East Carolina University Academic Affairs Division

Minimum Criteria for Unit Peer Observation Plans

Issued by	Tinsley E. Yarbrough Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Date:	March 5, 1996

The requirement for direct, peer classroom observation of teaching for non-tenured, probationary term faculty is stated in UNC General Administration Administrative Memorandum #338 (“Tenure and Teaching in the University of North Carolina”), issued September 28, 1993. The East Carolina University Faculty Senate adopted Resolution #93-44 on December 7, 1993, and it was approved by the Chancellor on February 8, 1994. Faculty Senate Resolution #93-44 establishes procedures and an instrument for direct peer classroom observation. It also states that units can modify the Faculty Senate procedures or instrument, or select their own, provided these are approved by the appropriate vice chancellor.

The classroom observation process provides material to be used in personnel actions. For this reason particular care should be taken in conducting the required observations. Each of the following items should be addressed in unit peer classroom observation plans, whether in the unit code or a separate policy statement, so that all faculty subject to the process will understand unit policies and procedures.

•	1. Non-tenured, probationary term faculty members must have their classroom teaching observed. The term, classroom, is used in its most generic form and applies to the variety of teaching environments at East Carolina University. A unit may choose to extend peer classroom observation to other faculty members or may choose to use peer classroom observation in certain personnel decisions (e.g., all promotions).
•	2. Only trained observers are to be used for this peer classroom observation. Training for the Faculty Senate approved procedures and instrument will be held at the beginning of each semester. Training for other procedures and instruments is the responsibility of the originating unit, although Dr. Dorothy H. Clayton, coordinator of faculty development, is available as a resource person. Such training programs must cover the range of topics listed in the Training Outline in the Faculty Senate Resolution #93-44: conferences (pre-and post-observation), procedures for observing, and the documentation of the observation. Copies of the training syllabus, materials used, and the date of the training session(s) should be on file in the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs office within a week of conducting the session.
•	3. The unit’s procedure should specify how observers are chosen. For those using the Faculty Senate model, the faculty member to be observed chooses one of the two observers per observation. For other procedures the faculty member to be observed is to choose one-half of the observers. Observations by a unit head do not qualify as an observation meeting this requirement.
•	4. At least 4 class sessions are to be observed over a specified period of time when there are 2 observers per class session observation. This is the Faculty Senate model. If a department or unit chooses to use 1 observer per class session observation, then the total number of observations increases to 8 over a specified period of time.
•	5. The faculty member to be observed chooses the course that will have a particular class session observed. The choice of the particular class session is either jointly made by the observers and the faculty member or solely by the faculty member.
•	6. The observation instrument used by a unit must either be the Faculty Senate’s (Resolution #93-44) or one approved by the appropriate vice chancellor.
•	7. There is to be a pre-observation conference between observers and the faculty member who is to be observed. The purpose of this conference is for the faculty member to provide the observers with appropriate information so they can more effectively observe the classroom teaching in the designated class session.
•	8. There is to be a post-observation conference between observers and the faculty member who is observed. The purpose of this conference is to provide timely feedback from the observation to the observed faculty member. Sound professional practice indicates that the observed faculty member should receive a copy of an observer’s completed instrument at least 24 hours prior to the post-observation conference.
•	9. The unit’s procedures should specify the process by which a completed observation instrument and any other material associated with the peer classroom observation process are placed in the observed faculty member’s personnel file.
•	10. Materials from the peer classroom observation process must be included in any personnel action dossier (PAD) submitted by a faculty member in an application for reappointment or in an application for tenure and promotion, or both (Administrative Memorandum #338 and the East Carolina University Faculty Manual Appendix C, p. C-5, III.1.b and Appendix D, p. D-8, IV.F.2.d).
•	•11. Units are asked to identify to the coordinator of faculty development the person who is responsible for implementing the required peer classroom observation process in the unit so that this person can be contacted when it is necessary to communicate with the unit on matters related to the process.