Mission, Policies & Advisory Board

1. Confidentiality Regarding Consultations

• Instructional and organizational development consultations are voluntary and confidential within the limits allowed by the law.*

Professional observations, interactions, and conclusions related to specific clients or cases, and information about the actual activities and results of a consultation, will be offered only to the client to be used as he/she chooses (e.g., to put in a teaching portfolio). Any additional use of the results is subject to the consent of the client.

*If the client retains a copy of the consultation records, or wishes our Office to retain these records, these materials will be kept confidential to the maximum extent allowed by the law. However, they may be subject to Michigan 's Freedom of Information Act. For more information, see the Consumer Laws link at: http://www.michigan.gov/ag.

• Record-Keeping
  • Participants may request documentation of their participation in F&OD events or programs. This documentation can be used for tenure and promotion reviews, award applications, etc.
  • Participants may also request a summary report of the consultation or services.*
  • The client may request a summary report regarding their use of F&OD programs and services.

• Publication of Participant Lists/Photographs
  • F&OD programs and workshops are considered public events. Therefore, participation in these events is not considered confidential. At many F&OD events, participant lists are distributed to those who attend, and photos of participants may be taken for publicity purposes. Please contact F&OD at fodevent@msu.edu if you wish to have your name omitted from participant lists or excluded from F&OD photos.

2. Communications

• F&OD does NOT provide summative evaluations of teaching.
  • Rationale: F&OD is a support service that provides strictly formative evaluations for the purpose of improvement.

• Communication concerning awards: F&OD personnel do not provide recommendations for teaching awards, fellowships or honorific opportunities other than those offered through F&OD.
  • Rationale: Because F&OD’s primary mission is to provide formative evaluation, summative evaluation may deter instructors from participating in F&OD programs and services. Although F&OD staff may be aware of an instructor’s instructional abilities and style, it is important for F&OD to be seen as a safe and confidential place to practice and improve one’s skills without concern that efforts to improve will be made public.

• Communications Concerning Instructors on Departmental Instructional Improvement Plans
  • At the request of the academic unit, and with the consent of the instructor, F&OD will confirm instructor compliance with improvement plans, but F&OD will NOT participate in summative evaluations or share evaluative statements or progress reports with anyone other than the instructor. The instructor is free to share this information at his/her discretion.
  • If F&OD is to be included in improvements plans, we encourage unit chairs and directors to contact us to discuss the full array of professional development options (e.g., individual instructor consultations, videotaping of teaching, mid-term student feedback, dissemination of resources on teaching, workshops, etc.)
  • When possible, we encourage voluntary participation by the client, which is often more productive both for the client and the client-consultant relationship.
  • F&OD encourages, but does not require, units to contact us to clarify the unit’s goals for instructional improvement plans for individual instructors before the plans are confirmed.
    • Rationale: Different types of support are effective for different types of instructor challenges. This request to engage F&OD in the planning process is not intended to be an invasion of privacy. It is intended to alert instructors and units to the available options.

• Reporting of Unlawful Activity
  • If F&OD staff members learn of activity that is illegal or inconsistent with university policies, we are obligated to report such information to the appropriate University office.

3. Voluntary Participation

• Participation in F&OD programs and services is voluntary.
  • Rationale: Consistent with best practices in academic human resource development, F&OD encourages participation that is voluntary on the part of the client. Requirements to participate in F&OD activities may undermine the effectiveness of the improvement process.

• Eligibility varies for specific F&OD programs and services. Please contact F&OD, or consult our website (http://fod.msu.edu/) for information regarding eligibility, and to request exceptions to the eligibility requirements.
  • Rationale: Although we endeavor to have an open environment accessible to all, it is sometimes appropriate to limit participation in selected programs to individuals with specified roles and responsibilities. In some cases, it is to enable individuals to speak with peers who share their common concerns. In other cases, limitations are due to fiscal constraints in a large public university.

5. Request for Accommodations and Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance

• We are committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services, and activities. Accommodations for persons with disabilities can be requested by contacting us at fodevent@msu.edu one week prior to an event. Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible.

6. Cost

• F&OD does not generally charge individual members of the MSU community for programs and services.
• For participants who are not members of the MSU community there may be a fee.
• Cost-sharing with units/departments may be necessary to support large-scale projects.

7. Request for New Programs and Services

• We encourage individuals to contact us with requests for new programs. While we welcome suggestions and encourage input, we strive to balance centralized needs with those that can be handled within units.
• We welcome input, feedback and suggestions regarding F&OD programs, services, and opportunities and encourage conversations regarding requests for new programs. We seriously consider these suggestions, although there are several factors that affect our strategic decisions and priorities for programs.

8. Assessment of F&OD Programs and Services

• F&OD is committed to ongoing improvement through valid and reliable methods of assessment.
• Most F&OD programs and services include requests for input and feedback on the quality of the event. This may entail satisfaction measures and/or self-assessment applications of the program content. These assessments are designed to be confidential and anonymous, although participants may provide their name and contact information if they wish us to follow-up with them. This is not meant to be an invasion or privacy, but is intended to develop metrics that assess the impact of our efforts.