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The Davidson College Faculty Handbook
Effective: August 2016
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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Davidson College is an equal opportunity employer. As such, the college is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees, students, applicants for student admission, and applicants for employment regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability or any other status protect ted by applicable federal, state, or local law unless allowed by law and deemed necessary to the administration of the college’s educational programs or operations. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, decisions related to hiring, promotion, termination, compensation, and training. The college adheres to this philosophy in its admissions policies and in the way it administers all educational programs.
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Table of ContentsSECTION I: HISTORY, PURPOSE AND ORGANIZATION 41.1 HISTORY AND PURPOSE.....................................................................................................................................41.2 TRUSTEES...............................................................................................................................................................71.3 ADMINISTRATION................................................................................................................................................81.4 COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY COUNCILS: 2014-15...................................................................................121.5 ADVISORY COUNCILS.......................................................................................................................................121.6 FACULTY..............................................................................................................................................................15
1.6.2 DAVIDSON COLLEGE FACULTY BYLAWS 17
SECTION II: FACULTY POLICIES 362.1 ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND TENURE, FACULTY EMPLOYMENT AND EVALUATION.......................362.2 FACULTY EVALUATION...................................................................................................................................432.3 DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.........................................................................................782.4 FACULTY DEVELOPMENT................................................................................................................................802.6 FACULTY PERSONNEL BENEFITS..................................................................................................................942.7 FACULTY STUDY, RESEARCH, AND TRAVEL POLICIES...........................................................................952.8 POLICY ON FACULTY ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE COLLEGE (Consulting) [08/01/94].........................1012.9 EMERITUS/EMERITA FACULTY POLICIES..................................................................................................101
SECTION III: ACADEMIC POLICIES 1023.1 THE GOVERNANCE AND STANDARDS OF STUDENT CONDUCT..........................................................1023.2 GENERAL ACADEMIC GUIDELINES AND POLICIES................................................................................1043.3 ACADEMIC REGULATIONS............................................................................................................................1053.4 REGISTRAR POLICIES AND PRACTICES......................................................................................................1213.5 LIBRARY POLICIES..........................................................................................................................................1243.6 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY......................................................................................................................1253.7 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS...................................................................................................................1273.8 OFF-CAMPUS ACADEMIC YEAR AND SEMESTER PROGRAMS.............................................................1283.9 OFF-CAMPUS SUMMER/SHORT-TERM PROGRAMS.................................................................................1303.10 OFF-CAMPUS PROGRAMS: Insurance and Benefit Guidelines.....................................................................132
SECTION IV: ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES 1324.1 THE COLLEGE STORE [Refer also to the Employee Guide.]...........................................................................1324.2 COPYING AND FAXING SERVICES...............................................................................................................1334.3 TELEPHONES AND VOICE MAIL (managed by ITS).....................................................................................1344.4 FACULTY OFFICES, EQUIPMENT, BUSINESS CARDS...............................................................................1344.5 COLLEGE POLICY ON KEYS AND CARD ACCESS TO BUILDINGS........................................................1344.6 COLLEGE ALCOHOL POLICY.........................................................................................................................1354.7 FACILITY USE POLICY....................................................................................................................................135
SECTION V: STUDENT LIFE POLICIES OF INTEREST TO FACULTY 1395.1 STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION BYLAWS..................................................................................1395.2 STUDENT HEALTH AND COUNSELING CENTER (SH&CC).....................................................................1405.3 HEALTH SERVICES...........................................................................................................................................1405.4 COUNSELING SERVICES.................................................................................................................................1405.5 SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.......................................................................................1415.6 CENTER FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT.......................................................................................................1415.7 ALVAREZ COLLEGE UNION...........................................................................................................................141
SECTION VI: DIVISION OF COLLEGE RELATIONS 1416.1 DIVISION OF COLLEGE RELATIONS: FUND RAISING.............................................................................1426.2 THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION and PUBLIC RELATIONS POLICIES..............................................142
SECTION VII: DAVIDSON COLLEGE CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING 144
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SECTION I: HISTORY, PURPOSE AND ORGANIZATION
1.1 HISTORY AND PURPOSE
A. History and Growth: Davidson College 1835-2010
Founded by Concord Presbytery, Davidson College opened as a manual labor institute in 1837. The college’s name memorializes General William Lee Davidson, who died at the nearby Revolutionary War battle of Cowan’s Ford in 1781. General Davidson’s son provided the initial acreage for the campus.
The college seal and the college motto, Alenda Lux Ubi Orta Libertas (“Let Learning Be Cherished Where Liberty Has Arisen”), recall the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence; both seal and motto resulted from the suggestion of Peter Stuart Ney, an elusive Frenchman believed by some to have been Napoleon’s Marshal Ney.
Original academic subjects included moral and natural philosophy, evidences of Christianity, classical languages, logic, and mathematics. Three professors, including the college’s first president, Robert Hall Morrison, taught this curriculum to Davidson’s sixty-five students.
Although Presbyterian-originated, the college maintained from the beginning its intent to educate students without regard to their denominational affiliation. Students came from a variety of religious and regional backgrounds. By 1860, Davidson alumni lived in twelve states and two countries outside the United States.
A bequest in 1856 from Maxwell Chambers of Salisbury, North Carolina, provided the college with the means to strengthen its base and expand its influence. The gift of a quarter of a million dollars made the institution, for a time, the richest college south of Princeton and helped the college survive through the Civil War years. It also provided for the construction of a central academic building that was named in honor of the college’s first substantial benefactor. The present Chambers Building, which replaced the one burned in 1921, also bears his name.
While the college had a student body of only twenty-four men in 1866, during the post-war recovery period there was a gradual expansion of curriculum, faculty, and students. Newly added academic disciplines included chemistry, English, history, and physics. By 1890 the teaching faculty included its first Ph.D.-holding professors. Increasing growth in enrollment gave the college a student body of over 300 by 1910.
In 1911, the college offered A.B. and B.S. degrees, with the former requiring study of Greek and Latin, the latter allowing substitution of a modern foreign language in place of Latin. There were fifteen departments, though majors were not part of the curriculum until the 1920s. A strengthened financial base was augmented by the generosity of the Rockefellers, who provided funds for replacing the original Chambers building, and by annual support from the Duke Endowment, which continues today.
The 1920s and 1930s saw courses in accounting, business, economics, and music added to the curriculum, as well as honors programs and seminars. In 1923, Davidson was selected as the third college in North Carolina to be chartered for a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Curricular revisions in the 1960s and 1980s altered the academic calendar and degree requirements, but retained Davidson’s emphasis on a broad liberal arts education along with increasing opportunities for specialization, independent academic work, study abroad, and interdisciplinary programs.
First admitting women as degree candidates in 1973, the college has grown to over 1,900 students on campus. The full-time teaching faculty numbers 170. Renovations and expansion of campus facilities have supported the college’s growth in athletics, the visual arts, the sciences, residential buildings, student and community activities, and the performing arts.
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In 2007 Davidson College was the first liberal arts college in the country to replace loans with grants in all of its financial aid packages. Through a historic decision made by the college community and Board of Trustees, The Davidson Trust meets 100 percent of demonstrated financial need of accepted students through a combination of grants and campus employment, without relying on loans. In support of the college’s longstanding commitment to need-blind admission, The Davidson Trust makes it possible for talented students from all backgrounds to imagine coming to Davidson
Davidson’s underlying philosophy appears in the college’s official statement of purpose.
Statement of Purpose.B. The Davidson College Constitution
One of the most far-reaching developments of the decade of the 1970s was the institution of a formal Constitution of Davidson College, which was drawn up over a period of approximately three years by a Governance Committee composed of trustee, administrative, faculty, and student members. After it was ratified by various college constituencies, the Constitution became effective on July 1, 1976. Prior to that time there had been no college constitution as such; rather, there were various constitutions and bylaws of individual college constituents.
All governance provisions of the college were declared subordinate to the Constitution with two exceptions: the Charter of the Trustees of Davidson College and the Bylaws of the Trustees of Davidson College. These exceptions were stated explicitly in a resolution adopted by the Board of Trustees on May 2, 1975.
The Faculty Constitution as amended was superseded by the Davidson College Constitution. As a substitute, the Faculty adopted a set of Faculty Bylaws on October 15, 1975. Substantive differences between the Faculty Constitution and the Faculty Bylaws include the addition of a Faculty Hearing Committee to the elective Committees of the Faculty, the provision for election of a Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem, and a provision for the Faculty to elect members to the following Advisory Councils: Finance, Personnel and Development; Admission and Financial Aid; Intercollegiate Athletics; Campus and Religious Life; and the Student Conduct Council.
The Bylaws of the Board of Trustees were amended to authorize the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem and the President of the Student Government Association to attend all meetings of the Trustees, except Executive Sessions, with privilege of the floor but without vote. Each standing committee of the Trustees includes one faculty member with voting privileges.
The Bylaws of the Student Government Association, the Code of Responsibility of 1968 as amended, and the Code of Disciplinary Procedure of 1971 as amended were brought into conformity with the Constitution. The Davidson College Honor Code was not changed, although provisions for adjudication of Honor Code offenses were modified.
The Constitution of 1976 continues to guide the governance of the college and is amended as needed and appropriate to reflect changes in policies, procedures, and administration.
C. The Statement of Purpose
An official Statement of Purpose of Davidson College was approved unanimously by the Faculty in 1963 and by the Trustees in 1964; in 1974 it was reaffirmed by both bodies. Subsequently, it was embodied in the Constitution of 1976 as the Preamble to that document. Consequently, the Statement of Purpose can be amended only by the same formal procedures which are specified in the Constitution for amending any article thereof. These procedures were followed in 2005 when the Statement of Purpose was revised.
Statement of Purpose [Revised 2005]
Davidson College is an institution of higher learning established in 1837 by Presbyterians of North Carolina. Since its founding, the ties that bind the college to its Presbyterian heritage, including the historic understanding of Christian faith called The Reformed Tradition, have remained close and strong. The college is committed to continuing this vital relationship.
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The primary purpose of Davidson College is to assist students in developing humane instincts and disciplined and creative minds for lives of leadership and service. In fulfilling its purpose, Davidson has chosen to be a liberal arts college, to maintain itself as a residential community of scholars, to emphasize the teaching responsibility of all professors, and to ensure the opportunity for personal relationships between students and teachers. Further, Davidson believes it is vital that all students in every class know and study under mature and scholarly teachers who are able and eager to provide for each of them stimulation, instruction, and guidance.
The Christian tradition to which Davidson remains committed recognizes God as the source of all truth, and believes that Jesus Christ is the revelation of that God, a God bound by no church or creed. The loyalty of the college thus extends beyond the Christian community to the whole of humanity and necessarily includes openness to and respect for the world’s various religious traditions. Davidson dedicates itself to the quest for truth and encourages teachers and students to explore the whole of reality, whether physical or spiritual, with unlimited employment of their intellectual powers. At Davidson, faith and reason work together in mutual respect and benefit toward growth in learning, understanding, and wisdom.
As a college that welcomes students, faculty and staff from a variety of nationalities, ethnic groups, and traditions, Davidson values diversity, recognizing the dignity and worth of every person. Therefore, Davidson provides a range of opportunities for worship, civil debate, and teaching that enrich mind and spirit. Further, Davidson challenges students to engage in service to prepare themselves for lives of growth and giving.
Davidson seeks students of good character and high academic ability, irrespective of economic circumstances, who share its values and show promise for usefulness to society. In the selection of faculty, the college seeks men and women who respect the purpose of the college, who are outstanding intellectually, who have the best training available in their fields of study, and whose interest in students and teaching is unfeigned and profound. The Trustees commit to being faithful stewards of the traditions of the college. They are charged with governing under the Constitution and By-laws and with providing the financial resources necessary for adequate student aid and appropriate facilities and programs, including furnishing the faculty with the time and opportunity for creative scholarship fundamental to the best teaching.
As a liberal arts college, Davidson emphasizes those studies, disciplines, and activities that are mentally, spiritually, and physically liberating. Thus, the college concentrates upon the study of history, literature and languages, philosophy and religion, music, drama and the visual arts, the natural and social sciences, and mathematics. The college encourages student engagement with other cultures through domestic and international studies. The college also requires physical education, provides for competitive athletics, and encourages a variety of social, cultural, and service activities. While Davidson prepares many of its students for graduate and professional study, it intends to teach all students to think clearly, to make relevant and valid judgments, to discriminate among values, and to communicate freely with others in the realm of ideas.
Davidson holds a priceless heritage bequeathed by those who have dedicated their lives and their possessions for its welfare. To it much has been entrusted, and of it much is required. Besides being the Preamble to the Constitution, the complete Statement of Purpose appears annually in the College Catalog, is distributed to prospective students and faculty, and is quoted in letters of appointment to faculty who are appointed for one year or more. Trustees upon their election are asked to “approve of and pledge to support the purpose of Davidson College as stated in the Preamble of the Davidson College Constitution” (Trustee Bylaws, Article I.3). The President is authorized to recommend for appointment as officers and faculty members those who can respect the Christian tradition and live in harmony with the College's stated purpose (Trustee Bylaws, Article IV.5 and Trustee resolution of October 11, 2002).
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1.2 TRUSTEES
Excerpts from the BYLAWS of The Trustees of Davidson College[with revisions to February 6, 2014]
ARTICLE INumber, Election and Qualifications of the Trustees
1. The ownership, management and control of Davidson College are vested in the Trustees of the College, who shall be elected for a term of four years. The Board of Trustees shall be composed of between thirty (30) and forty-five (45) members (provided, however, that until December 31, 2019, the range shall be thirty (30) and forty-nine (49)). The number of Trustees may be fixed or changed from time to time, within the minimum and maximum, by the members of Trustees; provided, however, that a decrease in the number of Trustees shall not shorten an incumbent Trustee’s term. As nearly as practicable, the Trustees will be composed of members as follows:
(a) Four elected by and from the Alumni. These Trustees shall be nominated by the Alumni Association Board of Directors and chosen by an electorate composed of the Alumni Association and the then current Senior Class. The Trustees, acting through the President, shall before each election be privileged to recommend to the Alumni Association, without any obligation on the part of the Alumni Association, persons believed by the Trustees to be desirable additions to the Trustees.(b) The following persons shall serve as Trustees, ex officio, for the terms set forth below:
i. The President of Davidson College shall be a Trustee, with voice and vote, during his or her term of office;
ii. The President and the President-elect of the Alumni Association shall be Trustees, with voice and vote, during their respective terms of office; and
iii. The Chair and Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Visitors shall be Trustees, with voice and vote, during their respective terms of office.
(c) The balance of members shall be elected by the Trustees, upon nomination by the Governance and Nominating Committee and within policy guidelines established by the Trustees.(d) At least 25 percent of the Board members will be a member or affiliate of a Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation.
2. An elected Trustee who has served two consecutive full four-year terms shall not be eligible for re-election until one year after the expiration of his or her second full term. A Trustee serving ex officio shall not be eligible for re-election until one year after the expiration of his or her ex officio term.
1. All persons nominated for the office of Trustee shall be notified upon nomination that if elected, they will be required to give assent to the following questions which would be posed by the Chair of the Trustees in a brief ceremony at the opening of the first meeting which they attend:A. Do you approve of and pledge to support the purpose of Davidson College as stated in the Preamble of the
Davidson College Constitution?B. In accepting the office of Trustee, will you be faithful in promoting the purpose of the College, seeking to
honor the traditions that have shaped Davidson as a place where faith and reason work together in mutual respect for service to God and humanity?
4. If a Trustee should ever find himself or herself no longer able to support the purpose of Davidson College as stated in the Preamble of the Davidson College Constitution, he or she shall notify the Chair of the Board of Trustees immediately.
5. Historically, persons elected as Trustees have been active members of a Christian church. In openness to and respect for the world’s various religious traditions and the variety of religious preferences among the graduates and friends of Davidson, the Governance and Nominating Committee and the Alumni Association may recommend persons for the office of trustee who are not active members of a Christian church but who meet all other criteria for serving as a Trustee. As part of continuing the historic commitment of Davidson to the
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Reformed Tradition of the Christian faith, the Governance and Nominating Committee shall insure that at least 80% of all elected Trustees are active members of a Christian church.
6. A Trustee who misses three consecutive regular meetings of the Trustees will be deemed to have resigned as a Trustee.
ARTICLE IIIOfficers and Committees of the Trustees
There shall be an Executive Committee, an Audit and Finance Committee an Investment Committee, a Governance and Nominating Committee and such other standing or special committees as the Trustees shall deem to be necessary. The Governance and Nominating Committee shall consist of not less than four members of the Trustees appointed by the Chair, plus the Chair and the President as ex officio members. At least two such members of the Governance and Nominating Committee appointed by the Chair shall not be members of the Executive Committee. The members and the Chairs of the other standing committees shall be nominated by the Governance and Nominating Committee and appointed by the Trustees for one-year terms. No person shall serve more than three consecutive years as Chair of a committee or more than three consecutive years as an at-large member of the Executive Committee, except in extraordinary circumstances (to be determined by the Chair of the Trustees). The Chair of the Trustees, or the Vice Chair in his or her absence, shall be the Chair of the Executive Committee. A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Board of Trustees of Davidson College
Executive Committee
Current Standing CommitteesAcademic and Educational PolicyAdmission and Financial AidAthletics PolicyCampus and Facilities PlanningCampus and Religious LifeCollege Relations
ExecutiveInvestmentGovernance and NominatingProtocol
[Editorial Notes: Copies of the Trustee Bylaws are available upon request in the President's Office.]
1.3 ADMINISTRATION
[FROM THE COLLEGE CONSTITUTION ARTICLE I - REVISED AS OF APRIL 7, 2010]
1. CompositionThe Administration of the College is vested in the offices of President, Vice President for Academic
Affairs/ Dean of Faculty, Vice President for College Relations, Vice President for Finance and Administration and such subordinate offices as may from time to time be proposed by the President and approved by the Trustees. (Provided that all offices in existence at the effective date of this Constitution are confirmed as they exist until altered or abolished in accordance with this Constitution.) [Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 21, 1986, May 2, 1986, February 12, 1999, and April 7, 2010]
2. Appointments and TermsThe President is appointed by the Trustees to serve for such term and on such conditions as they consider
appropriate. The Trustees shall establish procedures to assure that Trustee Presidential Search Committees have consultations with Faculty, Students and the Administrative Staff in carrying out their Committee function. Other administrative officers are appointed by the Trustees upon nomination of the President. They serve for such terms and upon such conditions as may be proposed by the President and approved by the Trustees.
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3. Faculty Consultation and AdviceThe addition, abolition or significant change of function of the office of Vice President for Academic
Affairs, Vice President for College Relations, Vice President for Finance and Administration, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, Registrar, or Director of the Library, and the nomination by the President of persons to be any of the foregoing administrative officers of the College may be done only after consultation by the President with the Executive Committee of the Faculty. The written advice of the Faculty Executive Committee shall accompany every such proposal or nomination by the President which the President gives to the Trustees. (Provided, that all administrative offices and their occupants as of the effective date of this Constitution are confirmed without requirement of such advice.) [Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 22, 1980, February 21, 1986, May 2, 1986, February 5, 1993, February 12, 1999, and April 7, 2010]
4. General Powers and DutiesThe President is the chief executive officer of the College and Chair of the Faculty. The President is
responsible to the Trustees for achievement of the stated purposes of the College and for its on-going operations, and to this end the President shall have the foregoing general powers, the specific powers given the President in other Articles of this Constitution, and all powers commonly associated with and required for the discharge of the duties of a chief executive officer of a college. The President represents the College in its relationships with related associations, other institutions, the news media, government agencies, alumni, and the general public. The President organizes and directs administrative officers in the performance of their assigned duties. The President is a member of the Faculty and is entitled to preside at its formal meetings. The President reports periodically to the Trustees on the condition of the College, and proposes programs and courses of action requiring Trustee approval.
Administrative officers have the powers and duties delegated to them by the President. [Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 20, 1980] [Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 21, 1986 and April 7, 2010]
1.3.1 Officers Reporting Directly to the President [Updated: August 1, 2015]
A. Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty (VPAA/DoF): Duties are those normally associated with this office in a liberal arts college. As the chief academic officer, is responsible for the general direction of the college's academic program and the division’s budget. The VPAA/DoF works with the Faculty as chair of its Educational Policy Committee. As provided in the College Constitution, in the absence of the President, presides over the Faculty unless the President otherwise designates. The President is fundamentally responsible to the Trustees for recommendations as to faculty appointments, promotion, and tenure, and ordinarily delegates to the VPAA/DoF the initiative in such matters. The VPAA/DoF supervises all academic support services and offices. These are listed in Section 1.3.2 of this handbook.
B. Vice President for Finance and Administration (VPFA): As the chief advisor to the President in the areas of business, finance, administrative services, auxiliary services, information technology, personnel, and physical plant, is responsible for the formulation of policies in these areas, for promoting effective communication and cooperation among the various administrative offices, and for imparting direction and coherence to the college's business and financial operations. Supervises the Director of Business Services and Controller, Director of Auxiliary Services, Director of Human Resources, Chief Investment Officer, Chief of Campus Police, Director of Sustainability, and Director of Facilities and Engineering..
C. Vice President for College Relations: As the chief officer for college relations, supervises the Director of Alumni Relations, the Director of the Campaign, the Director of College Communications, Director of Development, Director of Donor Relations, and the Station Manager for WDAV. These offices support a variety of programming in fund raising and external relations, and coordinate the activities of hundreds of alumni, parents, and friends who volunteer on behalf of Davidson College.
D. Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students (VPSL): Assumes primary responsibility for the administration of the non-academic student services including budgetary, personnel, and policy decisions involving the Offices of the Dean of Students, Career Services, the Chaplain, the College Union, Center for Civic Engagement, Public Safety and Police, Residence Life, and Student Health and Counseling Center. As the principal agent of the college in dealing with matters of student conduct and honor, oversees the
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activities of a large number of student organizations including the Honor Council, the Council on Campus and Religious Life, and Patterson Court fraternities and eating clubs.
E. Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid: Supervises the Office of Admission and Financial Aid and its staff. Develops and implements recruiting policy and strategies, including market analysis and positioning studies. Develops and implements public relations strategies and procedures with prospective students, parents, high schools, alumni, and educational associations. Develops interviews and applications, and implements evaluation procedures. Allocates and supervises Office of Admission and Financial Aid budget. Evaluates effectiveness of policies, strategies, and procedures.
F. Director of Athletics: Assumes administrative responsibility for decisions regarding budget, compliance, personnel, policies, and routine operation of the intercollegiate athletics and physical education programs and for management of athletics facilities. Represents the program to internal constituencies and provides formal liaison for the program and the college with the Atlantic 10 and the NCAA. Works to maintain in all phases of the athletics operation standards consistent with those of the college as a whole. Supervises the Assistant Director of Athletics, the Senior Men’s and the Senior Women’s Administrators, and the Assistant Director of Athletics for Admission and Financial Aid.
G. Director of Planning and Institutional Research: Coordinates the college's strategic planning. Oversees gathering and reporting of data for reports to government agencies, publications, and other organizations. Coordinates applied research intended to inform institutional planning, policy formulation and decision-making. Serves as the liaison to the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools (SACS).
H. Vice President for Strategic Partnerships: Researches, identifies, and works to create new, high-value relationships between Davidson College and individuals, organizations and corporations who are traditionally outside the Davidson constituency. Works closely with the President and other key campus figures, including members of the Board of Trustees, to understand college aspirations and create strategies, including funding strategies, to realize them. Works with College Relations and college faculty/staff to identify links between Davidson constituents and new partners. Hands off relationships to others on campus after partnerships are created in ways that ensure that the relationships are sustainable.
1.3.2 Reporting to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty (VPAA/DoF)
A. Associate Dean for Academic Administration: Assists the VPAA/DoF in matters of budget planning and administration, faculty travel, academic space allocation, and information technology. Collects, analyzes, and reports data on faculty as needed for internal and external use. Edits the Faculty Handbook and the College Catalog. Coordinates purchasing for academic offices. Coordinates pre-major advising. Serves as liaison with Information Technology Services and other units on matters of the college. Supervises academic departmental assistants and assists with staff personnel matters. Assists the VPAA/DoF in other duties as assigned, excluding matters of faculty appointment, evaluation, promotion, and tenure.
B. Associate Dean for International Studies and McGee Director of the Dean Rusk International Studies Program: The Director is a teaching member of the faculty and is responsible for developing international programs both on and off campus in conjunction with appropriate faculty committees, administrative offices, student groups, and community organizations. The Director administers the program budget and works in conjunction with the college's Development Office to expand support for the Dean Rusk Endowment. The Director supervises the International Student Advisor and the Coordinator of the Study Abroad Office
C. Assistant Dean for Educational Policy: The Assistant Dean for Educational Policy collaborates with the Educational Policy Committee (EPC), the registrar, and colleagues in the VPAA/DoF office to develop and guide educational policy across the college. The Assistant Dean serves as an advisory member of the EPC. The Assistant Dean is responsible for gathering information and researching issues on behalf of the Dean, the EPC, and the faculty. The Assistant Dean also communicates with faculty about matters related to curriculum and curriculum development. The position comes with one annual course release and the
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possibility of extension through a third year by mutual agreement.
D. Associate Dean of Faculty: The principle duties of the Associate Dean of Faculty include: Guiding the development and administration of the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). The CTL, a collaborative center for faculty development services and academic support services, includes four tutoring centers with individual directors, academic access and learning disability services, information literacy librarians, instructional technologists and a faculty liaison who works on programing for faculty. The CTL also collaborates with other campus entities including the Library, Center for Civic Engagement, and the Multicultural Center on a variety of projects depending on campus needs and interests. In addition to leading the collaborative efforts of the CTL, the Associate Dean supervises five positions: Director of the Math and Science Center (MSC), Multilingual Student Writing Coordinator, Director of the Speaking Center, Director of Arts and Creative Engagement, and CTL Administrative Assistant. Note: The MSC Director also directs the Strategies for Success program, a STEM initiative for underrepresented science students.Chairing the Classroom Task Force and working with the Director of the Physical Plant to provide academic learning environments that support a variety of teaching pedagogies and learner needs.Supporting faculty and student research by:
a. Directing the Davidson Research Initiative and chairing the Student Study and Research Committee.
b. Chairing the Faculty Study and Research Committee.c. Supervising the Director of the Office of Grants and Contracts and the Office of Graduate
Fellowships.d. Supervising the MSC Director who directs the Research In Science Experience (RISE), a month-
long program that prepares rising sophomore students for independent research in STEM fields.Seeking funding for new and existing programs that support faculty development and student opportunities for in depth learning.Assessing academic programs related to the duties of the Associate Dean of Faculty, including academic affairs aspects of reaccreditation. Advising the VPAA/DoF on academic affairs issues.Participating in the Institutional Strategic Initiatives leadership group and carrying out additional duties as requested by the VPAA/DoF and the President.
E. Department Chairs: Department chairs are selected by the President of the college and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty. In the choice of a chair, consultation with each member of a department is expected. Such appointments normally are made for a fixed period of three to five years, subject to renewal. Any person in the department may serve as acting chair, but then only for a period of one year.
The responsibilities of a department chair are as follows:1. to direct the development of the academic program of the department, including course
scheduling, registration, major advising, and strategic planning;2. to direct the development of the faculty within the department;3. to represent the department to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty in all
negotiations involving faculty and program development;4. to interpret the departmental program in its relationship to the overall academic program of the
college;5. to direct the search for new faculty members and make recommendations for appointment to the
Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty;6. to evaluate annually each member of the department and make appropriate recommendations to
the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty regarding retention, tenure, promotion, and salary;
7. to represent the college at professional meetings and at such other meetings as requested by the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty;
8. to assist the Admission Office by providing appropriate information to prospective students;9. to conduct regular meetings of the department to transact departmental business, including the
selection of student recipients of departmental awards announced at spring convocation;10. to propose and manage the departmental budget annually;
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11. to orient new faculty to the department, the college, and the community with the aid of a faculty mentor [checklist available in the VPAA/DoF Office];
12. to observe, evaluate, and improve teaching within the department as appropriate;13. to assign major advisees to department faculty and monitor the advising process in the major, and
to assist in the “tracking” of graduates with majors in the department;14. to oversee laboratory and equipment maintenance as appropriate; and15. to oversee the hiring and assignment of work study students within the department.
F. Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies: Administers the program and budget of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS). Recruits faculty members to teach seminars and tutorials in the CIS, to supervise the interdisciplinary study of CIS majors, and to serve as readers for senior thesis projects. Directs the teaching mission of the CIS assuring that student-designed majors are equivalent in quality with those offered through the recognized disciplines. The Director is in charge of advising CIS student, reviewing their degree requirements, and, when appropriate, certifying to the Registrar that they have been satisfactorily completed. In consultation with advisers and the members of the CIS Committee, the Director assigns Honors and High Honors.
G. Director of the Library: Has responsibility for the entire library operation. Supervises the library’s personnel, budgeting and expenditure of funds, long-range planning, public relations, and publicity. Serves as a member and the secretary of the Faculty Library Committee.
H. Registrar: Oversees all aspects of course registration, classroom assignments, student academic records, and transcripts of Davidson academic records, and administers the department budget. Evaluates transcripts for transfer credit to Davidson, coordinates summer contract courses, monitors student academic progress, certifies academic eligibility to continue, certifies graduation qualification, coordinates commencement arrangements, evaluates Advanced Placement reports, maintains the College Registry, edits and publishes the Academic Regulations, and chairs the Curriculum Requirements Committee. Serves as certifying officer for the Veterans Administration, Social Security, athletic eligibility, and other sources of student enrollment and credit. Coordinates student on-leave status, administers self-scheduled exams, and performs other duties as assigned.
