School of General Studies Standards for Faculty Evaluation

December 3, 2007 

 

Preamble

According to the new policies and procedures negotiated between the Stockton Administration and
the Stockton Federation of Teachers, each academic school of the college is to develop a set of
standards for evaluating faculty members housed in that school. In particular, the task is to “. . .
develop standards interpreting the College standards within the context of its own disciplinary
traditions.” (Richard Stockton College Policy # TBD, p. 10.)
The School of General Studies at Stockton is distinctive, both beyond and within the College.
Recognizing the many differences between general and disciplinary education, Stockton offers a
separate general studies curriculum. This approach stands apart from that found at most institutions
where introductory courses in the various disciplines are expected to serve the disciplines and general
education. Moreover, General Studies differs from all other Schools at the College in that all students
and faculty from throughout the College come together here to participate in the study of intellectual
common ground.
The faculty of the School of General Studies is distinctive, as well. The school includes no programs
with majors. Faculty members teach in the Basic Studies (BASK) program, the Writing program,
which offers a minor, and other interdisciplinary minors.

The recently adopted policies include college-wide expectations for faculty regarding teaching,
scholarly and creative activity, and college and community service. Given the diversity of the faculty
of the School of General Studies, we propose that the statement of faculty responsibilities (pp. 2-3)
and the description of college standards for faculty evaluation (pp. 4-9) contained in the
aforementioned policy document be adopted as the School of General Studies standards for faculty
evaluation. 

6.00 ELABORATION OF COLLEGE STANDARDS FOR TEACHING FACULTY

6.1 Teaching

6.1.1 Educating students, both inside and outside the classroom, studio, or laboratory is the
College’s primary purpose. Therefore, performance in teaching carries the greatest weight in
the evaluation of faculty. All aspects of teaching, including preceptorial teaching, will be
evaluated in order to gain a clear understanding of each faculty member’s performance.

6.1.2 In broad terms excellence in teaching is characterized by:

6.1.2.1 A thorough and current command of the subject matter, teaching techniques
and methodologies of the disciplines one teaches.
6.1.2.2 Sound course design and delivery in all teaching assignments – whether
program or General Studies, introductory or advanced offerings — as evident in clear 
learning goals and expectations, content reflecting the best available scholarship or
artistic practices, and teaching techniques aimed at student learning.
6.1.2.3. The ability to organize course material and to communicate this information
effectively. The development of a comprehensive syllabus for each course taught,
including expectations, grading and attendance policies, and the timely provision of
copies to students.
6.1.2.4 Excellence in teaching also entails respect for students as members of the
Stockton academic community, the effective response to student questions, and the
timely evaluation of and feedback to students. 

6.1.3 Where appropriate, additional measures of teaching excellence are:

6.1.3.1 Ability to use technology in teaching.
6.1.3.2 The capacity to relate the subject matter to other fields of knowledge.
6.1.3.3 Seeking opportunities outside the classroom to enhance student learning of
the subject matter. 

 

6.2 Scholarly and Creative Activity

6.2.1 The teacher-scholar model recognizes that a serious and continuing commitment to
scholarship or creative activity enriches teaching and is the foundation of sustained
excellence within the classroom.
6.2.2 Publications and creative work in support of reappointment and tenure are those
achieved during the applicant’s probationary period. Activity in support of a post-tenure
promotion or range adjustment is that work completed since the most recent promotion or
range adjustment.
6.2.3 The College recognizes a wide variety of scholarly vehicles: disciplinary or
interdisciplinary research, pedagogical research, applied research, integrative scholarship,
artistic or creative activity, grant acquisition. Scholarly or creative activities may take many
forms and use different vehicles to communicate with the broader academic community.

6.2.3.1 The College recognizes that the time and effort required to complete scholarly
or artistic projects may vary markedly among disciplines and sub-disciplines. Such
variance is addressed in approved school and program standards.

6.2.4 It is always the case that the burden is on the candidate to document the excellence of
one’s work. In cases of shared or multiple authorship, clarification of the degree of one’s
participation is expected. In cases of conference presentations or proceedings, clarification
should be provided with regard to the selectivity of the review process.
Typically, central to judgments regarding scholarly and creative activity are:

6.2.4.1 The capacity to bring scholarly or creative projects to completion. 

6.2.4.2A mix of scholarly activities appropriate to one’s appointment, e.g., in some
cases scholarly activity will be primary, in others creative activity.
6.2.4.3 Judgments of the worth and significance of the work by those qualified to
make such judgments. These may include disciplinary peers, professional
organizations, ad hoc groups such as evaluation, judging, or refereeing panels.
6.2.4.4 Documentation of the impact of one’s work
• with students
• within the scholarly area
• within higher education generally
• on documented standards of best practices in pedagogy
• in the application of one’s work
• as evident in citations of one’s work
• on public policy or institutions
• in the artistic/cultural realm
• or in educational settings 

