publications, research, artistic, intellectual, or other presentation and sharing activities that are specifically associated with the faculty member’s formally recognized area of expertise.
Senior Faculty: Those faculty members beyond the first three continuous appointment years, whether on one-year or multi-year appointments.
Service: The quality participation and commitment to students, college and/or community organizations (See: college representation, college citizenship, and community citizenship).
Teaching: Creating a learning environment that facilitates students’ acquisition of knowledge and skills in a subject (i.e. instructional design, instructional delivery, instructional effectiveness, and instructional expertise).
Weighting: The determination of how each performance domain is valued in relation to other factors.
Overview of the Full-Time Faculty1 Development and Evaluation System
Mission
To create an environment for teaching faculty which promotes high performance and continuous improvement resulting in world class faculty and increased student success, VWCC has designed and adopted the following Full-time Teaching Faculty Development and Evaluation system.
Faculty Development and Evaluation System Summary
The new Faculty Evaluation System includes three components (Evaluation, Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives, and Reward and Recognition), each of which focuses on four domains of full-time teaching faculty activity: Teaching, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, Institutional Responsibility, and Service.
- Evaluation: The Full-time Teaching Faculty Development and Evaluation System improves upon previous practice by compressing five evaluation ratings into two (Meets Expectations/Does Not Meet Expectations) with an emphasis on high performance and continuous improvement in each of the four domains of faculty activity.
- Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives: Each faculty member will create three to five annual objectives for continuous professional improvement that are aligned with one or more of the four domains of faculty activity. These objectives will be developed in consultation with and approved by the dean/supervisor.
- Reward and Recognition: Each college shall devise a plan to provide reward and recognition of outstanding service for faculty members whose performance exemplifies the highest standards of educational excellence in one or more of the four domains of faculty activity. Faculty members who receive evaluations of “Meets Expectations” are eligible to participate in the Reward and Recognition System.
1The new Faculty Development and Evaluation System and associated Model Plan apply only to nine-month, full-time teaching faculty, exclusive of those in the associate instructor category of employment. Faculty in other categories of employment are covered by evaluation systems appropriate to their roles.
Introduction to the Virginia Western Community College Plan
The VWCC Full-time Teaching Faculty Development and Evaluation Plan conforms to the philosophy, policy, and technical requirements of the VCCS Faculty Development and Evaluation System.
Implementation
The VCCS Model Plan will take effect in the Fall 2013 semester for faculty hired to teach full-time in that semester unless the college creates an evaluation plan that is certified by the Chancellor prior to August 16, 2013. The Model Plan will take effect in the calendar year beginning January 2014 for all other faculty covered by the Model Plan. Colleges which do not create a development and evaluation plan for teaching faculty members that is certified by the Chancellor by October 31, 2013 will default to this VCCS Model Plan. All colleges will follow a calendar year cycle for evaluating faculty (see Appendices A& B).
Review Process
At least once every two years, VWCC’s Plan shall be reviewed by the faculty senate. The review process shall provide the opportunity for involvement of all full-time teaching faculty. Recommendations for change shall be approved by a majority of the faculty who participate in the vote and shall be submitted to the president for approval. If the recommended changes are not approved, the president must submit recommended modifications for further consideration and re-submission. The new plan must also be certified by the Chancellor as adhering to the philosophy, policy, and technical requirements of the VCCS Faculty Development and Evaluation System. The college’s existing plan will remain in effect unless or until a revised plan is approved by a majority vote of the faculty, approved by the college president, and certified by the Chancellor.
Evaluation System
Evaluation Schedule
The evaluation cycles for faculty on different appointments (first-year, second/third-year, and senior faculty appointments) are delineated below. A calendar of annual evaluation activities can be found in Appendix A. In Appendix B a plan for transitioning colleges and faculty from the previous faculty evaluation system to the new Faculty Development and Evaluation System can be found.
- Probationary faculty members will be evaluated in both the fall and spring semesters of their first one-year appointment. For probationary teaching faculty members who are in their first one-year appointment, the summative rating will be assigned each semester, the second-semester evaluation to be assigned by March 15th of their first year of employment.
