FACULTY HANDBOOK
February
15, 2010
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FACULTY HANDBOOK |
| [Foreword] [Contents] [Part I] [Part II] [Part III] [Part IV] [Part V] [Part VI] [Appendices] |
PART II: THE FACULTY
Faculty
Offices and Office Hours
Administering
Final Examinations
STANDING
COMMITTEES OF THE FACULTY
Professional
Development Committee
General Education Program Committee
FACULTY
ATHLETIC REPRESENTATIVE
FACULTY RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES
EXTERNALLY
FUNDED GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
CONSULTING AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT
The Faculty consists
of the President of the College, the Vice President for Academic
Affairs and Dean of
the College, the College Librarian, other professional librarians, and those
persons having a faculty contract whose primary responsibility is teaching, and
who hold the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or
instructor; as well as faculty emeriti, and others in academic or
administrative positions who may be conferred membership by the Board of
Trustees.
Part-time and
adjunct members of the Faculty, and teachers without the rank of professor,
associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor, may not vote on matters
coming before the Faculty, although they may attend faculty meetings,
participate in the discussion, serve on committees, march in academic
processions, and so forth.
The Faculty is
committed to excellent teaching, student learning, the development of a
curriculum that provides a foundation for an educated and productive life,
professional service, and service to students. We are expected to deal
seriously and conscientiously with each class we teach; to seek ways of improving
our effectiveness as teachers; to respect our students; and to recognize that
we serve as models, and therefore should set a standard for academic excellence
and integrity.
Full-time members of
the Faculty are available to fulfill their responsibilities for the period
specified in the contract letter even if the faculty member is not teaching.
Exceptions are approved in advance by the Dean of the College.
Full-time faculty
members are expected to attend division meetings, committee meetings of which
they are members, and any special meetings
called by the Administration or the Faculty Council. They are expected to
attend important College functions, including Founders'
Day, Honors Convocation, and May and December Commencements. Faculty members
are strongly encouraged to attend such special events sponsored by the College
as, for example, Visiting Writers' presentations, the Jefferson-Pilot Lecture,
and Fourth Monday Colloquia.
Faculty meetings are
held at least monthly, generally on the 3rd Friday of the month throughout the
academic year. The schedule is announced early in the academic year.
All faculty members are expected to attend the meetings.
Faculty meetings are
authorized by the Bylaws of the Faculty Constitution and Bylaws,
Appendix I .
The Dean's office reminds committee chairs of the deadline to submit materials to be included with the agenda;
The agenda includes all items of business to be brought before the Faculty;
The Faculty receives an agenda and copies of all proposals no later than 3 full working days prior to the meeting.
II.
Procedure:
- The Dean of the College presides;
- The meeting opens with a prayer;
- The President reports;
- The Dean reports;
- Division chairs report;
- The librarian reports;
- The Faculty Council reports;
- Committee chairs report. Discussion is in order for all agenda items, and the presiding officer ensures that as many members are heard as possible;
- All full-time faculty members with teaching contracts have voting privileges, as do the President, the Dean of the College, the College Librarian and other librarians, and Faculty Emeriti, as well as any other person holding a faculty appointment with rank;
- Voting is by voice vote unless a show of hands is called for, or a motion for a paper ballot is approved by a majority of the voting members present.
III. Rules of Order:
Meetings are governed by Robert's Rules of Order, except where superseded by the Faculty Constitution and Bylaws;
Faculty Council nominates and the Faculty elects a parliamentarian;
"All remarks must be addressed to the chairman and confined to the question before the assembly, avoiding all personalities and reflections upon anyone's motives" (Robert's Rules of Order).
After
giving the President and the Faculty at least three full days' notice,
Faculty Council
may call
meetings of the teaching faculty, the College Librarian, and faculty emeriti.
The Chairman of the Faculty presides. Every reasonable attempt is made to have
written copies of any substantive proposals or statements. Robert's Rules of
Order govern and minutes are taken.
Fifteen percent of the membership of the
full-time Faculty concurring, the Faculty may call itself into session. In such
instance, the subject for discussion is identified and the President is
notified. The President or his designate sets the time and place and presides.
Faculty Offices and Office Hours
Office assignments are made by the Dean of the College. Requests for minor repairs are made by sending an email to maintenance@ncwc.edu.
