Part-Time Faculty Policy Handbook

Table of Contents

• College and University Policies and Procedures
  • University Policies
  • Emergency Procedures
  • Distressing Student Behavior
  • Copyright Laws
  • Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment
  • Faculty-Student Relationships
  • Grade Appeals
• Professional Responsibilities
  • Who Are Adjunct Faculty?
  • Initial Appointment of Adjunct Faculty
  • Responsibilities of Adjunct Faculty
  • Authority and Reporting
  • Official Correspondence
  • Contracts
  • Hours of Work and Prior Approval for Additional Assignments
  • Representing USF as an Adjunct Faculty Member
  • Teaching Development Fund
• Teaching Policies
  • Syllabi
  • Office Hours
  • Course Cancellation
  • Modifications to the Scheduled Seat Time
  • Absence from Class
  • Class Lists
  • Computer Problems and Support
  • Adding/Dropping Classes
  • Student Attendance Policy
  • Students with Disabilities and Legal Rights
  • Student Conduct
  • Mid-Semester Progress Reports
  • Administering Student Evaluations
  • Final Exams
  • Reporting Final Grades
  • Understanding Student Privacy (FERPA)
  • Academic Honesty and Turnitin.com
  • Student Liability Waivers
  • Directed Studies
• Adjunct Faculty Evaluation
  • Purpose
• Preferred Hiring Pool (PHP/PHP2)
  • Eligibility and Deadlines
  • Application Process
  • PHP Evaluation
  • Decision
  • Placement in PHP
  • PHP Benefits
• Appendix
  • Center for Academic and Student Achievement (CASA)
  • Dean’s Office

Welcome

Welcome to the University of San Francisco! If you have been teaching as an adjunct for many years,your continued involvement and commitment to USF is greatly appreciated. For those of you joining us for the first time, welcome.

The University of San Francisco has inherited the rich vision of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and their tradition of scholarship, liberal education and service are the foundations of all academic programs at the University. This tradition emphasizes academic excellence, a commitment to educating the whole person –mind, body and soul – and the importance of a values-based education that stresses personal ethics, community service, and a global perspective. Although USF retains its rich Jesuit Catholic heritage, its students and faculty are persons of many different faiths or no religious belief - all are welcomed as fully contributing partners to the University.

The Adjunct Handbook includes College and University Policies and Procedures and covers essential information regarding teaching and employment in the College. For more detailed information,please reference the USF Part Time Faculty Association’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

For more information about the USF Part Time Faculty Association, please visit their ITS-hosted website.

Academic programs and departments within the College have their own policies and procedures. For more information, contact your Department Chair or Program Director.

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College and University Policies and Procedures

University Policies

To learn more about University policies, please visit the Catalog Policies page.You will find policies regarding administrative guidelines on HIV disease; appeal process for change of course grade; complaint resolution procedures; drug-free policy; equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policy; institutional policy on freedom of expression; policy and procedures for obtaining approval to conduct research on human subjects; prevention of sexual and other unlawful harassment policy; privacy of student records; recognition of degrees and acceptance of transfer credit; sexual misconduct policy; smoking control policy; statement of responsibilities and standards of conduct; student handbook; and the honor code.

Emergency Procedures

• Emergency Procedures
• University Disaster Preparedness

For laboratory accidents, contact the Laboratory Safety Manager at (415) 422-6687.

Distressing Student Behavior

When in doubt, make the call. Please report any concerns about student behavior. If there is an immediate threat, call Public Safety dispatch at (415) 422-2911. Non-emergency reports can be made online or via phone at (415) 422-5330 (Crisis Management and Behavioral Intervention Team). Inside or outside of the classroom, adjunct faculty may at some point notice student behaviors that are concerning. All adjunct faculty should report anything troubling or out of the ordinary. We rely on faculty to report as you are familiar with the students.

All adjunct faculty are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the procedures for reporting distressing student behavior.

Copyright Laws

Adjunct faculty must respect the intellectual and creative property of all persons and abide by U.S. copyright laws. These laws continue to change and evolve and all adjunct faculty are encouraged to consult the University's Copyright Guide. In addition to printed materials, this guide covers audio recordings and music, images, movies and video, multimedia, software and television programs and off-air recordings.

Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment

In order to advance its fundamental value of creating a culture of service that respects and promotes the dignity of every person, the University is committed to a workplace and educational environment that is free of sexual and other unlawful harassment. Sexual harassment is unlawful under Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. As a matter of University policy, sexual or other unlawful harassment occurring in the course of any University activity is prohibited. This policy provides complaint procedures to assist the University in its efforts to implement this policy.

Harassment on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic-related), sexual orientation, sex, age, or any other protected status under federal, state or local law, ordinance or regulation applicable to the University, is a violation of this policy.

Any such harassment of any individual in the course of any University-administered program, job or activity is prohibited and shall not be tolerated. The University shall take prompt and effective corrective action to address unlawful harassment, including, where appropriate, dismissal or expulsion. The policy explicitly applies to University students, faculty, staff, administrators,independent contractors and all other individuals engaged in University activities. Individuals who know of harassment, or believe that they have been harassed in violation of this policy, have access to the complaint procedures described below and are encouraged to utilize these complaint procedures.

All adjunct faculty should review the complete policy regarding sexual and other unlawful harassment. The policy outlines prohibited conduct and the procedures for harassment complaints. Human Resources offers an online workshop on harassment that adjunct faculty are strongly encouraged to complete. Please refer to CBA Article 17.1 for additional information.

Faculty-Student Relationships

Sexual relationships between adjunct professors and students are expressly prohibited in cases in which an adjunct professor teaches, advises, or supervises the student, or is engaged in research or professional development activities with a student (CBA Article 17.2). This prohibition does not extend to an adjunct professor and a student who are married or who have a long-standing, committed and prior relationship.

Grade Appeals

All faculty must follow the University’s policy on grade appeals.

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Professional Responsibilities

Who are Adjunct Faculty?

Adjunct faculty (also referred to as part-time faculty) are individuals who hold less than full-time appointments to teach or perform service. Adjunct professors teach eight units or fewer per semester. Though the Dean is not precluded from assigning an adjunct professor more than eight units per semester (CBA Article 10.4), adjunct faculty may not be assigned by the University Deans to teach more than 24 units in total during any given calendar year. Adjunct faculty must meet the same professional and/or creative standards and requirements as full-time faculty, though the principal role of adjunct faculty is to teach and evidence of teaching ability is a key criteria in initial selection and continued employment at the University.

Initial Appointment of Adjunct Faculty

Recommendations for adjunct faculty appointments are made to the appropriate Associate Dean by the Department Chair or Program Director. Only the Associate Deans are authorized to make an appointment and all initial appointments are made for one semester. Subsequent appointments are made on a semester-by-semester basis on the recommendation of the Department Chair/Program Director and the evaluation and approval of the Associate Dean. An adjunct faculty appointment therefore contains no guarantee of permanent part-time employment or of continued employment at the University. Appointments are made for a particular course(s) only (CBA Article 11.1). New hire paperwork must be completed and turned in to Human Resources prior to the first class meeting.

Responsibilities of Adjunct Faculty

Adjunct faculty are expected to perform teaching duties in accordance with the requirements of the University of San Francisco and the College of Arts and Sciences (CBA Article 10.1). These duties include instruction and any instruction-related duties assigned by the Dean (CBA Article 10.2).

Adjunct faculty are expected to provide effective teaching, good representation of the University in public affairs and community activities, and maintain sound personal and ethical relations with colleagues, supervisors, students, and the community (CBA Article 10.10).

In addition, adjunct faculty are expected to keep regular office hours (CBA Article 10.2), submit grades in a reasonable and timely manner (CBA Article 10.5) and be available for service at the University during the term of their employment (CBA Article 10.9).

Authority and Reporting

The immediate contact person for an adjunct faculty member is ordinarily the Department Chair or Program Director. In some departments, an Adjunct Faculty Liaison/Mentor performs this role. Any academic questions or requests for academic guidance, direction, or assistance should be directed to your Department Chair, Program Director or Adjunct Faculty Liaison/Mentor. Once the initial appointment has been made, any administrative, personnel, procedural, or supervisory questions can be addressed to the appropriate Associate Dean (Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, or Sciences) or the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs.

