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Faculty
and
Administrative Personnel
Handbook
Faculty and Administrative Personnel Handbook
Table of Contents
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2
Section A ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Faculty Appointments and Evaluations: Decision Making Process ……………………………………………………………. 3
Section B ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Appointment and Renewal Criteria …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
1. Faculty: Criteria for Hiring, Reviewing, and Tenure ……………………………………………………………………………. 3
2. Description of the Four Criteria for Faculty ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
Criteria for Hiring and Renewing Administrative Personnel …………………………………………………………………… 6
Section C ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
Contracts …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7
1. Contracts for Full Time Classroom, Work and Library Faculty ………………………………………………………….. 7
2. Contracts for Administrative Personnel ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 8
Section D ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8
Faculty Responsibilities ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8
1. Classroom, Work and Library Faculty ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8
2. Administrative Personnel ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11
Section E ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 11
Personnel Reviews of Administrative Personnel and Faculty ……………………………………………………………………. 11
1. Review Process for Administrative Personnel …………………………………………………………………………………… 11
2. Renewal & Tenure Evaluation Process for Classroom, Work and Library Faculty …………………………… 14
3. Evaluations of the Teaching of Antioch College’s Administrators who also Teach ………………………….. 18
4. Evaluation of Adjunct Faculty ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 18
5. Evaluation of Visiting Faculty …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 19
Section F ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 19
Procedure for Appeal and Review of Decision not to Renew or not to Award Tenure ……………………………. 19
1. Procedure for Classroom, Work and Library Faculty ……………………………………………………………………….. 19
2. Procedure for Appeal and Review of Decision Not to Renew Contracts for Administrative Personnel
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21
Section G ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 22
Five-Year Reviews of Tenured Faculty……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 22
1. Purpose …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 22
2. Procedure ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 22
Section H ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 23
Rank ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 23
Section I ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 24
Tenure ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 24
1. General Tenure Policies ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 24
2. Tenure in Interdisciplinary Programs ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 25
Section J ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 25
Shared Positions ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 25
Section K ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 27
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 1
Part-Time Faculty Positions ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 27
Section L ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 28
Academic Freedom …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 28
Section M ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 28
Faculty and Administrative Personnel Reduction Due to Financial Exigency…………………………………………… 28
Section N ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 30
Discontinuance or Reduction of a Program or Department Not Mandated by Financial Exigency …………. 30
Section O ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 31
Visiting Faculty Appointments …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 31
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 2
Introduction
Antioch College strives to be a community of persons living and working together to reach common
aims. Antioch College considers that all personnel – teaching faculty, administrators, support staff,
and physical facilities staff – have an educational role to play in the life of the College. Accordingly,
it is expect that all those who come in contact with students will be, in one way or another, teachers.
Nevertheless, for the purposes of this document, the use of the term ‘faculty’ will refer to those who
fulfill traditional classroom teaching, academic advising, work advising and teaching and librarian
roles with respect to students.
While there is a division of labor and a corresponding distinction between those who are
administrators, those who are considered members of the teaching faculty, and those who are in
various support roles helping facilitate the operations of the College, this document describes the
policies and procedures related to all groups, when applicable, and to each group – the teaching
faculty and administrative personnel, – separately when appropriate.
This handbook pertains to faculty and administrators and is an extension of the College’s contract
with faculty and administrative personnel.
The aim of the faculty handbook is to provide faculty members with a clear, accurate and
comprehensive overview of their contractual relationship to the college so that important personnel
practices and related matters are as transparent as possible. In particular it describes the processes
and criteria of evaluation for hiring, renewal, and tenure (where appropriate), as well as the
conditions under which faculty positions may be eliminated.
The College will use the processes and definitions in this handbook to guide its decision making. It
is important that faculty members understand their rights as well as the limits to those rights and the
handbook strives to make this clear. The policies in the handbook aim to be equitable and fair to
both the College and to faculty. We emphasize the decision making processes of the College with
special attention to the consultation leading to decision-making, as well as the special role of the
President and Board of Trustees who, in addition to being part of the consultation and consensus
process, have independent decision making authority. Faculty members should be clear that they
have control over some aspects and parameters of their review files and other aspects of the
decision making process, but not others; the handbook strives to make clear where each is the case.
Please be aware that appointment of the first contingent of faculty cannot be accomplished according to Handbook
Section A.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 3
Section A
Faculty Appointments and Evaluations: Decision Making Process
Antioch’s President is responsible for the appointment and renewal of Antioch College’s faculty and
for recommendations to the Antioch College Board of Trustees for tenure. The President receives
advice and recommendations for appointment of teaching faculty from the Faculty Personnel
Committee. For matters of renewal and tenure, the President also receives advice and
recommendations from the Faculty Personnel Committee. The Dean of the College fully
participates ex officio with the elected members of Faculty Personnel Committee.
The Faculty Personnel Committee is the primary vehicle for collective faculty and student
participation in teaching faculty appointment and renewal. They are charged with reviewing faculty
members’ renewal files carefully as the basis for the recommendations they make to the President.
The President is expected to take into account the recommendation of the Faculty Personnel
Committee, even if the President’s decision differs from the recommendation, it is finally the
President’s decision whether or not to recommend candidates for tenure to the Board of Trustees.
In appointing and renewing those designated as administrators, the President may share this
responsibility with the appropriate administrative department head. For many administrative
positions, appointments are made after a broadly constituted search committee has submitted its
recommendations.
The Antioch College Board of Trustees approves tenure and promotion recommendations for
teaching faculty, as specified in the college by-laws. In so acting, the Board does not seek to replace
the professional judgment of peers and academic administrators but seeks only to satisfy itself that
correct procedures have been followed.
Section B
Appointment and Renewal Criteria
1. Faculty: Criteria for Hiring, Reviewing, and Tenure
No single statement can fully capture the qualities we value most in present and prospective
members of Antioch’s faculty. Still, it is important that we describe for new faculty the criteria by
which they were appointed and by which they will be evaluated for renewal and tenure.
The following four criteria do not constitute a simple check list but are intended as a single,
articulated set of guidelines to be used in evaluating teaching faculty up for review. We strive to
make reasonable and equitable judgments based on these four criteria. While four criteria are
relevant in all decisions regarding the appointment, renewal and tenure of teaching faculty, the four
may not weigh equally in every case. Despite the variability noted above, one principle remains
constant: teaching effectiveness is the most important of the four criteria, and weakness in this area
cannot be compensated for by excellence in any or all of the other three areas. In addition to the
four criteria that speak to a faculty member’s performance and fit with broader institutional needs,
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 4
the College may find it necessary on some occasions to invoke other considerations. For example,
on rare occasions the Board or the President may limit the number of candidates who can be
renewed or tenured in a given year for financial or other reasons.
2. Description of the Four Criteria for Faculty
a. Teaching Effectiveness
The Faculty Personnel Committee assesses teaching effectiveness by consulting and evaluating
evidence in the faculty member’s renewal or tenure file. (See handbook section E.2.b for a list of
material relevant to teaching that a candidate may include in her/his file).
FPC strives to discern the effectiveness of a faculty member’s teaching as it manifests itself not only
in the classroom or laboratory but also in multiple campuses and off campus educational settings
with students.
Teaching effectiveness is not amenable to precise quantification or reducible to any simple list of
qualities. Effective teaching can take many forms, including the clear presentation of important
content and concepts, guidance of student discussion-led classes, open-ended exploration of
ambiguities in texts, and collaborative learning. Leadership on off-campus study programs and
advising may also offer important teaching opportunities. Whichever teaching strategy a candidate
employs, however, students of all abilities and backgrounds should be challenged to do their best
work. Good teaching should be intellectually stimulating, engage students in their own learning, and
encourage students to develop their own questions as well as answers. We expect students to gain
exposure to the methods appropriate to disciplinary as well as interdisciplinary study, to use tools of
analysis, to develop good writing and quantitative skills. We look for evidence that students not only
master content, though that is important and extremely so in particular fields, but also learn to
formulate their own ideas and develop critical research, reading and thinking skills.
Effective teaching shows not only in class, but also in course design and the nature of assignments.
Further, it entails ongoing reflection by the faculty member on what works well and what ought to
be modified. We therefore look for evidence that candidates have taken seriously the feedback they
may have received from students and others and have responded constructively. We emphasize that
constructive response does not mean agreeing with or yielding to all criticism. While the nature of
student contact is different, Library Faculty approach their work as teachers.
