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3.9 Post-Tenure Performance Review

This section is taken directly from the UH System Board of Regents Policy 21.11: Post-Tenure Performance Review.

21.11.1 Preamble

The Board of Regents of the University of Houston System affirms the principle that the quality of its universities is inextricably tied to the quality of its faculty, and that the ability of a university to serve its public is dependent upon the creation of an environment that nurtures the development of its faculty so as to increase the likelihood of success in the pursuit of teaching, research and service. Furthermore, the Board reaffirms its commitment to the institution of tenure, recognizing that the public interest is best served in a climate in which faculty members are free to pursue the creation and dissemination of knowledge.

At the same time, the Board recognizes the need to create an environment of accountability and public trust in both the institution as a whole and in individual faculty members.

The policies promulgated below are intended to ensure that a tenured faculty member consistently performs at an acceptable professional level, to provide for a plan of faculty development where necessary, and finally, in the instance of failure to correct deficiencies, to provide for the revocation of tenure or other appropriate disciplinary action.

21.22.2 Delegation of Authority

Each university within the University of Houston System shall adopt policies and procedures providing for a periodic performance evaluation process for all tenured faculty members. Such institutional policies and procedures, and any subsequent amendments thereto, shall be approved by the chancellor and the UH System Board of Regents. Institutional policies and procedures may be designed to fit the particular mission, traditions, and circumstances of the individual universities and shall in all cases adhere to the following set of principles and procedures.

21.11.3 Fundamental Principles

  1. Institutional post-tenure performance review policies shall conform to any and all relevant state statutes, including procedures for alternative dispute resolution (Chapter 154, Civil Practice and Remedies Code) and to other applicable policies of the Board (Board of Regents Policy 21.07: Faculty Dismissal).
  2. Post-tenure performance review policies and procedures at both the system and university levels and any subsequent amendments thereto (hereinafter referred toas "post-tenure performance review policies") are grounded in three principal academic values: peer review, academic freedom, and due process.
    1. Peer Review
      1. The formulation of post-tenure performance review policies shall include substantive and meaningful consultation with appropriate faculty bodies.
      2. The review of individual faculty members shall include provisions for involvement by appropriate faculty colleagues in order to ensure that peer review is an essential component of the post-tenure performance review process.
    2. Academic Freedom
      Post-tenure performance review policies shall reflect the system's longstanding and sustained commitment to the traditional value of academic freedom. It is the intent of the Board that the implementation of post-tenure performance review policies would not result in compromising this value in any way.
    3. Due Process
      Post-tenure performance review policies shall incorporate academic due process rights, including notice of the manner and scope of the evaluation, the opportunity to provide documentation, notice of specific charges, and an opportunity for hearing on those charges before disciplinary action is instituted on the basis of such an evaluation.
  3. Evaluations shall be based on the professional responsibilities of the faculty member in the areas of teaching, research, and service. The evaluation process shall be directed toward the professional development of the faculty member. Toward that end, the institution, through its appropriate academic officers and in concert with the affected faculty member, shall devise an individual plan of professional development for faculty members for whom a determination of unsatisfactory performance is made. Such a professional development plan shall be specific with regard to expectations, actions, timeline, resources, and the consequences of non- correction of the identified deficiencies. In the event that implementation of the professional development plan does not result in substantial improvement of performance, the faculty member may be subject to disciplinary action, including possibly the revocation of tenure and dismissal. A tenured faculty member subject to the revocation of tenure and dismissal on the basis of an unsatisfactory performance evaluation shall be given the opportunity for referral of the matter to anon-binding alternative dispute resolution process.
  4. Procedures
    1. A comprehensive performance evaluation process, which shall include peer review, shall be conducted for each tenured faculty member no more often than once a year, nor less often than once every six years after attaining tenure.
    2. Administrators who also hold a tenured faculty position shall be subject to the established review procedures for administrators as codified in Board bylaws, Board policies, System Administrative Memoranda, and component university policies on this subject.
    3. The records of actions taken to comply with these policies shall reside in the Office of the Provost of each university. Deans shall provide an annual written report to the provost with regard to the status of faculty members for whom a professional development plan has been established. (11/18/04)

3.9.1 UHV Post‐Tenure Review Policy

To serve the public interest and fulfill the public trust, the University of Houston-Victoria recognizes the practice of awarding tenure to university faculty. Tenure, historically, stands as a protection for the freedom of inquiry and research, the freedom of teaching within the university, and the freedom of extramural utterance and action. Tenure ensures that dismissal of a faculty member shall be based on performance outside of the above-mentioned protected freedoms. This policy describes the UHV guidelines consistent with state (Texas Education Code Section 51.942) and the UH System Board of Regents Policies, Section III, 21.11: Post Tenure Performance Review.

3.9.2 Performance Evaluation Policy

All faculty members, tenured and untenured, at UHV are subject to an annual performance evaluation. This evaluation process is based on the professional responsibilities of the faculty member in teaching, research/scholarship, and service, and where applicable, administration. The process is directed toward the professional development of the faculty member and incorporates commonly recognized academic due process rights.

3.9.3 Performance Evaluation Policies for Tenured Faculty

All faculty members whose principal responsibilities are teaching, research/scholarship, and service are evaluated according to the policies set forth in the Faculty Manual. Academic administrators who hold tenure as faculty members and who teach (or perform other faculty duties) as part of their assigned responsibilities shall be subject to the same review procedures with respect to that portion of their responsibilities.

All of the university’s evaluation policies require that the person being evaluated be placed into one of five categories of performance in each of the three areas evaluated.