University Senate of
Proposal
22-94
University Senate Administrative Evaluation Procedure
In the natural evolution of a University, policies are developed and implemented for the purpose of improving the institution and the quality of education that it provides to its students. In order to ensure that this evolutionary process is effective, a means of periodically reviewing and evaluating administrative performance is required. Evaluation is fundamentally desirable because it provides feedback and voice from various university constituencies to the university administration. Regular evaluation encourages open communication, healthy interchange of information, and a shared sense of responsibility for university directions. The MTU Senate undertakes the responsibility for establishing a regular evaluation procedure for that segment of the University community which belongs in the Senate constituency. The procedure offers the Senate constituency the opportunity to evaluate the leadership (directions and implementation by upper administration) of the university as a whole. It is not an evaluation of supervisors by persons who work directly or indirectly under them.
(1) Frequency of Evaluation and List of Who Shall be Evaluated
The evaluation will begin at the end of the second full academic year for each new presidential administration. Evaluations will then be performed at four year intervals, or more often if deemed necessary by the MTU Senate.
Everyone whose title includes the following words shall be evaluated: President; Vice-President; Provost; Vice-Provost; Chief Financial Officer; or any other "Chief Officer." This list of titles shall be reviewed annually by the Senate Administrative Policy Committee and updated by said committee when necessary to include all upper administrators whose duties involve the university as a whole.
(2) Make-Up and Selection of an Evaluation Commission
Evaluations will be performed by a commission composed as follows:
College of Engineering 3 members
College of Science and Arts 3 members
School of Business 1 member
School of Forestry 1 member
School of Technology 1 member
Research Institutes 1 member
Library, Education &
Public Services and Non-Academic Groups (as defined in Senate Constitution) 1 member
External Representative 1 member
MTU Senate 1 member
This will provide for a thirteen member commission. The members of the commission are to represent the entire university community while they are serving, not just their individual departments or academic units. If the organization of the university changes, the general principles for the composition of the commission are that colleges should have three representatives, schools shall have one representative, there shall be one external representative, and other members shall follow the model above to reflect the constituency list of the Senate. The member from the Senate will serve as the chairperson of the commission.
The method for selecting the members of the commission shall be as follows. In the colleges, each department nominates one person; in the schools, three people are nominated; each research institute nominates one person; and the library, education & public services, and the non-academic groups each nominate one person. The nominees shall be people who have tenure or if tenure is not available in their particular unit, they shall be people with at least three years of service. The external representative will be nominated by the Senate Administrative Policy Committee. Nominees for Senate representative will be solicited by the Senate Administrative Policy Committee. The MTU Senate (all constituent units voting) will vote to elect final Commission members, in accordance with the list above.
(3) General Evaluation Procedures to be Followed by the Commission
The following sequence of procedures shall be followed by the Evaluation Commission. The Commission can develop its own procedures, questions, and interpretations as long as they are not in conflict with the procedures contained herein.
This policy supersedes Senate proposal 2-89.
Questionnaire used by the 1991 Commission to Evaluate the Administration.
Adopted by Senate: May 1, 1994
Approved by President: May 11, 1994
See Proposal 42-04 for Evaluation of the President
Became Senate Procedures 501.1.1