105 About This Handbook
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
300 LEGAL AND/OR CONTRACTUAL POLICIES
305 ACADEMIC FREEDOM 310 PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS 315 FACULTY CATEGORIES 315.1 CHAIRPERSONS 315.2 ACTING CHAIRPERSONS 315.3 TENURED AND TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 315.31 FULL-TIME 10-MONTH CONTRACTS 315.32 FULL-TIME 12-MONTH CONTRACTS 315.4 ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE 315.5 LECTURER 315.6 TEMPORARY FULL-TIME FACULTY APPOINTMENT 315.7 PART-TIME FACULTY 320 CRITERIA FOR TENURED APPOINTMENTS 320.1 GENERAL COLLEGE CRITERIA 320.2 DEPARTMENTAL CRITERIA 322 EVALUATION OF TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 322.1 TENURE-TRACK FIRST YEAR 322.2 TENURE-TRACK (except for first year) 323 EVALUATION OF NON TENURE-TRACK FACULTY 324 APPLICATION FOR TENURE 324.1 EVALUATION OF TENURED FACULTY 324.2 ALL-COLLEGE TENURE COMMITTEE 325 GUIDELINES FOR FACULTY WORKLOADS AND TIME EXPECTATIONS 325.1 FACULTY WORKLOAD GUIDELINES FOR ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES 330 FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES 333 CLASS CANCELLATION POLICY 335 SUBSTITUTION FOR FACULTY IN CLASSES 340 FACULTY DEVELOPMENT 340.1 FACULTY RETREAT 340.2 NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION 345 SABBATICAL LEAVE POLICY 345.1 SABBATICAL PROCEDURES 350 OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES 355 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST 360 ALCOHOL/ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE USAGE June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 1 365 PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATION OF FACULTY AND CHAIRPERSONS 365.1 EVALUATION OF FACULTY 365.2 EVALUATION OF CHAIRPERSONS 370 GRIEVANCE AND APPEALS PROCESS 370.1 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES 370.2 COMPOSITION OF THE ERC 370.3 ELECTION PROCEDURE 370.4 TERM OF OFFICE 370.5 APPEAL PROCEDURES FOR TERMINATION OF FULL-TIME FACULTY 370.6 DEFINITIONS 380 SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY 385 FACULTY FILES 385.1 ACCESS TO FACULTY FILES 390 SECRETARIAL SERVICES
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 2 305 ACADEMIC FREEDOM
Academic freedom consists of a body of rights, not written into law but well established in custom and grounded in traditions of long standing in the colleges and universities of the Western world, designed to protect professional scholars and teachers from hazards that might interfere with their obligation to pursue truth. The justification of academic freedom is that it is indispensable to the scholar in the preservation, extension, and dissemination of knowledge. Though it is a specific kind of freedom peculiar to members of the teaching profession in higher education (and in this respect it is somewhat analogous to the freedom of judges from political control in Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence), its benefits ultimately accrue as much to the public at large as to the scholars themselves.
Columbia College Chicago wishes to emphasize that the concept of Academic Freedom -- in teaching, in scholarship, in College service -- includes Artistic Freedom. The justification of Artistic Freedom is that it is indispensable to the artist in the creation and presentation of art. Artistic Freedom is, therefore, the freedom in one’s professional life to create art without fear of censorship within the parameters defined by institutional and community standards, especially the artistic community. Responsible freedom of expression in artistic fields is an important component of Columbia’s educational environment, part of its rich heritage, and absolutely essential to achieving its mission. Columbia therefore “broadens” the traditional understanding of Academic Freedom to embrace Artistic Freedom.
It is therefore the policy of the College to maintain and encourage the freedoms of teaching, of inquiry and research, of performance and presentation. The concept of academic/artistic freedom is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of academic/artistic responsibility. The concern of the College and its members for safeguarding academic/artistic freedom extends equally to requiring responsible service, consistent with the faculty member’s obligation to the College.
Above all, a Columbia College Chicago faculty member is a citizen, a member of a learned profession, and a member of an educational community. As such the faculty member is entitled to:
The rights guaranteed to all citizens under the Constitution of the United States of America in regard to freedom of speech; these rights shall not otherwise be limited or diminished by reason of a person’s employment by the College. When the faculty member speaks or writes as a citizen he/she should be free from College censorship or discipline. As a person of learning and an educator, he/she should remember that the public may judge his/her profession and the College by his/her utterances and should make every effort to indicate that he/she is not a spokesperson of the College. Freedom in the classroom in discussing his/her subject or practicing his/her art. While the faculty member may not claim as a right the privilege of discussing a controversial matter, which has no relation to the subject, it is recognized by the College in the normal course of student-faculty exchange that it may sometimes be of value to discuss a controversial matter that has no relation to the subject. The primary responsibility of the teaching faculty member is, of course, effective teaching. As a part of the Columbia community, the faculty member recognizes the special responsibilities placed upon him/her to encourage the free pursuit of learning in his/her students; to adhere to his/her proper role as intellectual or artistic guide; to foster honest academic conduct; to assure that his/her evaluation of students reflects the true merit of each student; and to acknowledge significant assistance from students where appropriate. He/she respects his/her students’ right to privacy, will avoid any exploitation of his/her students, and will protect the intellectual/artistic freedom of each student. Freedom in research and other creative activities and in the publication/presentation of the results, subject to the performance of his/her other academic duties; but research or employment of pecuniary return, which might ostensibly interfere with the satisfactory performance of his/her duties to the College, should be based upon an understanding with the authorities of the College and consistent with the College’s policy for outside employment. All members of the academic
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 3 community must take note of their responsibility to the College, to society, and to each other and must recognize that at times the interests of each may vary and will have to be reconciled (See 310 PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS, and 340 FACULTY DEVELOPMENT). Should any dispute arise pertaining to the exercise of a faculty member’s academic/artistic freedom, he/she should consult the grievance procedure section of this faculty handbook (See 365.3 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES FOR FACULTY INCLUDING CHAIRPERSONS).
310 PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS
Columbia College Chicago expects and deserves ethical and professional conduct from each employee, particularly from its faculty. One instance of criminal conduct or serious breach of ethics or professional standards of conduct which comes to the College’s attention may be grounds for further investigation by the College and may lead to disciplinary action, including immediate termination of employment.
In short, every faculty member is expected to act in accordance with commonly accepted standards of professional ethics. This affects his/her several roles in teaching, professional activity, and service to both the College and the community. The College respects the private lives of its faculty. However, faculty members represent the College and are entrusted with its reputation, so faculty members have an obligation to act in accordance with these high standards of conduct, which extend beyond the classroom door and the edge of campus.
A serious breach of these standards of professional conduct and ethics may result in immediate termination of a faculty member’s employment. All faculty members are entitled to use the College grievance procedures and, for eligible faculty members, an Elected Representatives of the College (ERC) hearing in the event of Termination. (See Section 370 and Section IX in the Tenure Document.)
315 FACULTY CATEGORIES
315.1 CHAIRPERSONS
Chairpersons are primarily responsible for leadership and the administration of their departments and are also obligated to teach a minimum of two 3-credit-hour courses per year during the Fall and Spring semesters. Otherwise, Chairpersons carry the same general responsibilities as other full-time faculty: maintenance of regular office hours for assisting students, attendance at College faculty meetings and graduation, and service on College committees.
315.2 ACTING CHAIRPERSONS
In the event of a vacancy in the position of department Chairperson, a department will elect an Acting Chairperson from among the full-time, tenure-track or tenured faculty of that department. The Acting Chairperson is elected by majority vote of the full-time faculty and Artists-in-Residence in the department. In departments of fewer than three full-time faculty members, the department will consult with the appropriate Dean. The candidate’s name is then forwarded to the appropriate Dean for approval. The Acting Chairperson usually serves for a term of one semester, with the understanding that a longer term may be requested based on individual circumstances. A stipend for this position will be given for each semester served.
The Acting Chairperson assumes the same responsibilities and authority of any Chairperson in the College (See Section 315.1), serving as a member of the Chairpersons’ Council,
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 4 working with Administration and staff on department and College-wide issues, and managing department personnel, facilities, and budget.
If a search for a new Chairperson is being conducted, the Acting Chairperson may serve on the Search Committee if he/she is not a candidate for the position.
315.3 TENURED AND TENURE-TRACK FACULTY
Regular and expected duties of tenured and tenure-track full-time faculty members include:
Teaching responsibilities, including course preparations and curriculum development; Student advising and registration counseling; Participation in departmental faculty meetings, and College retreat and graduation ceremonies; Service on or Chairing of departmental or College-wide committees; and Participation in and contribution to the professional community in one’s field of study.
315.31 FULL-TIME 10-MONTH CONTRACTS
Full-time faculty are generally on 10-month contracts (September 1- June 30) and are engaged in teaching and/or direct service to the College throughout this period except for those times specifically designated as holidays by the academic calendar.
Full-time faculty are obligated to twelve credit hours of teaching per semester, or equivalent responsibilities approved by the department Chairperson and the Dean of the appropriate School, during fall and spring semesters, and must maintain regular office hours for assisting students.
Regular and expected duties of Artists-in-Residence and Lecturers include:
Teaching responsibilities, including course preparations and curriculum development; Student advising and registration counseling; Participation in departmental faculty meetings, and College retreat and graduation ceremonies.
