PROCEDURES FOR CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS    

A.   Announced classroom observations will be made by Academic Division Dean or designated observer (hereafter referred to as Observer) on the following schedule: 

1.      During each year of the one-year contracts and the second year of the three-year contracts.

2.      During the third year of the first five-year contract and every three years thereafter.

3.      During a year in which the faculty member is considered for promotion.

4.      During a tenured faculty member’s third year and every three years thereafter.

Additional observations may also be made upon the request of the faculty member or as deemed necessary by the Academic Division Dean.

B.   All announced observations will be scheduled two weeks in advance of the visit.

C.     The specific class to be observed will be selected by mutual agreement between the faculty member and the Academic Division Dean or Observer.

D.     A pre-observation conference between the faculty member and the Academic Division Dean or Observer will take place prior to the announced observation.  At this time the faculty members will share their specific objectives for the class and how they intend to accomplish them. Also at this time, items listed as 'other' on the observation form may be specified.

E.  The Observer must stay for at least fifty minutes.

F.      Within five working days of the classroom observation, the Academic Division Dean or Observer will provide to the faculty member a preliminary report of the observation.  Within an additional five working days, the Observer and the faculty member will meet to discuss the contents of the observation report. Then, within an additional five working days, the Observer will prepare a final observation report; a copy of which will be provided to the faculty member as well as to the Academic Division Dean.

G.     The faculty member will be allowed to attach any written comments he or she might like to make to the observation report within thirty working days of the observation.

H.     If a faculty member feels that any classroom observation by the Observer is not indicative of his/her teaching skills, he or she may request a second observation by the Classroom Observation Team.  This team will be composed of one faculty member chosen by the Academic Division Dean; one faculty member chosen by the faculty member for whom the observation is being conducted; and one faculty member chosen by those two selected individuals.

I.        Unannounced classroom observations may be conducted as deemed necessary by the Academic Division Dean or as requested by the faculty member.  In such cases procedural items F through H above will still apply.

Classroom Observation Form (this form is in PDF format)