Judgment of Compliance: The College certifies COMPLIANCE.
Narrative:
To ensure that it employs competent faculty members qualified to accomplish its mission and goals, Wayne Community College has adopted minimum requirements for use in hiring instructors to teach curriculum (credit) courses, determined by the classification of course taught. Wayne Community College's employment criteria for faculty are based on the SACS criteria for credentials. Faculty credential guidelines are communicated to faculty, department heads, and division heads through the WCC College Procedures Manual, Procedures for Selecting Personnel (Section 02-0101).
Credential guidelines address the following teaching situations:
- General education courses designed for transfer to a baccalaureate degree:Minimum master's degree in the teaching discipline or master's degree and at least 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline.
- General education courses or pre-curriculum courses such as developmental math, English, or reading, not transferring to a baccalaureate degree:Minimum bachelor's degree in the teaching discipline or bachelor's degree with certifications and other demonstrated competencies in the teaching discipline.
- Associate degree courses not designed for transfer to the baccalaureate degree: Preferred master's degree in the teaching discipline or a master's degree and 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline; minimum bachelor's degree in the teaching discipline or associate's degree and demonstrated competencies in the teaching discipline, depending on the technical teaching field.
- Diploma courses (Diploma programs are terminal programs completed in one year or less.):Minimum diploma or degree as well as experience and demonstrated skill in the teaching discipline.
When the need to hire a new instructor is determined, a job vacancy announcement is placed in a variety of venues. Each job vacancy announcement is reviewed against the minimum requirements and approved by the appropriate department head, division head, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The Personnel Coordinator and a search/interview committee review candidates' applications for all full-time positions to ascertain appropriate qualifications for the teaching discipline. Department and/or division heads review applications for part-time faculty to determine appropriate credentials.
The official roster of all full-time and part-time curriculum faculty for the Summer 2004, Fall 2004, and Spring 2005 provides details for all instructors, their assigned courses, their college/university degree (s), diplomas, and/or certifications, as well as, where appropriate, coursework, professional licensures/certifications, and related work experience. The vast majority of Wayne Community College faculty credentials meet the SACS criteria as can be seen in the Roster of Instructional Faculty.However, the current self-study process has revealed that WCC could improve its process of formalizing and regulating the credentialing process.
Faculty members with credential exceptions have been notified that they must have action plans in place, either by creating the appropriate portfolios of documentation or by obtaining appropriate credentials, or they will not teach for the college in subsequent semesters. Specifically, one biology instructor has met all requirements for an M.A. in Biology except for the thesis defense. An action plan with time-line for accomplishment of the degree is documented in this person's personnel file. Course assignments have also been examined and will be adjusted to ensure SACS compliance in the future. For example, a part-time business instructor whose degrees include an MBA taught one transfer accounting course (ACC 120) in Fall 2004. The instructor has no longer been assigned transfer courses in accounting since she does not have 18 graduate hours in the teaching discipline.
One important conclusion of the college's examination of faculty credentials was that, in some cases, it is very possible for exceptions to the credentialing guidelines to occur. This was particularly true in the areas of art and band, where both faculty members have years of successful teaching experience and outstanding professional training but do not have advanced degrees in their discipline. While one is a successful artist and the other is a successful musician, neither would qualify as an exception if not for what they accomplish in the classroom. As is evident on their student evaluations, both also have a talent for teaching. It should be noted that WCC's CPM item 02-0101 states that "there may be unique circumstances which make it essential to deviate from the guidelines outlined." These two situations fit that statement. Portfolios of each faculty member's work experiences, student evaluations, performance appraisals, recognitions/awards, and other pertinent information are filed in the Personnel Coordinator's office.
