Peer review of teaching is required for all instructors, regardless of academic rank or tenure status, as outlined in the University of Minnesota Evaluation of Teaching policy. The School of Public Health (SPH) has a documented peer-review of teaching policy and process that supports equity in promotion and tenure by contributing to a multi-dimensional evaluation of teaching.
The peer review includes the examination of course materials, class observations (or the online equivalent), and collegial discussions. To support the process, guides and a toolkit have been created specifically for the school. Links to these materials are provided below
A peer evaluation is required in the promotion dossier and is optional in the continuation of a probationary tenure-track dossier. SPH faculty may conduct either a summative or formative evaluation of teaching:
- Summative evaluation: Included in the dossier; strongly recommended for probationary tenure-track faculty teaching in years 4 or 5.
- Formative evaluation: Optional to include in the dossier; may be requested at any time to improve specific aspects of teaching.
Including a brief paragraph providing context, information about the evaluator, and/or reflections on the evaluation is optional.
Contact Betsy Wattenberg, Associate Dean for Education and Student Engagement at watte004@umn.edu for details on how to obtain a peer teaching evaluation or for other questions about the peer review of teaching process.