- Individuals working under their second-year or third-year appointment will receive summative ratings by March 15th for work performed during the previous calendar year (January-December).
- Senior faculty members (those beyond the first three continuous appointment years, whether on one-year or multi-year appointments) will receive their summative ratings by December 15th of the last year of the appointment. Evaluations will encompass all work performed during each of the calendar years (January-December) of the appointment.
- For all years, including the final year of a multi-year appointment, the faculty member will work with the dean/supervisor to develop individual Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives.
- During the intervening years of a multi-year appointment, faculty members will be deemed to have met expectations if their previous rating was “Meets Expectations.” Therefore, they will be eligible to participate in the college Reward and Recognition plan-unless they overtly fail to maintain acceptable college standards, including satisfactory performance on Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives, as documented by the dean/supervisor.
Evaluation Ratings
Teaching faculty members will receive a summative evaluation rating of either “Meets Expectations” or “Does Not Meet Expectations” at the conclusion of the evaluation cycle appropriate to their appointment term as described in the Evaluation Schedule above and in Appendix A.
Evaluation Domains and Weights
In order to receive a summative evaluative rating of “Meets Expectations,” each teaching faculty member is expected to demonstrate mastery of a significant majority of the individual criteria and satisfactory progress toward mastery of those criteria where improvement is needed for each of the four evaluation domains: Teaching, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, Institutional Responsibility, and Service (see Tables 1.1 and 1.2). The evaluation will include all aspects of the teaching faculty job description as well as temporary assigned administrative/professional duties, whether or not release time was granted. While percentages are given in Table 1 for the weighting of each of the four domains, VWCC uses a holistic, qualitative approach to evaluation. Therefore, the weights express the relative importance of each domain; they do not represent a numerical approach to evaluation.
All faculty will be held to the minimum weights described below, except in cases where the faculty member is reassigned for more than 50% of their teaching load to other administrative/professional duties for a time period not to exceed two years. Faculty with more than 50% of normal teaching load reassigned to other administrative/professional duties will consult with their dean/supervisor to adjust the relative domain weights as necessary with the following stipulations: (1) teaching should always comprise the maximum percentage weighting allowed by the reduction in teaching duties (i.e. if the faculty member is teaching 40% of a regular load, teaching must be weighted at 40%), and (2) the supervisor will make the final determination of the domain weights and the expectations in each domain that the faculty member will be held to.
Table 1.1 – Domain weightings based on faculty member’s appointment
| Domain | 1st Year Faculty | 2nd/3rd Year Faculty | Senior Faculty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 70% | 60% | 50% |
| Scholarly and Creative Engagement | 10% | 15% | 20% |
| Service | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Institutional Responsibility | 10% | 15% | 20% |
Table 1.2 – Domain definitions used for establishing college standard criteria
| Domain | Definition |
|---|---|
| Teaching | Creating a learning environment that facilitates students’ acquisition of knowledge and skills in a subject (i.e. instructional design, instructional delivery, instructional effectiveness, and instructional expertise). |
| Scholarly and Creative Engagement | Activities specifically associated with the faculty member’s formally recognized area of expertise. |
| Service | Quality participation and commitment to students, college and/or community organizations. Participation in these activities is not done for extra compensation but is an expectation of one’s activities as a professional educator. Service activities are divided into three categories: College Representation: Service activities that involve a direct connection between the faculty member who engages in the specific activity and his/her position at the college. College Citizenship: Service activities that are in support of college or VCCS initiatives in which the participant is not in a leadership role for the activity. Community Citizenship: Service activities that are indirect in which the employee is acting as a community resident who also happens to be a college employee. |
| Institutional Responsibility | Performing assigned or presumed duties according to one’s role at the college. These activities support and advance both the mission of the VCCS and VWCC to enhance the effective functioning of the college-including the business processes (i.e. advising students, adherence to VWCC and VCCS policy, collegiality, administrative duties, departmental supervision or assigned college community leadership duties, additional duties as assigned).If an activity does not otherwise fit into Teaching, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, or Service, and the activity is job related, then it should be counted in the Institutional Responsibility domain. |
Criteria for Achieving the “Meets Expectations” Standard for Each Domain Component
The criteria used for determining the rating of “Meets Expectations” for each domain component are included in the Faculty Evaluation Forms: Appendix C (Probationary First-Year Appointment), Appendix D (Second/Third-Year Appointment), and Appendix E (Senior Faculty Appointments).
