Standard 3.7.1: The Institution employs
competent faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission and goals of the
Institution. When determining acceptable qualifications of its faculty,
an Institution gives primary consideration to the highest earned degree in the
discipline in accordance with the guidelines listed below. The
Institution also considers competence, effectiveness, and capacity, including,
as appropriate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experiences in
the field, professional licensure and certifications, honors and awards,
continuous documented excellence in teaching, or other demonstrated
competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching and student
learning outcomes. For all cases, the Institution is responsible for justifying
and documenting the qualifications of its faculty.
Credential Guidelines: (
a). Faculty teaching
general education courses at the undergraduate level: doctor’s or
master’s degree in the teaching discipline or master’s degree with
a concentration in the teaching discipline (a minimum of 18 graduate semester
hours in the teaching discipline).(b) Faculty teaching associate degree courses
designed for transfer to a baccalaureate degree:
doctor’s or
master’s degree in the teaching discipline or master’s degree with
a concentration in the teaching discipline (a minimum of 18 graduate semester
hours in the teaching discipline).(c) Faculty teaching associate degree courses not
designed for transfer to the baccalaureate degree: bachelor’s degree in the teaching
discipline, or associate’s degree and demonstrated competencies in the
teaching discipline.
Judgment of Compliance
|
X |
Compliance |
Partial Compliance |
Non-Compliance |
NARRATIVE/JUSTIFICATION FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
To ensure that it employs competent
faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission and goals of the college,
Southeast Kentucky Community and
Technical
College has adopted
minimum requirements based on the Credential Guidelines of the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges as described in this standard,
3.7.1 above.
The Southeast Kentucky Community and
Technical College Roster of Instructional Staff [1] provides evidence that faculty possess appropriate credentials. The official credentials for faculty are
housed in the president’s office located in Newman Hall on the Cumberland
Campus and in the Business Affairs Office in the
Administration
Building
on the Middlesboro Campus. Credentials
of faculty teaching online courses through the
Kentucky
Virtual
University are available
via the online faculty credentials folder located on the KCTCS DocuShare Web site. Login credentials will be made available to committee members for this
secure site. Core Requirement 2.8 also
provides evidence that the number of full-time faculty members is
adequate.
SKCTC also follows guidelines set
forth in KCTCS Administrative procedures 2.3.1 [2] for
Faculty Recruitment and Search. Prior to
advertising of a faculty position, the chief academic officer, in collaboration
with the appropriate academic unit, assures that a vacant position is
identified and that funds are available. The essential functions of the position are described and documented,
including minimum requirements, preferred skills and experience, and/or
preferred licensures and/or certification. The college Director of Human
Resources is responsible for using appropriate recruitment methods that secure
a quality candidate pool. EEO guidelines
are followed.
The responsibility for recruiting
faculty members is entrusted to the Dean of Academic Affairs in consultation
with a faculty advisory search committee appointed by the president. Search committees are normally comprised of the appropriate
division chairperson and faculty members representing the academic unit in
which the appointment is to be made and outside the academic unit in which the
appointment is to be made. The search
committee chairperson may be elected by the committee or appointed by the
college president. The chairperson is responsible
for communicating the committee’s charge to the committee members, keeping
the academic dean and the president informed about the search, and informing
faculty of the college about the status of the search. The chair also works closely with the
Director of Human Resources to set up organizational meetings and deliver search
guidelines and materials to committee members in addition to arranging
candidate interviews and completing necessary documentation for the
committee.
The search committee conducts the
screening and interviewing process. Employment and personal history inquires are conducted according to
hiring procedures specified in KCTCS Policy 2.18 [3] as
well as search committee procedures. Generally, three (3) or more candidates are recommended by the Search
Committee for an interview, based on their meeting or exceeding the established
criteria and position requirements; of the selected interviewees, the finalists
are then selected to be interviewed by the academic dean and president. The college president reviews the
committee’s recommendation and determines if an employment offer will be
extended. If the employment offer is
not accepted, the college president may extend an offer to another candidate,
continue, or terminate the search.
The college employs a number of
part-time faculty to help in meeting the needs of its
instructional programs. The ratio of
part-time to full-time faculty—in terms of credit hours taught—is
63.6 percent to 36.4 percent. Part-time
faculty must have the same academic credentials as do full-time faculty. The requirements and responsibilities for
part-time faculty members are clearly stated in the Adjunct Faculty Handbook [4]. SKCTC employs part-time faculty who teach at
local Area Technology Centers in
Bell,
Harlan, Knox, and Letcher counties through its EXPLORE College program [5].
As part of the MOA process [6],
it is stipulated that all such instructors must meet the same credentialing
requirements as all other SKCTC faculty. These faculty, who teach almost entirely in the technical area, are all
well qualified; however, some meet the qualification standards, based on
special certifications and experience in the classroom and in the field.
All of SKCTC’s faculty have been found competent and qualified to
teach the courses assigned to them (some with restrictions to
certificate/diploma programs or developmental education courses) [1].
