Effectiveness is assessed through peer evaluations, student evaluations, faculty member s teaching portfolio, and other related means. Professional involvement and accomplishments include scholarly activities such as, but not limited to, research, writing, and artistic production or performance. The relative importance of each of these is defined in departmental guidelines. Effective teaching is the most important activity in which a faculty member engages at UW River Falls. While all other areas are essential to a successful career, we emphasize the teacher-student interaction both inside and outside the classroom.
Students evaluate all probationary faculty each semester.
Those evaluations, along with other criteria, contribute to the decision by the university to retain a faculty member. The typical work load for a faculty member is twelve undergraduate credit hours each semester. Most classes are three credit hours each. Each year faculty members are eligible for a merit salary increase. A peer evaluation process is used based on information provided by the individual faculty member concerning professional achievements during the year and other data described above.