UNM-Los Alamos Faculty Handbook

DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUCTION (under review)

 Dean of Instruction | Divisions | Curriculum Coordinators | Faculty Appointment and Retention

Dean of Instruction

The Dean of Instruction as the Chief Instructional Officer is responsible for all educational programs, faculty, academic and support services.

Course Scheduling

Selection of course offerings is at the discretion of the Dean of Instruction, who in collaboration with Associate Dean of Instructions and Curriculum Coordinators chooses those which seem best suited to provide degree preparation and/or completion options to those already enrolled in UNM–LA programs, to address newly identified educational needs in the geographical area served by UNM–LA, and to offer a range of choices.  All course offerings are subject to institutional constraints and enrollment restrictions, and not all classes are offered every semester or session.  The Dean of Instruction welcomes suggestions for course offerings from all segments of the College community.

Selection and Hiring of Faculty Members

The Dean of Instruction, who in collaboration with Associate Dean of Instructions and Curriculum Coordinators, is responsible for selecting and hiring faculty members.  Faculty positions are advertised annually or as needed.  Appointment is at the discretion of the Dean of Instruction and is subject to budget, enrollment, evaluation, Affirmative Action, Main Campus approval, and Core Faculty contractual constraints, performance, budget constraints, and enrollment restrictions.  While faculty continuity is striven for when appropriate, the administration seeks to provide students with a diversity of faculty member options.  The hiring process is in compliance with Main Campus Faculty Contracts Office and Affirmative Action Office policies and procedures.  More details may be found in the section Faculty Appointment and Retention below.

Faculty Collegiality

In order to foster a spirit of collegiality, faculty is encouraged to meet with administrative staff and other faculty on a regular basis.  Orientations and faculty development meetings are specifically designed to encourage interaction, and the Campus Administration encourages faculty to discuss informally any ideas or concerns about any aspect of the academic process.

Curriculum Areas

The faculty is structured into nine curriculum areas, headed by a Curriculum Coordinator as follows:

• Mathematics
• Natural and Applied Sciences
• Engineering
• Fine Arts
• Communications
• Business
• Computer Science
• Information Technologies
• General Studies 

Curriculum Coordinators report directly to the Associate Dean of Instruction. The Associate Dean of Instruction and the Curriculum Coordinators encourage faculty to contact them with any suggestions, ideas, problems, concerns, and questions.

Curriculum Area Structure 

Applied Science

Business

Communications

Computer Science

Fine Arts

General Studies

Information Technologies

Mathematics

Science and Engineering

Associate Dean of Instruction

The Associate Dean of Instruction is appointed by the Executive Director in consultation with the Dean of Instruction.  The person who holds this position has three primary goals:

1.      To work with campus colleagues to put the college’s human, physical, and financial resources to best use

2.      To provide leadership in identifying, prioritizing, and carrying out the tasks of the curriculum areas

3.      To help the Dean of Instruction and Curriculum Coordinators complete their jobs quickly, harmoniously, and effectively through trouble-shooting and direct assistance

Reporting to the Dean of Instruction, the Associate Dean of Instruction's main areas of responsibility include:

1.      Curriculum development

2.      Scheduling

3.      Staffing

4.      Budgeting

5.      Service to Students

6.      Service to College

In each of these areas the Associate Dean of Instruction performs specific duties as well as teams with other officials of the university including the Executive Director, the Dean of Instruction, Associate Director for Student Services, the Campus Resources Director, and the Curriculum Coordinators to help ensure that UNM–Los Alamos remains a quality institution.  See complete Job Description for the Associate Dean of Instruction .

Curriculum Coordinators

The Curriculum Coordinators are appointed for one academic year by the Executive Director in consultation with the Dean of Instruction.  The Associate Dean of Instruction teams with Dean of Instruction to select, interview, and recommend candidates for Curriculum Coordinator positions.

The person who holds this job has three primary responsibilities:

1.      To assure the integrity of courses offered at UNM–Los Alamos

2.      To maintain and enhance the quality of the faculty

3.      To oversee the day-to-day operations of the curriculum

Reporting through the Associate Dean of Instruction to the Dean of Instruction, a Curriculum Coordinator’s areas of responsibility include:

1.      Curriculum Development

2.      Scheduling

3.      Staffing

4.     Budgeting

5.      Service to Students

6.      Service to College

Faculty Appointment and Retention

Professional Credentials

Policy:  In order to retain its North Central Association accreditation, UNM-A Campus must require of faculty members at its branch campuses, as well as of its faculty members at UNM-A Campus, certain academic or professional credentials.  UNM–Los Alamos cooperates with UNM-A Campus by seeking the approval of the appropriate department chairperson at UNM-A Campus for prospective UNM–Los Alamos lecturers who are assigned UNM-A Campus courses.

Procedure:  Credentials are presented by prospective faculty members in the résumé and transcripts presented to the College during the application and appointment process.  These are forwarded to the appropriate department chairperson at UNM-A Campus whose approval is required before appointment to the UNM–Los Alamos faculty can be completed.

