Best-Practice Strategies for Faculty Evaluations: A Focus on Pharmacy Departments or Divisions with Both Tenure and Nontenure-Track Faculty Members

There are unique challenges associated with the evaluation of faculty in pharmacy departments or divisions that have a mix of nontenure-track and tenure-track faculty members. Such evaluations are intended to provide feedback on performance and personal growth but have the potential to demotivate faculty and add to existing stress if improperly performed. The purpose of this commentary is to suggest best practices for department chairs involved in performing evaluations of faculty in pharmacy departments or divisions that have a mix of nontenure-track and tenure-track faculty members. The paper is intended to help ensure these evaluations not only capture the quality and quantity of each faculty member's full range of activities and responsibilities but also are conducted in a supportive and constructive fashion. This commentary is targeted at new department chairs, new faculty members unfamiliar with academic evaluation processes, and departments contemplating changes in their existing evaluation procedures.