6.2.4.5 Just as in the case of traditional scholarship involving the discoveryof new
knowledge, when one’s work consists of pedagogical, integrative or applied
scholarship, its significance may be documented by demonstration of clear goals,
adequate preparation, appropriate methods, significant results, effective presentation,
and reflective critique. Presentation before peers and colleagues and advancing the
discipline are also expectations of alternate forms of scholarship.
6.2.4.6 The College understands excellence in a variety of scholarly or creative
activities to embody the following: 

6.2.4.6.1 Books should be published by reputable academic or trade presses
and reviewed in appropriate journals.
6.2.4.6.2 Articles, essays, and creative writings should be published in
appropriate scholarly journals, whether print or electronic. Some assessment
should be made as to the quality of the journal in which the piece appears; in
particular, its scholarly reputation and whether or not the journal or
proceedings are peer reviewed.
6.2.4.6.3 Scholarly and creative activity that involves students as copresenters, co-participants, or co-authors.
6.2.4.6.4 A presentation should be evaluated on the quality of its content and
on the prestige of the meeting where it was delivered. Qualitative judgments
are best made when copies of presentations are made available. National and
regional meetings should rank higher than local meetings in most instances.
Scholarly presentations should be ranked more highly than non-scholarly ones.
Competitive selections as well as presentations receiving disciplinary
acknowledgement for excellence should be noted. In most disciplines a record
of scholarship based on presentations alone will not be evaluated as highly as
one including refereed publications.
6.2.4.6.5 Work in the arts may be evaluated by a number of different
measures: assessment of its quality by peers or profession critics; the
reputation of the gallery, museum, or other artistic venue where it is shown or
presented; the respect afforded the organization for which it is performed or
under contract; or some other measure of its success or impact (e.g. royalties,
awards, or impact on public debate or on other artists.
6.2.4.6.6 Other forms of scholarly or creative activity that may appear in
emerging scholarly or artistic media may be included as well, provided that
comparable standards of peer review can be applied to them. 

6.2.4.6.7 Reviews (if submitted as documentation) from appropriate journals
may be included. Where reviews are included in a file as evidence of the
worth of scholarly or artistic work, attention should be given to the
professional credentials of the reviewer and the reputation of the journal or
publication.
6.2.4.6.8 Professional activities undertaken as a practitioner or consultant are
considered scholarly activity when they go beyond the routine application of
knowledge to the creation of new knowledge and the development of new
standards for practice. Such qualities distinguish between scholarship and
professional service. Those making the judgments regarding the standards for
applied research necessarily involve more than clients and include academic
peers familiar with the area of practice under consideration.
In those disciplines with strong expectations of practice to maintain current
competency, appropriate standards for determining the significance of this
work will be developed at the program level and approved through the
standard procedure. 

Grants or monetary awards that are funded or reviewed as fundable from
governmental or non-governmental organizations are considered examples of
scholarship if those grants and awards are subject to external peer review.
6.2.4.6.11 Faculty engaged in community outreach can make a difference in
their communities and beyond by defining or resolving relevant social
problems or issues, by facilitating organizational development, by improving
existing practices or programs, and by enriching the cultural life of the
community. Scholarship may take the form of widely disseminating the
knowledge gained in community-based projects in appropriate professional
venues in order to share its significance with those who do not benefit directly
from the project. 

6.3 College and Community Service

6.3.1 The faculty role includes contributions to the achievement of the College’s mission
through effective participation in governance activities including leadership roles at the
program, school, or College-wide levels. These contributions may require the capacity to
work collaboratively with other members of the College community, including activities
related to alumni and the College F
6.3.2 Faculty may also contribute in broader arenas such as state or regional organizations or
disciplinary associations. In addition, faculty may contribute to the College’s public mission
through service to our community, region, and the State or the Nation.
6.3.3 Normally the College expects probationary faculty to serve the College and community
in selected activities, while faculty who are tenured and/or of senior rank would be expected
to have more substantial records in this area, as demonstrated by achievements in leadership
on campus and to their disciplines and professional organizations. 

6.3.4 Evaluation of achievements in this area focuses on the significance of participation, the
impact of service, the scope of responsibilities, and the effectiveness of participation. Clear
goals, adequate preparation and appropriate methods of providing service, significant results
of the service, and reflection on the contribution and its use to improve the quality of future
service are all aspects of documenting achievement in campus and community service.

6.3.5 Evidence of effectiveness in College or community service may include such items as:

6.3.5.1 One or more instances when one has used one’s professional skills or
knowledge for the benefit of the College, or of a non-college group or individual.
6.3.5.2 Contributions to professional organizations that are focused on service or
professional responsibility as opposed to scholarship, research, or artistic/creative
work. For example, an officership or service on a professional board may be more
appropriately listed here, whereas editing a special issue of a journal may be more
appropriately listed under the section on scholarship. 

6.3.5.3 General civic or community activities to which one has contributed one’s
professional skills or a significant amount of time, talent, energy, and involvement
beyond that which might be expected by the usual citizen or member.