Procedure: Faculty Credentialing Procedure (3.32.1)

See PDF copy of this procedure.
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Part 1. Applicability:
RCTC will employ faculty who meet minimum qualifications per MNSCU Procedure 3.32.1. No exceptions will be allowed for unlimited fulltime and temporary fulltime faculty. Hiring exceptions (as listed in 3.32.1) for other faculty (temporary part time, adjunct and external) are sanctioned. Temporary part time, adjunct and external instructors employed 2004-2005 and/or 2005-2006 who do not meet minimum qualification and who do not meet one of the MNSCU 3.32.1 exceptions may be employed 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. Thereafter, they must meet minimum qualifications or qualify for an exception. Current unlimited faculty should meet minimum qualifications if assigned available work outside of their credential field unless such faculty are team teaching a course and a faculty team member meets minimum qualification in the course related credential field, or if exceptions in MnSCU 3.32.1 procedures are met. New hire unlimited faculty will meet, within their probationary period, the teacher education/teaching and learning competency requirement or meet one of the approved (3.32.1) exceptions. Current unlimited faculty have the option to complete this requirement per MNSCU 3.32.1 Part 5.

Part 2. Professional Development Plan:
All faculty shall prepare an individual (3 year) Professional Development Plan as approved by AASC. Not all six 3.32.1 currency areas need be addressed. Faculty must address currency in their credential field in the PDP. If a faculty member has more than one credential field, each must be addressed in the PDP. The PDP may be part of the regular faculty evaluation but in itself may not be cause for a negative evaluation. PDP component 6 (“other components”) activities are not to be used for alternative salary column movement. Administration PDP approval is not required. However, faculty must consult with their administrative supervisor when writing or amending the PDP. The PDP belongs to the individual faculty; copies may be kept in appropriate files, including the faculty’s personnel file.

Part 3. Reporting:
Records pertaining to hiring exceptions (as listed in MNSCU 3.32.1 Procedure) will include specific exception category as follows: 1) number of exceptions; 2) exact exception area; 3) evidence of effort to hire fully qualified; 4) suggestion for how fully qualified will be secured in the future. Additionally, a rationale for permitting unlimited faculty to teach courses in fields without meeting minimum qualifications must be documented. The report will also indicate whether current temporary part time, adjunct and external instructors (employed 2004-2005 and/or 2005/2006 granted waiver 2006-2007 and 2007-2008) who do not meet one of the MNSCU exceptions have thereafter met minimum qualifications or have been granted an exception. This “exceptions” report will be generated and maintained by RCTC Human Resources, and presented by Academic Affairs to AASC. On a semester-by-semester basis, Academic Affairs will provide AASC information about exceptions; whenever possible, it will provide this information prior to the start of each semester.

Date of Implementation: Immediate
Date of Adoption: 9/26/06