Author: Nadine Ashton

Separation of Full-Time Faculty

Non-reappointment at the Conclusion of a Contractual Term 

As noted above, full-time faculty contractual appointments do not renew automatically. The reasons for non-reappointment may include but are not limited to, unsatisfactory performance, violation of CCS’s policies, failure to remain professionally active and to enhance one’s professional skills, a change in curricular needs, a change in enrollment patterns, or financial exigency. Decisions regarding non-reappointment at the conclusion of an appointment term are made by the President, following procedures outlined in the reappointment of full-time faculty.

Termination During a Contractual Term

A faculty member’s contractual appointment may be terminated by CCS before the conclusion of its contractual term for the following reasons: (1) fraud, theft or dishonesty; (2) failure to perform contractual duties and responsibilities in a satisfactory manner as determined by CCS; (3) failure to follow the rules, regulations, policies and procedures of CCS; (4) failure of a faculty member to return to full-time employment and to perform the duties outlined in this handbook within 12 months following the beginning of an approved medical leave of absence; (5) the faculty member’s death during the term of the appointment, in which case CCS shall pay to the faculty member’s personal representatives earnings and expenses already accrued, but unpaid, for the period prior to death and upon such payment, CCS will have no further liability except for any fringe benefits that may arise at the time of faculty member’s death; and (6) threatened or actual bodily harm, intimidation, or harassment of staff,  faculty,  students, or other members of the CCS community. It is understood that continued employment may be impacted by a serious decline in enrollment, a financial exigency, and/or the elimination of faculty position(s) due to changing curriculum needs.  If such a reduction in the number of faculty or the reorganization of an academic department or program is deemed necessary, CCS leadership will inform the Faculty Executive Committee of the Faculty Assembly when a plan and rationale for reduction or reorganization is being implemented.

Decisions regarding termination before the conclusion of a contractual term are made by the President, following recommendations by the Dean of Academic Affairs and the graduate or undergraduate Dean.  At such time as CCS determines that it may be in its best interest to terminate an appointment for reasons (1), (2), (3), (4), and/or (6) above, CCS will first deliver to the faculty member written notice of its proposed termination which shall set forth the reasons for the proposed action. If the faculty member then within fifteen (15) days requests that the matter be reviewed by the Faculty Concerns Committee (FCC), and signs the necessary waiver of claims, then CCS will hold its decision in abeyance until the FCC has conducted its review and made a non-binding written recommendation to CCS, provided that such a review and recommendation are completed within thirty (30) days after the request for the review is made. If a termination notice is delivered with fewer than 45 days remaining in a semester, then the review by the Faculty Concerns Committee, if requested by the faculty member, must be completed within the first 45 days of the next semester.

Semester Course Listing

The Academic Advising and Registration Office (AARO) produces a fall, winter, and summer semester course listing available on the AARO Campus Office page. The AARO Campus Office page also offers information on the academic calendar and course registration. Tuition and fees information and financial policies and procedures are available on the Financial Aid Campus Offices page. The CCS community may also search for course availability using the Self-Service system.

Registration

Academic Advising and Registration Office

The Registrar and the Director of Academic Advising manage the Academic Advising and Registration Office. The Academic Advising and Registration Office advises students on all aspects of their academic programs. It also is responsible for processing registration forms, enrollment verification forms, de- ferments, mid-term and final grades, grade changes, name and address changes, transcript requests, waivers, curriculum change forms, and degree audit files. The Office produces schedule books for the fall, winter, and summer semesters, evaluates academic credits for transferability, audits prospective graduates’ files, maintains student records, oversees Veterans’ eligibility, maintains course equivalency guides, and maintains attendance records.

Office of Partnerships

Corporate and community partnerships are central to CCS’s educational mission. Collaborating with external partners enhances CCS’ ability to assure success by keeping the institution’s programs’ curricula on the cutting edge. In turn, businesses recognize the importance of creative professionals to economic competitiveness, and industries across the world seek the creatives that CCS produces.  The newly established CCS Office of Partnerships is the entry point for external partners to connect with the talent and resources that exist at the College. The team will help external partners engage with CCS in meaningful ways and will develop and sustain long-term partnerships and relationships that fit the mission and vision of the College. In addition, the team will deliver career development services to students and support the growth of experiential learning at the college.

New Faculty Review Process

New faculty are reviewed by the Department Chair or a designated full-time faculty member by the eighth week of the semester through a Classroom Observation evaluation. Faculty are evaluated on planning/preparation, creating a positive learning environment, content delivery, achieving learning outcomes, and communication style. A semester-end evaluation is completed after the course concludes, which determines whether the faculty will be retained. An action plan is included, if needed, for performance improvement. This process may be repeated in subsequent semesters should the Department Chair determine it is needed.

Personnel Records

Faculty

A master personnel record containing faculty records and other pertinent data is maintained in the Human Resources office. The Human Resources office maintains records concerning employment, performance, payroll, benefits, and other miscellaneous items. The Academic Affairs Office also maintains records on each faculty member which include: Full-Time Faculty Annual Reports, Department Chair Annual Reviews of Full-Time Faculty, faculty member’s resume, and correspondence. No information, except verification of employment dates and job title, will be released to outside sources without the employee’s written authorization, unless disclosure is required by subpoena or court order or is necessary to meet some legal obligation of CCS. A written authorization from the employee is required for the Human Resources office to release salary information.

It is each faculty member’s responsibility to inform the Human Resources office of any changes in the following: name, address, telephone, marital status, dependents, beneficiaries, and emergency contacts.

Faculty members have the right to review their Personnel Record in the Human Resources office or their file in the Academic Affairs Office, with a prior appointment. These Personnel Records are confidential and may only be reviewed by the faculty member, or the appropriate supervisory personnel of the faculty member.

Midterm Grade Procedure

CCS requires that midterm grades be submitted electronically during the eighth week of the semester. The Academic Advising and Registration office will email instructions to faculty on how to submit midterm grades via WebAdvisor during the sixth week of classes. Faculty should notify a student if their name does not appear on the electronic roster. The student MUST be advised to see the Academic Advising and Registration Office to verify enrollment in that course. Once all midterm grades are submitted via WebAdvisor they are made available to students. Instructors are obligated to assign a midterm grade to each student who is listed as registered for their class.

Valid undergraduate mid-term grades are: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, WF*. “I,” ”W,” or “WN” grades may not be assigned at midterm. A “WF” may be assigned at midterm.

Valid graduate mid-term grades are: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, F, WF*. The “I,” ”W,” or “WN” grades may not be assigned at midterm. A “WF” may be assigned at midterm.

*The “WF” grade is counted in the student’s grade point average calculation like an “F” grade. Students that receive a “WF” grade for all classes in a semester will be completely withdrawn from CCS effective on the last date of attendance. “WF” grades may affect grade point average and satisfactory academic progress.

Midterm grades are a progress report only; they do not affect a student’s cumulative grade point average. However, these grades are an essential component in the advising process.

Final Grade Procedure

The Academic Advising and Registration Office emails faculty instructions on how to enter final grades into the WebAdvisor portal on the Monday of the thirteenth week of the semester (students are not permitted to withdraw after the twelfth week of classes).

Faculty must enter final grades into WebAdvisor, the Monday after the last day of classes for the semester. There are no exceptions to the due date. Final grades are available to students once all grades are entered and they are verified by the Academic Advising and Registration Office.

Faculty are obligated to assign a grade to each student who is still registered for their class. If a student is listed as anything other than a drop on the roster, the student is still officially registered for the class and MUST be assigned a grade.

Valid final undergraduate grades are:  A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, I*, W, WN, WF**.

Valid final graduate grades are:  A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, F, I*, W, WN, WF**.

* A grade of I (incomplete) should only be given rarely, when a student has encountered an unusual situation that prevents them from completing a SMALL portion of the semester’s work. When entering an “I” grade in WebAdvisor, the faculty must also enter an expiration date. This date will be provided by the Academic Advising and Registration Office. Incomplete (“I”) grades should NOT be assigned to a student if a student has stopped coming to class or has missed several assignments. If a grade of “I” is given to a student, faculty must also submit an Incomplete Grade Verification form and submit it  to the Academic Advising and Registration Office in addition to submitting the “I” grade via WebAdvisor. The faculty and appropriate Chair must sign this form before its submission. Program Managers and the Academic Advising and Registration Office can provide the form. Grades of “I” automatically become “F” if the instructor has not submitted a grade change form by the end of the next full semester.

** The “WF” grade is counted in the student’s grade point average calculation like an “F” grade. Students that receive a “WF” grade for all classes in a semester will be completely withdrawn from CCS effective on the last date of attendance. “WF” grades may affect grade point average and satisfactory academic progress.

Disruptive Students and Disciplinary Procedures

Summary and Scope


This policy covers the process for addressing disruptive student behavior in classrooms and campus environments outside of the classroom (computer labs, shared studios, Library, student support offices, academic shops, Canvas, CCS email usage, etc.). This policy is meant to supplement the Code of Student Conduct and CCS Judicial Process found in the Student Handbook. This policy is not intended to address overt threats of violence or violent behavior. In the event an overt threat of violence or a violent action is taken by a student, Campus Safety should immediately be contacted to remove the student from the space and notify the Dean of Students or other CCS judicial officer as defined in the CCS Judicial Process.

Definition

Disruptive behavior in the classroom or campus environment is defined as behavior that significantly limits the ability of the instructor to teach or the other students to learn or for academic tasks to be completed.  Examples of disruptive behavior include but are not limited to:

  • Excessive disrespect of other students or the instructor (including but not limited to insults, personal attacks or verbal threats);
  • Creating excessive and intentionally disruptive noise;
  • Repeated use of obscenities;
  • Failure to follow instructor directions;
  • Repeatedly leaving and returning to the classroom without extenuating circumstances such as illness;
  • Frequent interruptions/inhibiting other students from participating in classroom discussions;
  • Distracting behaviors like phone calls, personal side conversations, use of technology for non-academic purposes.

