Policy Number: I-10
Last Reviewed: June 23, 2020
Responsible Dept.: Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs
A signed copy of this policy is available in the President’s Office.
Characteristics, Duties, and Responsibilities of Virginia Western Community College Teaching Faculty
(Reference VCCS Policy Manual, Section 3.5, Faculty Responsibilities)
Full-time teaching faculty are appointed for nine months, from August 16 through May 15, under provisions of the “Original and Continuing Appointment Policy”. The purpose of the position is to provide quality learning opportunities that assist students in meeting their educational goals and career aspirations. Members of the teaching faculty are responsible, individually and collectively, to the President; faculty report to the President through the Vice-President of Academic and Student Affairs and the respective school dean. Teaching during the summer session may be assigned by separate contract.
Associate Instructors: Certain parts of this document do not pertain to those appointed to Associate Instructor teaching faculty positions as they are governed by different requirements for teaching and advising. Where provisions of this document do not apply or apply differently to Associate Instructors, it will be so noted.
Category I: Facilitating Student Learning
- Instructional
- Develop and present relevant course content for all courses as assigned.
- Utilize the course description set forth in the VCCS Master Course File when developing or assessing learning objectives.
- Provide students and the school dean with a course outline and/or syllabus for each course assigned. Students should receive the course syllabus on the first class meeting and the school dean should receive the course syllabus no later than the end of the second week of classes for the respective semester. Each syllabus should follow the format provided in the Faculty Handbook. Integrate activities to enable students to achieve program competencies and 21st century skills. Faculty are required to have syllabi submitted to deans and posted to Blackboard by 8:00 a.m. the first day of the course.
- Maintain a current competence in the particular discipline or teaching field of specialization.
- Stimulate learning by working closely with students in the classrooms, laboratories, individual conferences, and related activities to help them develop their individual interests to the fullest capacity.
- Utilize active learning methods and use a variety of instructional strategies to assist the learner in meeting the objectives of the course. Such activities may include, but are not limited to: 1) Collaborative Learning, 2) Experiential Learning, 3) Classroom Response Systems.
- Teach classes in such combinations of day, evening and weekend classes on-campus or off-campus as the needs of the college require.
- Maintain a minimum teaching load of twelve to fifteen credit hours and fifteen to twenty contact hours per semester. Associate Instructors must carry a minimum of 33 to 39 credit hours and 39 to 49 contact hours per academic year.
- Provide assessment examples as required for programmatic and general education assessments.
- Develop an LMS presence with required content for each course taught.
- Communicate with students in a timely and effective manner, utilizing various communications methods.
- Instructional Support
- Maintain ten office hours per week as posted on or near the office door and in the LMS to provide opportunities for students to address individual academic and occupational concerns. (Pandemic Exception – Only required to post in the LMS.) Adjunct faculty are required to post and provide student contact hours for a minimum of one hour per week for each course taught. Associate Instructors are required to provide 12 to 19 student engagement (tutoring, mentoring) office hours per week.
- Regularly assess instructional support materials, services and content of the particular curriculum and recommend improvements needed to maintain an up-to-date program of studies.
- Complete and submit textbook orders to the school dean in a timely manner.
- Promptly and accurately record and report students’ grades.
- Record attendance in required formats and tracking systems.
- Serve as an academic advisor to students. Associate Instructors provide 12 to 19 hours in student engagement (tutoring, mentoring) per week.
- In conjunction with the Program Head, develop, collect data, and assess student learning outcomes as required by our accrediting bodies. Associate Instructors are not required to perform duties in development of assessment instruments for student learning outcomes.
Category II: Service to Virginia Western Community College and the Service Area
All faculty, including Associate Instructors, are expected to:
- Support students’ learning goals by
- Focusing on student learning outcomes;
- Taking into account the needs and abilities of the students;
- Becoming familiar with academic, student services and social support;
- Making reasonable provisions to accommodate individual differences;
- Maintaining the academic integrity of the college.
- Adhere to the policies, procedures and regulations of the academic school, the college and the Virginia Community College System.
