Performance Appraisals

An employee evaluation is a periodic appraisal of an employee’s performance by their supervisor. Your supervisor should assess your progress, praise your accomplishments, verify completion of required training efforts, and collaborate on goals to improve performance. Evaluations vary by position type. Staff participate in an Annual Performance Appraisal (APA) hosted by Human Resources, while faculty participate in the Faculty Evaluation System (FES) hosted by Academic Affairs.

To learn more about faculty evaluations, review academic policies.

Annual Performance Appraisal

Annual appraisals serve as the basis for merit pay increases (when available) and support employee development. They launch in December via the Talent Management system for staff hired at least 45 days before the appraisal period begins. All evaluations are stored in the system. A series of training videos are available in Talent Management to assist you with the 2025 Annual Performance Appraisal (APA) process. These concise “Quick Vid” videos, each approximately two minutes in length and captioned for accessibility, are designed to help both supervisors and employees understand the updated appraisal steps required for this year.

*Note: To access the playlist:
1. Open Talent Management through MySam first
2. Click the playlist link below:
2025 Annual Performance Appraisal (APA) Playlist

Appraisal Period

The appraisal period runs from January 1 to December 31 each year. Professional development training must be completed and marked as such in Talent Management by December 31 to receive credit.

Annual Requirements

Non-supervisory staff must complete 8 hours of job-related training annually. Supervisors and executives must complete 12 hours. Part-time employees' requirements are prorated based on FTE. For example, a 0.5 FTE staff member must complete 4 hours.

Employee Development Policy

Appraisal Process for the 2025 Performance Period

Key Dates

  • December 8–16, 2025: Self-evaluations open for employees*
  • January 21, 2026: Supervisor reviews should be saved in Talent Management but not submitted
  • January 22–29, 2026: Next-Level Supervisor (Co-Planner) Review**
  • January 30–February 6, 2026: Review meetings completed
  • February 11, 2026: Employee acknowledgment due

*Self-evaluations are encouraged as an important part of creating a meaningful review conversation. Ask your supervisor whether the self-evaluation is required for your review.
**A recent change to HR-02 Classification, Evaluation, and Salary Administration of Non-Faculty Jobs Policy requires next-level supervisors to review the APA before it is delivered to the employee. Supervisors will receive additional information regarding this process.

Self-Evaluations - December 8 - 16, 2025 

Employees may complete self-evaluations in Talent Management during this period if requested by their supervisor. Self-evaluations are encouraged to support meaningful review conversations. Once submitted, supervisors receive an email notification. Supervisors may begin entering ratings during this time but should not finalize the appraisal until all required review steps are complete.

If an employee cannot complete their self-evaluation by December 16, supervisors may reopen the step in Talent Management. For guidance, access the Quick Vid: 2025 Annual Performance Appraisal training series by logging into Talent Management and entering the title in the search bar.

How to Run an Individual Transcript Report in Talent Management

Supervisors enter ratings and comments in Talent Management and save (but do not submit) the appraisal by January 21, 2026. This ensures readiness for the next-level review step.

How to Run Your Subordinates’ Transcript Reports (Reporting 2.0)

In compliance with HR-02(4), next-level supervisors must review and approve the appraisal before it is delivered to the employee. This step occurs January 22–29, 2026. Supervisors will receive detailed instructions on this process.

Supervisors will meet with their employees during this period to review the completed appraisal and discuss the ratings. This conversation should include feedback on performance and goal setting for the upcoming year. After the meeting, the supervisor acknowledges the meeting in Talent Management to confirm completion of this step.

Employee Acknowledgment - February 11, 2026

Employees complete the acknowledgment step in Talent Management by February 11, 2026, to confirm the review discussion. Once all acknowledgments are complete, the appraisal cycle closes in Talent Management.

Resources