Faculty are reminded that we are collegial faculty and are expected to participate appropriately in addressing institutional needs.
315.32 FULL-TIME 12-MONTH CONTRACTS
Full-time faculty with administrative duties may, at the discretion of the College, be appointed on a 12-month Contract. Full-time faculty on 12-month contracts are engaged in teaching and/or direct service to the College throughout this period except for those times specifically designated as holidays by the staff calendar and a one-month vacation. Twelve- month full-time faculty are obligated to twelve credit hours of teaching, or equivalent responsibilities, approved by the department Chairperson and the Dean of the appropriate School, during fall and spring semesters, and must maintain regular office hours for assisting students. Regular and expected duties include those listed in section 315.31 FULL-TIME 10- MONTH CONTRACTS. Other responsibilities may include departmental administrative duties such as coordinating an academic area or concentration, assisting in screening and hiring part-time faculty, evaluating part-time faculty, designing the curriculum for new classes, and Chairing or serving on departmental committees.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 5 315.4 ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Artists-in-Residence are engaged for 9.5-Month Contracts (September 1 – June 15) and are engaged in teaching and/or direct service to the College throughout this period except for those times specifically designated as holidays by the academic calendar. Artists-in- Residence are obligated to twelve credit hours of teaching, or equivalent responsibilities during fall and spring semesters, and must maintain regular office hours for assisting students. Additional responsibilities include: departmental administrative duties, registration counseling, and attendance at College faculty meetings and graduation. A faculty member with an Artists-in-Residence appointment is employed on a full-time, year-to-year basis, but shall have no expectation of an eventual tenure-track or tenured appointment (Section II, C Tenure Document). For grievance and dismissal policies, see Section 370 and Tenure Document, Section III, C.
Regular and expected duties of Artists-in-Residence include:
Teaching responsibilities, including course preparations and curriculum development; Student advising and registration counseling; Participation in departmental faculty meetings, and College retreat and graduation ceremonies.
Faculty are reminded that we are collegial faculty and are expected to participate appropriately in addressing institutional needs.
315.5 LECTURER
Lecturers are engaged for 9.5-Month Contracts (September 1 – June 15) and are engaged in teaching throughout this period except for those times specifically designated as holidays by the academic calendar. Lecturers are obligated to twelve credit hours of teaching during fall and spring semesters, and must maintain regular office hours for assisting students. Additional responsibilities include: departmental administrative duties, registration counseling, and attendance at College faculty meetings and graduation. Lecturers are employed on a full-time, year-to-year basis, but shall have not expectation of an eventual tenure-track or tenured appointment. Under no circumstance may a lecturer appointment be renewed for more than five consecutive years. Full-time lecturers are discouraged from teaching elsewhere for the duration of their contract. Refer to Section 355 for stipulations regarding outside employment. Lecturer positions are designed to promote teaching excellence in the College’s largest programs/sequences (for example, Film Techniques and English Composition). For grievance and dismissal policies, see Section 370 and Tenure Document, Section III, C.
Regular and expected duties of Lecturers include:
Teaching responsibilities, including course preparations and curriculum development; Student advising and registration counseling; Participation in departmental faculty meetings.
Faculty are reminded that we are collegial faculty and are expected to participate appropriately in addressing institutional needs.
315.6 TEMPORARY FULL-TIME FACULTY APPOINTMENTS
Unusual circumstances may warrant faculty appointments on a temporary basis. These appointments are not subject to the standard faculty contract terms. Workload requirements
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 6 and related expectations required of the one semester or one-year appointee may be individually negotiated with the Chairperson of the Department, the appointee, and the Academic Dean. Under no circumstances may a temporary appointment exceed 18 months. Such temporary appointments shall have not expectation of an eventual tenure-track or tenured appointment. For grievance policies, see Section 370. Duties as assigned.
315.7 PART-TIME FACULTY
Part-time faculty appointments are made to persons of demonstrated talent on a semeseter-to- semester basis for the part-time performance of such academic duties as are specified in the letter of engagement and, if applicable, the Agreement between Columbia College Chicago and the Part-Time Faculty Association (P-Fac). A faculty member's engagement on a part- time basis confers on him or here no employment or procedural rights beyond those set forth in the letter of engagement or, if applicable, the Agreement. Part-time appointments are renewed or discontinued solely at the discretion of the College. The decision of the College not to renew the part-time appointment of a faculty member is not reviewable on any basis except, if appropriate, as outlined in the Agreement. For more information, please see the P- Fac Agreement.
320 CRITERIA FOR TENURED APPOINTMENTS
Tenure-track and tenured faculty should familiarize themselves with College and departmental criteria for tenured appointments.
320.1 GENERAL COLLEGE CRITERIA
A candidate for tenured appointment must demonstrate his or her potential to contribute significantly, over the course of his or her academic career, to the mission of the College and its fundamental responsibilities of teaching, creative endeavor and scholarship, and College and community service. Refer to the Tenure Document, Section IV for the general College criteria.
320.2 DEPARTMENTAL CRITERIA
Each department has developed a written statement that articulates the unique, diverse, and specific expectations for recommending a candidate for a tenured appointment. Ask the Chairperson of your department for a copy of the Departmental Tenure Criteria.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 7 322 EVALUATION OF TENURE-TRACK FACULTY
A faculty member with a tenure-track appointment shall be evaluated annually by a Departmental Tenure Committee (See Tenure Document, Section V for details). Tenure-track faculty are notified of renewal or non–renewal of their contracts on the following schedule each year until their sixth year of consecutive full-time employment (See Tenure Document, Section VI):
Tenure-Track Appointments Annual Review Deadlines
322.1 TENURE-TRACK FIRST YEAR
Spring Semester Week 1 Tenure-Track faculty sends self-assessment to Chairperson; Tenure-Track Faculty Committee meets to make recommendation. Week 3 Chair writes Evaluation Report of Committee to Tenure-Track faculty member Week 4 Candidate delivers response to Evaluation Report; Evaluation Report forwarded to School Dean and Provost. Week 5 School Dean forwards recommendation to Provost. Week 6 Decision of renewal or non-renewal delivered to Tenure-Track faculty member.
322.2 TENURE-TRACK (except for first year)
Fall Semester Week 8 Tenure-Track faculty member sends self-assessment to Chairperson. Tenure- Track faculty committee then meets to make recommendation. Week 10 Chair writes Evaluation Report of Committee to Tenure-Track faculty member Week 11 Candidate delivers response to Evaluation Report; Evaluation Report forwarded to School Dean and Provost. Week 13 School Dean forwards recommendation to Provost. Week 15 Decision of renewal or non-renewal delivered to Tenure-Track faculty member.
323 EVALUATION OF NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY
See Section 365.1
324 APPLICATION FOR TENURE
On or shortly before October 15 of a faculty member’s sixth year of consecutive employment with a tenure-track appointment (or such shorter or other period as may be agreed to in writing by the faculty member and the College), such a faculty member (or, in exceptional circumstances, a person not then employed by Columbia College Chicago) shall submit a letter of application for tenure to the Chair of the appropriate department, with a copy to the Dean of the appropriate School (See Tenure Document, Section VII). A schedule for application for tenure follows:
Fall Semester Week 2 Candidate submits application letter to Provost, with copy to School Dean and copy with application materials to department Chairperson. Week 6 Department Chairperson and tenured faculty review and make recommendations, copy to candidate. Week 7 Response of candidate due; file forwarded to School Dean by Chair. Week 9 School Dean recommends, copy to candidate, who may respond
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 8 Week 10 School Dean forwards recommendation and comments to the All-College Tenure Committee (ACT). Week 13 ACT completes review of candidate’s application, sends recommendation to candidate who may respond. Week 14 ACT forwards recommendation to Provost, with comments from the candidate Week 15 Provost forwards recommendations to President.
Spring Semester February 15 President announces decision to grant or deny tenure. Candidates notified.
324.1 EVALUATION OF TENURED FACULTY
The College believes that persons who hold tenured appointments should be among the most productive, creative, and involved members of its entire faculty.
Post Tenure Review Five Year Cycle
Spring Semester Week 1 Post-tenure review faculty member delivers report to Chair, for discussion. Week 3 Post-tenure review faculty member distributes revised report to tenured faculty. A meeting of tenured faculty to discuss all Post-Tenure Review reports may be held. Tenured faculty members write recommendations to Chairperson. Week 5 Recommendation of department, including all comments from tenured faculty, is written by Chair and forwarded to post-tenure review faculty member and all tenured faculty for signatures. Post-tenure review faculty member can request review by the ACT. Week 6 Department recommendation and faculty responses, if any, are forwarded to the Dean (and, if requested, the ACT). Week 8 Dean makes recommendation to Provost, with copy to post-tenure review faculty member. Week 9 Response from post-tenure review faculty member sent to Provost. If requested, ACT notifies Provost of recommendation. Week 11 Provost notifies post-tenure review faculty member of his decision. The Dean may appoint mentor to assist tenured faculty judged inadequate (See Tenure Document, Section VIII).
324.2 ALL-COLLEGE TENURE COMMITTEE See also Tenure Document, Section XII.
Composition and Term The All-College Tenure Committee (ACT) shall be composed of nine tenured faculty. No two members shall be from the same department. Members shall serve for terms of two years. A member of the ACT may serve for no more that two consecutive terms; however, there shall be no limitation upon the total number of terms a member may serve. No ACT committee member may serve concurrently on the Elected Representative of the College Committee (ERC).
