Cottey College

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Cottey College

Faculty Handbook

adopted by vote of the Board of Trustees September 17, 2013

amended February 7, 2014

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Cottey College Faculty Handbook CONTENTS

Section One: Preface ……….………. 5

Purpose ..……….………….………. 5

Statutory Basis ………….………. 5

Shared Governance ………. 5

Adoption, Amendment, and Revision .………….………. 6

Date of Adoption ……….………. 6

Amendment/Revision Procedures .………..………. 6

Errors ……….………. 7

Current Version Location .…………..………. 7

Section Two: Faculty Status, Structure, and Committees ………….…..……… 9

The Faculty ………..………. 9

Faculty Employment Status .……….………. 9

Faculty Meetings .……….………. 9

Faculty Chair .……….………. 10

Additional Elected Offices ...……….………..….……….. 12

Divisions ………..……….12

Purpose .……….……….12

Organization .……….……….13

Faculty Membership .……….………. 13

Divisional Meetings .……….………. 13

Division Chairs …….……….……….13

Dean’s Council …….……….………..…..…………. 15

Committees …….……….………..…..………. 16

Curriculum Committee …….……….……….………. 16

Personnel Committee …….……….……….………. 16

Search Committees …….……….……….………. 16

Other Ad Hoc Committees .……….……….………. 17

Additional Standing Committees and Advisory Boards …….………. 17

General Policies for Committees ………. 18

Department Coordinators ………...………. 18

Section Three: Faculty Responsibilities ……… 19

Teaching Loads .……….………..…..…………. 19

Class Sizes and Overloads .……….………..…………. 19

Co-Teaching ….……….………..…………. 20

Specific Faculty Responsibilities .……….………..…………. 20

Instruction ..………..……….………..…………. 20

Office Hours ..………..……….………..…………. 21

Faculty Meetings ..…………..……….………..…………. 21

Division Membership .……...……….………..…………. 21

Committee Service ..……..……….………..…………. 21

Advising .…….…………..……….………..…………. 22

Assessment Activities .……...……….………..…………. 22

Budget …………..…………..……….………..…………. 22

Deadlines …………..…………..……….………..…………. 22

Attendance and Absence Responsibilities .……….………..…………. 22

Off Campus Travel ..…………..……….………..…………. 22

Faculty Absence from Classes .……….………..…………. 22

Formal Academic Occasions .……….………..…………. 23

Faculty Participation in Campus Events .……….………..…………. 23

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Cottey College Faculty Handbook

External Factors Affecting Faculty Responsibilities .………..…………. 23

Outside Employment ..…………..……….………..…………. 23

Intellectual Property ……….………..…………. 23

Impact of Legislation on Faculty Employment .……….………..…………. 23

Section Four: Faculty Appointment and Promotion ……… 25

Faculty Appointments …..……….………..…..…………. 25

Faculty Employment Categories .……….………..…………. 25

Contracts and Notification of Renewal .……….………..…………. 26

Faculty Rank ……….………..…………. 27

Lecturers ..………..……….………..…………. 27

Instructors ..………..……….………..…………. 27

Assistant Professors ..…………..……….………..…………. 27

Associate Professors .……...……….………..…………. 27

Professors ………….……...……….………..…………. 28

Initial Rank ……….………..…………. 28

Faculty Promotion …..……….………..…..…………. 28

Section Five: Tenure Policy and Procedures ……… 31

Tenure ………..……….………..…..…………. 31

Authority for Granting or Terminating Tenure .……….………..…………. 31

Eligibility for Tenure ………..……….………..…..…………. 31

Tenure Process ……….………..…………. 32

Section Six: Evaluation of Programs and Faculty ……… 35

Responsibility for Evaluation ………..……….………..…..…………. 35

Academic Program Reviews .……….………..…………. 35

Self-Assessment ………..……….………..…..…………. 35

Performance Appraisals of Individual Faculty ..………..…………. 35

Non-tenured Faculty …………...……….………..…………. 36

Tenured Faculty ....………...……….………..…………. 36

Data for Evaluating Promotion and Tenure Applications ..………..…………. 38

Applicant’s Dossier ....………...……….………..…………. 38

Personnel Committee’s Applicant File ....……….………..…………. 38

Policy for Evaluating Promotion and Tenure Applications ..………..…………. 39

Criteria for Review of Faculty Performance ………..………..…………. 39

Teaching/Professional Competence ....……….………..…………. 39

Intellectual/Scholarly Vitality ...……….………..…………. 39

Service Contributions ...……….………..…………. 40

Section Seven: Institutional Support and Services …….……… 41

Faculty Professional Development ……….………..…..…………. 41

Faculty Development Funds ...………..….………..…………. 41

Academic Enrichment and Continuing Education Funds ...………..…. 41

Faculty Improvement Funds ...………..….………..…………. 42

Reallocation of Funds ……...………..….………..…………. 42

Professional Leave for Faculty ………..…….………..…..…………. 42

Sabbatical Leaves ……...………..….………..…………. 42

Leave of Absence for Professional Growth ...…..…..….………..…………. 43

Leaves for Personal Reasons ..……….……..…….………..…..…………. 44

Awards, Recognition, and Special Programs ..…….………..…..…………. 44

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Cottey College Faculty Handbook

Faculty Compensation …………...………..…….………..…..…………. 44

Faculty Salaries …………...………..….………..…………. 44

Faculty/Staff Benefits ……...………..….………..…………. 45

Other Important Information ...………..….………..…………. 45

College Policies ...……...………..….………..…………. 45

Section Eight: Termination of Faculty Employment …….……… 47

Resignation and Retirement ………..……….………..…..…………. 47

Notice ...………..….………..…………. 47

Termination of Non-Tenured Faculty Employment ………..…..……..…..…………. 47

Administrative Termination of Tenure and Employment ………..…..…………. 47

Inability to Perform …………...………..….………..…………. 48

Elimination or Reduction of Curricular Offerings ...………..…………. 49

Decision ...………..….………..…………. 49

Faculty Consequences ...…………..….………..…………. 49

Persistent and Substantial Low Course Enrollments ...………..…………. 50

Financial Exigency ...………..…………. 51

Dismissal for Cause ...………..…………. 52

Professional Incompetence ...……..…………. 52

Insubordination ...……..…………. 52

Incompatibility with College Objectives and Ideals ...……. 52

Procedures for Reviewing Faculty for Dismissal for Cause ...………. 53

Initiation ...……. 53

Investigation ...……. 53

Decision ...……. 54

Administrative Procedures for Termination of Employment ………..…..…………. 54

Notification ...………..….………..…………. 54

Suspension ...………..…………. 55

Section Nine: Grievances and Appeals …….………..……… 57

Routine Procedures, Committees, and Special Requests ………..…..…………. 57

Informal Resolution Process ………....…………. 57

Grievances ...………..….………..…………. 58

Grievance Process ………..……….……..…..…………. 59

Grievance Board Procedures ………..……….……..…..…………. 60

Grievance Board Report ………...……….……..…..…………. 60

Response to the Grievance Board Report ...……. 61

Review of the Grievance ...……. 61

Conclusion of the Grievance ...……. 61

Appeals ...………..….………..…………. 61

Appendix One: Teaching Loads …….…..………..……….……… 63

Appendix Two: Addendum for Adjunct Faculty .……….………..…….……… 65

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Revised Faculty Handbook -- Section One

