Implementing an Electronic Annual Implementing an Electronic Annual Reporting System for Evaluating Reporting System for Evaluating

Faculty PerformanceFaculty Performance

Implementing an Electronic Annual Implementing an Electronic Annual Reporting System for Evaluating Reporting System for Evaluating

Faculty PerformanceFaculty Performance

T. P.Mack, P. Robinson, R.C. Woods, J. Mitchell, and T. T. P.Mack, P. Robinson, R.C. Woods, J. Mitchell, and T. McAnge.McAnge.

College of Agriculture and Life SciencesCollege of Agriculture and Life SciencesVirginia TechVirginia Tech

tmack@vt.edutmack@vt.edu; 540-231-6879; 540-231-6879

T. P.Mack, P. Robinson, R.C. Woods, J. Mitchell, and T. T. P.Mack, P. Robinson, R.C. Woods, J. Mitchell, and T. McAnge.McAnge.

College of Agriculture and Life SciencesCollege of Agriculture and Life SciencesVirginia TechVirginia Tech

tmack@vt.edutmack@vt.edu; 540-231-6879; 540-231-6879

Copyright Timothy P. Mack, 2007. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the

author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

BackgroundBackground Faculty at Virginia Tech Have Been Producing a Faculty at Virginia Tech Have Been Producing a

Printed ‘Faculty Annual Report’ Yearly.Printed ‘Faculty Annual Report’ Yearly. Required, and used for merit adjustments. This makes it Required, and used for merit adjustments. This makes it

IMPORTANT.IMPORTANT. Faculty typically use Microsoft Word for their reports.Faculty typically use Microsoft Word for their reports. Reports reflected individuality of the faculty.Reports reflected individuality of the faculty.

Some faculty......Some faculty...... Submitted incomplete reports.Submitted incomplete reports. Forgot items they should have included.Forgot items they should have included. Chose different ways of documenting the same item.Chose different ways of documenting the same item.

Faculty Were Also Being Asked for the Same Data Faculty Were Also Being Asked for the Same Data Multiple Times During the Year, in Different Formats.Multiple Times During the Year, in Different Formats. Impact statements.Impact statements. Graduate student enrollment.Graduate student enrollment.

Copyright Timothy P. Mack, 2007. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the

author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

Problems With This ApproachProblems With This Approach

Faculty did not have access to data already collected Faculty did not have access to data already collected by the University.by the University. Grants database.Grants database. Courses database.Courses database. Course evaluations database.Course evaluations database. This meant that 500 faculty had to re-enter into Word what This meant that 500 faculty had to re-enter into Word what

the the University already hadUniversity already had.. Reports varied in style and formatting, making Reports varied in style and formatting, making

evaluation of faculty performance harder.evaluation of faculty performance harder. Over-and under reporting of information was Over-and under reporting of information was

occurring.occurring. No benchmarks of performance possible- No benchmarks of performance possible- “How many “How many

publications were there in the College last year?”publications were there in the College last year?”

Copyright Timothy P. Mack, 2007. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the

author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

Need to Rapidly Produce ReportsNeed to Rapidly Produce Reports No Way to Automatically Collect and Summarize Data No Way to Automatically Collect and Summarize Data

in These Reports.in These Reports. We Need Fast Access to Accurate Data to Document We Need Fast Access to Accurate Data to Document

Our Performance Internally and Externally.Our Performance Internally and Externally. For legislatorsFor legislators who determine funding for our college who determine funding for our college

and University.and University. ““What are you doing in <TOPICNAME> in research, What are you doing in <TOPICNAME> in research,

teaching, and outreach for my district?”teaching, and outreach for my district?” For federal reportingFor federal reporting..

““What are you doing in <FED REQUIREMENT>? What are you doing in <FED REQUIREMENT>? For within the UniversityFor within the University..

““How many graduate students do you have, and at what How many graduate students do you have, and at what stage of progress is each one? What is their ethnicity?”stage of progress is each one? What is their ethnicity?”

