Policy and Procedures for Review of Eminent Scholars
Appointment as Eminent Scholar represents one of the most prestigious academic appointments of 草榴社区. Such appointments are supported by the Board of Trustees and by the State of Alabama, and Board approval is required. Consequently, high expectations exist for holders of these appointments, and it is appropriate to conduct periodic reviews of individuals serving as Eminent Scholars. Reviews must be consistent with the initial appointment criteria and are intended to provide guidance and direction for the future activities of the Scholar. While the review process is generally expected to be similar to that of dean or department chair, the position is unique; consequently, the review process must be appropriate for the position and has been established as follows.
Review Committee
A review committee will be appointed by the dean after consultation with the provost during the fifth year of the Scholar's term. The committee will conduct the review and submit a report to the dean on the results of the review prior to the end of the fifth year of the Scholar's term. The review committee will be composed of the following: chair of the committee; two to four members of the Scholar's academic department; one faculty member from another department in the Scholar's college; one faculty member from another college within the university; one faculty member appointed by the dean with concurrence of the department chair from a list of three names of UAH faculty members submitted by the Eminent Scholar; and where appropriate, one or two individuals from the community who have an interest in the position. If possible, at least two members of the review committee should be individuals who served on the search committee when the Scholar was initially appointed or last reappointed.
Criteria for Review
The criteria for review should include the following:
a. Criteria specified in the initial advertisement for the position.
b. Any criteria and performance requirements specified in the initial contract (or reappointment contract). [These requirements will be provided to the review committee by the dean.]
c. Contributions made by the Scholar to meet the needs of his or her academic program, the department, the college and the university. Specific assessment should be made of his or her impact on academic programs, mentoring of junior faculty, and service to the university community.
d. Activities and contributions that enhance the state and national image of UAH.
Procedures for Review
In preparation for the review the dean will request that the Eminent Scholar submit a comprehensive file that adequately reflects achievements in three areas of activity: 1) teaching, 2) research or creative achievements, and 3) service. The file includes, but is not limited to the following:
a) A vita;
b) The permanent record of the preceding years' performance evaluations;
c) Evidence of teaching competence and innovation, including but not limited to: courses taught, new courses developed, teaching materials developed, copies of syllabi and other course materials, summary of results of student evaluations of teaching, efforts in student advising;
d) Evidence of research or creative achievements in the faculty member's discipline, including but not limited to: papers and/or books published (authors, title, journal, volume, page, year published); papers/books submitted for publication; papers/books in preparation; recitals, concerts, exhibits, productions; research and other contracts/grants received (agency or foundation, title, dollar amount, time period); research proposals submitted but not funded, on-going unfunded research or pending unpublished reports; unpublished technical reports, case studies, analyses, book reviews, etc.; research honors and awards, evidence of acceptance of articles and/or other publications;
e) Evidence of service to the institution, the profession, and the public;
f) Copies of the faculty member's Annual Activity Reports since his or her initial appointment or reappointment.
The faculty member may supply any additional material that appears appropriate to the evaluation. Nothing may be added to or removed from the comprehensive file without the faculty member's knowledge; however, confidential external letters will remain confidential and will not be shared with the Eminent Scholar under review.
The review committee will meet with the dean at the beginning of the review process to discuss procedures and a schedule for the review. The review process will include discussions with appropriate individuals on-campus and off-campus in order to assess the Scholar's performance in relation to the criteria specified above. Evaluation letters from appropriate individuals external to the campus should also be requested and utilized in the evaluation process.
The review committee will provide a written report to the dean at the completion of the review. The report will provide assessment relative to the criteria and will also summarize special items for commendation and any areas noted where improvements are needed.
Outcome of the Review
The outcome of the review will include the following:
a. Appointment or non reappointment of the Eminent Scholar for another term.
b. Affirmation or modifications to the conditions of appointment for the position. Items to be specified include a) teaching responsibilities, b) research responsibilities, c) service responsibilities.