| Narrative: |
The
Policy and Procedures Manual of Southwestern Community
College includes Policy 5.1 on the Role of Faculty in
Academic and Governance Matters (1):
The
faculty of the college, in partnership with administration,
ensures the overall effectiveness of the educational
programs. Additionally, faculty members are involved
in the decision-making processes for the college.
Faculty
interests are represented in the governance of the college
through the following:
| • |
Faculty
members have primary responsibility for the content,
quality and effectiveness of the curriculum. |
| • |
Faculty
members are expected to participate in program/division
level decisions and activities. |
| • |
Faculty
participate in college committees based on appointment
by the president. |
| • |
The
President of the Faculty Senate, or designee, participates
in the Instructional Administrators/Student Services
Group. |
| • |
Faculty
participate in the President’s Council, or
similar body, which is designed to provide broad-based
participation in the college planning process. |
| • |
The
Faculty Senate, or similar respective body, addresses
educational and related issues of interest to the
faculty. |
The
Policies and Procedures Manual also specifies responsibilities
for faculty principally in Chapter 5 (Instructional)
and Chapter 6 (Student Development).
In
addition to Policy 5.1 (Role of Faculty in Academic
and Governance Matters), Chapter Five of the Policies
and Procedures Manual includes the following relevant
to faculty’s responsibility and authority:
5.8
Academic and Personal Freedom. The
principles of academic freedom are accepted by this
college. These principles entitle faculty the
privilege of organizing their subject matter in
such ways and presenting it by such methods as,
in their considered judgment, will have optimum
value for their students, subject to such guidelines
as are reflected in departmental, college and other
faculty policies. Faculty are also subject to the
obligation to require an amount and quality of work
from their students which, under the college standards,
justify the course (2).
5.9 Curriculum Development and Revision.
Primary responsibility for the quality of
the educational programs of the college resides
with the faculty (3).
5.11 Textbook Selection. Faculty
members in consultation with program coordinators
and deans are responsible for the selection of textbooks
and other instructional aids for effective learning
(4).
5.13.1 Change of Grades. Faculty
are responsible for the integrity of their grading
standards including changes of final
grades after the end of the term (5). |
Chapter
Six of the Policies and Procedures Manual includes the
following relevant to faculty’s responsibility
and authority:
6.2
Commencement. …Applications for
commencement must be approved by the student's
advisor (Faculty) and submitted to the Registrar's
Office by the announced deadline (six weeks prior
to the commencement exercises) (6).
6.11 Attendance Requirements. All
students are expected to be regular and punctual
in attendance for scheduled classes and open labs.
Absences will be considered justified and excusable
only in cases of emergency, serious illness, or
death in the immediate family. (At the discretion
of instructors, students may make up work missed.
When a student must be absent, it is vital that
he remain in contact with his instructors.)
(7).
6.13 Grading System. Official
grades are issued for each student at the end of
each semester. Students enrolled in curriculum courses
will be graded by the letter grade system indicated
below and assigned a grade point average ( GPA)
for each semester. Instructors inform students
about the specific grading scales. The College
does not have a uniform grading scale (8).
6.19.1 Withdrawal Procedures. …
If a student seeks to withdraw from a course(s)
after the official withdrawal date, this may be
granted under extenuating circumstances, such as
serious illness or job transfer, and will be
considered on an individual basis by the instructor.
It is the student’s responsibility to provide
compelling documentation for this request and to
attach the documentation to the withdrawal form
(9).
6.21 Course Substitution. When
it is determined to be in the best interest of the
student’s declared educational objective,
appropriate courses may be substituted for other
courses for graduation purposes. Necessary course
substitutions within the major field (courses reflecting
the prefix of the student’s major curriculum)
require the approval of the student’s program
coordinator or advisor (Faculty) (10).
6.26.1 Grievance Procedures. …
First Step. The student must go to the instructor
or staff member where the alleged problem originated.
An attempt will be made to resolve the matter equitably
and informally at this level (11).
6.27.1 Discipline and Appeals Procedure.
… If an act of misconduct threatens the
health or well being of any member of the academic
community or seriously disrupts the function and
good order of the College, an instructor or administrative
officer may direct student(s) involved to cease
and desist such conduct and advise them that failing
to cease and desist will result in immediate suspension.
If the student(s) fail to cease and desist, the
instructor may then suspend the student(s) from
the class. An administrative officer may suspend
the student(s) from either the class or the College
until a resolution of the matter can be made
(12).
6.34 Curriculum Course Prerequisites.
Students may not take a course until a course
prerequisite has been met. There are occasions when
exceptions may be deemed desirable and appropriate,
both the instructor and/or program coordinator
and the dean/director must approve and justify such
exceptions. The approval and justification documentation
will be maintained on file in the dean/director’s
office (13).
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Policies concerning faculty responsibility and authority
both within and outside the classroom are also published
in the Curriculum Faculty Handbook (14),
and the role of faculty in program planning is detailed
in the Institutional Effectiveness Manual (15).
Faculty
representation on each standing committee of the College
further demonstrates their roles in academic and governance
matters (16).
For example, the President’s Council provides
broad-based participation in the college planning process
and includes the President of the Faculty Senate (17),
and faculty representatives from each of the major academic
divisions appointed by curriculum teams in each division.
The President’s Council provides input affecting
the following areas:
| • |
The
college mission, vision, values, and long-range
goals |
| • |
Annual
planning assumptions |
| • |
Annual
priorities/objectives/initiatives for the college |
| • |
Monitoring
college internal measures and monitoring progress
in achieving annual priorities/objectives/initiatives |
Other
committees on which faculty serve include the Curriculum
& Instruction Committee, Advising Committee, Commencement
Committee, Disciplinary Review Committee, Distance Learning
Committee, Global Education Committee, Health and Safety
Committee, Institutional Effectiveness Committee, and
the Retention Committee.
Furthermore
the Faculty Senate President attends weekly meetings
with the Instruction and Student Services Administrators
group, which is comprised of the Academic Deans of the
college’s major divisions and the Vice-President
for Instruction and Student Services.
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Compliance
Partial
Compliance