Category: Employment Policies and Procedures

Faculty members may offer special projects (tutorials in regularly established courses, independent studies, and experimental courses) not listed in the catalog. Special project courses are run on an occasional basis and may only run twice. A special project course allows faculty to gauge student interest and see how the course performs. 

All special project and experimental courses must be reviewed and approved by the Department Chair, and the appropriate Academic Dean. If a faculty person would like to make the special project course a regular part of the curriculum, a Request for New Course form would need to be completed and approved by the Chair, Academic Affairs, and the Curriculum Committee.

The quality of the education students receive at the College for Creative Studies depends upon the quality, dedication, and integrity of its faculty.  While the combination of duties that comprise a faculty member’s contributions to the institution and its students will differ for each individual, a faculty member is expected to demonstrate excellence in the areas of instructional quality; College service, including departmental contributions;  and professional practice and scholarly research.

At all times, a faculty member must act in the best interests of the students, encourage their educational development, demonstrate current knowledge of their discipline, treat all students fairly and in a non-discriminatory manner, and maintain the highest standards of professionalism.

The duties in each area of responsibility are as follows:

• Instructional Quality and Departmental Contributions
• College Service 
• Professional Practice and/or Scholarly Research

Instructional Quality and Departmental Contributions 

1. Teach courses as assigned by the department, in accordance with curricular goals and criteria established by the department and the College.
2. Teach the equivalent of three 3-credit courses per semester. At least one-third of a faculty member’s teaching load must be in the department to which the faculty member is appointed.
3. Prepare and distribute to students, in each course taught, a written syllabus describing the learning outcomes and expectations of the class. A syllabus must be prepared using the syllabus template provided by the Academic Affairs office. This format is available from the Program Managers. Syllabi due dates are determined by the department; upon receipt, syllabi are reviewed by the Chair who then forwards an approved copy to the Academic Affairs office prior to the start of the semester.
4. Adhere to best teaching practices:
   1. Demonstrate effectiveness as educators, evincing a thorough and up-to-date understanding of their field/discipline and pedagogical practices.
   2. Clearly communicate course-specific content as determined by their respective departments.
   3. Manifest openness to innovative practices that enhance student learning, including technological advancements in pedagogy.
   4. Adhere to learning outcomes and assessment practices that have been established by their respective departments and the College.
   5. Determine that the classroom is properly set up for each session. Arrive punctually and remain throughout the entire class.
   6. Mentor students regarding their professional and academic goals.
   7. Conduct timely evaluations of students, including grading, according to policies and criteria established by the department and the College.
   8. Acquaint students with the proper use of materials and equipment, as appropriate.
   9. Create a learning environment that advances CCS’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
5. Seek or participate in sponsored, interdisciplinary, and/or community projects, where appropriate to their respective departments. The Chair of each department has the discretion to determine whether a project meets the educational objectives of the course and to assign the project to a particular faculty. The Chair may decline the project if it does not meet the curricular needs of the program.
6. Faculty are responsible for establishing an attendance policy for each of their classes and for outlining that policy on the course syllabus. Students are responsible for knowing the attendance policy for their class and adhering to those requirements. Students seeking exceptions to an instructor’s attendance policy should discuss their request with that instructor. For the complete policy, see CCS Attendance Policy.
7. Participate in departmental meetings.
8. Participate in curriculum assessment and planning.
9. Serve on departmental committees.
10. Participate in the mentoring process and serve as a mentor.
11. Establish a method for weekly office hours to enable “mentees” and students to schedule appointments. The number of office hours necessary to meet mentoring needs may vary during the semester.
12. Participate in departmental student reviews.
13. Assist the department, as appropriate, in determining equipment and facilities needs and in maintaining the operational readiness of equipment and facilities.
14. Participate in preparing departmental budget submissions.
15. Assist in coordinating and encouraging student participation in departmental exhibitions and outreach.
16. Participate in the department’s student recruitment activities and enhancement of departmental and College reputation.
17. Assist, as appropriate, in obtaining outside funding to support the department’s educational program.
18. Maintain up-to-date skills related to the College’s Learning Management System.

