Section II: Performance Areas, Criteria, Indicators, and Standards

Performance Areas, Criteria, and Indicators Effective December 1, 2000
Standards Effective December 1, 2001
Revised July 31, 2009
Revised July 1, 2010

Introduction

Evaluation of a Faculty member’s performance in relation to the standards for each criterion should take into account the job description and changes in the Plan of Work. Standards should be considered minimums for documented work performance over time. It is expected that after performance has been achieved at a new level, it will be sustained.

Standards represent the minimum performance expected in each criterion. A Faculty member may receive a positive action if they do not meet the standard in all criteria if they are seen as progressing well toward the desired standard or there are sufficient extenuating circumstances.

In general, Faculty members should spend approximately 50 to 70 percent of their time in Performance Area I, 10 to 25 percent in Performance Area III, 10 to 15 percent in Performance Area IV, and 1 to 5 percent in Performance Area V. The sum of weights for Performance Area I and III must be at least 70 percent.

Notes:

  • Continuing contract and promotion to Associate Extension Professor are independent actions and do not necessarily occur at the same time unless requested by the Faculty member
  • Post-tenure Compensation packets will be evaluated using the standards for the current rank of the Faculty member

Performance Area I: Educational Program Development

Weight______

PA I: Criterion 1: Conducts issues and needs assessment (Expected)

Indicators:

  1. Methods used, e.g., focus group, observation, interview, test
  2. Tools used, e.g., survey, questionnaire, phone call records, information requests, program requests
  3. Sources used, e.g., professional peers, program team, advisory groups, personal knowledge and experience, research results, intuition, review of records and reports, contact with under-served and under represented groups

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Employs at least one method
  • Uses at least one tool
  • Draws upon available data

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Employs at least three methods
  • Uses at least three tools
  • Draws upon multiple sources of data, professional judgment, and advisory groups

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Integrates multiple methods
  • Relies upon diverse tools
  • Integrates personal and professional analysis of needs into program development

PA I: Criterion 2: Sets goals and outcome-based objectives in relation to the State Plan of Work (Expected)

Indicators:
Goals and outcome-based objectives should be:

  1. Specific
  2. Measurable
  3. Attainable
  4. Realistic
  5. Timely
  6. Prioritized

Standards:

  • Throughout one’s career, program goals and outcome-based objectives are SMART and prioritized
  • Goals and outcome-based objectives align with local and state priority issues and aspirations.

PA I: Criterion 3: Designs, delivers, evaluates, refines, and reports programs; individually or as part of a team (Expected)

  • For each indicator, address how it is incorporated into educational programs
  • For team efforts, indicate your specific role(s)
  • For evaluation, include tools used and a brief summary of results of specific evaluations; do not include individual participant evaluation forms or data not yet analyzed

Indicators:

  1. Involves clients in program design
  2. Involves internal and external advisory groups in program development, e.g., county executive committees, UM, UMS, local, state, or regional agencies and organizations
  3. Uses a variety of program delivery methods – e.g., one-on-one consultation, demonstration, lecture, hands-on activity, workshop, learn-by-mail, train-the-trainer, fact sheet, web page, newsletter, newspaper article, case study, new media technologies
  4. Enhances program development through effective use of people, e.g., recruits, trains, and manages volunteers and students, works with program staff to enhance program delivery
  5. Develops innovative educational materials and adapts program delivery methods to the audience
  6. Adapts educational materials and technology focused on audience needs
  7. Develops and uses evaluation tools, e.g., to evaluate teaching effectiveness, program content, and learner outcomes in relation to the stated goals and objectives
  8. Revises educational programs in response to evaluation results
  9. Reports program impacts in a timely, accurate and complete way, e.g., Maine Planning and Reporting System, county, state, and federal reports, exemplary program reports, success stories, contract or grant updates and reports
  10. Demonstrates commitment to civil rights, EO, and affirmative action in reaching diverse audiences that are reflective of the population – e.g., publicizes programs and modifies programs to reach new and diverse audiences with special attention to reaching under-served and under-represented audiences

Standards:
All Faculty members, throughout their careers with UMaine Cooperative Extension, are required to:

  • Involve clients, advisory, peer, and professional groups in program design as appropriate
  • Report program impacts in a timely, accurate, and complete manner including entries into Maine Planning and Reporting System, and where relevant, county, state and federal reports, success stories, contract and grant updates and reports
  • Demonstrate a commitment to civil rights, equal employment opportunity, and affirmative action in designing educational programs, serving the public, collaborating with colleagues in and outside of UMaine Cooperative Extension, and reaching new and diverse audiences with special attention to reaching under-served and under-represented audiences

1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Uses at least two program delivery methods
  • Where applicable, recruits and supports volunteers to enhance program impact
  • Develops educational materials to address audience needs and issues
  • Conducts consistent program evaluation and incorporates findings into future programs
  • Reports program accomplishments on Maine Planning and Reporting System and through other means as appropriate

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Uses varied program delivery methods as appropriate
  • Where applicable, implements an effective volunteer management system and staff management system
  • Develops, refines & enhances educational materials to reflect learning styles and current educational theory and practice
  • Designs and adapts program evaluation tools that assess multiple dimensions of client impact
  • Reports program accomplishments on Maine Planning and Reporting System and through other means as appropriate

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Uses multiple program delivery methods to address varied learning styles and educational needs over time
  • Where applicable, demonstrates high degree of effective volunteer management, including ongoing program and volunteer development, and staff management
  • Educational materials & technologies are reflective of emerging audience needs and educational theory and practice and contribute to clients’ capacity to teach others
  • Draws upon current evaluative research to assess impacts and offers new evaluative models to peers
  • Reports program accomplishments on Maine Planning and Reporting System and through other means as appropriate

PA I: Criterion 4: Documents program impact with emphasis on economic, environmental, and social conditions for Maine citizens and others (Expected)

Indicators:

  1. Economic impacts such as businesses started, jobs created or retained, costs reduced, etc.
  2. Environmental quality enhanced, protected, restored or changed
  3. Client growth and development
  4. Community, business, group or organizational change

Standards:
All Faculty members, throughout their careers with UMaine Cooperative Extension, are expected to assess and report the impact of their work with emphasis on at least one of economic, environmental, or social conditions

1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Assess and report short-term impacts that occur in less than one year post-program
  • Develop a plan for assessing long-term impacts that occur beyond one year post-program

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Assess and report short-term impacts that occur in less than one year post-program
  • Assess and report long-term impacts that occur beyond one year post-program

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Assess and report short- and long-term impacts that document substantial participant outcomes

PA I: Criterion 5: Engages in professional development to enhance teaching preparedness and effectiveness (Expected)

  • For each activity indicate title, date(s), and a brief explanation of how the activity enhanced your skills or contributed to educational program development
  • Include sabbatical leaves

Indicators:

  1. Has a professional development plan
  2. Engages in professional development
  3. Learns educational techniques for more effective and efficient work, e.g., computer programs for teaching, distance learning technology
  4. Enhances effectiveness and efficiency, e.g., shares program materials with others, uses relevant program materials produced by others
  5. Stays current with literature
  6. Acquires funds to support professional development, e.g., grants and contracts with funds for professional development, special grants or scholarships received for professional development, use of UMaine Cooperative Extension flexible staff development funds

Standards:
All Faculty members, throughout their careers with UMaine Cooperative Extension, are expected to:

  • Develop and implement a professional development plan
  • Participate in at least two significant professional development activities faculty at least one of which expands professional connections beyond UMaine Cooperative Extension, e.g., workshops, conferences, or other similar activities
  • Demonstrate how professional development has enhanced program development and professional skills and knowledge

1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Is encouraged to create opportunities to share the results of professional development activities with colleagues to enhance their skills and knowledge

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • At least once, will create opportunities to share the results of professional development activities with colleagues to enhance their skills and knowledge

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • At least twice, will create opportunities to share the results of professional development activities with colleagues to enhance their skills and knowledge

PA I: Criterion 6: Conducts or collaborates on applied research to support program development (Expected)

For each project include date(s), topic or activity, your role(s), name(s) and role(s) of collaborators, summary of findings, how the research contributed to program development.

