Policy No. 100

Description: The Role of Faculty

Adopted: 04/23/96
Revisions Approved:

The responsibility for fulfilling the educational goals of the College is entrusted to the faculty. They make recommendations to the academic administration on matters pertaining to instruction and learning and those aspects of student life that relate to the educational process.

The Collegiate Assembly is the forum where faculty present their views and discuss academic issues. Faculty also voice their opinions within their departments and on College committees.

The established functional responsibilities of the faculty at large include:
Curriculum: See Curriculum Policy No. 104

Academic Standards and Discipline: The faculty shall encourage their students to maintain a high level of academic performance. The faculty shall assist the administration in establishing norms and rules for: admissions, evaluation of transfer credit, grading criteria, honors and awards, probation or required withdrawal. Faculty shall also assist in monitoring student performance and student disciplinary actions.

Academic Grades: The academic administration , assisted by the faculty, will develop and publish the College grading system for credit courses. Letter grades, reflecting numerical averages, will be used to measure and evaluate students' progress, determine minimum graduation and retention requirements. Numerical GPA will be used to determine honors status. While grades are important, faculty shall encourage students to pursue learning for other higher reasons as well.

A system of appeals has been established and is communicated to the students, so that they can discuss their grades with individual faculty members or can participate in a committee hearing where the disputed grades are considered.

Awarding of Degrees: The faculty shall set requirements for the degrees offered in various disciplines, determine when requirements have been met, and certify to the President and Board of Trustees that students have met their degree requirements.

Attendance and the College Calendar: The College calendar for classes and the number of class hours required shall be established by the academic administration with faculty advice, in a way that meets state requirements for awarding degrees and that upholds appropriate academic standards. Student regulations for class attendance and absence shall be determined by faculty and reviewed by academic administrators.

On all these matters where the faculty plays a corporate role, in keeping with their professional responsibilities, the power of review or final decision, held by the president, shall be exercised adversely only in exceptional circumstances and for reasons communicated to the faculty. Following such communication, the faculty shall have the opportunity to transmit their views to the president or Board.

See Also:

Academics Policy No. 102
Curriculum Policy No. 104
Human Resources Policy No.800
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