Faculty members must
post and keep office hours. As soon as the semester schedule is arranged, they
file a copy of their daily schedule with the Faculty Secretary. Office hours,
typically a minimum of 5 hours per week, are stated thereon, as well as the times of
regularly scheduled meetings. A copy is posted on the faculty member's office
door.
The
College Calendar: The official College calendar is issued by
the office of the Dean of the College and is printed annually in the College
catalog.
Terms:
The academic year is comprised of Fall and Spring semesters (terms).
Academic processions
are held on Founders' Day in October and at May and December Commencements.
Full-time faculty members march in appropriate academic regalia. Adjunct
faculty members and professors emeriti are invited to march. The College Store
handles the arrangements for rental of academic regalia. (See Faculty Marshal,
below.)
The normal teaching
load for all full-time members of the Faculty is not more than twenty-four
semester hours, or equivalent, per academic year. Classes in the Adult Degree
Programs may be included in fulfillment of this requirement. All full-time
Faculty accept committee assignments. Also, Faculty advise students, helping them plan
their academic schedules in order to fulfill requirements and make orderly
progress toward their degree.
Each faculty member
must have a syllabus for each course taught, each time it is taught, and must
file an electronic copy with the Faculty Secretary. The syllabus must be updated each time the course is
taught. (See Part IV, below, for criteria for preparing a syllabus.)
The Dean of the
College may cancel any course for which there is insufficient enrollment and,
upon consultation with the appropriate division chair (who will consult with
the faculty member), reassign the faculty member to another course, either on
campus or in the Adult Degree Programs, or to other professional duties related
to the faculty member's education, teaching, and experience.
Prior to the end of
the semester or term, the Office of Institutional Research will provide the
faculty member with course evaluation forms for each regularly scheduled class.
The faculty member is required to have each class complete the course
evaluation forms, according to the
"Instructions for Using the Course
Evaluation Form" provided. If the teacher seeks evaluation in areas not
covered by the College form, then this content may be added. (See Appendix 2
for samples of the form and instructions.)
Faculty members are
required to record attendance and to keep attendance records. The course
syllabus should state explicitly the attendance policy for the course.
(Attendance records are part of the certification required in order that
eligible students may receive veteran's benefits.)
Administering
Final Examinations
The College provides
a week for final examinations. While faculty members are not required to give a
final examination or project, they are expected to meet their classes during
finals week. Such classes are held during the scheduled examination period.
Final examination periods are scheduled by the Registrar. At the beginning of
each semester the final examination schedule is available from the Office of
Registration and Business Services.
If the faculty
member must be absent from class for professional duties or for health or
personal reasons, notice should be given to the Faculty Secretary and/or the
Switchboard Receptionist, in advance when possible, and provision made for
continued instruction. A class change/cancellation notice is posted on the class
room door.
Emergency absences for illness or other reasons follow the same procedure.
STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE FACULTY
Faculty members
serve on faculty committees or College committees when appointed or elected.
The standing committees of the Faculty are Academic Policy Committee, Curriculum
Committee, Professional Development Committee, Faculty Personnel Committee,
Faculty Hearing Committee, Technology Committee, and the General Education Committee. Faculty Council is elected
at the March faculty meeting for three-year rotating terms. Faculty Hearing Committee members are
elected at the April faculty meeting for staggered terms of five years. Other
standing committee members are elected for three-year rotating terms at the April faculty
meeting. Nominations for the committees elected at the April faculty meeting
are brought to the Faculty by the combined incoming/outgoing Faculty Councils,
and may also come from the floor at the April meeting. After the election of
the standing committees in the spring, the outgoing chair calls a meeting of
the newly constituted committee prior to the end of the term. The first item of
business at this meeting is the election of a new chair for the remainder of
the term and the coming academic year. The newly elected chair then assumes
responsibility for the committee.
The Council consists
of the immediate past chairperson, a chair (tenured), vice-chair (tenured), one
representative from each of the four academic divisions, and one
member-at-large.
Because Faculty
Council is the Faculty's representative and elected body, its chair is also, in
point of fact, Chair of the Faculty. The Faculty Council is the agency of
faculty governance. It deals with the
welfare of the Faculty and the academic programs and serves as the principal
liaison between Faculty and Administration.
Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to, nominating
faculty members to certain College committees, clarifying committee responsibilities
if needed, overseeing the Faculty Handbook, and planning faculty
retreats. Faculty Council can make
minor changes in the Faculty Handbook, but any major changes, such as
those dealing with hiring, dismissal, promotion, and tenure, must be approved by
a majority vote of faculty members present in business session.
The Chair of the
Faculty represents the Faculty at meetings of the Education and Enrollment
Management Committee of the
Board of Trustees and at regularly scheduled meetings of the Board. He or she will meet regularly with the
President and the Dean of the College.
The Committee on
Academic Policy is comprised of one voting faculty representative from each of
the four academic divisions and one member-at-large. Ex officio members
(without vote) are the Dean of the College and the Registrar. Ex officio members
attend meetings of the Committee when the agenda has relevance to their area of
responsibility. Others may attend or be asked to attend at the discretion of
the chair.
The Committee
monitors and addresses issues regarding the academic integrity of the College's
academic policies and brings proposed changes before the Faculty and
Administration for consideration. In addition, the Committee serves as an
appeals board for students or other persons seeking exemption from the
application of a given academic policy, including academic probation and
suspension. On behalf of the Faculty, the Committee certifies candidates as
having satisfied the requirements for graduation.
The Curriculum Committee
is comprised of one faculty representative from each of the four academic
divisions and one member-at-large. Ex officio members (without vote) are
the Dean of the College, the
Registrar, and the Director of the Library. The responsibilities of the Committee are
to monitor the curriculum, to review proposed changes in courses or educational
programs, and to make curricular recommendations to the Faculty for its
consideration and disposition.
Proposed course or
program changes are brought before the Curriculum Committee by division
chairs, or may come from the Dean's Council. The Committee may, on
occasion, appoint an ad hoc committee to consider a certain curricular
issue, which submits its recommendations to the Committee. Curriculum Committee
proposals then are considered and voted upon by the Faculty as a whole.
At their discretion, the President and the Dean of the College will submit for approval to the Board of Trustees substantive changes for final disposition.
(See Appendix 3 for
copies of the forms used for curricular proposals.)
Professional
Development Committee
The Professional Development Committee is
comprised of one faculty member from each of the four academic divisions and
one member-at-large. The Committee sets guidelines for the awarding of
professional development funds and oversees their disbursement. The Committee
is responsible for disseminating information about and reviewing applications
for the Leslie H. and Evelyn G. Garner Faculty Leadership Award, the Frank
Smith Wilkinson Lectureship, sabbaticals, and course-load reductions. It makes
its recommendations for these awards to the Dean of the College, who forwards
the Committee's and his or her own recommendations to the President.
The Faculty
Personnel Committee is comprised of five tenured faculty members who agree not
to apply for promotion during their term. Responsibilities of the Committee are
to review and recommend candidates for promotion and/or tenure and, if
requested, to advise the Dean of the College regarding the reappointment of
tenure-track faculty. The Committee makes its recommendations in writing to the
Dean of the College.
The Faculty Hearing
Committee is comprised of five members elected from the tenured Faculty for
staggered terms of five years. Committee members may not serve on both the
Faculty Personnel Committee and the Faculty Hearing Committee. The Committee considers the grievance of a
faculty member who has been notified of non-reappointment or who has been
denied a promotion. The responsibilities of the Committee are to approve or
deny the request for a hearing. If the request for a hearing is approved, the Committee conducts the
hearing, reaches a determination, and notifies the concerned parties in writing
of the recommendation. The Committee's recommendation is submitted in writing
to the Dean of the College.
General Education Program Committee
The General Education Program Committee is comprised of one voting faculty member representative from each of the four academic divisions and one member-at-large. At least two of the voting faculty members shall be tenured. The Dean of the College is an ex officio member (without vote) of the committee. Others may attend or be asked to attend at the discretion of the chair when appropriate. Example of individuals who may be asked to attend a General Education Program Committee meeting include (but are not limited to) the Registrar, the Vice President of Institutional Research, the Director of the Library, the Writing Program Director, Division Chairs and individual faculty members.
The Committee assesses the General Education Program and addresses issues relevant to the General Education Program and brings these before the faculty for debate and action.
The committee monitors and addresses issues regarding technology and its use as it relates to the Faculty. The committee serves as a liaison between the faculty and the IS department.
The committee is comprised of one faculty representative from each of the four academic divisions and one member at-large. Ex officio members (without vote) are the Director of IS, the Vice-President of Finance, and the Director of Distance Learning.
