Howard Community College (HCC) provides higher education opportunities to a broad range of students.  The educational program has three major objectives:  to help students grow in their ability to live effectively in this complex society; to provide students with access to enriched and expanded lives; and to provide the foundation for students to transfer to other institutions of higher learning or to prepare students for careers.

Basic commitment to the development of students through quality teaching and effective advising or related activities is of primary importance.  A broad approach to student development and to addressing the needs of a diverse student population is the main responsibility of every instructor.

Full-time Faculty Responsibilities

Full-time faculty members are evaluated based on performance in these areas:

• teaching, including class load, office hours, general teaching responsibilities, and institutional student outcomes;
• college responsibilities, including routine responsibilities and major college responsibilities;
• Instructional improvement, including teaching and learning improvement, professional development, and program development (optional); and
• learning outcomes assessment.

HCC is committed to maximizing student learning and success.  To accomplish this goal, all faculty are expected to perform at a meritorious level.  The expectations for meritorious level performance are as follows:

Class Load

Each faculty member is expected to teach 14-16 units per semester.  Over the course of two consecutive years, a faculty member is expected to average 30 units per year.  When administrative or other duties are assigned beyond the normal workload expectations, a class load reduction may be granted by the vice president of academic affairs.                                               

Units are calculated as follows:

1 allied health skills/simulation lab hour = 0.75 units

1 applied music credit hour = 0.66 units

1 credit hour = 1.00 units

1 lab hour = 0.75 units

1 large class credit hour = 1.50 units  (Large classes must be approved by the vice president of academic affairs.  A large class is normally 45 or more students. The unit value may be more or less than 1.5 depending on the nature of the class.  )

Linked class = additional 1.00 unit

1 nursing clinical hour = 1.00 units

1 recitation hour = 0.75 units

1 team hour = 0.75 units  (This assumes that each member of the team is in the class at least 50 percent of the time.  The unit value may be more or less depending on the time commitment of the team members.)

Discrete Course Preparations

Every attempt will be made to ensure that no faculty member teaches more than three discrete course preparations for courses of three to four credits in a semester.  When a faculty member is required by the division chair to teach the maximum number of discrete course preparations, which is three four-credit or four three-credit courses, this will constitute a full class load (15 units) for the semester. 

Overload Teaching Assignments

A faculty position at HCC is considered a full-time responsibility.  Overload teaching assignments must be approved by the division chair.  Other faculty overload employment within the college, such as administrative responsibilities or special projects), must be approved by the vice president of academic affairs.  Overload teaching or other overload employment will not normally be granted in excess of four semester hours or the equivalent per semester.

Office Hours

Faculty are expected to maintain at least five office hours scheduled over at least four days per week.

General Teaching Responsibilities

Faculty are expected to demonstrate quality teaching by:

• clearly communicating to students at the beginning of a course what the students are expected to learn (course descriptions, syllabi, grading system, learning objectives, attendance policy, etc.);
• promoting effective student learning through assignments and class activities including the use of a variety of instructional techniques designed to meet student needs, promoting  active and independent learning, and promoting higher-order thinking;
• treating students with respect and being responsive to the students’ needs;
• holding classes at the scheduled time for the full period, except for emergency situations;
• maintaining accurate attendance and scholastic records, and submitting required reports to meet deadlines, including submission of final grades by the published deadline;
• teaching evening classes as part of regular load when assigned and at least once every two years within the needs of each division;
• conducting assigned classes in accordance with the catalog and course description and objectives for the course;
• developing methods of assessing student learning as specified in the objectives and providing feedback to students in a timely manner;
• preparing, ordering, and updating normal classroom materials in accordance with established deadlines, including routine handouts, audiovisual equipment, library materials, bibliographies, reading lists, textbooks, software, etc.; and
• completing administrative duties in accordance with the administrative job description when assigned in lieu of a full teaching load.

Institutional Assessment of Student Outcomes

Faculty are expected to participate in developing and implementing plans to measure student learning.  These measures will focus on student learning in the total educational program and will include measures of value-added projects and comparisons with national or regional data.  If deficiencies are found, faculty are expected to participate in program or course modifications designed to improve student learning in the areas of deficiency.  As needed by the division, the faculty will participate in approved learning outcomes assessment projects.

