REG 05.20.03 - Annual Reviews of Faculty Members

REG 05.20.03 – Annual Reviews of Faculty Members

Authority: Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

History: First Issued: April 1998. Last Revised: April 28, 2026.

Contact Info: Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence (919-513-7741)

1. INDIVIDUAL REVIEWS

1.1 Individual reviews of all full-time faculty–tenured, tenure-track, professional track–are to be conducted annually. Faculty with contract lengths less than one year are not subject to this regulation. It is the responsibility of each department head or designee to review the performance of each faculty member and to keep the appropriate dean apprised of the status of the reviews.

2. PROCEDURES

2.1 The faculty member provides to the department head or designee the written statement of faculty responsibilities (SFR) (or contract or other equivalent documentation – see REG 05.20.27 Statements of Faculty Responsibilities), annual activity report (section 3 below), and in all cases where applicable, departmental teacher/course evaluations, results of any peer review of teaching, and other pertinent information.

2.2 Given the importance of ensuring progress within the first years of a faculty career, department heads (and not designees) shall conduct direct, synchronous consultations for the annual reviews of all assistant professors on the tenure track, and of all professional-track assistant professors who are within their first two contract cycles.

2.3 The department head may consult with the tenured faculty and senior professional track faculty of the department as appropriate and may seek such other advice as he or she deems appropriate in the conduct of the review.

2.4 The faculty member and department head shall discuss any changes in activities or relationships since the last annual review that could require a new or revised COI or NOI disclosure or conflict management plan.

2.5 The department head will provide a written summary of the review; the summary should indicate that a review of COI and NOI disclosures and conflict management plans, where applicable, was completed. The department head shall enter into the FEP whether the faculty member meets or does not meet expectations. If the faculty member does not meet expectations, a faculty success plan shall be created. (See Section 5 – Faculty Success Plans.)

2.6 Once the department head or designated administrator submits the annual review in the FEP, the faculty member has 5 business days to sign and provide an optional response. The faculty member’s signature is an acknowledgement that the annual review occurred, not an agreement with the content of the reviewer’s assessment. If the faculty member chooses not to sign within the allotted time, the department head shall submit the annual review as complete without action by the faculty member. .

2.7 In the review of jointly-appointed faculty, the head of the department of primary appointment shall consult with the head(s) of the department(s) in which the faculty member is jointly appointed per NCSU POL05.20.01 – Appointment, Reappointment, Promotion and Permanent Tenure.

3. ANNUAL FACULTY ACTIVITY REPORTS

3.1 An annual activity report (or substitute – see NCSU REG05.20.34 – Professional Faculty Ranks and Appointments, section 7.4) is a required part of the annual review. Annual activity reports also assist faculty in providing information about accomplishments which can be used in describing accomplishments university wide.

3.2 All faculty members shall submit to their department head an annual faculty activity report concerning their professional activities and achievements during the previous year. This report shall be included in each faculty member’s personnel file and electronically stored in FEP.

3.3 Faculty shall submit self-assessments of teaching effectiveness within the faculty activity report. This self-assessment shall be available for use in annual and comprehensive review processes.

4. FACULTY WORKLOAD REVIEW

4.1 Within the annual review, the department head shall review the work of the faculty member relative to their approved SFR. Consistent with requirements set out in UNC System Policy 400.3.4, a faculty member who does not adequately satisfy their workload expectations (as outlined in the SFR/workplan) for the review period shall receive a “does not meet expectations” in FEP and shall be subject to a faculty success plan.

4.2. The department head and faculty member shall review the SFR for prospective adjustment to incorporate the identified changes in workload during the annual review process.

5. FACULTY SUCCESS PLANS

5.1 The faculty success plan shall address the specific realm(s) identified as needing improvement and must include specific steps designed to lead to improvement, a specified timeline in which improvement is expected to occur, and a clear statement of consequences should improvement not occur within the designated timeline. Faculty success plan requirements should be compable of completion within one academic year. These plans must be approved by the dean or dean’s designee.

5.2 A faculty success plan may: a) include recommendations for meeting the current SFR, or b) recommend adjustments to the current SFR to align with the faculty’s current scholarship.

5.3. The faculty member may request periodic faculty success plan progress reviews with the department head and/or their mentoring team to ensure their efforts are leading to successful completion of the goal(s) within the specified timeline. The faculty member may also consult with their departmental mentoring committee drawn from the departmental voting faculty. Periodic progress reviews are not required but available as an aid to the faculty member in accomplishing the specified goal(s).

5.4 The faculty success plan shall be stored at the department level and the university level electronically in the FEP. The faculty success plan is effective as of the date it is entered into the FEP.

5.5 If a faculty member receives a “does not meet expectations,” the faculty member is required to check the FEP to view the details of the faculty success plan.