In addition to the quality of the classroom and laboratory/studio/field learning, work program
learning and library services characteristics for which we look include –
Interest and involvement in the assessment and improvement of one’s own teaching, advising and
mentoring practices.
• Competence in and knowledge of one’s subject matter or area of expertise, as judged by
peers on and off campus.
• Competence in facilitating student reflection on their learning in the classroom, on their
jobs, or as library patrons.
• Capacity to promote student learning beyond the classroom.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 5
• Integrity and fairness as a teaching professional, librarian or work faculty member.
• Challenging students of all abilities to do their best.
• Contributions to student learning through collaborative research and scholarship with
students.
b. Quality of Mind
Assessing a teacher’s quality of mind involves a complex judgment by peers and others. Some
indictors of quality of mind are:
Intellectual sharpness and vitality as evidenced by the quality of such things as continuing studies,
research, creative work, public lectures, publications; breadth and depth of intellectual interests and
competencies, and the capacity to place knowledge and skills into significant context; grant writing;
interdisciplinary interests and activities; regular involvement in professional scholarly and
educational societies and organizations; and the quality of one’s contributions to intellectual
discourse with students and peers.
c. Contributions to the Community
A teacher’s involvement with the College community extends beyond the limits of the classroom.
Teachers are academic advisors, departmental colleagues, members of committees and of the faculty
assembly, and participants in the governance of the College. A teacher’s contributions to our
community take many forms. For example:
Constructive participation in faculty assembly, departmental meetings, and college and consortia
committees and communications; helpful and generally supportive relationships with colleagues;
responsible academic advising of students; support and counseling of students beyond immediate
academic matters. Also valued are participation in or attendance at College functions and events,
such as lectures and fine arts performances; participation in interdepartmental, summer and off
campus programs, service to larger communities such as Yellow Springs, Greene County, and
regional, national and international committees and organizations.
d. Institutional Fit
Institutional fit addresses a faculty member’s compatibility with the College’s curricular needs and
with Antioch’s mission as a liberal arts college, and specifically with Antioch’s alternating
work/study program. The fit between a particular faculty member’s interests, skills and areas of
expertise and the needs of the college may change over time. Where the faculty member’s interests
and areas themselves change, we expect the faculty member to be in dialog with relevant divisions
and programs and the Dean of the College to come to mutually acceptable understandings about the
faculty member’s roles. When the needs of divisions, programs, or the College change in a way that
allows for advance planning, any faculty member whose position is affected will be involved in
discussions about those changes as a member of the department or program in question. Further,
when FPC is aware of changes in division or program needs that bear on renewal or tenure,
candidates will be informed of such potential changes in curricular emphases in their renewal
minutes.
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Institutional fit implies that faculty shares an understanding of and support for the basic mission of
Antioch College, as a liberal arts college with alternating terms of work and study, in which teaching
and recognizing the learning that takes place in the classroom, through work and through shared
governance and community participation are primary. Because it is difficult to express these
traditions in a few words, it may be helpful for faculty members to refer to documents such as the
College Mission Statement and the Statement of Community Principles. These documents are not
part of this Handbook and thus they are not extensions of faculty members’ contracts with the
College. These documents also make clear that being a full and valued member of the Antioch
College community does not require adhering to any particular beliefs, but rather implies a
willingness to live and work constructively within Antioch’s system of shared governance, which is
based on a commitment to peaceful resolution of conflict, respect for all persons, personal integrity
and social justice.
Criteria for Hiring and Renewing Administrative Personnel
Parallel to the four criteria for teaching faculty, the criteria for hiring and renewing the appointments
of administrative personnel are administrative effectiveness, quality of mind, contributions to the
community, and institutional fit with Antioch College.
a. Administrative effectiveness should be weighed most heavily in the appointment decisions and
evaluations. Skills and attitudes to be considered may include, but are not limited to:
• Stewardship of time, resources, and budget
• Setting appropriate goals and developing meaningful projects
• Follow-through on activities
• Responsiveness to those served
• Flexibility and willingness to change
• Ability to work effectively with colleagues
• Supervisory skills
• Problem-solving, creativity, and trouble-shooting
b. For administrative personnel quality of mind also involves competence in and knowledge of
one’s administrative field. Considerations might include (though not exclusively) the administrator’s
familiarity with recent developments in her/his field, involvement in professional organizations,
publications, public presentations, and the ability to incorporate new techniques or ideas into one’s
daily work at the College.
c. Contributions to the community: An administrator’s involvement with the college community
extends beyond the limits of the office. Administrators function as departmental colleagues,
members of committees and of the Faculty Assembly, participants in the governance of the College,
and may serve as academic advisors where appropriate. The administrator’s contributions to our
community take many forms, for example:
• Constructive participation in faculty assembly, departmental meetings, and college and
consortia committees
• Helpful and supportive relationships with colleagues
• Support and responsible academic advising of students as appropriate
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 7
• Participation in or attendance at College functions and events, such as lectures,
convocations, events and theatre productions.
We also value service to larger communities such as Yellow Springs, Greene County, and state,
national, and international committees and organizations.
d. Institutional fit addresses an administrator’s compatibility with the College’s needs and with
Antioch’s mission as a liberal arts college with alternating terms of work and study. The fit between
a particular administrator’s interests, skills and area of expertise and the needs of the College may
change over time. Where the administrator’s interests and areas themselves change, we expect the
administrator to be in dialogue with the appropriate supervisor to come to mutually acceptable
understanding about the administrator’s role. As the supervisor becomes aware of changes in
department or program needs that bear on renewal, the supervisor will inform the administrator of
such potential changes.
Institutional fit implies that administrators share an understanding of and support for the basic
mission of Antioch College, both as a liberal arts college with alternating terms of study and work, in
which teaching and learning are primary. Because it is difficult to express these traditions in a few
words, it may be helpful for administrative personnel to refer to documents such as the College
Mission Statement and Statement of Community Principles. These documents are not part of this
Handbook and thus they are not extensions of administrators’ contracts with the College. These
documents also make clear that being a full and valued member of the Antioch community does not
require adhering to any particular beliefs, but rather implies a willingness to live and work
constructively within Antioch’s system of shared governance which is based on a commitment to
peaceful resolution of conflict, respect for all persons, personal integrity, and social justice.
Section C
Contracts
1. Contracts for Full Time Classroom, Work and Library Faculty
Every faculty member signs an appointment letter with the College specifying title and salary for the
following year. For returning teaching faculty, appointment letters are sent out each spring, and the
College expects them to be returned with a signature within 14 days of their receipt.
Faculty appointments will coincide with the fiscal year, July 1 to June 30. Often the first
appointment does not begin until just before the Fall Quarter and the faculty retreat. In the case of
first appointments, the faculty member’s compensation for the remainder of that fiscal year will be
prorated basis from the annual salary based on the number of months remaining in the fiscal year.
Appointments for tenure track faculty are ordinarily for an initial two-year period. A tenure track
appointment may be renewed for a second two year period following a satisfactory evaluation and
recommendation by Faculty Personnel Committee that is accepted by the President, during the
teacher’s second year of employment. (This is called the “second year review”). A third two-year
appointment may be made following a successful evaluation during the teacher’s fourth year of
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 8
employment (called the “fourth year review”). Normally, a tenure decision is made following the
review in the spring of a faculty member’s s sixth year of employment.
Teachers appointed to renewable but not tenurable positions will be evaluated informally each year
by the Dean of the College, and will be evaluated formally by FPC, each three years or after five
courses are taught, whichever comes last. After the first such review, Faculty Personnel Committee
will determine a timetable for subsequent reviews.
Faculty whose contract will not be renewed following their second year review will be notified no
later than December 31. Faculty who will not be issued a contract following their fourth or sixth
year review will be notified of that decision by the end of Spring Quarter and are entitled to a
terminal contract for the next academic year. When such a person takes a position for part or all of
the terminal year at another institution, Antioch will cease salary and benefits payments at the point
of subsequent employment.
Faculty members expecting to resign from the faculty at the end of an academic year are requested
to notify the Dean of the College, if at all possible, by January 20 of that year. The College considers
it unprofessional for a faculty member to resign a position after April 15.
Antioch College considers this Handbook to be a part of the contract.
Termination of contracts for cause is discussed in Handbook Section I.
