The UNC Policy Manual
400.3.1
Adopted 01/25/24
I.
Purpose. North Carolina G.S. 116-1(b), declares that the
mission of the UNC System “…is to discover, create, transmit, and apply knowledge
to address the needs of individuals and society” and further specifies that “Teaching and learning constitute the primary service
that the university renders to society. Teaching, or instruction, is the
primary responsibility of each of the constituent institutions.” Consistent with the directive set forth in
state law, the UNC Board of Governors has established the expectation that
teaching “…should be the
first consideration of all UNC institutions.” The University of North Carolina, therefore,
has a primary obligation to provide undergraduate and graduate education of the
highest quality. This policy provides the basis for the constituent
institutions to formulate policies and processes that ensure, recognize, and
reward teaching effectiveness.
II.
Scope. This policy applies to
full-time tenured and continuing faculty, as defined in Chapter VI of the Code,
whose workload plans include teaching.
III.
Definitions.
A.
Teaching involves a variety of activities
that communicate the knowledge and values and impart
the skills necessary for individuals to lead responsible, productive, and
personally satisfying lives. Such activities include, but are not limited to,
the instruction of organized courses, evaluating students, developing materials
for new courses, updating materials for
existing courses, developing courseware or other materials for
technology-based instruction, supervising undergraduate research and masters’
theses and doctoral dissertations, directing students in co-curricular
activities such as plays, preparing and equipping new laboratories, supervision
of teaching assistants, supervision of internships and other experiential
learning, academic advising, mentoring, providing accommodations to students
with respect to their mental health or physical needs, and other activities
that support student success.
B.
Teaching Effectiveness means providing
student-centered learning and assessment experiences in line with clearly
articulated learning objectives that are relevant to the discipline and the
course. It models and fosters critical, analytical, and creative thinking,
while both engaging and supporting students cognitively, emotionally, and
behaviorally. Effective teaching ensures all students can participate fully and
implements regularly revised content via pedagogical
techniques that are current, research-informed, and rigorous.
C.
Annual Evaluations, as defined in UNC Policy 400.3.4,
Policy on Faculty Workload, Section III. B.,
are a review of the work of a faculty member by the department chair/head or
equivalent relative to the faculty member’s approved work plan as defined in
UNC Policy 400.3.4, Section III. C., and the faculty member’s self-assessment.
D.
Student Feedback includes, but is not limited
to, instruments used to gather anonymous responses regarding a student’s
experience of a course, including items such as course organization, course
materials, teaching methods, and interaction with the instructor of record.
E.
Peer Assessment is a process conducted by
faculty peers using elements such as observation of instruction, review of
teaching portfolios, and discussions regarding pedagogical goals and methods,
to continue to develop a faculty member’s instructional skill and
practice.
F.
Self-Assessment is a process of deliberative
review and critical evaluation of one’s own work, while identifying specific
strategies for improvement. Self-assessment
shall be designed to provide a summative review of the faculty member's
teaching as well as to identify formative strategies to continue developing
skill in teaching.
G.
Post Tenure Review, pursuant to UNC Policy 400.3.3,
Performance Review of Tenured Faculty, is a comprehensive, periodic,
cumulative review of the performance of tenured faculty members that shall
encompass and include the use of annual evaluations.
IV.
Required Elements for Developing
Institutional Policies and Processes on Teaching Effectiveness.
A.
Each institution shall establish policies and
processes that define, encourage, and measure teaching effectiveness in
accordance with the mission of the institution. Institutions may consider the
specific requirements of colleges, schools, departments, other academic units,
and academic disciplines in establishing these policies.
B.
Faculty whose work plans include teaching
shall be required to demonstrate teaching effectiveness in accordance with
applicable institutional policies. Institutions shall use multiple inputs to
assess a faculty member’s teaching effectiveness and to further develop a
faculty member’s instructional practice. At the minimum, inputs shall consist
of: (1) peer assessment, (2) student feedback, and (3) self-assessment. These
inputs shall be utilized, as appropriate, in annual evaluations and
comprehensive reviews, including reviews for promotion and post-tenure reviews
or reviews for extension of appointment, if applicable.
C.
The constituent institutions shall train faculty members, department chairs, academic
unit heads, deans, and other administrators on how to effectively use these
inputs to enhance pedagogy, the student learning experience, and student
academic success.
D.
Constituent institutions shall offer and encourage professional
development opportunities for all faculty members focused on teaching
effectiveness.
E.
Constituent institutions shall develop appropriate rewards in
recognition of teaching excellence.
F.
The
University of North Carolina System Office shall create and maintain an
electronic resource center related to teaching effectiveness in personnel
decision making to support constituent institutions in developing training
regarding upholding these principles.
V.
Outcome and Update Requirements.
A.
In policy and procedures,
constituent institutions shall ensure that teaching effectiveness is a
component of all reviews of faculty whose workload plans include teaching,
including annual faculty evaluations, reappointment and promotion
considerations, and post-tenure review.
B.
The chief academic officer at each institution, however titled, shall
work with faculty via the representative body of the faculty to review and
update, as needed, policy and procedures on teaching effectiveness on a regular
timeline in accordance with appropriate institutional policies.
VI.
Other Matters.
A.
Effective
Date. The requirements of this policy
shall be effective with the 2024-2025 academic year. Institutions shall have
internal policies in place at the beginning of that academic year.
B.
Relation
to Federal and State Laws. The foregoing policy as adopted by the Board of
Governors is meant to supplement, and does not purport to supplant or modify,
those statutory enactments which may govern or relate to the subject matter of
this policy.
C.
Regulations
and Guidelines. This policy shall be implemented and applied in accordance with
such regulations and guidelines as may be adopted by the president.
D.
Periodic
Review. Each institution shall review their institutional policy at least every
five years and submit a copy of that review and any changes made to the
president.
E.
Approvals.
All policies and procedures required under this policy must be submitted by the
constituent institutions to the UNC System Office and approved by the
president.
*Supersedes
and replaces the prior UNC Policy 400.3.1, “Tenure and Teaching in the
University of North Carolina” as this version was approved by the Board of
Governors on January
25, 2024.