Periodic Evaluations

Periodic Evaluations for Temporary Faculty

Temporary faculty are evaluated regularly to support good teaching and to provide information for appointment and work assignment decisions. Evaluations for temporary faculty typically take place in spring semester.

Temporary faculty members on a 1-year contract must undergo an annual periodic evaluation.

Temporary faculty members requesting an initial 3-year contract must undergo a cumulative periodic evaluation, after an entire 6-year period has been worked on a single campus in a single department to become eligible.

Temporary faculty members requesting a subsequent 3-year contract must undergo a cumulative periodic evaluation of the entire 3-year appointment, prior to reappointment.

  • Review shall be conducted by a committee of tenured faculty members (minimum of 3 persons) and by the appropriate administrator.
  • If teaching is a part of the work assignment of the temporary faculty member under review, evaluations may include student evaluations of teaching performance, class syllabi, in-class observations, or other materials related to teaching effectiveness, departmental committee review, and an administrator review.
  • Evaluation criteria and procedures shall be made available to the temporary faculty member no later than 14 days after the first day of instruction of the academic term.
  • A copy of the evaluation shall be provided to the temporary faculty member and filed in the official Personnel Action File (PAF) in their department.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Temporary faculty members due for evaluation complete either the Annual Periodic Evaluation Cover Sheet or Cumulative Periodic Evaluation Cover Sheet and submit all applicable materials for consideration.
  • Department and school peer review committees review materials, select and complete the appropriate Department/School Peer Review Committee Evaluation Form for the corresponding review type (annual or cumulative), select “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory,” and provide a written evaluation in the text field available.
  • Department chairs and school directors review materials, select and complete the appropriate Department Chair/School Director Evaluation Form for the corresponding review type (annual or cumulative), select “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory,” and provide a written evaluation in the text field available.
  • For cumulative periodic evaluations only, the Dean reviews materials, selects and completes the Dean Evaluation Form by selecting “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory,” and provides a written evaluation in the text field available. The outcome of this evaluation renders a personnel decision on retention.
  • Temporary faculty members may submit a response or rebuttal statement, using the Response/Rebuttal Statement form, to any reviewing body in the process.
  • At the conclusion of the process, administrative coordinators compile the cover sheet and evaluation forms and place them in the temporary faculty member’s Personnel Action File (PAF).
  • Temporary faculty appointed for one semester shall be evaluated at the discretion of the department chair/school director or the appropriate administrator.  The employee may request that an evaluation may be performed.
  • Temporary faculty not holding three-year appointments who are in their first semester of teaching may undergo annual evaluation if requested or required by college or department policy.
  • Temporary faculty not currently holding three-year appointments who are eligible for an initial three-year appointment must receive a cumulative evaluation (in lieu of a periodic evaluation) to determine if they have been satisfactory in their duties and qualify for a three-year contract. This evaluation will be in lieu of the annual evaluation. Faculty Advancement will distribute to college RTP representatives lists of lecturers/temporary faculty who are eligible for an initial three-year appointment. Eligible faculty should be notified.
  • Temporary faculty currently holding three-year appointments must undergo a cumulative evaluation in their third year to determine if they qualify for a successor three-year appointment.
  • Temporary faculty holding three-year appointments may undergo an annual evaluation in any year during the term of their appointment at the request of the employee, chair, Dean, or AVPFA, or if it is required by college or department / school policy, but annual evaluation of three-year faculty is no longer required by the campus.
  • Temporary faculty who begin teaching for SDSU in spring semester should contact their department/school for information on periodic evaluation.

The periodic or performance review for individuals holding a joint appointment in more than one (1) academic department or equivalent unit shall be conducted by each department in which the individual holds an appointment... (CBA 15.13)

All temporary faculty who are scheduled for evaluation are expected to provide a complete set of materials by the deadline.  Temporary faculty who do not provide a complete set of materials by the deadline cannot be evaluated fairly by academic units and thus cannot be provided careful consideration for work in the subsequent AY.  Faculty and administrators who evaluate temporary faculty members should not offer an evaluation (i.e, “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory”) if complete materials are not provided by the candidate. Academic units should not offer work unless the chair or director has checked the PAF to ensure an evaluation is on file and signed the PAF log.  It is not advisable to reappoint temporary faculty who are evaluated as ‘unsatisfactory.’

New temporary faculty members for whom course evaluations are not yet available may submit peer observation letters or other materials specified by their department.

Periodic evaluation is a process required by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Temporary faculty members are “responsible” for submitting required evaluation materials (15.12). Academic units must provide required materials not available to the faculty member. Temporary faculty members who do not participate in the evaluation process may not be eligible for careful consideration by the academic unit for available work for a subsequent appointment (12.7).

The academic unit is under no obligation to reappoint or renew your contract.