Major Performance Review and Reappointment of Professors of Practice

Major Performance Review and Reappointment of Professors of Practice

I.Description of Responsibilities 

Professors of Practice are appointees who have achieved distinction in their fields of practice. They bring unique practical experiences and talents that will benefit students and strengthen the reputation of the School. The main responsibility of Professors of Practice is teaching, although they may be assigned research, creative and service responsibilities associated with their contributions to student development and placement.  SeeIU Policy ACA-19: Regulation of Professor of Practice Appointments.

II.Major Performance Review and Reappointment 

Professors of Practice are initially appointed for three years. Assuming a successful substantive mid-term departmental review in the third year, their contracts are then renewed annually through their seventh year in rank at IU. A major performance review will take place before the end of the seven-year probationary period, and if performance is judged excellent, appointees shall be given long-term renewable contracts of either three year or five-year terms.  Professors of Practice should be reviewed within the scope of their appointment letter.

Criteria for Major Performance Review and Reappointment 

1.Teaching 

All Professors of Practice seeking reappointment based on a major performance review are evaluated on teaching.

    • A four-option continuum is used to rate candidate performance in teaching: Excellent, Very Good, Effective and Ineffective. 
    • Excellence in teaching must be demonstrated at the local—unit and School—level. 

Excellence in teaching may include–but is not limited to–the following: 

1.1 A record of high quality teaching demonstrated by sustained excellence in classroom performance, including the presentation and discussion of student evaluations for all courses. (required)
1.2 Evidence of peer observation and evaluation of teaching. (required)
1.3 A trajectory of improved teaching skills as shown by various measures of teaching, including student evaluations. (required)
1.4 Keeping course content and mentoring up to date, in terms of new developments in their field of expertise. (required)
1.5 Evidence of successful teaching across the undergraduate curriculum within an area of expertise and, when applicable, in different teaching environments (large and small class sizes). (required)
1.6 Student involvement in the Professor of Practice’s ongoing creative practice and management activity, as apprentices, assistants, interns, or advisees. 
1.7 Unsolicited letters from students in addition to those solicited by the unit or school. 
1.8 Undergraduate and graduate student advising/mentoring activities. 
1.9 Teaching awards and other similar recognition of pedagogical excellence. 
1.10 Participation in course and curriculum development and innovation. 
1.11 Evidence of leadership/participation in the School of Liberal Art’s instructional goals and objectives 
1.12 Development of new teaching materials such as textbooks, cases, instructor manuals, student guides, websites, and videos. 
1.13 Participation in teaching and learning activities within the School, IUPUI, IU or peer professional groups. [For examples, see IU’s Mosaic Active Learning Initiative, http://ctl.iupui.edu/Programs/Mosaic-Faculty-Fellows-Program and the Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching, https://facet.iu.edu/index.html.] 
1.14 Published peer-reviewed, non-peer-reviewed, and invited articles related to teaching. 
1.15 Presentations at local, statewide or national/international conferences about teaching. 
1.16 Supervision of independent study students. 

2.Service 

All Professors of Practice are expected to make service contributions, although the extent and nature of these contributions may vary based on initial expectations set forward in each contract of employment. 

    • A four-option continuum is used to rate candidate performance in service: Excellent, Very Good, Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory.
    • Professors of Practice up for reappointment are expected to be at least Satisfactory in service.  

Satisfactory service contributions may include—but are not limited to—the following: 

2.1 Participation in service activities that support teaching/learning. 
2.2 Membership on graduate student MA committees. 
2.3 Supervision and mentorship of TAs with significant instructional responsibilities. 
2.4 Involvement in student groups/clubs that support student learning and professional development. 
2.5 Development of service-learning components to the School’s curriculum. 
2.6 Internal or external service awards and grants. 
2.7 Participation or leadership in unit, School, and campus committees. 
2.8 Participation in School and IUPUI activities in support of the teaching mission (e.g., attending commencement, supporting activities related to student scholarship and professional development). 
2.9 Development of educational programs, workshops, and other training ventures for School constituencies. 
2.10 Public service to the community that calls upon professional expertise as a teacher, pedagogical scholar, or practitioner. 
2.11 Leadership in service activities of professional organizations. 
2.12 Serving as liaison with industry to develop or maintain industry internships, guest lectures and other activities and events that either bring industry to campus or give our students opportunities in the industry at large. 

