As a member of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), Athens State University (ASU) operates under the authority of the Alabama State Board of Education upon recommendations from the Chancellor, who serves as the chief executive officer of the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education.

State Board Policy 607.01 requires the Chancellor to evaluate the performance of the President on a regular basis. If the President has served for three years or less, he/she will be evaluated annually. If the President has served for more than three years, he/she shall be evaluated at least biennially. The guidelines for this Policy define the responsibilities of the President in the evaluation process, and specify some of the information that must be included in the evaluation materials. Written results of the evaluation are reported to the President within a reasonable period of time following the conclusion of the evaluation process. The evaluation becomes a part of the personnel file of the President maintained in the offices of the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education.

In addition to the external evaluation of the President, Board Policy 607.01 and the ASU Human Resources Personnel Policies require annual evaluations of all University faculty and staff. Pursuant to this requirement, Athens State University employs an internal evaluation process in which top-level administrators are evaluated each year during the spring semester. The top-level administrators subject to evaluation are defined in the Procedure for Administrative Evaluation. As defined in this document, the top-level administrators at Athens State University are: the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services, the Vice President for Financial Affairs, the Vice President for University Advancement (formerly the Vice President of University Relations), the Administrative Assistant to the President, the Dean of the College of Arts and Science, the Dean of the College of Business, and the Dean of the College of Education.

The evaluations of top-level administrators are conducted in two ways. The first method is a “bottom-up” evaluation. In this method, an evaluation form unique to each administrator’s specific responsibilities is made available to all members of the University community through the Assessment Management Evaluation Entry (AMEE) system, or in paper form if requested. Participation in this evaluation method is voluntary. The results of these evaluations are provided to each administrator individually to provide for individual awareness and professional growth. Aggregate results of these evaluations are maintained in the ASU Assessment Management Online System (AMOS).

The second method of evaluation for top-level administrators is a “top-down” approach. In this method, appropriate sections of a standardized ASU Performance Review form are filled out by each administrator and the President. The views expressed in the completed forms are then discussed in an evaluation interview, and the forms are signed by both the administrator and the President. These evaluations must be retained and become part of each administrator’s confidential personnel file maintained in the Office of Human Resources.

In addition to the evaluations of top-level administrators, all ASU mid-level administrators (coordinators or directors) and other ASU employees are evaluated annually using the top-down method. The appropriate sections of the ASU Performance Review form are filled out by each administrator or staff member and their immediate supervisor. The views expressed in the completed forms are then discussed in an evaluation interview, and the forms are signed by both the administrator/staff member and the supervisor. These evaluations must be retained and become part of each employee’s confidential personnel file maintained in the Office of Human Resources .

Information concerning the annual evaluations of ASU faculty members is provided in the narrative for Comprehensive Standard 3.7.2.