Faculty Handbook
SECTION 4
FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES
4.01 Absence of Faculty from Class
(Refer to Policy 02:205.)
Faculty are expected to provide regular, meaningful, and accurate academic advising for students. (Refer to Policy 02:050.) The Academic Advising, Support, and Intervention Committee reviews policy related to academic advising and the assessment of academic advising, in collaboration with the Provost/VPAA.
4.03 Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism
To claim as one's own the ideas or words of another is plagiarism. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the following:
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using the exact words of another person's work/writing without acknowledgement of your source through the use of quotation marks and correct citation/documentation;
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rephrasing a passage by another writer without giving proper credit;
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using someone else's facts or ideas without acknowledgement;
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using a piece of writing for one course that was already used in a previous course (or in courses in which you are simultaneously enrolled) without express permission from both instructors to do so; and
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presenting fabricated or falsified citations or materials.
Cheating on exams is also an affront to the principle of academic honesty. At the very least, an assignment on which plagiarism or cheating has occurred will receive no credit, i.e., a "zero," and an Academic Dishonesty Incident Form concerning the incident must be filed with the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost/VPAA). A plagiarist/cheater is also subject to failure in the course and/or appearance before the Justice Council. Contact the Office of the Provost/VPAA to obtain the Academic Dishonesty Incident Form. Please review the section on Academic Dishonesty in The Fledgling Student Handbook and Appendix C of the Faculty Handbook for additional information.
4.04 Acceptance of Money From Students
Faculty members shall not, without previous and special approval of the University administration, collect from students any fees or charges to be expended for University purposes and shall not sell to students books, notes, or similar student supplies.
A member of the faculty may not accept pay from students for extra instruction or teaching of students registered in the University. With advanced, written approval, teaching assistants, graduate or undergraduate assistants, and other instructional employees below the rank of instructor may accept pay from students for extra-class instruction or coaching but only in courses or sections of courses with which they have no instructional connection. Such approval shall be obtained from the Dean of the college responsible for the courses for which the tutoring is offered.
Sexual harassment is not tolerated and is the subject of Policy 01:115
The University strives to maintain a work environment that is based upon mutual respect for all individuals and, in turn, expects from each individual a commitment to the diligent performance of the job for which each is employed.
No class offered on the approved schedule may be closed without the permission of the appropriate Department Chair and/or Dean, and no additional classes or sections may be scheduled without prior approval of the Department Chair and/or Dean. Classes may not be combined, regrouped, or rescheduled without approval of the Department Chair and/or Dean. The University reserves the right to withdraw any course offered when enrollment numbers fewer than 10. The decision in all cases will be made by the Dean of the college involved.
It is the responsibility of the instructor to ensure order in the classroom. (Refer to Policy 02:055)
To attend any class or laboratory section, a student must be properly registered with the University and properly listed on official class rolls. Any person whose name is not on a class roll may not attend that class or laboratory. Names of students auditing courses shall appear on the official rolls. Faculty are responsible for assuring the accuracy of class rolls.
(Refer to Policy 02.220.)
All full–time tenured or probationary faculty members are expected to serve on at least one standing or ad hoc committee (or council), and may serve on more, but normally may not serve on more than three in any academic year. First-year faculty may be excluded from this expectation according to unit specifications.
4.12 Confidentiality of Student Records
The University complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and, in so doing, protects the access to and confidentiality of personally identifiable educational records of students and former students. Care should be taken that no personally identifiable information other than "directory information" is released without the written authorization of the student. A student's Social Security number is interpreted as "personally identifiable" and may not be used to post grades, etc., without her or his written consent. Faculty and staff are responsible for complying with FERPA and required to review FERPA information and complete the FERPA quiz. Click on FERPA or contact the Registrar for more information, and/or refer to Policy 01:210. FERPA violations may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Faculty must maintain the highest levels of integrity and objectivity in the performance of their duties. The University expects faculty to know and follow applicable provisions of the Alabama Ethics Act. Failure to comply with the Act can result in civil and/or criminal penalties, in addition to disciplinary action, including termination. The University also expects faculty to take all reasonable precautions to ensure that their outside financial interests do not place them in conflict with carrying out their duties and responsibilities as faculty members. (Refer to Policy 01:030.)
Instructors are responsible for preparing and electronically distributing through Blackboard, a syllabus for each individual course taught. The syllabus should be reviewed during the first class meeting and should contain course data (number, section, name, credits, semester year, meeting days and times, meeting place, prerequisites), instructor data (name, office hours, phone, UM e-mail address, and/or other means of contact), course description, designated approval statement included for courses which have been approved for general education credit, designated approval statement for courses which have been approved for writing reinforcement credit, course objectives linked with program student learning outcomes, course requirements, course calendar (including dates for tests and major assignments, and final exam time), course polices (for e.g., attendance, tardiness, excused/unexcused absences, make-up work, food in classroom, etc.), evaluation/grading, disclaimer (for e.g., changes in requirements, calendar, etc. may be made with written notice—highly recommended, but not required), textbook/materials/supplies, and health and safety information (as appropriate for some courses).
Current syllabi are to be kept on file electronically in departmental and/or college offices.
E-mail is considered an official medium for communicating with faculty. All faculty are responsible for checking their University e-mail accounts in a timely fashion and on a regular basis. Faculty are responsible for all messages they transmit through the University’s computers, networks and systems and should exercise caution to prevent interjecting computer viruses into University computers and/or networks. (Refer to Policy 01:010.)