1.4 COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY COUNCILS: 2014-15
The Executive Committee
Group 1 - Advisory CouncilsAdmission and Financial AidCampus and Religious LifeFinance, Personnel and Development
Intercollegiate AthleticsStudent Conduct Council
Group 2 - Principal Administrative Committees:Principal Executive Staff
Group 3 – Faculty-Established Advisory CommitteesAdmission and Financial AidEducational TechnologyEducational PolicyFaculty Hearings
Faculty TenureLibraryProfessional AffairsReview Board
Group 4 – Faculty-Established Administrative CommitteesCenter for Interdisciplinary StudiesCurriculum RequirementsFaculty Study and Research Graduate Scholarships and FellowshipsHonorary DegreesInternational Education
Pre ManagementPre MedicalPre MinisterialPublic LecturesStudent Study and Research
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Group 5 – Administration-Established CommitteesAcademic AdvisingBiohazards Environmental Health and SafetyDiversity AdvisoryHuman Resources Advisory Committee
Human Subjects/Institutional Review BoardInstitutional Animal Care and UseMedia BoardPre LawSexual Misconduct Board
Group 6 - Administrative Committees:Enrollment Management
Group 7 – Officers and Representatives:Activities Tax CouncilFaculty Athletics Representative to the NCAA and the Atlantic 10 ConferenceFaculty Marshals
ParliamentarianSecretary of the FacultyTrustee Committee RepresentativesVice Chair of the Faculty pro tem
Group 8- Provisional Committees and Others:Center for Teaching and Learning Advisory Equity Advising
Interdisciplinary Core
(Note: Descriptions for most, but not all, committees listed above are in the Faculty Bylaws, Section 1.6)
1.5 ADVISORY COUNCILS
1.5.1 Advisory Council for Finance, Personnel and Development(from the College Constitution, Article IV, 2)
(a) Composition. The Advisory Council for Finance, Personnel and Development consists of six teaching members of the Faculty and three students designated in such manner as their respective Bylaws provide. At the first meeting of each academic year the Council shall elect a chair.
(b) Function. The Council is advisory to the President and the President's delegated administrative officers in this area of responsibility. At least three times each academic year, in the Fall, Winter and Spring at times set by the President or upon written request by three members of the Council to the President, the Council meets with the President or the President's delegates to receive reports and to advise with respect to on-going operations, programs, problems, and plans under consideration in this area. During preparation of the annual budget the Council is consulted by the President or the President's delegate at stages which permit orderly consideration of the Council's advice prior to final formulation of the budget. Prior to submission by the President to the Trustees of the annual budget and of any other substantial proposal in respect of fiscal, personnel, or development matters (other than matters relating to individual compensation), the budget or other proposal is submitted to the Council for its information. By majority vote of the Council a report opposing any substantial aspect of the budget or other proposal, with a succinct statement of supporting reasons, shall accompany the budget or proposal when submitted to the Trustees. Any such report shall reflect the vote by which it was adopted. The President may decline to submit to the Council any such proposal which in the President's judgment would violate a personal or institutional confidence, or constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, or jeopardize in a substantial way a fundamental institutional interest. Upon submission of any such proposal to the Trustees, the President shall indicate whether or not it has been earlier submitted to the Council.
1.5.2 Advisory Council for Admission and Financial Aid(from the College Constitution, Article V, 3)
(a) Composition. The Advisory Council for Admission and Financial Aid consists of the Dean of Admission and Financial Aid; six teaching members of the Faculty, three appointed by the President and three chosen by the Faculty, pursuant to its Bylaws, and two students designated in such manner as their Bylaws provide. At its first meeting each academic year the Council shall elect a chair. [Revised: February 4, 1994]
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(b) Function. The Council is advisory to the President and the President's delegated administrative officers in this area of responsibility. At least three times each academic year, in the Fall, Winter and Spring at times set by the President or upon written request of three Council members to the President, the Council meets with the President or the President's delegates to receive reports and to advise with respect to on-going operations, programs, problems, and plans under consideration in this area. Prior to submission by the President to the Trustees of any major proposal in respect of admissions matters, the President shall inform the Council of its substance in time to permit its consideration by the Council. By majority vote of the Council a report opposing any substantial aspect of the proposal, with a succinct statement of supporting reasons, shall accompany the proposal when submitted to the Trustees. Any such report shall reflect the vote by which it was adopted. The President may decline to submit to the Council any such proposal which in the President's judgment would violate a personal or institutional confidence, or constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, or jeopardize in a substantial way a fundamental institutional interest. Upon submission of any such proposal to the Trustees, the President shall indicate whether or not it has been earlier submitted to the Council.
1.5.3 Advisory Council on Intercollegiate Athletics(from the College Constitution, Article VII, 2)
(a) Composition. The Advisory Council on Intercollegiate Athletics consists of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for College Relations, the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, the Director of Athletics, and three teaching members of the Faculty and three students designated in such manner as their respective Bylaws provide. At its first meeting each academic year the Council shall elect a chair. [February 5, 1993]
(b) Function. The Council is advisory to the President in this area of responsibility. At least three times each academic year, in the Fall, Winter and Spring at times set by the President or upon written request of three Council members to the President, the Council meets with the President or the President's delegated administrative officer to receive reports, and to advise with respect to on-going operations, programs, problems and plans under consideration in this area. Prior to the submission of any major proposal involving intercollegiate athletic policy to the Trustees, the President shall inform the Council. By majority vote of the Council, a report opposing any substantial aspect of the proposal, with a succinct statement of supporting reasons, shall accompany the proposal when submitted to the Trustees. Any such report shall reflect the vote by which it was adopted. The President may decline to submit to the Council any such proposal when in the President's judgment to do so would violate a personal or institutional confidence, or constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, or jeopardize in a substantial way a fundamental institutional interest, and shall so inform the Council. Upon submission of any such proposal to the Trustees, the President shall indicate whether or not it has been earlier submitted to the Council.
1.5.4 Student Conduct Council(from the College Constitution, Article VIII, 5)
(a) Composition. The Student Conduct Council consists of the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students; the Coordinator of Student Activities; eight faculty divisional and at-large members; the President and Vice President of the Student Government Association; the Presidents of the four student classes; and two upperclass students who are not members of the Student Senate, elected at-large by the Student Body. The Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students is Chair of the Council. The Chair of the Hearing Committee sits with the Council in an advisory capacity with the privilege of the floor but without vote. [Revised: February 22, 1980; February 5, 1993]
(b) Function. The Council is advisory to the President in matters of policy relating to student conduct and disciplinary procedures. By majority vote of the Council it may amend substantive provisions of the Honor Code and the Code of Responsibility; provided, however, that if the President considers any such amendments to be in contravention of Trustee policy, the President may suspend the operation of the amendment pending review by the Trustees. If the President does not act to suspend its operation within ten days following notice to the President of the adoption of an amendment by the Council, it shall become operative immediately upon expiration of the period. If the President does act to suspend its operation, the President shall present the proposed amendment to the Trustees for action within thirty days after receipt by the Secretary of the Trustees of notice of the President's action. If the Trustees do not act within thirty days following receipt of such notice the amendment shall become operative upon expiration of such period. If the Trustees approve the amendment, it becomes operative immediately. [Revised: February 22, 1980]
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At least twice each academic year, in the Fall and Spring at times set by the President or upon written request of three Council members to the President, the Council meets with the President or the President's delegates to consult and advise with respect to student conduct and the mechanism and procedures for enforcement of rules of conduct. It may recommend to the President changes in the Code of Disciplinary Procedure and in the College Regulations.
1.5.5 Advisory Council on Campus and Religious Life (from the College Constitution, Article IX, 3)
(a) Composition. The Advisory Council on Campus and Religious Life consists of the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, President and Vice President of the Student Body, the President of the College Union, the President of Reach-Out, the President of the Patterson Court Council, the Director of Residence Life, seven teaching faculty and eight students designated in such manner as their respective Bylaws provide. The Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students is the Chair of the Council, and the Director of the College Union, the Chaplain, the Patterson Court Administrator and the Service Coordinator shall serve as advisory members. The Council shall be organized with the special responsibility to advise the President on the religious life of the campus through the work of the Council. [Revised: February 17, 1978; February 5, 1993; April 22, 1994]
(b) Function. The Council is advisory to the President in all matters affecting the quality of campus life. At least twice each academic year, in the Fall and Spring at times set by the President or upon written request of three Council members to the President, the Council meets with the President or the President's delegates to give advice and recommendations pertaining to campus life. Prior to submission of any major proposal in respect of policy or programs affecting campus life to the Trustees, the President shall inform the Council of its substance in time to permit its consideration by the Council. By majority vote of the Council, a report opposing any substantial aspect of the proposal, with a succinct statement of supporting reasons, shall accompany the proposal when submitted to the Trustees. Any such report shall reflect the vote by which it was adopted. The President may decline to submit to the Council any such proposal when in the President's judgment to do so would violate a personal or institutional confidence, or constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, or jeopardize in a substantial way a fundamental institutional interest. Upon submission of any such proposal to the Trustees, the President shall indicate whether or not it has been earlier submitted to the Council.
1.6 FACULTY
1.6.1 From the College Constitution
ARTICLE II: The Faculty
1. CompositionThe voting Faculty consists of the President of the College; the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean
of Faculty; the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students; the Director of the Library; the Registrar; and all persons holding the ranks of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Instructor, or Lecturer; and “visiting” academicians whose appointments cover a minimum of a regular academic year and entail full-time teaching. In addition, faculty emeriti [ae] active on short-term reappointment and half-time teaching appointees after three years of continuous service shall have voting privileges. Upon recommendation of the President and with the approval of the Trustees, the Faculty may authorize membership on the Faculty for persons other than those specified above. Subject to approval of the Board of Trustees, the Faculty may determine that any person above specified other than the President shall not hold membership on the Faculty on the basis that the nature and extent of such person’s duties are substantially incompatible with the responsibilities and authority of the Faculty. (Provided that all persons who are members of the Faculty upon the effective date of this Constitution shall continue to retain Faculty status.) [Revised: October 2, 1987, February 5, 1993, and April 12, 2002]
2. Organization The President of the College presides over Faculty meetings, and in the absence of the President the Vice
President for Academic Affairs presides unless the President otherwise designates. The Faculty elects from its teaching Faculty membership a Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem, who presides in the absence of the President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs or at such other times as the President so designates. The Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem serves as a representative of the Faculty with the Administration and performs such other functions
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as are specified in this Constitution. The Vice Chair pro tem is selected from the tenured Faculty for a three-year term, and may not serve two consecutive terms. The Faculty elects a Secretary, for a two-year term, who performs the duties commonly associated with that office. Formal action of the Faculty is taken by majority vote of those present and entitled to vote. Upon motion of any teaching Faculty member passed by 2/3 vote of all members of the Faculty present, the Faculty convenes in executive session for consideration of any matter specified in the motion.
3. Meetings and Proceedings; Bylaws The Faculty ordinarily meets monthly and in such special sessions as may be called. The times and places
of regular meetings, the provisions for call of special meetings, and the procedures to be followed in its meeting are as provided in its Bylaws. The Faculty is authorized to adopt Bylaws, subject to Trustee approval, for its organization and proceedings not inconsistent with this Constitution. Administrative officers may be designated by the Faculty to attend Faculty meetings with the privileges of the floor but without the privilege of voting. Guests may attend Faculty meetings at the discretion of the presiding officer. The President of the Student Body shall be invited to attend all Faculty meetings with the privileges of the floor but without the privilege of voting.
4. Powers The Faculty has general responsibility for the planning and guidance of the Educational Program and
Policy of the College as defined in Article III.
5. Committees Committees of the Faculty shall include an Executive Committee and such other committees, as the Faculty
may deem appropriate. Subject to the ex-officio memberships and other conditions stated in this Section 5, the Faculty may by its Bylaws or by resolution provide for committees of such sizes, with such qualifications of membership, such terms of membership, and such modes of selecting members, as it deems appropriate. The Faculty may, from time to time, elect special Commissions to undertake tasks, which do not easily fall under the jurisdiction of regular committees, provided that the charge, scope, and tenure of such Commissions are specifically stated. The President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students are members of the Executive Committee, with the President serving as Chair and the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem serving as Coordinator. The President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs] are ex-officio members of all legislative committees having powers in respect of Educational Program and Policy as defined in Article III. Students chosen in accordance with Student Government Association Bylaws shall be represented on all Faculty Committees dealing with educational matters outlined in Article III, Section 1, with the exception of items c, e, and j. [Revised: February 5, 1993]
A list of the committees of the Faculty with their memberships and brief descriptions of their respective powers and functions shall be maintained by the Secretary of the Faculty in the College Registry. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
6. Communication with the Trustees By a majority vote of those present at a meeting at which a quorum is present and acting throughout, the
Faculty, or any standing committee of the Faculty, may petition the Trustees for direct action in respect of any matter substantially affecting the fundamental interests of the College. Prior to submission to the Trustees, the petition must be presented to the President by the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem. It shall be the duty of the President to transmit such report or petition to the Trustees at the next meeting. The Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem shall be invited to attend all meetings of the Trustees, with the privileges of the floor but without the privilege of voting, and between meetings may communicate freely with the Trustees through their Chair, provided that copies of all such communication be first transmitted to the President of the College. Any standing committee of the Faculty, if the Faculty so directs, may, without discourtesy to the President but with the President's knowledge, present a report to the Trustees through the Chair of said committee. [Revised: October 2, 1987]
ARTICLE IIIEducational Program and Policy
A. Definition of Scope The “Educational Program and Policy of the College” is defined as consisting of the College's
1. curricula, curriculum requirements, and academic standards;2. international study programs; 3. formal programs for faculty study, research, and development;
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4. selection and use of library materials; 5. awarding of academic degrees and honorary degrees; 6. establishing, regulating and changing of academic departments; 7. academic and career counseling and guidance programs; 8. academic and scholarly lecture programs and cultural programs initiated by academic departments; 9. determination of requirements and standards of the physical education program including intramural sports; 10. determination of the academic qualifications to be applied in the admission of students.
B. Basic Responsibility Responsibility for the formulation and implementation of Educational Program and Policy is reposed,
subject to provisions herein for Trustee review, in the Faculty acting in conjunction with officers of the administration in accordance with succeeding sections of this Article.
C. Formulation and Implementation The President and Vice President for Academic Affairs share with the Faculty responsibility for proposing
Educational Program and Policy. Proposals are made through the appropriate committees of the Faculty, for legislative action. The President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and such other administrative officers, Faculty and Staff members as may be designated by them are responsible for the orderly implementation of Educational Program and Policy adopted by the Faculty.
D. Trustee Review Any Education Program or Policy adopted by the Faculty may be submitted by the President to the Trustees
for review and approval prior to its implementation. When any Educational Program or Policy adopted by the Faculty is under review by the Trustees, the appropriate committee of the Faculty, as designated by the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem, may submit in writing a statement concerning the program or policy. The Trustees may invite oral presentation relating to the program or policy. (Provided, that Educational Program and Policy in effect upon the effective date of this Constitution is confirmed until altered or superseded by action under this Constitution.)
1.6.2 DAVIDSON COLLEGE FACULTY BYLAWS
Foreword
Article I: Membership and Officers of the Faculty [Section renumbered: August 1998]1) Membership and Voting Rights
a) Definition of Membership of the Facultyb) Voting Rights
2) Officers of the Facultya) Chair of the Facultyb) Vice Chair of the Faculty pro temc) Secretary of the Facultyd) Parliamentarian of the Faculty
Article II: Functions of the FacultyArticle III: Meetings of the Faculty [Revised: October 4, 2012]Article IV: Faculty Committees [Revised: August 1, 1994 and May 2001]A. General Principles Regarding Faculty CommitteesB. The Executive CommitteeC. Councils of the CollegeD. Faculty-Established Advisory Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]
1. General Principles Regarding Faculty-Established Advisory Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]2. Faculty-Established Advisory Committees Recognized by These Bylaws [Revised: March 15, 2012]
i) Committee on Educational Policyii) Committee on Admission and Financial Aidiii) Committee on the Library [Revised: March 15, 2012]iv) Committee on Professional Affairs [Revised: August 1, 1993, March 15, 2012]v) Faculty Hearings Committee
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vi) Faculty Tenure Committeevii) Educational Technology Committee [Revised: April 10, 2014]viii) Review Board
E. Faculty-Established Administrative Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]1. General Principles Regarding Faculty-Established Administrative Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012
and October 3, 2013]2. Faculty-Established Administrative Committees Recognized by These Bylaws [Revised: March 15, 2012
and October 3, 2013]a. Committee on Curriculum Requirements [Revised: March 15, 2012]b. Committee on Faculty Study and Research [Revised: March 15, 2012 and October 4, 2012]c. Committee on Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships [Revised: March 15, 2012]d. Committee on Honorary Degrees [Revised: March 15, 2012]e. Committee on International Education [Revised: August 1, 2000, March 15, 2012]f. Pre Management Advisory Committee [Added: March 15, 2012]g. Pre Medical Advisory Committee [Added: March 15, 2012]h. Pre Ministerial Advisory Committee [Added: March 15, 2012]i. Committee on Public Lectures [Revised: March 15, 2012]j. Center for Interdisciplinary Studiesk. Student Study and Research
F. Administration-Established Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]1. General Principles Regarding Administration-Established Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]2. Administration-Established Committees Recognized by These Bylaws [Revised: March 15, 2012]
a. Academic Advising b. Biohazards [Added: August 1, 2003; Revised: March 15, 2012]c. Diversity Advisory Committee [Revised: March 15, 2012]d. Environmental Health and Safety e. Human Subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB) [Revised: March 15, 2012]f. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) [Revised: March 15, 2012]g. Pre-law Committee [Revised: March 15, 2012]h. Media Board [Added: March 15, 2012]i. Sexual Misconduct Board [Added: March 15, 2012]j. Human Resources Advisory Committee [Added: March 15, 2012; Revised: October 4, 2012]
G. Provisional Committees and Others [Added: March 15, 2012]a. Center for Teaching and Learning Advisoryb. Equity Advisers [Added: April 10, 2014]c. Interdisciplinary Core Faculty [Added: April 10, 2014]
H. Election Procedures [Revised: August 1, 1998, March 15, 2012, October 4, 2012]Article V: Amendment Procedure
BYLAWSThe Faculty of Davidson College
FOREWORD
Consistent with the Davidson College Constitution, as effective on July 1, 1976, and subsequently amended, the Bylaws of the Faculty describe the procedures by which the Faculty exercises its primary responsibilities for the planning and guidance of the educational program and policy of the College and by which it works with others in common concern for the College's welfare.
ARTICLE IMembership and Officers of the Faculty
A. Definition of Membership and Voting Rights1. As stipulated in the Davidson College Constitution, Article II, Section I, “The voting Faculty consists of the
President of the College; the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty; the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students; the Director of the Library; the Registrar; all persons holding the ranks of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Instructor, or Lecturer; and ‘visiting’ academicians
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whose appointments cover a minimum of a regular academic year and entail full-time teaching. In addition, faculty emeriti [ae] active on short-term reappointment and half-time teaching appointees after three years of continuous service shall have voting privileges. Upon recommendation of the President and with the approval of the Trustees, the Faculty may authorize membership on the Faculty for persons other than those specified above. Subject to approval of the Board of Trustees, the Faculty may determine that any person above specified other than the President shall not hold membership on the Faculty on the basis that the nature and extent of such person's primary duties are substantially incompatible with the responsibilities and authority of the Faculty. (Provided that all persons who are members of the Faculty upon the effective date of this Constitution shall continue to retain Faculty status.)” [Revised: October 2, 1987, February 5, 1993, and April 12, 2002]
2. All members of the Faculty shall be eligible to vote on matters coming before the Faculty.
B. Officers of the Faculty1. The President of the College shall be the Chair of the Faculty.
2. The Faculty shall elect a Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem. a. Duties: The Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem shall:
(1) Serve to facilitate communication between the Faculty and the Administration by serving as a representative of the Faculty to the Administration.
(2) Serve to facilitate communication between the Faculty and the Trustees by attending Trustee meetings with the privilege of the floor but without vote; by submitting, through the President, petitions of the Faculty or of its committees to the Trustees; and by communicating freely with the Trustees through their Chair, with prior notification to the President of any such communication.
(3) Serve to expedite the work of the Faculty by preparing, in consultation with the President, agenda for meetings of the Faculty Executive Committee; by presiding at meetings of the Faculty in the event of absence of both the President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, or at such other times as requested by the President; by serving as Coordinator and Secretary of the Executive Committee, paying special attention to the work of other committees or commissions given specific charges by the Executive Committee; and by designating the appropriate committee of the Faculty to make statements concerning matters of educational programs under review by the Trustees.
b. Election(1) The Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem is elected by the Faculty from among tenured members of
the teaching Faculty to a three-year term, and may not serve two consecutive terms.(2) Except for membership on the Faculty Executive Committee, the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro
tem shall not serve on any Advisory Council or on any Faculty Committee to which faculty members are elected.
3. The Faculty shall elect a Secretary for a two-year term through procedures stipulated by the Committee on Professional Affairs. The Secretary of the Faculty may serve consecutive terms. The Secretary shall see to the recording of the proceedings of the Faculty in its meetings and to the preservation of its records. The Secretary shall also see to regular distribution by appropriate offices of the Administration such Faculty rulings as require continued implementation, and shall further maintain an up-to-date list of committees of the Faculty with their memberships, workload, and brief descriptions of their powers and functions. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
4. The President shall appoint a member of the Faculty to serve as Parliamentarian of the Faculty.
ARTICLE IIFunctions of the Faculty
The primary responsibility of the Faculty as a body is the planning and guidance of the educational program and policy of the College. This is defined in the College Constitution as “consisting of the College's curricula, curriculum requirements, and academic standards; international study programs; formal programs for faculty study, research, and development; selection and use of library materials; awarding of academic degrees and honorary degrees; establishing, regulating, and changing of academic departments; academic and career counseling
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and guidance programs; academic and scholarly lecture programs and cultural programs initiated by academic departments; determination of requirements and standards of the physical education program including intramural sports; and determination of the academic qualifications to be applied in the admission of students.” In exercising these responsibilities, the Faculty acts in conjunction with officers of the Administration as specified in the College Constitution.
In the expression of its broader concerns for the welfare of the College, the Faculty elects members to the Advisory Councils for Finance, Personnel, and Development; Admission and Financial Aid; Intercollegiate Athletics; and Campus and Religious Life. It further elects members of the Student Conduct Council and Review Board. The Faculty may also elect, or request that the President appoint, such committees as it deems appropriate, or elect commissions for limited and clearly specified charges not easily falling under the jurisdiction of standing committees.
By majority vote, the Faculty, or any standing committee of the Faculty, may petition the Trustees for direct action in respect of any matter substantially affecting the fundamental interests of the College. Any such petition must be presented to the President by the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem prior to submission to the Trustees. The procedure of petition is meant to allow to the Faculty a method in addition to the Advisory Councils for communication with the Trustees regarding functions of the Faculty which are constitutionally recognized.
ARTICLE IIIMeetings of the Faculty
A. Normally, the President of the College presides over meetings of the Faculty. If the President is absent, the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty presides unless the President otherwise designates. In the absence of both the President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, or at such other times as the President designates, the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem shall preside.
B. Administrative officers may be designated by the Faculty to attend Faculty meetings with the privileges of the floor but without the privilege of voting. The President of the Student Government Association shall be invited to attend all Faculty meetings with the privileges of the floor, but without vote. Guests may attend Faculty meetings at the discretion of the presiding officer. Upon motion of any teaching Faculty member passed by 2/3 vote of all members of the Faculty present, the Faculty convenes in executive session for consideration of any matter specified in the motion.
C. The Faculty ordinarily meets on the first Tuesday or Thursday of each month during the academic year, unless the first Tuesday or Thursday of the month precedes the opening of class in the fall, succeeds the last class day of the spring term, or falls within a recognized vacation period. The time of meetings may in these situations, or for other cause, be changed by the President. Special meetings may be called by the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, or upon request of one-tenth of the Faculty in residence. [Revised: October 4, 2012]
D. Notice of regular meetings shall be given by the Office of the President at least five days in advance of the meeting. This notice shall include agenda as prepared by the President or the Executive Committee of the Faculty. Any member of the Faculty may submit in writing to the Executive Committee no later than one week before a regular meeting of the Faculty any item to be placed on the agenda for that meeting.
E. Special meetings of the Faculty, when necessary, are to be called with as much advance notice as possible, but in no case less than twenty-four hours. The call for a special meeting shall include a statement of the purpose of the meeting.
F. Regular attendance at Faculty meetings is a Faculty obligation. Fifty percent of the Faculty in residence shall constitute a quorum.
G. Ordinarily, voting in Faculty meetings shall be by voice vote unless a division is requested by any member present. Upon request of three members of the Faculty, a secret ballot shall be taken, except that upon request of a majority; vote shall be taken by calling of the roll. Proxy votes shall not be allowed.
H. Reports and recommendations of Faculty committees, and recommendations by individual Faculty members, shall ordinarily be circulated to members of the Faculty and to others who attend its meetings at least two days
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before the meeting at which they will be presented. In situations where such circulation would be undesirable, the Executive Committee is empowered to make exceptions to this rule. Minutes of the Faculty shall be made available to the Faculty electronically at least five days before the meeting at which the minutes are to be approved by the Faculty. The Secretary of the Faculty may, at the request of the President or by previous vote of the Faculty, read the minutes or a summary thereof at the Faculty meeting. A record of actions of the Executive Committee shall be read to the Faculty, but shall not be circulated. Copies of minutes of the Faculty and of the Executive Committee may be examined by any Faculty member in the office of the President, of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, and of the Secretary of the Faculty. [Revised: October 4, 2012]
I. It is the responsibility of individual members of the Faculty to abide by regulations adopted by the Faculty. It is further the responsibility of members of the Faculty and of other persons who attend its meetings to refrain from divulging to others the sources of remarks made or opinions expressed in a faculty meeting. Decisions of the Faculty, including motions adopted by the Faculty, shall be announced by the President or in such fashion as the President may designate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, written motions presented as resolutions and formally adopted as such by the Faculty shall be announced by the Faculty Executive Committee or in such fashion as the Faculty Executive Committee may designate.
J. The latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order will be rules of parliamentary procedure by which meetings of the Faculty shall be governed, unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE IVFaculty Committees [Revised: August 1, 1994, and May 2001]
A. General Principles Regarding Faculty Committees 1. Eligibility for Committee Service
i. Faculty elected or appointed to committees, except those serving in ex officio capacity, shall be voting Faculty whose primary responsibility is not administrative.
ii. For certain committees, a specified length of membership on the Faculty of Davidson College is required for eligibility to serve:(1) Three years for the Executive Committee, the Committee on Educational Policy, and the
Committee on Professional Affairs;(2) Two years for any Council of the College other than Admission, which requires three years of
service on the Faculty.iii. All members of the Faculty Tenure Committee, the Faculty Hearings Committee, and the Committee
on Professional Affairs shall be tenured members of the Faculty.iv. Where the College Constitution specifies election to an Advisory Council of six or more members of
the teaching Faculty, they shall be Faculty divisional and at-large members as defined in paragraph 5 of this article, except that if the number exceeds six, the additional members shall be elected at-large. Where the College Constitution specifies a number less than six for such elections, unless otherwise specified, Faculty members shall be elected at-large to staggered three-year terms.
v. Below is a list of council seats, committee seats, and other offices recognized by these Bylaws, along with a designated workload assigned for the purpose of encouraging an equitable distribution of service responsibilities. No teaching member of the Faculty may fill concurrently by election or appointment more than two of the seats or offices listed below, including Provisional Committees, except at the express request of that Faculty member. No teaching member of the Faculty may fill by election or appointment any two seats or posts whose combined workload, including Provisional Committees, is greater than four, except at the express request of that Faculty member. Under no circumstances shall an assistant professor from the Faculty exceed either of these limits. [Revised: April 10, 2014]
Executive Committee (2)Advisory Councils of the College
Admission and Financial Aid (3)Campus and Religious Life (1)Finance, Personnel, and Development (2)Intercollegiate Athletics (1)
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Student Conduct Council (1)Faculty-Established Advisory Committees
Admission and Financial Aid (3)Educational Technology (1)Educational Policy (3)Faculty Hearings (1)Faculty Tenure (3)Library (1)Professional Affairs (3)Review Board (2)
Faculty-Established Administrative Committees Curriculum Requirements (1)Faculty Study and Research (2)Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships (3)Honorary Degrees (1)International Education (3)Pre Management (1)Pre Medical (3)Pre Ministerial (1)Public Lectures (3)Center for Interdisciplinary Studies (2)Student Study and Research (2)
Administration-Established CommitteesAcademic Advising (1)Biohazards (1)Environmental Health and Safety (1)Diversity Advisory (1)Human Resources Advisory Committee (1)Human Subjects Institutional Review Board (2; Chair 3)Institutional Animal Care and Use (1)Media Board (1)Pre Law (1)Sexual Misconduct (2)
Officers and RepresentativesActivities Tax Council Representative (1)Faculty Marshals (1; Chief 2)Parliamentarian (1)Secretary (3)Trustee Committee Representatives (1)Vice Chair Pro Tem (3)Faculty Athletics Representative to the NCAA and the Atlantic 10 Conference (3)
Provisional Committees and Others [Added: March 15, 2012]Center for Teaching and Learning AdvisoryEquity Advisers (1)Interdisciplinary Core Faculty (1)
f. A teaching member of the Faculty is ineligible for nomination to an elective office or a seat on a Council or Committee if that person’s election would result in an excess of two of the above elective seats and/or offices held by that person or in a total elective workload of more than four, except at the express request of that Faculty member. [Added: March 15, 2012]
g. If the election of a teaching member of the Faculty to a seat or office results either in an excess of any two of the above appointed and elected seats or offices held concurrently by that person or in a total workload greater than four, then that Faculty member may remedy the excess upon election by freely withdrawing, as needed, from any appointive seat or office held. [Added: March 15, 2012]
2. Persons who are members of committees by virtue of their office, ex officio members, shall be full voting members of such committees unless these Bylaws specify otherwise.