5 SECTION ONE

PREFACE

A strong faculty, trained in the best colleges and universities, will strive in every legitimate way to awaken and deepen the interest necessary to success. –Virginia Alice Cottey

I. Purpose: The purpose of this handbook is to promote the professional excellence and well- being of the faculty of Cottey College. This document demarcates faculty organizational structure, faculty responsibilities and performance standards, and faculty benefits, rights, and provisions for recourse.

This handbook does not include general employment policies and benefits information applicable to the faculty. Those policies may be found on the Cottey College intranet and include Cottey College’s policies stating its commitment to equal employment opportunity and an environment free from harassment or retaliation, as well as providing methods of reporting employment concerns. For more information regarding these or any College policies, please contact the vice president for academic affairs (VPAA) or the director of human resources.

II. Statutory Basis for the Faculty Handbook:Error! Bookmark not defined. All pertinent federal, State of Missouri, and local laws apply to Cottey College and its employees. The

"Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of Cottey College" (most recent revision) constitute the legal basis for this handbook. Policies and procedures adopted by the Cottey College Board of Trustees and published in its procedures manual are the framework in which the College must operate, as are the official statements of Cottey's mission and goals. A copy of the Board Policies can be found online. Official statements on the philosophy and purpose of the College, the role of the liberal arts and sciences, and general academic policies implementing these also establish the focus of the College and thus govern

relationships between the College and its faculty. Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, and formal College policy statements (as cited above) are available online. Any inconsistency between this handbook and the documents mentioned above in this paragraph shall be resolved in favor of the latter.

III. Shared Governance: The ultimate authority for governance of Cottey College lies with the International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, specifically with the Cottey College

Corporate Board. The Cottey College Corporate Board designates authority for governance to the Cottey College Board of Trustees, who delegates portions of this authority to the President of Cottey College and to various constituents of the College, subject to review and approval by the board of trustees.

The board of trustees has the authority to carry out all lawful functions permitted by the Bylaws of Cottey College or by the articles of incorporation. This includes approving policies bearing on faculty appointment, promotion, tenure and dismissal, policies that protect academic freedom, and other policies that may influence faculty working conditions.

Various members of the campus community share governance of the institution, including the administration, the faculty, staff, and the student body. Each has essential and unique responsibilities and functions, and should respectfully cooperate with the other constituents.

A copy of Cottey College’s organizational chart is available on the Cottey College intranet.

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Cottey College Faculty Handbook -- Section One

6 The faculty has primary responsibility for matters related to the academic program,

including, but not limited to, curriculum, graduation requirements, program review, student advising, and assessment of student learning, and for matters related to faculty status, including, but not limited to, appointment, tenure, promotion, sabbaticals, and faculty responsibilities. Policies and recommendations in these areas are developed by the faculty in cooperation with Academic Affairs administration, and are submitted to the President for review. Policies and recommendations supported by the President are forwarded to the board of trustees for approval.

Faculty members are responsible for participating in shared governance by serving on various committees and by assuming the leadership roles upon which the concept of shared governance depends.

IV. Adoption, Amendment, and Revision

A. This edition of the Faculty Handbook, with the policies and practices published herein, was approved by the Cottey College Board of Trustees in September 2013. It will remain in effect until changes are authorized by the board.

B. Amendment/Revision Procedures

1. If an amendment or revision to this handbook is initiated by the board of trustees, the board shall allow a reasonable amount of time for the academic administration and faculty to review and comment on the proposed amendment.

a. Faculty members should have at least a week's written notice of the

proposed change before the faculty meets to determine a course of action.

The faculty may choose to provide comments and/or suggestions on the proposed amendment, or may choose to vote in favor or against the proposed amendment. Approval of a motion in favor of the proposed

amendment requires a two-thirds vote which will take place by written ballot at a faculty meeting. In any case the input of the faculty will be submitted to the President to be forwarded to the board for review before the board votes on the proposed amendment.

b. While the board shall make a good faith effort to seek faculty input and agreement on proposed amendments to this handbook, the board may adopt a revision or amendment without such notice if an immediate change is deemed essential to the proper management of the College. In any case, written notice of changes will be made to all faculty and the President at least 30 days prior to new policies and practices taking effect.

2. An amendment or revision to this handbook may be proposed by a full-time faculty member, by a committee having full-time faculty among its members, or by an academic administrator.

a. Proposed amendments should be submitted to the faculty chair for faculty consideration.

b. Faculty approval of a revision or amendment requires a two-thirds vote of all faculty voting after one week's prior written notice of the proposed change

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Cottey College Faculty Handbook -- Section One

7 has been given to all faculty, the VPAA, and the President. This vote will take place by written ballot at a faculty meeting.

c. After approval by the faculty, the proposed change is forwarded to the President, who may express concerns about the proposal and return it to the faculty for further consideration or may forward it to the board for action.

C. In the spring semester of years evenly divisible by five, a faculty ad hoc committee in collaboration with the VPAA will comprehensively review the entire Faculty

Handbook for possible revision. This ad hoc committee will be selected on a volunteer basis, or by appointment. Amendments/revisions recommended by this committee will be submitted to the faculty chair for faculty consideration as described in Section One, IV.B.2. above.

D. The primary purpose of appendices and illustrative figures (charts, diagrams, lists, tables, and so forth) is to convey information to the faculty. As official components of the handbook, amendments or revisions to appendices follow the process outlined in Section One.IV.B. Additional information for faculty is available on the Cottey College intranet.

V. Errors: Factual or typographical errors should be reported to the Office of Academic Affairs, so they can be corrected as quickly as possible. Other changes must follow the procedure outlined in Section One, IV. above.