Official Correspondence

Once hired by USF, adjunct faculty will receive an official USF email address. Adjunct faculty are expected to check this email account regularly while they are teaching, since this is the official means of communication between the University, the College, and the faculty member regarding their employment at USF.

Additionally, adjunct faculty are expected to maintain current contact information on file with the University, including valid mailing addresses, and to update this information when needed. Contact information can be updated on the myUSF dashboard by clicking on the USF Works button.

Contracts

Adjunct faculty will receive contracts electronically no later than the census date for the course confirming teaching assignments and/or any additional pay assignments. Contracts will be sent to the official USF email address provided for each adjunct faculty member. These contracts must be signed electronically. Upon signing, an electronic copy is automatically forwarded to the faculty member’s USF email address. Questions about contracts should be directed to the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, who oversees their distribution.

Hours of Work and Prior Approval for Additional Assignments

In compliance with the Affordable Care Act, adjunct faculty working on campus will receive contracts outlining any work assignments, including teaching, non-teaching, service, and all other work. These contracts document the expected weekly hours of work for the assignment.

Adjunct faculty must secure prior approval from the Dean before accepting any other work assignments within the University. Additionally, the total of all work assignments cannot exceed 29.75 hours per week for members of the Preferred Hiring Pool (PHP) or 27.5 hours per week for non-Preferred Hiring Pool members for all assignments (teaching and additional pay) during the academic year. Due to the intensive structure of summer/intersession teaching assignments, the hours per week may exceed the cap. However, total hours worked for the entire summer or intersession term should not exceed the weekly cap.

Representing USF as an Adjunct Faculty Member

Adjunct faculty members may use their University of San Francisco faculty title as a form of identification in their professional or academic endeavors and are encouraged to do so in presentations, papers, publications, and other creative or scholarly work. The proper designation is “Adjunct Professor” followed by the name of the department. Adjunct faculty members should not, however, use their faculty titles to explicitly or implicitly claim to represent the views of the University of San Francisco or to seek or solicit clients, business relationships or other economic arrangements, or to advocate or endorse causes that are not part of their University-related academic assignments.

Teaching Development Fund

The Teaching Development Fund (TDF) (CBA Article 22.9) is designed to provide funding for activities that have the clear and explicit purpose of improving teaching effectiveness at the University of San Francisco. These funds are designed to support adjunct faculty efforts to improve student learning and to encourage faculty efforts to assess and document the effectiveness of their instructional improvement efforts. Resources requested may include, but are not restricted to: instructional innovations, new approaches to classroom instruction, travel to teaching and/or pedagogical workshops and conferences, use of active learning strategies, incorporation of multicultural perspectives, and curriculum development and evaluation. (Greater weight will be given to domestic participation and travel in the continental U.S. International participation and travel may be considered on a case by case should sufficient funds be available.) TDF funds cannot be used for research, student travel, credit-bearing courses at other institutions, other professional development not directly related to courses currently being taught at USF, or to compensate faculty to attend USF events, programs, or meetings. 

Applications and Guidelines

All adjunct faculty are encouraged to apply for TDF, but please note that funding is limited. Applications are accepted biannually and are typically due on Oct. 15 and Feb. 15 of each year. Application instructions and reminders of the deadlines are sent to all adjunct faculty from the Dean’s Office (Appendix 1.2).

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Teaching Policies

Syllabi

The College of Arts and Sciences requires syllabi for all courses taught at USF. At the beginning of each semester, faculty must submit their syllabi electronically to their Program Assistant (CBA Article 10.7). To ensure accurate record keeping, please name the document as a Syllabus (Syl), give the semester (16F), instructor last name, and the complete course and section number (e.g., Syl16FMcGuirePSY31201).

Syllabi must include all the required elements, and any of the optional elements, listed on the CAS Syllabus Checklist and explained in the CAS Syllabus Guidelines. 

It is highly recommended that you review your syllabus with the chair or director of the program for feedback as there may be program specific information to include.

The Center for Teaching Excellence also provides teaching tips and syllabi templates each semester.

