Faculty Handbook 2.0

From MC Chem Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Faculty Job description

All faculty members are expected to clearly demonstrate involvement in all three primary job functions:

1) Teach courses: Faculty members are expected to teach courses in their field of expertise. This involves preparing syllabi, developing lesson plans, delivering lectures, grading assignments and exams, and providing feedback to students. Details of teaching will be guided by departmental/program guideline and colleagues.

2) Provide service to the institution: Faculty members are expected to contribute to the overall mission of the institution by serving on standing faculty committees, advising students, and participating in other service activities related to student recruitment and retention.

3) Engage in scholarship and professional development: Faculty members are expected to engage in scholarly activities that advance their discipline and contribute to the academic community. The primary goal of scholarship is to stay current in their field of expertise. Traditional forms of scholarship may include reading peer-reviewed literature and/or trade magazines and newspapers, conducting research, publishing papers and books, and presenting findings at conferences.

Details regarding the primary job functions

All ranks of faculty are expected to:

- Maintain regular office hours: Faculty members are expected to maintain regular office hours for the purpose of meeting with students and colleagues, providing academic support and advising, and attending to administrative tasks related to their position.
- Attend faculty meetings and other institutional events: Faculty members are expected to attend month faculty meetings, departmental meetings, and other institutional events as required (Matriculation, Commencement) or as appropriate to their role within the institution.
- Adhere to institutional policies and procedures: Faculty members are expected to adhere to institutional policies and procedures (Faculty Handbook, Faculty Statues) related to academic standards, student conduct, ethical conduct, research integrity, and other areas relevant to their position.
- Maintain professional conduct: Faculty members are expected to maintain professional conduct at all times, including in their interactions with students, colleagues, and other members of the community. This includes upholding academic integrity, respecting diversity, and adhering to ethical and legal standards.

All ranks of faculty are encouraged to:

- Collaborate with colleagues and participate in institutional initiatives: Faculty members are encouraged to collaborate with colleagues within and across departments, and to participate in institutional initiatives such as academic program development, accreditation processes, and other activities that support the goals and mission of the institution. Faculty are encouraged to attend and to share their scholarship with other colleagues during faculty colloquia.
- Include students in your scholarship (faculty-mentored scholarship): by promoting attendance at conferences and workshops, providing them with relevant literature, and by having discussions outside the traditional classroom environment.

Details associated with Teaching

In the classroom/laboratory, faculty members are responsible for creating a positive and engaging learning environment that fosters student learning and academic achievement. They are expected to prepare course materials, including syllabi, assignments, readings, and multimedia resources, that align with learning outcomes stated in the syllabus and support student learning. Faculty are expected use allotted class time effectively including delivering lectures, facilitate discussions and group activities, and provide feedback and assessment on student work. They are also expected to maintain accurate records of student attendance, participation, and academic progress, and to provide students with timely and constructive feedback on their performance. Additionally, faculty members are expected to adhere to institutional policies and procedures related to academic standards and student conduct, and to ensure that their classroom practices align with the institution's mission and values.

Comments regarding time allocations to the three primary job functions

Faculty members are given great flexibility in how they allocate time to the three primary job functions. Due to differences in disciplines, as well as training and experience, progress is made in satisfying the three primary job functions with varying time allocations. Placing importance or priorities on these three primary job functions can lead to a prescriptive job description. Having said that, it is generally understood that teaching is considered the most important job function and should consume the largest portion of your time, often ranging from 40-70% of the workload. Service to the institution is critical, but also highly variable, often ranging from 10-20% of a faculty member's time. Engaging in scholarship and professional development activities is also highly variable and may take up 20-40% of a faculty member's time. Time allocations is highly dependent on the faculty rank.


As experienced educator will affirm, teaching can consume a significant percentage of your time at work. Especially for less experienced teachers, the expectations associated with leading the classroom activities can lead a faculty member to be over prepared for the daily interactions.

Comments specific to the rank of Assistant Professor

As experienced educator will affirm, teaching can consume a significant percentage of your time. Less experienced teachers are often overwhelmed by the expectations associated with classroom management can lead a faculty member to be over prepared for the daily interactions. As noted above the range of teaching workload is expected to be 40-70% and because assistant professors are often developing/modifying/learning course content this often results in allocating >60% of their workload to teaching. An assistant professor's service to the institution may be less important in the first few years of being at the institution primarily because the faculty members needs to learn about the academic and student culture. Depending on the previous/graduate experience of the assistant professor, engaging in scholarship and professional development activities may be more or less difficult due to available resources and is expected to take up > 30% of a faculty member's time. Advice regarding time allocations should be sought out from other faculty members in your department/program as well as in different departments/programs.