VI. Current Version of Faculty Handbook: The most up-to-date version of the Faculty Handbook can be found in the Office of Academic Affairs and on the Cottey College intranet.

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Cottey College Faculty Handbook – Section Two

9 SECTION TWO

FACULTY STATUS, STRUCTURE, AND COMMITTEES

I. The faculty of Cottey College, the central body in carrying out the mission of the College, have primary authority over and responsibility for the design and delivery of the curriculum.

In addition, because of their expertise, faculty participate in shared governance of the institution by advising the vice president for academic affairs (VPAA), the President, and the board of trustees.

A. Faculty Employment Status

1. All salaried employees of the College who have at least half-time teaching assignments of six or more load hours per week, who hold academic rank, and who are not adjuncts, are members of the faculty as a whole and have faculty employment status.

2. Administrative employees of the College may, at the discretion of the board of trustees, be given titular faculty (academic) rank but not faculty employment status or the rights and privileges of that status, such as voting at faculty and committee meetings. Two conditions must be fulfilled:

a. Employees’ work must entail significant academic responsibilities.

b. Employees must possess appropriate academic credentials.

3. A full-time faculty member with tenure may take a full-time administrative position with the College. While serving in the administrative role, the faculty member retains her/his tenure status but does not have the other rights and privileges of faculty employment status. If the tenured former faculty member wishes to return to the faculty, she/he must inform the College of that decision no later than December 1 of the fourth year of employment in the administrative position in order to retain tenure. Upon return to the faculty position, this individual regains faculty employment status and the rights and privileges thereof.

B. Faculty Meetings

1. The faculty as a whole meets monthly during the academic year. These meetings are scheduled by the Office of Academic Affairs. Meeting agendas and supporting materials are provided to the faculty prior to the meeting.

a. Voting privileges are limited to those with faculty employment status.

b. A quorum must be present in order for business to be conducted. A quorum consists of 80 percent of the voting faculty members.

c. Elections and votes on policy are by written ballot. Any member of the faculty may request any vote be conducted by written ballot and this request is automatically granted.

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10 d. Proxy voting is allowed for individuals on professional leave or with at least

one week written notice to the VPAA. The notice should include the name of the proxy voter and the reason for the expected absence. In the case of a special faculty meeting called with less than one week notice, the

requirement for a week’s notice for proxy voting is waived.

2. Outcomes of voting at faculty meetings are decided on an absolute majority basis, which means that more than half of the votes cast must agree for a measure to pass or a candidate to be elected.

a. By definition, “abstain” is not counted in the number of votes cast.

b. Results are reported:

i. By naming the candidate who received an absolute majority of the votes, in the case of elections.

ii. By stating the number of votes for a measure, the number of votes against a measure, and the number in abstention, in the case of policy votes.

3. If needed, additional meetings of the entire faculty may be called:

a. By the faculty chair.

b. By the VPAA.

c. By the President.

d. At the request of a division or at least 30 percent of the voting faculty members submitted in writing to the VPAA.

C. Faculty Chair 1. General

a. The faculty chair’s academic executive authority is delegated to him/her by virtue of election from the faculty.

b. The faculty chair is responsive to the faculty and advises the VPAA.

c. The faculty chair retains her/his faculty rank, has all normal faculty duties and responsibilities, possesses all normal faculty rights and privileges, and is a voting member of the faculty.

d. The faculty chair receives an annual monetary stipend over and above her/his faculty salary and fractional released time, as authorized by the President and the Cottey College Board of Trustees.

2. Qualifications: The faculty chair is a tenured, full-time faculty member.

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11 3. Responsibilities: As a representative of the faculty, the faculty chair articulates and promotes their perspectives and interests. Serving on the President’s Council, the faculty chair contributes to interaction between the council and the faculty.

a. Duties primarily related to working with the faculty include:

i. Conducting faculty meetings.

(1.) In advance of the faculty meeting, the faculty chair requests possible agenda items from the faculty and works with the VPAA and the Dean’s Council to determine the agenda.

(2.) The faculty chair presides over each faculty meeting.

ii. Serving as a member of the Dean’s Council.

iii. Serving as a resource for faculty members. Related duties include:

(1.) Hearing individual faculty member’s concerns and suggestions.

(2.) Seeking to resolve conflicts between faculty members or between faculty members and administrators.

b. Duties primarily related to working with the administration include:

i. Serving as a regular member of the President’s Council.

ii. Serving on administrative committees, such as the Planning Committee.

ii. Maintaining readiness for discussion and action with appropriate administrative units, such as Student Life, Institutional Advancement, and Enrollment Management.

4. Election Process and Term of Office

a. A request for nominations is announced at the January faculty meeting.

i. Nominations are submitted in writing to the Office of Academic Affairs within five days after the January faculty meeting.

ii. The Office of Academic Affairs contacts the nominees to ascertain their willingness to be candidates for the position of faculty chair.

iii. A slate of confirmed candidates is provided to the faculty at least one week prior to the February faculty meeting.

iv. Election of the faculty chair occurs at the February faculty meeting.

b. The term of office is two years with possible re-election for one additional consecutive term.

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12 c. The term of office begins on July 1. However, a new incoming faculty chair

may be requested to participate in meetings prior to that date to facilitate the transition from the outgoing chair.

5. Vacancies

a. A faculty chair may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the faculty.

b. Before initiating a vote to remove a faculty chair from office, faculty should pursue the steps for grievance/appeal in Section Nine of this handbook.

c. If these steps do not lead to satisfactory resolution of the problem, a minimum of two division chairs may request, in writing, that the VPAA schedule a vote to remove the faculty chair from office. The VPAA will schedule and preside over a special faculty meeting for this vote.

d. If a faculty chair resigns the position, is removed from office, or is unable to complete the normal term of office, a new chair will be selected. The policies and procedures specified in Section Two, I.C.4. above will be followed with these exceptions:

i. Nominations will be made as soon as possible.

ii. The VPAA will arrange a faculty meeting for the election of the faculty chair.

iii. The faculty chair appointed will take office when elected, or when the resignation/departure of the outgoing chair becomes effective, whichever is later.

iv. The faculty chair appointed will complete the unexpired term of the previous chair. If the unexpired term is less than one year, the new appointee will be eligible to be elected for two additional terms of office.

e. Temporary vacancies will be filled on an ad hoc basis by the Dean’s Council in consultation with the VPAA.

D. Additional Elected Offices of the Faculty

1. A parliamentarian is elected at the first faculty meeting of the academic year and can serve multiple terms.

2. The chair of the Academic Appeals Board is elected at the first faculty meeting of the academic year and can serve multiple terms.