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3. Advisory members may be appointed to Faculty committees if such members are specified in these Bylaws or if requested by a majority of the members of the committee. Unless specified to the contrary in these Bylaws, the President of the College will appoint advisory members upon receiving a written request from the committee. Advisory members do not have the right to vote and may be excluded from some discussions.
4. The manner of selection of student members of Faculty committees is reserved for the Bylaws of the Student Government Association [SGA], unless the College Constitution specifies otherwise. Upon motion passed by a majority of the committee, Faculty members of a committee may go into executive session for consideration of any matter specified in the motion. The Faculty members of the Review Board may not go into executive session.
5. Divisional and At-Large Membershipa. In the description of membership of a committee, the phrase “members of the Faculty elected by
divisions and at-large” means one member elected by each division, plus at-large members to make a total of six. Should the number of divisions of the Faculty reach five; all members of committees so described shall be elected at-large.
b. (1) Where the College Constitution specifies election to a Council of the College of six or more members of the Faculty, they shall be Faculty divisional and at-large members except that if the number exceeds six, the additional members shall be elected at-large.(2) Where the College Constitution specifies a number less than six for such elections, unless
otherwise specified, members of the Faculty shall be elected at-large, unless otherwise specified.
6. Election of Faculty members to all committees and councils is, unless otherwise specified, to staggered three-year terms. No Faculty member elected to committees or councils, either to a full term or to complete the term of someone else, shall be eligible for re-election to the same committee or council until one year has elapsed after the term has expired.
7. Non-overlapping Membershipa. No member of the Faculty except the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty may serve
simultaneously on any two of the following: the Executive Committee, the Committee on Professional Affairs, the Faculty Hearings Committee, or the Faculty Tenure Committee.
b. No member of the Faculty, except ex officio members, may serve simultaneously on any two of the following: the Executive Committee; the Educational Policy Committee; the Advisory Council on Finance, Personnel and Development; or the Advisory Council on Admission and Financial Aid.
8. All Faculty Committees of Councils of the College, Faculty-Established Committees, Administration-Established Committees, and Provisional Committees shall submit copies of minutes of their meetings to the Executive Committee, and shall report annually to the Faculty concerning their activities during the then current academic year. Such reports shall be made in writing to the Executive Committee, which will distribute them to the Faculty. Neither the Faculty Hearings Committee nor the Review Board shall name individuals involved in cases, which have come to their attention, nor shall they so narrowly describe an individual case as to permit ready identification of the person or persons involved. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
B. The Executive Committee 1. Composition. The Committee is composed of the President, the Vice President for Academic
Affairs/Dean of Faculty, the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem, and six teaching members of the Faculty elected by divisions and at-large. The President shall serve as Chair and the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem as Coordinator and Secretary.
2. Function . The Committee is the major coordinating body of the Faculty and of its committees. Any subject of concern to the Faculty is a legitimate matter of concern to the Executive Committee, which may assign the matter to an appropriate committee of the Faculty or undertake investigation or review for itself. It is further charged with:a. Preparing agenda for meetings of the Faculty, ordinarily through joint action of the President and the
Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem.
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b. Collecting and reviewing both minutes of meetings and annual summary reports of all committees of the Faculty.
c. Encouraging other committees of the Faculty to engage in long-range planning in areas appropriate to their functions.
d. Ruling on questions of interpretation of these Bylaws, though such rulings may be reversed by a two-thirds vote of the Faculty. Any ruling regarding interpretation of these Bylaws is to be reported to the Faculty at its immediately subsequent meeting.
e. Filing with the Secretary of the Faculty minutes of its meetings, which shall be open for inspection by any member of the Faculty.
f. Determining after consultation with the Senate of the SGA, the academic calendar for the ensuing year. g. Acting on behalf of the Faculty in three specified circumstances:
(1) Consultation: The addition, abolition, or significant change of function of the Offices of Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, Vice President for Business and Finance, Vice President for College Relations, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, Registrar, Director of the Library, or Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies and the nomination by the President of persons to be any of the foregoing administrative officers of the College shall require of the Executive Committee a written statement of advice to accompany any such proposal or nomination, such statements to be submitted through the President to the Trustees.
(2) Emergency Powers: The Executive Committee may act for the Faculty when immediate action is necessary and a meeting of the Faculty inexpedient. Any such action is to be reported to the Faculty promptly, and is to be considered the decision of the Faculty unless the Faculty acts by a two-thirds majority to reverse it. Nothing in this paragraph is to be taken to preclude the emergency authority of the President regarding extraordinary disciplinary powers as described in Part IV of the Code of Disciplinary Procedure.
(3) Review of Gifts Affecting the Curriculum: The elected members of the Executive Committee, with the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem serving as the committee chair, shall comprise an ad hoc Committee for Faculty Review of Gifts Affecting the Curriculum. This committee shall (a) evaluate all proposed gifts that would have a material impact upon the College’s curriculum, and (b) communicate to the President, the VPAA/DoF, and development officers the committee’s understanding of the future curricular needs of the College in so far as they may affect development and fundraising activities. The committee shall undertake its responsibility in accordance with the following guidelines:(i) It shall review all proposals to create endowed professorships and programs that would have a
material impact upon the College’s curriculum and will advise the President, VPAA/DoF, and development officers as to whether those proposals:(i) are consistent with the academic goals, mission, and values of the College; and(ii) would enhance the College’s reputation in the larger academic world.
(b) It shall consult with department and program chairs and through them with members of their departments and programs, concerning any proposed gifts that could have a direct impact upon staffing and course offerings in those departments, and it shall consider the concerns and aspirations of the departments in evaluating those proposals. To the extent possible, these
(c) consultations shall be conducted in confidence so as to respect the privacy of potential donors. It may design and implement a mechanism to consult all members of the faculty concerning areas of greatest curricular need and consider the views expressed by the faculty in advising the President, the VPAA/DoF, and development officers as to where new positions, by gift or otherwise, could have the most beneficial impact on the curriculum. (Revised April 7, 2009)
C. Councils of the College1. Councils of the College are established by the College Constitution. They are the Student Conduct Council
and the four Advisory Councils: Advisory Council for Admission and Financial Aid; Advisory Council on Campus and Religious Life; Advisory Council for Finance, Personnel and Development; and the Advisory Council on Intercollegiate Athletics. (See 1.5.1-1.5.5 above.)
2. Faculty members on each Council of the College shall constitute a committee of the Faculty on the same subject as that of the Council. Each such committee may offer motions to the Faculty to ascertain the sense of the Faculty on matters under consideration. While the outcome of such motions should be duly weighed by Faculty members of Councils of the College, votes of the Faculty are not binding upon the Faculty
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members of the Councils. Among these committees, only that for Admission and Financial Aid has regularly defined responsibilities and is described below (IV.D.2.b.).
D. Faculty-Established Advisory Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]1. General Principles Regarding Faculty-Established Advisory Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]
i. Faculty-Established Advisory Committees are established by the Faculty to be advisory to the Faculty and respond to Faculty concerns. All members of Faculty-Established Advisory Committees shall be elected by the Faculty following the procedures in Section H except for the ex officio members specified in these Bylaws. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
ii. With such exceptions as may be noted in the description of individual committees, all Elective Faculty Committees make recommendations to the Faculty for its final vote, subject to Trustee review.
2. Faculty-Established Advisory Committees Recognized by These Bylaws [Revised: March 15, 2012]i. Committee on Educational Policy
a. Composition . This Committee is composed of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, who shall serve as Chair unless the President appoints one from the Committee or asks the Committee to elect one, and six teaching members of the Faculty elected by divisions and at-large. The SGA shall also select one student to serve; the Committee at its discretion may request the SGA to select one additional student. The President is a nonvoting member. The Registrar and the Assistant Dean for Educational Policy are advisory members. [Revised: April 10, 2014]
b. Function . The major responsibilities of this Committee lie in two areas: establishing curricula, curriculum requirements, and academic standards; and regulating and changing academic departments. In carrying out these responsibilities this Committee shall keep informed of developments in higher education, examine the effects of educational policies and programs at Davidson and, where appropriate, recommend changes for the fuller realization of Davidson's educational objectives.
ii. Committee on Admission and Financial Aid a. Composition . This Committee is composed of the six teaching Faculty members of the
Advisory Council on Admission and Financial Aid and the Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid (or his/her designee). The President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty are nonvoting members. At its first meeting each academic year, the Committee shall elect one of its Faculty members as Chair.
b. Function . The Committee is responsible to the Faculty for both determining the academic qualifications to be applied in the admission of students and for advising the Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid regarding policies concerning admission and the granting of financial aid. Decisions of the Committee with respect to the admission of an applicant shall be made by majority vote, with the understanding that the President retains the final responsibility for determining whether to admit any applicant, as set forth in Article V, Section 2 of the College Constitution. In exercising its responsibility regarding the admission of students, the members of the Committee shall have free access to all records on individual applicants for admission to the College. [Revised: March 2006].
iii. Committee on the Library a. Composition . This Committee is composed of the Director of the Library and one
teaching member of the Faculty elected by each division. The Director of the Library shall serve as Chair unless the President appoints one from the Committee or asks the Committee to elect one. The SGA shall also select one student to serve; the Committee at its discretion may request the SGA to select one additional student. The President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty are nonvoting members. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
b. Function . The Committee offers counsel and advice to the President on the formulation of policies of operation and development of the Library and makes recommendations concerning its improvement. In accordance with the provisions of the Davidson College Constitution for the general responsibility of the Faculty for planning and guidance in the
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selection and use of library materials, the Committee allots funds to departments and other agencies for the purchase of books and periodicals, and other equipment.
iv. Committee on Professional Affairs a. Composition . This Committee is composed of five tenured teaching members of the
Faculty, one elected by each division, and two elected at-large. It shall annually elect its own Chair, in which capacity no member shall be eligible to serve for more than two consecutive years. [Revised: April 10, 2014]
b. Function . It shall be the duty of this Committee: To review current practices at Davidson College concerning preservation of academic freedom; policies regarding Faculty appointments, promotions, and tenure; programs of Faculty welfare, including policies concerning compensation and fringe benefits; and policies of institutional support for study, research, travel, and active participation in professional organizations.
i. To formulate and recommend to the Faculty changes in the policies covering the matters listed in (a).
ii. Upon request, to advise the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, the department chairs, or any member of the Faculty regarding any Faculty personnel matter such as new appointments, promotions, dismissals, tenure, sabbaticals, and leaves of absence.
iii. To conduct elections of Faculty members to Councils and Faculty committees.iv. To review annually, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Faculty, all
appointments of teaching members of the Faculty to Councils, Committees and other offices to ensure compliance with the limits on terms, committee number, and committee workload prescribed by these Bylaws. [Added: March 15, 2012]
v. To carry out investigations of charges of Faculty misconduct in research and scholarship pursuant to the College's Policy and Procedures on Ethical Conduct in Research and Scholarship. [Renumbered: March 15, 2012]
v. Faculty Hearings Committee a. Composition .
i. This Committee is composed of five tenured teaching members of the Faculty elected at-large. It shall elect its own Chair.
ii. In preparing to hear a particular case, members of this Committee deeming themselves disqualified for reasons of bias or interest shall remove themselves from the case or shall do so at the request of a party involved. Any vacancies occurring on this Committee while a contested matter is to come before it shall be filled by the Faculty Executive Committee, which shall appoint disinterested members of the tenured teaching Faculty to fill such vacancies.
b. Function . The duties of this Committee, which concern termination of employment, dismissal, or suspension of a member of the Davidson College Faculty, are to be found in Article X of the Davidson College Constitution. This Article fixes the rules of procedure of the Committee.
vi. Faculty Tenure Committeea. Composition . This Committee is composed of three tenured teaching members of the
Faculty, each representing one of the three divisions of the Faculty but elected at-large. Nominees with the second highest number of votes will serve as alternates in the event that Committee members in their respective divisions are unable to serve. The Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty is a nonvoting member and does not participate in the meeting at which the Committee votes. The Committee shall annually elect a Chair from among its members.
b. Function . The Committee shall consider the qualifications of Faculty members eligible for continuous tenure and shall convey its recommendation to the President.
vii. Educational Technology Committee [Revised: April 10, 2014]a. Composition . This Committee is composed of five voting members: the Executive
Director of Information Technology Services, one teaching member of the Faculty elected by each division, and one student member selected by the SGA. The President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty (or VPAA/DoF designate),
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and the Director of Instructional Technology are nonvoting members. The Committee shall annually elect its own Chair from among the faculty members, in which capacity no member shall be eligible to serve for more than two consecutive years. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
b. Function . The Committee offers advice and counsel to the Executive Director of Information Technology and to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty to enhance the value of the Information Technology Services for the academic program. This committee provides advice and guidance on all aspects of educational technology. These responsibilities include preparing recommendations on the policies of operation and on the development of a wide variety of instructional and research uses of the computer in the curriculum. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
viii. Review Boarda. Composition . The Board is composed of three members of the teaching Faculty, elected
at-large, and two students, elected at-large, pursuant to respective Bylaws. The Board shall annually elect as Chair one of its Faculty members.
b. Function . Established as a special committee by the College Constitution, Article VIII.4.c, which stipulates that “[v]iolations of the Honor Code and the Code of Responsibility are determined and sanctions imposed only in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Disciplinary Procedure of 1971,” the Review Board hears appeals of decisions by the Honor Council, the Judicial Committee, or the Sexual Misconduct Board, in accordance with the terms of the Code of Disciplinary Procedure.
E. Faculty-Established Administrative Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]
1. General Principles Regarding Faculty-Established Administrative Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]a. Faculty-Established Administrative Committees are established by the Faculty to serve specific
curricular purposes or other Faculty-related matters. [Revised: March 15, 2012]b. Unless otherwise specified, the President appoints all appointive Faculty members of these committees
for staggered, renewable three-year terms, up to a maximum of two consecutive terms, except in extenuating circumstances. [Revised: April 10, 2014 and March 15, 2012]
c. The Committee on Professional Affairs, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Faculty, reviews annually all appointments of Faculty members to ensure compliance with these Bylaws. [Added: March 15, 2012]
d. The membership of any committee composed in whole or in part of appointed members may be expanded by additional appointments for a period of one year at the request of the President and with the consent of the Executive Committee. An expansion beyond one year shall call for amendment of these Bylaws. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
e. All elective members of the Faculty on these committees shall be elected by the Faculty following the procedures in Section H. [Added: March 15, 2012]
f. If none is here specified, the President shall designate a Chair or request that the committee elect one.
2. Faculty-Established Administrative Committees Recognized by These Bylaws [Revised: April 10, 2014, March 15, 2012 and October 3, 2013]a. Committee on Curriculum Requirements
(1) Composition . This Committee is composed of one associate or full professor from the Faculty elected by each division, and the Registrar, who shall serve as Chair. The President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty are nonvoting members.
(2) Function . The Committee advises the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty regarding interpretations of, and exceptions to, existing requirements of the curriculum. On call of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, or on petition of a student, it shall be empowered to make final determinations. Reports of all such committee actions are to be submitted promptly to the Executive Committee. In addition, at least once each year the Committee shall report to the Faculty a summary of all exceptions made to the current published academic regulations. Any student who is presenting a petition may ask to be heard by the Committee. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
b. Committee on Faculty Study and Research (1) Composition . This Committee is composed of the Associate Dean of Faculty, who serves as the
Chair of the Committee, and five teaching members of the Faculty, two appointed and three
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elected by divisions. The VPAA/DoF is a nonvoting member. The Director of the Office of Grants and Contracts is an advisory member.[Revised: September 2015]
(2) Function . The Committee assists the VPAA/DoF in collecting information on the research and creative activities of the Faculty and in encouraging such work. The Committee also offers counsel and advice to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty on the approval of sabbatical leaves and the allocation of grants to aid Faculty research, publication, continuing education, creative activity, and attendance at professional meetings.
c. Committee on Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships(1) Composition . This Committee is composed of nine teaching members of the Faculty (three elected
at-large, and six appointed), the Director for Graduate Fellowships, the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, the Associate Dean of Faculty, and the VPAA/DoF. The VPAA/DoF appoints the Chair annually from among the committee members and assigns the six appointed faculty members as advisers for any specific scholarships and/or fellowships. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
(2) Function . The Committee serves to advise and assist the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty in encouraging students to seek graduate scholarships and fellowships; to counsel students in preparing applications; to act as an interviewing and recommending board when nomination by the College is required; and to assist other members of the Faculty in encouraging able students to pursue graduate studies.
d. Committee on Honorary Degrees(1) Composition . This Committee is composed of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of
Faculty, the Vice President for College Relations, and four appointed teaching members of the Faculty. The President is a nonvoting member. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
(2) Function . The Committee serves to counsel with the Trustees on the conferring of honorary degrees, to recommend candidates for such degrees to the Faculty for its approval, and to present to the Trustees the names of those chosen by the Faculty for the advice and consent of the Trustees. The Committee also makes nominations to the Faculty for the Algernon Sydney Sullivan awards.
e. Committee on International Education(1) Composition . This Committee is composed of eight teaching members of the Faculty, five
appointed and three elected at-large, the Coordinator for Study Abroad, the Director of the Dean Rusk [International Studies] Program, the International Student Advisor, and two students as designated by the SGA. The VPAA/DoF appoints the Chair annually from among the committee members. The President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty are nonvoting members. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
(2) Function . The Committee advises the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty concerning policies regarding the College programs of study abroad, international students, and activities relating to international education on the campus. Through the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty the Committee makes recommendations to the Educational Policy Committee for its review and recommendations to the Faculty regarding new programs, major alterations in existing ones, policies regarding the granting of credit for study abroad, and policies regarding the academic programs for international students on the campus. This Committee additionally advises the Director of the Dean Rusk [International Studies] Program on programming and other activities, and awards travel grants to students and members of the Faculty from the Program’s funds designated for that purpose. Travel grants to members of the Faculty are subject to the approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
f. Pre Management Advisory Committee [Added: March 15, 2012](1) Composition . This Committee is composed of one appointed teaching member of the Faculty.(2) Function . The Committee shall promote an understanding of the benefits of a liberal arts education
as a foundation for a career in corporate, not-for-profit, and governmental careers. Students will be exposed to speakers who are leaders in their fields and who value the characteristics that liberal arts students bring to the workplace.
g. Pre Medical Advisory Committee [Added: March 15, 2012](1) Composition . This Committee is composed of the Director of the Premedical Program, who is the
Chair of the Committee, and eight appointed teaching members of the Faculty.
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(2) Function . The Committee advises and evaluates premedical students. In accordance with specific protocols and at the student’s request, the Committee determines a level of support for the student, advises the student accordingly, and prepares a final recommendation for submission to medical schools.
h. Pre Ministerial Advisory Committee [Added: March 15, 2012](1) Composition . This Committee is composed of two appointed teaching members of the Faculty, the
College Chaplain, a representative from the Career Services Office, and one other member of the Division of Student Life.
(2) Function . The Committee cultivates programs that assist students considering graduate theological education and/or careers in some form of religious leadership. It hosts campus visits by representatives from seminaries and divinity schools and organizes opportunities for students to gather for vocational discernment related to religious service. It administers the Davidson Fellowships in Religious Vocation and Leadership and the Warner Hall Travel/Study Grant fund in conjunction with the Dean Rusk International Studies Program.
i. Committee on Public Lectures [Renumbered: March 15, 2012](1) Composition . This Committee is composed of seven teaching members of the Faculty (four
appointed by the President and three elected at-large) serving staggered four-year terms, the Director of the Dean Rusk Program, one student appointed by the Senate of the SGA, one student appointed by the Union Board, and the Chair of the Union Speakers Committee. The President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty are nonvoting members. The Director of the College Union is an advisory member. The Vice President for Academic Affairs appoints the Chair annually from among the committee members. [Revised: April 10, 2014 and March 15, 2012]
(2) Function . The Committee, in coordination with the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, plans and schedules major public lecture programs of an academic or scholarly nature, such as the Reynolds and Otts Lectures.
j. Center for Interdisciplinary Studies Committee(1) Composition. This Committee is composed of three teaching members of the Faculty, one from
each division, appointed for staggered three year terms, and the Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, who shall serve as Chair.
(2) Function. The Committee advises the Director and the VPAA on the academic quality and management of student-designated majors and Center-established majors are aligned with nationally-recognized educational standards and college expectations, and it annually reviews and assesses the academic activity of the Center.
k. Committee on Student Study and Research(1) Composition: This Committee is composed of the Associate Dean of Faculty, who serves as Chair
of the Committee, and five teaching members of the Faculty, two appointed and three elected by division. The VPAA/DoF is a nonvoting member. The Director of the Office of Grants and Contracts is an advisory member.
(2) Function. The Committee assists the VPAA/DoF in collecting information on the research and creative activities of students and in encouraging such work. The Committee awards student research fellowships.
F. Administration-Established Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]1. General Principles Regarding Administration-Established Committees [Revised: March 15, 2012]
a. Administration-Established Committees are established by the Administration to implement college policies or to support specific programs or administrative offices. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
b. Unless otherwise specified, the President appoints all appointive Faculty members of these committees for staggered, renewable three-year terms, up to a maximum of two consecutive terms, except in extenuating circumstances. [Revised: April 10, 2014 and March 15, 2012]
c. The Committee on Professional Affairs, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Faculty, reviews annually all appointments of Faculty members to ensure their compliance with these Bylaws. [Added: March 15, 2012]
d. All elective members of the Faculty on these committees shall be elected by the Faculty following the procedures in Section H. [Added: March 15, 2012]
e. When the functions of any of these committees are no longer needed, the Administration shall disband the committee. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
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2. Administration-Established Committees Recognized by These Bylaws [Revised: March 15, 2012]a. Committee on Academic Advising
(1) Composition . This Committee is composed of the Associate Dean for Academic Administration, who serves as Chair; the Dean or the Associate Dean of Students; the Registrar; and five teaching members of the Faculty elected by divisions and at-large. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
(2) Function . The Committee, created upon the recommendation of an Academic Advising Task force in 1996, serves to advise the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty and the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students on issues and procedures related to the advising of students at Davidson at both pre-major and major levels.
b. Diversity Advisory Committee [Revised: March 15, 2012](1) Composition . This Committee is composed of the Special Assistant to the President/General
Counsel, who shall serve as Chair, one staff member from each division of the college, two faculty members elected at-large, and three students. The Director of Human Resources and the Director of Multicultural Affairs shall serve ex officio. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
(2) Function . The Committee advises the President and the Principal Executive Staff with regard to policy affecting the status and quality of life of minority groups within the academic community.
c. Human Subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB) [Renumbered: March 15, 2012](1) Composition . In accordance with federal guidelines, the Board (the IRB) is composed of five
appointed teaching members of the Faculty, two or three staff members, a qualified citizen from the local community who is not affiliated in any way with the College, and at least two students. The Director of the Office of Grants and Contracts is an advisory member. The President designates the Chair, who must be a member of the Faculty. Membership must represent both genders; at least one member must be primarily active in a scientific area and one in a non-scientific area. Members of the IRB must have the professional competence necessary to promote complete and adequate review of research activities commonly conducted under the auspices of the College. The IRB may invite other qualified persons with competence in special areas to advise in the review of complex research, but without privilege of the vote. No member of the IRB may participate in the review of any project in which that member is involved. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
(2) Function . The Board reviews all research involving human subjects, performed under College auspices, for compliance with federal guidelines and with the ethical standard that human research subjects should be treated with dignity, respect, and due regard for their welfare. Under federal and College policies, “research” refers to systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. The IRB’s policies and procedures are available from the Office of Grants and Contracts and on that office’s web site.
d. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) [Renumbered: March 15, 2012](1) Composition . In accordance with NIH guidelines, this Committee is composed of five appointed
teaching members of the Faculty, the College veterinarian, and a qualified citizen from the local community who is not affiliated in any way with the College. The President designates the Chair. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
(2) Function . The Committee certifies that all use of animals at Davidson College complies with relevant laws and federal guidelines. It reviews all protocols (proposals) for use of animals in teaching and research and approves only those that meet federal guidelines for the humane use and treatment of animals. The Committee also assures that all individuals using animals in the classroom or in research are aware of federal guidelines pertaining to the use of animals and have received training adequate for them to meet those guidelines. It also makes biannual inspection tours of all facilities for animals on campus to make sure that federal guidelines are being maintained.
e. Biohazards Committee [Renumbered: March 15, 2012](1) Composition . This Committee is composed of one appointed teaching member of the faculty, one
representative of the laboratory technical staff, one other appointed member of the administration, and two members unaffiliated with the College. The membership must include persons with expertise in recombinant DNA technology, biological safety, and physical containment. It must also include or have available as consultants persons knowledgeable in institutional commitments and policies, applicable law, standards of professional conduct and practice, community attitudes, and the environment. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
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(2) Function . This Committee reviews and approves protocols pertaining to biosafety issues related to teaching and research, and fulfills the functions of the federally mandated Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), which is responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with NIH guidelines on all activities that involve recombinant DNA. [Added: March 15, 2012]
f. Pre Law Committee(1) Composition . The Pre Law Committee is composed of one person appointed by the President,
who is Chair, one appointed teaching member of the Faculty, the Director of Career Services, and two student members of the student Pre Law Society (PLS). [Revised: March 15, 2012]
(2) Function . The pre-law committee will work with the student club to provide programs on campus and to arrange visits to law firms and nearby law schools. The Careers Office will offer guidance about the choice of law as a profession, serve as a source of general career advising, co-ordinate the law school fair, and keep a library of materials for students to examine about law schools and law as a profession. The Careers Office and faculty advisers will give advice to individual students about their choice of law schools and will critique personal statements. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
g. Media Board [Added: March 15, 2012](1) Composition . This Committee is composed of three students chosen in accordance with the
Student Government Association Bylaws, one teaching member of the Faculty elected at-large, two administrative officers appointed by the President, and three additional members chosen from the College community by these six members. The Board elects its own Chair.
(2) Function . Subject to Article V of the By-Laws of the Trustees of Davidson College, the Board is responsible for student media and reports to the Trustees through the President. It authorizes College sponsored media written, edited, and staffed by students. It appoints and dismisses editors and general managers; approves the budgets of these media; reviews their finances; promulgates and periodically reviews the standards of responsible journalism by which the media abide; and assures media adherence to them. It interprets the community standards of decency and must be consulted on problems of libel that cannot be resolved through the editor’s consultation with legal counsel. It may review the performance of the editors and general managers and shall investigate and act on complaints in regard thereto.
h. Sexual Misconduct Board [Added: March 15, 2012](1) Composition . This Committee is composed of nine teaching members of the Faculty, six
appointed and three elected at-large. [Revised: February 2014](2) Function . This Committee hears formal complaints of sexual misconduct by students in
accordance with the terms of the Sexual Misconduct Policy.i. Human Resources Advisory Committee [Added: March 15, 2012]
(1) Composition . This Committee is composed of the Director of Human Resources, who serves as Chair, at least one staff member from each of the six major administrative divisions of the College (Athletics, Admission and Financial Aid, Student Life, Academic Affairs, College Relations, Finance and Administration) and one teaching member of the Faculty elected at-large. [Revised: October 4, 2012]
(2) Function . The Committee advises Human Resources on employee policies and benefits.j. Environmental Health and Safety [Added: April 10, 2014]
(1) Composition . Faculty on this Committee are appointed for three-year terms, others for one-year terms. A member of Physical Plant serves as Chair. Additional membership consists of two faculty (one from the Chemistry Department, one outside of the NSM division), and one member each from Public Safety, Human Resources, Auxiliary Services, and Residence Life. One student representative is appointed by the Committee. The Environmental Safety Specialist serves as Secretary.
(2) Function . The role of the Committee is to make recommendations to the President in regards to environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) issues on campus. In performing that role, the Committee serves as the governing board for campus EH&S programs, evaluating and making recommendations on resources for EH&S compliance projects as they present themselves. Additionally, the Committee reviews all lost time accidents, near miss incidents, and compliance findings. Members of the Committee assist in reviewing campus compliance programs as they are written or revised.
G. Provisional Committees and Others [Revised: April 10, 2014; Added: March 15, 2012]1. General Principles Regarding Provisional Committees
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a. Encourage an equitable distribution of service responsibilities.b. Any newly created committee on which members of the Faculty are meant to serve shall be designated
a Provisional Committee should the Faculty deem the committee as described in keeping with the following definition:
A body that is distinct from any major, minor, or concentration program, that is composed wholly or in part of teaching members of the Faculty elected by the Faculty or appointed directly by the President or the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, that functions in a College-oriented advisory or administrative capacity of significance beyond the fulfillment of an isolated task, and whose responsibilities cannot reasonably be carried out by a member or members of a pre-existing Council, Committee, or other office.
c. The Secretary of the Faculty shall maintain the list of Provisional Committees, along with a description of their compositions, functions, workload, and accountability to the Faculty. The Committee on Professional Affairs shall review annually each Provisional Committee, whereupon the Committee on Professional Affairs shall make a recommendation of any one or more of the following to the Faculty: that the Faculty recommend to the President that the Provisional Committee be disbanded or altered in composition, that it be removed from the list of Provisional Committees and divested of its workload, or that it be formally added by an amendment to these Bylaws to the appropriate committee category above, along with a description of the committee’s composition and function, and its inclusion in the list of recognized committees at Section A.1.e.