Data Sources
The three required data source categories of self-evaluation, student ratings, and supervisor evaluation will be utilized to contribute to the summative rating for each domain as shown in Table 2. The burden of providing documentation to support a summative rating of “Meets Expectations” rests on the faculty member. The dean/supervisor will utilize all available data and evidence to prepare a narrative report that supports the assignment of each individual domain rating used in the determination of the summative rating of “Meets Expectations” or “Does Not Meet Expectations.”
Table 2 – Required data sources that contribute to domain summative ratings
| Domain | Data Source |
|---|---|
| Teaching | Self-Evaluation Student Ratings Supervisor Evaluation |
| Scholarly and Creative Engagement | Self-Evaluation Supervisor Evaluation |
| Service | Self-Evaluation Supervisor Evaluation |
| Institutional Responsibility | Self-Evaluation Supervisor Evaluation |
Self-Evaluation
Faculty members shall prepare and submit a written report that includes a personal assessment of their performance in each of the required domain categories from Table 1 (including student outcomes and/or written statements provided to the faculty member that are pertinent to the faculty member’s teaching self-rating). This report should align with the expectations detailed in the Faculty Evaluation Form (Appendix C, D, or E, as appropriate to the faculty member’s appointment status) and should also include
- A professional and college activities report that is detailed enough to support the self-assignment of individual ratings of either “Meets Expectations” or “Does Not Meet Expectations” for each of the four domains (Teaching, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, Institutional Responsibility, and Service)
- A review of goals met/unmet from each Annual Performance and Professional Development Objective (see the Model Plan section of this name) pertinent to the current evaluation cycle (i.e. since the last full evaluation process)
- Any other factors as appropriate (e.g. reassigned time, temporary duties, or additional administrative or professional duties).
Student Ratings
Students in all class sections in all semesters will be given the opportunity to complete Student Ratings of Instruction. Student Rating of Instruction responses from all class sections taught by the faculty member each semester (Appendix F) will be summarized by the dean/supervisor in a report, with attachments as necessary to support the report, and will be taken into account when determining the summative evaluation rating. When available and pertinent to the faculty member’s performance, written statements from students provided to the faculty member and/or the dean/supervisor should also be included in the faculty member’s self-evaluation and/or the supervisor’s evaluation as appropriate.
Supervisor Evaluation
The dean/supervisor will use available evidence from the faculty member’s self-evaluation, student data, and the supervisor’s own assessment of the faculty member’s performance to evaluate each individual domain on the appropriate Faculty Evaluation Form (Appendix C, D, or E, as appropriate to the faculty member’s appointment status). In addition to the data sources detailed above, the supervisor will also incorporate the following information:
- An assessment of the faculty member’s progress in meeting goals set in the Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives (see the Model Plan section of this name) pertinent to the current evaluation cycle (i.e. since the last full evaluation process).
- Notes from class observations, periodic meetings, and/or other evidence of the faculty member’s classroom performance (other than Student Survey of Instruction responses). Supervisors will conduct class observations (and complete a Class Observation Assessment Form, Appendix G) with the following minimum frequency:
- Each semester for faculty under a one-semester or under a probationary, first-year appointment
- Once per year for faculty under any other one-year (non-probationary) appointment
- Once within the final three (3) semesters of a multi-year appointment.
- An independent assessment of the faculty member’s adherence to college policies.
- Sources of evidence related to the faculty member’s performance of any other assigned duties as appropriate (e.g. reassigned time, temporary duties, or additional administrative or professional duties).
