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11.
General Criteria Used in Evaluation of Faculty Members
The evaluation of a member of the faculty at the
time of initial appointment, at each renewal, and
on the occasion of promotion in rank or appointment
with tenure, is based upon his/her actual and potential
contribution to the general community of scholars,
to students, to the faculty of which the member
is a part, and to the University.
The criteria set forth in this section are intended
to guide the Committee on Faculty Relations and
all others concerned with the evaluation of faculty
members. The purpose of these criteria is to call
attention to the overall contribution and performance
of the faculty member without necessarily implying
that equal weight need be assigned to the separate
criteria. Individual teaching units may establish
and publish criteria more demanding, if consistent
with criteria set forth herein.
Occasionally a teaching unit may wish to propose
a faculty action that does not fulfill all the criteria
for the rank or status involved. The recommendation
must be justified on the basis of the exceptional
merits of the case and its relation to the mission
of the teaching unit. On the other hand, because
programmatic needs may change over time, it should
be understood that non-renewal of probationary appointments
may occasionally occur even when an individual has
fulfilled all other criteria for reappointment.
In order that the application of the criteria within
a particular teaching unit is clearly understood
by all of its faculty members, each teaching unit
should engage in a full discussion of the criteria
used by its rank and tenure committee for the appointment,
retention, and promotion of members of its faculty.
Such discussions should involve both the general
criteria in this Manual and whatever other
specific criteria are used by a teaching unit. Moreover,
such a discussion should occur at least once a year
after the Committee on Faculty Relations has held
its annual information meeting for rank and tenure
committees, and before the rank and tenure committee
begins its review of faculty personnel actions.
a. Educational and Professional Background
It is assumed that a person recommended for appointment
to the faculty will have the educational background
and the professional experience appropriate to the
position proposed. The record should show the completion
of requisite academic work and possession of recognized
earned degrees attesting to educational background,
and an employment and professional history relevant
to the teaching field and of sufficient duration
to satisfy the requirements of the rank to which
appointment is sought.
The University prefers that the members of its faculty
be diversified in their educational background and
teaching experience, and discourages the appointment
of faculty members whose earned degrees have all
been obtained at American University.
A person appointed as a Washington College of Law
Library faculty member must have earned a law degree
or a master's degree in library science (which is
the recognized terminal degree in librarianship)
from an institution accredited by the American Bar
Association or the American Library Association
respectively and have the qualities and competencies
which indicate the ability to contribute significantly
toward the realization of the Washington College
of Law Library's role in the educational programs
of the University.
Initial evaluation of a Washington College of Law
Library faculty member for renewal of appointment,
for promotion in rank, and for appointment with
tenure shall be conducted by the Washington College
of Law Library Rank and Tenure Committee. Such evaluations
shall be based upon the following criteria:
b. Effectiveness in Fulfilling Primary Responsibilities
The quality of the performance of a Washington College
of Law Library faculty member in carrying out his/her
primary responsibilities will be the chief criterion
for an evaluation.
Washington College of Law Library faculty support
the educational mission of the University in many
ways, and their primary responsibilities vary depending
on their particular position within the Washington
College of Law Library. They may respond to user
information needs by assisting patrons at public
service desks, participating directly in classroom
instruction, selecting, and acquiring and organizing
library materials to make them accessible to the
University community, and ensuring that the Library
continues to use all appropriate information technology.
Some positions include an administrative component.
All Washington College of Law Library faculty members
must maintain a current awareness of research and
technological advances relevant to their library
positions and to a broad understanding of academic
law librarianship and related disciplines.
c. Creative, Scholarly, and Professional
Development
Creative work and production of significant scholarship
are essential to effective teaching and academic
law librarianship. The University is committed to
support and assist in the development of scholarly
research. The University and the Washington College
of Law also recognizes that professional activities
may often constitute a contribution of importance
similar to scholarly publications.
Evidence of development, scholarship, and creativity
includes the publication of significant scholarly
contributions, publication of teaching methodology
and materials, public lectures, reviews of books
and other materials; participation as a member of
an editorial board, on an accreditation committee,
or on a similar body of experts; or participation
in responsible positions in regional or national
professional organizations, creative production
and performance, and other professional activity
that demonstrates concern with the advancement of
the faculty member's discipline.
Scholarship is defined as consisting of original
contributions to the author's field of knowledge
such as would warrant recognition among scholars
and educators in the same field. In applying this
governing standard to law library research, it must
be noted that law library scholars can find many
outlets to pursue their areas of scholarship and
research. Interests may range from the highly abstract
to eminently practical contributions. Law library
scholars may seek to accomplish a wide range of
purposes in their scholarship. Scholarship, in sum,
is informed, reflective, analytical, and in some
substantial part a personal statement. An excellent
annotated bibliography of properly selected titles
might be sufficient evidence of law library scholarship.
In addition, law library scholarship is typically
reflected in articles published in the Law Library
Journal, the Legal Reference Services Quarterly
and other recognized professional library journals.
Quality of scholarship is not measurable in terms
of pages or even numbers of pieces, but instead
should be sufficient, in relation to the time spent
at the Washington College of Law and Law Library
to demonstrate a devotion to intellectual inquiry
and scholarly productivity through the person's
professional life. Scholarly publications prior
to coming to the Washington College of Law may be
relevant insofar as they indicate that these qualities
are not recently acquired.
d. Contribution to the University
A member of the faculty should actively contribute
to the general development of the University. Participation
in faculty meetings and committees, and in student
organizations and activities, constitutes such contribution.
Use of the faculty member's professional skills
and training in public service to local communities,
professional and scholarly communities, and society
at large is also evidence of contribution to the
University.
In the evaluation of library faculty members and
the application of the criteria enumerated above,
proper recognition shall be given to the varied
nature of the responsibilities which a library faculty
member may assume within the Washington College
of Law Library.
Minimal satisfaction of the above criteria does
not confer a right to positive personnel action.
An outstanding record of creative, scholarly and
professional development and of contribution to
the University will not compensate for inadequate
or average performance of primary responsibilities.
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