51����

Faculty are required to advise and counsel undergraduate and graduate students on academic matters. Individual faculty members are responsible for providing academic counseling to undergraduate students assigned to them, as well as to other undergraduate students who seek such advice as needed.  Student advising at the graduate level is conducted by the student's advisor(s) and the student’s dissertation committee members. In order to assist in student advising, faculty members should maintain current knowledge of University, College, and Department programs and requirements.

Final examinations n all courses must be offered at the time and date specified in the University’s schedule of final examinations.  Changes of the time and/or date of a final examination require prior approval of the Chair and the Dean, but in any case, the exam must also be offered at the time scheduled and publicized by the University for those students who desire to take the exam at that time.

Faculty members must inform students of their progress throughout the semester.  Grades are a faculty member's responsibility and should be assigned fairly and objectively.  Submission of final grades must comply with University Policy, including but not limited to the deadline for the timely submission of grades.  Failure of faculty members to provide grades in compliance with University Policy will be taken into consideration in reappointment, promotion, tenure and merit decisions. Materials used in computing grades (e.g., exams, papers, reports, etc.) should be retained by the faculty member for five (5) years after final grades are submitted.  Students have a right to inspect the written work performed during a course and discuss the grade with the faculty member.

All members of the Department must comply with all laws and University Policies that govern the privacy of student education records, including but not limited to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  These regulations require, among other things, that faculty members keep thorough academic records.  They also forbid the posting of grades by name, social security number or any other system that might identify a student with her/his education record.

Faculty members are expected to schedule and attend at least five (5) office hours per week (See, University Policy Register 3342-6-18.101).  The office hours shall be posted on the faculty member's office door and communicated to the Department office as well as to the faculty member's students.  If a student, for a legitimate reason or reasons, is unable to meet during the faculty member’s scheduled office hours, the faculty member shall make appointments to meet with the student at an alternate time.

Faculty members are expected to participate in recruitment programs, graduation ceremonies and other activities that are appropriate to their role as a faculty member in the Department.

A Student Survey of Instruction (hereinafter “SSI”) is required in each course in each semester and will be conducted under the auspices of the Chair pursuant to applicable University policies and procedures (See, Section IX of this Handbook).

Probationary faculty members are required to undergo peer review of teaching during each year of the probationary period. 

Faculty members are required to provide students with a syllabus that includes the subject matter to be covered in a course, a listing of assignments and/or reports, approximate dates of examinations, grading standards, attendance requirements, and other pertinent details of the conduct of the class.

All faculty members are required to provide a current curriculum vitae (CV) to be kept on file in the Department office. The faculty member’s CV must be updated annually using the system required by the University. (See, CBA Section IX.2.D).