Unit 18 Faculty — Procedures for Excellence Review for Initial Continuing Appointments

All Unit 18 faculty who receive an appointment that includes an 18th quarter, 12th semester, or 24th fiscal quarter of service in the same department, program, or unit shall receive an Excellence Review to determine whether the Unit 18 faculty member meets the excellence standard required for a continuing appointment. The Excellence Review must be conducted during the academic year in which the 18th quarter, 12th semester, or 24th fiscal quarter of service occurs, and the University shall complete the excellence review prior to the commencement of the 19th quarter, 13th semester, or 25th fiscal quarter. (Article 7B).

Evaluation of the academic qualifications or performance of Unit 18 faculty for purposes of achieving continuing status shall be based on demonstrated excellence in the Unit 18 faculty member’s assigned instructional duties. Academic responsibility and other assigned duties shall also be utilized in the review. (Article 7B and Article XX – Academic Review Criteria).

The University retains sole discretion in the evaluation of a Unit 18 faculty member’s performance. (Article 7B).

Due attention should be paid to the variety of demands placed on instructors by the types of teaching called for at various levels, and the total performance of the Unit 18 faculty member should be judged with proper reference to assigned teaching responsibilities (Article 7B and Article XX – Academic Review Criteria).

Length of service and continued competence as a pre-six Unit 18 faculty member alone are not justification for achieving continuing status. (Article 7B).

Instructional performance shall be evaluated according to the following criteria, as demonstrated by the materials in the review file (Article XX – Academic Review Criteria):

1. Dedication to and engagement with teaching;
2. Command of the subject matter and continued growth in mastering new topics;
3. Organizing and presenting course content effectively and with demonstrated learning outcomes;
4. Setting pedagogical objectives appropriate to the course topic, level, and format;
5. Responding to student work in ways that commensurate with student performance, course topic, level, and format;
6. Awakening in students an awareness of the importance of the subject matter;
7. Inspiring interest in beginning students and stimulating advanced students to do complex work;
8. Developing pedagogically effective assignments, lecture slides, lesson plans, exams, and/or other course materials and/or prompts for student work.

Contributions in assigned areas of the Unit 18 faculty member’s achievements that promote equal opportunity and diversity should be given due recognition in the review process. These contributions to diversity and equal opportunity will be focused on teaching and learning and can take a variety of forms including teaching that is particularly inclusive of diverse populations. (Article XX – Academic Review Criteria).

Reference Article XX – Academic Review Criteria, Section C for detailed information.

Unit 18 faculty will work with their department to provide materials needed for the review by the date provided to the Unit 18 faculty in their notification letter.

All relevant materials shall be given due consideration. These may include:

1. A current curriculum vitae;
2. Examples of syllabi, assignments, lecture slides, lesson plans, exams, and/or other applicable course materials including but not limited to prompts for and responses to student work;
3. A self-reflection/self-statement/self-evaluation of the Unit 18 faculty member’s performance, teaching objectives, and teaching activities;
4. A term-by-term enumeration of the number and types of courses taught by the Unit 18 faculty member;
5. Explanations of deviations from the standard assigned workload;
6. Identification of any new courses taught or of existing courses whose structure, approach, or content were substantially reorganized;
7. Evidence of introduction of new teaching practices and techniques in the course(s) taught;
8. Notice of any awards or formal mentions for distinguished teaching;
9. Student evaluations, provided that the quantitative measure in the student evaluation is not the sole criterion for evaluating teaching;
10. Letters of reference and assessments by departmental Unit 18 faculty, departmental Academic Senate Faculty, other academic appointees, students; and/or others external to the University of California;
11. Written observations resulting from classroom visitations by colleagues and evaluators;
12. Statement of contributions promoting equal opportunity and diversity in teaching and learning; and,
13. Additional materials relevant to their assigned duties.

