Policy Number 5.100
BACKGROUND/HISTORY
Attracting and retaining excellent faculty are primary goals of National Park College. A faculty classification system is thereby developed as a means of providing an opportunity for faculty to have rich careers and upward mobility. The three fundamental elements of this classification system are quality instruction, professional development, and community service. The College fully recognizes, in accepting this system, that a community college is not a research institution; therefore, each of these three areas is rooted in activities that provide high quality instruction to our students and that demonstrate a commitment to the College and to the community.
SCOPE
This faculty classification policy applies to all faculty receiving a full-time teaching contract from National Park College.
AUTHORITY
Board of Trustees
DEFINITIONS
Faculty Classification – A member of the faculty’s designation resulting from proof of accomplishments according to specific criteria.
Performance Improvement Plan – Faculty are on a performance improvement plan when they are formally required to take corrective action following an annual evaluation. Failure to complete a performance improvement plan adequately could result in contract non-renewal, termination, or loss of rank.
Reclassification – Designation of an existing position to a different class as a result of proof of accomplishments according to specific criteria, or promotion (or demotion) to another classification.
POLICY STATEMENT
The purpose of faculty classification is to acknowledge community college faculty for providing quality instruction, maintaining their disciplinary scholarship through professional development, and serving National Park College and the community through acts of volunteerism.
Faculty classification standards are established to provide consistent rank of faculty upon hiring. Promotion guidelines provide a process for faculty to move from one classification in the College to the next in a consistent and timely manner. Upon hiring, faculty classification shall be determined using the criteria defined in the procedures accompanying this policy. Faculty classification and experience achieved at previous institutions may be used in determining initial classification.
Faculty seeking a higher classification must meet the expectations for the next higher classification in terms of their academic credentials and other expectations related to advancing in the classification system. Faculty seeking promotion to full professor must achieve the experience requirement through employment at National Park College.
Faculty members currently under a performance improvement plan are not eligible for promotion. Failure to meet the expectations of the performance improvement plan may result in non-renewal or adjustment of a contract regardless of rank. Faculty of any rank can be placed on a performance improvement plan for failure to adhere to NPC Board Policy 5.000 on Faculty Responsibilities or for failure to meet the requirements of any other college policy.
The adoption of this policy does not represent a tenure-track system. As a public community college in the State of Arkansas, all employees, including faculty, are at-will employees.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Vice President for Academic Affairs and members of a Classification Review Committee (established in the procedures of this policy) are responsible for the classification of faculty according to the procedures that accompany this policy. All personnel actions at National Park College are subject to final approval by the President.
