Purpose
To establish a process for regularly evaluating and providing feedback on job performance and for setting performance goals and objectives to support the College’s mission.
Definition
Staff – all regular full and part-time employees classified as executive, administrative/professional, or clerical/support
Policy
It is the policy of Volunteer State Community College that regularly scheduled performance evaluations will be conducted for all staff annually. This policy does not apply to faculty or temporary employees. Faculty should be evaluated pursuant to VSCC policy II:01:02 Faculty Evaluation Process for Academic Affairs. The performance evaluation of the President is conducted by the Office of the Chancellor under TBR Policy 1:03:03:00 Selection and Retention of the Presidents.
It is the responsibility of the Vice President for Human Resources to assist in the development of performance standards, methods, and procedures and to assume overall responsibility for the College’s performance evaluation system. It is the responsibility of all supervisors to provide reasonable training for employees, to initiate efforts to assist employees in correcting deficient performance behavior, and to evaluate employees objectively.
Volunteer State Community College maintains a policy of evaluating the job performance of its employees as a means of measuring operational efficiency and effectiveness; providing employees with meaningful information about their work; and aiding the College in making personnel decisions related to such areas as training, compensation, promotion, job assignments, retention, and long-range planning of College operations. Evaluation of employees is intended to be participatory in nature, involving the employees’ input as much as the rating supervisors’, thereby helping employees to contribute to the progress of College.
Procedure
Performance evaluations cycle for Executive, Professional/Administrative, and Clerical/Support staff annually, usually in the spring of each fiscal year. Each employee is to be given an opportunity to meet with the evaluating supervisor to openly and candidly discuss the evaluation before it is finalized, whereupon the employee will be given a copy of the completed form. Each formal performance evaluation should be thoroughly discussed with the applicable employee. Employees are encouraged to comment about their work performance, in writing or verbally, and to discuss working conditions and offer suggestions for improving business operations.
The employee should sign the performance report to acknowledge awareness of its contents and the discussion with the rating supervisor. The employee’s signature does not necessarily mean the employee fully agrees with the contents of the evaluation -- a statement to this effect is included on the evaluation instrument. Division Heads will forward employees' final annual performance evaluation to the Office of Human Resources for inclusion in the employee’s official personnel record.
In situations where an employee has reason to disagree with the performance evaluation, the employee may respond to the content or conduct of the performance evaluation in writing within 14 days following the employee’s discussion of the performance evaluation with the evaluating supervisor. If an employee chooses this option, the employee’s response should be forwarded to the evaluating supervisor, and a copy should be submitted to the Vice President for Human Resources for inclusion into the employee’s file with the original evaluation document.
Probationary Evaluations
The initial probationary period for staff, including current employees who are newly appointed to staff positions, is six (6) months. Each probationary employee shall receive a formal performance evaluation during the initial probationary period. During this period, the probationary employee is to receive close supervision, instruction, and review of work, training, and any other guidance that is supportive of the employee’s opportunity for success on the job. Probationary employees who receive a minimum overall rating of “meets expectations” on a probationary evaluation shall be granted regular appointment.
Discretionary Performance Evaluations
The College retains the right to conduct performance evaluations outside of the regularly scheduled times.
Self-Evaluations
Supervisors may request staff to complete a self-evaluation as a means for gaining the employee's perception of their own performance. Self-evaluations shall be maintained by the supervisor/division office and should not be submitted to the Office of Human Resources for inclusion in the employee’s official personnel file.
Effects of Substandard Rating
A substandard rating, as applied to performance evaluation, means any rating below the rating level of satisfactory/average/standard. Employees receiving an overall substandard rating may be subject to one or more of the following actions:
- Ineligibility for promotional consideration until the deficiency is corrected
- Demotion to a lower level of responsibility with a corresponding decrease in salary
- Performance improvement plan (PIP) with specific performance goals for improvement
- Discipline
- Termination
The specific action(s) taken as the result of substandard rating(s) will depend on, but not be limited to, such consideration as the weight or significance of the evaluation category compared to the importance of other aspects of job performance and the length of time pertinent job factors have been observed by the rating supervisor. Repeated deficient performance ratings without improvement will lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
Employees receiving substandard rating will be reevaluated within three (3) months to document progress in deficient categories unless the rating has resulted in a transfer, demotion, or termination. If the employee’s performance in the deficient category or categories has improved to at least a satisfactory/average/standard rating while maintaining acceptable performance in other performance categories, the Vice President, Dean, Director or Department Head may recommend the reversal of any demotion or restoration of promotional considerations.
TBR Source: TBR Source: 1:03:03:00 TBR Meeting, September 30, 1977; December 4, 2008; Revised at TBR Board Meeting September 19 & 20, 2019; Revised at TBR Board Meeting December 10, 2020; Revised at Special Meeting April 27, 2023
VSCC Source: September 8, 1999, President; November 24, 2008, President’s Cabinet; January 7, 2019, President’s Cabinet; April 9, 2025, President’s Cabinet