1. A Unit 18 faculty member will be provided written notice of the Excellence Review, along with these procedures. Notice shall be provided no less than forty-five(45) calendar days prior to the date by which the Unit 18 faculty member’s review materials must be submitted, where practicable. If less than forty-five days’ notice is provided, the University shall not unreasonably deny an extension to the Unit 18 faculty member to submit their materials for the review file. (Article XX – Academic Review Criteria, Section B.1).
2. The notice must include the following (Article XX – Academic Review Criteria):
   1. A list of materials the Unit 18 faculty member is responsible for providing and how they should be submitted;
   2. The date by which the Unit 18 faculty member must submit all required materials;
   3. Links to the applicable collective bargaining agreement article(s);
   4. The date by which the merit increase will be effective; and,
   5. The right of the Unit 18 faculty member to inspect and respond to their academic review file, in accordance with Article 10 – Personnel and Review Files.
3. A Unit 18 faculty member may request an extension of the review deadlines due to a leave of absence taken under Article 12 – Leaves of Absence and Active Service Modified Duties. Such requests shall not be unreasonably denied. (Article 7B and Article XX – Academic Review Criteria).
4. A committee will review and make recommendations on a Unit 18 faculty member’s performance pertaining to the Excellence Review. The committee shall be at the departmental level, except where not practicable, in which case it will be as close to the departmental level as is practicable (e.g., school, division or college). Such committees will be comprised of academic appointees with sufficient knowledge of the Unit 18 faculty member’s field of expertise. The membership of the committee is not confidential. (Article 7B).
   1. The University shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that a qualified Unit 18 faculty member will participate on such review committees although no individual shall be required to serve on the committee. Unless the Unit 18 faculty member on the committee is a standing appointment, the Unit 18 faculty member being reviewed shall be consulted about the Unit 18 faculty member’s appointment on the committee. (Article 7B).
   2. Care shall be taken to ensure that the committee is composed of faculty who can offer a fair and neutral assessment of the Unit 18 faculty member’s performance. The Unit 18 faculty member on the review committee shall be under the same obligation as any other member of the personnel committee with respect to the confidentiality of the review process. (Article 7B).
5. The Unit 18 faculty member being reviewed may provide a written list of suggested peers from whom input may be solicited and/or identify qualified persons from whom input may be solicited. The Unit 18 faculty member being reviewed shall be afforded an opportunity to raise concerns about possible bias on the part of individuals involved in their review. Any such statement provided by the Unit 18 faculty member shall be included in the academic review file. (Article 7B).
6. The review committee will evaluate the Unit 18 faculty member’s performance in accordance with Section II. Evaluation of these procedures and make a recommendation. (Article 7B and Article XX – Academic Review Criteria). Performance-based decisions concerning the Continuing Appointment and termination for non-excellence shall be based solely upon the material contained in the academic review file. (Article 7B and Article 10).
7. The Unit 18 faculty member shall be provided with a copy of the review committee’s recommendation.
8. The Unit 18 faculty member may submit a written response to the recommendation from the department, program or unit, which shall be included in their Excellence Review file.
9. Depending upon the department practice, the file may be considered by the voting members of the department. If so, the department will add additional comments, which may include a faculty vote.
10. The file is then forwarded to the department chair (or equivalent) for their recommendation.
11. The file is submitted to the dean (or designee) for their recommendation and forwarded to the Office of Academic Personnel. Academic Personnel will submit the file to the Unit 18 Review Committee for its recommendation to the Vice Provost for Academic Personnel who will make a final decision.

1. The University shall notify the Unit 18 faculty member of the Excellence Review outcome. (Article 7B and Article XX – Academic Review Criteria).
2. If, as a result of the Excellence Review, the Unit 18 faculty member is deemed excellent and has performed service in the 18th quarter, 12th semester, or 24th fiscal quarter, the Unit 18 faculty member shall have continuing status.
   1. If instructional need exists in the 19th quarter, 13th semester, or 25th fiscal quarter, a notice of continuing appointment shall be issued, (in accordance with Article 7C), by the end of the 18th quarter, 12th semester, or 24th fiscal quarter, or as soon as practicable.
      1. NOTE: If, prior to the issuance of the notice of continuing appointment, the University determines that a Unit 18 faculty member who has been appointed to an 18th quarter, 12th semester, or 24th fiscal quarter will have an initial continuing appointment percentage that is less than the Unit 18 faculty member’s minimum appointment percentage during the previous three-year reappointment, the University will provide notice to the Unit 18 faculty member as soon as practicable, with a copy to the Union. (Article 7B).
   2. If instructional need does not exist in the 19th quarter, 13th semester, or 25th fiscal quarter, a notice of continuing status should be issued (in accordance with Article 7B). This notice shall be issued to the Unit 18 faculty member by the end of the 18th quarter, 12th semester, or 24th fiscal quarter, or as soon as practicable, and shall include the Unit 18 faculty member’s right of first refusal for two years for Unit 18 work for which they are qualified. (Article 7B).
   3. If, as a result of the Excellence Review, the University determines that the Unit 18 faculty member is not qualified to perform anticipated responsibilities at an excellent level, the Unit 18 faculty member will be released as the end of their appointment.