Routine Responsibilities

Faculty are expected to engage in the following activities that normally encompass 60 hours on an annual basis:

• attend and actively participate in meetings;
• stay informed;
• respond promptly to requests for information;
• participate in commencement ceremonies and other significant institutional events;
• work with members of the college community;
• use appropriate communication channels; and
• carry out other tasks vital to the institution.

Major Responsibilities

Faculty are expected to spend approximately 80 hours annually on activities selected from the following: 

• academic advisement;
• coordination of part-time faculty;
• program development and maintenance including advisory committees, student programs, recruitment, productions, exhibitions, etc.;
• service on college committees including search committees;
• participation in community activities;
• student group advisement;
• service as a mentor or peer partner consultant;
• facilitation of faculty or staff development programs; and
• performance of other activities benefiting the division or college, including assigned administrative responsibilities or other assigned duties.

Faculty are expected to spend approximately 140 hours per year in a combination of teaching improvement, professional development, and program development activities.  Both professional development activities and a teaching improvement project must be completed each year.  A substantial portion of the time in this category should be spent in professional development activities designed to update knowledge and skills.

Teaching and Learning Improvement

A teaching and learning improvement project with a feedback component is required each year.  Although not all teaching improvement activities in this category require a feedback component, at least one activity each year must include a feedback component.

Examples of teaching and learning improvement activities include the following:

• major revision of existing materials;
• development of new materials;
• teaching assessment projects;
• classroom research;
• peer partnership projects;
• specially designed projects;
• projects involving new uses of technology; and
• program assessment and evaluation.

If student ratings on the Individual Development and Educational Assessments (IDEA) Survey are below average, or if the division chair has other documented information leading to concern about the quality of instruction, the faculty member and division chair will complete an analysis and interpretation of student evaluation data and other data to determine whether improvement is needed in specific areas.  If the division chair concludes, based on the analysis of all available data, that improvement is needed in a specific area, the faculty member must develop and implement a project designed to improve teaching and learning in this area.  The project must include a significant data collection component designed to gain information on the problem or to measure improvement in the area.  The summary submitted for evaluation will be more extensive and will include a description of the improvement project, an analysis of relevant data, and samples of appropriate materials.

Professional Development

Participation in professional development activities is required each year.  Faculty may select from the following:

• attending conferences, seminars, or workshops;
• writing articles or books;
• graduate study or other relevant courses;
• internships or clinical practice;
• performing/exhibition, etc.;
• practical work in technical fields;
• participating in a peer partnership project;
• reading current professional journals and books;
• reviewing articles or books for publishers or publication;
• participating in organized professional discussions with other faculty, such as learning communities or reading circles; and
• engaging in other projects agreed upon between the faculty member and division chair.

Program Development

This category is not required, but faculty may choose to use a portion of the 140 hours in the instructional improvement category to develop and maintain programs based on need in existing and proposed programs.

Adjunct Faculty Responsibilities

Adjunct faculty are expected to demonstrate quality teaching by:

• clearly communicating to students at the beginning of a course what they are to learn (course descriptions, syllabi, grading system, learning objectives, attendance policy, etc.);
• promoting effective student learning through assignments and class activities including the use of a variety of instructional techniques designed to meet student needs, promoting  active and independent learning, and promoting higher-order thinking;
• treating students with respect and being responsive to their needs;
• holding classes at the scheduled time for the full period, except for emergency situations;
• maintaining attendance records and accurate scholastic records and submitting required reports to meet deadlines, including submission of final grades by the published deadline;
• conducting assigned classes in accordance with the catalog and course description and objectives for the course;
• developing methods of assessing student learning as specified in the objectives and providing feedback to students in a timely manner;
• preparing, ordering, and updating normal classroom materials (including new textbooks) in accordance with established deadlines, including routine handouts, instructional media, library materials, bibliographies, reading lists, textbooks, software, etc.; and
• completing negotiated responsibilities, where applicable, in accordance with the supplemental contract.

Adjunct faculty are expected to attend required meetings, professional development activities, and trainings.  Adjunct faculty interested in attaining the senior adjunct instructor or master adjunct instructor level must fulfill the requirements of the adjunct faculty development program for that level.

Policy Manual Review/Revision:  02/08/13