2. Provisional Committees and Others recognized by these bylaws [Added: April 10, 2014]a. Equity Advisers. These Faculty are volunteers and/or recommended by the VPAA/DoF. There is no set
term of service. Equity Advisers serve as non-voting members of tenure-track or administrative faculty search committees and assist in the determination of recruiting methods, drafting interview questions, monitoring the diversity of the applicant pool, and reviewing the hiring process for unconscious bias. Additionally, Equity Advisers are trained in best practices in hiring to improve the selection process.
b. Interdisciplinary Core Faculty: These are Faculty who have a committed service agreement to an interdisciplinary department (other than chairing it) in addition to their contractual appointment in another department. Obligations to this second interdisciplinary department include attending department meetings, advising students, mentoring independent studies, participating in faculty searches, establishing departmental policies, and organizing and attending co-curricular opportunities for students.
H. Election Procedures [Revised 08/01/98 and October 4, 2012; Renumbered: March 15, 2012]1. In years in which a Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem is to be elected, this election is to be carried out in
full before election of Faculty members to committees, and in accord with the procedures set forth for election to committees. The following special conditions apply:a. The nominees for Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem are to be from among tenured members of the
Faculty.b. The person elected to this position is expected to resign from all Faculty-Established Advisory
Committees or Councils of the College, and any resultant vacancy is to be filled in the regular election. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
c. If the current holder of the position steps down prior to the conclusion of his/her term, the person elected as a replacement shall start a new three-year term. Should the transition occur at a time other than August 1, the new term will be considered to end on July 31 of the calendar year three years after the calendar year in which the transition takes place. [Added: October 4, 2012]
2. On or before April 1 of each year, the Committee on Professional Affairs shall present to the Faculty nominees for all at-large elective vacancies to be filled on Faculty-Established Committees, Administration-Established Committees, and Councils of the College. Nominations are to be accompanied by a list of all Faculty members eligible for election. During the following three days of a regular academic week (Saturdays and Sundays excluded), any group of five or more Faculty members, in concord, may make additional nominations in writing to the Chair of the Committee on Professional Affairs. No such group shall submit more than one name for each vacancy. Any person nominated for more than one committee on which simultaneous service is not permitted, shall be asked to select which position to seek. In no case will the final slate contain fewer than two nominees for each vacancy. [Revised: March 15, 2012]
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3. Any Faculty member who will be on leave of absence for more than one semester of the academic year following elections will not be eligible for election to office for that academic year. Ordinarily a Faculty member who goes on leave for only one semester will not be replaced on a committee; a Faculty member elected to serve on a committee who goes on leave for more than one academic semester after the first year of service will be replaced by election for the remainder of the term of office. Any committee whose work requires the replacement of members on leave for one academic semester may petition the Committee on Professional Affairs to set in motion the appropriate procedures for a one-semester replacement. Before voting ballots are distributed to the Faculty, the Committee on Professional Affairs will ascertain whether any nominees or current committee members are to be on leave during the ensuing year.
4. At the end of the three-day period, the Committee will present the amended slate to the Faculty. Faculty members will then vote for one candidate for each vacancy, returning their ballots within three days as instructed by the Chair of the Committee on Professional Affairs. Voting members of the faculty who are on leave away from campus at the time of an election may request absentee voting privileges. It is the responsibility of such individuals to inform the Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty of their intent to vote and to provide an appropriate fax number or e-mail address. Ballots will be sent electronically to those individuals on the day the written ballots are distributed to the faculty. The on-leave member must respond within the three-day period to the Executive Assistant, who will remove all identifying information from the ballot before submitting it.
5. Those persons receiving a majority of the votes for vacant positions will be declared elected, unless the number receiving a majority exceeds the number of places to be filled. In such an event, those receiving the largest number of votes will be declared elected. If all vacancies are not filled by this ballot, a second vote will be taken. The number of names appearing on this ballot for each position will exceed by one the number of places to be filled, and will be those receiving the largest number of votes on the first ballot. Vacancies will be filled by those receiving the largest number of votes on this ballot. In the event of tie votes on any ballot, necessary choices will be made by lot by the Committee on Professional Affairs.
6. After the election of at-large members of Committees and Councils of the College, divisions shall meet as soon as possible to elect divisional representatives. The Committee on Professional Affairs shall notify each division of vacancies to be filled by that division. For conduct of such elections, the then serving divisional representative on the Executive Committee shall be deemed chair of the division.
7. When special elections are required to fill unexpired terms, the Committee on Professional Affairs shall establish dates of election and shall conduct elections with procedures as described above. If such an election is to be conducted by a division of the Faculty, the Committee on Professional Affairs shall see to it that the division concerned fills the vacancy as soon as possible.
8. If the Faculty establishes a Commission with Faculty members to be elected at-large, or if any other ad hoc committee be established with elective Faculty membership, the Committee on Professional Affairs shall describe the procedure for election, with the stipulation that sufficient time be allowed the Faculty for making nominations in addition to those which may be made by the Committee on Professional Affairs.
9. Terms of office expire at the conclusion of the academic year, at which time newly elected members take office.
10. Upon ratification of these Bylaws, such committees as are then in existence and projected to continue in existence shall maintain their current membership. New committees or councils established by these Bylaws or by the College Constitution shall be elected by means of the above procedures, with length of term for elected members of the Faculty determined by the relative number of votes received.
11. Situations not covered by the procedures in this Article shall be determined by the Committee on Professional Affairs.
[Note: Ordinarily faculty members are not expected to serve on more than two faculty committees.]
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ARTICLE VAmendment Procedure
A. A proposed amendment to these Bylaws may be initiated by the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty, an Elective Committee of the Faculty, or by ten percent of the voting members of the Faculty in residence.
B. Any amendment shall be circulated to members of the Faculty at least two weeks before it is to be brought before the Faculty for vote.
C. The proposed amendment shall be placed on the agenda of a meeting of the Faculty, discussed, and voted upon. If it passes this reading by majority vote (with provision for amendment, by majority vote, of the proposal), it shall be read a second time at a subsequent meeting of the Faculty, held no sooner than three weeks after the first vote. No amendment of the proposal held by the Parliamentarian to be a substantial alteration of the proposal shall be entertained at this second reading. This second and final reading shall require for passage of the proposed amendment a two-thirds majority of the Faculty present and voting.
D. Any amendment of these Bylaws shall take effect upon passage at second reading, unless the President asks that it be delayed in effect pending consideration by either the Executive Committee of the Trustees or by the full Board at its next regular or called meeting. The Trustees may, without recommendation of the President, decline to approve an amendment enacted by the Faculty, in which case it is no longer effective. The Faculty may, as part of an amendment, set a date upon which it will take effect, or request review by the Trustees at their next regular meeting. All amendments of these Bylaws shall be reported to the Trustees.
E. Barring suspension of effectiveness of an amendment as directed by the President prior to consultation with the Trustees, or written statement from the Trustees to the Faculty declining to approve an amendment to these Bylaws, the Faculty vote to amend shall be taken as final.1.
SECTION II: FACULTY POLICIES
2.1 ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND TENURE, FACULTY EMPLOYMENT AND EVALUATION
Article X The Constitution of Davidson College 1976
1. Statement of PrinciplesDavidson College is fully committed to the principles of academic freedom as formulated in the 1940
Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure by the Association of American Colleges and the American Association of University Professors. In order to protect academic freedom and tenure and the requirements of academic due process, the following sections of this Article X shall govern the terms and conditions of the employment of members of the Faculty of the College.
2. General Authority and ResponsibilityThe Trustees of Davidson College retain the power of final approval of all initial appointments, renewals of
appointments, promotions in rank, compensation and conferrals of tenure for faculty members. While tenure may be withheld on any grounds other than those specifically stated to be impermissible under section 11 of this Article X, its conferral by the Trustees requires evidence of demonstrated professional competence, service to the academic community, and commitment to the welfare of the College. The President of the College or the President’s delegates, acting in accordance with the provisions of this Article are responsible for making recommendations to the Trustees in respect of all such matters.
The faculty participates in the process in the manner provided in succeeding sections of this Article X. To discharge the function therein assigned, the Faculty shall elect from its membership, in such manner as may be provided in its Bylaws, a Committee on Professional Affairs and a Faculty Tenure Committee and a Faculty
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Hearings Committee (the “FHC”). The FHC shall be composed of five tenured members of the Faculty and shall elect its own chair. No Faculty members may simultaneously serve as a member of more than one of these committees. [Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 24, 1989]
3. Statement of Terms of AppointmentA. The terms and conditions of every appointment to the Faculty will be stated in writing, and a copy of the
appointment document will be supplied to the faculty member. Any subsequent renewals or modifications of an appointment, and any special understandings, or any notices incumbent upon either party to provide, will be stated in writing and a copy will be given to the faculty member.
B. With the exception of special appointments clearly limited to a brief association with the College, and reappointments of retired faculty members on special conditions, all full time appointments to the rank of instructor or higher are of two kinds: (1) probationary appointments; (2) appointments with continuous tenure.
C. Except for faculty members who have tenure status, every person with a teaching or research appointment of any kind will be informed each year in writing of the terms of appointment and of all matters relative to such person’s eligibility for the acquisition of tenure.
4. Special Appointments for Fixed TermsAll appointments which are not probationary or with continuous tenure shall be special in nature and for
fixed terms of limited duration. No obligation exists on the part of the College to evaluate such a special appointee with a view to continued employment past the end of the fixed term, nor to give any notice in respect of such an intention. The appointment terminates automatically upon expiration of the fixed term.
5. Probationary AppointmentsA. Probationary appointments may be for one year, or for other stated periods, subject to renewal. The total
period of full time service prior to the acquisition of continuous tenure will not exceed seven years, including all previous full time service with the rank of instructor or higher in other institutions of higher learning except that the probationary period may extend to as much as four years even if the total of all such previous full time service in the profession thereby exceeds seven years by providing for such extension in writing at the time of initial appointment. Scholarly leave of absence for one year or less will count as part of the probationary period as if it were previous full time service with the rank of instructor or higher at another institution, unless the individual and the College agree in writing to an exception to this provision at the time the leave is granted.
B. The faculty member will be advised, at the time of initial appointment, of the substantive standards and procedures generally employed in decisions affecting renewal and tenure. The faculty member will be advised of the time when decisions affecting renewal or tenure are ordinarily made, and will be given the opportunity to submit material which the faculty member believes will be helpful to an adequate consideration of the faculty member’s circumstances.
C. Regardless of the stated term or other provisions of any probationary appointments, written notice that the appointment is not to be renewed will be given to the faculty member in advance of the expiration of the faculty member’s appointment as follows; 1) not later than March 1 of the first academic year of service if the appointment expires at the end of that year; or, if a one-year appointment terminates during an academic year, at least three months in advance of its termination; 2) not later than March 1 of the second academic year of service if the appointment expires at the end of that year; 3) at least twelve months before the expiration of an appointment after two or more years of service at the College. The College will normally notify faculty members of the terms and conditions of their renewals by March 15, but in no case will such information be given later than April 15.[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]
D. When a decision not to renew an appointment has been reached, the faculty member involved will be informed of that decision in writing by the President or the President’s delegate. The faculty member may request a reconsideration by the President.
6. Termination of Appointment by the Faculty MemberA faculty member may terminate his or her appointment effective at the end of an academic year, provided
that the faculty member gives notice in writing at the earliest possible opportunity, but not later than May 15. The faculty member may request a waiver of this requirement of notice in case of hardship or in a situation where the faculty member would otherwise be denied substantial professional advancement or other opportunity.
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7. Termination of Appointment by the CollegeA. Termination of an appointment with continuous tenure, or of a special or probationary appointment before
the specified term, may be effected by the College only for the reasons set forth in this section 7. B. Adequate Cause. Adequate cause for a dismissal will be related, directly and substantially, to the fitness of
the faculty member in the faculty member’s professional capacity as a teacher-scholar or as an administrator, where applicable. Incompetence, neglect of duty, and misconduct involving moral turpitude are examples of adequate cause. Dismissal will not be used to restrain faculty members in their exercise of academic freedom or other rights of American citizens. If termination takes the form of a dismissal for adequate cause, it will be pursuant to the procedure specified in Section 8 of this Article X.
C. Bona Fide Financial Exigency, or Discontinuance of a Program or Department of Instruction. Where termination of an appointment with continuous tenure, or of a nontenured appointment before the end of the specified term, is based upon bona fide financial exigency or discontinuance of a program or department of instruction, Section 8 will not apply, but faculty members shall be entitled to have the issues reviewed by the Faculty Hearings Committee, with ultimate review of all controverted issues by the Trustees. In every case of financial exigency or discontinuance of a program or department of instruction, the faculty member concerned will be given notice or severance salary not less than as prescribed in Section 10 of this Article X. Before terminating an appointment because of the discontinuance of a program or department of instruction, the College will exert its best efforts to place affected faculty members in other suitable positions. If an appointment is terminated before the end of the period of appointment, because of financial exigency, or because of the discontinuance of a program or department of instruction, the released faculty member’s place will not be filled by a replacement within a period of four years, unless the released faculty member has been offered reappointment and a reasonable time within which to accept or decline it.
D. Inability to Perform for Medical Reasons. If the reason for a faculty member’s lack of fitness to perform his or her position(s) as a teacher-scholar or as an administrator is for medical reasons, the faculty member may request leave or may apply for disability benefits or disability retirement benefits, as applicable. Further, termination of an appointment with continuous tenure, or of a nontenured or special appointment before the end of the period of appointment, may be made because of a faculty member’s continued inability to perform the essential functions and duties of his or her position(s) with the College, with or without reasonable accommodation, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment. The College will comply with all applicable laws regarding leaves of absence and other laws that relate to disabled or injured employees in connection with any such action. The College will also make a good faith effort to reasonably accommodate qualified faculty members with known disabilities as defined by law unless doing so would result in an undue hardship or the continued engagement of a faculty member would present a direct threat of substantial harm to the faculty member or others, even with potential reasonable accommodations.
The decision to terminate will be reached only after there has been appropriate consultation and the faculty member or the faculty member’s representative has been informed of the basis of the proposed action and been afforded an opportunity to respond. If the faculty member so requests, the basis for the disability-related termination will be reviewed by the FHC before a final decision is made by the Trustees on the recommendation of the President of the College.[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]
8. Dismissal and Suspension ProceduresA. [Intentionally omitted]
[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]B. Except for dismissal of a faculty member for violation of the Policy and Procedures on Ethical Research
and Scholarship, which shall be handled according to procedures provided therein, dismissal of a faculty member with a continuous tenure appointment, or with a special or probationary appointment before the end of the specific term, will be preceded by: 1) discussions between the faculty member and appropriate administrative officers looking toward a mutual settlement; 2) informal inquiry by the Professional Affairs Committee which may, failing to effect an adjustment, determine whether in its opinion dismissal proceedings should be undertaken, without its opinion being binding upon the President; 3) a statement of reasons, framed with reasonable particularity by the President or the President’s delegates.[Revised: See Trustee Minutes October 9, 1992; February 3, 2017]
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C. A dismissal, as defined in Section 8 (a), will be preceded by a statement of reasons, and the individual concerned will have the right to be heard initially by the FHC. A faculty member exercises the right to be heard initially by the FHC by giving written notice to the chair of the FHC and the President within ten (10) days of receiving the statement of reasons. If the faculty member does not in a timely manner invoke the right to be heard by the FHC, the President can proceed with the dismissal. In the written notice, the faculty member may request a hearing; or waive a hearing but deny the charges or assert that the charges do not support a finding of adequate cause, in which case the FHC will evaluate all available evidence and rest its recommendation upon the evidence in the record.
[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]D. Organizational Procedures Prior to Dismissal Hearings. Upon the call of the Chair of the FHC, the
FHC shall take the following actions:1. Members of the FHC who are members of the faculty member’s department, and any other members
deeming themselves disqualified for bias or interest, shall remove themselves from the case by so notifying the Chair of the FHC. (If the Chair is thereby disqualified, he or she shall appoint a convener from among the remaining members.)
2. The Chair (or convener) shall promptly notify the faculty member and the Administration of any disqualifications of the FHC members.
3. Members of the FHC may also be removed from the appeal at the request of the faculty member or the Administration; each party will have a maximum of two challenges without stated cause. The Chair (or convener) of the FHC shall set an appropriate schedule for the exercise of such challenges.
4. The Chair (or convener) will notify the Secretary of the Faculty Executive Committee of any resultant vacancies, which will be filled by action of the Faculty Executive Committee. (See Faculty Bylaws IV.D.2.e(1)(b))
5. The FHC as then constituted shall meet for the purposes of electing a Chair, if necessary, and a Secretary; it shall notify the faculty member and the Administration of its current membership; and shall set a schedule for the hearing and pre-hearing meetings, if any.
6. If the FHC deems it desirable to have independent legal counsel, the College will provide such counsel at the expense of the College, which shall supply a list of at least two attorneys from which the FHC shall select one.
[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]E. Ex Parte Communications. There shall be no ex parte communications with the members of the FHC by
the faculty member, the Administration or their representatives regarding the subject matter of the hearing at any stage of the proceedings.[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]
F. Suspension. Pending a final decision by the FHC, the faculty member will be suspended, or assigned to other duties in lieu of suspension, only if immediate harm to the faculty member or others is threatened by his or her continuance. Before suspending a faculty member, pending an ultimate determination of the faculty member’s status through these hearing procedures, the Administration will consult with the Professional Affairs Committee concerning the propriety, the length, and the other conditions of the suspension. A suspension which is intended to be final is a dismissal, and will be treated as such. Salary will continue during the period of any suspension other than one constituting a dismissal.[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]
G. Pre-Hearing Meetings. The FHC may, with the consent of parties concerned, hold joint pre-hearing meetings with the parties in order to (i) eliminate, simplify, or otherwise address the issues, (ii) effect stipulations of facts, (iii) provide for the exchange of documentary or other information, and (iv) achieve such other appropriate pre-hearing objectives as will make the hearing fair, effective, and expeditious.[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]
H. Hearing. A hearing shall be held at the date, time, and place set by the Faculty Hearings Committee. 1. Service of notice of hearing with specific reasons in writing will be made at least twenty days prior to
the hearing. 2. The faculty member may respond to the reasons in writing at any time before the hearing. 3. The Faculty Hearings Committee, in consultation with the President and the faculty member, will
exercise its judgement as to whether the hearing should be public or private.4. During the proceedings the faculty member will be permitted to have an academic advisor and counsel
of his or her own choice.
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5. At the request of either party or the FHC, a representative of a responsible educational association shall be permitted to attend the proceedings as an observer, provided the observer agrees in advance to respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.
6. A verbatim record of the hearing or hearings will be taken and a typewritten copy will be made available to the faculty member without cost, at the faculty member’s request. All notices and correspondence prepared or received by the FHC in connection with the hearing, and all documents introduced at the hearing shall be made a part of the record of the hearing. Following conclusion of all proceedings, the record shall be deposited under seal in the College Archives.
7. The burden of proof that adequate cause exists rests with the College and shall be satisfied only by clear and convincing evidence in the record considered as a whole.
8. The FHC will grant adjournments to enable either party to investigate evidence as to which a valid claim of surprise is made.
9. The faculty member will be afforded an opportunity to obtain necessary witnesses and documentary or other evidence. The Administration will cooperate with the FHC in securing witnesses and making available documentary and other evidence.
10. The faculty member and the Administration will have the right to confront and cross-examine all witnesses. Where the witness cannot or will not appear, but the FHC determines that the interests of justice require admission of their statements, the Committee will identify the witnesses, disclose their statements, and if possible provide for interrogatories.
11. In the hearing of charges of incompetence, the testimony shall include that of qualified faculty members from the College or other institutions of higher education.
12. The FHC will not be bound by strict rules of legal evidence, and may admit any evidence which is of probative value in determining the issues involved. Every reasonable effort will be made to obtain the most reliable evidence available.
13. The findings of fact and the decision will be based solely on the hearing record.14. Except for such simple announcements as may be required, covering the time of the hearing and
similar matters, public statements and publicity about the case by either the faculty member or administrative officers will be avoided so far as possible until the proceedings have been completed, including consideration by the Trustees.
[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]I. Decision. At the conclusion of the presentation of evidence, the FHC shall deliberate as it requires and
make its decision expeditiously. The decision shall be made by majority vote. The President and the faculty member will be notified of the decision in writing and upon request will be given a copy of the record of the hearing.1. If the FHC concludes that adequate cause for dismissal has not been established by the evidence in the
record, it will so report to the President. If the President rejects the report, the President will state the President’s reasons for doing so, in writing, to the FHC and to the faculty member, and provide an opportunity for response before transmitting the case to the Executive Committee of the Trustees.
2. If the FHC concludes that adequate cause for a dismissal has been established, but that an academic penalty less than dismissal would be more appropriate, it will so recommend to the President with supporting reasons. If the President rejects the report, the President will state the President’s reasons for doing so, in writing, to the FHC and to the faculty member, and provide an opportunity for response before transmitting the case to the Executive Committee of the Trustees.
3. If the FHC concludes that adequate cause for dismissal has been established, it will so report to the President. If dismissal is recommended, the President will, on request of the faculty member, transmit to the Executive Committee of the Trustees the record of the case.
J. Action by the Trustees. The Executive Committee of the Trustees shall decide upon the disposition of the case within two (2) weeks following receipt of the record of the case (including any and all reports and responses permitted in subsection (i) above) and shall instruct the President of the College to report its decision to the faculty member and the FHC. [Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]
K. Terminal Salary or NoticeIf an appointment is terminated by dismissal for cause, the faculty member will receive salary or notice in accordance with the following schedule: at least three months, if the final decision is reached in the first nine months of the first year of probationary service; at least six months, if the decision is reached after nine months but prior to eighteen months of probationary service; at least one year, if the decision is reached after eighteen months of probationary service or if the faculty member has an appointment with
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continuous tenure. This provision for terminal notice or salary need not apply in the event that there has been a finding that the conduct which justified dismissal involved moral turpitude. On the recommendation of the FHC or the President the Trustees, in determining what, if any, payments will be made beyond the effective date of dismissal, may take into account the length and quality of service of the faculty member.[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]
[Sections 9 and 10 intentionally omitted][Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]
11. Appeal of Decision Regarding Probationary Reappointment or TenureA. Jurisdiction. Authority to consider an appeal of a decision denying tenure to a faculty member or of a
decision not to reappoint a faculty member upon the completion of the term of his or her probationary appointment shall be vested in the FHC. The FHC shall have the authority to consider appeals of such decisions from a faculty member (the “Appellant”) only upon the allegation by the Appellant that one or more of the following was a significant factor affecting the review process and was prejudicial to the Appellant:1. a violation of the then-existing procedure for the making of the tenure or reappointment decision;2. serious distortion of the Appellant’s record, such serious distortion having been introduced into the
review process by the President, the Vice-President for Academic Affairs (“VPAA”), the Chair of the Appellant’s Department or, in the case of a tenure decision, by any member of the Appellant’s departmental tenure committee or the Faculty Tenure Committee;
3. a breach of academic freedom; or4. a violation of the College’s stated nondiscrimination policy.
B. Filing of Appeal. An appeal must be filed within thirty (30) days after the decision affecting the Appellant is communicated to the Appellant. An appeal is deemed to be filed when the Appellant delivers to the Chair of the FHC (with a copy to the President) a brief written statement indicating the basis of appeal.
C. Organizational Procedures of the FHC Prior to Hearings. Upon the call of the Chair of the FHC, the FHC shall take the following actions:1. Members of the FHC who are members of the Appellant’s department, and any other members
deeming themselves disqualified for bias or interest, shall remove themselves from the case by so notifying the Chair of the FHC. (If the Chair is thereby disqualified, he or she shall appoint a convener from among the remaining members.)
2. The Chair (or convener) shall promptly notify the Appellant and the Administration of any disqualifications of the FHC members.
3. Members of the FHC may also be removed from the appeal at the request of the Appellant or the Administration; each party will have a maximum of two challenges without stated cause. The Chair (or convener) of the FHC shall set an appropriate schedule for the exercise of such challenges.
4. the Chair (or convener) will notify the Secretary of the Faculty Executive Committee of any resultant vacancies, which will be filled by action of the Faculty Executive Committee. (See Faculty Bylaws IV.D.2.e(1)(b))
5. The FHC as then constituted shall meet for the purposes of electing a Chair, if necessary, and a Secretary; it shall notify the Appellant and the Administration of its current membership; and shall set an appropriate deadline for the Appellant to submit a detailed statement of the facts and contentions supporting the appeal.
6. If the FHC deems it desirable to have independent legal counsel, the College will provide such counsel at the expense of the College, which shall supply a list of at least two attorneys from which the FHC shall select one.
[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 3, 2017]D. Ex Parte Communications. There shall be no ex parte communications with the members of the FHC by
the Appellant, the Administration or their representatives regarding the subject matter of the appeal at any stage of the proceedings.
E. Confidentiality. All matters pertaining to the appeal shall remain strictly confidential, except that after its conclusion the FHC, without naming or otherwise identifying the Appellant, shall notify the Faculty that an appeal has been conducted and concluded. All proceedings shall be private.
F. Action of FHC Upon Filing of Appeal. Based on its review of the appeal filed by the Appellant, the FHC may:
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1. dismiss the appeal for one or more of the following reasons: (A) failure of Appellant to file the appeal within the required time, or (B) failure of Appellant to allege and support in detail the presence of one or more of the grounds justifying an appeal (as described in section a, above); or
2. allow Appellant to amend the written statement of appeal in order to address deficiencies identified by the FHC; or
3. proceed to pre-hearing meetings.G. Pre-hearing Meetings. Upon the call of the Chair of the FHC, the FHC shall conduct one or more pre-
hearing meetings:1. The Appellant, a representative of the Administration, an advisor from the Davidson faculty chosen by
the Appellant, and counsel for the Appellant for the Administration and for the FHC may attend pre-hearing meetings. The Appellant and the Administration will be given adequate notice of each pre-hearing meeting.
2. The following shall be appropriate matters for consideration at pre-hearing meetings;(A) A pre-hearing meeting may be used to eliminate, simplify or otherwise address issues raised by
the appeal.
(B) The Appellant and the Administration may agree to stipulations of fact.(C) A schedule may be established for the identification of witnesses for both parties and the exchange
of exhibits prior to the hearing.(D) A pre-hearing meeting may be used for such other purposes that the FHC shall determine will
make the hearing fair, effective, and expeditious.3. If, after pre-hearing meetings the FHC determines that there are no facts alleged that constitute an
allegation that one of the listed grounds for an appeal was a significant factor affecting the review process and was prejudicial to the Appellant, then the FHC shall dismiss the appeal. Otherwise, a date, time and place for a hearing shall be set.
4. Prior to the hearing, the FHC and counsel for the FHC shall hold a meeting to review with the Appellant and his or her advisor and counsel and with a representative of the Administration and counsel for the College the standards of proof necessary for a successful appeal and the rules of procedure under which the FHC plans to conduct the hearing.
H. Hearing. A hearing shall be held at the date, time, and place set by the FHC. The hearing shall be presided over by the Chair of the FHC and shall be conducted as follows:1. The Appellant shall be responsible for proving the allegation by clear and convincing evidence on the
record as a whole.2. The Appellant shall be allowed to call witnesses, introduce documents, and make statements relevant
to the issues raised by the appeal.3. At the conclusion of the Appellant’s case, the FHC may dismiss the appeal on the grounds that the
Appellant has not established a prima facie case, taking the evidence presented in the light most favorable to the Appellant, that one or more of the grounds for justifying an appeal was a significant factor affecting the review process and was prejudicial to the Appellant. If the FHC does not dismiss the appeal, the Administration shall be permitted to call witnesses, introduce documents, and make statements relevant to the issues raised by the appeal.
4. Each party shall be allowed to cross-examine the witnesses of the other party. If a witness cannot or will not appear, the FHC may admit the statement of such witness as set forth in Section 11 (h)(5) below. The FHC shall be permitted to ask questions of witnesses.
5. The FHC will not be bound by strict rules of legal evidence, and may admit any evidence which is of probative value in determining the issues raised by the appeal. Every reasonable effort will be made to obtain the most reliable evidence available.
6. The FHC will grant adjournments to enable either party to investigate evidence as to which a valid claim of surprise is made.
7. Counsel for all parties, including the FHC, and the adviser chosen by the Appellant from the Davidson faculty shall be permitted to participate at all stages of the proceedings under the procedures established by the FHC.
8. A verbatim record of the hearing will be taken and a typewritten copy will be made available to the Appellant at no cost at the Appellant’s request. The Appellant’s written statement of appeal, all notices and correspondence prepared or received by the FHC in connection with the appeal, and all documents introduced at the hearing shall be made a part of the record of the appeal. Following the conclusion of all proceedings, the record shall be deposited under seal in the College Archives.
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I. Decision. At the conclusion of the presentation of evidence, the FHC shall deliberate as it requires and make its decision expeditiously. [Revised: February 4, 1994 and April 18, 1997]1. The FHC shall deliver a copy of its decision to the Appellant and the Administration within one (1)
day of making its decision by majority vote.2. If the FHC does not uphold the appeal, the appeal shall thereby be dismissed.3. If the FHC upholds the appeal, the committee shall specify the ground or grounds in its report to the
President of the College. The President shall make a recommendation for the disposition of the appeal to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees within two (2) weeks after receiving the FHC’s report. A copy of the President’s recommendation will be sent to the FHC.
4. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees shall decide upon the disposition of the appeal within two (2) weeks following receipt of the President’s recommendation and shall instruct the President of the College to report its decision to the Appellant and the FHC.
[Revised: See Trustee Minutes February 4, 1994 and April 18, 1997]
12. Procedures for Evaluation of Faculty MembersThe President or the President’s delegate, in conjunction with the Faculty or its Committee on Professional
Affairs, shall formulate and may thereafter amend procedures for evaluating faculty members for initial appointments, renewals of appointment, promotions, conferrals of tenure, and salary increases, in preparation for the President’s recommendation thereon to the Trustees. Such procedures shall be incorporated in a document titled “Code of Faculty Evaluation Procedures”. In the event the parties authorized to promulgate such procedures are unable to agree upon specific elements therein the matter in disagreement shall be referred by the President to the Trustees for resolution. In such case, opportunity shall be provided by the Trustees for the respective parties to present their positions before action is taken by the Trustees. [Revised: See Trustee Minutes April 7, 2010]
2.2 FACULTY EVALUATION
2.2.1 Code of Faculty Evaluation Procedures
March 14, 1979 [Revised: April 2, 1985, October 4, 1988, January 1, 2012, and February 5, 2016]
A. Preamble
The goal of these procedures is to enable Davidson College to recruit and retain outstanding teachers and scholars who will carry on the College's mission as set down in the Statement of Purpose. Article IV, Section 5, of the Trustee Bylaws sets forth the President's basic charge with respect to the recruitment of faculty members.