2. Contracts for Administrative Personnel
Contracts for administrative personnel are for one year. For returning administrative personnel
appointment letters are sent out each spring, and the College expects them to be returned with a
signature within 14 days of receipt.
Administrative personnel appointments will coincide with the fiscal year, July 1 to June 30. When
the first appointment begins at another point in the year, the administrator’s compensation for the
remainder of that t fiscal year will be prorated from the annual salary based on the number of
months remaining in the fiscal year.
In cases of non-renewal the administrator will be notified no later than March 31st.
Administrative personnel expecting to resign are expected to give at least one month’s notice.
Section D
Faculty Responsibilities
1. Classroom, Work and Library Faculty
Antioch College assumes that its faculty is composed of mature and conscientious persons who
fulfill their responsibilities without close supervision and meticulous rules. The primary
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 9
responsibility of each faculty member is effective teaching and advising, to the best of one’s ability.
All are expected to gain a clear understanding of their particular responsibilities and to fulfill them
on their own initiative in their own creative manner.
All faculty members are expected to attend Faculty Assembly.
Faculty members are expected to serve the College on committees, as appointed by the Dean of the
College or the President, appointed by the Administrative Council or elected by the faculty.
The academic year is 12-months, with year-round teaching, advising and community responsibilities.
The academic year begins with Faculty Retreat before the beginning of the Fall Quarter and ends
with the final day of classes for the Summer Quarter. Faculty members are expected to attend the
Retreat and Commencement exercises. If scheduling conflicts make attendance at any of these
events especially difficult, the faculty member should seek permission to be absent, from the Dean
of the College.
Unless otherwise specified, a faculty member’s annual contract is for the academic year, which is
year-round. If faculty members are to be away from campus for extended periods, they are asked to
inform the Dean of the College about their activities and where they can be reached.
It is assumed that the services of every regular faculty member include teaching, advising, and
committee work. Arrangements for significant blocks of time to do research during the academic
year should be worked out with the Dean of the College and the department.
Placing limits on the number of students in a class or the number of advisees must be approved by
the Dean of the College or the Associate Dean of the College.
Additional information is provided below according to area of responsibility.
Classroom Faculty
The faculty are free to organize their courses as to content, method of teaching and grading,
according to their own best judgment, consistent with the College’s and the department’s aims.
Normally, a three credit hour course will meet for three hours of class per week, and students should
expect to do two hours of preparation or outside work for each hour of class time. Faculty members
know best how to manage their own time and organize their own schedules. They are free to do so,
consistent with fulfilling their tasks and meeting necessary deadlines.
Advising students is a very important part of a faculty member’s responsibilities and all faculty are
expected to be advisors. Many faculty are expected to advise entering students, which is especially
important. Faculty members are expected to give their attention and energy to their advising tasks;
those whose advising loads are small may be asked to teach an additional course in lieu of advising.
Effectiveness in advising will be considered in making decisions on renewal and tenure.
Antioch College faculty members may take a variety of approaches to office hours. No particular
pattern is required. However, one office hour per week for each class taught at times convenient for
those students is suggested to meet student needs. Our objective is to make ourselves available in a
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 10
clearly stated way, so that students need not wait several days to consult with a faculty member when
they are making appropriate efforts to do so.
Teaching faculty are expected to meet classes during unobserved holidays when school is in session
They are also expected to be available for necessary meetings and other responsibilities without
additional compensation during breaks during the academic year (though such meetings are not
routine or frequent).
Work Faculty
The Work Faculty should organize their courses as to content, method of teaching and grading,
consistently with the Department of Work’s aims and master syllabi. Work faculty are responsible
for teaching four levels of the Part-time Work Portfolio to students in residence at the College and
four different Work Portfolios to students who are away from campus on their full-time work terms.
While some of these students may be working locally, the majority will be away from campus
therefore the full-time Work Portfolios but be delivered on-line. Faculty members are also
responsible for serving as the primary contact for a set of employers and for developing
educationally appropriate jobs for students. Advising students is a very important part of a faculty
member’s responsibilities and all faculty are expected to be advisors. Work Faculty are expected to
advise entering students, which is especially important. Faculty members are expected to give their
attention and energy to their advising tasks; those whose advising loads are small may be asked to
teach an additional course section in lieu of advising or to assume other responsibilities for the
advancement of the department. Effectiveness in advising will be considered in making decisions on
renewal and tenure.
While faculty know best how to manage their own time and organize their own schedules, Work
Faculty must be consistently available for contact from students and employers and to meet other
responsibilities and deadlines. Therefore, Work Faculty consistently observe office hours that
resemble those of administrative personnel. No particular pattern is required. However,
simultaneously teaching the Work Portfolio on-line with the Part-Time Work Portfolio in-person
classes with an on-line component suggests that Work Faculty must be particularly attentive to
multiple constituencies. Our objective is to make ourselves available in a clearly stated way, so that
students need not wait several days to consult with a faculty member when they are making
appropriate efforts to do so.
Work Faculty are expected to be on campus or on site visits during unobserved holidays when
school is in session They are also expected to be available for necessary meetings and other
responsibilities without additional compensation during breaks during the academic year (though
such meetings are not routine or frequent).
Library Faculty
Support of the academic and work program is the primary mission of the College Library. Library
Faculty carry separate and distinct responsibilities for access to services and materials, organization
of resources and instruction in the use of bibliographic tools and technology. Library Faculty are
expected to provide the highest quality of service and to remain aware of campus information needs
in order to implement appropriate programs and technologies. They must also work collaboratively,
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 11
with each other and the rest of the faculty, on collection development. Library Faculty are expected
to approach their role as teachers and mentors and emphasize the acquisition of skills as they assist
both students and faculty with research.
The Library Faculty must ensure that full service is provided during all study terms. They share
responsibility for reference services and supervising staff, including students. Advising and
mentoring students is a very important part of a Library Faculty member’s responsibilities and all
faculty are expected to be advisors. Library Faculty are expected to advise entering and teach
students, which is especially important as they further develop their library research skills. Library
Faculty members are expected to give their attention and energy to their advising and mentoring.
Effectiveness in advising will be considered in making decisions on renewal and tenure.
Library Faculty are expected to staff the library on a rotational basis to cover open hours when
school is both in session and out of session. Library hours are reduced during breaks. Library
Faculty are also expected to be available for necessary meetings and other responsibilities without
additional compensation during breaks during the academic year (though such meetings are not
routine or frequent).
2. Administrative Personnel
Administrative personnel are expected and encouraged to participate in the governance of the
College to the fullest extent possible, per the “contributions to the community” criterion for hiring
and renewal. Administrative personnel can and should participate actively in Faculty Assembly.
Administrative personnel are eligible to serve on most College committees. A complete list of
committees and their membership is available on the College Website, and faculty members can
determine from that list the committees which have administrative members.
Section E
Personnel Reviews of Administrative Personnel and Faculty
1. Review Process for Administrative Personnel
As professionals in higher education, the work of administrative personnel must be examined
periodically to determine administrative effectiveness, recognize past accomplishments, and
determine future goals and professional development. The ultimate goal of such reviews is to
strengthen Antioch’s ability to fulfill its mission by enhancing the effectiveness and morale of its
administrative personnel. The following guidelines provide a structure within which such reviews
shall be conducted.
The initial 90-day evaluation and the annual evaluation described below focus on the four criteria for
appointment and evaluation for administrative personnel as described earlier in this Handbook:
administrative effectiveness, quality of mind, contributions to the community, and institutional fit.
An optional third type of review called the periodic review, while indirectly serving the needs of the
institution by supporting administrative personnel, is primarily to benefit the administrator
undergoing the review.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 12
a. Initial Ninety-Day Evaluation
Each new administrator shall have a formal meeting with the supervisor at or around the end of the
first 90 days of work at Antioch College. The meeting shall focus on the administrator’s initial
experiences, questions, and suggestions about needed areas of training or other aids to effectiveness,
and on the strengths of and areas needing improvement in the administrator’s performance.
b. Annual Performance Evaluation
Each year, administrative personnel shall submit written self-evaluations to their immediate
supervisors no later than February 1st. Such annual evaluations will occur even in a year when a
periodic review is conducted.
