All SPS employees, regardless of the position’s funding source or appointment type, are required to receive an annual performance evaluation from their supervisor. The evaluation period is from July 1 to June 30 each year and the review should take place between July 1 and October 31 following the evaluation period.
Performance evaluations should be based on the duties and responsibilities that are outlined in the employee’s position description. Job performance should be evaluated through an individualized process designed to meet the following criteria:
- clarify the employee’s duties and responsibilities as stated in the position description;
- provide the employee with an understanding of performance expectations with respect to those duties and responsibilities;
- provide feedback via regular communication between the employee and the supervisor regarding the employee’s performance;
- enable the employee to be recognized for achievements and improvements in job performance; and
- provide motivation and opportunities for professional development.
Guidelines for SPS Performance Evaluation Program
- The supervisor(s) who directly supervised the employee during the evaluation period should schedule and conduct a meeting with the employee between July 1 and October 31 to discuss the employee’s performance for the prior fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). The evaluation may contain input from others, including the supervisor’s supervisor, and may also contain a self-evaluation from the employee.
- Following the performance evaluation meeting, the supervisor should initiate the completion of the SPS Annual Evaluation Certification documenting that the evaluation and discussion has taken place. The supervisor will fill in the employee’s ID and position title. The employee’s name and email address will auto-populate. Any evaluation document(s) used during the conference with the employee can be uploaded into the online form and will be made part of the employee’s permanent personnel file. Once the supervisor completes and electronically signs the form, it will be routed to the employee for signature before being routed to SPSEvaluations@niu.edu for processing. Please note, it is critical for audit purposes that the form with the correct Fiscal Year be utilized. The form that must be utilized for this fiscal year is linked above for reference and is available in Kuali.
- Evaluations are required for all employees if they are still employed as of the evaluation due date (October 31). If they leave the university before the due date, then no annual evaluation is required.
- If SPS employees are transitioning to Civil Service positions, supervisors are expected to complete a SPS evaluation prior to the employee’s transition. After the employee has transitioned to Civil Service, the supervisor will then follow the Civil Service performance evaluation procedures.
- SPS employees that are employed for any portion of the fiscal year should be evaluated. The supervisor can add a note in the comments section if the employee is only being evaluated for a short period of time. For example, if the employee is only employed from June 1 to June 30, an evaluation should still be performed and documented.
- If the employee’s supervisor is no longer employed by NIU at the time of the evaluation, the employee’s new supervisor should complete the evaluation for any time period they are able to evaluate. The supervisor can add a note in the comments section if they are only able to evaluate the employee for a portion of the evaluation period.
Please direct any questions about this process to SPSEvaluations@niu.edu.
(This communication was sent to all Supportive Professional Staff employees and their supervisors.)
