Chapter 2 Academic/Teaching Responsibilities
Mary Washington recognizes that adjunct faculty are part-time employees, and as such they are likely to have professional commitments and responsibilities outside the University. Adjunct faculty will not normally be expected to be on campus, except at the times of their regularly scheduled classes, office hours, and final exams. They will not be expected to participate in advising, committee work, study and discussion groups, or in other administrative or faculty-development activities unless they voluntarily agree to such work and are properly compensated for it. The list below describes the major teaching responsibilities of all adjunct faculty.
1. Develop awareness of the academic policies and procedures that are described in the Dictionary of Academic Regulations .
2. Meet all scheduled classes on time. Also, make arrangements with the department chair for coverage of missed classes in advance, except in cases of unforeseen circumstances (such as illness).
3. Hold regularly scheduled office hours (1.5 hours per week for each 3-credit course; 2.0 hours per week for each 4-credit course).
4. Provide a syllabus to all students in each course during the first week of classes and provide a copy to the department chair for the department files. The syllabus should include at least the following items:
- instructor identification (name, office, contact information, office
hours)
- course identification (number, name, section(s), semester/year, time,
room)
- course goals and objectives
- required materials (such as textbooks, lab manuals, etc.)
- grading rationale
- calendar: assignment due dates, examination dates, time frame for
completion of major course topics or units
- Honor System application (to this course's requirements, if particular).
5. Administer course evaluations and outcomes assessment questionnaires at times designated by the University.
6. Order textbooks through the University Bookstore as soon as possible after receiving your teaching assignment (it usually takes 1-2 months for standard textbook deliveries). See Chapter 7 for additional details about ordering textbooks and desk copies of textbooks. The development and selling of course packs are handled by the Bookstore and governed by the University's Copyright Policy Manual , which is available from the department chair, the Bookstore, and the Document Center . It can take as long as eight weeks for the Bookstore to complete work on a course pack.
7. Provide students with disability accommodations as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) that are designated by the Director of Disability Services . Required accommodations will be provided to the faculty member in a letter from the Director. Also, refer students who may be eligible for accommodations to the Director.
8. Provide students with designated appropriate accommodations for religious holidays as indicated in the Dictionary of Academic Regulations .
9. Submit class roster, instructor-initiated drop, mid-semester and final grade information as required by the Office of the Registrar .
10. Conduct a final examination or its equivalent in accordance with
the final-examination rules described in the Dictionary of Academic
Regulations .