II. Divisions

A. Purpose: Faculty members are divided into four divisions to support the aims of shared governance. As such, they have several related purposes:

1. To provide small groups for discussion and focused interdisciplinary work.

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13 2. To facilitate representation of faculty interests on committees.

3. To raise concerns to the faculty as a whole.

B. Organization: The four divisions are Fine Arts, Humanities, Science and Mathematics, and Social Science. The disciplines within each division are listed on the intranet.

C. Faculty Membership in Divisions

1. Each full-time faculty member belongs to one division, based on her/his primary area of expertise.

2. Expectations for division members are detailed in Section Three, II.D.

D. Divisional Meetings

1. Monthly division meetings are scheduled by the Office of Academic Affairs.

Attendance at divisional meetings is mandatory.

2. Division chairs request possible agenda items in advance of monthly division meetings.

3. Division meetings are presided over by the division chair or designated substitute.

E. Division Chairs 1. General

a. Division chairs retain their faculty ranks, have all usual faculty duties and responsibilities, possess all usual faculty rights and privileges, and are voting members of the faculty.

b. Division chairs receive annual monetary stipends over and above their faculty salaries and fractional released time.

2. Responsibilities

a. Division chairs ensure that the work of the division is accomplished. Related duties include, but are not limited to, setting agendas for division meetings, coordinating course schedules, collecting budget requests, and monitoring equitability of faculty workloads.

b. Division chairs facilitate communication between the division and the VPAA.

Related duties include, but are not limited to, participating in Dean’s Council meetings, expressing the views of the division to the VPAA, and relaying information and requests for input from the VPAA to division members.

c. Division chairs serve as a resource for division members. Related duties include, but are not limited to, answering division member’s questions about College policies and procedures, visiting classes and writing evaluations

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14 when invited to do so by division members, and resolving conflicts within the division (if possible) or recommending solutions to the VPAA if necessary.

3. Terms and Selection

a. The term of office for a division chair is four years.

b. Terms are staggered so that one division is scheduled to select a chair each year.

c. Terms begin on July 1 of the year in which the chair is appointed. However, a new incoming faculty chair may be requested to participate in meetings prior to that date to facilitate the transition from the outgoing chair.

d. Division members will select the person they would like to serve as chair at the February division meeting or at a special meeting called for this purpose.

i. Division chairs are normally tenured, full-time faculty members. (A division having difficulty filling its leadership and committee positions may seek approval from the faculty chair to petition the VPAA and President to waive the tenure requirement.)

ii. An incumbent division chair is eligible for reappointment as chair.

Normally division chairs serve no more than two consecutive terms.

e. Before the March faculty meeting in the year in which a division chair’s term expires, that division will forward to the VPAA the name of the member the division selected to serve as chair.

f. If there are circumstances known to the VPAA which would significantly interfere with the elected individual serving as division chair, then these procedures will apply:

i. The VPAA will meet with the selected individual to discuss the concerns.

ii. After this meeting the selected individual may decide not to accept the position and will so inform the division. The division will then select another chair.

iii. If the selected individual does not agree with the VPAA, and the VPAA continues to have significant concerns, the VPAA will discuss these concerns with the division. Depending on the seriousness of the concerns, the VPAA may require the division to select an alternative chair.

g. The VPAA sends the name of the selected division chair to the President who formally appoints the chair and issues an appropriately amended contract.

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15 4. Vacancies

a. A division chair may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the division’s members.

i. Before initiating a vote to remove a division chair from office, division members should pursue the steps for grievance/appeal in Section Nine of this handbook.

ii. If these steps do not lead to satisfactory resolution of the problem, a minimum of two division members may request, in writing, that the VPAA schedule a vote to remove the chair from office. The VPAA will schedule and preside over the special meeting for this vote.

b. If a division chair resigns the position, is removed from office, or is unable to complete the normal term of office, a new chair will be selected. The policies and procedures specified in Section Two, II.E.3. above will be followed with these exceptions:

i. The division’s nominee will be selected as soon as possible.

ii. The VPAA will arrange a division meeting for the selection of a nominee.

iii. The chair appointed will take office either upon appointment by the President or when the resignation/departure of the outgoing chair becomes effective, whichever is later.

iv. The chair appointed will complete the unexpired term of the previous chair, preserving the regular rotation of the selection of division chairs.

c. Temporary vacancies will be filled on an ad hoc basis in consultation with the VPAA.

III. Dean’s Council

A. The Dean’s Council is chaired by the VPAA and membership includes the faculty chair and division chairs.

B The Dean’s Council advises, consults, and collaborates with the VPAA to accomplish the business of the academic area and of the College. Responsibilities include:

1. Articulating and promoting divisional perspectives and interests to the Dean’s Council and conveying council perspectives, recommendations, and decisions to the divisions.

2. Reviewing the academic area budget.

3. Monitoring course scheduling.

4. Acting on academic matters beyond the purview of standing committees.

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16 IV. Committees

A. Faculty Standing Committees 1. Curriculum Committee

a. The Curriculum Committee addresses issues related to the academic policies and programs of the College. These include, but are not limited to, curriculum and courses, graduation requirements, petitions for exceptions to policies and requirements, and grade appeals.

b. Membership

i. The voting members of the Curriculum Committee are four faculty members, one selected by each division. The VPAA will vote if necessary to break a tie.

ii. Normally, a faculty member serves no more than two consecutive terms.

iii. The committee chair is elected by the committee from the faculty members.

iv. Non-voting ex-officio members of the Curriculum Committee are the VPAA and the registrar.

2. Personnel Committee

a. The Personnel Committee addresses issues related to maintaining faculty standards. These issues include, but are not limited to, recommendations regarding tenure, promotion, sabbaticals, non-tenure review, and post-tenure review.

b. Membership

i. Membership of the Personnel Committee consists of four tenured faculty members. Additionally, one or two non-tenured faculty serve on this committee. Only tenured faculty are able to vote for promotion and tenure decisions.

ii. Each division selects one tenured full professor, and an alternate, to serve on the Personnel Committee. (A division may choose to make a case for the waiving of this requirement to the VPAA and Dean’s Council.)

iii. Normally, a faculty member serves no more than two consecutive terms.

iv. The Dean’s Council selects one or two non-tenured faculty members to serve on the committee such that each non-tenured faculty member serves on the committee prior to completion of their fourth year at Cottey.