Supervisor’s Summative Evaluation Rating
The dean/supervisor will determine each faculty member’s summative rating of “Meets Expectations” or “Does Not Meet Expectations” utilizing a preponderance of evidence from all of the above data sources. In order to receive a summative evaluative rating of “Meets Expectations,” each teaching faculty member is expected to demonstrate mastery of a significant majority of the individual criteria and satisfactory progress toward mastery of those criteria where improvement is needed for each of the four evaluation domains. The faculty member must achieve a “Meets Expectations” rating in each of the four domains to receive a summative rating of “Meets Expectations.”
The Faculty-Supervisor Evaluation Conference
Following completion of the summative evaluation process, the dean/supervisor will schedule a meeting with each faculty member to discuss the summative rating and the implications for continued employment as specified in VCCS Policy 3.6.
- Evaluation summary meetings for faculty members in the first three appointment years will be scheduled in advance of the March 15th deadline for non-reappointment.
- Evaluation summary meetings for senior faculty members (those beyond the first three continuous appointment years, whether on one-year or multi-year appointments) will be scheduled in advance of the January 15th deadline for non-reappointment.
Implications for “Meets/Does Not Meet Expectations” Summative Ratings
Faculty members who receive a “Meet Expectations” summative rating will be eligible to receive a one-year or multi-year appointment, subject to other provisions of the appointment process as defined in VCCS Policy sections 3.4 and 3.6. Reappointed faculty will work with the dean/supervisor to develop Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives (see the Model Plan section of this name) for the next year. The Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives will include specific projects, goals, and anticipated outcomes/deliverables within one or more of the four domains of Teaching, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, Institutional Responsibility, and Service.
Faculty members who meet all of the other eligibility requirements of VCCS Policy 3.7 must receive a “Meets Expectations” rating to be considered for promotion.
Faculty members who achieve a “Meets Expectations” rating are also eligible to participate in VWCC Reward and Recognition Plan. However, probationary first-year faculty members are only eligible to participate in the Recognition program-they are not eligible to receive a Reward.
Depending on a faculty member’s appointment status, a rating of “Does Not Meet Expectations” has differing implications as detailed in VCCS Policy 3.6.
- First-year faculty who receive a “Does Not Meet Expectations” rating in either semester will not be reappointed for the following year. They shall continue to teach or be reassigned at the discretion of the president for the spring semester but must be notified by March 15th that they will not be reappointed for the following academic year.
- Second and third-year faculty who receive a “Does Not Meet Expectations” rating will not be reappointed for the following year and must be notified of that fact by March 15th.
- Senior faculty (those beyond the first three continuous appointment years, whether they are on a multi-year appointment or on a one-year appointment by choice or by action of the president based, in part, on a previous “Does Not Meet Expectations” rating) who receive a “Does Not Meet Expectations” rating will have their evaluation documents further reviewed by the Ad Hoc Appointment Advisory Committee, consistent with policy 3.4.0.4. The president will consider the input of the dean/supervisor, the input of the supervising vice president, and the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Appointment Advisory Committee when determining whether to non-reappoint or to grant a one-year or a multi-year appointment. Faculty will be notified of non-reappointment when applicable, by January 15.
- Senior faculty who receive a “Does Not Meet Expectations” rating and are reappointed will participate in the setting and assessment of Performance and Professional Development Objectives during each semester of the appointment. The supervisor will take primary responsibility for setting these objectives, which should focus on areas of deficiency in the faculty member’s performance.
Evaluation Appeals
Teaching faculty may appeal their evaluation through the Faculty Grievance Procedure; however, appeals reaching Level III of the Faculty Grievance Procedure must be heard by peers through an Ad Hoc Hearing Committee. Throughout the appeals process, it will be incumbent upon the dean/supervisor to provide documentary evidence for the evaluation given to the faculty member.
Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives
The Annual Performance and Professional Objectives component of the Faculty Development and Evaluation System focuses on faculty development. The goal is to provide institutional support for the continuous improvement and professional growth of full-time teaching faculty. Setting objectives, conferring with the dean/supervisor, identifying resources, establishing timelines, and assessing achievement are key elements of Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives.
Setting Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives
Annually, each full-time teaching faculty member will meet with the dean/supervisor to establish Performance and Professional Development Objectives for the calendar year. Included within these objectives can be completion dates for each objective, supporting resources needed to meet each objective, and measures for assessing achievement of the established objectives. The faculty member should create three to five objectives in one or more of the four domains of faculty activity established by VCCS Policy: (1) Teaching, (2) Scholarly and Creative Engagement, (3) Institutional Responsibility, and (4) Service. All four domains are not required each year, but it is expected that each domain will appear at least once over a senior faculty appointment (multi-year appointment). Performance and Professional Development Objectives are to be documented on the Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives-Faculty/Supervisor Agreement Form (Appendix H), which is then signed by the faculty member and the supervisor.
Professional Development Objectives for Faculty Teaching Hybrid and Online Courses
- Per college policy I-72 Faculty Qualifications effective August 16, 2022, faculty teaching online courses must be qualified and prepared to teach in this modality to deliver a high-quality learning environment to students. Online teaching includes any course offered in a modality other than face-to-face learning, including fully online, hybrid, Hyflex, or synchronous online. Faculty who have not met the requirements of this policy should establish a professional development objective to complete the Virginia Western Teaching Online Certification or other such coursework/certification in their Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives before teaching online or with the permission of their School Dean or supervisor, no later than one year after beginning to teach in an online format.
- Faculty who have already completed the Virginia Western Teaching Online Certification or other such coursework/certification within five years prior to August 16, 2022, are exempt from this requirement. The dean/supervisor will have final approval on what coursework or certification meets this professional development objective.
- All faculty are highly encouraged to set objectives on an as needed or as desired basis that contribute to continuous improvement in online teaching and/or teaching and learning with technology.
- For faculty anticipated to teach only on-campus courses: Earn certification, course credit or complete other appropriate training in teaching and learning with technology.
Objectives for Senior Faculty Who Receive a “Does Not Meet Expectations” Rating
Senior faculty who receive a “Does Not Meet Expectations” rating and are reappointed will participate in the setting and assessment of Performance and Professional Development Objectives during each semester of the appointment. The supervisor will take primary responsibility for setting these objectives, which should focus on areas of deficiency in the faculty member’s performance.
Resolving Differences Between Objectives Proposed by the Faculty Member and the Supervisor
On occasion the faculty member and the dean/supervisor may identify differing priorities for the faculty member’s Performance and Professional Development Objectives. The faculty member and supervisor should identify those priorities, whatever differences exist, and the reasons for those differences. They should negotiate to resolve those differences, referring especially to the individual evaluation criteria in the domains of Teaching, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, Institutional Responsibility, and Service to the assessment of the faculty member’s most recent Performance and Professional Development Objectives and/or most recent performance evaluation; to the faculty member’s areas of interest and/or identified need; to division, college, and/or VCCS strategic goals; and to other information that has a bearing on faculty performance and institutional priorities. The supervisor will make the final decision about which Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives to authorize.
College Support for Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives
Virginia Western is committed to supporting the professional growth and development of its full-time teaching faculty. Each year, as a part of its budget development process, Virginia Western provides funding from a variety of sources, in compliance with budgetary regulations of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Virginia Community College System, to assist faculty in the pursuit of Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives. The Professional Development Application provides faculty with the opportunity to request funding for a variety of professional development activities. Using this form, faculty may apply for professional development activities that will take place in the upcoming academic year.
The college, and the VCCS more broadly, also demonstrates its support for the professional growth and development of its full-time teaching faculty by providing free training opportunities, reassigned time, grant-writing assistance, sabbatical leave, educational leave, and other assistance which advances the college mission, its strategic plan, and the success of its students.
