Editor's Note: This is the fourth installment of a seven-part series examining the evaluations of Ohio University deans. Seven out of 10 were formally evaluated this year.
The dean of Ohio University's College of Business received a mixed evaluation from his faculty and positive comments from staff and the provost in his first official review.
Faculty gave Hugh Sherman approval ratings in the 80 percent range in all but one category of questions last year during an informal review. This year, Sherman received an overall approval rating of 65 percent from his faculty, 36 percent of whom responded.
Sherman requested an informal evaluation last year, during his first year as dean. The provost, faculty and staff ordinarily do not evaluate a first-year dean.
Last year, Sherman's lowest score was in communication. He improved communication this year, but only received 44 percent approval in his ability to use interpersonal skills to solve problems.
The comments
I think are a little different Sherman said, explaining that faculty this year faulted him more for impatience than for not communicating. I think I have to be careful about that.
The dean said he thought improving communication was particularly important this year, given budget cuts. The college lost almost $420,000 of its nearly $11.2 million budget.
In response to that criticism last year, Sherman said he started holding more meetings and sending out monthly e-mails.
The faculty evaluation committee characterized responses on Sherman's evaluation as mixed
and said it was difficult to draw conclusions based on the low response rate.
Dean Sherman was rated highest in the areas pertaining to his relationship with students. (He) is rated lower in areas that pertain to interpersonal relationships with the faculty
the report stated.
The evaluation committee is considering conducting its own separate evaluation in an effort to increase faculty participation, Sherman said.
Several faculty members expressed concern about prioritizing teaching and neglecting research.
Hugh has done a good job in providing opportunities for faculty development
one professor wrote. I am concerned
however
about the message being sent about research. My sense is that research is not fully valued.
Sherman acknowledged that his emphasis does tend to be on teaching, though he disagreed with comments suggesting he does not support faculty research.
My focus is really on the education of our students
Sherman said, adding the college is implementing a new evaluation program where students rate faculty in categories shown to improve learning. I have not reduced in any way the allocation of the budget to support research activities
but what I have done is increase resource allocation to teaching
he said.
Executive Vice President and Provost Kathy Krendl praised Sherman for making progress in four areas he hoped to work on this year, including raising $2 million for a named chairperson in strategic leadership and a possible gift to establish a strategic leadership center.
Sherman said his overall fund raising goal is still to name the college, but he's pleased with those donations.
The dean also got generally solid reviews from the 57 percent of college staff who responded to survey questions, scoring in the good category for job performance and confidence level (3.2 and 3.4 out of five in those categories, respectively).
