The evaluation of full-time faculty provides an opportunity for faculty to document, reflect upon, and demonstrate the positive contributions they have made toward the fulfillment of MSU-Northern’s mission as an institution of higher learning which prepares students for success on-campus and after graduation. It also provides faculty with the occasion to identify opportunities for continuous improvement, where additional focus and professional development might be helpful. 

As detailed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), faculty are evaluated based on three criteria: effective classroom teaching, scholarly development and contribution, and contributions to the growth and development of the university and to the public. The procedures through which this evaluation occurs are specified in section 7.3 of the CBA and include submission of an application for promotion, tenure, or continuation of probationary performance, and a series of evaluations carried out by a combination of students, peers, and administrators, depending on the nature of the application (see below). A typical application for promotion, tenure, or continuation includes a narrative of evidence of contribution and growth regarding the three criteria of evaluation, along with supporting documentation (e.g., peer reviews, assignment artifacts, the results of student course evaluations, evidence of course or program assessment and “closing the loop”, evidence of classroom innovation and its effectiveness, artifacts related to research or creative activity, evidence of service to a particular program or College, to the University, or to the community at large) as required by the CBA. As stated in the CBA, it is “the responsibility of the individual faculty member to identify that faculty member’s positive contributions to the university”. Faculty are encouraged to review Article 7 of the CBA in its entirety to ensure understanding of, and compliance with, all agreed upon policies and procedures related to the faculty evaluation process.

First Year Continuation

A faculty member applying for continuation during their first probationary year will be evaluated by their College Dean, who will then forward a letter of evaluation to the Provost no later than March 31st of that academic year. Upon receipt of the Dean’s letter of evaluation, the Provost will make a recommendation regarding continuation to the Chancellor. The Chancellor will review all evaluative materials, make a determination regarding continuation, and notify the applicant. 

Promotion, Tenure, and Continuation During the Probationary Period

During all probationary years following the first, a faculty member seeking promotion, tenure, or continuation “must file an application with its supporting documentation in the office of the Provost by the first Friday of the spring semester”. No applications for promotion, tenure, or continuation will be accepted after the stated deadline except in the case of a documented emergency. The Provost may extend the deadline for all applicants, as a group, in rare cases of unavoidable, institutional circumstances. If this occurs, the extended deadline will be strictly adhered to.

Submitted applications will be forwarded to, and evaluated by:

  1. The appropriate faculty evaluation committee
  2. The appropriate College Chair
  3. The Provost
  4. The Chancellor 

Post-Tenure

In the spirit of continuous improvement and lifelong learning, tenured faculty members are evaluated on a three-year cycle. During the evaluation year, tenured faculty must follow the procedures outlined in section 7.7 of the CBA. Both peer and Chair-related evaluation procedures are to be conducted on or before the last Friday of fall-semester instruction, with a letter of evaluation submitted to the Provost, by the appropriate College Chair, no later than March 1st of that academic year. The Provost will then submit a written evaluation, along with any recommendations for improvement, concerning the tenured faculty member to the Chancellor by March 31st.

The following are general representations of the evaluation schedule for a faculty member hired as an assistant professor. These timelines, which are offered to provide some clarity regarding the sequencing and timing of the faculty evaluation process, represent eligibility only and assume other requirements for eligibility, such as time in rank, degree level, and number of required clock hours, have been met. These timelines also do not account for years toward promotion and/or tenure awarded at the time of hire. Faculty should confirm eligibility for evaluation with their College Chair and Dean to ensure their specific circumstances are taken into consideration.

FYC = Application for First Year Continuation of Probationary Status
C = Application for Continuation of Probationary Status
T = Application for Tenure
PA = Application for Promotion to the Rank of Associate Professor
PP = Application for Promotion to the Rank of Full Professor
PTE = Post-Tenure Evaluation

Category A and Category B without Clock Hours

Chart of Category A and Category B without Clock Hours

Category B with Clock Hours

Chart of Category B with Clock Hours