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17 v. The committee chair is elected by the committee from the tenured faculty

members.

vi. The Personnel Committee follows the procedure described in the relevant document on the Cottey College intranet when making

recommendations regarding promotion, tenure, and sabbatical leaves.

c. Disqualifications.

i. A faculty member serving on the Personnel Committee is disqualified from voting and shall not participate in committee deliberations or attend committee meetings, when he/she is to be the subject of the committee's decision. The committee member so disqualified will be replaced by the designated alternate.

ii. An applicant for promotion or tenure is entitled to one peremptory

challenge. The committee member so challenged will be replaced by the designated alternate.

B. Faculty Search Committees: A faculty search committee has a specific task and time frame, so it is an ad hoc committee.

1. Faculty search committees are formed as needed to screen and recommend candidates for positions available within the faculty.

2. Search committees follow the guidelines described in the relevant document on the Cottey College intranet.

3. Each search committee will consist of three to five faculty members and one student member. All are voting members.

a. The faculty members, including the search committee chair, are appointed by the VPAA. Membership should be appropriate for the nature of the position to be filled. The chair of a search committee is typically, but not necessarily, the chair of the division in which the faculty position is included.

b. The student member will be selected by the faculty members serving on the search committee and will be invited to serve by the committee chair.

C. Other Ad Hoc Committees

1. Ad hoc committees may be established by the faculty chair or the administration as specific needs emerge.

2. An ad hoc committee will have a specific task and time frame, defined by the establishing authority (either the faculty chair or an administrative officer of the College).

3. Faculty representation on ad hoc committees will be determined by agreement of the administrative officer working with the committee, the VPAA, and the faculty chair.

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18 D. Additional Standing Committees and Advisory Boards

1. Many committees and boards address issues that affect multiple areas of the College and allow for faculty input through one or more faculty representatives in the group’s membership. A list of such committees and boards can be found on the Cottey College intranet under the Faculty and Staff portal.

2. The responsibilities and membership of these standing committees and advisory boards are determined by the appropriate personnel in the relevant area of the College. The Role and Scope and current membership for these groups may be found on the Cottey intranet.

E. General Policies for Committees

1. Selection of division representatives for committees occurs at the March and/or April division meeting.

2. Each division selects its committee representatives using a method determined by the division.

3. Members of the Curriculum and Personnel Committees serve two-year terms staggered so that two members are selected each year. The Humanities and Social Science divisions select their representatives in odd-numbered years and the Fine Arts and Science divisions select their representatives in even-numbered years.

4. Terms begin on July 1 of the year in which the representative is selected.

5. Divisional representatives to the Curriculum and Personnel Committees may succeed themselves for one additional term.

6. The faculty chair may neither serve as a division chair nor as a divisional representative to the Curriculum or Personnel Committees.

7. A faculty member may not simultaneously serve as a division chair, Curriculum Committee member, or Personnel Committee member. (A division having difficulty filling its leadership and committee positions may petition the faculty chair to waive this requirement.)

8. The Curriculum and Personnel Committees shall meet as often as necessary to accomplish their work. In order for business to be conducted a quorum must be present. For the Curriculum Committee, a quorum consists of three voting members. For the Personnel Committee, a quorum consists of at least three tenured voting members.

V. Department Coordinators: In cases where two or more faculty teach in a discipline, a department coordinator may be chosen. Such decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.

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Cottey College Faculty Handbook – Section Three

19 SECTION THREE

FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES

This section of the Faculty Handbook describes the College’s expectations for faculty. In order to be in good standing, faculty members are expected to fulfill the responsibilities outlined below.

I. Teaching Loads

A. A teaching load for a full-time faculty member is 24 to 28 load hours per academic year. Ordinarily a faculty member teaches 12 to 14 load hours each semester, but, when circumstances make it desirable to do so, the faculty member may teach fewer or more load hours in a semester as long as the faculty member's load for the

academic year falls within the range stated above.

1. See Appendix One for important details on the legal, accreditation, customary, and contractual relationships among load, contact, and credit hours that define faculty workloads. Appendix One also provides pertinent definitions, calculation formulas, general rules, and special exceptions. Note: Academic credit hours truly apply only to students. Contact hours relate directly to real time spent teaching.

Load hours apply only to faculty.

2. Cottey College faculty load hours shall be calculated in the following manner.

a. Each lecture or discussion course contact hour counts as one load hour for faculty.

b. Each laboratory, studio, performance, or activity course contact hour counts as two-thirds of a load hour for faculty.

3. The number of preparations, nature of work expected of students, grading

methods to be used, enrollment and so forth, may also be considered in assigning teaching duties.

4. The College may grant faculty members released time (temporarily) for up to 50 percent of their workload to work on special projects or perform supporting services deemed to be of value for the academic program. The vice president for academic affairs (VPAA) will work with the faculty member to arrange alternative ways to offer essential courses affected by released time assignments. Released time does not affect faculty status.

B. Class Sizes and Overloads. The Cottey College Board of Trustees establishes policies on class size that balance teaching/learning effectiveness with fiscal prudence and economic efficiency.

1. Minimum class size is normally five students. Unless it is exempted by policy guidelines or a special waiver, the VPAA may cancel a course that does not meet this enrollment goal ("fails to make") by the end of the normal registration period.

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20 The VPAA guidelines regarding low enrollment course policies are posted on the intranet and are reviewed annually by the VPAA and the Dean’s Council.

2. Faculty whose courses are canceled and faculty whose workloads fall below 12 load hours may, for that semester, be reassigned to teach another course or to perform other professionally appropriate tasks supporting the academic program.

(See Section Eight, III.C for important information about potential consequences of persistent and substantial low course enrollments.)

3. Maximum enrollment in a course is coordinated with VPAA, instructor, registrar, and division chair based on the needs of class, students, and effective teaching.

4. Maximum enrollment limits for the sections of a multi-section course are set by the VPAA after consultation between the course instructor and the registrar, who attempts to balance enrollment among all sections of the course.

5. Overload teaching contracts, paid at the same scale offered to part-time adjunct faculty, are offered for all overload classes, either courses or sections, when a faculty member's teaching load (excluding directed study supervision) would

otherwise exceed 28 load hours per academic year. Since overload payments have budget implications, faculty must plan for overload teaching and receive approval from the VPAA prior to scheduling an overload.

a. Faculty are not required to teach overloads.

b. Overload contracts shall not be used to compensate faculty for high enrollment in a section or in a single-section course.

6. Overload teaching is, in general, not encouraged.

a. Course scheduling patterns and individual teaching workloads should be adjusted as necessary to avoid persisting or recurring overloads.

b. Faculty may, at their own request, occasionally waive overload teaching pay and voluntarily teach more than 28 load hours per academic year.

