RUL 05.68.57 – Department of Physics Post Tenure Review Standards and Procedures

Authority: Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

History: First Issued: November 16, 2009. Last Revised: July 21, 2016.

Additional References:
Office of the Provost RPT Website
NC State Guide on Peer Review of Teaching

Contact Info: Department Head (919-515-2522)

1. INTRODUCTION

This rule describes standards and procedures of the Department of Physics for post tenure review of faculty. It supplements NC State University’s Academic Tenure Policy and Regulation on Post Tenure Review of Faculty. To the extent of any inconsistency, the Academic Tenure Policy and Post Tenure Review Regulation control. The Department Head is responsible for assuring that the procedures as set forth in NCSU REG05.20.04 – Post Tenure Review of Faculty and this Rule are followed.

POST TENURE REVIEW COMMITTEE (PTRC)

2.1 Selection

2.1.1 The PTRC shall consist of three tenured faculty members elected by the tenured faculty of the Department of Physics. PTRC members will serve staggered three-year terms with one new member being elected each year. All tenured faculty in the department are eligible to serve on the PTRC and to vote in the committee election, unless they will be reviewed during the term.

2.1.2 In any given academic year, the member of the PTRC who is serving for his or her last year will chair the committee. The PTRC Chair should familiarize himself or herself with the applicable policies and regulations and this rule.

2.1.3 The Department Head shall initiate the election at the beginning of the academic year by soliciting nominations during the first two weeks of the fall term. Faculty under review in the academic year may not submit nominations. Reasonable effort will be made to get at least two nominees for the vacant PTRC position. Elections should be held in the third week of the semester. A candidate will be considered elected if a majority of eligible voters has voted and the candidate receives a majority of the votes cast. If these conditions are not met then a runoff election will be held during the next week. The two candidates receiving the most votes will be eligible for the runoff. For a candidate to be elected, a majority of eligible voters must have participated. In case of a vacancy on the PTRC, the Department Head after consultation with the Departmental Voting Faculty shall appoint a replacement to serve until the next PTRC election. At that time a new member will be elected to complete the term for that position.

2.2. Meeting Schedule

The PTRC Chair will meet with the Department Head early in the fall semester to learn who will be reviewed during that year and what the schedule will be. The main review will be held in the spring after the Department has assembled the required materials, as set forth in section 5.2 of university NCSU REG05.20.04 – Post Tenure Review of Faculty, from each faculty member to be reviewed.

The PTRC Chair will schedule all meetings, coordinate with the Department Head, and prepare and transmit reports from the committee to the Head and to the faculty members reviewed.

DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED TO THE PTRC

The documentation provided to the PTRC is set forth in section 5.2 of universityNCSU REG05.20.04 – Post Tenure Review of Faculty.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

4.1 General Principles

The Physics Department Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure Rule describes the high standards applied in hiring new faculty and in granting tenure and promotion to continuing faculty. The granting of tenure to a faculty member is a rigorous process, requiring a clear demonstration that the appropriate standards have been met. The Physics Department endorses the concept that, following the granting of tenure, each faculty member will continue to maintain effective contributions to the department, college, and university that are consistent with the general standards used in granting tenure.

In general, tenured faculty members are expected to maintain an effective contribution to the University through an appropriate combination of teaching, research, extension, and/or service activities. It is fully recognized that the emphasis or mixture of activities may shift over time, but throughout their careers they have an obligation to maintain a productive contribution to the well-being of the students, department, college and university. Teaching, research, extension activities and service are the fundamental activities of a faculty member, and each faculty member is expected to make significant contributions in at least one of these areas and a total effort consistent with full-time employment. A faculty member who achieves these standards would be deemed to meet the performance standards.

Per NC State Regulation 05.20.04, the use of exceeds expectations is reserved for only the most exceptional performance. Thus, in order to receive a judgment of exceeds expectations, a faculty member must provide evidence of accomplishments in the realms of responsibility specified in the SFR that far exceed the standards set forth for the rank.

A decision by the PTRC that the faculty member is not maintaining an adequate level of professional contributions to the University will result in an assessment that the faculty member does not meet the performance standards. Circumstances that would cause a decision that a faculty member does not meet performance standards consist of:

4.1.1 Consistent evaluations of instruction which are unsatisfactory.

4.1.2 A reduction in productivity in one area of activity resulting in an overall level of performance inconsistent with a full time effort, and which is not compensated by an increase in productivity in another area.

4.2 Standards for Associate Professor

Associate Professors are to be evaluated to determine if they are performing the realms of responsibility set forth in their Statement of Faculty Responsibilities. Performance that exceeds expectations could be demonstrated by exceptional research, exceptional mentoring or teaching, or by external recognition such as a Fellow of the American Physical Society or receipt of a prestigious national or international award in physics.

4.3 Standards for Professor

Professors are to be evaluated to determine if they are performing the realms of responsibility set forth in their Statement of Faculty Responsibilities.