Ideally, the College professor would be a widely respected scholar excited about learning and capable of communicating this excitement to others, a teacher deeply concerned with the welfare of students and eager to have them learn and grow, one who teaches imaginatively, both by books and by personal example, a demanding yet compassionate person who respects the moral worth of students and their potential for growth. While no one teacher is likely to realize all these attributes, the College must continually seek to recruit faculty members who strive to do so to the greatest extent possible.
As a college Davidson has a special obligation to secure for its faculty teachers and scholars who, above and beyond professional commitments, are dedicated to the highest ethical ideals and to a life of service. Hence evaluation of faculty members at Davidson is bound to the idea that successful teaching involves personal and moral as well as intellectual qualities. Because of this, and because within any group of successful teachers there will be differing personalities, intellectual bents, approaches and styles of teaching, it is impossible to provide a rigidly uniform formula for excellence. Of prime importance is that the process of evaluation be as fair as possible to the individual, while taking into account the welfare and the goals of the institution.
The procedures by which the College arrives at its judgments must reflect the fact that ultimately college policy is defined by the Trustees, and that, as chief executive officer, the President bears a special responsibility for the welfare of the enterprise as a whole. The Board of Trustees has affirmed that the line of responsibility for determination of faculty needs and the search for persons to fill these needs flows from the Trustees to the President and through the President to those specifically designated by him or her, primarily the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty. However, if the recruitment and evaluation of faculty members is to be carried out effectively the task must be shared by both faculty and students.
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Finally, Davidson's faculty evaluation procedures must be closely related to institutional strategies for faculty development. Students are quick to perceive which of their instructors are active professionals, which merely living on past capital. Good teaching requires continual study to keep up with developments in one's field and to achieve that understanding of related fields so important to the idea of liberal education. The evaluation process and opportunities for development must be linked in such a fashion as to nurture and encourage professional growth. While it must inevitably function as a mechanism for selection, Davidson's evaluation process will, it is hoped, strengthen the teaching skills of faculty members and contribute to the development of the College as a community of learning.
B. Tenure-Track Appointments
1. Departmental Tenure-Track Appointments. The College may extend tenure-track appointments to individuals who have responsibilities in an academic department (Departmental Appointments). The search committee for Departmental Appointments shall comprise all tenured and tenure-track department members and shall be chaired by the department chair or the designee of the department chair. The composition of departmental search committees may be adjusted by the VPAA/DoF to include one additional member from outside the department for a stated reason. Departmental Tenure-Track Appointments shall have a Departmental Tenure Committee composed of all tenured department members (including members on leave if they are available) and chaired by the department chair (unless the department chair is serving on the Faculty Tenure Committee, in which case the VPAA/DoF and the department chair shall designate a committee chair). Under no circumstances will it include fewer than three persons. If a department has fewer than three tenured faculty members, the VPAA/DoF, in consultation with the department chair, will appoint additional tenured faculty from other departments of the College to serve on the Departmental Tenure Committee.
2. Special Departmental Tenure-Track Appointments. The College may extend tenure-track appointments to individuals who have either: (i) responsibilities in two or more academic departments; (ii) responsibilities in an Interdisciplinary Program; or (iii) responsibilities to a department and a Specialized Academic Program. An “Interdisciplinary Program” refers to any concentration, major or minor that represents a shared responsibility for a curriculum by faculty from two or more departments or Specialized Academic Programs (e.g. Environmental Studies). A “Specialized Academic Program” refers to any concentration, major or minor that represents a specialization within an academic department (e.g., Computer Science).
The search committee for any Special or Non-Departmental Tenure-Track Appointment shall be constituted by the VPAA/DoF and shall include, at a minimum, tenured faculty from each of the departments or programs associated with the appointment.
All individuals hired to a Special or Non-Departmental Appointment shall execute a Special Memorandum of Understanding (Special MOU”). The specific terms of the Special MOU shall be determined by the VPAA/DoF, following consultation with the appropriate College faculty member(s) (i.e., the department chair(s) or program coordinator(s) most directly responsible for assigning duties to the new appointment). The Special MOU shall address, at a minimum, two issues. First, it shall set forth the specific responsibilities of the appointment with the division among the relevant department(s) and program(s) of responsibility, including but not limited to teaching, professional attainments, and service. (As set forth in Sections 2.4.1(A) and (D) and 2.5.4 (G) of the Faculty Policies, in the event the faculty member goes on leave or is granted a reduced course load, the VPAA/DoF shall be responsible for the temporary adjustment of the division of responsibilities.)
Second, it shall identify the tenured faculty members, by name or by office, directly responsible for the evaluation of the pre-tenure faculty member with a two-year probationary appointment and on subsequent term appointments, as outlined in Sections VII and VIII, respectively, as well as the individual’s post-tenure reviews and promotion to full professor (the “Special Evaluation Committee”). This group of tenured faculty members also shall constitute the Special Tenure Committee for the individual. Under no circumstances will this committee include fewer than three persons. Ideally, the Special MOU will identify the chair of the Special Evaluation Committee and Special Tenure Committee for the individual. If a committee member identified in the Special MOU by name becomes unavailable for service on the Special Evaluation Committee or Special Tenure Committee, the VPAA/DoF shall appoint a replacement, following consultation with the appropriate College faculty member(s) (i.e., the department chair(s) or program coordinator(s) most directly responsible for assigning duties to the individual) and the individual. Within two months of the re-appointment immediately prior to the tenure decision (e.g., the
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fourth year review for a candidate granted no credit for pre-Davidson teaching experience), the individual may petition the VPAA/DoF and the chair of the Special Tenure Committee for permission to add other tenured faculty to the Special Tenure Committee. Such a petition should be based on a significant adjustment of responsibilities since the initial hiring and writing of the Special MOU. Under exceptional circumstances, and at the discretion of the VPAA/DoF, a tenured faculty member from another academic institution may be named to the individual’s Special Tenure Committee.
C. Appointments with Administrative and Faculty Responsibilities
On occasion, the College may extend appointments to individuals who have administrative and faculty responsibilities. These joint administrative-faculty appointments may be tenure-track or non-tenured appointments. Prior to conducting a search for a joint administrative-faculty appointment, the VPAA/DoF shall consult with the Executive Committee of the Faculty for guidance on whether the appointment should be tenure-track or non-tenured.
Individuals hired to a tenure-track appointment with administrative and faculty responsibilities shall be treated as Special Non-Departmental Tenure-Track Appointments and shall execute a Special MOU as set forth in Section II. above. Individuals hired to a non-tenured appointment with administrative and faculty responsibilities shall execute an employment contract that will set forth the responsibilities of the individual and the evaluation procedure for that individual.
A. Non-Tenure-Track Appointments
Visiting appointments, one-year terminal appointments, or part-time appointments are not considered probationary and do not require notification of termination. As provided by the Constitution, Article X, Section 4, no obligation exists on the part of the College to evaluate these appointees with a view to continued employment past the end of the fixed term; accordingly, any evaluative review is conducted at the President’s discretion. If the President elects, at his or her discretion, to evaluate these appointees, the specific evaluation procedure for that individual will be set forth in the appointment letter.
As a general guideline, the College will evaluate non-tenure-track appointments as set forth below; however, the written terms and conditions of the appointment letter will govern the evaluation procedure, if any, for the individual. For all part-time faculty members (including adjunct faculty), the evaluative review will include (1) a review of student course evaluations by the department or program chair and the Vice President for Academic Affairs, (2) classroom visit(s) by the chair and/or other department faculty members, and (3) submission of an evaluations letter to the Vice President for Academic Affairs by the department chair. The faculty member being evaluated also will have an opportunity to submit to the VPAA/DoF a Faculty Activity Report describing research, papers read, publications, and contributions to the department generally. The principal criterion for evaluation of non-tenure-track appointments shall be teaching effectiveness.
A. Criteria for Faculty Evaluation
The criteria for faculty evaluation at Davidson are: (A) excellence in teaching, (B) demonstration of superior professional attainments in research, scholarship, and curriculum design, and (C) substantive service to students, to the College, and to the community. While no precise weights valid for every case can be attached to each of these areas, excellence in teaching is a necessary condition for tenure.
1. Teaching. Information will be sought from the appropriate faculty members (e.g., department chair, chairs of Special Evaluation Committee, colleagues in the department(s) or program(s) in which the candidate has been involved, and from students as to the instructor's ability to communicate not only knowledge but also enthusiasm for the subject. Among the key components of successful teaching are well organized and stimulating lectures, skill in conducting discussions, the imagination to perceive student problems, and the ability to help students learn to think analytically, and to speak and write clearly and logically. The College is seeking distinction in teaching, not simply competence.
2. Professional Attainments. The College's judgment will depend heavily on the assessment of the appropriate faculty members (e.g., department chair, chairs of Special Evaluation Committee, colleagues in the department(s) or program(s) in which the candidate has been involved, and colleagues in other departments or programs who have worked in closely related fields of scholarship. Consideration will include participation in summer and sabbatical programs, faculty seminars, attendance at and presentation
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of papers at professional meetings, research projects undertaken, and publications exhibitions, or performances resulting from these experiences. Quality will be deemed more significant than quantity.The College will look for signs that study and research have been integrated into teaching by examining the degree to which the instructor's lectures and course materials reflect current developments in the field. It will also review the candidate's impact on the intellectual life of the community, including interest in other disciplines.
3. Service. Information will be sought from students; the department chair or chair of the Special Evaluation Committee, as appropriate; and colleagues in three areas: (1) concern for students, (2) service to the institution, and (3) service to the wider community. Davidson's emphasis on service in each of these areas stems from its belief as a liberal arts college that it is the function of liberally educated men and women to lead lives of service to others and that members of the faculty should serve in their own lives as examples.a. Concern for students may be exemplified by the candidate's availability to students, concern for their
problems, and care and promptness in evaluating their work. The willingness to serve as a faculty advisor both to underclass students and to majors is an important factor, as is the willingness to help students on an individual basis.
b. Service to the institution may be demonstrated in a variety of ways - participation in the work of faculty committees and in departmental or program affairs, willingness to speak to groups of parents, trustees or alumni, helping to build the library collection, and to obtain needed equipment.
c. Service to the wider community may be defined as a willingness to work for the welfare of others through civic, and political organizations, or other groups.
F. Roles of Faculty, Students, and Administration in the Evaluation Procedure
1. Faculty. Assessment by professional peers is fundamental to the evaluation procedures. Faculty members are in a position to make judgments regarding a colleague's mastery of the subject and design of courses. They are able to evaluate research and publications. They can also weigh observations made to them by students regarding the teaching of others, and they can see for themselves the effects of that teaching.
2. Students. Students are in an especially favorable position to assess the instructor's enthusiasm for the subject, concern for them, and clarity in presentation. They can testify to the instructor's availability, fairness, and care in evaluating their work. The satisfaction of students with the instruction they are receiving is an important ingredient in the morale of an institution. It is therefore appropriate that their views be ascertained by means of interviews, letters, evaluation forms, or other methods.
3. Chairsa. Department Chairs (for Departmental Appointments), Special Evaluation Committee Chairs
(for Special and Non-Departmental Appointments). Department chairs and special evaluation committee chairs, because of their responsibility for coordinating the work of their departments or programs or individuals hired to a special or non-departmental appointment, and for encouraging the professional development of department or program members and of individuals hired to a special or non-departmental appointment, have an important role in the evaluation process. The chair should conduct the most extensive review of the instructor's teaching, that includes syllabi, representative assignments and instruments for assessment, and classroom performance, as well as research, papers read, publications, and contributions to the department or program and the college generally. [In exceptional circumstances (e.g., in very small departments, or when the instructor is the spouse of the chair), the VPAA/DoF may designate another tenured member of the faculty to assume this role.]
b. The chair and one additional faculty member designated by the chair (typically another tenured member of the department or special evaluation committee) each must visit at least one class or other teaching demonstration (e.g., ensemble rehearsal, lab session) of a department member on probationary appointment not only to evaluate but also to help improve performance. Ordinarily these visits will occur either during the academic semester of the evaluative review or the preceding academic semester. The chair and additional faculty member shall each provide a letter to the VPAA/DoF reporting observations from the visit by November 1 of the academic year in which the contract expires (for tenure reviews, observation reports are due by December 15; see Section I for additional information).
4. Administration. As stated by the Trustees, responsibility for the initiation and conduct of evaluation rests with the President. In discharging this responsibility, the President will normally delegate to the VPAA/DoF [the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty] the work of conferring with
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department chairs and colleagues and of gathering data. Because of the need for harmonious rapport within the College community, the evaluation process must involve confidentiality. Letters of evaluation will be held in confidence by the President and the VPAA/DoF; the results of student evaluations will be treated in the same way, except that they may be shared with the department chair.
G. New Tenure-Track Appointments
Basic responsibility for the determination of staffing needs and for initiating new faculty appointments rests with the President. Normally the President will delegate responsibility for the actual conduct of the search and recruitment process to the VPAA/DoF, who in turn will work with the appropriate department chair(s) or program coordinator(s) to constitute a search committee. A position description sent to professional journals, associations, etc., should include the nature of the position, the anticipated rank, the experience and fields desired. The VPAA/DoF may, and ordinarily will, delegate the initial screening of applicants to the search committee. If at all possible the members of the search committee will interview as many potential candidates as possible at an appropriate professional meeting or other occasion. The VPAA/DoF will then review with the chair of the search committee the dozen or so leading candidates and will invite the most promising to the College for a visit.
Along with an invitation, candidates for a position will receive a copy of the College's Statement of Purpose. During the visit it will be the responsibility of the search committee chair and the VPAA/DoF, as well as the President, to discuss career aspirations and the College's objectives as set forth in the Statement of Purpose and the Code of Faculty Evaluation Procedures. The candidate will be interviewed by members of the search committee, the VPAA/DoF and the President with a view to determining professional competence, strength of commitment to teaching, and prospects for making a successful contribution to the work of the College. Candidates may be invited during their visit to the campus to make a public presentation in their field or to teach a class.
After soliciting the opinion of the members of the search committee and receiving the opinion of other interested faculty members, the search committee chair will discuss the candidates with the VPAA/DoF. The VPAA/DoF will communicate his or her judgments, along with the supporting information, to the President, who will make the final recommendation to the Trustees. The search committee chair may be asked to meet with the President and the VPAA/DoF for discussion before the President reaches a decision. The letter of appointment will set forth the terms and conditions of the appointment in accordance with the College Constitution; Article IV Section 5 of the Trustee Bylaws; this Code of Faculty Evaluation Procedures; and standard College Employment policies and procedures (including background checks): and, for Special Non-Departmental Appointments, the Special MOU. Copies of all these documents shall be furnished to the candidate along with the letter of appointment, and, in the case of Special Non-Departmental Appointments, the Special MOU. A copy of the letter and Special MOU (if applicable), each signed by the candidate, shall constitute a contract.
H. Evaluation Procedures for Members of the Faculty with Probationary Appointments
1. General Provisions. The following evaluation procedures apply to pre-tenure contract renewals of faculty members with probationary appointments. Procedures specific to faculty members with one-year appointments, and faculty members with two-year probationary appointments in their final contract review prior to the tenure decision (including new faculty members awarded credit for prior teaching experience), are set forth below.
The VPAA/DoF and the new faculty member’s department or program chair will meet with new faculty members (including new faculty members awarded credit for prior teaching experience) during September of the first contract year (or January if starting in the spring semester) their first contract year to explain further the evaluation procedures and to discuss the College's standards and expectations. .
During the fall term of the academic year in which the contract expires, the VPAA/DoF will ordinarily arrange to attend one or more of the instructor's classes or other teaching demonstrations, at the convenience of both parties. The purpose of these visits includes (i) providing an opportunity for the VPAA/DoF to become familiar with the instructor’s teaching style; (ii) allowing the VPAA/DoF to verify and provide context for teaching evaluations reviewed by the VPAA/DoF during the renewal process; (iii) giving credibility to any constructive criticism of teaching skills that the VPAA/DoF may give to a newly-renewed probationary faculty member; (iv) demonstrating the importance of teaching at Davidson; and (v) evaluating teaching skills. (See section F. 3. ab. above for additional provisions regarding observations of classes or teaching demonstrations.)
Also during the fall term of the academic year in which the contract expires, the VPAA/DoF will discuss with the department chair or Special Evaluation Committee chair the performance of the instructor.
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For Departmental Tenure-Track Appointments, letters will be solicited by the VPAA/DoF from each colleague in the department, as well as from colleagues in other departments or programs who have come to know the instructor through such means as courses and programs in which the instructor has participated. For Special Non-Departmental Tenure-Track Appointments, letters will be solicited by the VPAA/DoF from those tenured faculty members identified, by name or by office, in the instructor’s Special MOU, as well as from colleagues in other departments or programs who have come to know the instructor through such means as courses and programs in which the instructor has participated. In addition, the VPAA/DoF will solicit letters from members of committees to which the instructor was assigned or elected. At their discretion, the President and the VPAA/DoF may seek outside evaluation of the instructor’s professional standing. The candidate will be advised of the timing of the review and will be asked to submit such material as might be helpful to a fair consideration of performance.
For the initial review, normally during the second year, the candidate prepares the pre-tenure dossier during the fall term, due by November 1, of the academic year in which the contract expires. The pre-tenure dossier will include:
(1) a current curriculum vitae(2) course syllabi for all courses taught(3) The VPAA/DoF will provide copies of the candidate's faculty activities reports and accompanying
brief narratives(4) The VPAA/DoF will provide complete sets of student course evaluations from all courses taught
in the academic semester of the evaluative review and the preceding academic semesterThe candidate may include in the dossier any additional significant non-confidential materials.
For the second review, normally during the fourth year, the candidate prepares the pre-tenure dossier during the fall term, due by November 1, of the academic year in which the contract expires. The pre-tenure dossier will include:
(1) a current curriculum vitae(2) course syllabi and representative assignments or instruments for assessment(3) copies of all published, artistic, or scientific work(4) copies of published reviews of the candidate's writings, exhibitions, or performances(5) The VPAA/DoF will provide copies of the candidate's faculty activities reports and accompanying
brief narratives(6) The VPAA/DoF will provide complete sets of student course evaluations from all courses taught
in the academic semester of the evaluative review and the preceding academic semester.The candidate may include in the dossier any additional significant non-confidential materials.
After studying this material and conducting such interviews as are deemed necessary, the VPAA/DoF may at his or her discretion offer the candidate an opportunity for discussion of negative criticism which the VPAA/DoF has received during the evaluation process. To protect confidentiality, any such criticism will be conveyed without identification of its source. Finally, the VPAA/DoF will review the instructor's performance with the President. The VPAA/DoF will transmit to the candidate a letter from the President either renewing the contract or not in a personal meeting to be held on or before December 15 of the academic year in which the contract expires unless the VPAA/DoF and the candidate mutually agree to a different date. If the contract is renewed, the VPAA/DoF will review with the candidate during the personal meeting a draft letter of evaluation of the candidate’s performance, not only to evaluate but also helping to improve performance. Within one month following the meeting with the candidate, the VPAA/DoF shall convey to the renewed candidate and the chair the final version of the evaluation letter.
In the event the probationary faculty member’s contract is not renewed, and provided that the faculty member will have completed two or more years of service at the College at the expiration of the current contract, then the probationary faculty member will be entitled to a one-year contract extension for the subsequent academic year. Teaching assignments for the subsequent contract term will be determined by the VPAA/DoF, in consultation with the department or program chair(s). The foregoing provisions do not apply when a faculty member is terminated by dismissal for cause [See Article X, Section 10 of the College Constitution].
The criteria for evaluation shall be those described in Section E. In applying them the President and the VPAA/DoF will normally be looking for evidence of recent and potential growth in teaching ability, particularly in the case of instructors who are just beginning their teaching careers. In making their decision, the President and the VPAA/DoF will weigh the prospects for growth against the greater mobility
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which faculty members enjoy in their early years of teaching, keeping in mind the fact that where the prospects for tenure are slim, an early separation may be more to an instructor's advantage than renewal of contract. After communication of the President's decision, the VPAA/DoF will be available to the instructor to discuss, insofar as confidentiality permits, strengths and weaknesses in the instructor's performance to date.
It should be understood that in evaluating faculty members on probationary appointments the College is rendering, in effect, a composite professional judgment, and that counseling by the VPAA/DoF regarding deficiencies and strengths is not to be equated with a formal statement of cause for either a positive or a negative decision. Decisions regarding probationary appointments are in some degree both comparative and prospective and may involve considerations of present and future staffing. With non-renewal of probationary appointments the College is not obligated to show cause, as it would be in seeking to terminate a tenure appointment. In order to recruit the best faculty it can obtain, the College is entitled to the widest latitude consonant with the principles of academic freedom as described in Article X of the College Constitution.
2. Faculty Members on One-Year Appointments. As provided by the Constitution, Article X, Section 5, a faculty member on an initial one-year probationary appointment will be informed by March 1st of the decision as to whether or not the contract will be renewed. Visiting appointments, one-year terminal appointments, or part-time appointments are not considered probationary and do not require notification of termination.
3. Faculty members with two-year probationary appointments in their final contract review prior to the tenure decision. As with members of the faculty in their first contract period, the final review prior to the tenure decision will take place in the fall of the academic year in which the contract expires (i.e., in the fourth year for a faculty member not awarded credit for prior teaching experience) using procedures outlined in Subsection A, above. In addition to soliciting letters from departmental colleagues and others as specified above, during this review, the VPAA/DoF will solicit letters from members of committees to which the faculty member was assigned in the second and third years of teaching at Davidson College.
In reaching their decision the President and the VPAA/DoF will pay particular attention to evidence of growth since the last review. Normally, with each successive review the expectation regarding performance will be increased, as the instructor gains experience as a teacher and scholar.
I. The Tenure Decision.
The decision to grant continuous tenure is a serious commitment that must be made with the greatest care, thoughtfulness, and fairness. The evaluation process leading up to such a decision necessarily entails a certain element of subjectivity. Nevertheless, the decision to grant tenure must be based on convincing evidence that the candidate holds promise of making a continuing contribution of the highest quality to the intellectual and moral life of the College community. If, after careful review of the candidate's performance and potential, the Trustees have any serious doubts regarding the candidate's prospects for significant long-term performance, they must render a negative decision. As stated in Article X of the College Constitution, Trustee conferral of continuous tenure requires not only evidence of demonstrated excellence in teaching and professional activity, but of service and commitment to the welfare of the College as well.
The tenure review process normally takes place in the sixth year of the candidate's full-time teaching at Davidson. Ordinarily, credit of up to three years will be given for full-time teaching elsewhere at the instructor level or higher at a regionally accredited institution of higher learning. The tenure review process may be initiated earlier than normal at the request of the candidate and with the approval of the VPAA/DoF. In the case of faculty who hold tenure at another college or a university, the President and the VPAA/DoF will consult with both the department(s) or program(s) of appointment and the Faculty Tenure Committee before recommending an initial appointment with tenure.
The procedure begins in May with a meeting of the candidate, the VPAA/DoF, and the chair of the Departmental Tenure Committee or Special Tenure Committee, as appropriate during which the evaluation process and schedule are explained to the candidate. The tenure candidate will begin compiling a dossier. The dossier consists of non-confidential materials; a copy of it will be available in the Office of the VPAA/DoF by December 15 for perusal by any interested faculty member. This dossier will include:
(1) a cover letter by the candidate introducing the dossier to the reader(2) an up-dated curriculum vitae(3) course syllabi and representative assignments or instruments for assessment
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(4) copies of the candidate's annual reports of faculty activities(5) copies of all published work and/or artistic or scientific work as well as evidence of work-in-
progress deemed appropriate by the candidate(6) published reviews of the candidate's writings, exhibitions, or performances.(7) complete sets of student course evaluations from the most recent iteration of each course taught.
The candidate is encouraged to include in the dossier any additional non-confidential materials judged to be relevant.
No later than October 1 the VPAA/DoF will distribute to all faculty a list of all candidates currently being reviewed for tenure, specifying their departmental or program affiliation and announcing that their dossiers will be available for review no later than December 15. The VPAA/DoF will include a statement encouraging any faculty member outside a candidate's department or program who has knowledge of the candidate's qualifications to submit to the chair of that candidate’s tenure committee, no later than January 21, a signed letter to be included in the Evaluation File. Any such letters addressed to the Faculty Tenure Committee will be forwarded directly to the chair of the candidate’s tenure committee.
At the same time that the candidate's dossier is being prepared, the chair of the candidate’s tenure committee will also compile a separate collection of materials known as the Evaluation File. The Evaluation File consists of confidential evaluation documents and is open only to the candidate's tenure committee, except as indicated below. These documents must include teaching observation reports made by the chair and at least one other tenured member of the candidate’s tenure committee within one year of the tenure review, as well as all observation reports described under F. 3. b. above, student course evaluations from the previous two semesters, the chair's annual review reports (based in part on the chair's consultation with other members of the tenure committee and their observations of the candidate's teaching and professional progress), the VPAA/DoF’s renewal letters (normally at the second-year and fourth-year renewals), and all signed evaluation letters received from faculty members outside the candidate’s tenure committee. The chair will also invite in writing each nontenured member of the candidate’s department(s) or program(s) of appointment to submit a letter of evaluation; such letters will be voluntary in nature and will also be included in the Evaluation File.
The chair of the candidate’s tenure committee and the candidate are encouraged to include in the Evaluation File any additional materials that they judge to be relevant.
Whenever the Evaluation File is complete but no later than January 21, it will be made available to the candidate’s tenure committee. The tenure committee will meet to discuss the candidate's qualifications for tenure.
The candidate’s tenure committee should take special care to verify that the full range of pertinent evidence has been assembled concerning the candidate's teaching, scholarship, and college service. Members should also give thoughtful consideration to the quality (rather than the mere volume or frequency) of publications, professional activity, and community service.
After reviewing both the dossier and the Evaluation File, each member of the committee will write a confidential draft letter of evaluation to other members of the committee. These letters will be circulated among the members of the candidate’s tenure committee before its meeting at which the vote is taken. After careful deliberation and discussion of all of this evidence, the candidate’s tenure committee will vote on the tenure candidate by February 15. The chair will convey candidate’s tenure committee's recommendation to the candidate and to all other members of the candidate’s department(s) or program(s) in writing within 24 hours. The committee members will circulate among themselves their confidential letters of evaluation as soon after the vote as possible. These letters may have undergone revision. The chair next adds to the Evaluation File a written tally of the vote, the committee members' confidential letters of evaluation, and a confidential summary of the candidate’s tenure committee deliberations. In drafting this confidential summary, the chair must ensure that all points of view expressed by members of the candidate’s tenure committee are fairly represented. All members of the candidate’s tenure committee will sign the confidential summary; any member of the candidate’s tenure committee has the right to append an additional statement to the confidential summary.
Those candidates for tenure who are regular members of the Humanities staff will also be evaluated by the tenured members of the Humanities team with whom they have taught for the previous two years. The Humanities Program Chair will convene the tenured members, who will evaluate the work of the candidate within the Humanities Program and will pass on its recommendation in the same manner as the candidate’s tenure committee, submitting a vote and written report of deliberations directly to the Faculty Tenure Committee and informing the candidate of its recommendation. A copy of the written report of deliberations will go to the candidate’s tenure committee.
After the candidate’s tenure committee has voted, and before March 1, the chair of the candidate’s tenure committee will forward the Evaluation File containing the recommendation of the candidate’s tenure committee and
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confidential summary as well as all materials used in committee deliberations to the Faculty Tenure Committee (see Article IV, Faculty Committees, Section B, 8 for composition). The FTC may request that the candidate’s tenure committee answer questions or provide additional information. Any such requests shall be transmitted in writing to all members of the candidate’s tenure committee and the chair of that committee will transmit within five business days in writing in a single document to the FTC any and all signed responses received from members of the tenure committee All members All members of the candidate’s tenure committee will be invited to appear in person before the Faculty Tenure Committee (FTC) to discuss the report of the candidate’s tenure committee; the members will then leave the FTC to its deliberations unless specifically requested to reappear to answer questions or to provide additional information. If the FTC finds that the candidate’s tenure committee failed to follow adequately the prescribed procedures for compiling the Evaluation File, it will attempt to reach an agreement with the chair of the candidate’s tenure committee on how such inadequacies might be rectified.
The purpose of the FTC is to evaluate each candidate's overall suitability for tenure. To this end it will compile a confidential Faculty Tenure Committee File made up of all relevant materials relating to the tenure candidacy on file in the Office of the VPAA/DoF. The Faculty Tenure Committee File must contain outside letters of evaluation.
At least three confidential letters of evaluation must be solicited by the VPAA/DoF from former students of the candidate and at least three confidential letters of evaluation from professionals outside the College in the candidate's field. These students and outside professional evaluators will be selected by the VPAA/DoF from lists compiled by the candidate in collaboration with the chair of the candidate’s tenure committee. Thus, no later than October 1, the chair, in consultation with the candidate, compiles such a list for the VPAA/DoF of
(1) six current or former students from whom to solicit letters evaluating teaching performance; (2) six outside reviewers from whom to solicit letters evaluating scholarly work (this list should
normally not include former advisors or significant collaborators); (3) four current or former colleagues or peers from whom to solicit letters addressing college or
community service.The VPAA/DoF, in consultation with the chair of the candidate’s tenure committee and the Faculty Tenure Committee, will select an additional outside professional evaluator in the candidate’s field from whom the VPAA/DoF will solicit a confidential letter of evaluation [beginning with tenure track hires after April 2006]. The requests to the outside professional evaluators must include a copy of the candidate's current curriculum vitae and copies of a representative selection of research, publications or creative work designated by the candidate. These requests must also indicate that the evaluation letters will be read by the Faculty Tenure Committee. The FTC may solicit whatever additional relevant and appropriate information relating to the candidate's suitability for tenure that it judges to be necessary for a full and fair review.
