The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance on faculty roles and associated qualifications to support the quality and integrity of academic programs at TTUHSC. The policy applies to all full-time and part-time faculty members, including graduate part-time instructors, assigned to deliver a course’s academic content, regardless of format, location, or mode of delivery.
The OP will be reviewed by September in even-numbered years by the TTUHSC SACSCOC Liaison, the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, and the Academic Affairs and Curriculum Committee, with revisions submitted to the Academics Council for approval.
1) POLICY
a) In this OP, the Principles refer to the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
b) All instructional faculty appointments, including Adjunct Instructors and Graduate Part-Time Instructors (GPTIs), as well as subsequent assignment of duties, must be made in accordance with the qualifications stated in the Principles and any associated policies or guidelines.
2) DEFINITIONS
a) Classification
i) Full-time faculty member is defined as an employee working the equivalent of 40 hours a week, 12 months out of the year as a faculty member (1.0 FTE).
ii) Part-time faculty member is defined as an employee working less than 40 hours a week and/or less than 12 months out of the year as a faculty member (<1.0 FTE).
b) Faculty Title
i) Assistant Instructor, Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor of Practice, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of Practice, Associate Professor Emeritus, Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, Clinical Instructor, Clinical Lecturer, Clinical Professor, Professor, Professor of Practice, Instructor, Lecturer, Professor Emeritus, Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor, Research Instructor, Research Professor
c) Role
i) Instructor/Faculty of Record. A person qualified to teach the course and who provides direct oversight of the course. The Instructor/Faculty of Record may hold any faculty title listed in 2.b.i.
(a) As defined by SACSCOC in the Principles, the Instructor/Faculty of Record has overall responsibility for:
(i) Development/ implementation of the syllabus;
(ii) Achievement of student learning outcomes;
(iii) Issuing grades; and
(iv) Compliance with accreditation and institutional requirements, regardless of instructional modality.
ii) Secondary Instructor. An instructor who is not the Instructor/Faculty of Record in Banner but has a percentage of instructional responsibility for the course in Banner that is greater than zero percent. The Secondary Instructor may hold any faculty title listed in 2.b.i.
iii) Graduate Part-Time Instructor. A student who assists in grading assignments and teaching in a course, or a student who teaches a course independently.
iv) Grader. A person assists in grading assignments in a course but does not teach or issue final grades.
3) REQUIRED FACULTY QUALIFICATIONS BY ROLE.
i) Instructor/Faculty of Record or Secondary Instructor.
(1) Faculty teaching baccalaureate courses: doctorate or master’s degree in the teaching discipline or master’s degree with a concentration in the teaching discipline (recommended minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline).
(2) Faculty teaching graduate and post-baccalaureate coursework: doctorate/terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline.
(a) The terminal degree generally represents the most advanced degree available within an academic discipline and should comply with any stated policies regarding the identification of the terminal degree as proclaimed by a discipline-specific professional organization or accreditor.
(3) Supervision, training, and evaluation should be conducted for the Instructor/Faculty of Record or the Secondary Instructor, as outlined in HSC operating policies and the respective school procedures.
ii) Graduate Part-Time Instructor.
(1) If the Graduate Part-Time Instructor is the Instructor/Faculty of Record or the Secondary Instructor, the same qualifications as for the Instructor/Faculty of Record or the Secondary Instructor apply. Direct supervision by a faculty member experienced in the teaching discipline, regular in-service training, and planned and periodic evaluations are required.
(2) If the Graduate Assistant is not the Instructor of Record or Secondary Instructor, a master’s in the teaching discipline or the recommended 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline is not required, but direct supervision by a faculty member experienced in the teaching discipline, regular in-service training, and planned and periodic evaluations are required.
iii) Grader.
(1) A master’s degree in the teaching discipline or the recommended 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline is not required; however, experience/education in the teaching discipline, direct supervision by a faculty member experienced in the teaching discipline, regular in-service training, and planned and periodic evaluations are required.
4) RESPONSIBILITY.
i) Each Dean is responsible for ensuring that their faculty members are qualified to teach courses as outlined above. The initial appointment of all faculty, including adjunct instructors and GPTIs, must be accompanied by a the certification of faculty qualifications form used by each school/program, with a completed copy sent to facultyqualifications@ttuhsc.edu. Subsequent events that result in a change in qualifications must be documented by submitting a revised certification form.
ii) Professional experience and contributions to the teaching discipline may be used in lieu of formal academic credentials. Each case is considered an exception (e.g., instructors without 18 hours of experience in the teaching discipline) and is reviewed and approved in writing by each Dean and the Office of the Provost.
iii) Credentials and related qualifications for each faculty member who teaches a course must be entered into the Faculty Success system.
iv) Official transcripts for faculty should be kept by the faculty member’s respective school. An electronic copy of the terminal degree transcript and/or the transcript with the relevant coursework related to courses taught should be uploaded to the Faculty Success system.
v) International transcript evaluations should follow the steps outlined in HSC OP 60.09, Faculty Recruitment Procedure.
vi) The Instructor/Faculty of Record (Primary Instructor assigned in Banner) should be accurate for each course section. This individual’s qualifications must align with those outlined in 3.i. Secondary Instructors and Graduate Part-Time Instructors may also be added to a course section in Banner, as appropriate. The total percentage for all faculty responsible (Percent of Responsibility in Banner) for a course section should equal 100%.