““We gave you ## new faculty positions two years ago. Are We gave you ## new faculty positions two years ago. Are they making a difference? How do I know that?”they making a difference? How do I know that?”

Copyright Timothy P. Mack, 2007. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the

author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

SOLUTION!SOLUTION!Create An Electronic Annual Create An Electronic Annual

Reporting SystemReporting System Goals:Goals:

Reduce duplication of data entryReduce duplication of data entry for faculty, for faculty, and save faculty time.and save faculty time.

Reduce or Reduce or eliminate over-and under eliminate over-and under reportingreporting of data. of data.

Improve accuracyImprove accuracy of information. of information.Increase ability to Increase ability to rapidly reportrapidly report information information

to clients.to clients.Create Create stable benchmark datastable benchmark data so we can so we can

track progress over time.track progress over time.

Copyright Timothy P. Mack, 2007. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the

author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

eFARSeFARSThe electronic Faculty Annual Reporting SystemThe electronic Faculty Annual Reporting System

An Electronic Duplicate of the Promotion and An Electronic Duplicate of the Promotion and Tenure Outline.Tenure Outline.

Thoroughly Developed and Tested.Thoroughly Developed and Tested. eFARS has been 2+ years in development, more eFARS has been 2+ years in development, more

than 80 separate meetings.than 80 separate meetings. Pilot tested with selected volunteer faculty in one Pilot tested with selected volunteer faculty in one

department, one off-campus research center, and department, one off-campus research center, and one Extension district.one Extension district.

Used by 501 Faculty for Their 2005 Annual Used by 501 Faculty for Their 2005 Annual Reports. Reports.

Is Being Used Now by 500+ Faculty for Their Is Being Used Now by 500+ Faculty for Their 2006 Reports.2006 Reports.

Copyright Timothy P. Mack, 2007. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the

author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

What Did Faculty Think of eFARS?What Did Faculty Think of eFARS?

149 Faculty Respondents, After They Used eFARS.149 Faculty Respondents, After They Used eFARS. Results:Results:

88% believed eFARS ran without technological problems on 88% believed eFARS ran without technological problems on their computer.their computer.

37% agreed that the eFARS team member who helped them 37% agreed that the eFARS team member who helped them was courteous and professional. 47% were neutral on this was courteous and professional. 47% were neutral on this question.question.

52% did not use the eFARS Help Desk at all.52% did not use the eFARS Help Desk at all. 46% felt that the instructions and the FAQ on the eFARS 46% felt that the instructions and the FAQ on the eFARS

website were useful. 27% indicated they were not useful.website were useful. 27% indicated they were not useful. 42% felt that eFARS allowed them to enter and display the 42% felt that eFARS allowed them to enter and display the

information they needed to. 36% did not.information they needed to. 36% did not. 84% indicated that they could access eFARS whenever you 84% indicated that they could access eFARS whenever you

needed to.needed to.

Copyright Timothy P. Mack, 2007. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the

author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

What Does eFARS Do?What Does eFARS Do?

Automatically...Automatically... Summarizes dataSummarizes data for a faculty member, the department, and for a faculty member, the department, and

the college....as each faculty member enters it.the college....as each faculty member enters it. Carries over itemsCarries over items from last year, so they do not have to be from last year, so they do not have to be

re-entered.re-entered. Publications in press, grants submitted, etc.Publications in press, grants submitted, etc.

Imports some itemsImports some items submitted elsewhere. submitted elsewhere. Research impact statements for 134 faculty.Research impact statements for 134 faculty.

Generates outputsGenerates outputs for faculty to use. for faculty to use. Annual report.Annual report. Curriculum vita.Curriculum vita. USDA and NSF forms (Current and Pending Support, List of USDA and NSF forms (Current and Pending Support, List of

Collaborators, etc).Collaborators, etc). Two page resumes in various grant formats.Two page resumes in various grant formats.

Let’s Look At eFLet’s Look At eFARS!ARS!Let’s Look At eFLet’s Look At eFARS!ARS!