These awards are described in Policy and Procedure Statement 6.02 . Faculty members at Southwest Texas State University are eligible to apply for the Minnie Stevens Piper Award, which is presented to outstanding teachers in Texas colleges and Universities. The Piper Award is described in Policy and Procedure Statement 6.05 . The University requires departments to evaluate their faculty members yearly in order to inform them of their strengths and weaknesses. This formative evaluation, is intended to benefit the faculty member and to improve faculty performance.
Teaching is the primary factor in all faculty evaluation.
Specific procedures of formative evaluation are determined by the schools and departments. Effective teaching is a basic criterion in the evaluation of faculty members for tenure, promotion, and merit raises. The University requires that students have the opportunity to evaluate their instructors. The means of evaluation are determined by the schools and departments. The Faculty Advancement Center offers formative evaluation sessions, individual training, workshops and lectures to assist instructors.