For any Performance and Professional Development Objectives that require funding, the faculty member and the dean/supervisor acknowledge that provision of resources outlined in the objective explanation is expected and that in the event this support is not available it may not be possible for the faculty member to achieve that objective.
Revision and Assessment of Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives
Within the calendar year, the faculty member and dean/supervisor (at the request of either party) may meet to discuss progress toward attainment of the faculty member’s objectives. Within reasonable and ethical constraints of time, the faculty member’s Performance and Professional Development Objectives may be revised during the evaluation cycle. Since faculty members are encouraged to establish objectives that are challenging, ambitious, innovative, and/or long-term in nature, it is expected and acceptable that some objectives may not be achieved, in all or in part, due to changes in personal or institutional priorities, changes in faculty duties and responsibilities, availability of resources, or other circumstances which affect or impede achievement of one or more objectives. Any revisions to objectives necessitated by factors such as those described above will be documented on an updated Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives-Faculty/Supervisor Agreement Form.
At the end of the calendar year, the faculty member and dean/supervisor will meet to assess and document attainment of established Performance and Professional Development Objectives, noting objectives met, objectives not met, objectives partially met, and any circumstances or information that provides relevant context for the assessment of the objectives. During this conference, the faculty member should propose Performance and Professional Development Objectives for the following calendar year. Those objectives should give due consideration to any objectives not met during the current calendar year.
Probationary Faculty Performance and Professional Development Objectives
Performance and Professional Development Objectives for newly hired faculty are pre-established for the first year of employment. At the beginning of the first semester of employment, the probationary faculty member will meet with the dean/supervisor to review these Performance and Professional Development Objectives and the methodology for assessing the achievement of each objective. The supervisor and the faculty member may agree to modify the prescribed objectives where appropriate.
First Semester
- Implement and document at least one strategy for student engagement and learning outcomes.
- Attend the VCCS New Faculty seminar, a VCCS Peer Conference, or another teaching related conference, seminar, workshop, or course approved by the supervisor; or work with a mentor to become acclimated to the college mission, vision, and goals and/or to develop one’s instructional effectiveness.
At the end of the first semester of full-time employment, the faculty member and supervisor will meet in conference to assess and document attainment of established Performance and Professional Development Objectives, noting objectives met, objectives not met, objectives partially met, and any circumstances or information that provides relevant context for the assessment of the objectives. Assessment findings are to be documented on the Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives-Faculty/Supervisor Agreement Form (Appendix H) and will serve to inform the first of two required comprehensive evaluations of the faculty member’s performance during the first year of employment. Before the second semester of full-time employment or with two weeks of the start of that semester, the faculty member and the supervisor will review the pre-established, second-semester Performance and Professional Development Objectives for probationary faculty (Appendix H) and reach agreement on any modifications to those objectives where appropriate.
Second Semester
- Reflect on the first semester of teaching to identify from within the general areas of instructional design, instructional delivery, instructional effectiveness, or instructional expertise one specific target for improvement. Develop, implement, and document a strategy to address the target for improvement.
- For faculty currently teaching or anticipated to teach at least one fully online, hybrid, Hyflex, or synchronous online course: begin process of earning Virginia Western Teaching Online Certification or other such coursework/certification approved by the supervisor.
- For faculty anticipated to teach only on-campus courses: attend VCCS New Horizons conference, or another teaching related conference, seminar, workshop, or course approved by the supervisor.
- Serve on one college governance committee.
Prior to the end of the second semester of full-time employment, the faculty member, in consultation with the supervisor, will meet to reassess and document the status of established Performance and Professional Development Objectives. These updated assessment findings are to be documented on the Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives-Faculty/Supervisor Agreement Form (Appendix H) and will serve to inform the second of two required comprehensive evaluations of the faculty member’s performance during the first year of employment.
If as a result of the second-semester assessment of Performance and Professional Development Objectives and the second-semester comprehensive evaluation the faculty member “Meets Expectations,” the faculty member will establish Performance and Professional Development Objectives by following the process as described above. All other relevant policies and procedures covered in the Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives section of the Virginia Western evaluation plan will apply to the faculty member in proposing, consulting with the supervisor about, and assessing Performance and Professional Development Objectives.