Office Hours

Adjunct faculty who are teaching lectures are expected to keep regular office hours and be available to students without a previous appointment. Adjunct faculty must post a schedule and strictly observe the schedule for office hours (CBA Article 10.2). The College requires a minimum of 15 minutes per week per unit of teaching, which equates to at least one hour per week for a 4-unit course. Adjunct faculty are strongly encouraged to allow flexibility for students to meet at alternative times outside of scheduled office hours. Please note that office hours are considered part of the normal duties of being an instructor at USF and thus there is no additional compensation for holding office hours. All adjunct faculty have access to the shared office space on the fourth floor of Gleeson Library, which includes private lockers, meeting rooms, and computer resources; contact the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs for more information. 

Course Cancellation

The University may, at the Dean's sole discretion, cancel a particular course based upon a lack of enrollment, or for budgetary or programmatic reasons (CBA Article 11.3). When a course(s) to be taught by an adjunct professor is cancelled 25 or fewer days before the first class meeting of the Fall term, or 14 or fewer days before the first class meeting of the Spring term, the University will pay the adjunct professor assigned to teach that course(s) 10% of the stipulated salary that individual was to be paid for such a course(s) as compensatory salary (or 15% of the stipulated salary if the course is cancelled on the day before the first class or later).

Modifications to the Scheduled Seat Time

Any modifications to the scheduled seat time for a course (whether one-time or ongoing), cancellation of classes for any reason, or modifications to the scheduled final exam, must have written Dean's Office approval. Adjunct faculty should discuss the rationale for the change with the appropriate Associate Dean, who will assess its impact on student learning and educational experience, and on faculty workload. Depending on the circumstances, the Associate Dean may consult the College Curriculum Committee and/or the Department Chair.

Absences from Class

Adjunct faculty are expected to be present at all scheduled class sessions during the semester. However, adjunct faculty who find themselves unable to attend their regularly scheduled classes due to illness or personal emergency must follow the procedures below, depending on whether the absence was anticipated or unanticipated:

Anticipated Absence

Any anticipated absence from class (e.g. to attend a conference) must have prior Chair/Program Director and Associate Dean's approval. Adjunct faculty must complete the "request to be absent from class" form, and submit it to the Chair/Program Director and Associate Dean at least two weeks prior to the absence. The form requires a rationale for the absence and a plan to replace instruction in class. Additional homework is not an appropriate substitute for missing class.

Anticipated absences should never result in class cancellations, unless under extreme circumstances. Also, Program Assistants cannot, per Union rules, proctor any kind of class activity, including exams.

Unanticipated Absences

If unexpected circumstances prevent an adjunct faculty member from making it to class (such as illness or sudden emergency), they must notify their Program Assistant, who will know the procedure to follow. Any special instructions for the students should be shared with the Program Assistant. If sending an email is possible, please copy your Department Chair and Associate Dean in addition to your Program Assistant. If there is a viable plan to find a substitute for the faculty member and there is time to implement it, this plan should be discussed with the Associate Dean and Department Chair.

Class Lists

An official class list can be obtained on the myUSF dashboard by clicking on the Self-Service Faculty button.

Computer Problems and Support

Information and Technology Services (ITS) offers many services.

For help with computer problems, service hours, and online support, please email itshelp@usfca.edu, or call x6668.

Adding/Dropping Classes

Students may add classes until the end of Late Registration (normally the end of the first week of classes). To add a class, they can go online or complete the Registration Add/Drop form. Part-time faculty may not sign a student into a closed class; this must be done by the Chair or Program Director (and is rarely approved). Adjunct faculty should check with their department for a policy regarding signing students into a closed class.

Students who drop a class must fill out a Registration/Add/Drop form and take it to the Center for Academic and Student Achievement (CASA, Appendix A.1) and then the Office of the Registrar. Students who drop a class before the census date must obtain the signature of their academic advisor. To drop a course between the census date through the tenth week of class (the last day to drop) in a regular semester, students must obtain the signatures of the instructor, the academic advisor, and approval from CASA. Students who fail to follow procedures will receive a failing grade (F) for that course.

Student Attendance Policy

University policy states that students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and laboratory exercises. Absences may affect the final grade or eligibility to sit for the final examination. However, instructors may not unilaterally drop a student from the class for poor attendance. Course syllabi should clearly explain expectations regarding attendance.

