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Process for the Provost Review of Academic Deans

This document — based on the UM-AA process — provides an overview of the provost’s dean assessment process, and how it informs reappointment decisions.

Academic Deans are appointed for a term of five years, renewal once. The provost (working with members of the provost office team and other relevant offices, such as the Office of Human Resources and the Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX Office), evaluates the performance of each dean in a variety of ways and at a number of junctures.

  1. Key Qualities
    Deans are expected to demonstrate a number of qualities, listed below. This list, explicitly discussed with new deans during their on-boarding, is included in annual reviews and is the framework for the surveys conducted during mid-term reviews.
    1. Academic leadership and vision:
      1. In addition to longer-term vision for the college, deans are responsible for delivery of a high-quality academic experience for students, and stimulation of innovative, high-impact research, scholarship, or creative work by faculty.
    2. Good management, including:
      1. accessibility and visibility to members of their college
      2. demonstrated track record of follow through and “getting things done”
    3.  Successful resource development, and efficient usage of resources
    4. Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
    5. Responsiveness to university priorities and challenges
    6. Collaboration, including within the college, and with other colleges and units, as well as with senior administrators 
    7. Creating a culture of ethics, integrity, transparency, and compliance
       
  2. Annual Reports and Reviews
    Every year, the provost conducts an individualized evaluation of each dean’s performance, meeting with them to review areas of excellence as well as areas for focus and improvement. In preparation, deans are asked to provide an annual report which details how they, along with their college, have advanced the campus’s strategic planning process; progressed on their college’s strategic goals/initiatives; and addressed challenges and barriers faced by the college. The report should include details and data when making claims of key decisions and actions taken.
     
  3. Regular Meetings
    The provost meets with each dean once a week during the academic year, with additional meetings scheduled as needed. While these are primarily focused on current developments, challenges, opportunities and/or matters arising, they also provide an opportunity for engagement related to success and progress in key areas. These discussions are informed by the prior annual review, mid- term review (if it has occurred), current goals and other relevant information. 
     
  4. Mid-term Reviews
    1. Overview: Mid-term reviews are broader by nature than annual reviews as they seek to take a more holistic and robust approach to assessing the performance of a dean by soliciting input from a range of key constituents (e.g., faculty, staff, and others) relevant for successful performance as a dean. This feedback is collected through an electronic survey or email responses to designated group emails. After reviewing the full set of results, the provost meets with the dean to discuss the findings, highlighting both identified strengths and focus areas. It is worth noting that all mid-term reviews generate a range of perspectives, including some negative feedback, and the results must be considered in context. For instance, some difficult decisions (such as prudent financial ones) may have been unpopular.
    2. Timing: Feedback for each dean is solicited in the third year (by April 30) of the first five-year term so as to enable the mid-term review results to provide valuable feedback to a dean, with time in their first term to make performance adjustments accordingly.
    3. Process:
      1. Prior to the start of a dean’s mid-term review, the provost is in close communication with the chancellor to inform them of the upcoming review.
      2. The provost will notify the dean of the upcoming midterm review. 
      3. The provost solicits evaluation feedback from the college’s faculty, staff, and student leaders, and selected alumni. Faculty, staff, and student leaders have the option of responding anonymously.
      4. The full results of the feedback are shared with the provost.
      5. The provost meets with the dean to discuss feedback from the review so that they may act on it early in their deanship. After this meeting, only the feedback summary is retained. If significant areas of concern emerge through the evaluative process, the provost works closely with the dean to develop a plan to address the concern.
      6. The provost discusses the mid-term review with the chancellor.
      7. During the remainder of the dean’s term, the provost monitors progress on improvement regarding any concerns.
         

  5. Reappointment

    1. No later than the beginning of a dean’s fifth year, the provost weighs all of the available information regarding their performance in order to make a decision about whether they have successfully demonstrated strong performance across the key assessment areas, and therefore merit reappointment. Criteria for reappointment are demonstration of excellence in key qualities listed above (section 1), progress made in the areas of focus in the dean’s annual reports (section 2), and — if concerns have been raised — progress in addressing them. The most recent annual review is particularly relevant in this regard.
    2. The provost will contact the Office of Human Resources and the Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX Office, and the Office of the General Counsel to ascertain if any complaints have been received about the dean and if so, the outcome. (Complaints are addressed promptly upon receipt; the reappointment inquiry is to ensure the current provost is aware of all responsive information).
    3. Beginning with the next round of reappointments, the provost will seek input from the college executive committee and administrative council; the provost will also reach out to the college leadership team for input. Consistent with the bylaws of the colleges (see addendum section), the provost will also accept and take into consideration any statements/reports produced by the college’s executive committee.
    4. Before making a decision on whether to recommend reappointment, the provost discusses the decision with the chancellor.
    5. If the decision is made to recommend reappointment, the provost confirms that the dean is interested in a second term and if so, negotiates terms of the potential reappointment.
    6. Dean reappointments must be approved by the Board of Regents.