4.16 Employment of University Employees by Other Employees
(Refer to Policy 04:005.)
(Refer to Policy 02:215.)
Off-campus field trips for students may be arranged by members of the faculty. Such trips should be planned well in advance of the occasion and the proper form, listing names of students and the classes they will miss, must be filed in the office of the appropriate Dean and have his/her approval. The judgment of the Dean is final. The approval of the Department Chair must also be obtained in each instance. Faculty are expected to exercise discretion in planning field trips. Required approvals should be obtained before plans proceed beyond the initial overtures.
4.19 Final Grade Appeals (Refer to Appendix G – Final Grade Appeal Procedures
Instructors are responsible for insuring that all final examinations conform to the official examination instructions and schedule as detailed in the official Schedule of Classes, unless prior written approval for exception is given by the Dean. Graduating seniors may take a final exam early if the scheduled exam date interferes with the due date for graduating senior grades.
Grades of "I" (incomplete) may be given when students, because of circumstances beyond their control, are unable to complete course work that is assigned and/or due during the last 15 calendar days of long semesters and/or the last 5 calendar days of the May and summer terms. It is the student's responsibility to make arrangements to complete remaining requirements. All incomplete work must be finished by a date determined by the instructor and not later than the conclusion of the next long semester (i.e., for fall semester "I"s, no later than the last day of the following spring semester; for spring term, May term, and summer term "I"s, no later than the last day of the following fall semester). Otherwise, an "I" grade automatically becomes an "F".
4.22 Inspection of Tests and Examinations
Any student has the right to reasonably inspect any graded paper, test, and examination in any course in which he or she has been or is currently enrolled. See Appendix D for details.
This record of lost time (e.g., sick time, military duty) is a basic source of information for payroll purposes and should reflect an actual accounting of time. The report should be signed by the faculty member and the Department Chair or Dean.
Faculty members must keep the Office of Human Resources notified of their current mailing addresses. Written notice required by any and all sections of this Handbook shall be sent by mail to the last address given by the faculty member. This notice shall be complete when deposited in the United States mail, addressed to the last address given by the faculty member, and the fact that the faculty member may fail or refuse to receive the notice is immaterial.
Faculty members shall be responsible for meeting their classes. Each instructor is expected to meet class regularly and punctually. Every effort should be made to notify students in advance of any deviation from the regular class schedule.
(Refer to Policy 02:210.)
(Refer to Policy 01:013.)
4.28 Research with Human and Animal Subjects
Research with Human Subjects
The University of Montevallo has adopted the Ethical Principles for the conduct of research with human participants developed by the American Psychological Association. When research is conducted by students as part of a course assignment, it is the instructors' responsibility to assure that the Ethical Principles are upheld. The Ethical Principles apply to all formal and informal research involving human subjects that meet one or more of the following criteria:
- if the subjects or funds are obtained from within the University;
- if the subjects or funds are obtained as a result of a researcher's association with the University;
- if the research is conducted on the University campus;
- if the research is sponsored or sanctioned by the University; and,
- if the name of the University is used to help disseminate the research results.
Proposed formal/informal research that meets any of the above criteria must be reviewed with regard to the physical and/or psychological safety of the subjects by the Human and Animal Subjects Research Committee (HASRC). Formal Research is defined as a systematic process, commonly referred to as the scientific method, designed to investigate a question. Formal research includes: (1) statement of a question (hypotheses or research objective) for investigation; (2) collection of data pertinent to the questions; (3) analysis and interpretation of the data; and (4) reporting of results. Informal research includes any data collected from or about human subjects where the intent of the data collection is for the benefit of the investigator rather than the subjects themselves, even though the study may not be formally developed and/or there may be no plans for dissemination. This includes collection of data that is not directly related to the teaching or counseling process and that may be used by the investigator at some later time.
Procedures for Review of Formal and Informal Human Subjects Research
- Read Ethical Principles in the Conduct of Research with Human Participants (on reserve in the Library), and adhere to the Principles in your research proposal. Complete an Ethical Compliance Statement (available at /IRB/ ).
- Submit the completed Ethical Compliance Statement as well as all research-related forms, (e.g., letters of permission from agencies or organizations, demographics pages, instruments, questionnaires, and/or sets of interview questions) to the Chair of HASRC prior to submitting requests for funding or initiating the study. The Committee will respond to the researcher(s) within 15 days.
- Consult with the Chair of HASRC if you have any questions about the review process.
Research with Animal Subjects
Investigators who plan to conduct animal research must consult with the Chair of HASRC. Regulations governing animal research are increasingly stringent, and many of these guidelines originate at the federal level. It is essential that researchers who plan animal research consult with HASRC and follow all regulations/guidelines very carefully. Contact the Chair of HASRC to obtain the most recent materials necessary for the review of research using animal subjects.
4.29 Student Class Absences (Refer to Policy 02:300.)
4.30 Textbooks and Related Course Materials
Each department shall determine procedures for the adoption of textbooks and related course materials for classes in that department. Adoption of texts and related instructional materials requires the completion of requisition forms by the Department Chair or Dean. Departments are encouraged to provide as much lead time as possible for the Bookstore whenever a textbook change is made.
4.31 Web Pages (Refer to Policy 01:015.)