5.000 Responsibilities of Faculty

Policy Number: 5.000

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BACKGROUND/HISTORY

This policy updates the revised March 19, 2014 to reflect the College’s name change and structural changes within the College. It also combines previous Board Policies 5.400, 5.500, and 5.800.

SCOPE

The Responsibilities of Faculty policy outlines the minimum standards by which every faculty member is evaluated. This policy also provides the general professional expectations of full-time faculty at National Park College. While the scope of this policy is directed toward the full-time faculty, part-time and concurrent enrollment faculty are also expected to follow the same professional and ethical standards outlined in the policy.

POLICY STATEMENT

Acceptance of a faculty teaching appointment at National Park College entails acceptance of the responsibilities and obligations of professional behavior. Just as the College guards the rights of each faculty member as an academician, a faculty member must guard against using his or her position for personal or non-professional benefit.

Professional, college-level teaching is the primary duty and function of each faculty member. Unprofessional conduct could include, but is not limited to, professional negligence, dishonesty, excessive absenteeism, insubordination, fiscal negligence, inappropriate relationships with students, and ineffective teaching and classroom management. Each faculty member will meet class regularly and punctually, conducting each class in an effective, professional manner. Faculty members will assess student learning, measure the effectiveness of those assessments, and take appropriate action to improve student learning based on those assessments or as directed by their supervisor(s). Faculty members are required to participate in professional development (see NPC Board Policy 5.130) and are required to utilize the campus learning management system for recording attendance, maintaining grade books, encouraging information literacy, providing student evaluations, and sharing course syllabi.

In addition, each faculty member is expected to remain current in areas or in disciplines taught, as well as trends, issues, and problems in higher education. Faculty should model professionalism in accordance with the standards of their discipline. Faculty members are expected to assume institutional responsibilities such as serving on college committees, participating in faculty development and in-service programs, actively supporting both college and student activities, and participating in annual commencement exercises unless excused by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. All faculty members are also expected to assume divisional responsibilities as assigned by their direct supervisor and attend division meetings when called.

Above all, faculty members must be committed to the concept of the comprehensive community college and to the mission, philosophy, goals and objectives of National Park College, as identified by the Board of Trustees.

Faculty will be held responsible by their immediate supervisor via the performance review process. Performance review of full-time faculty will be conducted annually and may consist of peer evaluation, student evaluation, instructional assessment review, self-evaluation, and supervisory performance review. The faculty performance review will be in compliance with Arkansas Code 6-63-104 and approved by the Department of Higher Education.