Philosophy of Faculty Evaluation at STLCC
To fulfill its mission to expand minds and change lives every day by offering high-quality educational experiences, St. Louis Community College relies on a dedicated and talented faculty. Congruent with this mission, the purpose of the faculty evaluation system is to facilitate and promote life-long learning among the faculty, leading to continuous improvement in teaching and service. The 2017 faculty evaluation system represents a significant shift in purpose and focus from the previous 1981 system, and it is important to emphasize the “cultural shift” that it represents. This shift is most dramatic for the continuing faculty member. While summative assessment remains a part of the process for probationary faculty, once a faculty member has obtained continuing status, the system is aimed squarely at professional growth and development. The heart of the new faculty evaluation system is the faculty member’s own self-reflection on teaching and service. Feeding into that self-reflection are student evaluations (at least one per semester) and classroom observations (two per evaluation cycle). In the spring of the evaluation year (the last year of the faculty member’s evaluation cycle), the faculty member discusses their two self-reflection narratives with their dean, along with their student evaluations and classroom observations.