The self-evaluation provides supervisors with the administrators’ thoughts and reflections on their
performance as measured by the four criteria for evaluation. Candor and realism are important
qualities of these self-evaluations. After a meeting between the administrator and the supervisor, in
which this self-evaluation is discussed, the supervisor shall complete a summary evaluation and shall
share it with the administrator. Copies of these documents shall be submitted to the President’s
office no later than March 1st.
c. Periodic Reviews
Administrative personnel may opt for a periodic review that follows the procedure for faculty.
Those who decide to use the administrator’s periodic review procedure shall follow the procedure
detailed here. Such administrators will, first, choose a focus for their periodic review — ranging
from a routine review for those who are generally satisfied with and expect to continue in their
present role to a reflective review for those who wish to explore possible changes in their
professional role (either within their current employment or by seeking new employment options).
Each administrator shall have a periodic review after the first five years of employment as an
administrator at Antioch College. Thereafter, those administrators who choose to follow the faculty
review process will be reviewed according to the timetable set for that process. Those administrative
personnel opting for the administrative periodic review procedure will be expected to undertake a
periodic review at some point chosen by that individual within each succeeding ten-year period.
The purposes of administrative personnel periodic reviews are:
(1) to support administrative staff by providing them with a safe, nurturing process by which they
can explore with colleagues their effectiveness at work and their work-related developmental goals
and areas of personal concern;
(2) to provide a vehicle for soliciting feedback for administrative staff regarding their impact on co-
workers, students, parents, and/or outside parties; and
(3) to offer an honest affirmation of the administrator’s contribution to Antioch College.
Periodic reviews are not intended to:
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 13
(1) provide a review of a person’s daily performance, which should occur on an ongoing basis
between the individual and her/his supervisor;
(2) substitute for annual performance evaluations that should occur between an administrative
personnel member and his/her supervisor;
(3) provide only praise without critical comments or suggestions for improvement;
(4) focus on a critique of the structure of an administrator’s position or unit;
(5) deal with conflict between an administrator and his/her supervisor; or
(6) generate unsolicited criticism of an administrator’s job performance.
The periodic review (unless the faculty model is used) shall proceed as follows:
(1) The administrator will contact the President to initiate a review process or, if the individual
administrator has not initiated an initial five-year review or a subsequent periodic review after a ten-
year period, the President, who will be responsible for monitoring the administrative review process,
will initiate the review by contacting the individual.
(2) The President will appoint someone to work with the individual in planning and carrying out the
periodic review.
(3) Administrative personnel may use the periodic review to gain a sense of how they are viewed by
the Antioch College community or by relevant subsets of that community.
(4) The President’s appointee will: a) meet with the reviewee to help that individual choose the
review type and engage in a process of self-reflection, discernment, and goal-setting (which may or
may not include a written self-reflection), b) consult with the reviewee regarding whom to solicit for
feedback (such input should always be solicited from the individual’s supervisor) and the form of
such solicitation (e.g. letters, survey, interviews), c) collect feedback as agreed, validate, summarize,
interpret and edit that feedback, d) engage in an open-ended clearness or discernment dialogue with
the individual, using the feedback results, including committee analysis, as well as the individual’s
own ideas, and e) write a review report summarizing their work, in consultation with the reviewee.
(5) Copies of the review report shall be provided to the individual administrator, the individual’s
supervisor (for information only), and the President.
(6) The President will read all individual review reports and conduct a follow-up with the
administrator. The specific form of that follow-up will depend upon the specifics of the report, but
it will always include a written response (shared with the individual) and a meeting of the individual
and the President to discuss the review.
(7) The periodic review report, along with any written response by the President, will become part of
the administrator’s personnel file.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 14
2. Renewal & Tenure Evaluation Process for Classroom, Work and Library Faculty
a. Process Summary
Faculty appointed to full-time tenure track positions should expect to be evaluated for renewal in
their second year of teaching (1st quarter) and again in their fourth year of teaching (4th. quarter).
Tenure decisions are normally made during the 3rd. quarter of one’s sixth year of employment. (For a
definition of tenure, see Handbook Section I, for the review schedule for shared appointments; see
Handbook Section J.
Faculty Personnel Committee (FPC) evaluate the files of tenure track appointments during the
second, fourth and (finally) sixth year of a colleague’s employment with the College. The FPC
recommendation in its finished form is a written “minute” describing the committee’s reasons for its
recommendation. A copy of the FPC minute is always shared with the faculty member. Minutes
from previous evaluation processes become part of the faculty member’s future evaluation files.
In preparing an evaluation file, a faculty member is assigned to a current member of FPC who acts
as a liaison throughout the evaluation process. The FPC liaison is not a partisan or an advocate for
the faculty member but a facilitator to the faculty member as he or she makes choices in constituting
an evaluation file.
b. File Preparation
Faculty members up for review should construct their files in a way that provides a comprehensive
view of their work for FPC and the President to consider in their assessments. The committees will
be able to provide the most productive feedback and make the wisest recommendations when they
are presented with the clearest possible picture of the faculty member’s work in relation to the four
criteria.
The committees do not expect “perfect files” with no criticism or negative student comments.
Rather, they look especially for patterns of evidence of strengths and needs for improvement, with
special attention to the perceptiveness of the faculty member’s own reflections on one’s work and
the responses of others to it.
A few elements of an evaluation file are required for all evaluations. But faculty members also have
considerable choice about what does and does not become part of the file.
A self-evaluation, a current vita, a departmental, and where relevant a program evaluation, student
course evaluations, selected course materials, and feedback from advisees, are all required elements
of any file and are described more fully below:
Once the faculty member has determined what shall be in the evaluation file, the liaison will move
the process along by asking the Dean’s secretary to solicit letters as requested by the candidate. It is
not the candidate’s responsibility to solicit letters for his or her file. No unsolicited letters will be
admitted to the faculty member’s file anytime during the process without the faculty member’s
permission.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 15
(1) Open and Closed Files
The College believes it should be up to the faculty member to choose to have an open or closed file.
No file, whether open or closed, will be a perfect reflection of a faculty member’s work. FPC strives
to read all files carefully and thoroughly regardless of their designation. Some people have strong
preferences for open files, others for closed, and whether to have an open or closed file is for many
a vexed question. Most of the evidence in a file is already available to a faculty member (teaching
evaluations, self evaluation, [often] department and program letters). Thus, what is most directly at
issue in the decision to have a closed or open file is the faculty member’s ability to read letters from
colleagues and students that have not otherwise been shared.
Student and colleague letters may be affected by knowing the file is open or closed, or they may be
unaffected. It they are affected, there is no clear way to predict what the effect will be. Some letters
may be more open, more pointed, more honest in a closed file. On the other hand, some letters may
be more thoughtful, thorough, and less prone to generalizations in an open file. Some argue that
colleagues and students should be able to write accurate and complete letters whether the file is
open or closed; others claim this is unrealistic in a close-knit community like Antioch College. Some
faculty members find it important to see the evidence in their file to see if the judgment of the
committees and FPC minute accord with their own reading of the file, and to learn from the
assessments of their colleagues and the students. Others argue that a faculty member up for review
may be unduly upset or hurt by reading criticisms in his or her file and should give students and
colleagues the freedom to write without worrying about the faculty member’s reaction
It is finally up to faculty members themselves to choose whether their files are open or closed. The
letter requesting contributions to a file, sent by the Dean’s Office to those persons identified by the
faculty member, indicates whether the file will be open or closed to the faculty member.
(2) Building the File
(a) Self-Evaluation
Each faculty member up for review must submit a written self-evaluation to FPC. The self
evaluation provides FPC with faculty members’ thoughts and reflections on their performance as
measured by the four criteria for evaluation. In addition, self-evaluations allow faculty members to
write more generally about their intellectual interests and plans and about pedagogical issues that go
beyond any particular course. In particular, it is useful for FPC to hear directly from faculty
members (though not necessarily in great length) about their intellectual and academic pursuits in a
way accessible for non-specialists.
Such a presentation gives FPC information about quality of mind beyond a listing of professional
accomplishments and publications, though the latter is important as well.
Candor and realism are important qualities of these self-evaluations, especially with regard to
teaching and working with colleagues. The committees do not expect that there will have been no
challenges or failures. Rather, the committees are particularly interested in seeing the way faculty
members respond to and evaluate patterns of feedback from students and colleagues.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 16
Finally, faculty members should say something about their future development and aspirations.