Promotion expectations for an assistant professor needs to be clearly defined. It is expected that after 2-3 years of teaching at the institution that the time allocated to teaching prep can be reallocated to service and scholarship.

Comments specific to the ranks of Assistant Professor

Comments specific to the ranks of Assistant Professor

1.2. Definition of Academic Ranks

1.2.1. Professor

Persons appointed to the rank of professor have ordinarily earned the highest degree in their special field

of learning or have an equivalent accomplishment, such as the publication of recognized scholarly work. They are distinguished teachers and scholars. They are respected by colleagues and students and they are effective contributors to the life of the College. Their work over many years has made them influential beyond their department and they are respected beyond the College. 1.2.2. Associate Professor Persons appointed to the rank of associate professor have ordinarily earned the highest degree in their special field of learning or have an equivalent accomplishment, such as the publication of recognized scholarly work. They have demonstrated promise of becoming distinguished teachers and scholars. They are respected by colleagues and students and they are effective contributors to the life of the College. 1.2.3. Assistant Professor Persons appointed to the rank of assistant professor have ordinarily earned the highest degree in their special field of learning or have an equivalent accomplishment, such as the publication of recognized scholarly work. They show promise of becoming distinguished teachers and scholars. They have recognized the need to be respected by colleagues and students and to be effective contributors to the life of the College. 1.2.4. Instructor Persons appointed to the rank of instructor have ordinarily earned a master's degree and are candidates for the highest degree in their special field of learning. 1.2.5. Professor Emeritus/Emerita Upon recommendation of the President of the College and the Faculty, the Board of Trustees may confer the rank of professor emeritus or professor emerita upon a faculty member who has reached retirement and has served the College loyally for at least ten years. Professors Emeriti will be given the privilege of faculty use of the library, and faculty rates for all charged admission events. Faculty Manual Monmouth College Page 4 1/25/2018 4 1.2.6. Unincorporated Faculty Members Unincorporated faculty members and those who hold special appointments are not eligible for tenure. Unless otherwise specified in the individual contract, unincorporated faculty members are not eligible for faculty fringe benefits nor sabbaticals. (5/7/85) 1.2.6.1. Lecturer A person may be appointed to the faculty as a lecturer without rank. Normally such a person teaches or coaches on a less than full-time basis. Ordinarily a lecturer must have earned a baccalaureate or higher degree. 1.2.6.2. Adjunct Professor Persons appointed to teach in off-campus programs may be designated adjunct professors. 1.2.6.3. Affiliate Professor Persons appointed to teach Monmouth College students in approved affiliate programs may be designated affiliate professors. Affiliate professors are considered the employees of the institution which they serve and are not paid by Monmouth College. 1.2.6.4. Visiting Professor The title of visiting professor can be granted to faculty members from other accredited colleges who teach at Monmouth College by special arrangements for a limited period of time not to exceed one full year. 1.2.7. Coaches of Athletics Certain persons whose full-time appointment of the faculty normally requires more than half-time in coaching and related athletic responsibilities in the Kinesiology Department, but who also teach academic courses, may be designated as coaches of athletics. Such persons have faculty rank and are eligible for promotion and faculty fringe benefits, but are not eligible for tenure. 1.2.8. Administrative Officers and Faculty Rank 1.2.8.1. The President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of the Faculty are members of the faculty by virtue of the appointment to their offices. Other administrative officers who teach on a regular or occasional basis may be appointed to a faculty rank consistent with their training and experience following the usual procedures for faculty appointment. 1.2.8.2. Administrative officers of the College with faculty rank are eligible for promotion and faculty benefits on the same basis as other ranked faculty members. They are not, however, eligible for tenure. Faculty Manual Monmouth College Page 5 1/25/2018 5 1.2.9. Part-time Faculty Members 1.2.9.1. Qualifications for part-time faculty members are the same as those for full-time faculty members. Ordinarily part-time faculty members hold the rank of lecturer. Their responsibilities are set forth in the statement on "Expectations of Part-time Faculty Members" in sections 2.1.9. Part-time faculty members are not eligible for tenure or fringe benefits, unless specifically stated in their contracts. 1.2.9.2. Faculty Associates Persons appointed to the rank of faculty associates have ordinarily earned a master's degree in their special field of learning, and have taught the equivalent of at least four courses per year, on average, for at least three years at Monmouth College.