Peer Evaluation Guidelines
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Peer observation is required of all probationary faculty in at least two classes annually per academic year (Fall and/or Spring semester) by a tenured faculty member chosen by the faculty candidate in consultation with the Dean and the Review Advisor. At least once prior to tenure, all probationary faculty who are contractually obligated to teach General Studies courses shall be observed teaching one General Studies course. Likewise, at least once prior to tenure, all probationary faculty who regularly teach online and/or hybrid courses shall be evaluated teaching one online and/or hybrid course in their program or General Studies. Tenured faculty are not required to be observed by their peers, but when seeking promotion or range adjustment they may request peer observations of their teaching by any tenured Stockton faculty member.
Files must include required written, peer-evaluations of teaching, and may include additional peer-evaluations of teaching.
Required - All probationary faculty shall be observed in at least two classes annually by a tenured faculty member chosen by the faculty candidate in consultation with the Dean and the Review Advisor. At least once prior to tenure, all probationary faculty who are contractually obligated to teach General Studies courses shall be evaluated teaching one of his/her General Studies courses. Likewise, at least once prior to tenure, all probationary faculty who regularly teach online and/or hybrid courses shall be evaluated teaching one online and/or hybrid course in their program or General Studies.
One Required plus Optional - Additional evaluations may be requested by a probationary faculty member. For purposes of tracking annual observations, in the case of faculty beginning service in September, “annually” refers to a sequence of fall term and spring term; for faculty beginning mid-year, “annually” refers to a sequence of spring term and fall term.
Optional - Tenured faculty seeking promotion or range adjustment may request peer observations of their teaching by any tenured Stockton faculty member.
Optional - While peer observations and evaluation of teaching are not required for visiting faculty hired under XIII-D or XIII-O, faculty in those positions who are hopeful of becoming tenure track faculty should consider asking peers to observe and evaluate their teaching using the above process, and may include such evaluations in their review files.
Specific to COVID, as per the 9/3 MOA: Evaluation of Faculty and Librarians in the Time of COVID-19, faculty seeking tenure have some protection if Fall 2019-Spring 2020 peer observations were not completed.
Classroom Observations: Where the course being evaluated is a classroom-course, the peer evaluation shall be based on a review of syllabi, assignments, other course materials and direct classroom observation by the peer evaluator in accordance with this agreement. Observations shall take place in a class and at a time mutually agreed upon between the candidate and the evaluator. Observers shall describe and evaluate in writing the quality of teaching, with reference to all applicable standards for excellence in teaching. This statement shall be shared with the faculty member being evaluated within two weeks of the classroom observation. The Center for Teaching & Learning Design (CTLD) is available to provide assistance choosing tools to assist with classroom observations.
Online or Alternative Observations: Peer-evaluators, in consultation with the faculty candidate, will use appropriate equivalent methods for evaluating courses taught online or in alternative modalities (e.g. distance learning, hybrid courses, internships). The CTLD under guidance provided by the 2023 Online Courses MOA will use the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric to assess course design. Peer evaluators may request assistance from the CTLD to determine equivalent methods of course evaluation.
