FACULTY EMPLOYMENT

EVALUATION

EVALUATION CRITERIA

LIBRARY FACULTY (UNITED ACADEMICS)

Minimum Eligibility Criteria for Appointment And Promotion of Library Faculty

Exception to the minimum terminal degree and/or experience qualifications for rank must be fully justified through the several levels of promotion or appointment review, with final approval by the Chancellor. The basis for exception shall be outstanding academic performance and/or outstanding professional experience. Outstanding performance and professional experience are defined in the usual sense of outstanding; that is, the categories are demonstrated by evidence and judged by those qualified to judge that the performance or experience is “prominent, distinguished, and conspicuous” in the sense that it is “excellent” or “superior.”

Instructor—ALA (American Library Association)-accredited master’s degree in library science or master’s degree with appropriate course work in library science.

Assistant Professor—ALA-accredited master’s degree in library science. Demonstrated primary assignment and public and University service of appropriate quality. Research/creative activity of appropriate quality to the extent to which it has been a part of the faculty member’s approved workload.

Associate Professor—ALA-accredited master’s degree in library science. Demonstrated primary assignment and public and University service of appropriate quality. Research/creative activity of appropriate quality to the extent to which it has been a part of the faculty member’s approved workload. Candidates have completed at least four years at the rank of assistant professor or equivalent at the time of application, and in the case of promotion, at least three years in the UA system at this rank at the time of application.

Professor—ALA-accredited master’s degree in library science. Demonstrated continued excellence in primary assignment and public and University service. (Excellence is defined in its usual sense; that is, as demonstrated by evidence and in the opinion of those qualified to judge, the performance in this area is “superior, surpassing goodness.”) Significant research/creative activity in or other outstanding contributions to the field of library and information science to the extent it has been part of the faculty member’s approved workload. Candidates have completed at least four years at the rank of associate professor or equivalent at the time of application, and in the case of promotion, at least three years in the UA system at this rank at the time of application.

Evaluation Criteria  - United Academics Library Faculty

The University recognizes that uniform standards for faculty evaluation cannot be applied to all units of the University. In accordance with Board of Regents Policy that units may elaborate in writing on evaluation criteria to take into account the distinctive nature of the discipline or special University assignment, the library faculty have prepared the following statement of standards and criteria for use in the evaluation process.

Excellence in performance of one’s primary responsibility is the most important element in the evaluation of Library Faculty and will carry more weight than the others in all deliberations. Competence in job performance is the one criterion that must be met for a satisfactory retention evaluation and for promotion in rank. In each of the evaluation areas listed below, emphasis will be placed on the quality of performance. The standard will be competence, with excellence the goal. Excellence in these respects is defined in its usual sense; that is, as demonstrated by evidence and in the opinion of those qualified to judge, the performance in this area is “superior, surpassing goodness.”

Each Library Faculty member will meet with his/her supervising director prior to the beginning of each fiscal year to develop a workload plan for the forthcoming fiscal year in relation to the criteria stated below.

Criteria for retention, promotion, and tenure of Library Faculty will be considered under the same four main headings as for other faculty, but with specific performance standards addressing “primary responsibility” rather than “teaching” under the first heading.

Primary Responsibility A high quality of performance in the Library Faculty member’s assigned area of primary responsibility as evidenced by the job description is the most important and essential evaluation criterion. The ability to carry out competently and independently the full range of library functions pertaining to the librarian’s particular assignment must be demonstrated. In the evaluation of performance, the requirements of the particular position should be carefully considered as well as the extent to which the librarian has fulfilled the objectives of the annual workload agreement. Also relevant, however, are such job-related characteristics as dependability, judgment, accuracy, readiness to assume additional responsibility, ability to organize work, reactions under pressure, responses to criticism and suggestions, and positive relationships with students, faculty members, other library users, library staff, and external library and user communities.

The following minimum requirements are cumulative for each higher level of rank:

Instructor: The candidate has demonstrated competence in performance of primary assignment and shows potential for continued contribution to the discipline.

Assistant Professor: The candidate has demonstrated competence and growth in performance of primary assignment. The candidate has demonstrated ability to conduct analysis of common library problems and demonstrated ability to handle professional assignments of increasing complexity and responsibility.

Associate Professor: The candidate has demonstrated excellence in performance of primary assignment. The candidate has demonstrated ability to analyze and develop solutions to complex library problems and demonstrated ability to handle professional assignments of complexity and responsibility. Attention should be devoted to the breadth of the candidate’s performance and potential for providing leadership for lower ranking library faculty. Excellence is defined in its usual sense; that is, as demonstrated by evidence and in the opinion of those qualified to judge, the performance in this area is “superior, surpassing goodness.”

Professor: The candidate must have a background of exceptional performance in the primary assignment area. The candidate has demonstrated leadership in conducting analyses of and developing solutions to complex library problems and has demonstrated leadership in handling professional assignments of complexity and responsibility. The candidate should be distinguished among colleagues for the breadth and quality of performance and be actively contributing to the professional development and growth of other library faculty. Exceptional performance is defined in its usual sense; that is, as demonstrated by evidence, the performance in this area is “not ordinary or average” but “much above average in quality.”

08/07