College Service

1. Participate in the Assessment Program
2. Attend Commencement
3. Serve on one tier I and one tier II Faculty Assembly committee. Committee service beyond that will be needed and encouraged to fulfill the College’s mission and vision.
4. Participate in College-wide activities such as:
   1. Faculty Assembly
   2. Installation and deinstallation of the Student Exhibition
   3. Strategic planning activities
   4. Self-Study and re-accreditation activities
   5. Admissions events and student recruitment 
   6. Be a positive advocate and ambassador for the College
5. Submit content for the department’s monthly report submissions

Professional Practice and/or Scholarly Research 

Faculty should demonstrate evidence of sustained inquiry and continual professional activity and growth, consistent with the opportunities, expectations, and advancement of their disciplines or professions. They should display active engagement in an artistic, scholarly, or professional production. Professional development activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Portfolio of published materials/projects
• Exhibitions, exhibition catalogs
• Peer-reviewed publications, conference papers, book chapters, and monographs
• Creative practice, such as fiction, creative nonfiction, artwork, design work, craft, films, artifacts, performances, systems, processes, or patents
• Lectures and presentations, participation in panels, symposia, etc.
• Jurying of exhibitions, guest critiques at another institution
• Guest teaching/artist residency
• Community activity, involvement, organization
• Introduction of new programs, courses, curricula
• Research
• Professional accounts/commissions
• Consulting
• Juried competitions and awards
• Practice-based/led research including artworks, films, artifacts, performances, systems, processes, or patents

The College supports Faculty Development in the above areas as detailed in the Faculty Development section of the Faculty Handbook.

Full-time faculty members must devote their full time and attention to the performance of their responsibilities. In order for faculty members to fulfill their teaching responsibilities, as well as their responsibilities outside the classroom, they should spend a significant amount of time on campus in addition to their teaching hours. Faculty members must not render any full-time services to or enter into the full-time employment of any person or entity other than CCS during the academic year. Faculty members must obtain the prior approval of their Department Chair and the appropriate Dean in any semester in which they are interested in accepting part-time teaching assignments outside of CCS. The purpose is to ensure that such commitments do not conflict with CCS obligations or interests.

CCS expects faculty members to perform their duties in a satisfactory manner. The duties and responsibilities of faculty members are described below, and CCS may assign other duties from time to time. In addition, CCS expects faculty members to adhere to the institution’s guiding principles and observe the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the College.

The schedule of each faculty member is arranged by the Department Chair in consultation with the faculty member. Department schedules are subject to the approval of the appropriate Dean. A full-time faculty member must be scheduled to teach at least one class per semester in the department to which they are appointed unless on sabbatical or leave.

The full-time teaching load for studio faculty is 18 contact hours and for faculty teaching lecture courses, nine contact hours per semester. There are faculty who teach both studio and lecture courses; three 3-credit courses are considered a full-time load irrespective of the contact hours.

A faculty member’s responsibilities extend over the course of an academic year. The academic year begins the Monday of the week before the week in which classes begin in the Fall semester, and concludes with the Student Exhibition opening on the day following Commencement. While a faculty member’s responsibilities fall primarily within this part of the calendar cycle, the responsibilities of full-time faculty members may and often do require them to perform duties at times outside the academic year. Faculty members are required to honor reasonable requests from the President, the Provost, the Deans, or Department Chairs to attend to faculty responsibilities (for example, on-campus departmental meetings or representing the department or College at various events) at times other than the regular academic year.

Full-time faculty are eligible to receive employment contracts of up to three academic years in length. The contract is in the form of a letter of appointment that incorporates the policies, duties, responsibilities, and other information contained in this Handbook. An appointment is to a specific department, and, in some cases, to a section or concentration within that department, but this does not preclude teaching outside of one’s department. With the issuance of an initial contractual letter of appointment, faculty members are given access to the CCS Faculty Handbook. In certain circumstances, a faculty member may be employed without a contractual letter of appointment. In such a case, the faculty member is employed at will, and either CCS or the employee may terminate the relationship, with or without cause, at any time.