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University Leadership 360-Feedback

Policy 2.7

Approved by:	President
Responsible Officer:	Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Responsible Office:	Office of the Provost
Originally Issued:	07/28/2026
Last Revision:	NEW
Category:	Administrative

Related Policies

I. REASON FOR THIS POLICY

The purpose of this policy is to govern the process for collecting, analyzing, and providing stakeholder feedback to University leaders for professional development, goal setting, and continuous quality improvement. The intention of the 360-feedback review is to help University leaders as defined in this policy receive honest perspectives from different stakeholder group members, reflect on that feedback, and co-create a development plan with their respective supervisors.

II. DEFINITIONS

360-Feedback. A developmental, simultaneous process that collects anonymous, multi-rater performance feedback from a University leader’s stakeholder group (e.g., supervisors, peers, direct reports, students, customers) to support a leadership development and capacities.
360-Feedback Framework. A framework predicated on professional development, where feedback is intended for development, goals created from feedback focus on helping the leader be the best leader possible, and psychological safety is prioritized to ensure the leader can focus on growth.
Stakeholder Group. Individuals at the University, in the Regental system, and outside the University and system who directly interact with, and/or are significantly impacted by the actions and performance of the University leader.
Supervisor. The University employee with direct oversight of the leader under review.
University Leaders. University employees who serve on President’s Cabinet or hold the title of associate vice president, dean, department chair, director, or another role with significant responsibility to supervise ten(10) or more employees (full-time, part-time) and/or steward University resources and/or carry critical responsibility for University functioning.

III. STATEMENT OF POLICY

University Leadership 360 Components. The University 360-Feedback shall contain the following leadership components:
1. Leadership and Vision. The consistent ability to influence, guide, and support others in a positive manner to achieve shared goals, regardless of formal position. The ability to take consistent ownership of responsibilities, decisions, behaviors, and outcomes, including both successes and mistakes.
2. Decision-Making. The consistent ability to identify issues, analyze root causes, generate effective solutions, and implement them in a timely and practical manner. The ability to evaluate options, exercise sound judgment, and make timely, well-reasoned choices aligned with organizational goals and values.
3. Operational Effectiveness. The consistent ability to execute responsibilities, manage processes, ensure smooth day-to-day operations, assess intended outcomes, and deliver results.
4. Communication. The consistent ability to clearly, respectfully, and accurately present, exchange and listen to information, ideas, and expectations in tailored ways that foster understanding, alignment, and productive working relationships.
5. Resources. The consistent ability to have effective stewardship, allocation, and optimization of organizational assets, including but not limited to, people, budget, time, technology, information, and physical assets to achieve strategic and operational goals.
6. Interpersonal Skills. The consistent ability to build, maintain, and navigate trusted professional relationships through respect, emotional intelligence, collaboration, and constructive interaction with others.
7. Integrity and Ethical Conduct. The consistent ability to demonstrate honesty, fairness, transparency, and adherence to organizational values, policies, and professional standards, even when under pressure or when no one is watching.
8. Authority and Empowerment. The consistent ability to use appropriate formal or informal authority to make decisions, set direction, and create an environment where others are trusted, supported, and enabled to perform at their highest levels through a purposeful balance between exercising authority and fostering autonomy, ownership, and accountability in others.
360-Feedback Review Framework Phases. The framework shall have five major phases:
1. Identification of Stakeholder Group
2. Data Collection
3. Data Analysis Summary Report
4. University Leader Self-Reflection on Results
5. Co-Creation of Development Plan with Supervisor
Frequency. University leaders as defined in this policy shall participate in a 360-feedback during the 5^th year of service in their position and every five(5) years thereafter in addition to their regular annual performance review.
Participants. Individuals with the following job titles shall participate in the University leaders 360-feedback review.
1. President's Cabinet
  1. Chief Information Officer
  2. Chief Marketing Officer
  3. Chief Technology Officer
  4. Director of Athletics
  5. Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs
  6. Vice President for Business & Administrative Services
  7. Vice President for Human Resources
  8. Vice President for Institutional Advancement
  9. Vice President for Research & Economic Development
  10. Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
2. Associate Vice Presidents
  1. Associate Vice President for Research & Economic Development
  2. Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
3. Academic Deans
  1. Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
  2. Dean, The Beacom College of Computer & Cyber Sciences
  3. Dean, College of Business & Information Systems
  4. Dean, College of Education & Human Performance
  5. Dean, Graduate Studies
4. Directors, Officers, and Other Administrators
  1. Assistant Chief Information Officer, Director of Business Intelligence
  2. Controller
  3. Director of Academic Support Services
  4. Director of Admissions
  5. Director of Budget & Grants/Contracts
  6. Director of Career and Professional Development
  7. Director of Counseling Center
  8. Director of Facilities Management
  9. Director of Financial Aid
  10. Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment, and Policy
  11. Director of Institutional Research
  12. Director of International Programs
  13. Director of the Library
  14. Director of Residence Life & Student Union
  15. Director of Support Services
  16. Director of Student Engagement and Leadership
  17. Director of Technical Operations
  18. Director of University Events
  19. Network Administrator
  20. Registrar

Exclusions
The University President is excluded from the 360-Feedback Review because system Presidents report to the Board of Regents who periodically uses its own feedback process.