The VPAA/DoF will be an ex officio member of the FTC who will participate in the discussions and describe the contribution the candidate has made to the intellectual and community life of the College as a whole, but who will not be present at the time of the Faculty Tenure Committee's final deliberations and vote.
After studying all relevant materials in the candidate's dossier, the Evaluation File, and the Faculty Tenure Committee File, the FTC will vote by secret ballot on each tenure case on or before April 1. The Faculty Tenure Committee will then convey its recommendation to the President, the VPAA/DoF, the candidate, and the chair of the candidate’s tenure committee. The FTC will also provide the President and the VPAA/DoF a written summary of its deliberations, signed by all its members, as well as each candidate's Evaluation File and Faculty Tenure Committee File. The VPAA/DoF will make a separate recommendation on each tenure candidacy to the President.
After studying carefully the recommendations of the candidate's departmental tenure committee, the Faculty Tenure Committee, and the VPAA/DoF, the President will communicate his or her own recommendation to the Academic and Educational Policy Committee of the Board of Trustees at the time of the spring meeting of the Board. If the President's recommendation differs from that of the candidate's department or the Faculty Tenure Committee or the VPAA/DoF, the President must report those differing views together with the Presidential recommendation to the Academic and Educational Policy Committee. The tenure candidate must be informed in writing of the final decision of the Board of Trustees concerning the awarding of tenure within 48 hours of the Board meeting. In accordance with the Board's decision, the ensuing academic year will constitute either the first year of appointment with continuous tenure or a terminal year.
J. Continuing Review of Tenured Faculty [Adopted by the Faculty in March 1996; Revised April 14, 2010 (effective August 1, 2010)]
All tenured faculty at Davidson College are reviewed annually for merit salary increases and, more extensively, five years after tenure and, thereafter, every seven years. The purpose of the more extensive review is
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twofold: first, to help each faculty member evaluate progress and identify future areas and emphases of performance significant to the faculty member, the department(s) or program(s) of affiliation, and the College; second, to assess how the College and department(s) or program(s) of affiliation might better serve the faculty member’s needs. The performance review occurs in three stages:
1. No later than December 15, the faculty member submits to the department chair (or designate when appropriate) or chair of the Special Evaluation Committee, as appropriate the following:a. A brief statement of faculty activities for the preceding five years (for the initial review) or seven years
(for subsequent reviews), involving teaching, professional activity, and service. [An updated curriculum vitae also should be provided.]
b. Reports on classroom visits by two faculty colleagues chosen by the faculty member. These reports will be available to the faculty member, the chair, and the Dean for purposes of review and discussion.
c. A one-page summary of the faculty member’s views of his/her past and projected performance, including the faculty member’s assessment of how well the department and the College have served and stand to serve his/her goals and needs.
d. Course evaluations from the past year.2. Additional steps and documentation:
a. The departmental chair or chair of the Special Evaluation Committee discusses the above documents with the faculty member and then submits a one-page evaluation of the faculty member’s performance over the past five or seven years to the faculty member and the VPAA/DoF.
b. The department chair or chair of the Special Evaluation Committee and the faculty member jointly develop a concise performance plan for projected activities over the next seven years, emphasizing teaching and professional activity and including preferred courses and sabbatical plans.
c. The department chair or chair of the Special Evaluation Committee then submits a one-page evaluation of the faculty member’s performance over the past five or seven years to the faculty member and the VPAA/DoF. The department chair or chair of the Special Evaluation Committee also is responsible for submitting to the VPAA/DoF the faculty member’s submissions and the jointly-developed performance plan. All documentation must be submitted to the VPAA/DoF by the department chair or the chair of the Special Evaluation Committee no later than January 15.
d. For regular members of the Humanities Program, the chair of Humanities will consult with the appropriate semester director(s) and other Humanities staff who have worked with the faculty member subsequent to the last review. After a discussion with the faculty member, the Humanities chair will submit a one-page evaluation to the department chair or chair of the Special Evaluation Committee and the VPAA/DoF.
e. Reviews of department chairs and the chair of the Humanities Program are coordinated by a full professor, agreed upon by the chair and the VPAA/DoF and if possible within the chair’s department.
3. The above documents, in addition to the faculty member’s course evaluations for the past year, provide the basis for a conversation between the faculty member and the VPAA/DoF, which the chair, at the faculty member’s option, may also attend. The VPAA/DoF follows up the conversation with a one-page evaluation of the faculty member’s performance, which the faculty member is then asked to sign. The documents from all three phases are placed in the faculty member’s personnel file for reference at the next point of review. All documents pertaining to the review are to be kept confidential by the VPAA/DoF and department chair or chair of the Special Evaluation Committee.
4. As part of the continuing review process, the VPAA/DoF reads each tenured faculty member’s course evaluations in the fourth year after a seventh-year review.
K. Promotion to Full Professor [Adopted by the Faculty in November 1996; Revised: April 14, 2010 (effective August 1, 2010)]
1. Criteria for Evaluation Promotion to full professor is an honor conferred on faculty who have made significant contributions to the College since having received tenure and who show promise of career-long distinction. Full professors should be teacher-scholars whose influence of mind and of person both informs their teaching and extends outside the classroom. Therefore, promotion to rank of full professor must be based on evidence of excellence in teaching, of scholarly achievement, and of continuing service to the College. Among these criteria, that of excellence in teaching remains both primary and essential.
2. Eligibility Ordinarily, a faculty member is eligible for promotion to full professor no earlier than the sixth year after receiving promotion to associate professor. The candidate should have gathered useful
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information, through the first (five-year) review, about when he or she might expect to receive the recommendation of the department(s) or program(s) of affiliation.
3. Procedure a. For Departmental Tenured Appointments. Early in the fall semester, the department chair will
review, with the full professors in the department, the qualifications of any tenured faculty whom either the chair, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the individual, or a full professor in the department wishes to nominate for promotion to full professor.
Upon nomination for promotion, the candidate should submit to the chair by October 1 the following items toward completion of the Promotion File: an updated curriculum vitae; a brief cover letter addressing the candidate’s own view of his/her qualifications for promotion; and selected evidence of excellence in teaching, of scholarly attainment, and of service to the College. The file at this point should contain no confidential letters submitted by the candidate’s former or current students or by outside evaluators. Having reviewed the candidate’s Promotion File to date, the full professors in the department will determine by majority vote whether to recommend the candidate to the VPAA/DoF for promotion. The candidate is informed by the chair of the decision, either yea or nay, within twenty-four hours.
If the candidate is recommended, the chair will forward to the VPAA/DoF by November 1 a letter of recommendation assessing the candidate’s qualifications. The chair will invite tenured and untenured members of the candidate’s department to submit brief evaluations that will be reflected in the chair’s letter, or, alternately, to write letters of their own directly to the VPAA/DoF with copies to the department chair.
The recommended candidate’s Promotion File is due to the VPAA/DoF by November 1 at which point the candidate also suggests to the VPAA/DoF the names and addresses of former or current students and four outside evaluators who will be asked to write confidential letters. Requests for those letters are made through the VPAA/DoF’s Office. All confidential materials pertaining to the nomination will be sent directly to the VPAA/DoF’s Office, where all materials pertaining to the review will be kept in confidence. A candidate who does not receive the department’s recommendation can choose to continue the process by forwarding the Promotion File to the VPAA/DoF with a letter explaining why he/she would like to be considered for promotion.
The President’s recommendation is made to the Board of Trustees, who render a final decision at their February meeting. The promotion is publicly announced directly thereafter.
In the event of a department chair’s being nominated, a full professor in the department will initiate the discussion among the full professors in the department. Upon nomination of the chair, the VPAA/DoF will designate a full professor in the department to conduct the recommendation proceedings and to write a letter, in lieu of the chair’s, assessing the chair’s qualifications for the promotion.
If the candidate is in a department with no full professors, a full professor in a related department may nominate the candidate, at which point the chair of the candidate’s department initiates the recommendation proceedings by notifying the candidate of his/her nomination. In unusual cases, such as a situation in which the chair is the nominee and the department has no full professors, the VPAA/DoF will designate a full professor in a related department to conduct the nomination and the recommendation proceedings and to write the letter of recommendation.
b. For Special Non-Departmental Tenured Appointments: Early in the fall semester, the chair of the Special Evaluation Committee will review, with the full professors on the Special Evaluation Committee, the qualifications of the tenured faculty member whom either the chair, the VPAA/DoF, the individual, or a full professor on the Special Evaluation Committee wishes to nominate for promotion to full professor. Within two weeks of being informed by the VPAA/DoF of the nomination for promotion, the candidate may petition the VPAA/DoF and the chair of the Special Evaluation Committee for permission to add other full professors to the Special Evaluation Committee. Such a petition should be based on a significant adjustment of responsibilities since the initial hiring and writing of the Special MOU.
Upon nomination for promotion, the candidate should submit to the chair by October 1 the following items toward completion of the Promotion File: an updated curriculum vitae; a brief cover letter addressing the candidate’s own view of his/her qualifications for promotion; and selected evidence of excellence in teaching, of scholarly attainment, and of service to the College. The file at this point should contain no confidential letters submitted by the candidate’s former or current students or by outside evaluators. Having reviewed the candidate’s Promotion File to date, the full professors
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on the Special Evaluation Committee will determine by majority vote whether to recommend the candidate to the VPAA/DoF for promotion. The candidate is informed by the chair of the decision, either yea or nay, within twenty-four hours of the decision.
If the candidate is recommended, the chair will forward to the VPAA/DoF by November 1 a letter of recommendation assessing the candidate’s qualifications. The chair will invite tenured and untenured members of the candidate’s department(s) or program(s) of affiliation to submit brief evaluations that will be reflected in the chair’s letter, or, alternately, to write letters of their own directly to the VPAA/DoF with copies to the chair.
The recommended candidate’s Promotion File is due to the VPAA/DoF by November 1 at which point the candidate also suggests to the VPAA/DoF the names and addresses of former or current students and four outside evaluators who will be asked to write confidential letters. Requests for those letters are made through the VPAA/DoF’s Office. All confidential materials pertaining to the nomination will be sent directly to the VPAA/DoF’s Office, where all materials pertaining to the review will be kept in confidence. A candidate who does not receive the Special Evaluation Committee’s recommendation can choose to continue the process by forwarding the Promotion File to the VPAA/DoF with a letter explaining why he/she would like to be considered for promotion.
The President’s recommendation is made to the Board of Trustees, who render a final decision at their February meeting. The promotion is publicly announced directly thereafter.
If the candidate’s Special Evaluation Committee has no members who are full professors, a full professor in a related department or program may nominate the candidate, at which point the chair of the candidate’s Special Evaluation Committee initiates the recommendation proceedings by notifying the candidate of his/her nomination. In unusual cases, the VPAA/DoF will designate a full professor in a related department or program to conduct the nomination and the recommendation proceedings and to write the letter of recommendation.
4. The Promotion File a. Evidence of excellence in teaching may consist of some or all of the following:
i. student course evaluations.ii. course evaluations/reports on the candidate’s classes or other presentations by colleagues at
Davidson or other institutions.iii. no less than three nor more than five letters from former students.iv. documents demonstrating commitment to developing the academic program, as evinced through
designing new courses, revising existing courses, contributing to curricular review and to special academic programs (e.g., concentrations).
b. Evidence of scholarly achievement may consist of some or all of the following:i. publications in print; shows in exhibitions; concerts or performances; work in other public media.
ii. attendance at and contributions to professionally scholarly conferences in the candidate’s field.iii. no less than three nor more than five letters from scholars outside the College attesting to the
candidate’s contributions to the scholarly field or creative area.iv. other information that the candidate and the VPAA/DoF deem useful.
c. Evidence of service to the College is provided mainly through the candidate’s curriculum vitae and the letter written by the chair. Upon the candidate’s request, others may also be invited to add information pertaining to the candidate’s contributions in this area.
Dates and Deadlines for Tenure Process
May Chair of candidate’s tenure committee and candidate meet with the VPAA /DoF to discuss the process and schedule.
May - Candidate compiles dossier (due Tuesday, December 15). Sept. – Jan. 21 Chair of candidate’s tenure committee compiles a separate collection of materials known as the
Evaluation File, which consists of confidential evaluation documents and is open only to the candidate’s tenure committee (by January 21).
October 1 Deadline for the chair, in consultation with the candidate, to provide VPAA/DoF with names and addresses of
(1) six current or former students from whom to solicit letters evaluating teaching performance;
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(2) six outside reviewers from whom to solicit letters evaluating scholarly work (this list should normally not include former advisors or significant collaborators);
(3) four current or former colleagues or peers from whom to solicit letters addressing college or community service, .along with six copies of both a current c.v. and a representative selection of research, publications, or creative work.
December 15 Deadline for candidate dossier to be made available to all faculty in the Office of the VPAA/DoF.
January 20 Deadline for unsolicited letters for candidates to the chair of candidate’s tenure committee for inclusion in the Evaluation File.
January 21 Deadline for Evaluation File to be made available to the departmental tenure committee.
February 6 Each candidate meets with the Trustee. Appointment is made by the VPAA/DoF Office. [Trustee requirement.]
February 15 Deadline for meeting and vote of the candidate’s tenure committee on the tenure candidate. Chair will convey the decision of candidate’s tenure committee to the candidate in writing within 24 hours of the decision.
March 1 Deadline for completed Evaluation File to be forwarded to the Faculty Tenure Committee (by way of the VPAA/DoF Office).
Feb. – Mar. All members of candidate’s tenure committee meet with the Faculty Tenure Committee to discuss candidate tenure committee reports
On or before Deadline for Faculty Tenure Committee to vote on each tenure case. Faculty Tenure April 1 Committee conveys its recommendation to the President, VPAA/DoF, candidate, and candidate’s
tenure committee chair. Note: VPAA/DoF makes separate recommendation to the President on each tenure candidate.
April Recommendations are presented through the Trustee Committee on Teaching, Learning, and Research to the full Board of Trustees for approval. Tenure candidate is informed in writing of the decision within 48 hours of the Board meeting. Candidates normally receive the letter in a meeting with the VPAA/DoF on afternoon of the conclusion of the Trustee Board meeting. The appointment is made by the VPAA/DoF Office.
[Summary Calendar prepared by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty]
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Sample Memorandum to Candidate for Tenure[from the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty]
May xx, 20xx
Memorandum to: (Name of tenure candidate)
From: Wendy E. Raymond
Re: Procedures
I am writing to remind you of several matters pertaining to your forthcoming tenure review at the College.
Please begin compiling a dossier of non-confidential materials into a single PDF. This document should be emailed to the Department Chair or Chair of the Special Tenure Committee and to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty by December 15 for perusal by any interested faculty member. This dossier should include:
a cover letter by the candidate introducing the dossier to the reader an up-dated curriculum vitae course syllabi and representative assignments or instruments for assessment copies of the candidate's annual reports of faculty activities copies of all published work and/or artistic or scientific work as well as evidence of work-in-
progress deemed appropriate by the candidate published reviews of the candidate's writings, exhibitions, or performances complete sets of student course evaluations from the most recent iteration of each course taught.
The candidate may include in the dossier any additional significant non-confidential materials.
Please work with your Department Chair or the Chair or your Special Tenure Committee to compile the evaluation file as a single PDF so that it can be made available to the Departmental Tenure Committee or Special Tenure Committee by January 21, 2016.
Please supply the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty by October 1 with the names and addresses, including email addresses, of
six current or former students from whom to solicit letters evaluating teaching performance; six outside reviewers from whom to solicit letters evaluating scholarly work (this list should
normally not include former advisors or significant collaborators); four current or former colleagues or peers from whom to solicit letters addressing college or
community service. [Note: Your Department Tenure Committee or your Special Tenure Committee may not solicit an assessment from the individuals whom you identify for this office.] I will write to at least three from each group for the confidential letters of evaluation to be reviewed by the Faculty Tenure Committee and the President. For these outside letters, please provide me with a single PDF that includes your current c.v. and a representative selection of research, publications, or creative work that can be sent out for review.
.
Please read carefully the Section 2.2.1.5 of the Code of Faculty Evaluation Procedures and feel free to discuss any points with your department chair or with me.
Please plan to be available to meet with the Trustee Committee on Academic and Educational Policy during its meeting of in February. Ms. Gardner will schedule your appointment.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions as your review proceeds.
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cc: [department chair] [chair of Special Tenure Committee]
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Sample Letter to Evaluators of Candidates for Tenure[On VPAA/DoF letterhead]
November xx, 20xx
NameAddress
Dear XX ,
During this academic year, Professor (candidate’s name) will be considered for continuous tenure at Davidson College. Our code of faculty evaluation mandates that high quality teaching is a necessary condition for tenure. Additionally, recognized professional activity and college/community service are important evaluation criteria. With respect to professional activity and scholarship, our code states that the quality of work should be considered more important than the quantity of activity.
Professor (last name) has indicated that you are in a position to comment on the quality of (his/her) professional work and competence. I hope that you will take the time to accept this invitation to provide me with your candid assessment of Professor (last name)’s work. We would find it helpful, if in your letter, you indicated the nature and duration of the professional relationship that you have had with Professor (last name).
Your response will be available only to the three faculty members on our College-wide tenure committee, the President of the College, and the Dean of Faculty. I am providing you with a single PDF that includes a current curriculum vitae for Professor (last name), and other materials that (he/she) thought would be helpful to you in your assessment. If possible, I would like to receive your letter by January 8, 2016.
Please let me know at your earliest convenience whether or not you will be able to do this review and that you are able to open the attachment.
We truly appreciate your willingness to participate in this important process.
Sincerely,
Wendy E. Raymond
attachment – as stated
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Sample Letter to Outside Student Evaluators[On VPAA/DoF letterhead]
November xx, 20xx
NameAddress
Dear XX ,
During this academic year, Professor (candidate’s name) will be considered for continuous tenure at Davidson College. Our code of faculty evaluation mandates that high quality teaching is a necessary condition for tenure. Additionally, recognized professional activity and college/ community service are important evaluation criteria.
Professor (last name) has indicated that you, as a former student or advisee, are in a position to comment on the quality of (his/her) teaching. I hope that you will take the time to accept this invitation to provide me with your candid assessment of Professor (last name)’s teaching. Feel free to comment on different aspects of teaching (i.e., classroom work, assignments, outside help, advising, and research direction). Your response will be available only to the three faculty members on our College-wide tenure committee, the President of the College, and the Dean of Faculty. If possible, I would like to receive your letter by January 8, 2016.
Please let me know at your earliest convenience that you received this email and if you will be able to provide an assessment.
We truly appreciate your willingness to participate in this important process.
Sincerely,
Wendy E. Raymond
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2.2.2 Student Evaluation of Teaching [Adopted by the Faculty in 1984]
[With slight modifications resulting from implementation practices.]
The course evaluation form will be used to obtain student evaluation of teaching. It will be the policy of the Faculty that the form be used for every course and seminar with five or more students enrolled or by request of the instructor, if fewer are enrolled, including those taught by visiting and adjunct faculty each time it is taught. Evaluation forms will be distributed in classes during the last week of each semester by a student agent who will also deliver them to the Office of the VPAA/DoF. The VPAA/DoF will have the forms available for the instructor to pick up in the VPAA/DoF's Office after the Registrar's deadline for submission of final grades. The VPAA/DoF will not examine the forms except during the year of an administrative review when the VPAA/DoF will make copies of the evaluation forms for both the VPAA/DoF and the chair of the faculty member's department. Students accept responsibility for their evaluations by signing their evaluation forms. The signature part of the form is detachable and bears the same identification number as the evaluation part. The student agent will deliver the detached signatures to the Office of the VPAA/DoF. Student names will be revealed only as may be mandated by Article X of the College Constitution or under court subpoena.
Procedures for administering the forms have been suggested by the Professional Affairs Committee and are outlined in a memorandum to the Faculty from the VPAA/DoF each semester.
2.2.3 Faculty Search Guidelines
Supplemental Guidelines for Chairs(To be used in conjunction with the Code of Faculty Evaluation Procedures, especially Section IV)
A. Announcing the SearchIf the position to be filled is a regular two-year, renewable one, a national search is held. If the
position is a temporary one, the search may be more limited, as agreed upon by the Dean and chair.For a national search, the chair drafts an announcement to be placed in the appropriate professional
publication or job register. A sample announcement is as follows:
"Davidson College invites applications for a regular appointment in <x>, with an initial two-year appointment at the Assistant Professor level to begin August 1, <x>. Applicants should be committed to <x> perspectives and be able to teach courses in <x>. The Ph.D. is required, and previous teaching experience is highly desirable. Deadline for applications is <x>. Visit the Davidson College web site at http://www2.davidson.edu/administration/hr/hr_empopportun.asp to complete a simple online application. Send cover letter, CV, graduate transcript, and three letters of recommendation to:
[email protected]< x> Search Committee
Davidson College Human ResourcesBox 7136
Davidson, NC 28035-7136postmarked by <x>
Davidson is strongly committed to achieving excellence and cultural diversity, and welcomes applications from women, members of minority groups, and
others who would bring additional dimensions to the college’s mission.
The actual format may vary in accordance with the requirements of professional associations or the format of their registers. The Dean's approval must be secured before submission of any listing or announcement. A copy of the advertisement as it appears in publications should be forwarded to the Dean's office for placement in the search file. Announcements must be as carefully worded as possible to allow for the range of possibilities envisioned in filling the position, as the college will be morally bound, at least, by the original wording. (E.g., if a senior appointment is a possibility, the announcement should not specify a junior position.)
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Davidson assumes that qualified professionals seeking positions will consult the appropriate professional registers and publications. However, in its search for teacher-scholars of outstanding promise the college may wish to recruit persons who are not currently looking for positions but who, if enticed from their present positions, would make strong additions to the Davidson faculty. Hence chairs are urged to make use of any and all professional contacts which they and their colleagues have in their field. Friends of the college should also be consulted if in a position to identify proven teachers in appropriate fields who might be interested in teaching here. Chairs should bear in mind the college's desire to increase the candidate pool for four special categories: 1) under represented groups, e.g. African American, Asian American, Latino- American, Native American; 2) women; 3) alumni; and 4) persons with disabilities. The college is an equal opportunity employer and a statement to that effect is available from the Human Resources department. Although it operates fully in the spirit of affirmative action, the college does not have an officially-registered plan and is not technically an "affirmative action" employer. Hence this phrase should not be used in notices. An appropriate phrase might be: "Equal Opportunity Employer; candidates from under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply".Special efforts should be made to develop a pool of candidates in each of the above groups. Chairs are urged to keep a file of Davidson alumni in their fields who might someday be invited to teach here. However, in general the college does not favor bringing alumni here for their first teaching experiences. To begin a teaching career in the company of one's undergraduate mentors is always difficult. Moreover, having to let an alumnus go if things do not work out is particularly difficult for all concerned.
In addition to the formal notice placed in the appropriate association job register, the chair should write Davidson alumni in the field who might be helpful in identifying appropriate prospects. Notices circulated to department chairs and trusted colleagues at leading graduate schools are often very fruitful. Chairs should also consider circulars to department chairs at other leading liberal arts colleges, as quite often a temporary replacement has turned out to be the sort of teacher the college would like to keep.
To make certain that the vacancy is called to the attention of under-represented groups, special strategies appropriate to the field and position should be employed. The best source of minority candidates has been personal contact and "networking".
Searches are advertised to the Davidson faculty and nominations solicited. Normally the Dean provides the faculty during the fall semester a list of searches in progress.
Any use of the term "tenure-track" should avoid the implication of permanence. Where possible, the term "regular appointment" is preferred.
B. General Guidelines for Faculty Searches from the Office of Human Resources (HR)1. The Human Resources Office provides consultation and assistance in managing the recruitment
process (e.g. acknowledging applications and notifying unsuccessful candidates) as well as complying with the various laws regarding recruiting and employment practices. Departments are urged to use their services and recruitment software to simplify and minimize record-keeping. Those departments choosing not to use the systems and software available in Human Resources should consult with them to insure compliance with applicable laws and policies.
2. Equal Opportunity Employment Considerations: The college must comply with various laws
regarding recruiting and employment practices. Please follow these recommendations carefully.a. It is preferred to establish clear selection criteria to utilize throughout the selection process so that
a faculty member uses the same criteria in his/her evaluation of all candidates. b. Never write notes on any original application materials including the cover letter and academic
credentials.
3. Retention and Disposition of Materials and Files. Use of the Human Resources recruitment and employment software results automatically in appropriate record keeping and disposal. The College Archives and Records Management Office provides assistance with the retention and disposition of any hard copy applicant files. a. At the conclusion of the search process, organize the selection files removing extraneous
materials, and retain for two years. All applicant files should be shredded at the end of a two-year period. [Applicant files can be stored by the College Archives and Records Management Office for the two-year period. Attach a note authorizing destruction of the files after two years in accordance with the college’s records retention policy for position searches. Disposition will then occur at the appropriate time per the Records Retention and Disposition schedule.]
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b. Exception: If an EEOC charge is filed, the applicant files should be retained for one year following the final disposition by the EEOC.
c. Written evaluations used to critique candidates should not be retained after the conclusion of the search process. Retain only a summary [see F. below] of the steps taken during the selection process and the statement of reasons the successful candidate was chosen. Other extraneous notes and forms should be shredded before sending to storage.
d. Be aware that anything written regarding the candidates, including e-mail messages backed up on a server, could be subject to scrutiny by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or legal counsel.
C. Assembling Dossiers on Leading CandidatesPractice with regard to references may vary according to the convenience of the chair. A good general
rule is to avoid making persons serving as references write more letters than necessary. Hence, if a preliminary screening can be conducted on the basis of the c.v., that is best. Letters of reference can then be requested by the chair as needed for candidates with the most promising credentials. If a graduate school dossier is available, that can be sent initially at the request of the candidate with saving of effort for all concerned. All applications should be acknowledged promptly, as should all letters of reference. In a large search with many applications it may be expedient to have postcards prepared or to respond by e-mail.
Undergraduate and graduate transcripts are generally not necessary in the first screening stage. They may be sent by the candidate. The graduate and undergraduate transcripts should be requested from leading prospects, and both transcripts should be in hand for the final screening of candidates to be invited to campus for interviews. Ideally contracts should not be final until the college has official copies of both undergraduate and graduate transcripts. The graduate transcript should support the letters of recommendation. The undergraduate transcript is often more revealing as to breadth of interest and the prospects for successful teaching in a liberal arts institution.
D. Using National Meetings for Preliminary ScreeningIdeally the search should be announced in time to assemble and review dossiers and schedule
screening interviews at national and regional meetings. Departmental reviewing of files calls for discretion on the part of everyone concerned, with the greatest respect for the confidentiality of letters of recommendation.
It is important that chairs attend the national disciplinary meetings, accompanied by at least one other departmental member to assist in the work. Campus visits are consumptive of money and time — the candidate's and ours. Screening interviews at meetings can avoid the embarrassment of having a candidate arrive whose unsuitability becomes rapidly apparent to all. Screening interviews allow the chair an opportunity of explaining further the college, its nature and traditions. This is often a convenient time for distribution of the Statement of Purpose and other documents such as the profile of the first-year class, which demonstrate the college's highly selective nature. Note: Departments engaged in a search for a regular appointment may draw upon the Dean's recruiting budget for two individuals to attend a professional meeting off campus to interview prospective candidates. Departments engaged in a search for one- or two-year visitor may draw upon the same budget for one individual trip, but it must be approved in advance.
It is helpful on these screening interviews to take separate notes that can be placed temporarily in the candidate's file. After screening fifteen to thirty candidates in short interviews it is sometimes difficult to keep all particulars in mind, and the notes will be helpful in the departmental review process.
5. Arranging for Campus Interviews1. After screening interviews have taken place the chair, with departmental consultation, should rank the
five to ten leading candidates. The files for the top ten candidates should be shared by the chair with the Dean. Then an invitation to visit the campus will be issued in the name of the Dean, usually to the three leading candidates as agreed upon by the chair and Dean. Before leaving home to visit Davidson, candidates should normally receive copies of the Statement of Purpose.
2. When contacting candidates the chair should offer to have the college pay for the ticket directly. (Prior to contacting the candidate the chair should call the Executive Assistant to the VPAA/DoF to find out the best way to charge this expense to the college/VPAA/DoF Office.) If the candidate makes his or
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her own arrangements, the college will refund the outlay with a college check upon receipt of appropriate documentation. Requests for reimbursements must be turned in to the VPAA/DoF Executive Assistant normally no later than noon on Mondays for payment the following Friday.
3. Reservations for overnight accommodations should be made at the Guest House by the chair. Recruiting visits normally involve an overnight stay in order to allow a full day of interviews. The chair should inform the Guest House staff that billing for the accommodations should be sent to the VPAA/DoF's office. If the Guest House is unavailable, please consult with the VPAA/DoF office regarding other appropriate arrangements.
4. In scheduling candidates for campus visits it is useful to arrange some sort of public function when students, department members, and other interested members of the faculty and administration can be present. However, the public presentation must not become the major focus of the process. The tendency of younger candidates is to "play it safe" with a talk derived from the dissertation, limited in scope and frequently unexciting. The college is looking for potential, not performance. It is a good idea to schedule some period when the candidate can spend time alone with majors in the department. These sessions are almost invariably good for recruiting. The candidate perceives that the faculty is confident regarding its relationship with students, and the students themselves open up more and engage the candidate when not inhibited by faculty presence. In these settings the enthusiasm of the students for the college and the educational program here usually comes through strongly. It can also be helpful to have the initial reactions of students to a prospective faculty member.
