Performance Review of Tenured Faculty (Post-Tenure Review)

1. Purpose

The post-tenure review process is a cumulative, holistic, and comprehensive periodic evaluation of tenured faculty performance designed to:

• 1.1 Assist faculty members in meeting university performance expectations;
• 1.2 Recognize and reward exemplary performance when faculty members exceed expectations;
• 1.3 Provide for a clear plan and timetable for improvement of performance when faculty do not meet expectations; and
• 1.4 Provide for the imposition of appropriate sanctions, consistent with Chapter VI of The Code of the University, when faculty members do not meet the goals established in a faculty success plan.

2. Definitions

The following terms, as defined below, shall be utilized by East Carolina University in the Performance Review of Tenured Faculty (Post-Tenure Review) process.

• 2.1 Exceeds Expectations: The faculty member consistently and considerably surpasses established goals in the faculty member’s annual and long-term work plans.
• 2.2 Meets Expectations: The faculty member consistently achieves and may occasionally surpass established goals in the faculty member’s annual and long-term work plans.
• 2.3 Does Not Meet Expectations: The faculty member does not consistently achieve established goals in the faculty member’s annual and long-term work plans.
• 2.4 Faculty Success Plan: A formative strategy that includes specific steps designed to lead to a faculty member’s improved performance in achieving established goals in the faculty member’s annual and long-term work plans. This plan shall include a specified timeline in which improvement is expected to occur and a clear statement of consequences should improvement not occur within the designated timeline.

3. Requirements for Academic Unit Post-Tenure Review Guidelines

• 3.1 Pursuant to the Chancellor’s authorization, academic units must adopt and maintain guidelines or procedures for the performance review of tenured faculty members consistent with this policy, UNC Policy 400.3.3, as well as with the mission of the institution.
• 3.2 Performance Reviews for Tenured Faculty (Post-Tenure Reviews) must evaluate all aspects of the professional performance of tenured faculty members, whose primary responsibilities are teaching, research/creative activity, and service. These evaluations must be based on the faculty member’s long-term work plan and considering the allocation of a faculty member’s responsibilities in each category.
  • 3.2.1 Administrative Duties. If a faculty member is assigned to other duties (e.g. department chair) for .50 FTE or more, or is occupying a leave-earning position, that faculty member must not be required to undergo Post-Tenure Review until having completed a five-year cycle following the reassignment.
• 3.3 For each tenured faculty member, a post-tenure review must take place at least every five years. A review undertaken as part of the process for conferring tenure or recommending a faculty member for promotion qualifies as a cumulative performance review; the next post-tenure review shall occur five years after the date of the conferral of tenure or promotion regardless of the date of any preceding review.
• 3.4 All participants in the post-tenure review must consider the faculty member’s annual evaluations and any faculty success plans that were required in the time period under review.
• 3.5 Each Unit must publish and make accessible to faculty members any refinement to the definitions of the evaluation categories (exceeds expectations, meets expectations, does not meet expectations). Such refinements shall be consistent with this policy and guidance provided by the ECU Faculty Manual.
• 3.6 Faculty members must conduct a self-evaluation to be used in the post-tenure review.
• 3.7 Faculty peers must be included in the post-tenure review process.
• 3.8 The post-tenure review process must include written feedback to the faculty member being reviewed as well as a mechanism for faculty response to the evaluation.
• 3.9 Both the department chair/school director and the dean are required to conduct an evaluative review in the post-tenure review process.
• 3.10 The University shall recognize and reward faculty who receive a post-tenure review evaluation of Exceeds Expectations.
• 3.11 Each Unit must require a faculty success plan for each faculty member who does not meet expectations in the post-tenure review. These faculty success plans shall include specific steps designed to lead to improvement, a specified timeline consistent with UNC Policy 400.3.3.1[R], Regulation on Performance Review of Tenured Faculty (Post-Tenure Review), in which improvement is expected to occur, and a clear statement of consequences should improvement not occur within the designated timeline.
• 3.12 Post-Tenure regulation, procedures or guidelines shall not abrogate, in any way, the criteria and procedures for disciplinary action or faculty employment rights established in Chapter VI of The Code.

4. Compliance, Reviews, and Updates of Policies and Procedures

• 4.1 Effective Date. The requirements of this policy and associated regulations or procedures shall be effective with the 2024-2025 academic year and upon the approval of the Chancellor, or designee, and ECU Board of Trustees.
• 4.2 Reporting. Department chairs/school directors, through their deans, must certify compliance with all aspects of the post-tenure review process and with UNC policy and regulations to the Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, in turn, must certify, via annual report to the UNC System Office, that all aspects of the post-tenure review process are in compliance with UNC policy and regulations.
• 4.3 Review and Reporting of Changes. ECU shall review and, as needed, update this (Performance Review of Tenured Faculty of ECU-Post-Tenure Review) Policy at least every 5 years and submit a copy of that review and any changes made to the UNC System Office and President.
• 4.4 Requirements of Federal and State Laws. The foregoing policy is meant to supplement the related sections from the UNC Code and Policy Manual. It does not purpose to supplant or modify, those statutory enactments which may govern or relate to the subject matter of this policy.
• 4.5 This policy shall be implemented and applied in accordance with such regulations and guidelines as may be adopted by the Chancellor and consistent with UNC Policy 400.3.3. including, Procedures and Guidelines for Performance Reviews of Tenured Faculty of ECU (Post-Tenure Review), which can be found in the ECU Faculty Manual. All regulations and procedures implemented under this policy must be submitted to the UNC System Office and approved by the president.

5. Training

• 5.1 All participants in the Performance Review of Tenured Faculty (Post-Tenure Review) processes at ECU must complete the training provided by the UNC System for all tenured faculty, post-tenure review evaluators, including peer review committee members, department chairs/school directors, and deans.