     

Addendum: Listing of Deans Review and/or Selection Procedures in the Bylaws of the Colleges

College of Arts, Sciences, & Letters

II. 1 Appointment1  

The Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters shall be appointed by the Board of Regents on the recommendation of the Vice Chancellor of UM-Dearborn, who shall in turn be guided by the recommendation of the CASL Executive Committee.

II. 2 Term of Office and Procedure for Selection

The term of office of the Dean of CASL shall be five years. When the term of office of the Dean is nearing expiration or when the Dean is to vacate the office for any reason, the CASL Executive Committee shall consult with the governing faculty members of all departments and, based on these consultations, shall, in cooperation with the Dean of CASL, draw up a statement on the current situation and the anticipated problems of CASL, to the Chancellor, and to the Vice Chancellor in the process of determining an appropriate procedure for filling the position of Dean of CASL for the next term of office.

College of Business

Section 1. Dean2

1a. The Dean of the College of Business shall be appointed by the Board of Regents on the recommendation of the Chancellor and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, who in turn shall be guided by the recommendation of the Voting Governing Faculty.

1b. Consistent with the Regental Bylaws, the term of office for the Dean shall normally be five years. Near the end of the third year of this term, a review of the Dean's performance shall be initiated and conducted by the ranking Executive Committee member, seeking primary input from the Governing Faculty, as well as inputs from other appropriate stakeholders. The results of this review shall be shared with the Governing Faculty, the Dean, and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

If the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs requests it, the ranking Executive Committee members shall initiate and conduct a similar review of the Dean’s performance during the final year of the Dean’s term. The results of this review shall be shared with the Governing Faculty, the Dean, and the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and shall include the Voting GoverningFaculty's recommendation for or against reappointment.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

IV.1.3 Selection Procedure3

IV.1.3.1 If the Office of the Dean is to be vacated by means of expiration of term, the College Executive Committee shall initiate the selection procedure as follows:

a. Near the close of the academic year prior to the last year of service of the Dean, the Executive Committee shall request a State of the College report from the Dean covering the term of office.

b. The Executive Committee shall draft an ad-hoc report on the current status and projected plans and needs of The College from the State of the College report and by gathering opinions from each faculty member of The College and such persons outside the College as deemed appropriate. Before drafting the report the Executive Committee shall convene a meeting of The Faculty to discuss the guidelines to be followed. This draft shall be submitted to each member of The Faculty for comments and for recommendations concerning the Deanship. The Executive Committee shall prepare a final report concerning the status of The College and present it to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs with a copy distributed to each member of The Faculty.

c. Based on the State of The College report and the opinion of The Faculty, the Executive Committee shall make its recommendations to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs as to whether the appointment of the Dean should be renewed or a search committee for a new Dean should be formed.

d. If a Dean Search Committee is to be formed its general composition shall be determined in an official meeting between The Faculty and the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the campus. The Faculty Secretary shall conduct an election by The Faculty to determine those members of The Faculty to be recommended to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for appointment to the Dean Search Committee.

e. If the Office of the Dean is vacated by means of resignation or extended absence from the campus, a Dean Search Committee shall be formed as described in IV.1.3.1 item d.

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

Section 2. Selection and Appointment4

There shall be a search committee for the selection of a new Dean. The CEHHS Executive Committee shall offer advisement to the Provost in regard to the composition and formation of the search committee.

The Dean of the College shall be appointed normally to a five-year term by the Board of Regents on the recommendation of the Provost, who shall be guided by the recommendation of the search committee and the guidance of the CEHHS Executive Committee.

Section 3. Procedures for Review

When one year remains in the term of office for a current dean who is eligible for reappointment, the CEHHS Executive Committee shall initiate and conduct a performance review of the Dean with primary input from the governing faculty as well as input from other appropriate stakeholders. Based on such consultations, the Executive Committee shall submit a report on the current state of the Dean position to the Provost and governing faculty. This report shall review the current state of the Dean position and include the governing faculty's recommendation for or against reappointment.

When the term of office of the sitting Dean is nearing expiration or when the Dean permanently vacating the office for any reason, the CEHHS Executive Committee shall consult with the governing faculty members of all departments and, based on these consultations, shall draw up a statement on the current status and the anticipated challenges and opportunities in CEHHS, to aid the Provost and the Chancellor in filling the position of Dean of the CEHHS for the next term of office.
 

1   Bylaws of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters, March 17, 2022.
2   Bylaws of the College of Business, December 10, 2021.
3  Bylaws of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, November 18, 2016.
4  Bylaws of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services, April 8, 2022.

Process established August 11, 2022.

Procedures owned by: Office of the Provost
Last reviewed: 8/2024
Next Review: 1/2029

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