Accreditation Council on Optometric Education

regardless of academic rank. The Committee for Professional Qualifications reviews sabbatical applications and forwards recommendations to the President who makes the final decision whether or not to grant the request. (5.3) The College has in place a process of regular faculty evaluation. Each faculty member meets with their primary supervisor on an annual basis to review activities, establish goals, and identify ways to achieve those goals in the upcoming year. For those faculty with assignments in multiple areas, the primary supervisor will seek input from other supervisors so that the review is comprehensive. As part of the review process, the faculty member must prepare a Faculty Annual Report on a template specific to their area of primary assignment. The information in the template, along with the curriculum vitae and list of faculty publications and other accomplishments, is used by the primary supervisor to make recommendations regarding merit pay increases. The team confirmed through review of completed Faculty Annual Report templates and discussions with faculty and faculty supervisors that the program adheres to the annual faculty evaluation process. (5.4) The College has well-established policies and procedures for faculty recruitment and retention, promotion, tenure, academic assignments and responsibilities, sabbaticals, reporting relationships, grievance and benefits. Policies on recruitment and appointment of faculty, grievance, and benefits are subject to policies of the SUNY Board of Trustees with provisions and agreements between the State of New York and the Union of University Professions (UUP.) Policies are published in the SUNY Policies of the Board of Trustees and in the Agreement between the state and the UUP. Policies regarding reporting relationships, promotion and tenure, academic assignments and responsibilities, and sabbaticals are published in the Faculty Handbook and the University Eye Center by-laws. The team confirmed during the open meeting with faculty and meetings with program administrators that faculty are familiar with the policies and that all policies are routinely adhered to. (5.5) The College developed a Five-year Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan starting in 2016 that addresses diversity and inclusion throughout the institution. Part of this plan looks at diversity of the faculty with emphasis on recruitment of underrepresented minorities. The Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan acknowledges the challenges in faculty recruitment due to a limited pool of potential URM faculty nationwide. Accordingly, the College has developed three strategies with associated outcome measures to achieve its goal of increasing the number of minority faculty members at the institution. (5.6) Standard VI – Students The program has a fair and impartial process that results in the admission of students who possess the intelligence, integrity, and maturity necessary for them to become competent doctors of optometry. The process is documented in the “Admissions Policy and Procedures” and is followed closely as evidenced during the site visit. (6.1)

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