(b) Academic Division and/or Area of Concentration Evaluation(s)
Faculty members will specify whether evaluations from their academic divisions or areas of
concentration are to be in the form of a letter from the divisional chair or separate letters from each
member of the division. Evaluations from members of an area of concentration to which the
candidate makes integral contributions (not simply cross-listing a course) also should be included in
the file. The exact nature of the area of concentration assessment (e.g. a single letter from a faculty
member in the area of concentration vs. a letter from all members) should be appropriate to the
contributions the faculty member makes to the program.
The most informative academic division and/or area of concentration letters provide honest
evaluations of the faculty member with respect to the four criteria, including ways in which the
faculty member fits into am academic division or area of concentration and its anticipated future.
Assessments by academic divisions and/or areas of concentration based on clear and direct evidence
of a faculty member’s performance, such as class observations, team teaching, and academic division
and/or areas of concentration collaborations are most convincing. FPC rely heavily on these
components in assessing both the faculty member’s quality of mind and specific fit of his or her
abilities and interests with curricular and other needs. The latter issue of fit is especially important
for academic divisions to address when the faculty member is filling the last open tenurable position
in the division.
Divisions and/or areas of concentration are encouraged to share assessments with the faculty
member being reviewed to encourage, support, guide, and advise.
(c) Student Course Evaluations
All teaching faculty are encourage to have their courses evaluated by students on a regular basis.
During the probationary period preceding a tenure decision, teaching faculty must make available to
FPC all student responses to their teaching in all of the courses they have taught, (on and off
campus) since their last evaluation. Faculty members should keep all evaluations; a faculty member
may wish to submit, and FPC may request, evaluations from courses prior to the last evaluation. In
addition, letters from a sampling of students for whom the faculty member has been an advisor
should be included in the file.
Course evaluations are sent to the Dean of the College’s Office where a record is made of which
courses have been evaluated, the enrollment numbers for each course and the number of evaluations
returned by students in the course. Sets of evaluations are then returned to teaching faculty. Faculty
members should keep all their course evaluations and are responsible for seeing that evaluations are
made available to FPC as part of their renewal and tenure files.
(d) Course Materials
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 17
Faculty members should include syllabi/course descriptions for their courses. In addition to the
required syllabi, faculty members should also select additional course material (e.g. handouts,
discussion questions, and writing, research and laboratory assignments) as appropriate.
(e) Colleague and Student Letters
Faculty members up for review are encouraged to include letters written by Antioch College
colleagues and students. Some people choose to include letters from persons at other institutions.
(f) Class Interviews
Occasionally people request that students in one or more of their courses be interviewed by a
member or members of FPC. If this is done, a written record of the FPC members’ interview with
the class or classes will be part of the faculty members’ file.
(g) Optional Materials
Other material or information may be included, as suggested by the faculty member. Examples
might be copies of published articles, essays, books, or tapes of music or theater performances.
(h) Committee-requested information
FPC may find it desirable to request elaboration from the faculty members or a referee or to request
that a letter be sent by a person familiar with the faculty member’s work, but not asked by the faculty
member to write. If a letter is desired, the faculty member will be consulted about the
request. The committee will identify the concerns leading to the request and invite the faculty
member to respond. If the faculty member refuses the request, FPC expects that an explanatory
letter will be provided.
c. Decision Sequence
The foregoing evaluation material will be gathered by the Dean of the College’s Office. These
materials will be considered by the President and the Faculty Personnel Committee. They will strive
to make a recommendation by consensus. (See also E.2 for more about this process.)
When the committees and the department or program reach opposite recommendations, the
department or program may request a meeting to hear and respond to the reasons for the
committees’ recommendation.
If the assessment by the committee and the President of the teaching effectiveness of the faculty
member differs critically from that of the academic division and/or area of concentration, and if the
academic division and/or area of concentration has not already studied the evaluations [in reaching
its recommendation], then the faculty member may permit the convener of the academic division
and/or area of concentration (or other appropriate person chosen with the mutual consent of the
division and area and the committees and the President) to have access to the course evaluation
forms. If the representative strongly disagrees with the committee’s interpretation of the student
course evaluations, he or she may request that the recommendation be reconsidered.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 18
Final responsibility for the decision rests with the President and Board of Trustees but with the
advice and consultation with the Faculty Personnel Committee
d. Notification
Faculty Personnel Committee will minute in writing its recommendations and a report of the vote
that indicates a decision in favor or not in favor for renewal or tenure. A copy of this minute will be
given to the candidate. If FPC and the President disagree, FPC will minute its own recommendation
and reasons and will communicate this to the faculty member.
Following the evaluation process for renewal preceding consideration for tenure (usually during
one’s fourth year at Antioch college), the faculty member will be informed of any questions which
appear at that time to be relevant to the tenure decision.
The Dean of the College will meet with the faculty member to discuss the minute.
3. Evaluations of the Teaching of Antioch College’s Administrators who also Teach
Administrators may teach either regularly or on an occasional basis, and these administrators may
make important contributions to our educational program, even though teaching is not a formal part
of their position description.
Faculty Personnel Committee undertakes the responsibility of reviewing the teaching of
administrators, not in order to arrive at a recommendation concerning renewal, but to provide a
chance for collegial feedback. The normal cycle for review is every three years, or every five courses,
whichever is least frequent. After one or more reviews on this cycle, the committee and faculty
member may agree on another cycle better suited to the case.
The general format for collecting information for the file and for evaluation follows the pattern
described for full-time teaching faculty in this section. Because fewer total courses are being
considered, the quantity of material requested may be scaled back, and a subset of Faculty Personnel
committee.
Faculty Personnel Committee will send an evaluation minute to the administrator and the
administrator’s supervisor. A meeting of the administrator and the Dean of the College concludes
the process.
4. Evaluation of Adjunct Faculty
Continuing adjunct faculty and temporary adjunct faculty (see handbook section K for definitions of
these roles) are evaluated according to the general guidelines for full-time teaching faculty outlined in
this section of the handbook. Evaluations are scheduled for each three years or each five courses,
whichever is least frequent. After the first such evaluation, the Dean of the College in consultation
with Faculty Personnel Committee may establish a different cycle if one is more appropriate to an
individual circumstance.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 19
5. Evaluation of Visiting Faculty
From time to time, visiting faculty may stay at Antioch College for more than a year. In such cases,
the Faculty Personnel Committee may ask them if they wish to be evaluated using procedures
analogous to those for full-time teaching faculty. In such cases, the evaluation is for the purpose of
providing useful feedback, and a minute of evaluation that can be used, if the faculty member
wishes, in applying for positions elsewhere. Conducting such an evaluation is not for renewal, and
no further position at Antioch College is thereby being offered or assumed. Faculty Personnel
Committee takes account of its workload in deciding whether these evaluations can be offered. They
are not guaranteed. Evaluation of visiting faculty is required if the faculty member is being
considered for an additional teaching assignment. (For a description of Visiting Appointments, see
section O of this handbook).
Section F
Procedure for Appeal and Review of Decision not to Renew or not to Award Tenure
1. Procedure for Classroom, Work and Library Faculty
A member of the faculty has the right to appeal a decision not to renew his or her appointment or to
award tenure.
It is in the interest both of faculty and the College and consistent with the traditions of Antioch
College values that the best possible persons be secured for initial appointment, that there be
provided means for regular evaluation, consultation, and improvement, and that the decision-making
process be fair, consistent with Antioch’s stated policies and criteria, and be subject to a process of
review.
Consistent with this, the College has the responsibility to make available to all faculty at the time of
appointment this handbook, for which the faculty member will sign, and to notify in writing the
times of assessment and decision for renewal or tenure. In cases of decisions not to award renewal
or tenure, the President or FPC will provide reasons in writing. It must also be kept in mind,
however, that a faculty member’s teaching time before award of tenure is probationary, that the
institution must be accorded the widest latitude consistent with academic freedom and standards of
fairness in establishing criteria and reaching a decision, and that in any appeal the burden of proof
rests with the faculty member. This is consistent with 1971 AAUP Statement on Procedural
Standards in the Renewal or Non-Renewal of Faculty Appointments.
(1) To appeal a decision not to renew or award tenure a faculty member must indicate in writing to
the President that they wish to appeal within 30 calendar days from the beginning of the semester
(first class day) following notification of a decision.
(2) Upon appeal, the President, the Chair of the Faculty, and the faculty member will select an
Appeal Committee consisting of three members of the teaching faculty acceptable to all three
parties.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 20
(3) All relevant material will be submitted to the Appeal Committee in writing. Such materials must
be submitted within 60 days of the beginning of the semester following notification of a decision.
