Academic Affairs at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

Faculty Reviews

Background

Faculty mentoring and regular feedback was an articulated need by multiple VP&S faculty by broadly representative CUIMC faculty committees:

  • The VP&S Faculty Focus Groups
  • The VP&S Task Force for Faculty Development and Recognition
  • The Committee for Mentoring for the Academic Tracks
  • The Virginia Kneeland Frantz Society for Women Faculty
  • Subcommittee of the Faculty Council

In addition, the 2018 LCME accreditation visit identified the following specific needs:

  • A policy and a mechanism for faculty to receive feedback on a regular basis including performance and progress to promotion.
  • The ability to provide aggregate data on faculty satisfaction with the process for formal feedback on their academic performance and progress toward promotion.
  • The ability to provide a summary analysis of the data.

The Policy

As a result, a proposal for a new school-wide policy that would systematize the process of faculty reviews was developed. This policy was reviewed and vetted by several broadly representative faculty committees and was adopted after an affirmative vote by the VP&S Faculty Council.

Departments should provide faculty reviews focused on professional development and academic advancement:

  • Annually for assistant professors, including one at year 4 or 5 focused on academic advancement
  • A review every other year for faculty at the advanced ranks (associate and full professor ranks)

Structure of the Faculty Review

The CUIMC Office of Academic Affairs provides departments and academic units with resources to develop and implement this policy. Such guidance includes:

  1. Provision of an online tool that facilitates data collection and storage for this process
  2. Instructions for topics to be covered in the annual conversation. At minimum, the following activities should be discussed during the annual faculty review:
    1. Teaching and advising/mentorship
    2. Publications
    3. Research funding (active and pending)
    4. Clinical care
    5. Service and leadership at the university
    6. Leadership outside the university (in local, national and international organizations within the faculty member’s field of interest)
    7. Honors and awards
    8. Short-term goals for the coming year (measurable goals)
    9. Long-term goals (three to five years)
    10. Mentoring tools and resources
    11. Opportunities for discussion

Resources for Faculty

Tools and resources to support this process are available from the Office of Faculty Professional Development and Engagement (or Academic Affairs). Please email us at Office_Acad_Affairs@cumc.columbia.edu if you have any questions.