- Engage in activities toward the good of the college community.
Faculty members are also expected to participate in the activities of the college. While the extent of such participation will vary according to instructional requirements and individual preference, it is estimated that approximately 2 to 10 hours per week will be devoted to actions such as committee work, program planning, student advising and other designated college activities.
Associate Instructors, by the nature of the teaching load and student engagement hours, are not required to participate in the governance structure (committee work, program planning, student advising, and other designated college activities). - Participate in the governance structure of the college by attending and contributing to meetings of assigned committees, of the school, and of the general faculty. These functions do not apply to Associate Instructors.
- Assist with the registration and orientation process. These functions do not apply to Associate Instructors.
- Serve as a mentor to adjunct faculty and new full-time faculty in the appropriate discipline. Serve as a mentor through the Chancellor’s Faculty Diversity Initiative Program, as applicable. These functions do not apply to Associate Instructors.
- Assist in institutional effectiveness activities.
- To ensure that the programs and offerings are effectively meeting the needs of the community, each faculty member will be fully engaged in implementing institutional effectiveness activities related to assigned areas including, but not limited to, strategic planning, program review, student outcomes assessment, SACS-COC and program accreditation actions, and core competency assessment, using a variety of measures and institutional data to improve programs and instruction. These functions do not apply to Associate Instructors.
- Participate in the student activities program of the college. These functions do not apply to Associate Instructors.
- Engage in and contribute toward the good of the College and its community by sharing expertise, time and talents with the larger college community as measured by memberships and affiliations civically and professionally and by the quality of the contributions made by faculty toward the community at-large. These functions do not apply to Associate Instructors.
Category III: Professional Development
- Remain abreast and aware of ongoing developments and practices in the professional content area(s).
- Develop and annually update a Professional Development Plan to enhance content knowledge and teaching skills.
- Develop student evaluation questions as required.
- Seek opportunities to enhance skills in the utilization of active learning methods and instructional strategies.
- Complete VWCC learning and training programs to maintain knowledge of college operations, programs and budgeting.
- Participate in activities on scheduled professional development days.
Category IV: Interpersonal Skills
- Establish and maintain positive professional relationships with colleagues, supervisors, students and the community.
- Express needs, problems and ideas through clearly understood, concise and logical verbal and written communications.
Category V: Professional Behavior
- Consistently demonstrate:
- Motivation and productive work habits;
- Commitment to excellence:
- Commitment to the College’s mission and core values;
- Positive, cooperative and supportive attitude toward others;
- Appropriate dress; grooming and hygiene;
- Punctuality;
- Reliability when performing assigned tasks;
- Avoidance of conflict of interest situations;
- Adherence to professional conduct that recognizes the power differential between faculty and students.
Category VI: Faculty Rights
- Effective performance of duties and responsibilities allows faculty to be promoted through the ranks of Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor for which they meet the eligibility requirements and as recommended by the school dean. Associate Instructors are subject to movement from Level I to Level II as credentialing and performance factors warrant.
- Effective performance of duties and responsibilities allows faculty to receive multi-year appointments for which they are eligible and as recommended to the President by the school dean, the Vice-President of Academic and Student Affairs, and the ad hoc Committee on Appointments and Hearings. Multi-year appointments are not applicable to Associate Instructors. Associate Instructors serve for fall and spring semesters subject to one-year renewable contracts, but are not automatic.
- Faculty members are entitled to an annual evaluation of performance using established standards. Associate Instructor evaluations are subject to the Adjunct Faculty system.
- Faculty members have the right to equitable application of policies and procedures established by the VCCS and the college, as well as the right to settle disputes through the Faculty Grievance Procedure as outlined in VCCS Policy, Section 3.13. Associate Instructors may use the Faculty Grievance Procedure through the Presidential Level of appeals.
- Faculty members have the right to expect the provision of opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Faculty have the right to exercise their constitutional rights and academic freedom as set forth in the Statement of Academic Freedom and Responsibility as adopted by the State Board for Community Colleges (VCCS Policy Manual 3.5.5, p. 3-32).