The written materials will include at least the following:
(a) A copy of the reasons for the negative decision received by the faculty member and any
supporting documents the administration may choose to provide;
(b) An appeal document detailing the grounds for an appeal and any supporting documents the
faculty member may wish to provide.
(4) The grounds for an appeal are that the process of evaluation and/or decision making, as stated in
the handbook, was violated or that the faculty member’s academic freedom has been violated (as
defined by the appropriate AAUP statements). The faculty member may not ground an appeal in
disagreements over the judgments of the FPC or President if those judgments were themselves the
product of correct procedure. The College retains the right to make judgments about the quality of
candidates’ performance in accord with the process specified in the handbook; good performance is
not in itself a guarantee of renewal or tenure. If, however, the faculty member believes that an
incorrect judgment about the quality or nature of their work has been arrived at because of faults in
process, she/he must show how flaws in the process lead to such an improper judgment about
performance.
(5) The Appeal Committee will review the decision broadly for fairness of process and conformity
with handbook guidelines. The Appeal Committee is charged with determining whether the faculty
member should have his/her case reconsidered and, if so, under what conditions. It is not the role
of the appeal committee to render an independent judgment on the merits of any candidates’
qualifications for tenure or renewal. The Appeal Committee must be given full access to all persons
and documents that will help it reach a sound conclusion, including the faculty member’s appeal
document, attachments (if any) and the faculty member’s file, should the Appeal Committee wish to
see it.
(6) The Appeal Committee can recommend any of the following:
(a) The appeal is not sustained and no further College action is recommended;
(b) The decision-making process ought to be repeated because of a violation of process or academic
freedom as specified in number 4 above. In this case the Appeal Committee may recommend that
FPC reconsider the faculty member’s case for tenure or renewal or they may recommend that an
alternate FPC be constituted to rehear the case.
The Appeal Committee may wish to trigger the appointment of an alternate FPC if it believes the
sitting FPC has a conflict of interest or for some other reason is unlikely to be able to revisit the case
impartially.
In either case, the Appeal Committee should specify to the FPC (either sitting or alternate) the ways
in which its new process should differ from its prior consideration of the faculty member’s case.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 21
The Appeal Committee will communicate its findings to the faculty member and President in
writing.
The FPC must reconsider the faculty member’s file in conformity with the recommendations of the
Appeal Committee and produce a second recommendation and minute. Whether the new
recommendation or minute concurs or differs from the previous recommendation and minute, it
supersedes the previous recommendation and becomes the recommendation that the President must
use in forming his/her recommendation to the Board.
(7) The alternate FPC, by design, is to consist exclusively of members who were not on the sitting
FPC that heard the faculty member’s tenure or renewal case. The alternate FPC will consist of a
minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 of the most recent full term members of FPC. If there are not 3
full term former members of FPC on campus and available to serve on the alternate FPC, interim or
replacement members of FPC will be asked to serve. Interim or replacement members of FPC will
be asked to serve by the Clerk of the Faculty.
(8) The official record of the Appeal Committee will be kept in the President’s Office files and will
consist of the following:
(a) All written materials received from the administration, the faculty member, and other parties seen
to be appropriate by the Committee:
(b) A copy of the committee’s recommendation;
(c) A log of the Committee’s actions, including times of meeting, documents received, and a record
of parties with whom the Committee or its members conversed.
2. Procedure for Appeal and Review of Decision Not to Renew Contracts for Administrative
Personnel
A member of the administrative staff has the right to appeal a decision not to renew his or her
appointment.
It is in the interest of both administrators and the College and consistent with the traditions of
Antioch College values that the best possible persons be secured for initial appointment, that there
be provided means for regular evaluation, consultation, and improvement, and that the decision-
making process be fair, consistent with Antioch College’s stated policies and criteria, and be subject
to a process of review.
Consistent with this, the College has the responsibility to make available to all administrative
personnel at the time of appointment this handbook, and to notify them in writing about the time
for assessment and decision for renewal. In cases of decisions not to award renew an appointment,
the supervisor will provide notice in writing to the administrator by March 31st.
(1) To appeal a decision not to renew, the administrator must indicate in writing to the President
that he or she wishes to appeal within 30 calendar days of the notification of non-renewal.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 22
(2) The grounds for an appeal are that the process of evaluation and/or decision-making, as stated in
the handbook, was violated. The administrator may not ground an appeal on disagreements over the
supervisor’s judgments if those judgments were themselves the product of correct procedure. The
College retains the right to make judgments about the quality of administrator’s performance in
accord with the process specified in the handbook; good performance is not in itself a guarantee of
renewal. If, however, the administrator believes that an incorrect judgment about the quality or
nature of the administrator’s work has been arrived at because of faults in the process, she/he must
show how flaws in the process led to such an improper judgment about performance.
(3) The President shall review the decision broadly for fairness of process and conformity with
handbook guidelines. The President is charged with determining whether the administrator should
have his/her case reconsidered and, if so, under what conditions. The President will inform the
administrator of his/her decision. An official record of the appeal and response shall be kept in the
President’s office.
Section G
Five-Year Reviews of Tenured Faculty
1. Purpose
Periodic review of tenured faculty has value for both the faculty member and the College. One
objective of such reviews is assessment of teaching, collegiality, service to the College, and quality of
mind. Another, equally important, objective is consideration of professional development and
personal growth. As regards this second objective, the issues of a review may change with the
lengthening of service of a faculty member and with the person’s age, and may change, too, as a
result of altered conditions and circumstances of his or her work at the College. The review is
carried out by a committee in consultation with the faulty member under review, and concludes with
the committee’s written report to the individual and the Dean of the College, who then meet to
discuss the report and its issues. The intent of the review is to be forward looking and the
conversation with the Dean is to help the faculty member as she or he thinks about the prior five
years and looks to his or her professional development.
While the schedule of assessments is established by the Dean of the College and generally follows a
five-year cycle, tenured faculty members may request evaluation at a time better suited to their
planning for sabbatical leaves or undertaking other forms of professional development. The first
review normally occurs five years after the year of the tenure decision and last review within five
years of retirement.
2. Procedure
a. Within the first few weeks of the year in which the assessment is to occur, the Dean of the
College will initiate the procedure by contacting the faculty member. The individual then will meet
with the coordinator of five-year reviews who will explain the procedure and assist the individual in
selecting an appropriate committee, normally of two. The individual will then meet with the
committee to determine how the committee will proceed within the guidelines below.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 23
(1) For faculty who have recently received tenure, materials similar to those of the tenure file may be
appropriate. These consist of a self-evaluation, letters or interviews with departmental and other
colleagues, course evaluations, and possibly letters from students. The self-evaluation should
emphasize the future, in keeping with the objective of promoting professional growth and continued
vitality, in addition to serving as a personal assessment and review of the past five years. The self-
evaluation normally is written prior to, and guides, the work of the committee. There may be
occasions on which it is written after discussion with the committee or perhaps in response to the
committee report.
In some cases, if the written self-evaluation is an obstacle, the faculty member and committee may
decide that the process will be expedited and/or enriched by having an oral presentation of the self-
evaluation instead, or even an extended conversation covering the topics of the review. In either
case, written notes would be helpful for the purposes of the Dean/faculty member discussion that
concludes the process.
(2) Although the procedure outlined above is suitable for all faculty, a person in mid or late stages of
his or her career can choose to have the possibility of moving into academic administration, or
acquiring another discipline, or renewing one’s commitment to research, or planning for retirement.
Because teaching and collegiality are central to the teaching faculty’s activity at the College, the
second and subsequent five-year reviews will continue to make these matters subject to review even
though the major focus may be on other matters.
b. The work of the committee will conclude with a final report submitted by the committee to the
individual and to the Dean of the College. The process will conclude with the individual’s
subsequent conference with the Dean. It is helpful if the faculty member sends a copy of the self-
evaluation to the Dean of the College when it goes to the committee, because this will help frame
the conversation between the faculty member and Dean.
* The five-year assessment is not designed to question the competence of faculty member to hold
tenure, and implies no change in current college policies regarding removal of tenure, or the
College’s adherence to the AAUP Statement of Principles. In particular, no materials gathered
specifically for use in the assessment procedure can be introduced as evidence in any proceeding to
remove tenure.
