The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston supports a system of periodic performance evaluation of all faculty for the purposes of enhancing the productivity of the individual faculty member, facilitating the professional development of the faculty member, and encouraging, assisting, and guiding the faculty member toward achieving career goals. This review process allows each faculty member to discuss and plan goals, aspirations and needs with the department chair/equivalent, and to relate them to the goals and missions of the department, school and university. Such a process will ultimately benefit not only the individual, but also the department/unit, school and university through increased faculty productivity.
All faculty will be reviewed annually. Further, a comprehensive review will be performed every six years for all faculty, tenured and non-tenured.
This policy establishes minimum criteria for the faculty review process with further details to be specified by the individual schools or units. The dean or administrative equivalent of each school or unit will periodically review the faculty evaluation process for accordance with the university’s equal opportunity policies (See HOOP Policy 2.18 Equal Opportunity Employment). The school review process will be reviewed every two years by the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs in consultation with the Interfaculty Council.
Department chairs/equivalents must make and implement strategic plans to encompass goals and outcome measures to ensure an ongoing focus on recruitment, development, career planning and succession planning for faculty.
For questions regarding this policy, contact the Office of Academic Affairs.
A. New faculty should be appointed to the appropriate track based on the individual's qualifications and experiences. Institutional needs must be taken into account when appointing faculty to the tenure track. The tenured faculty should be those core individuals necessary to carry out the academic missions of the university. Refer to HOOP Policy 4.06 Tenure.
B. Letters of offer from the departmental chair/equivalent must set forth general expectations and assignments. These expectations and assignments must be compatible with success in the position. For example, new junior faculty appointed to tenure-track positions must be given an explicit statement about requirements for scholarship and the amount of protected time that will be available for scholarly activities in the letter of appointment. It is recognized that assignments may be modified over time as institutional needs change.
C. Department chairs/equivalents must ensure new faculty are provided with a current copy of the guidelines for establishing rank and tenure, guidance from a designated faculty development officer or mentor, knowledge of and access to the school's policies and procedures and the Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOOP), and the acceptable format for preparation of a curriculum vitae.
Detailed procedures regarding annual reviews of faculty are contained in the Annual Review Procedures.
Detailed procedures regarding six-year reviews of faculty are contained in the Six-Year Review Procedures.
Updated 01/05; 08/07; 04/08