Comprehensive Standard 3.7.1
The institution employs competent faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission and goals of the institution. When determining acceptable qualifications of its faculty, an institution gives primary consideration to the highest earned degree in the discipline. The institution also considers competence, effectiveness, and capacity, include, as appropriate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications, honors and awards, continuous documented excellence in teaching, or other demonstrated competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching and student learning outcomes. For all cases, the institution is responsible for justifying and documenting the qualifications of its faculty.(see Commission guidelines "Faculty Credentials.") (Faculty competence)
aCompliance___Partial Compliance___Non-Compliance
Narrative:
Lawson State Community
College employs competent faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission
and goals of the institution. All college transfer full-time and part-time
faculty members who teach Associate Degree courses that are designed for
transfer towards a baccalaureate degree have either a Master’s or Doctoral
degree in the teaching discipline or a Master’s degree with a minimum of 18
graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline as governed by State Board
Policy 605.02 (Policy 605.02). Faculty members who teach developmental courses (below college
level) hold at least a Bachelor’s degree in the teaching discipline or within a
related field. Career Technical faculty members have either Associates degree
in their discipline, appropriate certifications and a minimum of three years of
work experience in the related teaching field or a professional license (2008-2009 Faculty Roster).
Lawson State adheres to
State Board Policy 602.02 guidelines as it relates to the hiring practices and
procedures governing faculty appointments (Board
Policy 602.02). Job announcements and position descriptions
detail the required qualifications of faculty and outline minimum
qualifications (Sample Job
Announcement). The Vice President for Instructional Services
is responsible for recommending (to the President) a committee for each
announced position. Committee structures
include faculty representatives from the department and others, an
administrative representative from the department and a Human Resources representative
(Sample
Screening Committee). During
the preliminary stage of candidate selection, the credentials of all applicants
are reviewed and assessed against the minimum qualifications for the position,
including a review of transcripts and work experience. Following the screening
and interviewing process, Committee recommendations are sent to the President
for final approval and appointment as outlined in State Board Policy 602.01 (Policy 602.01).
The College ensures
(through the use of its Faculty Credentials Packet and adjunct hiring process)
that adjunct faculty meet the same academic credential requirements as
full-time faculty do; however, the department chair will identify potential
candidates, conduct interviews, evaluate transcripts, verify related work
experience and make the recommendation for employment to the appropriate
administrators (Associate Deans, Deans, and Vice President for Instructional
Services) (Faculty Credentials
Packet, Template). The Credential Packet outlines a specific
step-by-step process that administrators must follow and includes a background
check authorization, listing of education qualifications, attachment of
unofficial transcripts and/or current certifications (for preliminary review),
and includes an eligibility test
(Completed Faculty
Credentials Packets). If approved tentatively, an official request
for transcripts is provided to the instructor (Transcript Request
Notification Letter). Once transcripts are
received in Human Resources, Department Chairs are provided copies of official
transcripts for review and final clearance of credentials. Once officially
cleared, the credentials packet is signed by the Department Chair and submitted
(for approval) to the Dean (academic or career technical) and the Vice
President for Instructional Services.
Final approval and appointment is reserved for the President.
In cases where a faculty
member is hired without the appropriate degree, the employee must complete a
portfolio documenting extensive work and/or talent in the teaching field.
The portfolio is evaluated by a qualified professional in the teaching field
and is then sent to the Vice President for Instructional Services for
validation and submission to the Human Resources Office for credential
verification and placement in the personnel file. The instructor is
certified to teach as a qualified and properly credentialed instructor in
accordance to accreditation requirements.
All personnel files are
housed in the Human Resources Office.
Documentation:
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Documentation |
Location |
|
2008 Policies & Procedures Manual, State Board Policy 605.02 |
|
|
Faculty and Staff Roster |
|
|
2008 Policies & Procedures Manual, State Board Policy 602.02 |
|
|
Sample Job Announcement |
|
|
2008 Policies & Procedures Manual, State Board Policy 602.01 |
|
|
Faculty Credentials Packet, Template |
|
|
Completed Faculty Credentials Packets |
|
|
Transcript
Request Notification Letter |