Faculty Qualifications

1.0 Purpose

This policy establishes guidelines for determining qualification for all faculty who deliver instruction for Casper College credit.

2.0 Revision History

3.0 Persons Affected

3.1  Faculty who deliver instruction for Casper College credit.

4.0 Policy

The policy of Casper College is to ensure the following.

4.1  All faculty who deliver instruction for credit meet established and consistent qualifications for the course(s) they deliver regardless of employment status or course delivery.

4.2  The college has reliable, valid, and legally required standards and processes for qualification of all faculty before any instructional assignment.

5.0 Definitions

5.1  Faculty. This job classification includes academic or clinical jobs hired on a faculty contract. Faculty jobs are exempt from the Fair Labor and Standards Act.

5.2  Adjunct Faculty. Employees who hold these faculty jobs are regularly scheduled to teach 9 or fewer credit hours per semester or fewer than 20 hours per week or 80 hours per month and are subject to demand each semester. Time in this job does not count toward continuing contract status.

5.3  Concurrent Adjunct Faculty. High school employees who are regularly scheduled to teach courses approved for Casper College credit. They teach these courses under the supervision of Casper College faculty. They are adjuncts for the college but not college employees. Time in this job does not count toward continuing contract status. 

5.4  Standards and Processes for Qualification. All faculty must hold a degree at least one level above that of the program in which they are teaching. Courses that may become part of a bachelor’s degree by transfer require faculty to hold a master’s degree or higher. Faculty who hold a master’s degree or higher in a discipline other than that in which the faculty member is teaching should have completed a minimum of 18 graduate credit hours in the discipline in which the faculty member is teaching before beginning any instructional assignment.

5.5  Tested Experience. Verified related experience or industry certifications that the college may use as acceptable faculty qualification for a non-transfer course where an academic degree is not typical. 

5.6  Faculty Qualifications Table. This table details faculty qualifications for each Casper College course prefix.   

5.7  Faculty Qualifications Review Form. Academic deans and department chairs/program directors use this form to verify faculty qualification based on official transcripts and the Faculty Qualifications Table.

5.8  Official Transcripts. An official transcript includes the registrar’s signature, graduation date, the college or university seal, and issue date. The issuing institution delivers an official transcript in a sealed envelope or via email directly to Casper College.

5.9  Accredited Institution. An institution accredited by one of six regional accreditors under the authority of the U.S. Department of Education to verify the quality of education and service.  

6.0 Responsibilities

6.1  The vice president for academic affairs is responsible for maintaining compliance with this policy.

6.2  Deans are responsible for annual reviews and updating the Faculty Qualifications Table.

6.3  Department chairs/program directors and deans are responsible for reviewing and approving faculty qualifications before any instructional assignment.

6.4  Faculty are responsible for requesting official transcripts be sent to Human Resources (HR) before any instructional assignment.

7.0 Procedures

7.1  Pre-approval

7.1.1  Faculty, adjunct faculty, and concurrent adjunct faculty submit official transcripts from accredited institutions or tested experience documentation to HR before any instructional assignment.

7.1.2  Deans and department chairs/program directors review the prospective faculty’s official transcripts or tested experience documentation, if the course has been approved acceptable for tested experience, and complete the Faculty Qualification Review form.

7.2  Post-approval

7.2.1  The Academic Affairs Office uses faculty HR files to update the instructors’ directory on the college’s website to include documented and approved faculty qualifications by the census date of each semester.

7.2.2  Deans and department chairs/program directors review faculty’s updated official transcripts or tested experience documentation during the tenure process, in faculty evaluations, or upon request of the faculty member. They update the Faculty Qualification Review form. 

Deans and department chairs/program directors review adjunct and concurrent adjunct faculty’s updated official transcripts or tested experience documentation when instructional assignments change or upon request of the faculty member. They update the Faculty Qualification Review form.