Dear Pitt Faculty Members,
It is the first day of March 2021 and I am reflecting on last March—the month when we united as the Pitt community to quickly pivot in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the start of what I think we can all agree has been a highly challenging and difficult time. Through intense collaboration and sheer grit, we have been able to persevere and continue to make progress.
In fact, at last Friday’s meeting of the Board of Trustees, the trustees passed a resolution acknowledging the heroic work of the entire Pitt community, citing their sincere appreciation of “students, faculty, staff, and alumni for their valiant efforts in keeping the University thriving under the COVID-19 pandemic.” You can experience this moving moment at the 15:40 mark of the proceedings.
Your outstanding work is central to our success. I recognize and feel with you the immense cost of our collective intensity of effort.
That is why I want to share both reassurances and resources that I hope will help to ease these stressful days.
If there is one thing I have learned since the pandemic began, it is the importance of flexibility and of grace toward one another.
I want to make plain that when it comes to annual evaluations of your teaching and research in this challenging year, as well as future promotion and tenure evaluations that will encompass the work of this year, the deans of each school and regional campus presidents are developing plans to holistically evaluate your accomplishments.
That is to say, in both instances, we see and will endeavor to understand everyone’s efforts in light of the pandemic and the logistical, emotional, mental, and relational stresses it introduced. What each of you has achieved while navigating through so many challenges—both professionally and personally—is not only foremost in my mind but also deeply appreciated.
So that there are guidelines and a common understanding of expectations and actions going forward, on February 16, 2021, I issued two memos:
The Memo on Revised Guidelines for the Annual Review of Faculty
Among other important points, I have asked that your deans invite you to submit, if you choose, a COVID-19 impact statement as a part of your annual report of activities. Your statement can describe any COVID-related extenuating circumstances that deans and departments heads should be aware of as they evaluate your productivity and performance this year.
A key takeaway from the memo: “Directly related to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, I ask that each faculty member document their challenges from this year to submit with their annual review materials for this year and in future years, if relevant, and that any such information be taken into account in each faculty member’s reviews for the years that are affected. This same documentation should be included and considered with faculty members’ materials in their upcoming promotion and tenure reviews.”
The Memo on Assessment of Teaching
At the February 10 Faculty Assembly meeting, the use of Student Opinion of Teaching Surveys was discussed. To be clear, whether we are in a pandemic or not, I have talked with our deans and regional presidents—and we all agree—that OMETs should not be the only or primary measure of teaching effectiveness.
A key takeaway from the memo: “ACIE [the Advisory Council on Instructional Excellence] specifically recommended that each academic unit develop a plan for evaluating teaching performance that goes beyond sole reliance on Student Opinion of Teaching Surveys, and also includes broader input from faculty colleagues, an instructor self-assessment, and teaching artifacts. Each school and campus will begin the development of “its own processes, criteria and an action plan to be used in the evaluation of the teaching performance of its faculty.”
In the days ahead, each dean and campus president will develop action plans by the end of the Spring Term 2021 (April 30, 2021).
I hope you will be able to review both memos in detail.
I also want to point to resources that perhaps can be—or continue to be—supportive and helpful to you as the spring term progresses:
The University Center for Teaching and Learning
COVID-19 Childcare Resources
Mental Health and Wellness
Wellness for Life
As always, I welcome the opportunity to connect with you to hear your questions, concerns, and ideas via email or during my monthly office hours.
We are all in this together.
Hail to Pitt!
Ann E. Cudd
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor