Author: Ashlei Watson

It is CCS’s goal to evaluate the performance of each full-time faculty member annually. The purpose of the evaluation is to provide the Department Chair and the faculty member an opportunity to review the faculty member’s work during the past year, to outline the strengths and weaknesses in the faculty member’s performance, to share concerns and criticisms, to lay out a plan for the faculty member’s work in the coming year, and generally to provide support, encouragement, and direction to the faculty member in the pursuit of excellence.

The annual performance evaluation procedure is as follows:

Faculty are evaluated on the basis of the work of the academic year that is concluding, including how they have addressed the expectations articulated in the evaluation of the previous academic year. The evaluation is based on the criteria established in Duties and Responsibilities of Full-Time Faculty.

The evaluation process consists of a meeting of the faculty member with the Department Chair at which the following written materials are discussed:

1. An annual performance evaluation by the faculty member of their activities in the past year and plans for the coming year is submitted to the Department Chair at least two weeks before the scheduled review.
2. A written appraisal of the faculty member’s performance is prepared by the Department Chair, or in the case of the Chair themselves, their Dean taking into consideration the faculty member’s annual performance evaluation. The Chair forwards their written appraisal to the faculty member at least a week before the scheduled review.
3. Institutional student evaluations are consistent with the form approved by the Faculty Assembly and College administration.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Chair and faculty member sign the annual report and the Chair’s review, indicating that each party has seen and read each document, but not necessarily indicating agreement with the comments. The Department Chair and faculty member endeavor to complete this portion of the evaluation by June 1.

The Department Chair should forward all documents pertaining to the evaluation to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Studies. The faculty member should receive copies of all documents sent to the Dean, including the summary.  In the event that the faculty member disputes the evaluation, the faculty member and Chair should seek to resolve the disagreement. The faculty member may respond in writing to the review. The Chair may amend the annual appraisal in light of this discussion. If the disagreement cannot be resolved, the faculty member may ask, in writing, that the Dean review the evaluation and convene a meeting of the Chair and faculty member, after which the Dean will make a determination as to whether the evaluation should be modified. The Dean’s determination is final and will be made within 30 days of receiving the written request for review. However, the faculty member may bring to the Faculty Concerns Committee any grievances related to termination, contract non-renewal, or contract length reduction.

From time to time, faculty members may teach in departments other than the department to which they are appointed. It is important, in developing a complete picture of the faculty member’s performance, that the annual evaluation covers performance in these classes as well. In such cases, the Chair of the additional department should write a summary of the faculty member’s performance and submit it to the Chair of the faculty member’s home department for inclusion in their written evaluation.

The records of all faculty evaluations are maintained in confidential digital folders created by the Academic Affairs office. Faculty have the opportunity to add documentation to these folders during the reappointment/rank advancement process. The Academic Affairs Deans supervise the evaluation process and ensure that the procedures described in the Handbook are followed.  It is the responsibility of the faculty member to ensure that their file is up to date when up for renewal. The Dean of Academic Affairs establishes procedures for the maintenance and use of the faculty files, including who has access to them and for what purposes.

The College encourages and expects faculty to remain active in their professional or academic disciplines. These activities can take many forms, including doing professional work or providing services for pay. However, such activity should not interfere with the faculty member’s ability to fulfill their CCS responsibilities. In the event that the College determines that such outside professional activity conflicts with the satisfactory performance of the faculty member’s obligation, the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Studies may require that the faculty member cease such activity or appropriately and effectively adjust the faculty member’s teaching commitment and/or status.

No equipment or supplies owned or provided by CCS are to be taken off campus and used in conjunction with any external work, unless the faculty member obtains prior agreement in writing from CCS and accepts responsibility for the item as part of that agreement. A copy of such an agreement must be provided to the appropriate Department Chair or facility director.

The College assumes no responsibility and/or liability for the competence or performance of outside activities engaged in by faculty members, nor may any responsibility be implied in advertising with respect to such activities.

Instructors who cannot meet a class for valid reasons must contact the Department Chair and the Program Manager, as well as make all determined efforts to provide each student with as much advance notice as is realistically feasible. In the event of prior knowledge of valid inability to meet a class, faculty have several options:

• They may arrange for a substitute instructor with a current full-time or adjunct faculty, or a member of the department’s adjunct “pool,” 
• Upon approval of the Department Chair, move the class to a synchronous or asynchronous online format where all content for that class will be covered, or
• Schedule an equivalent make-up class period. 

If the faculty member misses class due to illness or another valid reason approved by the appropriate Chair, and an adjunct instructor serves as substitute instructor, the College will provide appropriate remuneration for the substitute. The Program Manager should initiate a payment request for the substitute. The request should be signed by the Department Chair and forwarded to the Academic Affairs office. Full-time faculty do not lose pay when they miss a class, nor are they paid when they offer their services as substitute instructors. As this is the case, when full-time faculty require a substitute for their own classes, they should first call upon other full-time faculty for coverage when possible.

CCS expects faculty members to perform their duties in a satisfactory manner. The duties and responsibilities of faculty members are described below, and CCS may assign other duties from time to time. In addition, CCS expects faculty members to adhere to the institution’s guiding principles and observe the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the College.

The schedule of each faculty member is arranged by the Department Chair in consultation with the faculty member. Department schedules are subject to the approval of the appropriate Dean. A full-time faculty member must be scheduled to teach at least one class per semester in the department to which they are appointed unless on sabbatical or leave.

The full-time teaching load for studio faculty is 18 contact hours and for faculty teaching lecture courses, nine contact hours per semester. There are faculty who teach both studio and lecture courses; three 3-credit courses are considered a full-time load irrespective of the contact hours.

Full-time faculty are eligible to receive employment contracts of up to three academic years in length. The contract is in the form of a letter of appointment that incorporates the policies, duties, responsibilities, and other information contained in this Handbook. An appointment is to a specific department, and, in some cases, to a section or concentration within that department, but this does not preclude teaching outside of one’s department. With the issuance of an initial contractual letter of appointment, faculty members are given access to the CCS Faculty Handbook. In certain circumstances, a faculty member may be employed without a contractual letter of appointment. In such a case, the faculty member is employed at will, and either CCS or the employee may terminate the relationship, with or without cause, at any time.