Professional Development Plan Template

This professional development plan (PDP) is to be developed collaboratively by the department chair and the TCPL faculty member. The initial PDP must be submitted in the first semester of appointment as an assistant TCPL faculty member and revisited annually thereafter. Any revisions should be appended to the original plan. For associate TCPL faculty, a new PDP should be started after the first promotion point and should be continued each year until the second promotion point is attained. Each original PDP has a two page maximum length.

Each TCPL PDP must contain the following sections in this order:

  • Position Definition – What the TCPL faculty member is hired to do and any updates based on needs (this could include a percentage breakdown of teaching/service and/or teaching load information). Remember that while the University does not contract teaching loads or course assignments with faculty members, the department chair will try to keep the teaching assignments relatively stable to the extent practicable. This plan reflects the current teaching assignment and may be amended if there are significant changes to the teaching assignment.

    • Anticipated teaching and service

  • Teaching

    • Goals (e.g., “I will assess my students’ learning using multiple formative and summative tools” and “I will have my teaching evaluated using standard end-of-course teaching evaluations as well as at least one additional indicator each academic year”)

    • Activities that will assist the TCPL faculty member in meeting the stated goals (including professional development, etc.)

    • Outcomes/measurement

  • Service (as assigned)

    • Goals (e.g., “I will engage in service activities that help to inform my subject-matter knowledge and pedagogical practices” and “I will serve on at least one departmental, one divisional, and one university committee—and I will engage in meaningful leadership with at least one of these committees”)

    • Activities that will assist the TCPL faculty member in meeting the stated goals (including professional development, etc.)

    • Outcomes/measurement

The original TCPL PDP (and any subsequent revisions) must be signed and dated by the Department Chair, the faculty member, and the divisional dean.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to suggest quantitative guidelines for what is a qualitative assessment. These guidelines are aids rather than a substitute for the professional judgment of the candidate's colleagues. Thus, legalistic or formalistic interpretation or application of these guidelines must be avoided. Achievement of the standards set forth in these guidelines does not ensure a positive recommendation for promotion, as promotion is primarily a qualitative assessment. Similarly, there may be cases that do not meet the standards set forth in these guidelines, which merit a positive recommendation for promotion.