6.13 Oral Communication Competence

Purpose

To establish policies and procedures for the evaluation of the oral communication competence of persons who provide instruction as required by Iowa law (262.9.25) and Board of Regents, State of Iowa policy.

Policy Statement

Oral communication assessments will be administered as required and the results reviewed by department heads to ensure that adequate standards of oral competence are maintained in academic units. Oral communication competence is understood to be the ability to communicate appropriately in the language of instruction.

Chapter 6: Faculty Employment Policies

Procedures

  1. Oral communication competence assessments are conducted by departments. Assessment forms can be requested from ITS Network Services. Assessments will be conducted as follows:
    1. All Faculty and teaching assistants (instructors) shall be evaluated annually by students for their oral communication competence.
    2. Assessments shall take place at the end of the fall semester, except for first-year faculty (probationary, term, and full-time temporary) who will be assessed in the spring during their first year.
    3. If needed, department heads will develop strategies to improve the oral communication of a faculty member.
    4. Oral communication evaluations of a faculty member shall cease if he or she receives two consecutive positive (mean greater than zero) evaluations on all items of oral competence.
    5. The discontinuance of oral competence assessments of a faculty member is subject to approval by the department head.
  2. A separate record will be kept for oral communication competence assessment and evaluation of persons who provide instruction to students. This record will not be part of the faculty evaluation file nor used in the assessment and evaluation of faculty.

UNI Faculty Senate, approved September 24, 2001
President’s Cabinet, approved October 28, 2002