Procedure

Disruptive behavior should first be addressed by the faculty member (classroom) or appropriate staff person (campus environment) at the time the disruption occurs. If the disruptive behavior continues, the following steps should be taken in order:

  1. An explanation of what behaviors are occurring and why they are unacceptable in the current environment should be provided to the student verbally. This should be done as soon as the disruptive behavior begins but does not need to occur outside of the classroom or academic environment. A simple statement such as “Student, you are interrupting and talking over your classmates, please allow other voices to be heard” may be sufficient.
  2. If the disruptive behavior continues after the initial intervention 
    • In the classroom, the student should be told to leave class and return at the next scheduled class time. This should be marked as an absence by the faculty member. 
    • In a campus environment, the student should be told to leave the space and may return during the next normal period of access (typically the next day).
  3. As soon as possible, after a student is removed from the classroom or campus environment the faculty member or relevant staff member should send an email to the Department Chair (if applicable) and the Dean of Students. This email will be used as the reporting format for the judicial process and should include:
    • Name of the disruptive student;
    • Date and time of incident;
    • Detailed description of the incident;
    • Preferred method of communication for follow-up.
  4. A follow-up conversation will happen between the faculty member/staff member and the Department Chair and/or the Dean of Students to determine next steps and potential outcomes.
  5. The Dean of Students will then meet with the student to learn any additional relevant information pertaining to the documented situation. If the student is permitted to return to the classroom or campus environment it is with the understanding that the disruptive behavior will cease and the student will be on judicial probation. Faculty/Staff will be notified if the student will be returning to the classroom prior to the next scheduled class session or environment availability by the Dean of Students and under what conditions they will be allowed to return.
  6. If the disruptive behavior continues after the steps outlined above, the continued disruption should be documented in the same manner outlined in step 3 for additional follow up. Follow-up may include other leadership team members as appropriate.
  7. If the disruptive behavior constitutes a repeated offense or the first instance is potentially severe enough to warrant removal from the class or permanent loss of access to an campus environment, the Dean of Students will reach that determination in consultation with the appropriate Academic Dean and Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services based on the information provided by the faculty/staff member and the information learned through the meeting between the Dean of Students and the Student. Faculty/Staff will be notified of the final outcome of this meeting prior to the next class session or environment availability.  If a student is removed from a course through this process, a grade of “W” will be entered into the student’s transcript.  Students are not eligible for a tuition refund when judicially removed from a course.

Faculty/Staff Rights and Responsibilities

  • Faculty/Staff have the right to tell any disruptive student that they need to leave the classroom/space immediately.
  • Faculty/Staff have the right to enlist the support of Campus Safety at any time to remove and/or support them in resolving a disruptive situation.
  • Faculty/Staff have the right to ask for support from their Department Chair or supervisor in addressing disruptive behavior.
  • Faculty/Staff have the right to request additional time with their Department Chair, supervisor, or Dean of Students to process or discuss the situation as needed.
  • Faculty/Staff have the right to be informed if the student will be allowed to return to the class/academic environment and additional information about the judicial outcome as outlined in the Judicial Follow Up section.
  • Faculty/Staff have the responsibility to address disruptive behavior as soon as possible.
  • Faculty/Staff have the responsibility to document the incident in the manner outlined above as soon as possible.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

This policy is meant to supplement the Code of Student Conduct and CCS Judicial Process found in the Student Handbook. Additionally:

  • Students have the right to attend classes and utilize campus environments free from disruption.
  • Students have the right to report a disruption to the Dean of Students without going through the relevant faculty or staff member.
  • Students have the right to a fair and impartial hearing process as outlined in the CCS Judicial Process.
  • Students have the right to be held to equitable standards in all CCS environments.
  • Students have the responsibility to engage with peers and CCS educators in a respectful and manner that is appropriate to our professional learning environment.
  • Students have the responsibility to modify their behavior in an appropriate fashion in response to reasonable requests.

Judicial Follow-Up

CCS officials will respond to reports of disruptive behavior in line with the CCS Judicial Process.  If the disruptive behavior occurred in a campus space, a determination on temporary access will be made based on the student’s educational circumstances and nature of the disruption. Temporary access may be granted on a probationary basis. If the disruptive behavior occurs in the classroom, the judicial process may take more than one class session to resolve. Temporary classroom access restrictions will be determined in collaboration with the student and faculty member.

Notice will be provided by the Dean of Students to the reporting faculty/staff member regarding the final judicial outcome for the student. Full details of judicial sanctions may not be available to share with the reporting faculty/staff member but will include at a minimum whether the student is permitted to rejoin the class/return to the academic environment, any relevant probationary status, and relevant conditions/restriction for returning.

Confidential Information

The confidentiality of student and employee records is protected by state and federal laws. No employee may access confidential information unless authorized to do so. CCS confidential information should never be transmitted or forwarded to outside individuals or organizations without authorization. Employees are required and expected to protect CCS confidential information.
Please also see the College’s FERPA Policy which can be found on the CCS Policy Database.