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• Faculty Employment and Promotion Policies
• Faculty Qualifications Justification Form (z:\provost\forms)
• Guidance on Writing Faculty Credential Justifications

Responsibilities for Faculty Credentialing

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• Ensure course information is completed in Jenzabar J1 no later than the tenth day of classes of the semester. All course sections must have an instructor of record identified. Special Topics courses must also have a title that identifies the content/focus of the course of study.
• Validate the credentials of the faculty member and verify that the credentials are consistent with EMU policy and the university’s regional accreditation guidelines.
• Collect/maintain all required materials (transcripts, CV, etc.) for the official faculty file. These documents should be retained in hard copy and scanned into Jenzabar J1 document master according to documented procedures. 
• Submit to the provost's office written justification if the degrees represented by the official transcripts are not directly related to the teaching assignment (see Guidance on Writing Faculty Credential Justifications). Validation of expertise must not just be the teaching discipline  discipline but in the specific area/topic being taught. The written justification for use of alternate credentials must explicitly address how the individual’s accomplishments constitute a level of preparation for the instructional assignment/particular course comparable to that of a person holding a graduate degree in the teaching field. It is understood there are certain subject areas/emerging disciplines where limited graduate programs, degrees and courses are available. Appropriate experiences and qualifications include:
  • a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline (official transcript)
  • demonstrated competence, effectiveness and capacity in the teaching discipline including as appropriate (documentation of a combination of):
    • professional licensure and certifications (including issuing agency and expiration date)
    • professional and/or artistic accomplishments (copies of programs and/or critical review)
    • additional coursework (official transcript with courses identified beyond qualifying degree; CEUs from relevant workshops attended)
    • undergraduate and graduate degrees (official transcripts)
    • in-field work experiences (reference letters on agency/institution letterhead-see explanation below; letters of agreement or acknowledgement; copies of contracts)
    • research/publications (full citation and, if requested, publication tables of contents or first/title page)
    • relevant grants (official notification of award)
    • exceptional achievements
    • honors and awards (copies of award with date and awarding agency/institution)
    • continuous documented excellence in teaching (copies of evaluations or peer review or supervisor’s summative reporting of evaluative/review process)
    • similar activities to those listed above that may be combined to verify the instructor’s expertise.
  • In some instances, it may be necessary to link appropriate experiences directly to the course objectives/student learning outcomes in a course syllabus. If used, the course syllabus would identify key course objectives and explain the evidence for concluding that the individual is prepared to meet those objectives. The documentation should show how the prospective/current faculty member’s experience and accomplishments have prepared him or her to effectively deliver the instructional assignment, focusing on accomplishments across a career but with particular weight given to recent and current work.
• Collect original documentation to validate any alternate credentials. A curriculum vita (CV) or resume is not sufficient documentation of qualifications. If in-field experience is noted on the CV/resume, documentation must include letters (emails accepted) from former employers. The letter must document the reference’s position and organization. The reference must provide information on the applicant including but not limited  to:
  • Position title and responsibilities (especially those related specifically to the job for which individual is being hired)
  • Job performance, including performance strengths and weaknesses
  • Collegiality and interpersonal skills
  • Relationships with and evaluations by students
  • Other information deemed important by the hiring unit.
    
    The same level of detail is required for publications, certificates, licensures, etc. on the CV if they are being used to verify a faculty member’s qualifications to teach a specific course. The Faculty Credentialing Coordinator will review the submitted documentation for compliance.
    
• Maintain all alternative documentation in Jenzabar J1 and submit materials as needed to the provost’s office.

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