SENATE RECOMMENDS CHANGES TO POST-TENURE REVIEW POLICY

The Faculty Senate voted unanimously to recommend changes to the university's Policy and Procedures on Post-Tenure Review.

While there was no debate on the floor about the proposed changes, which will be forwarded in the form of a recommendation to President Roseann Runte, the senate noted in its rationale statement, "Concerns still exist with the current policy and its use. A serious attempt needs to be made to correct these problems."

Among the proposed changes is the recommendation that both the chair and dean be responsible for conducting the annual evaluation of a tenured faculty member. The current policy indicates that this annual assessment can be conducted by the chair "and/or" dean.

The senate further recommended that the evaluation be based on teaching, research and service - the current policy indicates teaching, research and/or service - and that any serious deficiencies identified in the evaluation should be based "in terms of overall performance."

The senate also proposed that the university policy require a second "consecutive" annual evaluation before any decision is made to activate the post-tenure review process. The current policy indicates that a "second annual evaluation from the chair and/or dean which states that he or she has not met expectations in teaching, research and/or service may activate the post-tenure review process."

Finally, the senate's recommendation includes the following addition to the policy: "If the post-tenure review policy is activated, the faculty member must be notified in writing by the chair and dean. Post-tenure review cannot be activated unless the pattern of deficiency has been noted over a two-year period."

In other matters, the senate voted unanimously to include a provision in the university policy on tenure for delaying the tenure process "due to childbirth, adoption or serious family illness."

The senate also voted to recommend a change to the university policy on Initial Appointment to Teaching and Research Faculty, which would require that the request for an initial appointment with tenure be voted on by the college promotion and tenure committee and the university promotion and tenure committee in addition to the departmental tenure committee.

The recommendation also calls for adding the following to the policy: "This policy applies to both internal candidates (those employed at Old Dominion University in a different department or unit) and external candidates (those not employed at Old Dominion University)." The senate also voted to recommend increasing the the number of cluster courses (advanced study in a focus area) for juniors and seniors from six to nine (18 hours to 27 hours).

According to the senate rational statement, "Requests for course substitutions are reaching high levels as increasing numbers of students elect to take them. Often graduating students have difficulty find proper courses, especially the ?WI? [writing-intensive] courses. There is a need to do something more."

Finally, the senate voted to recommend a new Faculty Senate Districting Plan.