Selection of Members Six members of the ACT shall be elected by vote of faculty members with tenured appointments based on nominations by the Columbia College Faculty Organization (CCFO). One member shall be a department Chairperson elected by the Chairpersons’ Council. Two members shall be appointed by the Provost.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 9 325 GUIDELINES FOR FACULTY WORKLOADS AND TIME EXPECTATIONS
The following broad areas of responsibility, listed in order of priority, mirror the concerns addressed in faculty evaluations. For further clarification, consult 365.1 EVALUATION OF FACULTY.
Faculty members will normally devote three to four days per week to teaching, advising and related concerns, with additional time devoted to professional activity, and College and community service.
Teaching: Columbia is a teaching college. The primary role of faculty is in instruction and direct service to students. Teaching responsibilities include: course preparations and general course administration, as well as counseling and assisting students outside of class. No two courses are alike and some differences among individual loads are to be expected within the common twelve credit hour per semester requirement for full-time faculty. Serious inequities should be cause for concern and are to be avoided. Professional Activity: Faculty are expected, entitled, and encouraged to maintain and expand their knowledge, skills, and reputation in the field of expertise for which they were hired. Such activities include publications, performances, creative works, research, study, and /or other activities that contribute to the continued professional growth of the faculty. Also included are activities in the broader professional community of the faculty member’s area of expertise such as membership and service in professional organizations. College and Community Service: Faculty are expected, entitled, and encouraged to be involved in the broad concerns of their department and the College as a whole. Such responsibilities include: administrative assignments, work on College committees, registration counseling, and attendance at College functions such as the faculty retreat and graduation ceremonies.
325.1 FACULTY WORKLOAD GUIDELINES FOR ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
A faculty member may be hired or negotiate with his/her Chairperson to assume tasks that involve additional responsibilities, subject to the approval of the Dean of the appropriate School or the Provost. These assignments are given to faculty members because the tasks require the expertise of the faculty member.
Workloads may include responsibility for a special project that require the expertise of the faculty member and significant time demands. The expectation is that this project will be for a limited time, usually one semester.
Additional workloads may also be ongoing and require significant time demands equivalent to course teaching obligations. These responsibilities fall into two categories:
Responsibilities of a Coordinator
A Coordinator is responsible for organizing and coordinating ongoing activities for an area of study in coordination with the department Chairperson. The identified duties must reflect significant time demands on a faculty member and be equivalent to course teaching obligations. The faculty member must assume a significant number of the following responsibilities:
Assumes primary responsibility for recruiting, interviewing, and recommending part-time faculty for hiring and renewal; Evaluates and supervises ten or more part-time faculty;
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 10 Schedules courses for an area of study each semester; Organizes and conducts meetings for full-time and part-time faculty in an area of study each semester; Conducts faculty in-service education, syllabi review, and pedagogical support with part- time faculty; Reviews and recommends books, arranges guest speakers, and researches other resources for an area of study; Manages internship program; Supervises student publications; Facilitates the assessment of assigned area in conjunction with departmental assessment coordinator.
Responsibilities of a Program Director
A Program Director assumes responsibility for cultivating, developing, supervising and determine direction of a program specific to a department and reporting to the Dean of the appropriate School on a regular basis. The identified duties must reflect significant time demands on a faculty member and be equivalent to course teaching obligations. The faculty member must assume a significant number of the following responsibilities:
Develops and executes program design; Monitors and evaluates the program and recommends and initiates changes as needed; Assists and participates in student recruitment for the program; Administers budget/grant monies for a program and recommends allocations; Directs technical staff; Supervises student workers; Plans and schedules facility use; Recommends purchase of equipment for program; Organizes special program-related events.
Procedure for Confirming Agreement of Course Release Time and/or Stipends for Additional Assignments
A full-time faculty member who is responsible for a special project or assumes responsibilities of coordinator or director could qualify for release time.
The responsibilities of coordinator and director indicate continuing obligations assumed by a faculty member as designated by the department Chairperson. It is expected that as professional colleagues, the Chairperson and faculty member will consult to clarify whether the position is a term appointment, renewable, subject to rotation, or a condition of hiring.
To ensure equity, each semester the Dean of the appropriate School will review the agreement between the Chairperson and faculty member for release time to confirm that the release time is consistent with the responsibilities of the College professional service. A copy of the written agreement for release time and/or stipends will be sent to the Chairperson and to the faculty member. The faculty member will be expected to document tasks accomplished during the College/professional service time. The amount of release time should be equivalent to the time obligations of teaching the credit hours awarded. Suggested equivalent times are:
Coordinator 3 credit hours / 6 credit hours/per year Director 6 credit hours / 12 credit hours/per year Special Projects Negotiated between Chairperson and faculty, subject to Dean’s
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 11 approval.
In lieu of release time, a stipend may be agreed upon by the faculty member, the Chairperson, Dean of the appropriate School as appropriate.
330 FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES
Faculty responsibility to the College extends over the entire length of the faculty contracts (for tenure- track and tenured faculty the school year extends from September 1- June 30; for Artists-in-Residence and Lecturers the school year extends from September 1 – June 15). Responsibilities include the following:
Faculty scheduling
Faculty are expected to be available to teach courses at any time within normal Columbia College Chicago operating hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 10:00pm, and Saturday from 8:00am to 6:00pm. All full-time faculty and Artists-in-Residence should normally expect their teaching assignments to be spread over three to four days within each week. Schedules are set in consultation with department Chairpersons and reasonable effort will be made to accommodate special needs.
Presence on Campus
Other than official vacation and holiday periods, faculty, including Chairpersons, are not permitted vacations or absences during the regular academic calendar. The College recognizes that faculty frequently take work home and/or need to be away from campus for professional and/or faculty developmental activities. However, faculty are expected to be on campus as reasonably required to facilitate student access and the effective performance of broad responsibilities to the College.
Office Hours/Student Counseling and Assistance
Office hours are to be posted and kept each semester and must include specifically designated student counseling/assistance hours totaling a minimum of four hours per week. As students may have conflicts with scheduled office hours, faculty are expected to make themselves available for counseling/assistance appointments on a flexible, as-needed basis, for a minimum of two additional hours PER week.
Advising
Faculty are expected to be available to the College before and after Fall and Spring semesters. During the advising periods, both full-time faculty and Artists-in-Residence are required to work as faculty advisors. Any exception to these conditions must be approved by the department Chair and is subject to the approval of the Dean of the appropriate School.
Holidays and Summer
Full-time faculty and Artists-in-Residence are not considered available to the College during officially scheduled academic holidays or during summer months when they are off contract (See 315 FACULTY CATEGORIES).
Summer Teaching
Full-time faculty are encouraged to teach in the summer and will receive additional compensation (up to two courses). Full-time faculty who are teaching are expected to maintain reasonable office hours
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 12 during the summer session and will be required to provide reasonable service to their departments and to the College as directed by the Chairperson or Dean of the appropriate School.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 13 Independent Projects, Tutorials, and Thesis Advising
Full-time faculty and Chairpersons are not expected to supervise more than five Independent Projects in addition to their normal teaching load (as defined in the College Catalog) each semester as part of their contractual obligation. Artists-in-Residence may accept a reasonable number of Independent Projects (no more than three) each semester, and will be compensated for doing so. Approval for the project by the Chair and the faculty advisor prior to registration is required. Compensation, if appropriate, will be made after the Records Office receipt of the final grade.
333 CLASS CANCELLATION POLICY
Classes must meet at their specified times and places, for their length, and for their specified activities. No class is to be cancelled, except in the most extreme instance. In such cases, the department must be notified with as much advance notice as possible. Please consult with your department for other class cancellation policies.
335 SUBSTITUTION FOR FACULTY IN CLASSES
Occasionally, circumstances will require a substitute instructor to fulfill the obligation to students and the College. If a substitute is needed for a class, the department should be involved in the selection of the substitute. Because of tax, FICA, and other legal considerations, no faculty member should reimburse another faculty member for services rendered for Columbia College Chicago. Therefore, if;
1. A part-time faculty member’s class is substituted by a full-time faculty member, this will be considered professional courtesy and no compensation will be made; 2. A full-time faculty member’s class is substituted by a part-time faculty member (or person who is not currently teaching at the college), the department will compensate the substitute for the number of hours, paid at the part-time faculty base rate, or the substitute’s current rate; and 3. A full-time faculty member’s class is substituted by a full-time faculty member, this will be considered professional courtesy and no compensation will be made.
It is presumed that substitution for faculty assigned to a given class is short-term and arises from some validating circumstance such as illness, injury, death in the family, etc. Replacement of one instructor by another for the completion of a term already begun requires the participation and approval of the department Chairperson and the Dean of the appropriate School at the time the replacement is arranged.
The burden of finding and securing a substitute falls on the faculty member for whom the substitution will occur unless department guidelines indicate otherwise; and the substitute must be approved for the purpose by the Chairperson of the department or a faculty member designated by the Chairperson, or by the Dean of the appropriate School. In the case of a Chairperson, full-time faculty member, or Artist-in-Residence serving as substitute, there will be no compensation to the substitute if it calls for not more than two successive classes. Substitution in these circumstances is a professional courtesy from one faculty member to another. If the substitution extends to three or more successive classes, arrangements for a replacement instructor will be made, and approval of the Dean of the appropriate School is required.
