After the annual evaluation process has been concluded in the spring, a private conference with the Director provides each faculty member the opportunity to discuss professional and pedagogical accomplishments and aspirations as well as preferences in teaching assignments for the next year. At this meeting or immediately prior to it, faculty members receive a copy of their written evaluation, and at the meeting the faculty member and the Director will sign two copies of this evaluation, one to be kept by the faculty member and one to be placed in the GKSOM file.
During this meeting, there is the opportunity to discuss improvement in specific areas of performance and other matters of importance. Ideally, faculty members emerge with a clear understanding of the evaluation and plans for the following year, which may include steps to rectify any problems which emerged in the evaluation.
This is also an occasion for a faculty member to present his or her needs. Allocation of effort, workload, specific teaching assignments, plans for research/creative activity, and service can be discussed. Faculty may wish to come prepared to discuss topics such as:
- teaching assignment
- sources of satisfaction and concern
- resources to implement more effective teaching or new research/creative activity support for the improvement of a performing ensemble
- research/creative activity
Above all, the goal of the conference is to make each faculty member as effective in his or her work and as satisfied with his or her work and evaluation as is possible. Every effort is made to ensure the evaluation is candid and clear and that goals for change, if desired, are established with measurable indicators of progress.