Faculty Engagement Policy
- Policy Number: KC‐ACA‐3360
- Date Issued: Summer 2020
- Last Modified: Jan 16, 2024
- Effective Date: Fall 2020
- Approved By: Provost
- Sponsor(s): Provost
- Responsible Office(s): Office of the Provost
Policy Statement
All full‐ and part‐time teaching faculty teaching in‐person, online or in a blended classroom, are expected to engage with their students during the academic term in ways that are respectful, timely and supportive of student success. Details of faculty engagement practices will be included in the course syllabus.
Attendance verification procedure
Per university policy, all instructors will participate in the attendance verification procedure. Instructors will indicate students who have not attended their course AND have not notified them of extenuating circumstances preventing attendance in initial sessions.
Availability to students
Faculty engagement will be achieved by encouraging and establishing availability to meet with students outside of their regularly scheduled instructional hours and include specific information about the process for establishing appointments.
Response time
Faculty engagement will include setting expectations for an acceptable response time to student‐initiated contact. The instructor’s plan for responsiveness to student emails or voice messages should be clearly stated in terms of hours or days.
Feedback on student work
Faculty engagement will include communicating a reasonable plan for feedback on student work. The instructor’s plan for feedback on student assignments and/or tests should be clearly stated in terms of hours or days.
Grades, individual feedback, group feedback
Instructors must evaluate all student work with sufficient promptness to enhance the learning experience, and provide sufficient graded feedback early in the term and before the deadline for withdrawing from classes to enable students to assess their progress in the course. Any unanticipated circumstances that alter this plan should be communicated to students in the course.
If faculty fail to adhere to these policies, the appropriate supervisors will meet with the faculty member to discuss remedies.
Reason for Policy
In accordance with CRR 330.110 on Faculty Professional Ethics and Academic Responsibilities, professors seek to be effective teachers who encourage the free pursuit of learning in his/her students, demonstrate respect for the student as an individual and adhere to his/her proper role as intellectual guide and counselor. Professors makes every reasonable effort to assure that his/her evaluation of students reflects their true merit, respecting the confidential nature of the relationship between professor and student. Further, the faculty accepts the responsibility of monitoring its own members if accepted standards of professional responsibility are abrogated.
Being available for consultation with students outside of scheduled classes, being responsive to student‐initiated contact and providing feedback on student work is an important part of a faculty member's responsibilities and promotes student success and retention.