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is comprised of one faculty representative from each of the four academic divisions to be nominated by Faculty Council and elected by the faculty, the Vice President of Student Affairs or a designee, the Vice President for Academic Affairs or a designee, and one outside representative selected and appointed by the IRB Chair. This board will be responsible for reviewing research proposals involving human subjects. The chair will serve a one-year term and then be replaced by the vice-chair at the beginning of the following academic year. The IRB would then appoint a new vice-chair each year.
If a faculty member serving on the IRB submits a
proposal as the Principal Investigator, that member will recuse himself or
herself and the appropriate Division Chair will appoint an alternate
representative to serve while that proposal is evaluated.
From time to time
various other faculty committees and task forces may be appointed or elected,
and faculty members serve, also, on various college-wide groups. Current
committees and task forces include, for example, Admission At-Risk Committee, the Jefferson-Pilot Nominating
Committee (for the annual endowed Jefferson Pilot Professorship), Library
Committee, the Teacher
Education Council, the Writing Program Committee, and others.
In addition, the
Chair of the Faculty represents the Faculty at the Education and Enrollment
Management Committee of the
Board of Trustees and attends meetings of the Board, and the Faculty elects
other representatives to Board committees.
The Honors Program Advisory Group is responsible for reviewing proposed honors courses, reviewing and setting admission criteria for the Honors Program, helping to organize educational and social events for the honors students, and filling in for the Honors Program Director if needed. The faculty members of the Honors Program Advisory Group are also responsible for helping to make admission decisions.
The Writing Program Committee consists of the Director of the Writing Program and one representative from each of the Faculty's four academic divisions: Business; Education and Social Sciences; Humanities; and Mathematics and Science. Its purpose is to assist the Director in the fulfillment of the criteria set for The Writing Program. (See below, under Academic Programs, The Writing Program.)
FACULTY ATHLETICS REPRESENTATIVE (FAR)
The Faculty
Athletics Representative (FAR) is the College's representative to the USA South
Athletic Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic
Conference (NCAA).
Primary
responsibilities include representing the College at meetings of the USASA and
at NCAA conventions, as well as serving on appropriate committees of same;
certifying eligibility of students for NCAA competition and practice; keeping
the College community informed of matters affecting intercollegiate athletics,
as appropriate; serving as liaison between the College and the conference.
The FAR is appointed by the President of the
College for an indefinite term and serves at the President's discretion. If the
FAR is unable to represent the College at a meeting, the President may appoint
a substitute.
The FAR must be a
full-time faculty member. Arrangements for secretarial assistance and expenses
are overseen by the Director of Athletics.
The Faculty Marshal
is appointed by the Dean of the College upon recommendation of the senior
Faculty. This person leads all formal academic processions and carries the
College mace, the traditional symbol of a college as a corporate body of
scholars.
FACULTY RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES
The College seeks to
employ a Faculty that has excellent credentials, is committed to furthering
student learning, and works actively in support of the mission of the College
and its academic programs. The College does not discriminate in the hiring and
promoting of a faculty member on the basis of race, religion, gender, age,
marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or national or ethnic origin.
The following
procedures are followed in conducting faculty searches:
1.
The Dean of the College notifies the division that a vacancy will be
filled or that a new position has been authorized in a specific area of
academic expertise, and defines the conditions (visiting, tenure track,
specified rank, etc.) under which the position will be advertised.
2. The division chair and the Dean of the
College decide on an appropriate advertisement and where best to place it.
3. The division chair, in consultation with the
Dean of the College, selects a Search Committee consisting of three or four
faculty members from the division and a faculty member from outside the division.
A staff member, the Director of Human Resources, and a student (or two) may
also be named as needed.
4. The Director of Human Resources receives the
applications and reviews them. He/she then forwards
them to the Search Committee Chair.
5. The Search Committee reviews and screens the
applications on the basis of the published criteria and conducts telephone
interviews with selected candidates and their references. The Committee narrows
the pool of applicants to the candidates it
wishes to invite to the College for interviews.
6. The Committee Chair meets with the Dean of the College and reports the Committee's selections for campus interviews.
7. If the Dean of the College disagrees with
the Committee's recommendations of candidates to be interviewed, he or she meets with
the Committee to discuss the matter.
