Faculty Rights Tip: Writing Rebuttals to Evaluations

By now, many campuses are well into their evaluation cycles. The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) provision below applies to all faculty undergoing any form of evaluation, but it is especially timely for probationary faculty applying for tenure or any faculty member up for promotion.

According to Article 15.5, “At all levels of review, before recommendations are forwarded to a subsequent review level, faculty unit employees shall be given a copy of the recommendation and the written reasons therefore. The faculty unit employee may submit a rebuttal statement or response in writing and/or request a meeting be held to discuss the recommendation within ten (10) days following receipt of the recommendation. A copy of the response or rebuttal statement shall accompany the Working Personnel Action File and also be sent to all previous levels of review. This section shall not require that evaluation timelines be extended.”

Here are a few things to consider when drafting a written rebuttal to an evaluation:

• You have 10 calendar days from the date you receive the review. This is not necessarily the date posted on the written review but rather the date that you actually receive it.
• Review Article 2.11 for more details about counting the days.
• Be brief and directly responsive to issues raised in the evaluation; match up evaluation comments with your rebuttal or responsive statement.
• Be respectful and keep the tone equanimous.
• Focus on correcting facts that may have been misinterpreted by that level of review.
• While your rebuttal may be addressed to the level of review immediately completed, your intended audience should be those who have yet to read the file.
• Have someone proofread your rebuttal for tone before you submit it.

If you need help or have questions about responding to a faculty review, you should immediately contact your campus Faculty Rights representative.

Want to learn more about your union? Become active with your local CFA chapter Faculty Rights team and find your representative here.

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• See an archive of Faculty Rights Tips.
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