Section H
Rank
Faculty ranks are the usual ones: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. The ranks
of Lecturer or Instructor may also be used, from time to time, such as for some administrative
personnel who teach part-time. Rank and titles are not determinative in one’s professional and social
relationships at Antioch College, but may be linked to salary or benefits. The College uses titles to be
consistent with the practices of the academic world at large.
Changes in rank are recommended to the Board of Trustees by the Dean of the College after
consultation with the department and/or program of the faculty member and the Faculty Affairs
Committee. New faculty members will normally be Assistant Professors. The promotion to
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 24
Associate Professor will occur in the year succeeding a positive tenure decision. For full-time
teaching faculty, the promotion to Full Professor will occur in or around the 7th year after tenure.
Administrative ranks are generally meant to signify ranges of responsibility, and to conform to
existing conventions for names of positions elsewhere in higher education. Good performance
therefore can affect salary and eligibility for promotion to a position with wider responsibility.
However, promotions (new title) may be proposed by the area supervisor and approved by the
President on the basis of length of service, if this conforms to a national pattern.
Section I
Tenure
1. General Tenure Policies
a. Definition and Timing
Tenure at Antioch College in its narrow and technical sense means assured and continuous
employment until the age of retirement without termination except for cause as outlined below.
Historically in American higher education, tenure is a means to protect academic freedom.
Normally a faculty member will be considered for tenure during one’s sixth year of full time teaching
at the College. The effect of sabbatical leaves, leaves of absence, or service in special programs or
projects on the timing for eligibility for tenure consideration will be determined by consultation
between the Dean of the College and the faculty member.
The teaching experience of faculty members who come to Antioch College from other institutions
can be taken into account in determining the date for tenure consideration. Teaching faculty who
come to Antioch College from tenured positions at other institutions will usually be considered for
tenure after one full year at Antioch. The probationary period for teachers with previous experience
will be determined by consultation between the Dean of the College and the faculty member.
b. Termination for Cause
Termination of a tenured appointment or dismissal of a teacher prior to the expiration of a term
appointment will be considered by the President, the Faculty Personnel Committee, and the Board
of Trustees of the College. Termination of tenured appointments may be occasioned by the inability
or refusal of the faculty member to fulfill his or her regular faculty obligations. Dismissal can be
caused by moral turpitude or academic incompetence. In all cases where the facts are in dispute,
faculty members will have the right of a hearing and will be informed before the hearing in writing
of the charges against them and will, if they so desire, have the opportunity to be heard in their own
defense by all bodies that pass judgment on the case. They will be permitted to have an adviser of
their own choosing who may act as counsel. There will be a full record of the hearing available to
the parties concerned. In the hearing of the charges of incompetence, the testimony will include that
of faculty members from Antioch College and/or other institutions.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 25
Teachers with tenure whose appointments are terminated for cause may receive their salaries in
whole or in part for at least a year from the date of notification of termination or dismissal, whether
or not they are continued in their duties at Antioch College. The amount of salary, if any, to be
received from Antioch College will be reduced by the amount of income the individual receives
from any new position, which he/she holds during the year in question.
c. Other Conditions for Termination of Tenure
Other conditions for the abrogation of tenure, and the processes appropriate to them, are described
in sections L and M of this handbook.
2. Tenure in Interdisciplinary Programs
While most faculty are tenured in a department, Antioch College supports and fosters
interdisciplinary programs, and it is sometimes important to the strength and stability of a program,
and the professional identities of a faculty member that tenure be granted specifically in such a
program. The College may choose to develop tenured positions around interdisciplinary programs.
The definitive evidence of the department and/or program in which a faculty member receives
tenure will be the minutes of the Board of Trustees for the meeting at which tenure is approved.
Section J
Shared Positions
Antioch College may offer shared faculty positions. The following policy relates to those positions.
We are open to considering such positions for administrative positions as well, but currently have
no policy guidelines for such positions. Appropriate guidelines will be developed on a case by case
basis for such opportunities.
A single full time appointment can be shared by two people who divide the duties of the full time
position between them in any combination. Faculty members sharing a position may work in the
same department or in different departments and have the same areas of expertise and be good
substitutes for one another, or they may not be fully interchangeable. Faculty members sharing a full
time position are expected to share a single full time teaching load as well as to carry the full time
equivalent of advisees and college, department, and program committee work between them. We
recognize that the College benefits by having two persons share a full time position as the
community gains the perspectives and personal ties of two rather than one.
The salary for such positions is on a full time schedule rather than on an adjunct schedule. The
College will provide full health insurance benefits to each person as if that person held the full time
position alone. Long term disability insurance and retirement annuity contributions are also
provided, based on the actual (fractional) salary of each person. For a description of tuition
remission policies, refer to the Procedure and Policies document.
There are two categories of shared positions: 1) those in which there is enough overlap of areas of
coverage and training so that each person has the presumptive right to the full time position should
either faculty member leave the College (called Full Shared Position); 2) those positions without
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 26
such overlap and thus that carry no expectation that either faculty member will be extended a full
time appointment should the other person leave the College (called Partial Shared Position). The
category of shared position will be determined at the time of appointment by the Dean of the
College, the faculty members themselves, and the relevant department or program. The process of
renewal through tenure is the same for both categories. However, the information on what happens
if one faculty member of a shared position leaves the College either before of after tenure, differs by
category as explained in (b) and (c) below.
(a) Renewal and Tenure
Each faculty member in a shared position will be evaluated for renewal tenure, promotion, and pay
increments; each is evaluated separately and without reference to the performance of the other
person. For example, both could receive renewal, neither could receive renewal, and only one could
receive renewal. The same is true for tenure and promotion. Renewal, promotion, and tenure for
each individual will be determined, as for all faculty members, according to the processes and criteria
specified in this Handbook. Pay increases will likewise be determined in the same manner as for all
other faculty members.
(b) Rights of Faculty in a Full Shared Position if One Faculty Member Leaves the College
If either faculty member who shares a full time tenure track position is denied renewal or leaves the
College for any other reason prior to both members receiving tenure, the position will convert to a
full time tenure track position for the remaining faculty member. It may remain a part-time tenure
track position if the College and the faculty member mutually agree.
If either faculty member were to leave the College for any reason after both have received tenure,
the remaining faculty member will assume the vacated portion of the position, protected by tenure,
unless the College and the faculty member agree otherwise.
(c) Rights of Faculty in a Partial Shared Position if one Faculty Member Leaves the College
If either faculty member sharing a full time tenure track position is denied renewal or leaves the
College for any other reason prior to both members receiving tenure there is no guarantee of
continuation of the remaining faculty member beyond her or his portion of the position.
If either faculty member were to leave the College for any reason after both have received tenure the
remaining faculty member has a claim to the position, protected by tenure, equivalent to his or her
previous teaching load. Any change in the status of the position from part-time to full-time must go
through the same process as any change at the College and will depend on the needs of the College
at the time.
(d) Other Variations of Shared Positions
In other variations on shared positions (e.g. when two faculty members share more than one full
time equivalent positions), the nature of the agreement including rights of each faculty member
should the other leave, will be worked out between the faculty members, the Dean of the College,
and the Department and Programs.
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 27
Section K
Part-Time Faculty Positions
Antioch College has two types of part-time positions, regular and adjunct. They differ in
responsibilities, compensation levels, benefits eligibility, and eligibility for continuing appointments
and tenure.
Regular Part-time Faculty
These faculty include administrators who work 3/4 time or more, and teaching faculty whose total
workload equals 3/4 time or more (even if their teaching load alone is only 1/2 time or more). Such
faculty are defined by Antioch College as full-time for benefits purposes.
Regular part-time faculty are assigned their fractional share of full time faculty responsibilities as
outlined in this handbook.
Regular part-time teaching faculty will be eligible for renewal, and for consideration for tenure (for
their appropriate fractional portion of a full time position) no later than their tenth year at Antioch
College and no earlier than their 6th.
Adjunct Teaching Faculty
Adjunct faculty are those who work less than 3/4 time. They are compensated on a per-course rate
and, depending on their individual arrangement with the College, may assume some additional
departmental and advising responsibilities. They are not expected, however, to assume a full
fractional share of wider College responsibilities. They may serve on committees and participate in
faculty meetings but these are not required. Adjuncts are not eligible for benefits provided for full
time faculty, and are not eligible for consideration for tenure.