Core Faculty

A person who holds one of these positions is selected by and reports to the Dean of Instruction (in consultation with the Executive Director) through the Curriculum Coordinator /Associate Dean of Instruction and helps fulfill the Mission of the college by:

·         Teaching a designated (per FTE status) number of credit hours as follows:

.25 Core are obligated to teach a minimum of 7-8 credit hours per year.

.50 Core are obligated to teach a minimum of 15 credit hours per year.

.75 Core are obligated to teach a minimum of 22-23 credit hours per year.

1.0 Core are obligated to teach a minimum of 30 credit hours per year.

·         Posting and holding a minimum number of office hours per week as follows:

.25 Core are obligated to hold at least 2 office hours per week.

.50 Core are obligated to hold at least 3 office hours per week.

.75 Core are obligated to hold at least 4 office hours per week.

1.0 Core are obligated to hold at least 6 office hours per week.

The primary purpose of office hours is to provide student advisement for both course content and degree achievement.  A schedule of office hours should be posted and submitted to the Office of Instruction by the end of the first week of a semester/session.

·           Serving on 1 standing committee as well as minor or ad hoc committees

·           Assisting the Curriculum Coordinator in basic department service commensurate with the level of Core appointment.  For example:

Textbook selection

Outcomes assessment including writing, implementation, and data collection,

Budget development and/or evaluation

Curriculum Evaluation and/or updates

·           Mentoring students and/or serving as a point of contact for questions or concerns of students or Student Advisors

·           Performing a self-evaluation and Curriculum Coordinator evaluation.

·           Performing other minor or emergency duties as required for the proper functioning of the institution

·           Abiding by the Statement of Academic Standards.
 

Invited Faculty

Invited Faculty serve a vital role in fulfilling the mission of the Branch. These faculty members are valued and respected as indispensable citizens of the academic community. Policies and procedures set forth in this Handbook apply to both Invited as well as Core Faculty. Invited Faculty have the same privileges for academic freedom, equitable compensation, consistent application of written personnel policies and procedures, professional support and development, recognition and career paths, and opportunities to participate in governance bodies.

Invited Faculty members are selected anew each semester from among qualified applicants in the current applicant pool.  Invited Faculty explicitly agree to abide by the Statement of Academic Standards, to perform the Customary Duties and Responsibilities of UNM–Los Alamos Faculty, and to follow the Policies and Procedures as detailed in this Handbook.  Invited Faculty members are welcomed and encouraged to serve on committees, to participate in faculty development activities or projects, and to hold regular office hours, but are not currently required to do so.

Faculty Appointment and Retention

Introduction:

This statement on Appointment and Retention of Faculty has been created by the UNM-LA Faculty Assembly with approval by the UNM-LA Faculty Assembly and Executive Branch Office. It has also been approved by the UNM Faculty Senate and the Office of the Provost/Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Appointment Standards:

UNM-LA is committed to hiring well-qualified individuals that meet our high standards for academic excellence. We strive to hire the best qualified individuals while following Office of Equal Opportunity procedures, main campus standards, departmental standards, and vocational/technical standards where applicable.

For each main campus course that is taught at UNM-LA, we must hire instructors who meet main campus qualifications for that course. These qualifications vary from course to course, but generally require at least an MS/MA in the pertinent field. While UNM-LA strives to meet main campus qualifications as often as possible, we recognize that there may be extenuating circumstances (such as appropriate professional experience) that sometimes qualify an individual to teach a particular course. If the Curriculum Coordinator or Associate Dean of Instruction feels an applicant is qualified to teach a particular main campus course but the applicant does not meet main campus qualifications, then the Curriculum Coordinator may request special approval of this applicant by the appropriate main campus department.

For each course that is not a main campus course but is taught at our UNM-LA Branch, the Curriculum Coordinator or Associate Dean of Instruction will decide if the applicant is appropriately qualified to teach that course. The qualifications will vary from course to course, but generally an advanced degree in the field (eg. MS/MA) is desirable or a BS/BA with appropriate work experience.

Appointment Procedures:

For Invited Faculty Positions

UNM-LA follows strict UNM Office of Equal Opportunity  procedures when hiring invited faculty. An invited faculty is one that is hired to teach one or more courses for a single semester, and is not contracted for more than one semester at a time. The following timeline applies to the hiring of invited faculty at UNM-LA:

