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General Information for Full & Part-time Faculty
Notes:
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Most of this
information applies equally to the UH System centers, but
procedures and availability of resources may vary to some extent
at those locations.
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See the Faculty
Manual on the UHV web site for more extensive information.
Absences From Class--
If you must miss class
because of illness or emergency, please notify the school office as
soon as possible. Absences for other reasons require approval of the
Dean. Please do not arrange for substitute coverage before
consulting with the Dean, since issues of liability could arise.
Advising--
Full-time faculty are expected to assume academic advising
responsibilities in their fields and to assist in the preparation of
degree plans. Advisors no longer have to sign students’ course
selections. Degree plan counselors assigned to each school do
the initial advising.
Part-time faculty members are not expected to serve as academic
advisers, though they should feel free to share their knowledge of
programs and careers with their students.
Audio/Visual
Instructional Technology--
If you require any A/V
equipment that is not provided in the classroom, please let the
school secretary or a center staff member know in advance.
Assistance is available in learning to use interactive television,
LCD projectors, and other multi-media capabilities.
Class and Course Duration--
Classes and courses should be held for the full scheduled time,
including exams. Apprise the Dean of any departures. The length of a
course and number of meeting times is governed by rules of the
Coordinating Board. Basically, a three-credit course must meet no
less than nine times over no less than three weeks (the rule is
included in the Faculty Manual I-2.5).
Class Rosters--
Faculty can review their class rosters in the PeopleSoft
Self-Service system (Faculty Center).
After the 12th class day, it is very important that
you check the rosters against the names of students actually
attending your courses. Students attending but not on the roster
should be informed. They should check on their registration
with the Office of Admissions and Records.
Classroom Emergencies--
Building evacuation (fire, bomb threat, or similar alert):
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Ask that they
assemble at a given place outside to receive any further
instructions.
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Ensure that any
disabled students are assisted to the outside. If on an
upper floor, take wheelchair students to a stairwell (all
stairwells are fireproof), and let EMS personnel know that the
students are awaiting removal.
Medical or other emergency posing an immediate risk:
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Call 911. Then
call Security. (Leave voice message, which is immediately
forwarded).
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At the centers you
should notify the front desk, as well.
Lesser emergency or need for assistance:
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Call Security.
(Leave voice message, which is immediately forwarded).
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At the centers, you
can notify the front desk.
If more appropriate to
the circumstances--
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Call Facilities
Services.
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Call night clerk at
extension 136 (evenings) on campus.
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At the centers,
notify the front desk.
UH System Centers
Building evacuation (fire, bomb threat, or similar alert):
Medical or other emergency posing an immediate risk:
Computer Use and Support--
E-mail
is routinely used for communication within the institution. Please
check yours regularly. Minutes of institutional councils and
other information are made available by e-mail or the web site.
Information Technology conducts scheduled training sessions on the
use of e-mail, the Internet, and various software applications.
Instructional Support Services also provides training and assistance
in the use of instructional technology.
Consulting and Outside
Employment--
See
the Faculty Manual for Board of Regents’ policy. Outside
employment is limited to no more than an average of one day per week
and requires notification in advance to the Dean. The institution
must report outside employment to the Board annually. The university
must also provide information on possible conflicts of interest and
expert testimony involving the state.
Duplicating/Copiers--
Copying is available for instructional and professional use. Ask the
school’s secretary if you need help. Ask the Dean about the school’s
policy on copying if you have a question. In general, a very large
distribution of materials to students should be done in advance and
sold through the bookstore. Copying and assistance in also
available at the teaching centers.
Faculty Development
and Orientation--
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Instructional
technology awards are available to full-time faculty to develop
online courses. Awards may be used for released time,
overload pay, assistance, or equipment. See your Dean or the
Faculty Manual for details. Awards depend on funds available
from year to year.
Faculty Council and Senate--
The Faculty Council and
its Senate are an important part of the deliberative and
decision-making process at the institution, particularly in the
areas of curriculum and faculty personnel matters. Full-time faculty
are expected to participate in the governance activities of the
institution.
Part-time faculty members may participate as non-voting members.
Grade Sheets--
Final grades are to be entered online by the instructor of record
for the course. Before the end of the term, the final grade
rosters will be available in the PeopleSoft Self-Service system
(Faculty Center) for entry during the online grading period.
