Faculty Reviews: Instructional Track
Key Contacts
If you have questions, please contact your Department Human Resources Representative.
Applicability
Instructional-track faculty.
Policy Purpose and Description
Instructional-track faculty are appointed to support the instructional needs and missions of departments and to provide stability and continuity to departments through the development of curricula and departmental service. The primary role of instructional-track faculty is to teach; the secondary role is to provide service. Faculty members are not required to produce scholarship, research, or creative work as part of their duties.
Definitions
NA
Procedure
In each year of an instructional-track faculty's appointment, the department submits a performance evaluation to the Dean's Office, using the college's instructional-track review form. During the initial probationary appointment (until the first reappointment review), faculty will undergo an annual evaluation aimed at mentoring the faculty member to strengthen their teaching; the review will be submitted using the college's probationary annual review form (instruction or practice track). After the probationary period, faculty will undergo an annual evaluation, submitted on the annual review form (instruction or practice track). Subsequently, a substantive performance reappointment evaluation (instruction or practice track form) must be submitted in the reappointment year of the current contract. The review form, with the Instructional faculty's response (if any), the Instructional faculty's CV, and classroom observation are due in the Office of the Dean annually based on announced deadlines.
A classroom observation is required:
for the first six years of the initial Assistant Professor of Instruction/Practice contract and every reappointment thereafter, and
for the first five years of the initial Associate Professor/Professor of Instruction/Practice contract and every reappointment thereafter.
The review is a substantive evaluation of the Instructional faculty's record in teaching, service, and professional activity (practice track). These evaluations are based on the expectations for teaching, departmental service, and professional activity (practice track) stated in the most recent letter of appointment and the written standards. The college's expectation is that at least 60% of an Instructional faculty's effort will be devoted to teaching organized courses. The letter of appointment may state a higher expectation.
The purpose of the review is to advise the Instructional faculty member on how well they are meeting departmental and collegiate expectations of the appointment and to provide a basis for renewal of the contract and salary recommendations. The review report should outline substantive suggestions and specific expectations. The instructional faculty member has the right to respond to the review.
The review of teaching, service, and professional activity (practice track) may be conducted by the DEO or by another faculty member or a faculty committee to whom the DEO delegates the review. The review of teaching must include:
updated CV
student evaluations of teaching solicited in every course and kept on file (usually by the faculty member) for use in faculty reviews,
observation and report on at least one class session (as stated above), and
review of syllabi for all courses taught since the previous review.
Individuals with Instructional track appointments are expected to stay current in their field of study.
Forms
Instructional Track annual probationary review form: Instructional Track or Practice Track
Instructional Track annual review form: Instructional Track or Practice Track
Reappointment Review Form: Instructional Track or Practice Track
Frequently Asked Questions
In regard to classroom observations, what is considered the initial contract?
"Initial" refers to the hiring contract. If a faculty is promoted from Assistant Professor of Instruction to Associate Professor Instruction, the initial contract refers to their Assistant Professor of Instruction contract at hire, and they will require a classroom observation during their Associate Professor of Instruction reappointment review.
Is an instructional track review due if a faculty is leaving the college?
Faculty are exempt from their annual review if they are in the final academic year of their appointment before retirement/resignation/notice of non-renewal. If a faculty member is currently enrolled in the phased retirement program, they will continue to have annual and/or reappointment reviews conducted until they are within the final academic year of their retirement date.
If an instructional track faculty member requests promotion review, are they required to also have an annual or reappointment review conducted that academic year?
No. The promotion review takes the place of the annual or reappointment review. However, if the promotion review occurs in the final year of appointment and results in an unsuccessful promotion decision, a separate reappointment review will be conducted in the spring semester.
Related Information
Qualifications: Instructional track faculty appointments normally require an advanced degree (masters or doctoral degree) or the equivalent. Graduate students cannot hold instructional track appointments.
Instructional track faculty positions are subject to the usual affirmative action recruitment procedure expectations.
Revision History
10/2025, 2/2021