Reward and Recognition Plan
All full-time faculty (to include 9-month, 10-month, and Associate Instructors) at Virginia Western are expected to adhere to high standards and expectations. This plan, however, is designed to honor faculty for exceptional performance. The Reward and Recognition Plan adheres to a culture of evidence, in the belief that a faculty member’s documentary record of exceptional performance should be sufficient to establish the nature and extent of the faculty member’s participation, effectiveness, and achievement for which the reward or recognition is bestowed. The following distinction is made between rewards and recognitions:
- Reward-a significant one-time monetary award.
- Recognition-non-monetary reward that provides acknowledgment for exceptional performance.
State funded salary increases are not considered a part of the reward and recognition plan. The monetary awards provided through this plan are funded on a fiscal year basis and contingent upon availability of resources. (Specific minimum amounts for each reward are outlined in the reward explanations below.)
The Faculty Rewards and Recognition Committee
This is a college committee, which will consist of five full-time non-probationary teaching faculty who received awards the previous year, as well as one ad-hoc representative from Human Resources. Faculty committee membership is limited to two years. If a faculty member wishes to apply for a reward or recognition while on this committee, he/she may recuse him/herself from that portion of the committee work.
This committee will send out an announcement regarding the application and nomination process and will meet as necessary to properly administer the Reward and Recognition Plan. Funding for the awards as stated below are subject to fiscal exigencies.
VCCS Policy states: 3.6.0.5.c: “Nominations for Recognition may come from the faculty member or their dean/supervisor or any other stakeholder. Nominations for Reward will come from a faculty member, dean/supervisor, or other employees of the college or VCCS. Reward and Recognition award recipients will be recommended by a committee comprised of a majority of full-time teaching faculty.”
The Faculty Reward and Recognition Committee should give due consideration to the potential for tax implications associated with certain types of awards. Recipients of the awards are responsible for any tax liabilities associated with acceptance of these awards. Recognition awards are to be of non-monetary or de minimis value. Specific information regarding de minimis benefits can be found on the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/federal-state-local-governments/de-minimis-fringe-benefits.
Eligibility
In order to eligible to receive a recognition, an individual must:
- Be a member of the full-time teaching faculty
- Have received an evaluative rating of “Meets Expectations” as of the most recently completed comprehensive faculty evaluation.
- Be current in the establishment and assessment of Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives.
In order to be eligible to receive a reward, an individual must meet the above criteria as well as:
- Be a member of the full-time teaching faculty who is not in the first year of full-time employment as full-time teaching faculty at the college.
Faculty Reward Program
One way to acknowledge excellent performance is through a significant monetary reward. A minimum of 10% and a maximum of 25% of the full-time teaching faculty will receive monetary awards each academic year. In an attempt to both honor excellence of the faculty and honor the culture of Virginia Western, on an annual basis Virginia Western will offer the following awards.
The Virginia Western Teaching Excellence Award: This award will recognize full time teaching faculty who have excelled in one or more of the four teaching domains in the previous academic year. Faculty will be nominated for this award by fellow faculty members, supervisors, or through self-nomination (see Appendix I for Nomination Form). All nominations will be forwarded to the Rewards and Recognitions Committee by the deadline established by this committee. Selection of these faculty members will occur during the Fall semester for the work from the previous calendar year. The number and amount of the awards will be determined by the number of applications and the amount of available funds, but awards will be given as an honorarium of at least $500.
The J. Andrew Archer Teaching Award: Teaching at Virginia Western provides us with the opportunity to interact with many selfless and talented people whose principles and work we admire and respect. Unfortunately, we sometimes become so immersed in our daily responsibilities that we fail to take the time to show our colleagues just how much we appreciate the work they do and the contributions they make. To address this concern, the college initiated in 1998 an annual recognition and appreciation program that provides faculty and administrators with the opportunity to identify colleagues within their divisions whose contributions and service deserve special recognition and commendation. One award is given per academic school each year, as an honorarium of at least $500.
