Faculty Handbook - 2007 Edition
A Handbook for Full-time and Part-time Faculty
2007 Edition
Edited by
Faculty Handbook Committee, HCCS Faculty Senate
Dr. Thomas Urban - Chair, David Ross, Antrece Baggett, Michelle Novak, Lloyd Schuh
2007 Faculty Handbook in PDF format
Introduction
This edition of the Houston Community College Faculty Handbook is the result of over two years of hard work by a number of faculty colleagues, including not only the Faculty Senate committee ably chaired by Dr. Urban, but also Linda Griffin, professor of English at Northeast College, who got the ball roiling by preparing an draft update of the 1998 version of the Handbook.
We acknowledge that listing all the HCCS policies and procedures that affect faculty and instruction is a Herculean task, and that some gaps are almost inevitable. To this end, we have designed this handbook as a “living document.” We plan to modularize it and place it on the Web in sections so that as changes in policy occur, or for that matter as new policy areas occur to us, we can make the needed adjustments without rewriting the entire Handbook.
If you have any comments or inquiries about this document, please address them to david.ross@hccs.edu
David Ross
President
HCCS Faculty Senate
2006-2007
Foreword
The HCCS Faculty Handbook (hereafter referred to as the “Handbook”) has been prepared by the Houston Community College System Office of the Vice Chancellor for Instruction as a reference tool for present and prospective faculty members. While this handbook contains a number of institutional policies and instructional procedures, it does not cover all of the available information regarding personnel procedures and guidelines. More precise, detailed information may be obtained by contacting the Human Resources Office, by referring to the College System personnel publications and the HCC web site at: http://www.hccs.edu/
This handbook is divided into four sections, including a forms appendix. Any questions of interpretation concerning any section, or subsection should be addressed to college Deans.
Section One: General Information. This section briefly describes the role of the public community college in Texas and introduces the reader to Houston Community College System as a provider of public higher education. Included herein are such items as a brief history of HCCS, the mission statement, goals and objectives, and cursory information about governance, funding and accreditation.
Section Two: Instructional Policies and Procedures, Part 1: This section describes various policies and procedures concerning faculty’s instructional responsibilities relating directly to the classroom. Included herein are items such as: syllabi, class rolls, grade sheets, evaluations.
Section Three: Instructional Policies and Procedures, Part 2: This section describes various policies and procedures concerning faculty’s role ancillary to the classroom.
Section Four: General HCCS Policies. This section contains information about some general employment policies and other institutional policies relevant to the faculty member. The policies contained herein differ from the policies in Section Two in that these policies do not relate directly to the faculty member’s classroom or ancillary instructional responsibilities.
Table of Contents
SECTION ONE: GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1 The Role of Community Colleges
1.2 The Open Door
1.3 Brief History of HCCS
1.4 Mission Statement 2003-2006
1.4.1 HCCS’ Mission
1.4.2 HCCS’ Values
1.5 Organization of HCCS
1.6 Governance and Funding
1.6.1 The Board of Trustees
1.6.2 Meetings of Board of Trustees
1.7 The Faculty Association and the Faculty Senate
1.8 Accreditation
1.9 Course/Program Approval
SECTION TWO: INSTRUCTIONAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, Part I
2.1 Faculty Teaching Responsibilities
2.2 Academic Freedom
2.3 Syllabi
2.4 Student Attendance, Absences, and Tardiness
2.4.1 Excessive Student Absences
2.4.2 Administrative Withdrawals for Excessive Absences
2.4.3 Tardiness 2.4.4 Religious/ Holy Day Absence
2.5 Course Prerequisites
2.6 Auditing
2.6.1 Exceptions to Audit Policy
2.7 Student Adds/Drops
2.8 Instructional Records
2.8.1 Attendance Reports: Temporary Rolls
2.8.2 Official Class Roll
2.8.3 Submission of Official Roll
2.8.4 Grade Records/Submission of Final Grades
2.9 Evaluation of Students’ Performance
2.9.1 Final Examinations
2.10 Grading System
2.11 Grade Changes
2.12 Incompletes
2.13 Student Grade Appeal
2.13.1 Right to Appeal
2.13.2 Resolution/Faculty Grade Appeal Panel
2.13.3 Evidence
2.13.4 Final Resolution
2.14 Scholastic Dishonesty: Definition
2.14.1 Scholastic Dishonesty: Disciplinary Actions
2.14.2 Controlling Scholastic Dishonesty
2.15 Disability Law
2.16 Student Discipline/Conduct
2.17 Guest Speakers
2.18 Field Trips
2.19 Care of the Classroom
2.20 Children in the Classroom
2.21 Class Times
2.22 Faculty Workload
2.23 Alternative Instructional Assignment Policy
2.24 Instructional Overload Policy
2.25 Workload Guidelines for Adjunct Faculty
2.26 Faculty Assignment Form
2.27 Student Evaluation of Instruction Section
SECTION THREE: INSTRUCTIONAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, Part II
3.1 Curriculum Development/Curriculum (Program and Course) Revision
3.2 Instructional Materials Selection Policy
3.3 Committee Service
3.4 Discipline Committees
3.4.1 Duties and responsibilities of the Discipline Committee
3.4.2 Discipline Committee Membership
3.4.3 Instructional Conference Days
3.5 Guidelines for Academic Advising at HCCS
3.5.1 Examples of Academic Advising processes/activities
3.6 Student Organizations
3.7 Graduation Section
SECTION FOUR: INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES RELEVANT TO INSTRUCTIONAL FACULTY
4.1 Equal Opportunity Employment
4.2 Credentials and Records
4.3 Conflict of Interest
4.3.1 Gifts
4.3.2 Curricular Materials
4.3.3. Intellectual Property
4.3.4 Equity and Management
4.4 Nepotism
4.5 Hiring Practices
4.6 Employee Evaluations
4.7 Full-time Employee Complaint Process
4.7.1 Purpose of the Policy
APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1 - Faculty Workload Forms (doc)
1. Instructional Faculty Assignment Form - Regular Load
2. Instructional Faculty Assignment Form - Overload
3. Alternative Assignment Approval Form
4. Faculty/Departmental Duties
APPENDIX 2 - Instructional Faculty Evaluation (doc)
Section I: Instructional Faculty Checklist
Section II: Evaluation of Adherence to Workload Policy
Section III: Supervisor Comments on Rating Categories
Section IV: Objectives for the Current Year
Section V: Objectives for the Coming Year
Section VI: Summary Comment Section
