Appendix B

Summary of Expectations of Faculty Members

The following list of expectations is not all-inclusive and is intended to serve as a guide. Please talk with your dean if you are unsure about expectations or institutional policies.

General Expectations: 

1. Effective teaching.

2. Responsiveness to students.

3. Continued participation in the intellectual life of one’s discipline and profession.

4. Participation in school and institutional governance, as need and opportunity arise.

5. Contribution to public service related to one’s professional expertise, as feasible.

6. Ability to work constructively in a collegial environment and contribute to collective efforts.

7. Compliance with the established policies and procedures of the institution, including timely completion of duties.

8. Ethical behavior in relations with students, in the use of institutional resources, in scholarly activities, and in the discharge of all professional responsibilities. 


Specific Expectations: 

1. Meet classes on time, and use the full period.

2. Conduct exams as scheduled during the regular examination period (or notify your Dean of any departures).

3. Check class rosters carefully and report discrepancies to the Registrar's office.

4. Have a syllabus for each course and distribute it at or near the beginning of the term.

• Stick to the syllabus (especially grading procedures) unless you provide advance notice, preferably in writing, to the class.
• Have at least one graded assignment early in the term (prior to the withdrawal deadline).

5. Post and keep regular office hours (minimum of 4 hours spread over 4 days).

6. Get book orders in on time and consider cost to students. Check to see whether your texts are in. Do not ask the bookstore to order texts that are optional.

7. Get final grades in on time.

8. Change a final grade only in case of a clerical error in calculation or well-justified student appeal. Final grades should represent your best, carefully considered judgment. Changing them after the fact may be unfair to other students in the class and to your colleagues.

9. Provide appropriate notification and, as applicable, seek approval if you are:

• Unable to meet your classes (as soon as possible in cases of emergency).
• Going to be absent for conference travel or other reasons.
• Changing classrooms (the Registrar’s office should also be informed).
• Taking students on a field trip.
• Engaging in outside employment (a form and instructions are distributed each year).
• Missing or changing office hours.

10. Take reasonable precautions to prevent academic dishonesty, and follow up on instances of it that can be documented or otherwise corroborated (it is a good idea to consult with your dean before taking any action).

11. Become reasonably familiar with the contents of the college catalog, schedule booklet, Student Handbook, and Faculty Manual.

12. Become acquainted with institutional effectiveness documents on planning, assessment, and budgeting and with the UHV Policies and Procedures.

13. Be mindful of student diversity. We have students who are full-time and part-time; who commute near and far; who are employed and not; who are old and young; who are of different races, nationalities, genders, sexual preferences, and family backgrounds; and who have different physical and learning abilities and disabilities.

14. Be prudent about personal relations with students or with employees who are directly or indirectly under your supervision. Also, be prudent about the use of possibly offensive language, allusions, or humor in the classroom or work place. The university seeks to maintain an environment in which there is freedom of inquiry and expression but also freedom from discrimination and intimidation. It has policies and processes related to students’ rights, ADA requirements, sexual harassment, identity discrimination, professional ethics, and other important issues. These policies and processes are intended to protect students and employees from unjust treatment, as well as from unjust allegations.

15. Keep in mind that you are an officer of an institution of higher education, a teacher, and a member of a learned profession. Your words and conduct are influential. 


Absences: 

Faculty members are expected to meet classes as scheduled for the full period and to meet other scheduled commitments, such as office hours. They should seek approval of their dean in advance for any class absences, unless owing to illness or prevented by emergency. In case of the latter circumstances, they should provide notification to the Dean’s office as soon as possible, so that students can in turn be notified. Deans should notify the Provost’s office in the event of any unscheduled absences extending more than a day.

Policies governing various types of leaves (sickness, bereavement, jury duty, etc.) are explained in the Administrative Policies and Procedures manual, Section C1. The manual is available on the university Web site, and hard copies are maintained in the Provost’s office, as well as in other offices. Faculty members accrue and are obligated to report sick leave (medical documentation is necessary for leave of more than three days). Faculty members do not accrue vacation days or personal-leave days.

The following instructions are for typical circumstances. Please consult with the school dean on unusual ones.

1. Absence owing to illness or medical treatment: Notify the Dean’s office as early as feasible and report the leave on the monthly time sheet. If extended absence is necessary, provisions will need to be made with the Dean for covering classes.

2. Absence owing to conference attendance or other approved professional travel: Travel request forms should be completed in advance. The Dean’s signature on these constitutes approval. Such travel is considered part of the member’s work commitment and thus is not reported as an absence.

3. Absence for personal reasons: There is no provision for personal leave. If it is unavoidable, the faculty member should consult with the Dean concerning reasons for the absence and ways of covering classes. In most cases, colleagues are willing to assist with classes as a professional courtesy. In extended instances, the president may have the option of granting leave without pay.

4. Class coverage: Faculty members should consult with the Dean before making arrangement for someone else to cover a class in the member’s absence. Issues of liability can arise with regard to qualifications and responsibility if the person is not a faculty member. In the case of non-employees, it is preferable that the Dean authorize the substitution in writing. In the case of faculty colleagues employed by the university there is seldom any cause for concern.

5. Alternative activities: Substitution of other instructional activities (such as take-home examinations or individual conferences) for scheduled class meetings is within the instructor’s discretion. However, the school office should be apprised of departures from the class schedule, and insofar as possible departures should be noted in the course syllabus for the term.