All faculty members teaching half time or more (excluding guest professors; see FAC 425) must submit an annual Professional Development Plan (PDP) to their department chair and the chief academic officer. The PDP provides faculty members an opportunity to reflect on their performance in the past year as measured by the criteria of teaching, scholarship, participation, and service. In addition, the PDP provides faculty members a place to record their goals for the coming year. Candor and realism are important qualities of the Professional Development Plan.
442.2.1 Content of the Professional Development Plan
The Professional Development Plan (PDP) comprises two parts: (I) Projects and Goals and (II) Mission Objectives.
I. Projects and Goals
This section of the PDP lists the faculty member’s goals for the previous year and briefly reports on success in achieving those goals. It should explain the circumstances that prevented the completion of projects or attainment of goals.
This section should also enumerate the projects and goals for the coming year and explain how the completion of these projects or the accomplishment of these goals will contribute to the larger goals of the department and/or the college.
Finally, this section may specify ways the college can assist with the completion of the faculty member’s projects and goals.
II. Mission Objectives
The college’s mission is “to develop whole persons through scholarship, participation, and service.” The faculty member’s most important function is to teach effectively in order to maximize student learning. This section of the PDP reflects briefly upon the faculty member’s involvement and growth in the areas of teaching and learning, scholarship, participation, and service. Faculty seeking guidance for this section of PDP should refer to 443.2.2 for suggested content and examples.
When complete, the PDP should be approximately 750 words. A template for the Professional Development Plan is available on the college Intranet site.
442.2.2 Annual Professional Development Plan Procedures
First-year faculty members submit their PDPs to their department chairs and the Academic Affairs office by January 15; returning faculty, by October 1. After receiving the PDP, department chairs meet with faculty members individually to discuss the PDPs. (Chairs may meet with the CAO for review of their own PDPs.) Following the meeting, the chair writes an evaluative response and shares it with the faculty member, who signs to acknowledge receipt of the response. Faculty members who take issue with the chair’s evaluations may append a statement of his or her disagreement to be filed with the chair’s response. In the case of returning faculty, the chair’s evaluation with the faculty member’s comments will be forwarded to the CAO by November 1. In the case of first-year faculty, the response and any comments shall be submitted by February 1.