Thank you for transmitting to me the Resolution on the Evaluation of Administrators by Faculty and Students as approved by the University Senate at its meeting on April 27, 2001. The recommendations explicitly call for faculty in each unit to determine the form and content of deans’ evaluations, in consultation with the dean, the appropriate provost or vice president, and appropriate student leaders. Therefore, by copy of this memorandum, I am asking Vice President Seneca and Provosts Dennis and Samuels to oversee the implementation process on their respective campuses, including the development of a schedule of decanal review that would result in all deans being evaluated through this new process within a five-year period. In addition, I am asking Vice President Seneca to look into the development and administration of the recommended online survey to determine its feasibility.

Please inform the Senate of our intention to implement the recommendations. We will report back to the Senate on our progress in implementing them over the course of the next academic year.
 

Text of August 27, 2001 Memorandum from University Vice President of Academic Affairs Joseph J. Seneca to New Brunswick Deans

Subject: Evaluation of Administrators by Faculty and Students

As you will recall, the University Senate at its 27 April 2001 meeting passed a resolution calling for the regular evaluation of deans by their faculty and students. President Lawrence has indicated to the Senate his intention to implement their recommendations, beginning in AY 2001-02. Enclosed for your information are the 27 April resolution and the Senate Committee Report, as well as the President’s letter of response.

Each unit faculty (or the faculty fellows in the case of the undergraduate colleges), in consultation with their dean, is to determine the form and content of the evaluation. Evaluation criteria are to be agreed upon through a collaborative process by the unit faculty, the dean, and the University Vice President for Academic Affairs; undergraduate college deans should also be sure to involve the FAS executive Dean in this process. In addition, I am currently exploring the feasibility of the Teaching Excellence Center or some other independent group developing and administering a secure online survey that units would have the option of using as they conduct their reviews. This may or may not be available for use during the first year of the program.

Below is a proposed schedule of decanal review in New Brunswick that establishes a five-year cycle of review in accordance with the Senate recommendation.

AY 2001-02 Deans Friedrich, Hyndman, Wilkinson
AY 2002-03 Deans Colaizzi, Kirschner, Klein
AY 2003-04 Deans Davidson, Dennis, Hughes
AY 2004-05 Deans Lee, Stauffer
AY 2005-06 Deans Messer, Smith, and new deans at Cook and Douglass Colleges

I will assume this schedule is in place, unless you inform me of major conflicts that would seriously impede the review occurring during the scheduled year. You should take responsibility for initiating the process with your faculty and keeping me informed as the review proceeds. I will inform you about the online survey as that develops further.