Indicators:

  1. Conducts or collaborates on research
  2. Reports findings
  3. Incorporates results into program development

Standards:
All Faculty members, throughout their careers with UMaine Cooperative Extension, are expected to conduct or collaborate on applied research on an on-going basis to support program development and incorporate applied research.

1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Is involved in at least one applied research project

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Is involved in at least one applied research project
  • Uses findings in program development

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Provides leadership in collaborative applied research
  • Uses findings in program development at least once every three years

PA I: Criterion 7: Seeks and acquires grants, contracts, and special funds in support of educational program development (Expected)

  • Indicate agency name, date applied, dollar amount, and disposition

Indicators:

  1. Number of grants sought
  2. Dollars and resources requested
  3. Number received
  4. Dollars and resources raised or received
  5. Responsibly manages fiscal resources

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Is familiar with the grant-writing process and potential grant and contract sources
  • Seeks external funding through at least one grant, contract, or special fund proposal
  • May raise funds through a development strategy in collaboration with relevant partners

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Seeks external funding through at least three grant or contract proposals
  • Receives at least one externally-funded grant, contract, or special fund
  • May raise funds through a development strategy in collaboration with relevant partners
  • Acquired funding through a development initiative

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Supports new program(s) through externally-funded grants or contracts
  • Seeks external funding through at least three grant or contract proposals
  • Receives at least one externally-funded grant, contract, or special fund
  • May raise funds through a development strategy in collaboration with relevant partners
  • Acquired funding through a development initiative

PA I: Criterion 8: Demonstrates educational program leadership (Expected)

Indicators:

  1. Collaborates with others, including UM and UMS colleges and departments, and outside agencies and organizations
  2. Is involved in multi-county and multi-state programming efforts
  3. Serves as statewide Program Leadership Team member or leader
  4. Enhances the reputation of UM and UMaine Cooperative Extension

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Collaborates with UMaine Cooperative Extension colleagues, and local and state agencies and organizations
  • Is involved in at least one multi-county program
  • Participates in at least one Program Leadership Team (PLT)

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Collaborates with colleagues in UM and UMS colleges and departments, and in local and state agencies and organizations
  • Participates in at least one multi-county program and at least one multi-state program
  • Participates in at least one PLT

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Collaborates with colleagues in UM and UMS colleges and departments, and in local, state, multi-state or national agencies and organizations
  • Provides leadership in at least three multi-county programs and at least one multi-state program
  • Participates in at least one PLT

Performance Area II: Undergraduate and Graduate Teaching and Advising

If applicable, please note percent of time devoted to teaching and advising: ______%.

Evaluation of undergraduate and graduate teaching and advising is conducted by the appropriate department.

PA II: Criterion 1: Teaching philosophy, strategies, and approaches

Indicators:

  1. Describe your main field of teaching responsibility
  2. Has a written teaching philosophy
  3. Strategies used
  4. Approaches used

PA II: Criterion 2. Efforts to address multiculturalism, gender, and international issues, and other curricular goals of UMS

Indicators:

  1. Integral part of teaching responsibilities
  2. Work undertaken with k-12 schools

PA II: Criterion 3. Efforts to enhance teaching effectiveness

Indicators:

  1. Seeks ongoing professional development in teaching effectiveness
  2. Shares effective teaching techniques and tools with colleagues

PA II: Criterion 4. Courses taught

Indicators:

  1. Number and title of each course
  2. Average number of students
  3. Indicate those courses taught regularly, those you have developed, and those you have substantially restructured

PA II: Criterion 5. Special teaching assignments or innovations

PA II: Criterion 6. Strategies and approaches to student advising

Indicators:

  1. Number of undergraduate students (majors, undeclared students, honors students) advised during the academic year
  2. Regular meetings with advisees
  3. Contact with students who do not come to office
  4. Method of ensuring students meet general education requirements
  5. Results of evaluations by advisees

PA II: Criterion 7. Advising commitments for honors theses, master’s theses and doctoral dissertations

Indicators:

  1. Number of theses and dissertations for which you serve as advisor
  2. Number of theses and dissertations for which you serve as a committee member

PA II: Criterion 8. Student evaluations

  • Refer to summary provided elsewhere
  • Do not include individual student evaluation forms

Indicators:

  1. Qualitative evaluations
  2. Quantitative evaluations

Performance Area III: Scholarship and Professional Activity

Weight______

The Faculty member’s job description will detail assigned duties, relevant areas of scholarship, and the relative balance of effort among assigned roles, scholarship, and public service. Scholarly achievement is expected of all Faculty members and may reflect individual as well as collaborative efforts.

