Evaluation of higher education music faculty is often largely dependent on student perception surveys. These surveys, however, offer a limited perspective and are subject to bias against marginalized faculty (Adichie, 2009; Onufer, 2021; Owen et al., 2024). Scholars have recently advocated for more holistic, multi-source approaches, including peer review of teaching (PRT) as a valuable complement to student surveys (Austin et al., 2025; Barbeau & Cornejo Happel, 2023; Cornejo Weaver et al., 2020; Cutroni & Paladino, 2023). The intersection of institutional reforms and departmental practices remains underexplored, especially in music faculty units, where teaching occurs in diverse contexts such as applied lessons, classroom instruction, and ensemble direction (Parkes, 2015, 2019).This study investigates how music faculty units in higher education enact PRT as part of their teaching evaluation process and examines the relationship between departmental practices and institutional frameworks. Drawing on my dual role as a music faculty member and director of a center for teaching and learning, I explore how shared governance policies influence faculty autonomy and how they intersect with music faculty and institutional evaluation efforts.I employ multiple case study design (Stake, 2006; Thomas 2011) across three universities. Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, and artifact analysis. Participants included teaching and learning center staff, faculty peer observers, and faculty observees. Theoretical framing is provided by the Collegial Faculty Development Framework (Esterhazy et al., 2021), which emphasizes collaborative, contextually grounded professional growth; and Loose Coupling Theory (Orton & Weick, 1990), which illuminates organizational disconnects between policy and practice.Preliminary findings reveal three themes: navigating structural uncertainty, valuing collegial support and mentoring, and seeking transparency and alignment between unit and institutional goals. Cross-case analysis highlights contextual differences in how PRT is conceptualized and implemented, with faculty units often driving their own evaluation processes independent of university frameworks. Data suggest that PRT offers a more nuanced and collegial evaluation of teaching than student surveys alone, but challenges persist regarding structure, mentoring, and clarity of purpose.Incorporating PRT into music teaching evaluation can foster a more equitable, comprehensive, and discipline-sensitive understanding of effective teaching in higher education settings. Music faculty units may benefit from increased collaboration with pedagogically trained music education colleagues during the PRT process. Further, institutions can prioritize transparent, holistic evaluation models and stronger alignment between policy and practice. These steps are essential for supporting faculty development, promoting teaching excellence, and advancing equity in higher education music programs.