Faculty Mentoring and Collegial Evaluation of Teaching Policy for Assistant Professors
The following mentoring policy is established by the Department of Sociology. In addition, to ensure that complete teaching documentation is available for the College's review of promotion and tenure cases, the collegial evaluation of teaching policy is redefined below.
Faculty Mentoring
For each assistant professor, two mentors senior in rank shall be appointed by the Chair, with input provided by the assistant professor. Mentors should meet with the faculty member at least twice a year to touch base and give advice. Mentors should also advise the Chair of matters that need the Chair's attention. In the Spring, mentors should review the materials the assistant professor will submit for the annual review (form, content, and completeness).
In accordance with the College policy, assistant professors should include in their yearly activity report research, teaching, and service "portfolios" or the equivalent. These portfolios should include (in each of these three areas) his/her goals, activities, written materials or other substantive contributions, and student evaluations of teaching.
The College has developed the Junior Faculty Development Program to assist junior faculty in their professional development by providing them with time and opportunity to enhance their scholarly and teaching careers. The program is available to all tenure-track Assistant Professors. The program consists of 2 awards: an initial award is made upon hire and an award following contract renewal. The initial award is used during the first or second year of employment. The second award can be used during the third, fourth, or fifth year of employment (assuming there are no delays in the renewal process). Both awards consist of (a) one faculty development quarter (a one-course teaching reduction and no assigned teaching responsibilities) and (b) one month of summer salary OR $5000 in research support. The request for the initial award is submitted by the Department at the recruitment phase; the request for the second award is submitted by the Department on behalf of eligible faculty members after the contract renewal process is completed.
Collegial Evaluation of Teaching
All assistant professors must have a collegial evaluation of teaching each year. Assistant professors are encouraged to have classroom visitations as part of all collegial evaluations. A copy of the collegial evaluation of teaching will be placed in the faculty member's file and will be used to document teaching when evaluating the assistant professor for contract renewal, promotion and tenure.
Student Evaluations
Assistant professors should have in their files student evaluations for all courses taught each year.