5. In scheduling functions with candidates it is generally best to avoid large gatherings where the candidate cannot be the center of attention. In small departments a luncheon or dinner meeting can probably be scheduled. With a large department a meal should not be scheduled with the whole department present unless the chair is prepared to act as moderator and keep the occasion focused on the candidate and not let it become a purely social occasion. Each year the Dean’s office will set a maximum per meal expenditure reimbursement limit. [For 2014-15 the maximum per person limits including gratuities are $10.00 for breakfast, $17.00 for lunch, and $30.00 for dinner.] Chairs should remind department members of these limits before they host candidates for meals. Any additional expense for a meal must be paid for by the hosting department (only with prior approval of the department chair) or the individual. Chairs should consider having at least one meal on-campus, provided by the College Dining Services. This will help departments stay within the limits designated above and not incur additional expense for the department or an individual faculty member. Please note that the VPAA/DoF Office does not reimburse faculty for other entertainment expenses (such as coffee, ice cream, sodas, meals for spouses/partners, etc.) associated with candidate visits.
6. Ideally every candidate should meet some faculty members outside the department. If participation in a program such as humanities is envisioned, the candidate should meet the director and preferably another member of the program. It is always a good idea to have candidates meet a faculty member from a related discipline with whom the possibility of fruitful interdisciplinary exchange exists. Special effort must be taken to ensure that women candidates meet other women on the faculty and that minority candidates meet members of other minority groups. The President should be scheduled to meet with candidates for regular positions. Please also include in the candidate’s schedule a half-hour appointment with the Campus Housing Coordinator in the Physical Plant Office and direct the candidate to the Human Resources website or informational booklet for a complete listing of benefits.
Reminder: A copy of the visitation schedule for each candidate must be sent to the VPAA/DoF's office.
It should be borne in mind and often emphasized to department members that the object is faculty recruitment and that in the interviews the college is recruiting at least as much as it is screening and selecting. The current increase in the pool of candidates seeking employment does not necessarily mean an increment in outstanding candidates. The college has succeeded in attracting outstanding new faculty members to Davidson by an energetic approach to presenting the advantages and rewards of teaching at Davidson and of membership in this community. The outstanding candidates the college is seeking will always have their choice of opportunities, even in a contracting job market.
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7. Candidate visits should be scheduled as soon after completion of the screening process as possible. An expeditious search and decision-making process will give Davidson the widest choice among candidates. The later in the year, the smaller is the field of candidates remaining.
8. Candidates should be scheduled for campus visits as close together as possible. In general, the longer the waiting period between the campus visit and the offer, the weaker the offer becomes. The momentum in a search peaks with the campus visit. An offer coming soon thereafter convinces the candidate of the decisive nature of the college's interest and commitment to the offer. For this reason it is well for the chair to sound out candidates tactfully as to what the timing of their own decision-making process will be. If unexpected or unavoidable delays occur, the leading candidates should be kept informed and apprised of the decision-making timetable. Nothing is more disaffecting for a candidate than to feel left out in some limbo. For this reason, as soon as the leading candidates have been selected for campus visits the rest should be thanked for their interest and informed that their files are being placed in inactive status.
9. After consultation with department members, which may include ranking the top candidates, the chair consults with the Dean regarding a recommendation to the President. It is particularly important that, before the meeting with the Dean, the chair solicits the reactions of everyone who met with the various candidates. Failure to do so inevitably results in hurt feelings and may create latent antagonisms.
6. Extending an Offer of AppointmentThe actual offer of appointment must be made in writing by the President or VPAA/DoF. It is
extended pending verification of the candidate’s educational credentials, i.e. receipt of official transcripts. In any negotiations regarding possible terms of appointment the chair should make it clear that he or she does not have the authority to make an offer. This gives the college more flexibility in recruiting since a chair can thus, if necessary, sound out the candidate on his or her general circumstances without having the responsibility of setting the actual terms of the offer.
Every offer of employment is contingent upon the candidate’s eligibility to work in the U.S.A. A statement of this college policy will be given to each candidate with the benefits summary Human Resources provides candidates and included in the employment letter.
By common practice candidates are given two weeks from receipt of an official contract offer to make a decision, while at the same time being urged to let the college know as soon as possible. The candidate should be informed that the offer of appointment is extended pending verification of his/her educational credentials and completed background check. As soon as an offer is accepted, the chair should inform the other final candidates that an offer has been made and accepted and the search closed.
All records and dossiers from the search must be kept at least two years. A summary report on the search must be submitted to the VPAA/DoF Office and the Human Resources Office. This report should give the number of candidates in the pool, the number of women and other under represented groups, and it should list the candidates interviewed at meetings and on campus. It should summarize the reasons for preferring the successful candidate over the others. When a search is conducted through Human Resources, a summary is automatically generated by the Human Resources software. Departments choosing to conduct the search outside of the Human Resources system must generate a summary report.
7. OfficesNew faculty may not work, move into offices or obtain faculty privileges (e.g. CatCard, access to
Davidson facilities) until the first day of their contract, typically August 1. All departing faculty (including retirees) are expected to vacate offices by July 15 to insure an orderly transition for the new occupant.
2.2.4 New Faculty Orientation
To assist new faculty members in understanding the Davidson College community, the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty coordinates an orientation program for new faculty.
For all new faculty there is a two-day orientation before the beginning of the fall semester which provides a general overview of administrative and academic organization, operations, and policies.
For new faculty with tenure/tenure-track appointments, orientation continues during the fall and into the spring semester. Major aspects of the Davidson faculty experience, policies and procedures, and student services are covered in greater detail.
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New faculty on regular or multi-year appointments at the college are assigned a mentor by the department chair. The mentor(s) may be a senior member of the same and/or another department. The role of the mentor is to assist the new faculty member with teaching, professional activity and participation in the life of the college and the community. The mentoring process, in so far as possible, is separate from the periodic evaluation of probationary faculty mandated under the Code of Faculty Evaluation Procedures.
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Draft Appointment Letter for Regular/Tenure Track
[date]
[name and address]
Re: Davidson College – Faculty Offer
Dear [sal]:
[Under the assumption that all the requirements for your Ph.D. degree will be completed by August 15, 201x,] I am pleased to offer you a two-year tenure-track appointment as Assistant Professor of [department] for the academic years [years] (August 1, 201x – July 31, 201x). You will be expected to teach four (4) courses in your first academic year, [year]. You will be expected to teach five (5) courses annually beginning your second academic year, [year].
Professor [department chair] will be in contact with you regarding the details of the courses you will be expected to teach as well as your other responsibilities to the Department of [department]. Further information about your offer is summarized below for your convenience.
Conditional Nature of Offer
The offer of this appointment is extended pending and conditioned upon: (a) your ability to perform the essential functions of the position as defined by Davidson College, with or without reasonable accommodations; (b) the results of your authorized pre-employment criminal and other background checks, which must show the absence of, among other things, any criminal record deemed unacceptable by Davidson; and (c) verification of your education and work credentials and employment authorization to work in the United States. Should you require sponsorship to obtain authorization to work in the U.S., Davidson College will assume all costs associated with securing that work authorization, including all legal and filing fees for an H-1B and/or a green card. The decision about whether to pursue a green card will be made within 15 months of your acceptance of this offer. Should the College pay to acquire a green card for you, you will be required to sign a repayment agreement stating that you will refund money spent in that process should you leave the college’s employment within five years of your start date.
Compensation and Benefits
Your initial base salary will be $[salary] for the academic year [year] (August 1, 201x – July 31, 201x), paid in accordance with Davidson’s regular pay cycles. If the degree is not completed by August 15, 201x, your initial base salary will be $[salary] and your title will be Instructor in [department].
You will be entitled to all the fringe benefits appropriate to your rank and status at the college, including participation in our health insurance plan as well as in the TIAA/CREF or Fidelity retirement program upon fulfilling the eligibility requirements. I am sure that Dr. Kim Ball, our Director of Human Resources, will be pleased to give you further information on the benefits provided. You may contact her at [email protected] or 704-894-2212.
Your ability to participate in Davidson’s benefit programs referenced above and summarized in the attached document is subject to the applicable terms of those plans. Like all employer benefits, these programs and plans may be established, modified, amended, replaced or eliminated from time to time by Davidson, with or without advance notice. Further, all base pay and other payments to you by Davidson during your employment shall be subject to withholdings as required by law, where applicable.
The college will assist you in every reasonable way to make your move to Davidson as easy as possible, including help in finding a place to live. Eighty percent of the expense of moving household goods to Davidson will be paid by the college. There are some exclusions to this policy, so please read the enclosed policy carefully. Davidson is a residential college with a strong sense of community, and faculty generally want to live in or near the
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Davidson community. You will be eligible for assistance from the college with renting college-owned property and/or toward the purchase or building of a permanent home if you should desire to do so.
As with all faculty, you will be eligible for up to $2,000 in reimbursable expenses for travel to relevant professional meetings. Moreover, you may also apply annually for up to $2,600 for reimbursable expenses, or $3,500 for a student assistant, associated with a summer research project. Additional Appointment Details
Enclosed herewith is a copy of our Code of Faculty Evaluation Procedures which describes the criteria on which members of the faculty are evaluated for promotion and tenure. I want to point out to you especially VII, “The Tenure Decision,” which specifies the high standards expected of successful tenure candidates. Your initial two-year appointment will be evaluated during the fall term of your second year and a decision made whether to renew your contract by December 15 of your second year.
As you probably know, non-teaching duties and obligations constitute part of a faculty member’s responsibilities. Some of these are tangible and some intangible, but we expect you to participate in advising students, in an appropriate amount of committee work, and in the life of the college community. We seek faculty who have a genuine concern for and interest in students and who will thrive in an open and collegial campus environment. Although teaching is the primary responsibility of a member of the faculty at Davidson, we believe that sound teaching requires ongoing research and scholarship. We feel that you are well-equipped in your educational background, your professional accomplishments, and your interests to fulfill all of these expectations, and we hope very much that you will join us.
Please know that your appointment is subject to the terms of and your compliance with the Faculty Handbook, Trustee Bylaws, College Constitution, and other applicable personnel and other policies of Davidson, including those found in the Employee Guide. Further, nothing in this offer letter or about your appointment shall in any way be interpreted to provide you with greater rights, claims or privileges against the College regarding continued employment during the anticipated period of your appointment than otherwise provided in the Faculty Handbook, Trustee Bylaws, College Constitution, and other applicable polices of Davidson, such that if you fail to abide by the same, your appointment can and will end earlier.
Statement of Purpose and Honor System
Founded by Presbyterians in 1837, Davidson College remains animated by the Reformed Tradition. This tradition supports Davidson’s intellectual and ethical commitment to unfettered inquiry, to cultivating a broadly diverse, inclusive community, and to a liberal arts education characterized by rich student-faculty interaction within a culture of trust. Our primary purpose is to assist students in developing humane instincts and disciplined and creative minds for lives of leadership and service. I have included in this letter a copy of our Statement of Purpose, which elaborates these goals. All of our faculty and staff are expected to live and work in harmony with these high ideals.
The basis of campus life at Davidson is a long-standing honor system. The viability and fairness of such a system depends upon the understanding and support of the entire community and the willingness of all to follow established procedures. It is important that you familiarize yourself with the honor system and that you support both its principles and the procedures for maintaining it.
Offer Acceptance
It was a pleasure to have you visit us. We believe that you can make a significant contribution to Davidson, and we feel confident that you would find it a pleasant and challenging place in which to live and work. A signed copy of this letter returned to my office will constitute your acceptance of the conditional offer of employment extended to you by the College. We would appreciate having your response as soon as possible, but in any event no later than 5:00pm ET on [date].
Please let me know if you have any further questions or if there is any further information I can give you.
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Best regards,
Wendy E. Raymond
WER:pg
Enclosures - As stated
cc: Dr. Carol E. Quillen Dr. [department chair] Dr. Kim Ball
I acknowledge and accept the position as referenced above with Davidson College and understand the terms and conditions in this conditional offer letter.
______________________________________ _________________________[name] Date
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Draft Appointment Letter for Two-Year Visiting Position
[date]
[name and address]
Re: Davidson College – Faculty Offer
Dear [xx]:
(Under the assumption that all the requirements for your Ph.D. degree will be completed by August 15, 201x,) I am pleased to offer you a two-year appointment as Visiting Assistant Professor of [department] for the academic years [years] (August 1, 201x through July 31, 201x). (If the degree is not complete by that time, the appointment would be at the rank of Visiting Instructor.)
Professor [department chair] will be in touch with you regarding the details of the five (5) courses you will be expected to teach each academic year as well as your other responsibilities to the Department of [department]. Further information about your offer is summarized below for your convenience.
Conditional Nature of Offer
The offer of this appointment is extended pending and conditioned upon: (a) your ability to perform the essential functions of the position as defined by Davidson College, with or without reasonable accommodations; (b) the results of your authorized pre-employment criminal and other background checks, which must show the absence of, among other things, any criminal record deemed unacceptable by Davidson; and (c) verification of your education and work credentials and employment authorization to work in the United States.
Compensation and Benefits
(Assuming the Ph.D. degree is completed by August 15, 201x,) your initial base salary will be $[amount] for the academic year [year] (August 1, 201x-July 31, 201x), paid in accordance with Davidson’s regular pay cycles. (If the degree is not completed by August 15, 201x your salary will be ($ amount.) In addition, you will be entitled to the fringe benefits available to visiting faculty members, including participation in our health insurance plan if you desire it. As with all faculty, you will be eligible for up to $2,000 of reimbursable expenses for travel to relevant professional meeting during the course of your service in accordance with the rules laid down for use of those funds. Moreover, you may also apply for up to $1,500 for reimbursable expenses associated with a summer research project in 2015. The College also pays new full-time visiting faculty members the lesser of $2,500 or 80% of actual moving expenses to Davidson.
General Plan and Payment Information
Your ability to participate in Davidson’s benefit programs referenced above is subject to the applicable terms of those plans. Like all employer benefits, these programs and plans may be established, modified, amended, replaced or eliminated from time to time by Davidson, with or without advance notice. Further, all base pay and other payments to you by Davidson during your employment shall be subject to withholdings as required by law, where applicable.
Additional Appointment Details
This appointment is a visiting one and is not renewable. To be considered for future teaching appointments at Davidson College, if any, the College would expect you to submit to an evaluative review. As part of this evaluation process, there would be an annual review of your student evaluation forms for all courses taught and of your teaching effectiveness. Accordingly, the College would expect you to share with [department chair] and me your student evaluation forms for all courses taught for our review prior to extending an offer for an additional appointment. My office will retain a copy of your student evaluation forms for this purpose. [Department chair] will conduct an assessment of your teaching effectiveness by June 1, 201X and provide a written review of your teaching effectiveness to me at that time. This assessment will include a review of the student evaluation forms for the academic year [year] and a classroom visit by [department chair] or her/his
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designee. At your request and option, this assessment also will include a review of your Faculty Activity Report and your relevant professional materials (e.g., research, papers read, and publications). Please provide materials you would like to have included in the assessment to [department chair] in ample time for the June 1st review.
Even if a future teaching appointment at Davidson College is not anticipated, you may request that [department chair] review your student evaluations forms and provide you with an assessment of your teaching effectiveness by June 1, 201X and/or the end of the contract period.
In the event that a regular appointment should be opened up while you are here, there would be a national search. Further, there would be no bar to your being considered as a candidate should your qualifications fit you for the position as defined (recognizing that such consideration does not constitute a guarantee about the outcome of any search).
Please know that your appointment is subject to the terms of and your compliance with the Faculty Handbook, Trustee Bylaws, College Constitution, and other applicable personnel and other policies of Davidson, including those found in the Employee Guide. Further, nothing in this offer letter or about your appointment shall in any way be interpreted to provide you with greater rights, claims or privileges against the College regarding continued employment during the anticipated period of your appointment than otherwise provided in the Faculty Handbook, Trustee Bylaws, College Constitution, and other applicable polices of Davidson, such that if you fail to abide by the same, your appointment can and will end earlier.
Statement of Purpose and Honor System
Founded by Presbyterians in 1837, Davidson College remains animated by the Reformed Tradition. This tradition supports our intellectual and ethical commitment to unfettered inquiry, to cultivating a broadly diverse, inclusive community, and to a liberal arts education characterized by rich student-faculty interaction within a culture of trust. Our primary purpose is to assist students in developing humane instincts and disciplined and creative minds for lives of leadership and service. I have included in this letter a copy of our Statement of Purpose, which elaborates these goals. All of our faculty and staff are expected to live and work in harmony with these high ideals.
The basis of campus life at Davidson is a long-standing honor system. The viability and fairness of such a system depends on the understanding and support of the entire community, and the willingness of all concerned to follow established procedures. It is important that you familiarize yourself with the honor system and that you give your support to both its principles and the procedures for maintaining it.
Offer Acceptance
A signed copy of this letter returned to this office will constitute your acceptance of the conditional offer of employment extended to you by the College. We would appreciate having your response as soon as possible, but in any event no later than [date].
Sincerely,
Wendy E. Raymond
WER:pg
Enc: Statement of PurposeSection of Trustee By-LawsEmployment/Payment Information Forms
cc: Dr. Carol E. Quillen[Department chair]Human Resources Office
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I acknowledge and accept the position as referenced above with Davidson College and understand the terms and conditions in this conditional offer letter.
______________________________________ _________________________[name] Date
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Draft Appointment Letter for One-Year Visiting Position
[Date]
1[Name and Address]
Re: Davidson College – Faculty Offer
Dear [sal]:
I am pleased to offer you a one-year appointment as Visiting Assistant Professor of [department] for the academic year [year], August 1, 201X through July 31, 201X.
Professor [department chair] will be in touch with you regarding the details of the five (5) courses you will be expected to teach as well as your other responsibilities to the Department of [department]. Further information about your offer is summarized below for your convenience.
Compensation and Benefits
Your salary will be $[amount] for the academic year [year], paid in accordance with Davidson’s regular pay cycles. In addition, you will be entitled to the fringe benefits available to visiting faculty members, including participation in our health insurance plan if you desire it. I am sure Dr. Kim Ball, our Director of Human Resources, will be pleased to give you further information on the benefits provided. As with all faculty, you will be eligible for up to $2,000 of reimbursable expenses for travel to relevant professional meeting during the course of your service in accordance with the rules laid down for use of those funds.
Conditional Nature of Offer
The offer of this appointment is extended pending and conditioned upon: (a) your ability to perform the essential functions of the position as defined by Davidson College, with or without reasonable accommodations; (b) the results of your authorized pre-employment criminal and other background checks, which must show the absence of, among other things, any criminal record deemed unacceptable by Davidson; and (c) verification of your education and work credentials and employment authorization to work in the United States.
General Plan and Payment Information
Your ability to participate in Davidson’s benefit programs referenced above is subject to the applicable terms of those plans. Like all employer benefits, these programs and plans may be established, modified, amended, replaced or eliminated from time to time by Davidson, with or without advance notice. Further, all base pay and other payments to you by Davidson during your employment shall be subject to withholdings as required by law, where applicable.
Additional Appointment Details
This appointment is a visiting one and is not renewable. To be considered for future teaching appointments at Davidson College, if any, the College would expect you to submit to an evaluative review. As part of this evaluation process, the College would expect you to share with [department chair] and me your student evaluation forms for all courses taught for our review prior to extending an offer for an additional appointment. My office will retain a copy of your student evaluation forms for this purpose. [Department chair] should inform you by the conclusion of the academic year whether we anticipate reviewing your student evaluation forms.
Even if a future teaching appointment at Davidson College is not anticipated, you may request that [department chair] review your student evaluation forms and provide you an assessment of your teaching effectiveness prior to the end of your contract period.
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In the event that a regular appointment should be opened up while you are here, there would be a national search. Further, there would be no bar to your being considered as a candidate should your qualifications fit you for the position as defined (recognizing that such consideration does not constitute a guarantee about the outcome of any search).
Please know that your appointment is subject to the terms of and your compliance with the Faculty Handbook, Trustee Bylaws, College Constitution, and other applicable personnel and other policies of Davidson, including those found in the Employee Guide. Further, nothing in this offer letter or about your appointment shall in any way be interpreted to provide you with greater rights, claims or privileges against the College regarding continued employment during the anticipated period of your appointment than otherwise provided in the Faculty Handbook, Trustee Bylaws, College Constitution, and other applicable polices of Davidson, such that if you fail to abide by the same, your appointment can and will end earlier.
Statement of Purpose and Honor System
Founded by Presbyterians in 1837, Davidson College remains animated by the Reformed Tradition. This tradition supports our intellectual and ethical commitment to unfettered inquiry, to cultivating a broadly diverse, inclusive community, and to a liberal arts education characterized by rich student-faculty interaction within a culture of trust. Our primary purpose is to assist students in developing humane instincts and disciplined and creative minds for lives of leadership and service. All of our faculty and staff are expected to live and work in harmony with these high ideals.
The basis of campus life at Davidson is a long-standing honor system. The viability and fairness of such a system depends on the understanding and support of the entire community, and the willingness of all concerned to follow established procedures. It is important that you familiarize yourself with the honor system and that you give your support to both its principles and the procedures for maintaining it.
Offer Acceptance
A signed copy of this letter returned to this office will constitute your acceptance of the conditional offer of employment extended to you by the College. We would appreciate having your response as soon as possible, but in any event no later than [date].
Sincerely,
Wendy E. Raymond
WER:pg
cc: Dr. Carol E. Quillen[Department chair]Human Resources Office
I acknowledge and accept the position as referenced above with Davidson College and understand the terms and conditions in this conditional offer letter.
______________________________________ _________________________[name] Date
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Draft Appointment Letter for Part-Time Position
[date]
[name and address]
Dear [xx]:
I am pleased to offer you an appointment as Adjunct [title] for the [fall/spring] semester [year] to teach [number] course[s], [name of course[s]. Professor [department chair] will be in contact with you regarding [this/these] course[s] as well as any other responsibilities you may have to the Department of [department].
Your salary will be $[amount] paid in five monthly payments, [fall/spring dates], less applicable withholding and in accordance with Davidson’s regular pay cycles.
Further, you should know that the offer of this appointment is extended pending and conditioned upon: (a) your ability to perform the essential functions of the position as defined by Davidson College, with or without reasonable accommodations; (b) the results of your authorized pre-employment criminal and other background checks, which must show the absence of, among other things, any criminal record deemed unacceptable by Davidson; and (c) verification of your education and work credentials and employment authorization to work in the United States.
This appointment is a visiting one and is not renewable. To be considered for future teaching appointments at Davidson College, if any, the College would the College would expect you to submit to an evaluative review. As part of this evaluation process, the College would expect you to share with [department chair] and me your student evaluation forms for all courses taught for our review prior to extending an offer for an additional appointment. My office will retain a copy of your student evaluation forms for this purpose. [Department chair] should inform you at the conclusion of the semester whether we anticipate reviewing your student evaluation forms.
Please know also that your appointment is subject to the terms of and your compliance with the Faculty Handbook, Trustee Bylaws, College Constitution, and other applicable personnel and other policies of Davidson, including those found in the Employee Guide. Further, nothing in this offer letter or about your appointment shall in any way be interpreted to provide you with greater rights, claims or privileges against the College regarding continued employment during the anticipated period of your appointment than otherwise provided in the Faculty Handbook, Trustee Bylaws, College Constitution, and other applicable polices of Davidson, such that if you fail to abide by the same, your appointment can and will end earlier.
Lastly, you should also be aware that the basis of campus life at Davidson is a long-standing honor system. The viability and fairness of such a system depends upon the understanding and support of the entire community, and the willingness of all concerned to follow established procedures. It is important that you familiarize yourself with the honor system and that you give your support to both its principles and the procedures for maintaining it.
A signed copy of this letter returned to this office accepting its terms will constitute an agreement between you and the College. We would appreciate having your response as soon as possible, but in any event no later than [date].
Sincerely,
Wendy E. Raymond
WER:pg
enc: Employment/Background Check forms
cc: [Department chair]
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Human Resources Office
I have read the above and agree to the specified terms and conditions of my employment with Davidson College.
_________________________________ ____________________[name] Date
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2.3 DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
2.3.1 Departmental Reviews [Revised August 2011]
A. Goal: Each department or program and academic unit and office directly reporting to the Office of the VPAA/DoF will have an external review within a seven-ten year period.
B. Rationale: 1. Primary: For departments to assess their program (curriculum) in light of the College’s overall mission, as well as to
articulate and defend requests for additional budgetary support.2. Secondary: To provide the VPAA/DoF with information concerning future priorities and to assist in the
accreditation process.
C. Process:1. Determine with appropriate lead-time a targeted date (year) for the review.2. The department in conjunction with the VPAA/DoF Office will select a review team.
a. The department chair, after consulting with the department, should provide the VPAA/DoF with a recommendation for the composition of the team. Normally, the team will consist of two professionals working in the discipline (or program) being reviewed. At least one member of the team should be from an institution with a mission similar to that of Davidson College.
b. Before contacting any potential reviewers, the department first sends to the VPAA/DoF Office a list of possible candidates (and their cv's). Once the VPAA/DoF Office approves the list of candidates, the department chooses two to invite. The department then contacts the two candidates, asking if each would be willing to do the review, and when each could come to campus to conduct the review.
c. Once two candidates agree to do the review, the department determines the dates for the review by coordinating the reviewers' schedules with those of department members, the President and the VPAA/DoF. The schedules for the latter three individuals are available from the executive assistants in the President's and VPAA/DoF Offices.
d. After determining the dates of the review, the department forwards those dates and the reviewers' cv's to the VPAA/DoF's executive assistant. The VPAA/DoF’s executive assistant sends the reviewers a letter of engagement, asking them to do the reviews on the specific dates. When the reviewers agree, the department begins arranging the reviewers' schedule on the days of the review. Sample schedules from past reviews are available from the executive assistant of the VPAA/DoF.
3. The VPAA/DoF will provide the review team with a standard set of questions; the chair of the department will provide the team with a list of any department-specific issues. The department will provide the team with appropriate background material.
4. Upon arrival the review team will have a brief orientation meeting with the VPAA/DoF and the department chair.5. The team will spend up to two days on campus, meeting at a minimum with the department as a whole, faculty
members individually, students who major in the department (perhaps, others as well), the VPAA/DoF and the President. Visiting a class may also prove helpful, particularly for reviews of language departments.
6. Expenses during the team’s visit:a. TRAVEL: Consult with the VPAA/DoF Office on the best way to make travel reservations and cover the
expenses. The VPAA/DoF Office covers transportation to and from the college, parking at the airport or hotel, and/or mileage.
b. LODGING: Reservations should be made at the college Guest House. If the Guest House is unavailable, please consult with the VPAA/DoF Office regarding other appropriate arrangements.
c. MEALS: Reimbursement to the reviewer or department for meals will be based upon original receipts provided. For 2014-15 the VPAA/DoF Office has set maximum reimbursement per person limits including gratuities at $10.00 for breakfast, $17.00 for lunch, and $30.00 for dinner. Chairs should remind department members of these limits before they host reviewers. Any additional expense for a meal must be paid for by the hosting department (only with prior approval of the department chair) or the individual. Please note that the VPAA/DoF Office does not reimburse faculty for other entertainment expenses (such as coffee, ice cream, sodas, meals for spouses/partners, etc.) associated with the visits.
7. The team will have an exit interview with the VPAA/DoF.8. The team submits an initial report to the VPAA/DoF, and the department chair (or program director), who respond
to the accuracy of the report. Upon receipt of this report, each team member is issued an honorarium of $900.009. The team submits its revised final report to the VPAA/DoF Office (within 45 days).
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10. The review is shared with all department members. The department formulates a response to the review and its recommendations. The department then meets with the VPAA/DoF to discuss the review, the department's response, and specific plans for moving forward on the review's recommendations. The department then sends to the VPAA/DoF Office a summary of these specific plans.
11. One year after submitting the summary, the department provides a follow-up report to the VPAA/DoF Office, outlining the extent of progress in implementing the specific plans that emerged from discussion of the review.
D. Background Information: This list of background information is primarily relevant for academic departments.
1. Current College Catalog with attention drawn to the mission of the College and departmental offerings2. Current Faculty Handbook3. Departmental Mission Statement4. Statement of department's long-term goals, and how the department is working to realize those goals, including
specific issues and aspirations ideally placed in some historical context.5. Current c.v.’s of departmental faculty6. Syllabi for departmental course offerings7. Enrollment statistics for the last 3 years [Available from the VPAA/DoF and Registrar’s Offices]8. Numbers of majors and minors over the last several years.9. Departmental budget (administrative)10. Library and audio-visual budgets11. Facilities inventory (e.g., faculty offices, classrooms, laboratories, computer facilities)12. Placements of recent graduating majors. [Available from the Careers Office]13. Evidence assessing the department's progress in realizing its goals.
E. Common Questions:1. Is the department’s mission statement consistent with the overall mission of Davidson College, as well as the
College's Strategic Plan?2. Are the curricular offerings appropriate for a high-quality, liberal-arts undergraduate program?3. Is the design of the major (number of courses, required courses, sequencing, and capstone experience) appropriate?