PA III: Criterion 1: Scholarly works completed and in progress (Expected)

  • Include examples of the various types of works
  • Sort by type and list under separate headings (e.g., peer-reviewed articles, other articles, edited publications, electronic publications, eXtension content development as part of a Community of Practice, fact sheets, curricula, books, monographs, textbooks, technical reports, reviews, published computer software, chapters, conference proceedings, abstracts, miscellaneous publications, educational materials and programs presented using new media technologies such as websites, electronic newsletters, eXtension blogs, wikis, social media)
  • Briefly describe your current work and future direction

Indicators:

  1. Number of scholarly works in progress
  2. Number of scholarly works completed
  3. Documentation of impacts of one’s scholarly works

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Has at least one scholarly work in progress

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Has at least one scholarly work in progress
  • Results of applied research published in at least one professional or non-professional publication or conference proceedings

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Has at least one scholarly work in progress
  • Results of applied research published in at least one peer-reviewed journal or other publication and in at least one other professional or non-professional publication or conference proceedings

PA III: Criterion 2: Unpublished professional presentations (Optional)

  • Unpublished papers authored or co-authored by you and delivered at professional conventions or before professional groups
  • Asterisk those that were peer-reviewed
  • Indicate those for which you were the presenter

Indicators:

  1. Number of unpublished papers authored or co-authored
  2. Number of unpublished papers presented
  3. Number of unpublished papers peer-reviewed

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Authors or co-authors at least one professional paper

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Authors or co-authors at least one professional paper
  • Presents at least one professional paper

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Authors or co-authors at least one professional paper
  • Presents at least one professional paper
  • Has at least one unpublished paper peer-reviewed

PA III: Criterion 3: Other scholarly activities (Optional)

  • List professional organizations, meetings attended, journals for which you serve as reviewer, panels on which you served, etc.
  • Include appropriate dates, positions, roles, topics, etc.

Indicators:

  1. Professional organizations
    • Memberships
    • Offices held
    • Committee memberships
    • Other activities
  2. National and regional meeting
    • Attended
    • Sessions chaired
  3. Papers, chapters, or books reviewed
  4. Member of review panel for grant proposals- number and type of proposals reviewed
  5. Other activities

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Member of a local, multi-state, or national professional organization(s)
  • Attends local, multi-state or national professional meeting(s)

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Member of and active in a local, multi-state, or national professional organization(s)
  • Attends and is an organizer or participant in local, multi-state or national professional meeting(s)

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Member of and active in a local, multi-state, or national professional organization(s)
  • Holds, or has held, a leadership position in a local, multi-state, or national professional organization
  • Presenter, organizer, or session chair in local, multi-state or national professional meeting(s)

Performance Area IV: County, Organizational, and Campus Service

Weight______

PA IV: Criterion 1: Serves on organizational committees (Expected)

  • Indicate committee, activity, leadership roles, length of service, unique assignments, outcomes of committee work, and dates

Indicators:

  • See Definitions in Section I.O.
  • Examples of organizational committees include the Promotion Review Committee, UMaine Cooperative Extension Diversity Group, and Peer Committees

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Serves on at least two committees, including at least one peer committee

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Serves on at least two committees, including at least one peer committee

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Serves on at least four committees, including at least two peer committees
  • Serves as a mentor to new faculty
  • Serves as UMaine Cooperative Extension plan of work performance goal contact

PA IV: Criterion 2: Serves on search and interview teams (Expected)

  • Indicate position and dates

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Service on team is optional

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Serves on at least one team

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Serves on at least one team

PA IV: Criterion 3: Enhances skills and knowledge of County Executive Committees (CEC) and other advisory groups (Expected)

