Working Rules of the
Procedures on Request for Reconsideration of Department Recommendation
Constitution and Bylaws:
Section 6.3 of the bylaws, "Personnel Procedures at the College Level," makes the following statement:
While each department bears the principal responsibility for evaluating the professional competence of its own faculty members, the college must be satisfied that such evaluations are in accordance with high academic standards in each discipline and with college policies.
The bylaws specifically address reassessment in section 6.32:
If, on the basis of the evidence submitted by a department, the college is not persuaded that an individual recommendation should be approved, the college shall return the recommendation to the department for reassessment, with a statement of reasons in writing. A copy of the statement shall be made available to the individual involved. In consultation with the individual, the department may respond to the college statement and resubmit its recommendation if it wishes to do so. Where a decision involves the professional competence or achievements of an individual faculty member, the department's judgment shall be overridden only on the basis of substantial evidence that inadequate professional standards of evaluation were applied by the department. The college shall determine how such evidence is to be obtained and evaluated.
The College Council will proceed as follows:
1. Where the Council returns a recommendation to the department for reassessment, the Council will provide an opportunity for a hearing which will permit the faculty member, chair, and/or personnel committee chair to present information. Notice of a request for a hearing must be made within five working days of the return of a recommendation.
2. A faculty member appearing before the Council shall be permitted to bring one NIU colleague as an advisor and up to two NIU colleagues as observers. Formal presentations to the Council shall be limited to the faculty member and the advisor. The faculty member always appears first in Council hearings and will normally be limited to a 30 minute presentation. The department representative(s) will normally be limited to a 30 minute presentation.