Your punctual entry of final grades enables the institution to
provide needed information to students, employers, faculty members
and other institutions. Once the online grading period is
closed, A Change of Grade Form will be required for any grade
not entered or any grade needing to be changed. Please do
not change final grades unless you have made an error in calculating
the grade. The Dean and usually the Provost must approve changes
to final grades.
Library--
The Library can assist
you and your students in finding and discriminating among a variety
of learning resources. The Library provides information sheets on
services available, and librarians will be glad to answer your
questions and assist you as possible. Note that reading critical to
a course can be placed on reserve.
Mailboxes--
Faculty mail drops are maintained on-campus
and at
the centers. Please check your box
regularly. Full-time faculty members on-campus may have students
deposit material through the slot in the member’s office door. Part-time
faculty may have students leave materials with the secretary for
placing in their boxes.
Offices--
Faculty offices on-campus are assigned according to seniority as a
full-time faculty member at the institution. Each faculty office
should have the following standard furnishings: desk (30” x
60”), swivel chair, guest chairs, filing cabinets, wall or
free-standing shelves, and computer, plus printer and stand. Schools
may choose to provide additional furnishings if needed and if their
budgets permit. Please do not relocate furniture or equipment
without informing the Provost office. Full-time faculty
assigned to the off-campus centers are allocated home office
support.
Shared office space is
provided for faculty teaching at the centers, and shared space is
provided on-campus for part-time and off-campus faculty.
Office Hours--
Online instruction obviously complicates the traditional approach
to office hours, but in general faculty members must ensure that
they are reasonable available to students outside of class time.
Part-time faculty members should set aside some time, before
or after class or at other scheduled times, when
they can meet individually with students in need of
assistance. It is helpful to indicate a telephone number when
you can normally be available for class-related calls and/or an
e-mail address. The faculty lounge, and any other available
space may be used for student conferences. You should schedule
at least one hour, for each class taught, when you will be
available for student conferences.
Parking--
All vehicles parked on
the Victoria campus must be registered with the University and have
a properly displayed valid parking decal. Employees and students at
the teaching centers must adhere to the parking regulations at the
center, if any.
Permits
UHV:
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Parking permits are
available currently at no charge to students and employees.
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A separate parking
permit is required for each vehicle.
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Parking permits may
be obtained from the Visitor Information Kiosk located in the
University Center building.
Teaching Centers:
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Parking decals for
UHS at Sugar Land are not necessary. All parking is open.
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For the UHS at Cinco
Ranch, parking stickers can be picked up at the receptionist's
desk.
Inquiries
UHV:
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Parking and traffic
control on the UHV campus will be administered through the UHV
Department of Business Services in University West.
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Parking related
inquires at The Victoria College should be directed to (361)
573-3291.
Teaching Centers:
Posting Grades--
Please do not post grades. You may, if you wish, ask that
students leave a self-addressed, stamped envelope with you, or you
may make other such arrangements for students who want to know their
grades before the Registrar’s office can provide them. The
Registrar’s office cannot provide grades to students who come by to
inquire. Please do not leave graded materials outside your office
for students to pick up (materials can be left with the school
secretary).
Removal of University
Property--
Forms need to be
completed for removal of university equipment or furnishings from
campus. Schools’ checkout procedures should suffice for
instructional equipment, such as lap top computers, that are
routinely taken off-campus for a short time.
Scantron--
There is a Scantron
Scoring machine available. If you are interested in using it for
your exams, your students may purchase the necessary test forms from
the bookstore. The school will provide you with the item analysis
form and key form. A colleague or staff member can show you how to
use the scorer.
Secretarial Help--
Secretarial help is
available from the schools. Variations in secretaries’ work
schedules are announced. The secretaries can assist you with typing
or copying as needed. Please let them know two days before class if
you have typing that needs to be done. Large copying chores also
require lead time.
Student Evaluations--
Before final exams you
will be receiving student evaluation forms, which you are required
to use. Instructions for their use are included in the
packets.
Syllabus--
Prior to the twelfth
class day or earlier, as designated by the academic school, faculty
must submit a copy of the syllabus for each class to the school
secretary and provide one to students. Syllabi must contain at least
the following:
1. Course name,
number, and term, as well as the instructor's name, office
hours, and when and how the instructor can be reached at other
times;
2. A brief
description of major learning objectives for the course and of
any unusual or distinctive requirements (e.g., a field trip);
3. A statement
of the instructor's policies on grading, attendance, late
assignments, make-up work, and any other such matters; and
4. A schedule
of assignments for the term--which need not be day-by-day but
which should indicate what will be coming up when by way of
assignments, examinations, etc.