Occasionally, students represent the University of San Francisco in intercollegiate activities (e.g., athletics, etc.). These students shall be excused from classes on the hours or days such activities takes them away. Such students are, however, responsible for notifying their professors in advance of anticipated absences and for arranging to complete course work for classes, laboratories, and/or examinations missed.

Students with Disabilities and Legal Rights

The University of San Francisco is committed to helping USF students with disabilities serve as fully contributing and actively participating members of the University community while acquiring and developing the knowledge, skills, values, and sensitivity to become women and men for others. Toward that end, the University attempts to promote a fully integrated University experience for students with disabilities by ensuring that students have equal access to all areas of university life and receive appropriate educational support and services to foster their academic and personal success.

Students with disabilities (learning, physical, psychiatric, or medical) have certain rights under the law. In cases where these rights are invoked, there are certain procedures that need to be followed.

The determination that a student has a disability and the nature of that disability is a highly confidential matter disclosed only to those who need to know. Under no circumstances should a student’s disability be discussed with anyone besides those individuals charged with assisting the student and the disability should never be discussed with other students in or out of class.

At the beginning of the semester students may approach adjunct faculty with a documented need. When this happens, a conversation between the student, Student Disability Services (SDS), and a faculty member should begin in regards to the student’s accommodation. SDS is available to assist students with disabilities and the faculty who teach them. For more information, visit their website, or contact the office directly (sds@usfca.edu, x2613).

Student Conduct

The University's policy regarding student conduct is contained in the Fogcutter student handbook.

Specifically, matters subject to University disciplinary procedures include, among others:

• Disorderly, disruptive or obstructive behavior in or out of the classroom (e.g., shouting, or making bothersome noises, speaking out of turn repeatedly, or otherwise disrupting the orderly classroom process).
• Physical abuse or sexual offense (or threats to do the same).

If an adjunct faculty member finds a student engaging in disruptive behavior in the classroom, he or she should first speak to the student privately about the matter. If the student continues to behave in a disruptive or inappropriate manner, CASA can provide further guidance on how to proceed.

Mid-Semester Progress Reports

Approximately half-way through the regular semester, CASA will send those teaching undergraduate courses instructions on how to submit a Mid-Semester Progress Report for students performing at less than a C average. This is one component of the University's attempt to identify "at-risk" students and take all necessary steps to help them succeed.

Administering Student Evaluations

The University has the right to evaluate adjunct faculty (CBA Article 13.1). The online Blue Course Evaluation System by eXplorance is used to survey teaching effectiveness. Students will receive email communications from the Office of the University Registrar to complete their course evaluations. These emails stress the importance that USF places on the teaching effectiveness survey and explains the process for completion. Students who do not complete upon the first prompt will receive up to three more prompts to do so.

Faculty can help, too:

• Faculty are encouraged to explain how to access the surveys via Banner Self-Service and Canvas.
• Faculty can encourage their students to complete the online surveys.
• Faculty may set aside time during class when students can complete the survey. In selecting this method, faculty should remind students to bring their laptops (or device of choice) to class on the scheduled survey day.

Grades for a given course must be submitted before the course’s report can be accessed. Faculty will receive an email indicating the reports are ready to be viewed. Faculty can also view reports from Banner Self-Service and Canvas. Reports can be saved either as an HTML file or as a PDF. Reports may also be printed directly from the web interface.

Final Exams

• Schedule for final examinations

Adjunct faculty members must adhere to this schedule and may not change the date, time, or place of final exams.

Reporting Final Grades

Adjunct faculty are expected to file their grades in a reasonable and timely manner (CBA Article10.5). Grades are usually due no later than seven days after finals. All final grades are to be submitted via myUSF:

1. Log into myUSF.
2. Click on the Faculty box under Self-Service.
3. Within the Faculty and Advisors main menu, click on the Final Grades link.
4. Select a Term and submit.
5. Select a CRN (choose class to be graded) and submit.
6. You will arrive at the final grades page. Under the Grade column there is a drop-down menu with valid grades. Select a grade for each student from the corresponding drop-down menu. Important: Please leave the boxes for Last Attend Date and Attend Hours blank. You can submit your grades without having to fill in those boxes.
7. When you are finished entering the grades, click the submit button at the bottom of the page. You have submitted your grades correctly if you see this message: “The changes you made were saved successfully.”
8. Grading another course: select a new course to grade, click the CRN selection link at the bottom of the page, and follow directions above.