Antioch College has two types of adjunct faculty positions, continuing and temporary. They differ in
that continuing adjuncts occupy ongoing funded positions, and are therefore eligible for annual
appointment renewal, pending satisfactory performance reviews. Temporary adjuncts are employed
because of a particular need in a given year, but which may not be a continuing need in future years.
Unless new arrangements have been made, temporary adjunct appointments will expire and not be
renewable at the end of their specified term.
Part-time Administrative Personnel
Part-time administrative personnel are considered parallel to adjunct teaching faculty although they
are of course not compensated by reference to courses. All other provisions apply.
Combinations of Adjunct Positions
Positions other than regular part-time, added together, do not constitute full time employment for
benefits purposes. If a part time faculty member accepts another part time position at the College,
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 28
benefits are provided only if one or the other of the positions is already full time for benefits
purposes.
The purpose of this policy is to allow current part-time faculty members to compete fairly for
positions which may have a compensation limit. It is meant also to protect budget centers that
employ part-time faculty from having their expenses rise due to factors over which they have no
control.
Section L
Academic Freedom
Antioch College undertakes to provide in every way for a teacher’s freedom to investigate, teach and
publish the truth as one sees it.
Antioch College encourages teachers to feel full freedom in the design of their courses and the
exposition of course material, considering it an important condition for a vital intellectual
community. Even while they may advocate positions, teachers may not use their authority, including
grading, to insist that students hold particular views. Outside the classroom teachers are encouraged
to express their opinions with clarity and vigor. On those occasions where faculty members make
public comments or write about issues clearly at odds with known policies and positions of the
College, they should make it clear that they are not representing the college.
Section M
Faculty and Administrative Personnel Reduction Due to Financial Exigency
1. Termination of faculty and administrative personnel contracts by the institution before the end of
their specified term may only be made for adequate cause (as explained in the section on tenure),
financial exigency, or discontinuation or reduction of a program or a department. These
circumstances also apply to termination or reduction of employment of a person on part-time
appointment or fractional salary.
2. Faculty and administrative personnel reduction in times of financial exigency should be consistent
with the College’s commitments to academic excellence, and Antioch College policies relating to
equal opportunity employment and affirmative action. Before faculty reductions are made by early
termination of contractual obligations, other procedures should be attempted to the extent that they
are consistent with the integrity of educational program; these procedures include natural attrition,
voluntary early retirement, and voluntary leaves of absence. In the event that Antioch College should
consider early termination of contractual obligations for reasons of financial exigency, Antioch
College will use the following determination that a state of financial exigency exists. Antioch College
does not consider itself bound by other definitions and determinations used by other institutions or
academic associations.
The President of Antioch College and the Board of Trustees shall make the determination that a
state of financial exigency exists or is imminent. The President shall have consulted with the Budget
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 29
Committee, for their advice in making that determination. The following criteria, any one of which
will be sufficient, will inform that decision.
a. A decline in total student enrollment totaling 20% or more over a period of three years;
b. A current operating deficit, as defined by the Budget Committee, in excess of 3% of the College
budget for three consecutive years, or 10% in a single year;
The President is not obligated to declare a state of financial exigency if any or all of these conditions
exist.
3. If the President (having sought advice in consultation with the Budget Committee) and the Board
of Trustees decide that a condition of financial exigency exists or is imminent, public notice shall be
given of this. The Academic Program Committee and the Faculty Personnel Committee then are
responsible for recommending specific discontinuance or reduction of a program or a department,
and the Faculty Personnel Committee is responsible for recommending specific personnel decisions.
Two weeks before these committees forward their recommendations to the President; the faculty or
administrative personnel directly involved in the reductions shall be informed and given the
opportunity to speak before the appropriate committee. Final action will be taken by the President
in consultation with the Dean of the College, and approved by the Board of Trustees.
4. Before terminating a faculty or administrative personnel appointment for reason of financial
exigency earlier than the time of expiration of the appointment, the College will make reasonable
efforts to place the person in a position for which he/she is qualified. A position so opened will not
be filled with a replacement within a period of three years, unless the released faculty member has
been offered re-employment with at least his/her previous rank, and has been given at least one
month within which to accept or decline.
5. Written notice that employment is to be terminated because of financial exigency shall be as
follows:
a. For all untenured faculty, not later than December 31; or if the appointment terminates during the
academic year, at least six months in advance of its termination.
b. For tenured faculty at least 15 months. Antioch College shall have the option of substituting
equivalent severance salary and benefits for the 15 months. The institution will have the right to
discontinue severance salary and benefits whenever the faculty member assumes anther position of
comparable rank and salary.
c. For administrative personnel no less than 60 days in advance of termination.
6. Appeal Process
a. A faculty member wishing to appeal a termination or non-voluntary reduction in employment due
to financial exigency may make a written request to the President that an Appeal Committee be
established. This request must be made within two weeks of the date of the notice to terminate or
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 30
reduce employment. The Appeal Committee will consist of three teaching faculty acceptable to both
the President and the faculty person.
b. All relevant material will be submitted to the Appeal Committee in writing. These must include:
(1) The reasons for termination, with any supporting documents the administration may wish to
submit;
(2) The reasons for appeal, with any supporting documents from the faculty member.
c. The only basis for appeal is that the process of decision-making defined in this Handbook has
been violated.
d. The Appeal Committee may recommend either of two things:
(1) The appeal is not sustained and no further College action is recommended;
(2) The decision-making process ought to be repeated because of a violation of the decision-making
process. A copy of the recommendation, in writing, will be sent to the President and to the faculty
member.
e. The official record of the Appeal Committee, to be kept in the President’s Office will consist of
the following:
(1) All written materials received from the administration, the faculty member, and any other parties
seen to be appropriate by the committee;
(2) A copy of the Committee’s recommendation;
(3) A log of the Committee’s actions, including times of meeting, documents received, and a record
of parties with whom the Committee or its members conversed.
Section N
Discontinuance or Reduction of a Program or Department Not Mandated by Financial
Exigency
Termination of a tenured or provisionally tenured appointment, or of a probationary or term
appointment, before the end of the specific term, may occur as a result of the discontinuance or
reduction of a program or department of instruction. The following standards and procedures will
apply:
1. Formal discontinuance or reduction of a program or a department will be based on an overall
written plan for the academic program and staffing. This plan will be built upon long range
judgments derived from the College’s mission and objective of educational service and in
consultation with the Faculty. Academic Program Committee and Faculty Personnel Committee are
Antioch College Faculty & Administrative Personnel Handbook 2010 31
responsible for recommending specific discontinuance or reduction of a program or department,
and the Faculty Personnel Committee is responsible for recommending specific personnel decisions.
Final action will be taken by the President in consultation with the Dean of the College and
approved by the Board of Trustees.
2. Consideration of discontinuance or reduction of a program or a department may include the
pattern of enrollments in the department or program’s combined course offerings and the
enrollments per teaching FTE.
3. Before the administration issues notice to a faculty member of its intention to terminate an
appointment because of formal discontinuance or reduction of a program or department of
instruction, the College will make reasonable efforts to place the affected faculty member in another
suitable position in the College, if such a position is available. If no position is available within the
College, the faculty member’s appointment then may be terminated, following written notification.
The place of the faculty member concerned will not be filled by a replacement within a period of
three years, unless the released faculty member has been offered reappointment with at least his/her
previous rank, and has been given at least one month within which to accept or decline.
4. The Appeal Process is outlined in Section M.
Section O
Visiting Faculty Appointments
Visiting appointments to the Antioch College faculty provide staffing on a short term basis.
Sometimes these are occasioned by the need to replace faculty on sabbaticals or another kind of
leave. They may also fill positions resulting from grant-funded special activities or when there is not
time to have launched a national search appropriate for a tenure-track appointment.
Visiting faculty have appointments which extend only for one block, one quarter or one year or
another term specified in the appointment letter. There is no presumption that visiting faculty will
be considered for renewal of beyond the term originally specified.
Visiting faculty are provided benefits appropriate to the terms of their appointment (full time or
adjunct) and the duration of their appointment. For details, consult the sections of the Policies and
Procedures part of this document which deal with benefits.
Visiting faculty are encouraged to have their courses evaluated. If the faculty member were to apply
for a subsequent vacancy at Antioch college, the past student evaluation forms would be required as
part of the application materials.