In the case of excessive absenteeism, the department may, at its discretion, replace the absent instructor with a different instructor for the remainder of the semester.
Part-time instructors who miss classes may expect an appropriate deduction.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 14 340 FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
The College recognizes that the development of faculty as instructors and as experts in the fields they teach is invaluable to the individual, to the students in their classes, and to the institution as a whole. The College particularly supports professional development efforts that lead directly to a strong learning experience for students in the classroom.
Initiation of professional development efforts and ongoing growth in this area are the responsibility of the individual faculty member. The tenure document states that “considerations of academic and creative quality will be the basis for faculty appointment decisions and thus will contribute to continued academic and creative excellence at the College;” and for tenured as well as tenure-track faculty, professional development is second only to teaching effectiveness among the criteria for evaluation. The College attempts to be flexible in arranging teaching and administrative schedules in order to accommodate such efforts and provides access for College facilities and services to a reasonable extent, as long at it does not interfere with student and department needs. In addition, in order to assist faculty efforts in professional development, the College offers several broad types of support: sabbatical leaves, release time, funds for travel to professional workshops/lectures/programs, support for outside professional activities that benefit the College, the yearly faculty retreat, the New Faculty Orientation, funds for departmental in-service work, and faculty development awards.
Each department has its own limited funds for faculty development. The Chairperson in consultation with departmental faculty is responsible for establishing equitable distribution of these funds. Departments sponsor in-service work and other programs that foster excellence in teaching and in creative and academic work by faculty.
Committees and opportunities that support Faculty Development include:
Center for Teaching Excellence (see also section 600 RESOURCES AND FACILITIES)
Center for Instructional Technology (see section 600 RESOURCES AND FACILITIES).
Teaching and Learning Committee
The Teaching and Learning Committee recommends to the Provost and to the College Council programs to improve teaching and learning and serves as the advisory council to the Center for Teaching Excellence. The committee also conducts the Excellence in Teaching Award search process and recommends to the Provost the persons chosen for this award.
Faculty Development and Sabbatical Committee
The Faculty Development and Sabbatical Committee initiates and encourages faculty development, reviews faculty development award applications, and recommends to the Provost funding of projects that best meet program guidelines. This subcommittee of Academic Affairs also reviews sabbatical applications each semester, meets with applicants to discuss the proposed project and purpose for the sabbatical, and recommends to the Provost support for those applications that are consistent with the Sabbatical Leave policy. Applications for Faculty Development Awards and Sabbatical are available in the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) or on the CTE website: cte.colum.edu.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 15 340.1 FACULTY RETREAT
Every fall the College holds either faculty retreats by schools or a college-wide faculty retreat. The purposes of the events are:
To create an atmosphere for the development of collegial relationships; To provide forums for open discussion about issues of concern to the College; To offer forums for discussion of proven teaching approaches and to showcase faculty professional development projects; To build an academic community.
Suggestions for retreat topics are welcomed by the Provost. Attendance is mandatory for full- time faculty, Artists-in-Residence, and Lecturers.
340.2 NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION
Both new full- and part-time faculty are expected to participate in College orientations. These orientations provide faculty members with general information about the College, academic policies, faculty and student support services, and introduce them to some of their colleagues and college administrators. In addition, the orientations offer forums for discussing effective teaching approaches and methodologies.
345 SABBATICAL LEAVE POLICY
The intention of a grant of sabbatical leave is to allow the faculty member an opportunity to pursue an scholarly, artistic, educational or professional project which cannot be undertaken in the normal course of a teaching assignment and faculty responsibility; and which measurably contributes to the individual’s qualifications, scholarly dimensions, quality of teaching and student benefit; and is valuable to the College and its mission. The College has a profound interest in encouraging professional development and will make every effort to accommodate sabbatical requests. However, faculty must remember that a sabbatical is a privilege, not a right, and is awarded in a competitive environment.
All academic department Chairpersons and full-time faculty following each six years of consecutive full-time employment shall be eligible for a sabbatical leave during one regular semester period at their current salary together with employee benefits. This grant of sabbatical leave is subject to the convenience of the College as determined by the department Chairperson and the Dean of the appropriate School, in the instance of a faculty member; or by the Dean and the Provost (or President) for a department Chairperson. As an alternative, the person seeking the sabbatical may elect a leave of one full academic year at one-half their then current pay for the year. All other conditions governing approval and conduct of the sabbatical apply.
Applications for a sabbatical to be taken by a faculty member or Chairperson to begin in the Fall semester must be submitted to the Dean of the appropriate School no later than the beginning of the immediately preceding Fall semester. A sabbatical to be taken, or to begin, in the Spring semester calls for application no later than the beginning of the immediately preceding Spring semester.
Individuals seeking grant of a sabbatical leave must submit a convincing plan for use of the sabbatical period and this plan must be approved (by appropriate authority as described below) as a condition of the leave grant.
A faculty member’s application for sabbatical leave will be subject to review and recommendation by the Faculty Development and Sabbatical Committee and the Provost. The decision of the sabbatical
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 16 review committee will be submitted to the Provost, then to the President or his/her designee for final approval.
If a Chairperson or faculty member seeks and is otherwise qualified (as described above) for a sabbatical opportunity at a particular time, the College may for its convenience defer this sabbatical for a period of up to twelve months. If, again, for the convenience of the College, the leave must be deferred a second time, the next scheduled sabbatical opportunity will be the same as if the leave had been taken.
As a condition of the sabbatical leave grant, the individual must agree in writing to serve the College for one year immediately following the sabbatical leave in the position occupied before the leave taken, or failing this condition, the individual accepts obligation to reimburse the College the amount which has been paid during the sabbatical leave.
To be eligible for a sabbatical leave, an individual must complete six consecutive years of full-time service to the College. No partial completions earn any leave entitlement except when an employee having completed twenty or more consecutive years of employment retires at 65 years of age or older. A sabbatical leave period will not count in the calculations of subsequent (six consecutive years) calculation. Sabbatical leaves may not be accumulated except where provided by prior contract.
(Note: Unpaid leave is covered in 405 LEAVES & BENEFITS.)
345.1 SABBATICAL PROCEDURES
These procedures are also available on the Center for Teaching Excellence website: cte.colum.edu/facultydevelopment/sabbatical/
The following specifies the steps required for securing a sabbatical and certain expectations of the institution from sabbatical recipients.
Before reaching the Faculty Development and Sabbatical Committee, the application must be approved by the appropriate department Chair and school dean.
Department Chairs will be asked to comment in writing on the quality of the proposal and the staffing implications.
After its deliberations, including an interview with the candidate, the Sabbatical Review Committee forwards its recommendation to the Provost for action.
Any significant change in plans for the sabbatical period must be resubmitted to this review process
Within one semester after returning from a sabbatical leave, the recipient must submit a written report on the sabbatical experience, documenting work accomplished, to the Committee and the Provost through the Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning. Abuse of the sabbatical privilege may result in disciplinary action by the College.
If, at the discretion of the College, it is necessary to postpone an eligible faculty member’s sabbatical, the period to establish eligibility for the faculty member’s next sabbatical will begin to run from the year of the originally scheduled sabbatical. The Sabbatical application process intends to support all eligible faculty in planning for a well- used sabbatical leave, a productive and enriching period of intellectual, creative, and personal renewal.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 17 350 OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
To avoid conflicts between faculty professional activities and faculty responsibilities to the College, the following points should be carefully considered:
The Nature of Appropriate Outside Professional Activities
Professional activities should be of sufficient scope and quality as to be worthy of recognition in faculty evaluations and should reflect positively on the professional stature and reputation of the individual and the College. Professional activities should relate in the broadest sense to the discipline the individual is employed to teach and significantly contribute to their growth and/or stature in that field.
355 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Full-time faculty members may not hold two full-time academic positions concurrently.
Faculty should not undertake any outside employment activities that conflict with the performance of faculty obligations as described in this handbook. Outside employment activities do not reduce regular faculty work responsibilities. Any professional efforts requiring released time must be formally contracted in writing with the department Chairperson, and subject to the approval of the Dean of the appropriate School.
Faculty shall not engage in any concurrent employment in a salaried position at another institution or place of business (excluding freelance) without prior written approval of both the Academic Dean and the department Chairperson (this provision does not include the receipt of grants, awards, commissions or fees for service). Although the College appreciates and encourages mention of the institution in faculty biographical materials, interviews, etc., the College’s name and identity are the exclusive property of the College and, consequently, may not be used in connection with goods or services offered by any faculty member involved in outside work. The College assumes no responsibility for the competence of performance of outside activities engaged in by a faculty member, nor may any responsibility be implied in any advertising with respect to such activities. Official stationery may not be used in connection with outside activities except with respect to academic and scholarly activities. Faculty members may not represent themselves as acting on behalf of the College without prior authorization from the Provost.
The high ethical standards to which our faculty hold themselves are our best safeguards against conflicts of interest. However, judgments will differ and faculty are advised to consult with their department Chairperson and/or the Dean of the appropriate School whenever there are any questions regarding conflicts of interest or the appropriateness of a given outside professional activity.
