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Contract Faculty Governance Policy
The department of Elementary Education recognizes that contract faculty members make an important contribution to faculty stability, service, to students, and delivery of its programs.
Therefore, any contract faculty member who has successfully completed three years of continuous service to the Department shall be enfranchised to:
- Vote on Departmental matters, except for those pertaining to salary, promotion, and tenure.
- Shall be eligible for leadership roles in Department operation.
- Shall be eligible for membership on College and University Counsels and Committees (excluding membership on Department, College, and University Promotion and Tenure Committees).
Contract faculty members shall notify the Department Chair of their interest in service by November 1 of each year to be considered for governance participation in the following academic year.
Course Syllabus Policy
A general Department Syllabus is available from the Office Coordinator for each course taught by the Elementary Education Department. Faculty members are expected to review this document as they prepare the specific individual course syllabus they will distribute to students.
The Elementary Education Department faculty have agreed that each student enrolled in a department course will receive a syllabus, prepared by the faculty member for that course. A copy of the course syllabus for each semester or summer term should be submitted by the 6th day of classes on file in the appropriate Program Leader for Reading Services, Director of Early Childhood Education, or the Professional Core.
Faculty Office Hours Policy
Each faculty member is expected to schedule office hours each week when he/she is available to students. Office hours which are arranged for more than one day of the week and for the same times each week are most effective. This time may be used to work with seniors assigned to you for advising and for other students with whom you meet.
By the fifth day of classes in each term, faculty members should post the hours outside of their office as well as submit a written schedule of the hours to the office coordinator. The schedule will be given to students who telephone the office.
Final Grades Policy
Faculty members are expected to follow all University policies when assigning final grades. The plus-minus letter grade system should be based on specific course requirements for each course offered in the Department. Faculty members are expected to include in the course syllabus a clear and detailed description of all factors which will be included in computing final grades for the course. If a point system is used, it should be part of the instructor's syllabus. Faculty members are encouraged to develop rubrics for each course and to include these as part of the course syllabus.
Grade requirements for the course should be distributed to each student during the first week of the semester. The of "W" or "I" may be assigned as final grade in very rare circumstances and only after consultation with the Department Chair.