1. In September, current faculty who would like to be considered for teaching during the following year (Spring, Summer, or Fall semesters) are asked to submit an updated résumé. This résumé is filed with other applicants in the yearly teaching pool under the appropriate discipline.
2. In the Spring semester, the Department of Instruction posts an advertisement for new teaching applicants. This advertisement is posted in newspapers of northern and central New Mexico. It is also sent to targeted recruitment lists provided by the UNM Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO). The advertisement is posted on our web site as well as in our printed schedule.
3. Interested applicants should submit their résumé. The résumé is reviewed by the Associate Dean of Instruction for meeting minimum qualifications.
4. Each applicant who meets these minimum qualifications is contacted and asked to submit an application. Résumés and applications are filed by discipline in the Office of Instruction and are available for review by the Curriculum Coordinators at the time of scheduling.
5. If an opening becomes available in the schedule for a particular applicant, they will be contacted by the Curriculum Coordinator to set up an interview. The interview will generally be conducted in person here on campus, but may also be conducted by phone if appropriate. At this time, the applicant is given a tour of the campus, an introduction to our mission and campus goals, an introduction to the departmental goals and the role that the particular course plays in the department/degree, a description of student demographics, and the expectations the department has for its instructors.
6. Successful applicants will then be scheduled to meet briefly with the Dean of Instruction. At that time, information is collected from the applicant necessary to create the teaching/payment contract.
7. All faculty are expected to attend the Faculty Orientation that is held prior to both the Fall and Spring semesters. New faculty are asked to participate in a brief one-time training session regarding students with disabilities and student confidentiality.
8. In keeping with OEO procedures, an OEO form will be filled out by the interviewing individual (usually the Curriculum Coordinator) for each faculty who is interviewed either in person or by phone. This form is then filed with the Office of Instruction and later submitted to the OEO.

For Core Faculty positions

A Core Faculty member is an individual who is hired on a year-to-year basis to teach a guaranteed load each year. An individual may be hired as: a .25 Core to teach 7-8 credit hours per year; a .50 Core to teach 15 credit hours per year; a .75 Core to teach 22-23 credit hours per year; a 1.0 Core to teach 30 credit hours per year). The timeline for Core faculty hiring is listed below:

1. In September, current Core Faculty are asked to submit their updated résumé with a letter of intent to teach the following year.
2. If a Core faculty position is still deemed necessary by the department for the following year, the Core faculty member holding that position is given priority scheduling and is immediately assigned to courses on the schedule. Courses not covered by the Core faculty within a department will then be taught by invited faculty.
3. As dictated by the needs of a particular department and as supported by the Branch budget, new Core Faculty positions are sometimes advertised. The postings are usually made in the Spring semester to begin in the Summer or Fall semester that follows. Core Faculty postings are advertised locally, regionally, or nationally, as determined by the particular position
4. Core Faculty applicants are required to submit a résumé, application, and letters of recommendation.
5. A search committee, led by a Committee Chair, is created for each Core Faculty position. The committee is composed of 4-6 qualified members of the Faculty and Staff, with at least one member from the department in which the applicant is applying and one member being a subject expert. The Dean of Instruction is usually on the committee as well. The first job of the search committee is to review all the applications and determine which individuals meet the minimum qualifications.
6. As dictated by UNM Office of Equal Opportunity, at least three qualified individuals must apply for the position in order to hold a legal search.
7. Once all qualified candidates have been interviewed (preferably in person but occasionally by phone if appropriate) and have provided a teaching demonstration, the committee selects three preferred candidates. These three candidates are interviewed by the Branch Campus Director who makes the final selection.

(Do we want to decide what happens to faculty who teach in multiple departments? Should this be spelled out in their contract? Should we delineate the faculty member’s commitment to each department? service to each? Portion of teaching load? Who will evaluate? Other shared obligations? Which dept. meetings he/she will attend?)

Retention Standards and Procedures:

UNM-LA is committed to faculty continuity and retention, as well as equal opportunity, affirmative action, and the policies necessary to implement these goals. Faculty continuity strengthens the branch college by providing a core of experienced professionals whose knowledge of the institution and the community enables them to serve students and citizens more effectively. Equal opportunity strengthens the branch college by providing a diverse faculty whose backgrounds and viewpoints complement those of the student body and the people of the community. Continuity and retention entail the re-appointment of successful faculty from semester to semester, the development of longer-term contracts, and the growth of tenured/tenure-track faculty at each branch. Equal opportunity and affirmative action entail targeted recruiting, developing a pool of qualified potential instructors with equal employment opportunities, and giving clear, advance notice to temporary and part-time faculty that their appointments, even if renewed year after year, do not confer tenure or permanent employee status upon them.

Faculty Evaluation:

UNM-LA evaluates each Core faculty member in the classroom at least once every two years. invited faculty are evaluated in their classroom within a year of being employed. A faculty member may request to be evaluated at any time. See the appendix for the Faculty Classroom Observation form.

The Role of the Branch Executive Director:

In making recommendations to the main campus concerning Core Faculty appointments, the Branch Executive Director shall act in accordance with the standards and procedures set forth in the branch college statement on appointment and retention. The Executive Director shall recommend faculty for employment to teach courses carrying pre-designated transferability in accordance with the policy on “Faculty approval” set forth in Section F40 above. Faculty for courses not having pre-designated transferability shall be recommended for employment without the approval of main-campus academic administrators but subject to review by the Provost/Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Revision of Statement:

The UNM-LA statement on “Appointment and Retention” shall be revised and/or updated at regular intervals by the Faculty Assembly. All revisions shall be approved the UNM-LA administration, by the UNM Faculty Senate or a committee acting on its behalf, and by the Office of the Provost/Executive Vice-President of Academic Affairs.

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Last Updated February 16, 2010