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Policy for External Evaluation of Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activities

(This Policy Statement supersedes 86-07)
This revised policy was recommended by the Academic Senate on April 29, 2010
and approved by the President on May 7, 2010.

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In the event of a conflict between any provisions of this policy and the applicable collective bargaining agreement, the collective bargaining agreement shall govern.

1.0 GUIDING PRINCIPLES

1.1 The University Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion (RTP) Policy (09-10) encourages faculty members who have requested early tenure and/or early promotion to have their research, scholarly, and creative activities evaluated externally.  

1.2  According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement: the candidate for tenure and/or promotion may request an external evaluation.  Additionally, under special circumstances a request for external evaluation may be initiated at any level of review by any party to the review. The request must be approved by the President with concurrence by the candidate.    

2.0 CRITERIA FOR EXTERNAL EVALUATORS

2.1 External evaluators shall be scholars/practitioners who have recognized expertise in the candidate’s area of research, scholarship, and/or creative activities.

2.2 External evaluators should not have a close association (personal or professional) with the candidate, such as former teachers, mentors, project collaborators, dissertation advisor, or post-doctoral advisor.     

2.3 ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉú faculty members may not serve as external evaluators in this process.

3.0 MATERIALS FOR EXTERNAL EVALUATION

3.1 The candidate shall submit the entire research, scholarly, and/or creative work section of the RTP file to the Office of Faculty Affairs which shall forward the file to each external evaluator. 

4.0 EXTERNAL EVALUATION REPORT

4.1 Each external evaluator shall be asked to provide a report on the quality and overall impact of the candidate’s submitted materials to the discipline or profession. The external evaluator is not asked to make a recommendation on the candidate’s RTP action under consideration.

4.2 The AVP for Faculty Affairs will inform the external evaluators that their reports will be included in the candidate’s RTP file and a copy provided to the candidate.

4.3 Reports from external evaluators shall be treated as additional evidence and considered along with all other evidence in the file by each level of review.

5.0 EXTERNAL EVALUATION PROCESS

5.1 Normally, the external evaluation process will be initiated by the candidate, the department RTP committee, and/or the department chair.

5.2 Normally, the external evaluation process will be initiated in the spring semester prior to the fall semester when the RTP file is due. 

5.3 Normally, the deadline for the external evaluator to submit a report should be no later than the deadline for the candidate to submit the RTP file to the department RTP committee.  

5.4 The candidate shall nominate three (3) professionals in the field, identifying their relationship or connection if appropriate. The Department RTP Committee in consultation with the Department Chair shall also nominate three (3) professionals in the field.

5.5 The lists of names will be provided to the AVP for Faculty Affairs who will contact potential external evaluators, making a reasonable effort to secure one or more external evaluators from each list. If necessary, the AVP will ask for additional names.

5.6 There should be a minimum of two (2) and a maximum of four (4) external evaluators per candidate review. 

5.7 The AVP for Faculty Affairs will be the primary contact with external evaluators, including forwarding the candidate materials for evaluation and setting the timeline for completion of the report.

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EFFECTIVE: Fall 2010