360 ALCOHOL/ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE USAGE
The Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989 recognize that all employees, faculty, and students have a right to a workplace and educational environment that is free of illegal drugs. It is, therefore, College policy that the use, possession, sale, or manufacture of illegal drugs or controlled substances on the premises or at any event sponsored by the College is strictly prohibited.
On a more personal level, we are also committed to providing individuals with counseling, referral or rehabilitation programs for drug and alcohol abuse. As a result of these Acts, Columbia College Chicago is required to review College policy regarding drug and alcohol abuse and communicate this policy and the mandates of the Acts. While it is not the College’s intention to intrude into faculty
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 18 members’ private lives, Columbia holds unalterably that an individual’s involvement with substance abuse, whether on or off the campus, has an impermissible impact on the College’s environment and is an entirely justifiable institutional concern. Please read the following policy carefully. It will be strictly enforced.
About Using or Selling Drugs or Alcohol While on the Campus
Columbia cannot tolerate the possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs while on College property. If a faculty member unlawfully manufactures, distributes, uses, sells or possesses narcotics, illegal drugs or controlled substances on college premises or at College sponsored events, both on and off campus, disciplinary action will be taken. Your affiliation with the College may be terminated, even if it is a first offense. An illegal drug includes any drug which is not legally obtainable in the United States, or which is legally obtainable but is being used in a manner different from that prescribed by a doctor of medicine or intended by the manufacturer It is College policy that faculty, administration, and staff are strictly prohibited from consuming, serving, or allowing students to consume or serve alcoholic beverages on College premises and at events, meetings, or informal gatherings sponsored by the College when students are present. Students are not permitted to possess or consume alcohol at College sponsored events on or off campus. Violation of this policy will result in discipline, which may include immediate suspension or expulsion of the students or suspension without pay or termination of employees.
If you are Convicted of a Drug-Related Offense
Columbia College Chicago faculty or staff who are convicted of a drug-related offense, which occurred in the workplace or off campus must report in writing their conviction to Columbia College Chicago within five days of the conviction.
A conviction means that the person in question was found guilty or pleaded guilty, including a plea of nolo contendere, (no contest) or a sentence was imposed upon him or her by any judicial body that has responsibility to determine violations of the federal, state, of local criminal drug statutes.
Assistance Counseling
If a faculty member desires assistance or counseling, or wishes to participate in a program for the prevention of drug abuse, he or she should contact the Director of Human Resources. If a student needs further assistance or information, refer him or her to Counseling Services, which can provide him or her with information on available counseling resources and drug abuse treatment programs on a confidential basis.
365 PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATION OF FACULTY AND CHAIRPERSONS
Evaluation is intended to reveal the individual strengths and weaknesses of the College faculty as they affect teaching, professional activity, and service to the College and to the community. Such assessment is intended to lead to development of individual faculty members, and to improvement of the College faculty generally by whatever means are appropriate and possible.
365.1 EVALUATION OF FACULTY
For the purposes of evaluation, tenure-track, and tenured faculty, Artists-in-Residence, and Lecturers are all considered full-time, and are subject to evaluation. What follows is not meant to include part-time or temporary faculty: June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 19 Terms of Appointment
The terms and conditions of every appointment must be stated in writing at the initial appointment. Faculty members will be advised, at that time, of the expected standards, evaluations, and procedures. For further information, refer to Tenure Document.
The process of evaluation is carried out for the purpose of improving the effectiveness of teaching performance and overall contribution of the faculty to the department and the College. In this spirit, faculty must be given every opportunity, support, and encouragement to achieve these goals in an atmosphere of collegiality.
The following three criteria for evaluation arranged in order of priority, i.e., teaching is first in importance, professional activity is second, followed by College and community service. Artists-in-Residence and Lecturers are evaluated on teaching only.
Teaching
This means effective classroom teaching of College courses that demonstrated substantial grasp of the relevant subject matter, skills in classroom management, construction of significant assignments and sound instruments for evaluating students’ performance, fair and reasonable grading standards, and careful course and curricular design. In addition, this includes the closely related arts of motivating and advising students, and being sufficiently accessible to them to provide guidance concerning matters arising from the curriculum, college policies, and career hopes. Furthermore, it is expected that faculty will demonstrate awareness of, and sensitivity to, the states of preparedness, both academic and social, as well as to the economic circumstance of the students enrolled in the classes taught.
The College recognizes management of curricular activity within a department as a respected teaching endeavor.
Professional Activities
One should show evidence of continuing growth in the discipline, art, or practice for which one was hired, especially as shown by merit recognition earned from the off- campus community of one’s professional peers. The evidence includes, but is not limited to, winning awards, honors, grants; being invited to serve as a judge, critic, panelist, workshop leader, or reader of a paper on the program of the meetings of a recognized professional society; editorial service for an appropriate journal, newspaper, or publication; service as an officer in an appropriate professional society; being selected for public performance or exhibition of one’s skills or works; published stories, articles, or reviews, monographs, books, music, photographs; further formal education or training in one’s own or another appropriate field. Although attending seminars and professional meeting is to be expected an encouraged as stimulus to growth, mere attendance is not as significant as the kind of activity by which a faculty member actively contributes to the quality of his/her profession, and thereby attracts merit recognition by peers outside the College.
College and Community Service
Both are important, but service to the College, including the department, is more basic, e.g., through active participation in standing and ad hoc committees, task forces, special appointments, projects, and events that enrich the life of the College, improve its
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 20 operations as an institution, and raise the level of civility and collegiality within the institution. Community service is especially significant when it arises from, and uses, the faculty member’s professional skills, or depends upon his/her status as a member of the College faculty. It should be noted that the College encourages voluntary participation in civic activity about social and political issues, but that for the purposes of faculty evaluation, such activities do not generally constitute instances of professional activity, nor of community service.
Evaluation of faculty will be carried out by department Chairpersons and, where required, by the faculty’s departmental tenure committees, using as many of the following sources of information as possible:
Course evaluation (including present and past syllabi, examinations, and grade analysis of past semester).
Classroom observation of teaching (carried out by the Chairperson and/or a person designated by the Chairperson). Classroom observation of teaching will be carried out at a time mutually agreeable to the faculty member and the observer. Shortly following each such observation, there will be a conference between the observer and the faculty member to discuss the teaching observed.
Student evaluations of teaching. The purpose of student evaluation of teaching is to help the College improve the quality of teaching and learning. These evaluations are intended to provide the faculty member and the College with helpful information about the students’ experiences in the course. All evaluations will be summarized in a statistical report. Copies of this report are to be in the hands of both the Chairperson and the faculty member on the occasion of the evaluation review. The report will consist of a computer-generated profile of the results of evaluation, class by class, which will remain in the department. The original student evaluations will be returned to the faculty member and copies will be retained in the department for six years for tenure-track and five years for tenured faculty
Self-evaluation, including an annual activity report for the previous calendar year with appropriate substantiating evidence, prepared by the faculty member, and addressing the three evaluation criteria: teaching, professional activities, and College and community service.
The materials collected by the Chairperson to prepare for writing the evaluation will be kept in the department or returned to the faculty member. The Chair’s document of faculty evaluations will be kept in the faculty member’s official personnel file in the Office of the Provost.
Each department will use the College-wide Scantron forms, applying the same criteria College-wide. These forms may be supplemented with departmental evaluation forms. All- College student evaluations of tenure-track faculty will occur each Spring semester of the tenure-track period in all courses. All-College student evaluations of tenured faculty scheduled for post tenure review will occur each Spring semester in all courses. All-College student evaluations of Artists-in-Residence and Lecturers will occur each Spring semester in all courses. Faculty will set aside a portion of each class period (usually at the end of the semester) for student evaluations. Faculty may not administer student evaluations or be present in the classroom during the evaluation
Procedures
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 21 Full-time faculty members who are tenure-track will be evaluated annually up to and including the sixth year. See Section 322 and Tenure Document, Section IV. Tenured faculty members will be evaluated every five years. See Section 321 and Tenure Document, Section VIII Artists-in-Residence and Lecturers will be evaluated annually.
365.2 EVALUATION OF CHAIRPERSONS
The Chairperson of an academic department is appointed by the President and reports to the Administration. Although they are members of the faculty, Chairs are held to an administrative standard that includes a commitment to and realization of departmental goals and objectives, set firmly within the context of the College’s mission. At the beginning of the three-year term the Chair will receive a charge from the Dean of the appropriate School identifying goals and objectives agreed upon at the time of hire. These will be reviewed annually in a discussion with the Provost and the Dean of the appropriate School. In the middle of the third year there will be an evaluation of the Chair’s performance. Since the perception of the department faculty is valued and central to the evaluation process, during that time a formal faculty voice will be solicited and analyzed by the Dean of the appropriate School as one of several factors that will determine the Chair’s continuance. By February 15 of the third year of the term, the Dean of the appropriate School will inform the Chair of the decision, renewal of Chair’s contract, or return to the faculty. After successfully completing an initial three-year term as Chair, as second three year Chair contract will be offered. Subsequent evaluations will be done on a three-year rotational basis.
NOTE: Those Chairpersons with contracts issues on or before 1992 do not serve under three year renewable contracts; instead they serve as both tenured faculty and tenured Chairpersons. They are, however, subject to the three-year review process in order to evaluate their performance in the role of Chair.