Neither teaching assistants nor program assistants are permitted to enter grades on behalf of a faculty member.

Students who have officially dropped the class after the census date will have a 'W' posted in the grade column. If a student has simply stopped attending class, the grade space will be blank. In this case, the student should receive an 'F'. In exceptional circumstances, it may happen that a student officially dropped the course after the grade rosters were issued. If this happens, a grade of 'F' should still be assigned.

Incompletes ('I') are strongly discouraged

Incompletes should be used only if the student has completed the majority of the work for the course at a passing level and only if the student, near the end of the semester, experiences a significant event typically beyond their control (e.g., illness, injury, family bereavement, etc.) that prevents them from completing the requirements for the course(s). The student should provide written verification (e.g., physician's note) of the circumstances. The incomplete is not intended as a means of avoiding a poor or failing grade or obtaining an extension not afforded to all other students in the course. In no case should attendance in class during the following semester be necessary or allowed in order to complete the course requirements. The adjunct faculty member should develop a contract with the student specifying the nature of the work to be completed and timeline for completion. Please note that incomplete grades automatically change to an 'F' unless the work is completed by the end of the following semester.

Any change of grade must be initiated by the adjunct professor who should submit a Change of Grade form (available at CASA or in the academic department or program office). Faculty members must clearly state the reason for the change of grade. Under no circumstances should the student be given the change of grade form. No change of final grade for a completed course will be made without the approval of CASA.

Students may appeal to have their grade changed.

Understanding Student Privacy (FERPA)

The privacy of students and their educational records is a serious matter and is mandated by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Faculty, administrators, staff and student workers at the University are required to be in compliance. Adjunct faculty are responsible for reviewing the guidelines and acting in compliance. Here are a few examples of “dos and don’ts”:

• Do not display student scores or grades publicly in association with names, USF ID numbers, Social Security numbers, or other personal identifiers. If scores or grades are posted, do use some confidential code known only to you and the individual student. If a partial USF ID number is used, do not use more than the last four digits. In no case should the list be posted in alphabetic sequence by student name.
• Do not put student work (including papers, exams books, or lab reports) containing student names and grades in publicly accessible places. Students are not to have access to the scores and grades of others in class in ways that allow other students to be identified.
• Do not discuss an advisee's or student's academic progress with her/his parent(s) unless s/he has completed a form authorizing release of such information to the parent(s). Students are given the opportunity to complete such an authorization form and it is stored in his/her file in the Registrar’s Office.

Academic Integrity and Turnitin.com

• University's academic integrity policy and procedures

If a faculty member becomes aware of a possible violation of the University’s policy on academic integrity, he or she should either discuss the matter privately with the student, the Department/Program Chair or Adjunct Liaison/Mentor, or speak directly with CASA who will provide appropriate advice on the options and procedures to be followed. In some instances, cases may be referred to the University Committee on Academic Integrity. To contact the committee or report a possible violation of the Academic Honor Code, visit the link above.

USF is an institutional subscriber to Turnitin.com, a system that compares student papers to a huge database of previously submitted papers and text found on the Internet. Turnitin.com is accessible through Canvas. For demos and help, please contact USF's Center for Instruction and Technology at (415) 422-2223.

Student Liability Waivers

Off-campus activities related to courses require Liability Waivers. These waivers must be signed by all students in the course before the scheduled activity, and all signed waivers must be turned in to the Department Program Assistant. 

Directed Studies

Adjunct faculty must receive prior approval from their Department Chair/Program Director before initiating any directed study before the first scheduled meeting of the directed study.

Sometimes due to curricular necessity or graduation requirements, courses that are under-enrolled are converted into Reduced Enrollment Courses (REC) or directed studies instead of cancelled. In these cases, adjunct faculty may be asked to teach a directed study with one or more students. Adjunct faculty should discuss the expectations of teaching a directed study in detail with their department chair and/or dean before agreeing to teach any directed studies. REC courses are to be treated as standard courses with the same expectations regarding seat time, office hours, and all other course policies. 