Faculty and/or deans within the respective school nominate faculty for this award from within their school. Nominations are forwarded to the Faculty Rewards and Recognition Committee. The faculty member who receives the most nominations will be honored along with the other award winners at the spring graduation ceremony. In addition to receiving a plaque and an honorarium, the recipients will have the singular satisfaction of knowing that their contributions have not gone unnoticed and unappreciated by their colleagues.
Master Faculty Advisor Award: This award reflected the importance that VWCC places on academic advisement and the instrumental role that faculty advisors play in assisting students to take responsibility for their educational success. Nominations for this award will be made through the submission of a Master Faculty Advisor Nomination form (Appendix I) to an Academic Dean. They will then be forwarded to the Faculty Rewards and Recognition Committee. The recipient of this award will attend the NACADA annual conference or other relevant advising conference, or receive a monetary award of $500.
Faculty Recognition Program
The Faculty Recognition Program recognizes exemplary achievement by faculty through the following recognition awards. Every effort shall be made to ensure that a minimum of 40% of full-time faculty shall receive a recognition award.
You Make a Difference Awards: “You Make the Difference” is a program to acknowledge and demonstrate immediate and spontaneous appreciation for the contribution of individuals to the college’s mission. This program provides continuous opportunities for fellow faculty members, administrators, staff, students, and members of the community to identify other staff, faculty (full time and adjunct) who make a difference at VWCC. A yearly catered event is held for all employees to attend with drawings of non-monetary awards for those employees who have received “You Make the Difference” cards throughout the year.
Learning Environment Awards: The Learning Environment Awards Program as a means of recognizing, on an ongoing basis, extraordinary and exemplary contributions to the learning environment by full-time teaching faculty in one or more of the following areas: Teaching, Scholarly and Creative Engagement, Institutional Responsibility, and Service. In order to acknowledge such behaviors and contributions by full-time teaching faculty, the Learning Environment Awards Program provides continuous opportunities for fellow faculty members, administrators, staff, students, and members of the community to identify full-time teaching faculty who should be considered for a Learning Environment Award.
Nomination Process (Learning Environment Awards). Those who wish to recommend a faculty member for a Learning Environment Award may do so at any time by submitting a completed Learning Environment Award Form (Appendix K) to the Faculty Reward and Recognition Committee.
Review and Selection (Learning Environment Awards). The Faculty Reward and Recognition Committee will review nominations for Learning Environment Awards in a timely manner, determine if the activity or contribution described is consistent with the intent and standards of the Learning Environment Awards Program, and notify nominees if they are to receive a Learning Environment Award. The committee shall also make award recipients aware of any further steps necessary to take delivery of the award.
Number, Nature, and Value of Recognition Awards. The number, nature, and value of faculty recognition awards will vary and are to be determined by the Faculty Reward and Recognition Committee. In general, however, faculty recognition awards should be more frequent and numerous than awards distributed through the Faculty Reward Program. Recognition awards are to be of non-monetary or de minimis value.
Appendices
(All documents are PDF unless otherwise noted)
- Appendix A: Yearly Calendar of Events
- Appendix B: Plan for Transitioning to the New Evaluation System
- Appendix C: Faculty Evaluation Form — Probationary First-Year Appointment
- Appendix D: Faculty Evaluation Form — Second/Third-Year Appointment
- Appendix E: Faculty Evaluation Form — Senior Faculty Appointments2
- Appendix F: Student Survey of Instruction
- Appendix G: Class Observation Assessment Form
- Appendix H: Annual Performance and Professional Development Objectives Faculty/Supervisor Agreement Form
- Appendix I: Faculty Teaching Excellence and Master Advisor Award Nomination Form
- Appendix K: Learning Environment Award Nomination Form
2 Senior faculty are those beyond the first three continuous appointment years; senior faculty may be on one-year, three-year, or five-year appointments.
Additional Evaluation Plans
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