Evaluation of Chairpersons is intended to reveal individual strengths and weaknesses of Chairpersons in their leadership of departmental programs, and in their overall attempt to enact the college mission. Such assessment is intended to provide guidance and support, as well as clarity of standards of performance, for Chairpersons, leading to improvement of the educational programs of the College, greater communication among faculty and Chairs within departments, greater coordination and cooperation throughout the College and increased standing for the departments and the College locally and nationally. In this spirit, the Chairperson must be given every opportunity, support, and encouragement to achieve these goals in an atmosphere of collegiality.
Criteria
Chairpersons are considered faculty for purposes of tenure. However, they assume additional roles and responsibilities that differ substantially from those of faculty in many respects. Thus, the College recognizes that the relative weight, as well as extent, of criteria used for evaluation of Chairpersons also differs. In particular, the increased administrative and College-wide expectations means that the work done by Chairpersons in these areas must be given far greater weight than in faculty evaluations. The criteria for evaluating Chairpersons are in order of importance as follows:
I. Academic leadership:
1) Vision: formation, clarification, and implementation of departmental goals and policies, in accordance with the College mission;
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 22 2) Curriculum: review, development, and evaluation of departmental curriculum, including implementation of a comprehensive and effective assessment plan leading to responsible curricular change. Responsibility for maintaining academic rigor in departmental offerings. Chairpersons are encouraged not only to develop the departmental curriculum but also to explore and support sound interdisciplinary curricular endeavors; 3) Faculty: recruitment, hiring, and evaluation of faculty; 4) Faculty Development: Promoting and guiding faculty development in the aggregate (as in providing in-service training sessions leading to pedagogical improvements) and, where appropriate, for individual faculty members in the areas of teaching (within the department and in interdisciplinary College courses and programs), professional development, and College and community service.
II. Teaching:
The Chairperson will be evaluated, as are all faculty, by the students in his or her classes, by the faculty of the department, and by a peer review committee as outlined below (see “Procedures.”) The schedule for evaluation of teaching is dependent upon the Chairperson’s status as a tenure-track or tenured faculty member. See the Tenure Document for further detail. Effective classroom teaching in college courses demonstrates a substantial grasp of the relevant subject matter, skills in classroom management, construction of significant assignments and sound instruments for evaluating students’ performance, fair and reasonable grading standards, and careful course and curricular design. In addition, this includes the closely related arts of motivating and advising students, and being sufficiently accessible to them to provide guidance concerning matters arising from the curriculum, college policies, and career hopes. Furthermore, it is expected, as with all faculty, that Chairpersons will demonstrate awareness of, and sensitivity to, the states of preparedness, both academic and social, as well as to the economic circumstance of the students enrolled in the classes taught.
III. Professional Activity:
Professional activity is a critical part of job responsibilities. Although professional activity may vary in academic and career departments, the same standard for such activities will be used in making evaluative judgments. The Chairperson’s work will provide evidence of continuing growth in the discipline, art or practice for which one was hired, especially as shown by merit recognition earned from the off-campus community of one’s professional peers. The evidence includes, but is not limited to, winning awards, honors, grants; being invited to serve as a judge, critic, panelist, workshop leader, or reader of a paper on the program of the meetings of a recognized professional society; editorial service for an appropriate journal, newspaper, or publication; service as an officer in an appropriate professional society; being selected for public performance or exhibition of one’s skills or works; published stories, articles, or reviews, monographs, books, music, photographs; further formal education or training in one’s own or another appropriate field. Although attending seminars and professional meeting is to be expected and encouraged as stimulus to growth, mere attendance is not as significant as the kind of activity by which a faculty member actively contributes to the quality of his/her profession, and thereby attracts merit recognition by peers outside the College.
IV. Administrative Leadership
Maintenance of collegiality: promoting cooperation with the Chairperson’s own faculty, with students, and with members of the wider College community.
Budgets: Responsible development and management of the departmental budget, including capital expenditures, class fees, faculty and staff salaries, equipment, facilities, and all other
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 23 areas necessary to the educational effort to the department. Wherever feasible, the Chairperson is advised to consult with the faculty in these areas.
College Service: College service is especially important for Chairpersons and involves an active and collegial participation in a leadership capacity on standing and ad hoc committees, task forces, special appointments, projects, and events that enrich the life of the College or improve its operations as an institution.
Community Service: Includes contributions to cultural and social activities, especially in those instances arising from and using the faculty member’s professional skills, or depending upon his/her status as a member of the Columbia College Chicago faculty. It should be noted that the College encourages voluntary participation in civic activity about social and political issues, but that for the purposes of evaluation, such activities do not generally constitute instances of professional activity, nor of community service.
Student recruitment and Support: Effective recruitment efforts and development of student support services applicable to the discipline and enhancing students’ prospects for success at the College.
NOTE: Applications by Chairpersons for tenure as faculty will be evaluated by the Departmental Tenure Committee and the All-College Tenure Committee according to criteria established for Chairpersons, which include the criteria established for faculty but which also give due weight to time served in performing the roles and responsibilities of Chairpersons, as indicated above under “Criteria.”
Procedures
The procedures for evaluating Chairpersons is as follows:
Chairpersons will be evaluated every year in the first three years of their appointment and at three-year intervals if subsequent Chair appointments are granted. More frequent evaluations may be specifically requested by the Chairperson, by two-thirds of the department’s full-time, tenure-track and tenured faculty, by the Dean of the appropriate School, or by the Provost.
YEAR ONE:
At the beginning of the Chairperson’s appointment, in the first week of the Fall semester, the Chairperson will be given a preliminary charge by the Dean of the appropriate School. The charge will be formulated on the basis of the mission of the College, departmental goals and objectives, and discussions of the search committee at the time of hire. During the first year of service the Chairperson, in consultation with the full-time faculty, including tenured, tenure-track and Artists-in-Residence, will develop a departmental action plan based upon the departmental goals as they reflect the college mission.
By February 1 of the first year, the Chairperson will meet with their Dean for review of performance. At the request of the Dean or the Chairperson, the Provost may participate in this discussion. A written summary of this meeting will be prepared for the Chairperson’s file. For Chairpersons with both undergraduate and graduate programs, the Dean of the Graduate School will contribute to review meeting and written summary.
By Week 15 of the Spring semester of the first year (approximately May 15), the Chairperson will submit departmental action plan to the Dean of the appropriate School. The Dean will then meet with the Chairperson to discuss the plan may make specific suggestions for clarification or revision to ensure its completeness and its conformity to the College mission and to College policies. In departments with graduate programs, a copy of the action June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 24 play will also be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School for consideration and comment; such commentary will inform the discussion and may result in further revision and clarification of the action plan.
YEAR TWO:
By February 1 of the second year of service, the Chairperson will again meet with their Dean for review of performance. At the request of the Dean or the Chairperson, the Provost may participate in this discussion. A written summary of this meeting will be prepared for the Chairperson’s file. For Chairpersons with both undergraduate and graduate programs, the Dean of the Graduate School will contribute to review meeting and written summary
YEAR THREE:
By Week 11 of the Fall semester in the third year of service (approximately December 15), the Dean will distribute Chairperson evaluation forms to all departmental full-time faculty and artists-in-residence. Evaluations submitted by faculty are an important factor in the evaluation process but are not solely determinative in the decision as to whether or not a Chairperson will be continued. Departments with only one full-time faculty member should solicit evaluation forms from all part-time faculty.
By Week 15 of the Fall semester (approximately January 1), the Chairperson will submit a written report detailing results of departmental efforts to implement the action plan, along with any other supporting materials relevant to evaluation criteria for Chairpersons listed above.
By January 15, faculty members should have returned Chairperson evaluation forms to Dean’s office. The Dean will then prepare written evaluation of the Chairperson based upon performance of the outlined Chair evaluative criteria and also including, but not limited to, a summary of comments by the faculty of the department. This evaluation will outline strengths and areas of concern, with specific suggestions for improvement if the Chairperson is to be continued.
No later than Week 1 of the Spring semester (approximately February 15) the Dean will meet with the evaluated Chairperson to review the evaluation and inform the Chairperson of the Dean’s recommendation for continuance or return to faculty status. The evaluative statement will be placed in the Chairperson’s file. Within one week, the Chairperson may provide a written response to the Dean’s evaluation. This statement should be included in the Chairperson’s personnel file. In addition, the Chairperson may request a meeting with the Provost, and, for substantial matters, may subsequently request a meeting with the President in order to discuss any aspect of the evaluation.
Non-Renewal
The Dean of the appropriate School will notify the Chairperson in writing of the intent to remove him or her form that role. Such notification will occur by February 15th of the final year of the contract period.
Removal of a Chairperson before the end of his/her Chair appointment contract period should be undertaken for cause only, including, but not limited to, cases where clear evidence exists that the Chairperson is not meeting the goals outlined in the College mission or in the action plan, that the department’s faculty is clearly and overwhelming dissatisfied with the Chairperson’s performance and such performance is in opposition to the administrative charge, or that the Chairperson has engaged in malfeasance or other unethical behavior. June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 25 Chairpersons who are removed from their positions will continue as members of the faculty, according to provisions outlined in the faculty handbook.
At his or her discretion, a person who is relieved of Chairperson duties may request an extension of up to three years in the time limit established for faculty tenure application, in order to allow for further development in those areas of evaluation given more weight for faculty than for Chairpersons.
