A Qualitative Analysis of Contingent Faculty Performance Evaluations at a Liberal Arts Colleg

This research study examined full-time non-tenure nor tenure track faculty experiences with newly implemented annual performance evaluations. The problem is that new faculty evaluation practices continue to be adopted without considering the effects the practice has on faculty behavior and institutional strategic aims. The purpose of this research is to contribute to the existing body of knowledge concerned with instituting changes to faculty performance evaluations. Organizational theory and change management theory guided the research by providing knowledge of organizational changes to higher educational faculty performance appraisals. The qualitative case study used thematic analysis of narrative data collected through Likert scaled, semi-structured and open-ended interview questions. An advocacy lens guided the inquiry and analysis to provide an opportunity to empower faculty seldom heard. Purposeful sampling of 12 full-time non-tenured nor tenure track faculty were targeted. The research questions guiding the study were; RQ1; How do fairness perceptions affect your behavior and RQ2, how do fairness perceptions affect institutional aims? The research results demonstrated that current faculty performance appraisals are not perceived any fairer than previously utilized performance appraisal practices at the study site. Fairness perceptions affect faculty behavior and faculty are not motivated to excellent performance due to the annual evaluation. Institutional strategic aims are unknown therefore unmet by faculty during their annual review. Current developmental changes to annual performance appraisals limit the effectiveness of aligning faculty work to institutional strategic aims. Faculty performance appraisals are important for higher education institutions however the practice must ensure efficiency and standards to secure institutional standing. Therefore, future research would consider transformational change in current practices towards well-functioning systems.