Exceptions
A supervisor may adjust the administrator review to extend it for emergency reasons and/or to conduct the review prior to the fifth year.

IV. PROCEDURES (MAJOR)

Identification of Stakeholder Network
1. The University leader under review shall collaborate with a supervisor to identify the stakeholder group whose anonymous feedback will be sought as part of the 360-feedback review.
2. The stakeholder group shall include, at a minimum, the following members:
  1. Self (leader)
  2. Direct reports (if applicable)
  3. Faculty (if the leader interacts with faculty relevant to the leadership components in III.A of this policy)
  4. Peers (if the leader interact with peers relevant to the leadership components in III.A of this policy)
3. Other potential stakeholder group members may include, but are not limited to, students, administrative staff, Board of Regents office staff, peers at other universities, key external partners, research partners, University board members (e.g., Foundation Board, program advisory board), and alumni.
4. A stakeholder group shall have at minimum three (3) feedback members.
Data Collection
1. University Leader Self-Evaluation
  1. The leader shall complete the self-evaluation section of the University 360-Feedback Form that contains, at a minimum, the following:
    1. Reflection of personal performance on the University’s identified leadership characteristics as defined in III.A.
    2. Areas of personal/team accomplishment.
    3. Areas of particular strength.
    4. Areas for personal development
  2. The leader shall provide the self-reflection to her/his supervisor for review prior to receipt of stakeholder group member feedback.
2. Stakeholder Group Feedback
  1. University leader stakeholder group feedback shall occur during the same time period (simultaneously) as the leader’s self-reflection.
  2. The Office of Institutional Research (OIR) shall administer a University-developed survey to identified stakeholder group members.
Stakeholder Feedback Data Analysis Summary Report
1. The OIR shall create a summary report of findings that includes, but is not limited to, the following:
  1. Quantitative Data Summary (total and disaggregated by stakeholder network member subgroups)
  2. Qualitative Comments
2. The OIR shall only share the 360-feedback review summary report of findings with the University leader and supervisor.
University Leader Self-Reflection on Stakeholder Results
1. The leader shall review the summary report of stakeholder findings and complete the self-reflection section of the University 360-Feedback Form.
2. The reflection shall include, at a minimum, the following:
  1. Recognition of patterns within and among stakeholder groups.
  2. Areas where self-evaluation differed from the perspective of stakeholder network members (if applicable).
Co-Creation of Development Plan with Supervisor
1. The leader shall provide the supervisor with the completed sections of the University Leader 360-Feedback Form.
2. The supervisor must read the leader’s reflection and provide comments.
3. The University leader and supervisor shall collaborate to identify 2-4 goals informed by stakeholder feedback and leader self-reflection.
4. The University leader and supervisor shall document, date, and sign the supervisor-approved goals in the University Leader 360-Feedback Form.
5. The 360-Feedback Review goals shall be included annually within the University leader’s annual performance evaluation.
6. The supervisor shall place the completed University Leader’s 360-Feedback Form in the leader’s personnel file.
7. The University leader’s personnel file shall not contain raw data, including ratings by subgroups and qualitative comments, from the 360-feedback review process.
8. Due to state data privacy laws, the completed University Leader 360-Feedback Form shall not be shared publicly or with the individual’s division without written authorization from the individual reviewed.
Timeline. The University shall gather 360-feedback for University leaders as defined in this policy during the 5^th year of service in a leadership role.
1. By January 31: The OIR shall notify University leaders of their 5th year of service in their position and the requirement for 360-feedback review.
2. By February 28: Leader and supervisor shall collaborate to determine the appropriate stakeholder network members for the 360-feedback review. The supervisor shall provide the OIR with the list of stakeholder network member to assist in survey administration.
3. March 1 – April 30: Simultaneously, the University leader shall complete the self-evaluation section of the University Leader 360-Feedback Form, and the OIR shall administer both stakeholder group member survey.
4. By May 31: The University leader shall submit the completed University Leader 360-Feedback Form to the supervisor.
5. By June 30: The supervisor shall complete the designated comment section in the University Leader 360-Feedback Form.
6. By July 31: The University leader and supervisor shall meet to review the 360-Feedback Review Report and develop 2-4 goals. The form is digitally signed with the University’s designated software. The leader and supervisor shall receive copies. The supervisor shall place a printed copy of the 360-Feedback Review Form in the University leader’s personnel file.
7. September 15 – December 31: The leader and supervisor agreed-upon goals shall be included as future goals in the leader’s performance evaluation to be used in the upcoming calendar or academic year.
Compliance. In the course of collecting feedback from stakeholder group members, should any information suggesting serious misconduct or illegal activity be brought forward, whether anonymously or by an identified source, the supervisor shall evaluate the concern, determine whether an investigation is necessary, and take appropriate steps aligned with policy and law.

V. RELATED DOCUMENTS, FORMS AND TOOLS

DSU 360-Feedback Self-Reflection Form
DSU 360-Feedback Stakeholder Group Member Ratings Survey

VI. POLICY HISTORY

Adopted: 07/28/2026