370 GRIEVANCE AND APPEALS PROCESS
The Elected Representatives of the College (ERC) is a council that serves two functions:
1. To hear grievances of all full-time faculty (including tenure-track and tenured faculty, Chairpersons, Artists-in-Residence, Lecturers, and Temporary full-time faculty) of an action which substantively and adversely affects the individual’s evaluation and/or the evaluation itself; or academic freedom; or workloads as generally understood in terms of College norms (See 315 FACULTY CATEGORIES, 325.1 FACULTY ADMINISTRATIVE WORKLOADS GUIDELINES, 330 FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES and 360 ALCOHOL/ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE USAGE); or discriminates against him/her on the basis of age, race, color, creed, sex, religion, handicap, disability, sexual orientation, and national or ethnic origin contrary to the Illinois human rights Act of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the Age Discrimination Employment Act.
2. To serve as an appeal council for non-renewal for cause of tenure-track or tenured faculty, including tenure-track Chairpersons, Artists-in-Residence, and Lecturers. See Tenure Statement, Section IX.
370.1 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
The intent of grievance procedures is to resolve the conflict at the most immediate level possible. When a grievance is resolved, both parties should sign a statement to that effect.
Within ten working days (barring extenuating circumstances as specified) following the decision or action that is the subject of the grievance, the grievant shall submit a written statement of the grievance to the grievant’s department Chairperson. If the grievance is initiated by the Chairperson, then the written statement should be submitted to the faculty member, subject of the grievance. The statement shall contain a detailed explanation of the nature of the grievance, the person or persons against whom it is directed, and the factual information pertinent to the grievance, especially that which supports the grievance. Within 15 working days (barring extenuating circumstances as specified) of receiving the grievance, or later as agreed by the participants, the Chairperson shall issue a written decision. Within seven working days of receiving the Chairperson’s written decision, the grievant shall submit a written statement of the grievance as described in paragraph one and the Chairperson’s decision to the appropriate administrative officer. If the subject of the grievance is of an academic nature, the materials shall be submitted to the Dean of the appropriate School; if of an administrative nature, to the Provost. If the grievant is unsure of the exact category, the materials should be submitted to both officers, who will promptly confer and decide whether the grievance is administrative or academic and notify the parties involved. Within 15 working days of receiving the grievant’s information, the appropriate administrative officer shall issue a written decision.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 26 Within ten working days (barring extenuating circumstances as specified) of receiving the Dean’s or the Provost’s written decision, any party to the grievance is entitled to petition the ERC for the appointment of two mediators from the College (non-ERC members). One shall be a Chairperson, and one a full-time tenured faculty member. They will mediate the grievance and submit a written report to the ERC recommending a resolution. In the event that the grievance cannot be resolved through mediation, the report will state the parties’ final position. This report shall be delivered to the parties involved within ten working days of the mediator’s appointment (barring extenuating circumstances as specified). Within ten working days of issuance of the mediator’s report (barring extenuating circumstances as specified), any party to the grievance may file a written request for an ERC review of the grievance with the President’s office. After all appeal procedures are exhausted or have expired, the recommendation of ERC shall be submitted to the President for his/her consideration. The time limits are essential and should not be extended except under extenuating circumstances. The Provost shall act in the President’s absence. At any time during the grievance procedure, the grievant or any other party to the procedure may request the ERC to evaluate the appropriateness of whether the action is grievable. Such a request shall be written, filed with the President’s office, and include the grievant’s statement. Within seven working days (barring extenuating circumstances), the ERC shall issue a written decision.
370.2 COMPOSITION OF THE ERC
The ERC shall be composed of three (3) tenured faculty from different departments elected by the Columbia College Faculty Organization (CCFO), along with one (1) alternate, and three (3) tenured Chairpersons elected by the Chairpersons’ Council along with one (1) alternate. Each elected representative shall have one vote of equal weight in any decision the ERC is called upon to make. In the event an ERC member requests review, participates in a decision under ERC review, or lacks impartiality, then for this proceeding only, that member shall be replaced by the alternate. In the event that the alternate is likewise disqualified or an alternate is not available to fill a vacancy, then for this proceeding only, the vacancy shall be filled by another of equal rank in the case of faculty, appointed by CCFO officers. In the case of a Chairperson, the officers of the Chairpersons’ Council shall appoint a Chairperson. All alternate appointments shall be approved by the other ERC members. No member of the ERC shall serve a concurrent term on the All-College Tenure committee (ACT).
370.3 ELECTION PROCEDURE
The two constituent bodies, the CCFO (Columbia College Faculty Organization) and the Chairpersons’ Council, shall nominate tenured members by whatever process each of the memberships agrees upon as suitable and fair. The CCFO elections shall precede that of the Chairpersons’ Council. No two members of the ERC shall be from the same department. Each of these bodies shall conduct the election and the nominee or nominees who receive the majority of the votes cast or the highest number of votes cast shall be elected. The person receiving the next largest number of votes shall be the alternate for each constituency.
370.4 TERM OF OFFICE
ERC members’ terms shall be one year beginning July 1. In the event the ERC is considering matters on July 1, the terms shall be extended for the period of time necessary to complete consideration of all matters pending before the ERC.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 27 370.5 APPEAL PROCEDURES FOR TERMINATION OF FULL-TIME FACULTY
Entitlement
All full-time tenure-track and tenured faculty, including Chairpersons and Artists-in- Residence.
Procedure
Within fifteen working days (barring extenuating circumstances as specified) after a full- time tenured faculty including a Chairperson and Artist-in-Residence receives notice of dismissal the affected party may file a written request for an ERC review with the President of the College.
After due deliberation, a process that will include the interview of the person in question, faculty members, and students of the department and others whose opinions may be appropriate, the ERC shall vote. A majority vote will prevail. A tie vote shall not alter the original decision under review. The ERC’s decision shall be sent to the President.
The President shall send the affected party written notice of the ERC’s decision. In the event of a tie vote, the affected party may seek further review by written request to the President’s office within five working days (barring extenuating circumstances as specified) of receiving notification of the ERC’s decision.
The President shall appoint a three (3) person ERC Appeals Committee composed of two (2) impartial tenured Chairpersons and one (1) impartial tenured full-time faculty where the affected party is a Chairperson, and two (2) impartial tenured full-time faculty and one (1) impartial tenured Chairperson in all other cases, and submit the committee to ERC for its affirmance by majority vote.
The committee shall review the entire matter and reach a decision within ten working days after it is impaneled (barring extenuating circumstances as specified) by majority vote.
After all appeal procedures are exhausted or have expired, the written recommendation of ERC and the ERC Appeals Committee appointed by the President shall be submitted to the President for his/her consideration. The President’s written decision shall be sent to the affected party. The decision shall be made in writing and shall not be subject to further challenge or review.
The time limits are essential and should not be extended except under extenuating circumstances. (see Section IX of the Tenure Document).
370.6 DEFINITIONS
“Extenuating circumstances” mean the severe illness or death of a participant or someone in their immediate family; or the disqualification of a participant or other events beyond the participant’s control which in the ERC’s opinion justify an extension of time. At the earliest opportunity, participants shall notify the ERC of extenuating circumstances and request an extension of time. “Working days” means any day that classes (Monday through Saturday) are in session during fall and spring semesters.
380 SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 28 Statement of Policy
Columbia College Chicago is committed to maintaining work and academic environments which foster appropriate conduct among employees, students, and guests, along with respect for individual values and sensibilities. Accordingly, Columbia College Chicago recognizes the right of every employee, student, and guest to be free from sexual harassment. It is against Columbia’s polity for any male or female Columbia employee, student, or guest to sexually harass another Columbia employee, student, or guest. As evidence of the importance of this matter to the quality of life at the College, a single incident of sexual harassment may result in disciplinary action, including reassignment or termination of employment or, for students, dismissal.
Definition
Sexual harassment, for the purposes of this policy, and in accordance with federal, state and local laws, consists of: Sexual contact of any nature which is not freely and mutually agreeable to both parties; Communications of a sexual nature, whether physical, verbal, written, of pictorial which are made for the purpose of threatening, intimidating, or humiliating the person who is the object of such communications; Solicitation of sexual contact of any nature when submission to, or rejection of such contact implicitly, or explicitly imposes adverse or favorable terms on conditions of employment or academic standing; or Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, other verbal, non-verbal, pictorial, or physical acts of a sexual or sex-based nature where: Submission to such conduct is made implicitly or explicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or academic standing; or An employment or academic decision affecting an employee or student is based on that individual’s acceptance or rejection of such conduct; or Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance, creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or learning environment, or otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment or academic opportunities.
Sexual harassment can occur between men and women, or members of the same gender. This behavior is unacceptable in the work or learning place itself and in other work or school-related settings, such as performance events, conferences, and College-related social events.
Retaliation
It is a violation of the College’s policy to retaliate in any way against anyone who has complained about sexual harassment, whether the complaint concerns harassment of the individual making the complaint, or the harassment of another individual.