A syllabus is a course
plan for the term, not a contract. However, if changes are
desirable, faculty should announce them well in advance, preferably
in writing and after consultation with the class. Student
grievances are time-consuming and disheartening for all concerned,
and they often result from unclear or poorly understood policies and
instructions. Being clear and consistent about these can spare
problems later on.
Graduate syllabi must
ensure that course standards are appropriate for graduate-level
studies. In no case may the same syllabus be used for an
undergraduate and a graduate course.
The deans are responsible
to ensuring compliance with this policy. Syllabi for newly proposed
courses are also reviewed and approved by the appropriate committee
of the Faculty Senate.
Any cross-listed
graduate/undergraduate courses must make a clear distinction between
expectations of graduate and undergraduate students—in standards of
achievement, in extent or kind of work required, and/or in other
ways that are relevant, credible, and explicit.
Telephones--
Please leave with the
school secretary a telephone number where you can ordinarily be
reached when you are not in class or in your office. The institution
must know how to reach you even if you have an unlisted number.
Long-distance calls must
be limited to business purposes. Consult the instructions manual or
inquire of the school secretary or telephone system coordinator if
you have questions about how to use given features.
Textbooks--
Let the school secretary
know as early as possible of any textbooks to be ordered for your
course. The school secretary can also request desk copies,
instructor manuals, and test banks, if available.
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Reminders:
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Please consider cost
in selecting textbooks: If costs must be unusually high, it
can’t hurt to explain to students why. They are often unaware of
the limited choices available to instructors in given subjects.
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Please get orders in
on time, so that there is opportunity to take care of any
problems, the books will be here when needed, and students can
be spared unnecessary expense.
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Order only those
textbooks that will be required for assignments. The Library’s
reserve room can be used to supplement required texts.
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The number of texts
ordered, should be based on previous enrollments or realistic
estimates. Returning unneeded textbooks is an expense that is
eventually added to the price of textbooks.
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The bookstore needs
to know right away when classes are canceled or added or
enrollments differ from estimates.
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Keep an eye, as best
you can, on changes in editions or books that are going out of
print—since students often depend on reselling their texts.
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Let the bookstore
manager know if you have special needs or are experiencing
difficulties with the service (or ask the dean to do
so). Bookstore managers, like librarians, are essential partners
in the educational enterprise and can be very helpful ones.
Online textbook vendors
have become a significant option and are being used especially by
off-campus and online students.
Travel--
Mileage reimbursement is available for off-campus teaching and
other instruction-related
activities. It is necessary to fill out a travel form in advance.
Rental vehicles can be used, but reimbursement is paid at the Texas
mileage rate. Further information regarding travel policies can be
found on the Finance website at
http://www.uhv.edu/Finance/Travel.asp
The schools are allocated funds for conference travel, and
presenters may also apply for Faculty Development Grants.
Part-time faculty members may apply for Faculty
Development funds if the dean supports the request as in the
interest of the school. School secretaries can help you with travel
arrangements and paperwork.
All expenses other than food require documentation. Ordinarily,
you must pay the expenses and then seek reimbursement. Per diem
for meals must involve an overnight obligation. The state does
not permit reimbursement for meals for day trips, regardless of when
one leaves or returns. Per diem is not ordinarily provided if an
instructor chooses to stay overnight rather than drive to meet
courses on successive days.
Further Information--
Faculty should be
reasonably familiar with information available in the catalog,
schedule of course offerings, Faculty Manual, and Student
Handbook.
Additional documents that
may be helpful are listed in the
Faculty Manual. These consist mainly of planning and policy
documents or UH System and Coordinating Board Manuals. Most of these
are available on web sites and in hard copy in the documents area of
the Provost’s office.
Faculty Located in
the Fort Bend Area--
Procedures and services may vary somewhat from campus to campus.
Should you have questions, staff at the campus should be able to
assist you. You can also call or email the school office or the
Provost’s office.
Updated: Summer
2008
See Also... •
Deans' Guide
•
Faculty Manual
•
UHV Home Page
• Student
Handbook |
