2.7.F. Departmental Evaluation Committee

If, after an appropriate assessment of the candidate’s credentials, the department chair decides to proceed with the full evaluation, the department chair appoints a Departmental Evaluation Committee to conduct the formal evaluation of the candidate’s qualifications and to prepare the long form.  Departmental Evaluation Committees are advisory to the department chair, who ultimately makes the decision whether to recommend appointment, reappointment or promotion actions to the Vice Dean.

Departmental Evaluation Committee members should be at or above the proposed rank of the candidate and are selected for their ability to make a critical and objective appraisal of the candidate’s qualifications in relation to the academic standards and other criteria of the University and School.  It is not required that any or all members of the Departmental Evaluation Committee be an authority in the specialty or research field of the candidate, although such representation is desirable, if appropriate.

The department chair may choose to use a standing Departmental Appointments and Promotions Committee as the Departmental Evaluation Committee or, in the case of a new appointment, the Search Committee previously appointed by the department chair may be used.  Anticipating this, the department chair may wish to constitute the original Search Committee in accordance with the above guidelines on composition of a Departmental Evaluation Committee. (Further information regarding the composition of departmental search committees is available in the Guide to Faculty Searches.)  Such responsibilities for candidate evaluation and appointment form preparation as may be delegated by the department chair to a division should be so defined as to maintain department and School perspective during this crucial phase of the review.

In reaching its decision on a candidate, it is the responsibility of the Department Evaluation Committee to decide the relative weight to be given to the information and opinions gathered, and to exercise its independent judgment within the context of University and School guidelines.  In particular, Committee members should be familiar with the criteria for appointment, reappointment or promotion as outlined in Chapter 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 or 2.6 of this Handbook.

At the conclusion of its review, the Departmental Evaluation Committee should make a positive or negative recommendation to the department chair in a written report.  The report should record the membership and the vote of the Departmental Evaluation Committee and any dissenting vote should be fully explained.  The report should contain thorough documentation of the candidate’s qualifications and should give the reasons for the recommendation.  A favorable report should be based on a record of clearly outstanding performance that has every prospect of continuing.