8. Once the Dean of the College and the
Committee agree on the candidates to interview, the Committee arranges campus
interviews. Candidates meet with the Committee, the faculty members of the
division, the division chair, the President of the College, the Dean of the
College, other vice presidents as appropriate, the Director of Human Resources,
students, and staff members, as appropriate.
Candidates are asked to make a presentation or a teaching demonstration designed for a student audience, either as a class or as a
separate event, to which all members of the College community are invited. The
Committee then seeks written assessments from those who meet with the candidate
or attend the presentation. The Committee works with the Faculty Secretary to arrange for each candidate's travel and accommodations.
9. After candidates are interviewed, the
Committee reports in writing to the Dean of the College, assessing and perhaps
ranking those it finds acceptable for the position. The committee chair
presents the report.
10. If the Committee and the Dean of the College
need to do so, they will then meet to discuss any differences they may have. No
offer of employment is made prior to this discussion.
11. The Dean of the College recommends the preferred candidate to the President.
12. Only the Dean of
the College and the President have the authority to offer employment and
negotiate salary and rank, unless the President should explicitly authorize
another person to do so.
13. The President and the Dean of the College
reserve the right, for good and necessary reasons, to suspend a search. Prior
to such action, such reasons will be discussed with the Committee.
14. Once a candidate has accepted the position
in writing, the Search Committee will be discharged.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools requires all accredited institutions to keep on file, for all full-time and part-time faculty members, documentation of academic preparation, such as official transcripts and, if appropriate for demonstrating competence, official documentation of professional and work experience, technical and performance competency, records of publications, certifications, and other qualifications. These files are sent to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs; copies of the files should remain in the college.
Faculty teaching in distance learning programs must have the same credentials as all other faculty.
2. In exceptional cases, outstanding professional experience and demonstrated contributions to the teaching discipline may be presented in lieu of formal academic preparation. Such cases must be justified by the division on an individual basis. Written justification and documentation of experience/contributions must be filed with the credentials of the employee using the appropriate form.
3. In interdisciplinary courses where credentials for teaching may vary, the department and college must document and justify the academic and professional preparation of the faculty members teaching.
4. At least 25% of the discipline course hours in each undergraduate major must be taught by faculty members holding the terminal degree, usually the earned doctorate, in that discipline.
In some disciplines, the master’s degree, such as the M.F.A., is regarded as a terminal degree. In others, a master’s degree in the discipline, coupled with a doctoral degree in a related discipline, is considered appropriate.
At NCWC, the following degrees are considered terminal degrees: M.F.A. for visual and performing arts and creative writing, JD for government/law classes.
Documentation:
1. Official transcripts documenting credit hours in the teaching discipline
2. Demonstrated contributions to the teaching discipline (years of experience)
3. Records of publications, certifications, other qualifications
4. Evidence of technical and performance competency (e.g., certificates, licenses)
5. Documentation of outstanding professional and work experience
6. Other: (Explain factors which might account for differences between terminal degree name and name of courses taught such as history or configuration of the teaching discipline.)
EXTERNALLY FUNDED GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
The College
encourages and supports the development of proposals for funds designed to
enrich and extend the services and programs of the College to its students,
faculty, staff, and community in general, and to sustain the professional and
scholarly work of its Faculty. Grants and awards accepted in the name of the
College must be in compliance with the College's mission, be consistent with
the College's stated policies, and be administered in accordance with
established procedures. All grant applications and contracts proposed in the
name of the College must meet the following conditions:
Grants for research
projects and other scholarly activities must be in accord with the respective
discipline's standards of good practice. The College reserves the right to
define the appropriate balance between teaching and research. No grant or
contract accepted on behalf of the College may limit the freedom of the
Faculty, or of any individual teacher, to engage in scholarly work and report
findings.
Salary supplements
and summer stipends paid from contracts and grants are determined by the Dean
of the College, in consultation with the appropriate division chair and the
President. Such supplement or stipend is determined on the basis of one or more
of the following criteria: the teacher's current salary, pro rata; the
equivalent of a course; the nature of the work required by the grant.
Grant applications and contracts must have the written approval, as needed, of appropriate College officials. Copies of proposals written on behalf of the College should be provided to the President of the College, the Dean of the College, the Vice President of Development, and the Vice President of Finance. The Development office assists the applicant in the process of applying for a grant.
