Developing and Implementing Effective Faculty Review Processes for Enhanced Performance in Higher Education

Regular and effective faculty performance reviews are essential for maintaining high educational standards. When higher education institutions lack effective strategies to develop and implement effective faculty evaluation processes, teaching quality and institutional success are negatively impacted. Grounded in Freeman’s stakeholder theory and the Baldrige Excellence Performance Framework, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies that some leaders of higher education institutions used to develop and implement faculty evaluation processes. The participants in the study were two organizational leaders and two faculty members from a higher education institution in the Atlantic region of Canada, all of whom had relevant knowledge and experience. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, institutional documents, and public sources. Through thematic analysis, eight key themes emerged: (a) inclusive development of evaluation criteria, (b) structured evaluation processes, (c) comprehensive evaluation components, (d) feedback and professional development, (e) leadership and support, (f) transparency and fairness, (g) utilization of evaluation data, and (h) continuous improvement. A key recommendation is for senior leadership to support the institution’s faculty evaluation program and include faculty members throughout the evaluation process. The implications for positive social change include the potential to improve teaching quality, faculty performance, student academic achievements, and financial growth.