7. Co-Teaching: Faculty work load credit for co-taught courses is negotiated with the VPAA on a case-by-case basis.

II. Specific Faculty Responsibilities

A. Instruction: Cottey College faculty strive for highest academic quality. To that end, responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

1. Prepare classes effectively.

2. Meet with students for the duration of the scheduled class period.

3. Provide students a syllabus within the first two class periods containing the content and objectives of the course and explains methods and standards of grading. (Standard syllabus format available online.)

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21 4. Return graded student work in a timely manner.

5. Review and evaluate disciplinary curricular offerings and schedule courses to meet the needs of Cottey students.

6. Support student academic freedom. Faculty share with the College’s

administration the duty of providing academic freedom for students. Agreement with a faculty member’s personal opinions shall not be made a condition for academic success.

B. Faculty Office Hours: Faculty are expected to keep posted office hours and also to be available by appointment. Schedules are to be posted on course syllabi and outside faculty offices, with a copy submitted to the VPAA. Each faculty member teaching a full load schedules and posts at least three formal office hours per week. To provide

reasonable access to students, office hours should be spread over more than just one of the time-slot periods into which the College schedules courses.

C. Faculty Meetings: Attendance at faculty meetings is mandatory. Unavoidable absences should be reported to the Office of Academic Affairs.

D. Division Membership: Faculty are required to attend divisional meetings and expected to participate in the work of the division. Division members should share responsibility for representing the division at activities such as "C" for Yourself and for taking minutes at division meetings. They should review documents such as course proposals to be considered by the division, provide input and feedback to committee representatives, and submit schedule, budget, and other requests to the division chair in a timely fashion.

When representing the division on a committee, the division member should keep other division members informed about the work of that committee and communicate division members' views to the committee.

E. Committee Service: Service on College committees (understood to mean also boards and task groups similar to committees regardless of their names) is a privilege of shared governance and an obligation of faculty status. Section Two, IV. of this Faculty Handbook explains committee service more fully.

1. Responsibility for committee service should be equitably shared among division members. Tenured and tenure-track faculty are expected to serve on committees regardless of personal schedules, unless excused by the VPAA.

2. Administrative employees with faculty rank are not counted as faculty for committee membership purposes.

3. Visiting and temporary faculty may (but need not) serve on committees.

4. Part-time adjunct faculty do not serve on committees, unless the committee's chair consents.

F. Advising: Each faculty member assists and advises assigned students in their academic planning.

1. The advisor meets her/his advisees at all formally scheduled advising periods and additionally as requested by the advisee or the advisor.

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22 2. The advisor assists in course planning and makes recommendations concerning

academic progress. The advisor is responsible for informing the advisee of the possible consequences of various courses of action, but the student is expected to assume ultimate responsibility for her decisions.

3. The advisor is expected to be well-informed on all graduation requirements and relevant procedural matters.

4. The advisor should refer advisees to the Academic Assistance Center or to other appropriate sources as needed.

G. Assessment Activities: Faculty are expected to participate in the assessment program. This includes participation in Assessment Day activities, data analysis groups, and course assessment. Information resulting from assessment activities should be used whenever possible to document and improve student learning. Faculty are required to assess one course per year, submitting the results to the director of assessment and institutional research.

H. Budget: Faculty members are expected to participate in making budget requests and in managing expenditures to avoid overspending.

I. Deadlines: Faculty members are expected to meet all specified deadlines, including those for the following:

1. Submitting syllabi, semester teaching schedules, and faculty activities summaries.

2. Submitting class schedule worksheets, orders for student ratings of teaching, and budget requests.

3. Submitting grades.

4. Submitting teaching portfolios, post-tenure review, and program review documents.

III. Attendance and Absence Responsibilities

A. Off-Campus Travel: Faculty members shall obtain authorization from the VPAA for official College business trips, instructional field trips, travel funded by the College, or any travel resulting in absence from the campus when classes are scheduled or when faculty are required by contract to be on campus. Travel authorization forms are available online.

B. Faculty Absence from Classes: As professionals, faculty members are expected to meet each of their classes as scheduled and for the time scheduled. In cases of anticipated absences, the faculty member is expected to make alternative

arrangements for class meetings, for substitute coverage, and/or class assignments that promote the objectives of the course. In some cases cancellation of the class meeting may be a possibility. In cases of unforeseen absence, the faculty member should notify the faculty secretary and the VPAA’s office as soon as possible. The faculty secretary will post appropriate notices.

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23 C. Formal Academic Occasions: All faculty are required to participate in formal

occasions such as fall convocations, honors and awards ceremonies, and Commencement.

D. Faculty Participation in Campus Events: Faculty members are encouraged to participate in various aspects of the life of the College community.

IV. External Factors Affecting Faculty Responsibilities

A. Outside Employment: Cottey College faculty members shall obtain permission from the VPAA before accepting outside employment, consultancies, or commissioned work which will require more than ten hours per week of work.

B. Intellectual Property: Please see College Policies on the Cottey College intranet, for the College’s Intellectual Property Policy.

C. Impact of Legislation on Faculty Employment: Laws that regulate workplace

environments of institutions and firms require colleges to conform to practices that thus become faculty responsibilities. When such laws significantly affect conditions of work at the College, Cottey may establish formal policies of this kind. The director of human resources or Business Office can provide written guidelines or explain critical points of these laws.

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Cottey College Faculty Handbook – Section Four

25 SECTION FOUR

FACULTY APPOINTMENT AND PROMOTION I. Faculty Appointments

A. Faculty shall be appointed by the President, based on a recommendation from the vice president for academic affairs (VPAA), after he/she has consulted with the appropriate search committee. Search committees will participate in all faculty recruitment and appointment searches, except when unforeseen vacancies must be filled while the College is in recess, and it is not possible to form a suitable search committee. If possible, available faculty will be consulted. In such cases only temporary, visiting appointments will be made.

B. Faculty Employment Categories

1. Tenure-track faculty are full-time faculty hired for tenure-track positions. They are given academic rank (instructor, assistant, associate, or full professor)

commensurate with their qualifications as described in Section Four, II.A.2-5.

2. Adjunct faculty are part-time faculty teaching fewer than 12 load hours. They are hired for one semester or academic year at a time. Appointments may be renewed, but they are not tenure-track positions.

a. Adjunct faculty are given academic rank (lecturer, instructor, assistant, associate, or full professor) commensurate with their qualifications as described in Section Four, II.A.1-5.

b. Some provisions of this handbook do not fully apply to adjunct faculty.