Compensation for directed studies is outlined in CBA Article 18.8. The pay rate for directed studies or REC courses is calculated as 1/12 of the rate for the class (based upon the unit value) multiplied by the number of students.

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Adjunct Faculty Evaluation

Purpose

The University encourages good teaching in all its programs and courses. To this end, the University retains the right to evaluate adjunct faculty, including the use of student and/or administrative evaluations (CBA Article 13.1).

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Preferred Hiring Pool (PHP/PHP2)

Eligibility and Deadlines

All adjunct professors who upon evaluation are determined to be good teachers and competent in their teaching assignment in accordance with Article 13, and who have completed at least fifty-four (54) units and have a minimum of three (3) years of service, may apply for the preferred hiring pool (PHP).

Adjunct professors who are members of the PHP and who have completed at least one hundred twenty-eight (128) units, have a minimum of ten (10) years of service, and have SUMMA evaluations and Blue surveys for a minimum of the past five (5) years may apply for the preferred hiring pool 2 (PHP2).

Applicants must notify their Department Chair in writing of their intent to apply for PHP/PHP2. Applications are submitted to the dean each spring semester on or before October 15th. (CBA Article12.1).

Notes:

• There is only one application deadline for PHP/PHP2 each academic year.
• Units for teaching labs and directed studies are not counted toward PHP/PHP2 eligibility.

Application Process

PHP/PHP2 applications are submitted electronically, through an application site administered by the College. The applicant should include a full list of the course(s) and sections taught and the semester in which each course was taught; a current curriculum vitae; a statement of teaching philosophy; a statement that outlines the applicant’s support for department/program learning outcome and objectives; confirmation that the applicant has notified their department chair of their intent to apply for PHP/PHP2; and any additional materials the applicant believes demonstrates excellence in teaching (CBA Article 12.2). The evaluation process includes a review of all SUMMA and BLUE evaluations and the applicant is responsible for submitting all evaluations (CBA Article 12.3).

PHP Evaluation

Adjunct professors will be evaluated for PHP status solely on the basis of the application. Placement of any particular adjunct professor in the PHP shall not be a standard of comparison or precedent for other applicants to the PHP. (CBA Article 12.5)

Decision

Applicants are informed of the Dean's decision by January 15th. The dean has the sole discretion in determining if adjunct professors meet the criteria for placement in PHP/PHP2 for specific courses and her/his decision is final. PHP/PHP2 applicants who are granted PHP/PHP2 status will be placed in the PHP/PHP2 the semester following notification by the Dean. PHP applicants not placed in the PHP, but re-employed, may be re-evaluated by the dean at a later date (CBA Article 12.4). Applicants who are denied PHP2 status are eligible to reapply in two (2) years.

PHP Seniority

Once an individual is placed into the PHP, the dean shall assign adjunct professors on the basis of seniority (as determined by the date of entrance to the PHP) and established competence. However, no adjunct professor has an exclusive right to teach a particular course, or be entitled to a particular schedule or class location. (CBA Article 12.9).

PHP/PHP2 Benefits

Adjunct professors are assigned an appropriate rate of pay by the University based upon a per unit minimum pay rate (CBA Article 18). Please refer to CBA for current rates.

Members of the PHP receive access to various benefits, including health care, tuition remission, life insurance, and retirement contributions. For more details, please see CBA Articles 19, 20, 21, and 22, or call Human Resources (LM 339, x6707).

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Appendix

Center for Academic and Student Achievement

The Center for Academic and Student Achievement (CASA) provides academic and personal support and resources to students. Faculty may refer students to CASA to receive various resources and services. All academic forms that students complete should be turned in to CASA, which is located on the third floor of the University Center building. Information regarding the staff, mission, and resources is available through CASA.

College of Arts and Sciences - Office of the Dean

All adjunct faculty report to the Associate Dean in their academic area. There are three academic associate deans: Sciences, Social Sciences, and Arts and Humanities. Additionally, the Dean’s office staff manages employment related matters with adjunct faculty, including generating contracts,processing pay, collecting syllabi, tracking absences and attendance, etc. For a current list of Dean’s office staff, please see the website.