Prohibited Conduct
Prohibited acts of sexual harassment can take a variety of forms ranging from subtle pressure for sexual activity or contact to physical contact. At times the offender may be unaware that his/her conduct is offensive or harassing to others. Examples of conduct which could be considered sexual harassment include: Persistent or repeated unwelcome flirting, requests for dates, sexual comments or touching; Any unwelcome touching of a sexual nature; Sexually suggestive jokes, gestures, or sounds directed toward another, or sexually oriented or degrading comments about another;
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 29 Preferential treatment of an employee or student, of a promise of preferential treatment to an employee or student, in exchange for dates of sexual conduct; or the denial or threat of denial of employment, enrollment, funding, benefits, good grades, or advancement for refusal to consent to sexual advances; The open display of sexually oriented pictures, posters, or other material offensive to others; Retaliation against an individual for reporting or complaining about sexually harassing conduct.
The previously listed conduct is intended to serve as examples only and should not be construed as limiting the types of behavior which may constitute sexual harassment.
Complaint Process
Although direct confrontation of an alleged harasser by the person or persons affected by the harassment is not required, Columbia College Chicago encourages individuals who believe they have been the victims of harassment to firmly and promptly notify the offender that his/her behavior is or was unwelcome. The College also encourages individuals to pursue informal methods for correcting the offensive conduct, such as seeking the intervention of a department Chairperson, faculty member, supervisor, or one of the individuals listed below.
Nevertheless, regardless of whether informal methods have been pursued, an individual who believes that he/she has been sexually harassed may bring a formal complaint, as follows:
Reporting the Incident Any employee, student or guest of Columbia College Chicago who believes that he/she has been sexually harassed is urged to report the incident(s) to one of the following individuals:
Director of Human Services Equity Issues Officer Dean of the appropriate School Director of Residence Life Provost
The report may be made initially either orally or in writing. Reports made orally must be reduced to writing and signed by the person who is complaining before an investigation will be initiated. An oral report may be written and prepared for signature by the person reporting the incident, or the person receiving the report. Reports should be made as soon as practicable, but not later than 300 days after the incident.
The Provost may initiate an investigation based on the Provost’s own written report.
Investigation of Complaint
After the report has been signed, the complainant, or one of the individuals designated above, shall submit it to the Provost for commencement of the investigation. The Provost shall initiate the investigation process as soon as practicable after receipt of the written report by appointing a committee as provided below:
If the complainant and the accused are Columbia staff employees (non-faculty), or students, the Provost shall appoint a committee of two full-time staff and one full-time faculty member. If the complainant or the accused is a Columbia faculty member, the Provost shall appoint a committee of two full-time faculty and one full-time staff.
For any committee, two of the committee members shall be of the same gender as the complainant.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 30 The committee shall determine the facts of the complaint. The investigation shall include hearing the sworn testimony of the person who made the initial report, the person(s) reported to have committed the harassment, and any other person who may have information regarding the reported incident. The committee shall complete its investigation as soon as practicable.
At any time during the pendency of the investigation and review process, the Provost may, as he/she deems appropriate, suspend, modify or transfer with or without pay, any of the duties, privileges or obligations of any involved person.
Report by Committee
After completion of its investigation, the committee shall submit to the Provost a dated written report containing a description of its investigation, its faculty findings, and a finding as to whether sexual harassment occurred. The committee shall also recommend a resolution and/or appropriate disciplinary action to the Provost. The complainant and accused shall be permitted to review the report. The committee shall issue its report within 45 days after the completion of its investigation.
Review and Determination by Provost
Upon review of the committee’s report, the Provost shall decide what, if any, disciplinary or other action should be taken, based on the determination of the facts by and the recommendation(s) from the committee. The College has the right to apply any sanction or combination of sanctions, up to and including termination of employment or business relationship, dismissal from the College, or prohibition of entry to College property or events, to redress the violative conduct.
Within a reasonable time following the Provost’s receipt of the committee’s written report, the Provost shall, in writing, either:
Adopt the committee’s report, including its recommendation for sanctions or disciplinary action; Adopt the committee’s findings and modify or change the recommended sanctions or disciplinary action; or Return the matter to the committee for additional investigation or reconsideration, and resubmission to the Provost. After the committee has submitted its report to the Provost, and the Provost has not returned the matter to the committee, the Provost shall issue a dated written decision stating the resolution of the complaint. This written report shall be delivered to the President of the College, the committee, the complainant, and the alleged harasser.
Reconsideration and Appeal of the Provost’s Decision
The alleged harasser, or the aggrieved individual, or both, may seek reconsideration of the Provost’s decision, or appeal the Provost’s decision to the President. If within ten (10) days a request for reconsideration or appeal is not made from the Provost’s decision, then upon the expiration of the time within which to request reconsideration or appeal, the Provost’s decision shall become final and not subject to review, appeal, or reconsideration.
Reconsideration of the Provost’s Decision
Within ten (10) business days of receipt of the Provost’s decision, the complainant, or the alleged harasser may submit a written request for reconsideration, including all supporting facts and arguments, to the Provost. The Provost shall review the request for reconsideration within fifteen (15) business days of receipt of the request. At the end of that period, the Provost shall issue a dated written Decision Upon Reconsideration which either affirms the decision, revises the decision, or
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 31 returns the matter to the original committee for reconsideration in accordance with his/her written recommendations.
Appeal of the Provost’s Decision
Within ten (10) days of receipt of the Provost’s decision, or Decision Upon Reconsideration, the complainant, or the alleged harasser may appeal the decision to the President of the College. The appeal shall be written and shall include all supporting facts and arguments. The President shall submit a copy of the appeal to the Provost who shall have ten (10) business days to submit a written response to the appeal to the President. Within ten (10) days following the President’s receipt of the Provost’s written response, the President shall issue a written decision. The President’s Decision shall be final and not subject to review, appeal, or reconsideration.
Time for Reporting Complaint
The College recommends that victims of harassment promptly report complaints. The sooner an incident is reported, the easier it will be for the College to investigate the redress the problem. Nevertheless, due to the “sensitive nature” of these problems, and the emotional toll such misconduct may have on an individual, the College has established a 300 day deadline in which to file a complaint.
Records, Confidentiality
The College, the complainant, and the accused shall make every effort to keep all matters related to the investigation and decisions confidential. In the event of a lawsuit, however, records maintained by the College, the complainant, or other related parties may be subject to disclosure.
General Matters
The College recommends the following to any member of its community who believes he/she has encountered sexual harassment: In circumstances where you believe you will not jeopardize your personal safety, job, or academic status, communicate clearly to the offender that the behavior is not humorous or welcome, and should cease immediately. Keep a written record of what happened, including when and where the events occurred and the names of any witnesses. Report the incident(s) in accordance with these procedures.
*Columbia College Chicago is committed to a work and learning environment that is free form sexual harassment. Guests of the College, including but not limited to invited guest speakers, performers, exhibitors, students and family members or friends visiting the College, high school teachers or guidance counselors attending meetings at the College, prospective students and/or employees, and sales or service personnel are expected to adhere to the College’s policy regarding sexual harassment. A complaint of sexual harassment involving a guest of the College may be brought to the Provost who will evaluate the complaint and recommend appropriate action.
** In the event the Provost is the alleged harasser or object of harassment, then the Associate Provost shall perform all duties ascribed to the Provost within this policy.
385 FACULTY FILES
Faculty personnel records are maintained in the Provost’s Office. Faculty members’ personnel files contain their personal data sheet, vitae, and transcripts of all of their work beyond high school, correspondence to and from the Provost and, where appropriate, to and from the Chairperson, letter of
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 32 reference, and test documents. Faculty personnel files will also contain information that the faculty member chooses to submit regarding his/her professional development such as publication, exhibitions, awards, grants, and tenure recommendations.
385.1 ACCESS TO FACULTY FILES
Faculty files will be made available in accordance with the Illinois Personnel Records Review Act. Generally, the Act allows current faculty members and those who have left the College less than one year earlier to inspect and copy their personnel files twice a year upon their written request. The faculty member bears the cost of copying. Should a faculty member disagree with any information contained in his/her personnel file, the faculty member should notify the Provost, and may submit a written statement explaining the faculty member’s position which will be placed in the faculty member’s file.
The Illinois Personnel Records Review Act contains numerous exceptions as to documents that neither the employee nor the employee’s designated representative has a right to inspect. The right to inspect does not apply to letters of reference for the employee; any portion of a test document, except for the test score for the entire test or any section of it; information about a third person, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of that person’s privacy; or external peer review documents. Also, to the extent that the employer does not take adverse personnel action, information contained in investigatory or security conduct by an employee or other activity by the employee which could reasonably be expected to harm the employer’s property, operations, or business, or information on employee’s activities which could cause the employer financial liability, need not be made available for inspection by the employee. In addition, an employee’s right of inspection does not apply to materials relating to the employer’s staff planning, such as matters relating to the College’s business development, expansion, closing, or operational goals, where the materials relate to or affect more than one employee.
Finally, there are certain circumstances under which records need not be disclosed under the Act. Where there is a pending claim between the employer and the employee, records relevant to that claim which may be obtained through discovery in a judicial proceeding need not be produced for inspection by the employee or his/her representative.
390 SECRETARIAL SERVICES
The services of the departmental secretaries and/or assistants are available to faculty for teaching- related and professional development needs at the discretion of the department Chairperson. It is College policy that requests for secretarial services for professional development may not supersede regular secretarial services provided in support of instructional or administrative needs.
June 2003 300 Legal and/or Contractual Policies Page 33