Appendix Two covers these deviations from full-time faculty employment conditions.

3. Visiting faculty are full-time but temporary employees. They are hired on a year-to- year basis. Visiting appointments are not tenure-track and individuals may not be employed as visiting faculty for more than two consecutive years unless the President authorizes an exception.

a. Visiting faculty are given academic rank (lecturer, instructor, assistant, associate, or full professor) commensurate with their qualifications as described in Section Four, II.A.1-5.

b. Visiting faculty who are subsequently duly appointed to tenure-track positions may, at the discretion of the VPAA, be given credit toward promotion and tenure for the years served at Cottey as visiting faculty.

C. The practice of Cottey College is to hire, whenever possible, persons with the doctoral degree for full-time faculty positions. However:

1. When a late resignation forces the College to act quickly to hire persons to teach certain classes, the vacancy will be advertised as a one-year appointment, and a

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26 temporary replacement will be hired on a year-to-year basis, until someone with appropriate credentials can be identified to fill the position.

2. If circumstances warrant, the VPAA and division chair, in consultation with the President, will decide if the master's degree is acceptable in a particular field and so advertise the position. In such cases the position will be advertised as tenure- track and the successful candidate will be eligible to apply for both tenure and promotion under the conditions specified in this Faculty Handbook.

3. After a search for a doctoral-level candidate has commenced, if a suitable candidate cannot be found, the VPAA and division chair, in consultation with the President, will decide if the master’s degree is acceptable for the position.

a. If a master’s degree is acceptable, the successful candidate will be hired as a tenure-track faculty member, eligible to apply for both tenure and promotion under the conditions specified in this handbook.

b. If a master’s degree is not acceptable, the position may be filled with temporary, visiting faculty until a suitable doctoral-level candidate can be found.

4. When an individual is ABD (All But Dissertation) at the time he/she is hired for a full-time faculty position, the conditions for progress toward tenure and promotion are specified in the contract issued at the time of initial employment. If the

doctorate has not been completed by the end of the time period specified in the initial contract, the individual’s status shall be as follows:

a. If the individual holds a master’s degree the VPAA and division chair, in

consultation with the President, will decide if the master’s degree is acceptable for the position. If the master’s degree is acceptable, the individual will

continue as a tenure-track faculty member, eligible to apply for both tenure and promotion under the conditions specified in this handbook. If the master’s degree is not acceptable, the individual will be notified that he/she will not be retained in a tenure-track position, and that individual will be offered a terminal contract for the following academic year.

b. If the individual does not hold a master’s degree he/she cannot be tenured at Cottey since he/she does not hold a degree at least one level above a baccalaureate degree.

D. Contracts and Notification of Renewal

1. Contracts will be offered to full-time continuing faculty within ten working days after the spring board meeting. Each contract is for the following academic year, as no multi-year contracts are given. Faculty must sign and return contracts to the President no later than ten working days from the date of distribution to the faculty.

A contract not returned within the time period specified constitutes a resignation, and a search for a replacement will be activated.

2. Tenured faculty will be offered annual contracts, but no other formal notification of intent to renew. It is assumed that tenured faculty will (by definition) be retained

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27 and their contracts will be renewed annually, unless formal dismissal or termination proceedings are underway and proper notice has been given as specified in

Section Eight of this Faculty Handbook.

3. Non-tenured probationary faculty

a. Non-tenured probationary faculty in the first through fifth years of employment at Cottey shall be notified of their re-employment status for the following academic year no later than ten days following the winter board meeting. This notification is sent by the President’s office.

b. After notifying a non-tenured probationary faculty member that he/she will be employed for the following academic year in accordance with the date

specified in Section Four, I.D.3.a. above, but before contracts are issued (after the spring board meeting), the College may notify the faculty member that he/she will not be re-employed beyond the following academic year. In this case the faculty member will be offered a terminal contract for the following academic year.

II. Faculty Rank

A. The following ranks are recognized at Cottey College. The initial contract specifies whether the faculty member is considered to have a terminal degree and this specification applies throughout the person’s career at the College.

1. Lecturers shall have qualifications consistent with the teaching duties assigned.

They are qualified by experience but lack the educational credentials expected for college teaching. Lecturers may concurrently perform administrative staff duties for the College. An appointment as a lecturer may be renewed on a year-to-year basis; however it is not a tenure-track post, and lecturers are not eligible for promotion to higher academic ranks.

2. Instructors shall have at least a master's degree or equivalent experience. (If this is a full-time, non-visiting position, it has the potential of both tenure and promotion to assistant professor. The conditions for conversion to a tenure-track position and/or promotion are specified in the contract issued at the time of initial employment.) 3. Assistant professors shall have either a doctorate, specified terminal degree, or a

master’s degree as hired in accordance with Section Four, I.C. (If this is a full-time, non-visiting position, it is tenure-track and leads in due course to consideration for tenure and promotion to associate professor.)

4. Associate professors shall have six or more years of full-time faculty experience at an accredited postsecondary institution and at least two years at the rank of assistant professor. They shall have a terminal degree or the equivalency of a terminal degree, such as exceptional teaching, scholarly pursuit, service, or

professional experience. (If this is a full-time, non-visiting position, it is tenure-track and leads in due course to consideration for promotion to full professor.)

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28 5. Professors shall have a doctorate or terminal degree and at least six years of

teaching experience at the rank of associate professor.

B. Initial Rank

1. The academic rank of a newly appointed faculty member shall be negotiated between the appointee and the College's administration. The resulting rank should be in accordance with the professional education and experience guidelines in Section Four, II.A.

2. Faculty initially appointed as instructors, pending completion of a terminal degree, will be promoted to assistant professor by administrative action as soon as they complete the degree. See Section Four, II.A.3.

III. Faculty Promotion

A. To be eligible for promotion, faculty members must have a minimum of three years of teaching experience at Cottey by the end of the review year.

B. If the years of service criteria will be met by the end of the academic year in which a faculty member is to be reviewed for promotion, he/she is eligible to apply.

C. A person not eligible for regular promotion under the provisions of Section Four, II. and III. of this handbook may apply for early promotion, which must be based on unusual and exceptional merit.

D. The procedure for reviewing faculty for promotion begins annually in August.

1. A faculty member intending to apply for promotion shall notify the VPAA in writing by September 1.

2. No later than September 3, the VPAA will provide the Personnel Committee with the names of faculty applying for promotion, distinguishing between those applying at the regular time of promotion and those applying for early promotion.