3.Creative practice and management activity 

Professors of Practice may be expected to continue their work as creative artists and practitioners in their chosen fields of practice or to contribute to the management of industry processes. The extent and nature of these contributions will vary based on initial expectations set forward in each contract of employment. 

    • A four-option continuum is used to evaluate those evaluated on this dimension of activity: Excellent, Very Good, Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory.
    • Professors of Practice who are expected to contribute in creative, professional or management activities are expected to be at least Satisfactory in this endeavor when they go up for a major performance review and reappointment. 

Creative and professional activities and management contributions may include – but are not limited to – the following: 

3.1 Participate in the creative process (e.g., produce, write, direct, perform, stage, shoot, score, edit) with local, regional, national or international groups or outlets. 
3.2 Participate in the distribution of creative work with local, regional, national or international groups or outlets. 
3.3 Serve as a management consultant in the creative development process or distribution of creative work. 
3.4 Collaborate with practitioners or industry leaders in innovative projects. 
3.5 Create, organize or head an entity that shepherds the creative process or distributes creative work. 
3.6 Publish invited or peer-reviewed papers or participate in presentations about creative works, new techniques or other advances in their fields. 

III.Timing 

No later than the sixth year as a Professor of Practice, a faculty member will undergo a major performance review in order to receive a long-term contract. Shortened probationary periods may be the result of demonstrated teaching excellence that predates appointment in the School or an exceptional record of teaching, service or creative accomplishments in the School. 

Evaluation of a candidate for a long-term Professor of Practice position within the School results in an up or out decision: Faculty either receive a longer-term contract, or they will not be permitted to teach full-time in the School beyond the term of their contract.

Reappointment decisions are made at least one full year in advance (i.e., the decision to renew a contract for a Professor Practice’s fourth year is made during the Professor of Practice’s second year of work). Professor of Practice therefore are guaranteed a full year of employment following a negative performance evaluation (i.e., faculty have voted against reappointment). 

The following structure and activities are designed to support a newly hired Professor of Practice: 

1. First year 

1.1 Orientation to expectations through first semester meetings with unit chair. 
1.2 The unit chair serves as official mentor for the first year. 
1.3 Annual review completed no later than the end of the second semester of employment. 
1.4 In-person meeting with the unit chair to discuss the annual review. 

2. Second year 

2.1 Annual review completed no later than the end of the spring semester, typically the fourth semester of employment. 
2.2 Reappointment decision for the fourth year is made during the spring semester. 

3. Third year 

3.1 Substantive mid-term departmental review. Review completed no later than the end of the spring semester. Professors of Practice are expected to prepare a dossier for this review. In addition to a summary of student and faculty evaluations of teaching, a personal statement on teaching and service contributions at IU must be provided along with appropriate documentation. An effective narrative is likely to include discussion of one’s approach to teaching, specific activities and contributions, an assessment of growth and accomplishments, and goals for the future. 
3.2 A positive third year review results in a contract for the fifth year, and allows the candidate to be considered for one-year renewable contracts through their seventh year, subject to annual performance reviews. 

4. Fourth and fifth years 

4.1 Annual review completed no later than the end of the spring semester. 
4.2 In-person meeting with the unit chair to discuss the annual review. 
4.3 Reappointment for sixth year is made during spring semester of the fourth year. Reappointment for the seventh year is made during spring semester of the fifth year. 

5. Sixth year 

5.1 During the fall semester of the sixth year of the appointment, Professors of Practice prepare their major performance review dossiers. In addition to a summary of student and faculty evaluations of teaching, a personal statement on teaching and service contributions at IU must be provided along with appropriate documentation. An effective narrative is likely to include discussion of one’s approach to teaching, specific activities and contributions, an assessment of growth and accomplishments, and goals for the future. [Note: These will not be submitted through the IU edossier.]
5.2 The third week of January is the deadline for submitting their major performance review dossiers to the unit chair. 
5.3 Units have until the end of March to review dossiers, vote, and prepare written assessments of candidates to the School dean.  Deadlines established for the school third-year review process should be followed.  The criteria outlined above should be used for making the evaluations and recommendations for reappointment or not.
5.4 The School Promotion & Tenure Committee reviews, votes, and prepares an evaluative report on candidates, following deadlines established for the school third-year review process, and using the criteria outlined above for making their evaluation. This evaluation and recommendation for reappointment or not is forwarded to the Dean by no later than the third Monday of April.
5.5 The Dean will make the final decision with regard to reappointment to a long-term contract.

Approved by School of Liberal Arts Faculty Assembly on September 15, 2017