Version Information
Fri, 31 Mar 2023
Approved by: Governance Board
Current Version: V1.1
Replaces Version: V1.0
Next Review: Fri, 31 Dec 2021
Domain:
Institute
Academic Staff Performance Review and Management Policy
Purpose
This policy provides a framework for ongoing performance review and management of Metavision Institute’s academic staff. The aim of this policy is to ensure a high level of organisational effectiveness and educational quality, with accountability and ongoing monitoring of staff performance through annual reviews. This policy aligns with Section 6.2 Corporate Monitoring and Accountability and 6.3 Academic Governance in the Higher Education Standards Framework 2015.
Scope
This policy applies to all academic staff and line managers at the Metavision Institute.
Definitions
Line manager refers to staff members who will manage academic teaching staff, provide induction for new staff members and conduct annual performance reviews.
Serious misconduct refers to
- Wilful or deliberate behaviour by an employee that is inconsistent with the continuation of the contract of employment; and
- conduct that causes serious and imminent risk to the health or safety of a person, or the reputation and viability of Metavision Institute’s operations.
Examples of serious misconduct are:
- theft,
- fraud,
- assault,
- being drunk or under the influence of illicit drugs at work, and/or
- refusing to carry out work duties.
Relevant TEQSA Threshold Standards
This policy aligns with 5.3 Monitoring, Review and Improvement Section 6: teachers’ review of feedback, 6.2 Corporate Monitoring and Accountability Section 1.f: mechanisms for competent academic governance and leadership, and 6.3.1 Academic Governance Section 1a: academic oversight of quality of teaching and learning, of the Higher Education Standards Framework 2015.
Policy
1. Academic Teaching Staff Performance Review
The performance review process provides a formal mechanism, in addition to ongoing monitoring and constructive feedback processes, to review academic teaching staff and improve staff performance when necessary.
Academic teaching staff members will maintain current resumes to be discussed in the annual performance review meeting with their line manager that include:
- Involvement in curriculum development, subject review and teaching for the past year;
- Reflection on formal Student Unit Evaluation Surveys and student feedback of their teaching, which will be provided by the Academic Director following the release of grades to students at the end of each semester;
- Goals for improvements in teaching and other academic activities;
- Scholarly activities and professional development activities undertaken.
Line managers will utilise a performance review template (Appendix one) to ensure a standard process is conducted with each staff member and recorded. The review will include collaboratively setting goals for the year ahead.
2. Performance Management
In the case that a line manager identifies concerns with an academic teaching staff member’s performance as a result of the review, the following interventions will be put in place:
- Mentoring of the academic teaching staff member by a senior academic who is not the line manager;
- Inviting the academic teaching staff member to observe the teaching activities of other experienced academic staff members;
- Conducting additional moderation of assessment marking and grading to provide frequent feedback to the academic teaching staff member.
- Participating in targeted professional development opportunities in areas of underperformance;
- Having regular review meetings with the line manager.
If unsatisfactory performance is ongoing, despite remedial actions undertaken by Metavision Institute and documented in the academic teaching staff member’s record, the Executive Officer will send a formal written warning to the academic teaching staff member outlining the areas of performance to be rectified, advising the staff member that termination is one of the possible actions that may be taken by Metavision Institute, with a date for the next review meeting.
Termination of Employment
If, at the additional performance review meeting, there is little or no evidence of improvement in the identified area(s) of concern, termination of employment may result. Academic teaching staff may also be terminated, without notice, in the case of serious misconduct.
Responsibilities
Line managers are responsible for:
Conducting annual performance reviews in a constructive manner with each academic staff member,
- Reviewing position descriptions as part of annual performance reviews, to ensure currency of work duties and performance indicators,
- Providing a summary report to the Academic Director on the outcomes of performance reviews, and
- Undertaking the Fair Work Ombudsman training in Difficult conversations in the workplace - manager course.
The Academic Director is responsible for providing the results of Student Unit Evaluation Surveys to academic teaching staff for units in which they have taught following the release of grades to students at the end of each semester. The Academic Director is also responsible for making decisions on termination of academic staff members in the case of serious misconduct.
Related Documents
- Teaching and Learning Plan 2019-2021