3. No later than September 10, the Personnel Committee will notify promotion candidates of guidelines for the preparation of applications and of all pertinent deadlines.

4. A promotion applicant is entitled to one peremptory challenge of a Personnel Committee member. The alternate Personnel Committee member to the person challenged will serve in the promotion deliberations for this applicant.

5. The Personnel Committee shall then review applications for promotion in

accordance with the criteria for reviews of faculty performance stated in Section Six of this Faculty Handbook.

6. The Personnel Committee shall make its written recommendation to the VPAA no later than December 1. By December 15, the VPAA will both make a personal recommendation and send the committee recommendation to the President. Based

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29 on review of the recommendations of the Personnel Committee and the VPAA, the President will make a recommendation to the board of trustees prior to the winter board meeting. The board will consider promotion applications at its winter meeting.

7. The President will communicate the trustees' decisions to applicants within ten working days following the winter board meeting.

8. If the board decides against the candidate's application for promotion, copies of the Personnel Committee's recommendation, the VPAA's recommendation, and the President's recommendation will be provided to applicants when they are notified of the board of trustees' action.

9. In the event of a board of trustees' decision denying promotion, an applicant may appeal according to Section Nine of this Faculty Handbook. Appeals may not be filed until all stages of the promotion application process have been completed.

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Cottey College Faculty Handbook – Section Five

31 SECTION FIVE

TENURE POLICY AND PROCEDURES

I. Tenure, according to the American Association of University Professors, “is an arrangement whereby faculty members, after successful completion of a period of probationary service, can be dismissed only for adequate cause or other possible

circumstances and only after a hearing before a faculty committee.” After the expiration of a stated probationary period, qualified faculty who meet all institutional requirements for tenure are eligible for ongoing appointment, and their employment may be terminated only as described in Section Eight of this Faculty Handbook. Reappointment and renewal of contract for tenured faculty is assumed, unless due notice as defined in this Faculty Handbook has been given. The purposes of tenure are as follows:

A. To ensure the competent and effective performance of duties by the faculty.

B. To ensure that the faculty has the protections of academic freedom and

professional/economic security, as defined by the American Association of University Professors and other professional and educational organizations and associations.

1. Teachers are entitled to freedom in research and publication of results, subject to performance of their other academic duties.

2. Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects, but they should be careful not to let “extraneous or controversial" matter that has no relation to their subjects intrude persistently into their teaching.

3. College teachers are citizens, members of a learned profession and officers of an educational institution. When they speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but their position in the collegiate community raises special considerations. As scholars and educators, they should remember that the public will judge their profession and their institution by their utterances. Hence they should at all times be accurate, exercise restraint, show respect for the opinions of others, and make every effort to indicate that they are not speaking for the institution.

II. Authority for Granting or Terminating Tenure

A. Tenure is granted or denied by the board of trustees based on the recommendation of the President, after recommendations by the vice president for academic affairs (VPAA) and the Personnel Committee.

B. Tenure may be terminated by the board of trustees, acting on the recommendation of the President, based on information submitted by and in consultation with the VPAA in accordance with the procedures described in Section Eight of this Faculty Handbook.

III. Eligibility for Tenure

A. An applicant for tenure must be a tenure-track member of the faculty at the rank of assistant professor or above.

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32 B. To be eligible for tenure, a faculty member must have completed six years of full-time

teaching experience at Cottey College by the end of the review year. Faculty who have teaching experience at another accredited university or college may be offered tenure or a reduced probationary period when hired by Cottey. However, in any case the applicant must have a minimum of four years of teaching experience at Cottey by the end of the review year.

C. The six-year requirement may be waived in cases of exceptional merit, if the process described in Section Five, II.A. above results in a decision to award early tenure to an applicant.

IV. Tenure Process

A. The VPAA is responsible for advising new faculty, during each year of their

probationary period, as to their standing in the four criteria for evaluating described in Section Six, V. of this Faculty Handbook. Advising should include discussions of specific achievements and contributions as well as of problems, and constructive assistance should be provided where improvements are needed. The VPAA shall advise probationary faculty members not fulfilling the College's criteria that tenure may not be granted unless improvement is made.

B. By October 1 of the third year of employment, probationary faculty members will submit a dossier of material to the Personnel Committee for pre-tenure review. The committee will examine the material and issue a written response to the faculty

member with recommendations for improvement if needed. Pre-tenure review is meant to inform the candidate of strengths and weaknesses in the dossier. If the candidate is on a reduced probationary period, the VPAA will select the candidate’s year for pre- tenure review.

C. The procedure for reviewing faculty for tenure begins annually in August when the VPAA prepares a list of all non-tenured faculty, reporting their years of college or university service here and elsewhere, and identifying those who are beginning their eligibility year of service at Cottey, and sends this list to the Personnel Committee.

1. The chair of Personnel Committee will remind tenure-eligible faculty of their status by August 25.

2. A faculty member intending to apply for tenure shall notify the VPAA in writing by September 1.

3. No later than September 3, the VPAA will provide the Personnel Committee a list of faculty applying for tenure, distinguishing between those applying for tenure at the regular time and those applying for early tenure.

4. No later than September 10, the Personnel Committee will notify tenure candidates of guidelines for the preparation of applications and of all pertinent deadlines, and will assign each candidate a liaison to the committee who will provide guidance for preparation of the applicant’s dossier.

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33 5. A tenure applicant is entitled to one peremptory challenge of a Personnel

Committee member. The alternate Personnel Committee member to the person challenged will serve in the tenure deliberations for this applicant.

6. The Personnel Committee reviews applications for tenure in accordance with the criteria for reviews of faculty performance stated in Section Six of this Faculty Handbook.

7. The Personnel Committee makes its written recommendation to the VPAA no later than December 1. By December 15, the VPAA both makes a personal

recommendation and sends the committee’s recommendation to the President.

The President makes a recommendation, based on review of the

recommendations of the Personnel Committee and the VPAA, to the board of trustees prior to the winter board meeting. The board considers tenure

applications at the winter board meeting.

8. The President communicates the trustees' decision to the applicant within ten working days following the winter board meeting.

9. If the board decides against the candidate’s application for tenure, copies of the recommendations made by Personnel Committee, the VPAA, and the President will be provided when the applicant is notified of the board of trustees’ action. The applicant may appeal this decision using the procedures described in Section Nine of this Faculty Handbook.

D. A member of the faculty in a tenure-track position who has not earned tenure by the end of the sixth year of teaching shall not be retained at Cottey College and will be given a terminal contract for the seventh year.