Important Note: This overview of the Senior Instructor Merit Review Process is supplemental and not intended to conflict with the requirements of CBA Section 8.1.3
Western conducts its Senior Instructor Merit Reviews in Interfolio.
Eligibility
Section 8.1.4 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) states, “In the review that takes place in their sixth (6th) year following promotion to senior instructor, and every six (6) years thereafter, senior instructors will be considered for an award of merit. For those senior instructors teaching in multiple departments, the review will be conducted in the department where the majority of their teaching has occurred.
Senior instructors seeking a merit award must compile and submit a teaching dossier that includes all the materials required by the Department Evaluation Plan from the six (6) years under review. The dossier should also include evidence relating to non-instructional duties if such duties are specified in the senior instructor’s contract.
Reviews for senior instructor merit will be governed by each department’s standards addressed in its department evaluation plan, which will include the criteria for granting merit and a list of required materials to include in the dossier. These criteria should address dimensions of teaching effectiveness.
Senior instructor merit reviews will be conducted by a committee appointed annually by the chair. The committee will consist of three (3) department faculty, one (1) of whom may be a senior instructor. The reviewers will determine by vote whether the senior instructor met or did not meet the criteria for a merit award and will provide their recommendation to the chair.
Senior Instructor Merit Review Timeline
Review candidates should consult their department and/or college regarding the deadlines for the steps specified below.
Initiation and Submission of Review Packet
- Faculty Relations initiates review packet in Interfolio after Department requests it. Review Candidate receives email notification.
- Review Candidate completes and submits review packet. Senior Instructor Committee members receive email notification.
Senior Instructor Committee Review
- Senior Instructor Committee:
- Reviews materials.
- Shares committee letter with Department Chair outside of Interfolio.
- Sets case status.
- Shares letter with Review Candidate, giving them 5 working days to respond to errors of fact. Review Candidate receives email notification.
- Review Candidate has 5 working days to respond to errors of fact. Submits optional response in Interfolio.
- Senior Instructor Committee moves review packet forward. Department Chair receives email notification.
Department Chair Review
- Department Chair:
- Reviews committee letter to verify compliance with departmental and college standards and procedures.
- Uploads committee letter.
- Uploads chair letter.
- Sets case status.
- Shares chair letter with Review Candidate inside of Interfolio, giving them 5 working days to respond to errors of fact. Review Candidate receives email notification.
- Review Candidate has 5 working days to respond to errors of fact. Submits optional response in Interfolio.
- Department Chair moves review packet forward. College Dean receives email notification.
College Dean Review
- College Dean:
- Reviews committee letter to verify compliance with departmental and college standards and procedures.
- Uploads college dean letter.
- Shares college dean letter with review candidate inside of Interfolio.
- Closes review packet, setting final disposition.
- Faculty Relations adds a copy of final department chair letter to Review Candidate’s faculty file.
Contact
Contact Faculty Relations at facultyrelations@wwu.edu for general questions regarding the Senior Instructor Merit Review Process.