  • Indicate role and dates

Standards:
 All Faculty members, throughout their careers with UMaine Cooperative Extension, are expected to:

  • Be knowledgeable about current and emerging issues related to their POW and the work of the advisory group
  • Demonstrate leadership, facilitation, and group skills
  • Enhance the skills and knowledge of advisory groups to:
    • Develop the Faculty POW
    • Enhance marketing of and publicity for extension programs
    • Secure housing for county extension staff
    • Secure county and other funding

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Has worked with at least one group
  • Advisory group members have demonstrated improvement in leadership, facilitation, or group process skills

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Has worked with at least one group
  • Advisory group members have demonstrated improvement in leadership, facilitation, or group process skills
  • Exchanges information about current and emerging issues with members of advisory groups

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Has worked with at least two groups
  • Advisory group members have demonstrated improvement in leadership, facilitation, or group process skills
  • Exchanges information about current and emerging issues with members of advisory groups

PA IV: Criterion 4 – Builds and sustains UMaine Cooperative Extension linkages with county, UM, and UMS (Optional)

  • Indicate topics, activities, and dates as appropriate

Indicators:

  1. Departmental teaching or seminars
  2. Professional development of colleagues
  3. Program collaboration
  4. Interdepartmental or campus committees

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Explores potential for collaboration

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Has initiated and conducted at least one inter-departmental or inter-campus activity

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Has initiated and conducted at least two inter-departmental or inter-campus activities

PA IV: Criterion 5: Performs administrative duties, including those of county coordinator (Expected)

  • Include supervision, duties in the county coordinator job description, duties as office contact (e.g., safety, civil rights, etc)
  • Indicate dates served as county coordinator

Indicators:

  1. Number, category, and dates for people supervised
  2. Office administrative or county coordinator duties performed (see Maine Planning and Reporting System for county coordinator responsibilities)

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Assists in supervision or evaluation of at least one Extension employee, AmeriCorps VISTA, or volunteer, or serves on a graduate committee
  • Participates in supervisory training
  • Assists with office administrative duties, as appropriate

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Supervises or evaluates at least one Extension employee, AmeriCorps VISTA, or volunteer, or serves on a graduate committee
  • Incorporates supervisory skills training and knowledge into the supervision or evaluation of others
  • Assists with office administrative duties, as appropriate

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:
Since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Supervises at least one Extension employee, AmeriCorps VISTA, or volunteer, or serves on a graduate committee
  • Continues to enhance supervisory skills and knowledge
  • Incorporates supervisory skills training and knowledge into the supervision of others
  • Assists with office administrative duties, including serving as county coordinator or campus office contact person, as appropriate

PA IV: Criterion 6: Demonstrates commitment to UMaine Cooperative Extension civil rights expectations, and UMaine Extension and UM diversity goals (Expected)
Standards:

All Faculty members, throughout their careers, are required to:

  • Be familiar with and adhere to UMaine Cooperative Extension civil rights expectations, and UMaine Extension and UM diversity goals and policies
  • Participate in diversity training to increase awareness and support one’s commitment to diversity

Performance Area V: Public Service

Weight______

PA V: Criterion 1: Presentations and programs that do not require engagement in the full educational program development process (Expected)

  • Indicate topic or activity and date(s) offered
  • Up to approximately 5 percent of Plan of Work

Indicators:

  1. Number and type of programs or talks given

Standards:
1st to 3rd Year Reappointment – by the 3rd year:

  • Provides public service at least once a year

4th to 6th Year Reappointment, Continuing Contract, Promotion to Associate Extension Professor – between the 4th and 6th years:

  • Provides public service at least once a year

Promotion to Extension Professor – since last personnel action, with primary focus on the most recent five years:

  • Provides public service at least once a year

Performance Area VI: Awards and Recognition

Weight______

PA VI: Criterion 1: Type of award or recognition (Optional)

This section is an opportunity to further demonstrate the quality of your work and the recognition that your work has received. There are no specific standards.

  • Indicate granting agency or organization, date
  • Can serve as further indication of recognition within and beyond area of assigned duties
  • Are not needed to receive a positive recommendation

Indicators:
Number and type of award(s) and recognition(s)