The College has
established base levels of compensation for the academic ranks: assistant
professor, associate professor, and professor. Additional compensation is paid
for course overloads.
All faculty members receive a contract letter
in the spring term prior to the next academic year. The contract states the
person's rank, tenure status, teaching-load and other assignments, and salary
for the new academic year.
Salary is paid in 24 equal semi-monthly installments beginning August 31 and ending August 15. Standard deductions are made for state and federal income tax, social security, retirement contributions, and insurance policies, as applicable.
CONSULTING AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT
The Dean of the
College must give advance written approval of significant compensated
employment from a source other than the College. Such employment must not interfere with the faculty member's responsibilities to the College.
Official personnel
records of faculty members are maintained by the Director of Human Resources
. The President may
designate others who, for good and legitimate reason, require access to
employee records. Personnel files may be removed only
with the permission of the President or his designate.
A faculty member has
access to his or her own file and may review it at any time upon providing
reasonable notice to the President's office. Letters of recommendation are
submitted with the common understanding that they are confidential, and may not
be read by the person whom they concern unless the author provides written
permission. Only where such written permission has been provided are letters of
recommendation available to the faculty member.
The Dean's office maintains an
academic file for each faculty member. These files contain a résumé or vitae
(updated annually) and official transcripts for all completed degrees earned at
the bachelor's level or above.
The College
provides a comprehensive benefit package that includes flexible spending
accounts, medical, group term life, and dental insurance. Faculty members pay
their portion of insurance through pre-tax, payroll deductions. The College
provides long term disability insurance at no cost to full-time Faculty (and
staff). The College offers a
retirement program for Faculty (and staff) with Teachers Insurance and Annuity
Association (TIAA)/College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF) that employees
contribute to with tax-deferred dollars. Faculty members should consult the Director of Human
Resources for information regarding eligibility, enrollment, and policies procedures.
Full-time faculty members, their spouses, and their dependent children may enroll at the College with a full tuition waiver. The College also participates with other institutions in state and national tuition exchange programs through the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU), The Tuitions Exchange, and the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). Information about the NCICU program including participating institutions is available in the Human Resources office. Information pertaining to the Tuition Exchange and CIC programs can be reviewed at the respective websites; www.tuitionexchange.org and www.cic.org. A full description of the tuition discount policy and procedures is available in the Personnel Policy Manual, section D.14.
Faculty members
requiring a medical leave should, at their earliest opportunity, inform their
division chair and the Dean of the College in writing. (Their representative or
designee may act in their stead.) The Division Chair then identifies
appropriate faculty members who are asked to fill in temporarily. If the
illness or disability is extended, the
Division
Chair and the Dean of the
College then attempt to find a replacement.
The College reserves
the right to have the faculty member examined by a physician of its choice, and
at its expense, to substantiate the claim of illness or disability before an
extended medical leave is granted.
The
salary of an incapacitated faculty member is paid by the College until such time
as the faculty member qualifies for long term disability, known as the
elimination period. Under no circumstances is the College liable for such salary
beyond the elimination period. All full-time faculty members are enrolled in
the long term disability plan when they are hired and the College pays 100% of
the premium for each eligible faculty member. Information concerning the plan
may be obtained from the Director of Human Resources.
Leaves of Absence
for personal or scholarly reasons are granted for good cause. A written request
for a Leave of Absence is made to the Dean of the College. If the purpose of
the leave is for scholarly study, research, or writing, the faculty member must
indicate a commitment to return to the College for at least one year after the
leave. The request must give the specific dates of departure from and return to
work. Approval for such a Leave of Absence is at the discretion of the Dean of
the College and the President. Failure to return at the expiration of the
leave, unless an extension has been granted, may be considered a resignation
(and nullification of tenure, if applicable).
Leaves of Absence may be granted for a period of up to, but not more than, twelve months. Leaves of Absence are unpaid and without benefits. When a faculty member takes an unpaid leave of absence they are no longer considered an active employee of the College. Therefore, the faculty member will only be able to continue medical or dental benefits through COBRA.
On the faculty
member's return, he or she will be accorded the position, seniority, status,
and salary agreed on when the Leave of Absence was granted. Employment must be
resumed on the date agreed on when the Leave of Absence was granted.
The period during
which a faculty member has such a Leave of Absence does not count toward the
service requirements for either promotion or tenure.