Similar question for the departmental minor, if one exists.4. Are majors finding post-undergraduate opportunities consistent with their interests and training?5. Are departmental resources (faculty positions, non-teaching support, and budget) adequate for the department’s
mission?6. Is the department receiving sufficient assistance from supporting groups such as the Library, Information
Technology Services, and Instructional Support Services?7. Are facilities (office space, classrooms, and laboratories) adequate?8. Are departmental faculty appropriately engaged in professional activities and service to the institution?9. Are non-tenured faculty appropriately apprised of criteria and procedures for faculty evaluation?10. Is there an appropriate mentoring process for junior faculty?11. Are the opportunities for faculty development adequate?12. Are appropriate evaluation tools (e.g., national examination or external oral examiners) being used to assess student
performance in the major?13. Is the department appropriately planning for the future, such as developing long-term goals, anticipating future
developments in relevant fields, and assessing the department's progress in these areas? Answers to these questions are likely to address curricular innovation and the filling of any vacancies that are likely to exist in the short to medium term.
14. Has the department supported appropriate means for student-faculty exchange outside the classroom? [Examples would include departmental social events or honorary society.]
15. What recommendations can be made with some associated priority?
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2.4 FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
2.4.1 Leave of Absence [Updated 08/01/2002]
All faculty granted leaves of any kind must contact the Human Resources Office (ext. 2213) prior to the beginning of the leave. There are required forms to complete in order to have certain benefits (e.g., medical insurance) continue during the leave period. Under certain conditions faculty members may be granted leaves of absence. While the college will make every effort to accommodate leaves for worthwhile purposes, permission will be granted only in the context of the college's needs and staffing situation ordinarily for no more than one year. An eligible employee is one who has worked for the college at least twelve months and has worked at least 1250 hours during the preceding twelve-month period.
A. Sabbatical [Revised 8/1/90; Updated 08/01/06; Revised April 14, 2010; revised August 2012]
1. A member of the faculty who has attained permanent tenure and has served the college for a period of six years of full-time teaching or more may apply in writing for a sabbatical leave. Applications are generally due in the fall preceding the sabbatical and should outline the objectives to be achieved during the sabbatical.
2. In order to promote greater flexibility for professional growth and development, an individual, with the support of the department chair and the approval of the VPAA/DoF, may schedule a sabbatical at any time within the ensuing six year period, without any loss of eligibility within the rotation for the next sabbatical (which would still be seven years after the current year of eligibility).a. Options that would be possible under this system are the standard sabbatical in the first year of eligibility with a
faculty member able to take the year off at 50% salary or a semester at full pay. b. Additional options include delaying the sabbatical until another year during the six-year window or electing in
advance to take a semester off in two different academic years, receiving 75% salary in each year. In the event that a one-semester sabbatical is taken at 100% salary in a given academic year, any subsequent sabbatical of a semester would result in 50% pay, during the six-year window.
c. With a non-standard sabbatical, the VPAA/DoF asks the department chair to assess carefully any significant implications from the delay of the sabbatical.
d. Two qualifications: i. It is expected that a pre-tenure sabbatical will be taken in the year following the request; it would neither be
prudent nor easily feasible to offer the same flexibility for a pre-tenure sabbatical.ii. For budgetary purposes, it is assumed that a Boswell Family Fellowship Award will be taken in the year
following the request and award.
3. During a sabbatical leave, the college continues making contributions to the individual's annuity in an amount proportionate to the amount of salary being paid by the college during the sabbatical. For example, if the faculty member is to receive ½ of regular salary, the annuity contribution would be ½ the regular amount. If the faculty member is to receive no salary from the college during sabbatical, no contribution would be made to annuity. All other benefits remain in effect during the period of the sabbatical.
4. Where leaves of absence have been taken without pay from the college, the member of the faculty is only eligible to apply for a sabbatical leave after six years of full-time teaching at Davidson College, not counting the leave of absence.
5. A sabbatical leave is granted by the college not as a reward for six years of full-time service but as a means of refreshing and enhancing the professional capabilities of the faculty member for future service.
6. While a leave of absence may be taken for a variety of reasons, a sabbatical leave must be used in such a way as to contribute to the faculty member's growth in teaching and general professional competence in the field or one closely allied.
7. It is expected that a faculty member will be devoted full time to the project for which sabbatical leave has been received. Faculty members are encouraged to seek outside grant support for the period of the sabbatical, but any activity undertaken for remuneration, such as teaching or consulting, requires prior approval. Such approval may be withheld if the proposed activity would significantly impede completion of the sabbatical project.
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8. During a faculty member’s sabbatical (or other leave) all college equipment and computers are to remain in the college office or lab during the leave period. Computers required for sabbatical research may be removed only with prior written permission of the VPAA/DoF. If a faculty member will be away for an entire semester or year, he or she may be asked to clear desk, file, and shelf space for the use of a visiting faculty member. Requests for any exception to the above policy must be made in writing to the VPAA/DoF and must have the support of the faculty member's department chair. Exceptions will be made only if other adequate space and resources are available during the leave period for all other teaching faculty. [Updated 8/1/2004]
9. A faculty member on leave for one semester is expected to teach three courses in the other semester during the academic year. In the event a Special Non-Departmental Tenure-Track faculty member goes on leave or is granted a reduced teaching load, the VPAA/DoF shall be responsible for the temporary adjustment of the division of responsibilities among the relevant departments(s) and program(s).
10. Prior to the succeeding academic year, a faculty member should submit to the VPAA/DoF Office a report of sabbatical activities.
B. Assistant Professor Sabbaticals (See also A. 7, 8, & 9 above.)
Davidson College provides sabbatical leaves for all assistant professors in the year immediately preceding their tenure review year. This will normally be the fifth year of service following a favorable fourth-year contract renewal. Assistant professor leaves follow the normal sabbatical policy in terms of salary and time released.
The purpose of the program is to provide probationary faculty with early research and writing opportunities before, rather than after, a tenure decision is made. Faculty receiving assistant professor sabbaticals will qualify for a second sabbatical, assuming a favorable tenure decision, in the seventh year after their first sabbatical leave; in accordance with regular Davidson College sabbatical leave policies and procedures.
C. Faculty Salary and Grant Funds during a Full-year Sabbatical [4/21/99, updated 05/11/04, updated 08/01/08]
1. Fringe benefits.a. If a faculty member on a full-year sabbatical with half-salary paid by the college receives an external grant or
grants to supplement the salary provided by the college, the faculty member during that sabbatical year may be paid all normal fringe benefits by the college on the combined salary (college and grant funded) up to, but not exceeding, the equivalent of the regular, full college salary for the faculty member.
b. In order to implement this policy, all the following conditions must be meti. The provision for payment of normal fringe benefits by the college applies only to faculty with a full-year
sabbatical leave.ii. The relevant grant money must be designated for salary and not for other items such as equipment, overhead,
etc.; AND the granting agency guidelines must stipulate that the organization does not provide fringe benefits.iii. The granting agency or agencies must be willing to send their contribution toward a faculty member’s salary
to a Davidson College payroll account. iv. The combined half-salary paid by the college and the salary funds from the grant/s may not exceed the amount
of the faculty member’s regular, full salary for that particular year.v. Request for these arrangements must be submitted to and approved by the VPAA/DoF prior to the start of the
sabbatical year.vi. Once the VPAA/DoF has approved the request, copies of the approval will be forwarded to the Grants and
Contracts Office, Humans Resources Office, and the Payroll Office. They will then work out specific details with the faculty member and the granting agency. The Director of Grants and Contracts will administer and monitor the process.
Forms to request this benefit are available in the Grants and Contracts office or web page (http://www.davidson.edu/offices/grants-and-contracts/policies/full-year-sabbatical-fringe-benefits).
Sabbatical salary supplementationa. If a faculty member on a full-year sabbatical with half-salary paid by the college receives an external grant of
grants to supplement the salary provided by the college, but the combined amount falls short of 100% of the faculty member’s regular, full salary for that particular year, the college will provide up to 50% of the salary shortfall, not to exceed $15,000 plus related benefits. This only applies to external grants or award that are:
i. Intended as salary replacement for full-year sabbaticals
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ii. No less than $30,000, individually or combined (i.e. the awards must equal or exceed $30,000). [Example: A faculty member has an annual salary of $100,000 translating to $50,000 for a year-long sabbatical. If the faculty member generates $30,000 in salary supplement, the gap of $20,000 would be partially made up, 50% or $10,000 by the College, yielding a salary of $90,000 for the year.]
D. Other Leaves of Absence [Revised June 30, 2015 (Effective August 1, 2015)]
Under certain conditions faculty members may be granted leaves of absence. While the college will make every effort to accommodate leaves for worthwhile purposes, permission will be granted only in the context of the college's needs and staffing situation ordinarily for no more than one year. Faculty who are on a non-paid or medical leave are not eligible for travel funds to professional meetings nor for faculty study and research funds. In the event a Special Non-departmental Tenure-Track faculty member goes on leave or is granted a reduced teaching load, the VPAA/DoF shall be responsible for the temporary adjustment of the division of responsibilities among the relevant department(s) and program(s).
1. Family and Medical Leave of 1993 (FMLA): General Policy. For the most current policy, please refer to the Employee Guide located on the Davidson College Human Resources website, http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x8062.xml.
2. Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) - Interpretation Guidelines for Faculty [updated 08/29/16]a. In non-emergency situations, faculty members should provide as much advance notice as possible and work to
minimize disruption as much as possible.b. Faculty should consult first with the department chair and formulate a plan. They should then consult with the
VPAA/DoF and Director of Human Resources to establish the terms of leave or reduced load. The terms of the leave may also include release from student advising, committee assignments and other faculty responsibilities beyond teaching.
c. A probationary faculty member, in a manner consistent with Section 2.1.5 of the Faculty Handbook, may request an extension of his or her probationary period related to the amount of FMLA leave time taken. Taking FMLA leave does not negatively impact the tenure process.
d. Each person who agrees to teach extra classes as a substitute for a faculty member on FMLA leave will be eligible for additional compensation. Compensation shall be determined by the VPAA/DoF and Director of Human Resources.
3. Leaves approved by the VPAA/DoF [Revised June 30, 2015]a. In non-emergency situations, a faculty member should provide as much advance notice as possible to minimize
disruption for the department and its class offerings. b. For non-emergency situations, a faculty member must first consult with the department chair and formulate a
plan. The faculty member, with the knowledge of the chair, would then consult with the VPAA/DoF and the Director of Human Resources to establish the terms of leave or reduced teaching load.
c. A probationary faculty member, in a manner consistent with Article X of the Constitution of Davidson College (in Section 2.1.5 of the Faculty Handbook), may request an extension of his or her probationary period related to the amount of approved leave taken.
d. Automatic leaves are approved as follows:(1) Parental Leave:
(a) Any faculty member with tenure or on a probationary contract, with one academic year of service, is eligible for Parental Leave for the birth or adoption of a child as follows:(i) Two course reduction during the academic year of or immediately following the birth or adoption
with no reduction in pay;(ii) One additional course reduction accompanied by a 10% reduction in pay;(iii) Tenure/review clock to be delayed by one year unless faculty member requests otherwise and
receives approval from department and Dean.(iv) When the two-or three-course reduction is taken in a single semester, release during that semester
from non-teaching faculty responsibilities including, but not limited to student advising, committee assignments, department and program meetings, and search committees unless faculty member requests otherwise and receives approval from the VPAA/DoF.
(v) The faculty parental leave policy runs concurrently with and is coordinated with all available statutory paid and unpaid family leave benefits, consistent with applicable law. This leave runs concurrently with and will not extend any unpaid leave available under the college’s FMLA policy. Nothing in this policy precludes the eligible employee from taking any remaining available
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FMLA leave following the expiration of the college’s paid parental leave, in accordance with the college’s FMLA policy. Non-tenure-track faculty are not eligible for this benefit but can request parental leave under the staff parental leave pilot program.
Please consult with the VPAA/DoF or Human Resources for an questions relating to this policy. (2) A one-course reduction with no salary reduction is approved for a serious health condition or
medical/personal emergency of the faculty member, spouse, domestic partner (same sex only), parent, or child. In situations where the course reduction is requested to care for a family member (defined as spouse, same-sex domestic partner, parent, or child), the one course reduction with full-salary continuation may be utilized only once per family member. Medical documentation may be requested at the discretion of the VPAA/DoF. All other course reductions and duty reductions will be handled in accordance with Sections 3.e. and 3.f. below.
(3) In situations where the faculty member is the primary care giver for a family member a one-course reduction with a 10% salary reduction may be requested to provide temporary (non-emergency) care or assistance for such an individual. Medical documentation may be requested at the discretion of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. This 10% reduction may be utilized only once per family member. [All other requests to care for a family member will be handled in accordance with Section 3.f.]
e. Course Releases(1) A faculty member may request a reduced teaching load for non-emergency personal reasons, or academic
pursuits not related to the standard sabbatical leave. If approved, salary will be reduced 20% per course not taught, but a full 50 percent for a whole semester.
(2) DRI-funded course releases:Faculty applying for a competitive, external grant (>$50,000) that includes collaboration with undergraduates may apply for one DRI-funded course release every four years. The course release must be taken during the time when the grant is active, if funded. Faculty members are only eligible for one course release per grant every four years. If a faculty member applies for more than one grant (>$50,000) and if the grants are for different research projects, then he/she will be eligible for a course release for every grant received. Multiple course releases must be spread across more than one academic year. DRI-funded courses must be approved by the department chair followed by the Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning, and Research.
(3) Grant-funded course releases: A faculty member may request a reduced teaching load for extramurally-supported academic pursuits not related to the standard sabbatical leave by contributing grant funds to the college at EITHER a percentage of the faculty member’s salary based on level of effort as required by the grant OR the cost of covering the course through an adjunct faculty appointment, a visiting faculty appointment, or course overload. The funds for the course must be included in the grant budget. Further,
i. Faculty applying for a grant of less than one million dollars may request a teaching load reduction of one course for a three-year grant or two courses for a four- or five-year grant.
ii. Faculty applying for a grant of one million dollars or more may request a teaching load reduction of one course per year for the life of the grant.
Grant-funded courses must be approved by the department chair.f. Faculty who agree to teach extra classes as a substitute for a faculty member on approved leave will be eligible
for additional compensation. Compensation shall be determined by the VPAA/DoF and the Director of Human Resources
4. Benefit Information for Leaves approved by the VPAA/DoFa. Retirement: The college will continue to contribute to the employee’s retirement plan in proportion to the salary
funded by or through the college up to, but not exceeding, the amount of the regular full college salary of the faculty member while he or she is on leave only if the leave has special benefit to Davidson College, as determined by the VPAA/DoF. [Updated 08/01/2004]
b. Disability Insurance: The employee will continue in the college-paid long term disability coverage, may continue long term disability buy-up coverage by paying the monthly premium.
c. Health Insurance: The college will continue to pay its share of the health insurance premiums during certain leaves of absence as follows:
i. Up to two years for any employee receiving at least one-quarter pay from the college.ii. Up to two years for employees receiving less than one-quarter pay if such leave is approved by the Trustees
and if such leave is for the following purposes--full time study for an advanced degree, active work in the field of education, for research such as a Fulbright or foundation grant or government project.
d. Life Insurance: Coverage provided by the college will be continued during a leave of absence without pay.
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e. Optional Life Insurance and/or Optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D): Those employees who have elected Optional Life Insurance and/or Optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance may continue this coverage during leave of absence without pay by paying the premium for the period of the absence in advance.
f. Unpaid Leave of Absence During leave of absence without salary, faculty members will not be permitted to participate in the Health Care or Dependent Care Spending Accounts.
2.4.2 Faculty Research Grants
The college has a financial assistance program for full-time faculty members pursuing summer study, research, travel, and other scholarly pursuits including teaching improvement innovations or work toward an advanced degree. The VPAA/DoF with the advice of the Committee on Faculty Study and Research allocates these funds. Applications are available in the Office of Academic Affairs. Deadline dates for submission of applications are listed on the forms and are ordinarily in mid-September and late January. (Refer to Faculty Study and Research Policies, Section 2.7.)
2.4.3 Funds for Faculty Attendance at Meetings of Professional and Learned Societies
The college allocates money to assist full-time faculty who attend meetings of professional and learned societies. Disbursement of these funds is supervised by the VPAA/DoF and guidelines and applications are available from VPAA/DoF Office and InsideDavidson/Faculty/Forms.
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2.5 FACULTY PERSONNEL POLICIES
Davidson College strives to provide all employees with reasonable compensation and benefits including health, life, and disability insurance policies. The college can, however, make no guarantee that any current policy or benefit will be continued indefinitely. For general information on employee benefits and college services, refer to the Employee Guide, which is available on the Human Resources Web pages.
PLEASE NOTE: Because personnel policies are subject to change and/or modification, it is best to check with the Human Resources Office for up-to-date information as needed. Several benefit plans are re-negotiated on a calendar year basis rather than on the academic/fiscal year of the college.
2.5.1 Appointments and Tenure [Updated 08/01/99]
College policies regarding appointments and tenure are found in the College Constitution and in the Code of Faculty Evaluation Procedures. The appointments are normally effective August 1, and salary is paid by direct deposit on the last day of each month beginning August 31.
2.5.2 Salary Policies [Updated 08/01/99]
Increases in salary are approved by the Trustees only on the specific recommendation of the administration. Continuing members of the faculty will normally be notified of the terms of their next year's service by May 1. Salary increases for faculty are effective on the annual, appointment renewal date, normally August 1. The increases are first paid on August 31.
2.5.3 Ranks and Appointments of the Faculty [Revised 8/01/96]
Members of the Faculty at Davidson College consist of all those individuals holding the rank of Lecturer, Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor. Guidelines are administered and position titles assigned by the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty in accordance with the College Constitution and Faculty Bylaws. The college normally distinguishes among its faculty according to employment status and rank of appointment in the following manner:
A. Faculty tenured or tenure-track: (Regular, full-time appointment with benefits) Responsibilities are as defined in the Bylaws of the Faculty of Davidson College and include, but are not limited to, those specified in section 2.5.4. Appointments as Associate Professor and Professor are normally with tenure. Appointments as Instructor and Assistant Professor are normally for two years and are probationary.
(Faculty Rank)Emeritus or emerita Retired from full-time teaching at Davidson College.
May, on occasion, teach one or more courses under a special appointment.Professor Earned doctorate or highest terminal degree in field of appointment with years of full time
service at appropriate level/s at prior academic institution/s.Associate Professor Earned doctorate or highest terminal degree in field of appointment with years of full time
service at appropriate level/s at prior academic institution/s.Assistant Professor Earned doctorate or highest terminal degree in field of appointment with fewer than six years
of full-time service at this level at any academic institution/s.Instructor Doctoral or highest terminal degree in field of appointment still in progress, usually ABD.Lecturer Earned advanced/professional degree outside of field or no doctoral/highest terminal degree
in progress. May or may not have prior teaching experience at the collegiate level.
B. Faculty nontenure-track with renewable contracts: Full-time appointments, with or without benefits as specified in each contract with primarily teaching responsibilities. Refer to section 2.5.4. May have some non-teaching responsibilities assigned, but normally do not have curricular development, committee service, or advising responsibilities.
C. Special faculty appointments: (Tenure is dependent upon initial appointment.) Appointment rank may be assigned on the basis of degree earned and/or prior teaching experience, or it may be honorific.
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Full-time administrators with faculty appointments who may also teach courses, advise students and/or have other faculty responsibilities (e.g., the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty and the Registrar). See also section 2.5.4.
Named “honorary professorships” may be filled by individuals who have distinguished careers in a field. They “visit” for a semester or year and teach courses in their area of expertise (e.g., the “McGee Professor of Writing”).
D. Faculty visiting appointments: (Nontenured; not tenure-track) Full-time appointments with rank based on the criteria outlined above in sections A and B, with benefits, on term contracts, usually for one or two academic years with primarily teaching responsibility. Normally, curricular development, committee service and/or advising responsibilities are not assigned. Refer also to section 2.4.4.
E. Faculty adjunct (part-time) appointments: (Nontenured) Adjunct faculty are on a semester or year contract without benefits, teach fewer than five courses annually, and are usually paid on a per course basis. Rank for each adjunct appointment (unless honorific) follows the guidelines outlined in sections A and B above. Normally, curricular development, committee service and/or advising responsibilities are not assigned. Refer also to section 2.5.4. Faculty with part-time appointments are expected to be accessible to students outside of class and to hold regular office hours. For this purpose they are assigned an office.
F. Instructional staff appointments: These appointments do not have faculty status. Contracts may be renewable. Benefits may apply as appropriate depending upon full-time or part-time employment status.
Teaching/Artist Associate Earned doctoral or highest terminal degree in the field is not required. Has classroom instructional responsibilities under the direct supervision of a regular member of the faculty. Does not have: (a) curriculum development responsibility, (b) service on faculty committee/s, (c) advising assignments. May also have non-instructional responsibilities, e.g., lab preparation, director of special program, etc.
Teaching Assistant Earned doctoral or highest terminal degree in the field is not required. Has minimal classroom instructional responsibilities under the direct supervision of a regular member of the faculty. Does not have: (a) curriculum development responsibility, (b) service on faculty committee/s, (c) advising assignments. May also have non-instructional responsibilities, e.g., lab preparation, director of special program, etc.
2.5.4 Faculty Responsibilities [08/01/95]
A. Academic Advising [Revised: 08/01/97]Academic advising of students is the responsibility of the Faculty. All tenured and tenure-track faculty are
expected to serve as advisers for first-and second-year students with undeclared majors and/or departmental majors. Those in their first year of teaching at Davidson College are not assigned advisees. Advising is an important part of the liberal arts experience at a small college and should be considered as a positive addition to student life, not as a burden on the adviser. The college desires consistent and competent oversight of all students’ academic work during their sojourn at Davidson as a part of an overall concern for the total experience of the student. Advising of students is one factor considered under the "Criteria for Faculty Evaluation." Also refer to section 2.2.1, II. C. in this handbook.
The advising program is coordinated by the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Faculty are expected to attend training and "updating" sessions for advisers.
1. The following constitute the general expectations for advisers of first- and second-year students:a. to discuss with the student the educational precepts that guide the liberal arts experience at Davidson;b. to assist advisees in effecting a program of study consonant with their interests and competencies and
incorporating a range of educational experiences (e.g., internships or study abroad);c. to inform the advisee of the Standards of Progress and Academic Regulations as they apply to the chosen
course of study and to assist in monitoring progress toward graduation;d. to assist students in periodic evaluation of their academic performance and the development of strategies to
integrate appropriate academic services available to the student to correct weaknesses (i.e., tutoring, writing center, etc.);
e. to take the time to get to know students, including something about their academic strengths and weaknesses and involvement outside the classroom;
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f. to serve as “point of contact” for the student’s concerns, making appropriate referrals to campus services and personnel (e.g., Career Services, Student Counseling Center, Dean of Students Office, etc.);
g. to meet with each advisee to decide upon an appropriate yearly schedule for effective course planning and monitoring of academic progress;
h. to maintain good documentation of all interactions and discussions with advisees;i. to maintain the confidentiality of all student records and discussions; andj. to assist the student in the process of choosing a major with appropriate referral to department chairs and to
Career Services.
2. Expectations for major advisers: In addition to “a. – j.” above:a. Aid students in determining appropriate graduate programs for further study.b. Aid students in defining and pursuing career opportunities for graduates in their major.c. Aid students, by referral to Career Services if appropriate, in determining the job market in the various
careers that their majors typically pursue.d. Review with advisees, during the spring semester of the senior year, their four-year experience, with a
focus on encouraging life-long learning.
Coordination of major advising is the responsibility of department chairs. Department chairs should be aware of the advising loads of members of their departments, including first- and second-year advisees, so that no faculty adviser is seriously overburdened to the extent that the quality of advising suffers. Visiting faculty may serve as major advisers only with special permission from the VPAA/DoF.
3. Students:a. Students and advisers should be “co-navigators” of the educational experience with the adviser offering
suggestions, questions, criticisms, encouragement, and directions.b. The advisee makes the basic decisions to plan and compete a course of study utilizing the adviser’s input,
and thus is ultimately responsible for her/his educational program.c. Advisees must learn the Standards of Progress and Academic Regulations as they apply to the chosen
course of study and should not rely on the knowledge of others.
B. Committee AssignmentsTenured and tenure-track faculty (in their second year and following) are expected to serve on college-
wide committees either by election or appointment. This is considered in the faculty evaluation process as service to the college. The Office of the VPAA/DoF annually publishes a listing of committees and faculty assignments. Each spring the VPAA/DoF solicits faculty preferences for the next academic year.
C. Course SyllabiDuring the first week of every semester, each professor shall supply to the members of each class a
syllabus, including course content and schedule, the faculty member’s office hours, class attendance policies (Refer to student class attendance section in 3.2, B or to 3.3 (V.J.) absence/loss of credit and (XI.) scheduling of extracurricular college-sponsored activities under the Academic Regulations section of this handbook.), a clear statement of the grading procedures, including the relative weights of the different factors contributing to the final grade, and the type of final examination. The syllabus should also indicate the computer, oral, and /or written competencies students will be required to meet through the course. An electronic copy of each course syllabus must be submitted to the Office of the VPAA/DoF at the beginning of every semester. Syllabi are kept on the p-drive for reference. (Faculty are responsible for ordering their own desk copies of texts.)
D. Photocopied Materials and “Course Packs” [08/01/99]Faculty whose courses may make extensive use of photocopied items throughout a semester should recoup
at the beginning of the semester a significant portion of the estimated cost for those materials from the students enrolled in the course. Faculty who develop “course packs” of materials for distribution to students should charge students only for the cost of producing these materials including covers, binding, and copyright permission fees. Funds collected should be deposited into the academic departmental copying line. Faculty should check with their department chair for any departmental guidelines. Departmental assistants may be able to assist with the estimation of production costs including copyright permission fees. (Refer also to sections 4.1 and 4.2 of this handbook for additional information.)
E. Final Examinations, Term Papers and Retention of Examinations [Updated 08/01/99]
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Faculty leaving the college at the end of a semester or academic year are to leave the final examination papers of students with their department chairs who will properly dispose of them after a sixteen-month period (year plus a summer) has elapsed. (Refer to sections 3.2-A, B and C and 3.3 - IV of this handbook.)
F. Office Hours All faculty, full-time and part-time, are expected to hold regular office hours that will enable them to be
accessible to students on a regular basis. Normally, these hours should be determined by mutual agreement of the instructor and the department chair, and should be sufficiently frequent and convenient for students. Office hours should be indicated outside each office and on each course syllabus.
G. Teaching Load [Updated 08/01/97; Revised April 14, 2010 (effective August 1, 2010)]The normal teaching load for regular full-time faculty members at Davidson College is five regular courses
per year. Supervision of tutorials and independent studies are also considered a part of the normal teaching load. (Hence, no additional remuneration is provided for these.) A faculty member on leave for one semester is expected to teach three courses in the other semester during the academic year. In exceptional circumstances, a department or program may need to request that a faculty member teach a sixth course. This requires VPAA/DoF approval. Normally the sixth course should involve teaching a minimum of 15 students, and would be a course in high demand.
8. MealsFaculty “Free” Lunch with Students ProgramThe VPAA/DoF supports the “free” lunch with students program. The purpose of this program is to encourage informal contacts between faculty and students. Once a week a faculty member may eat a “free” lunch in Vail Commons with one or more students. The faculty member checks in using his/her College ID with the cashier in Vail Commons each time. [Note: Students are responsible for their own meals and may charge them against their meal plans.] Current information on the “free” lunch procedures is available from the executive assistant in the Office of the VPAA/DoF.
9. Teaching Reward Policy [Instituted 08/01/08]Instituted by the VPAA/DoF, this Teaching Reward Structure recognizes 1. Contributions clearly beyond, and independent of, the five courses (or, four for a department chair) being taught
by the faculty member.2. The contribution is clearly outside of the faculty member’s normal teaching field or area of professional
training. Both W-courses (the teaching of writing) and participation in the Humanities program with the breadth and depth of knowledge needed fall into this category. Please note, as confirmed by our external review of the W-course program, faculty, regardless of discipline, are very likely to be teaching academic writing, which calls upon certain pedagogic strategies typically not included in one’s graduate school training.
Faculty member receives either $ 7,000 stipend or a course release whenever five points are earned:
1. Independent study: (.5 point with a maximum of 1.5 points per academic year) Prior to the award of this credit to the faculty member, the department chair should review either a syllabus, a department-specific independent contract form, or the final product. [For independent studies that group more than one person, the faculty member may receive .5 point per student enrolled when there is significant individual guidance, assignments/projects, and assessment provided to each of the students; this is in contrast to a situation in which all students are essentially pursuing identical topics that would earn .5 point regardless of the number of students.]
2. CIS Faculty Advisory Committee: who read and comment on all proposals, who share the reading and evaluation of all theses and participate in the theses defenses required of all graduating CIS majors (.5 point).
3. Thesis advising at CIS: (1.0 point to be distributed among the advisers following consultation with the CIS director).
4. Honors thesis advising at departmental level: (1.0 point to be distributed among the advisers following consultation with the department chair).
5. Departmental Senior Projects (those that are elective or voluntary and independent, but, for whatever reason may not result in an Honors thesis): (1.0 point per student to be distributed among the advisers following consultation with the department chair.)
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6. W course: (1.0 point for the first offering, followed by .25 point for a subsequent offering: for both experienced faculty and faculty new to the W program).
7. Humanities section: (1.0 point for the first offering, followed by .25 point for a subsequent offering: for both experienced faculty and faculty new to Humanities).
Total: Maximum of 2.5 points per academic year.
Each year, the faculty member would complete a form toward the end of the second semester (mid-April) indicating the points earned for the academic year, according to this scheme. The Office of VPAA/DoF would keep a spread-sheet tally, and when five points are earned the compensation option would be offered.
Notes: 1. This scheme is not meant to consider or to include committee work or any other non-teaching contribution.
Such efforts are included in the annual salary review.2. Clearly, if the faculty member is taking a course release, there must be close coordination with the department
chair to ensure that departmental offerings will not be compromised. In some cases, we may need to say to the faculty member: “Your choices are, if you want the course release, you may need to wait a year so that we can adequately cover our offerings; or you may take the stipend immediately.”
3. Caps of 1.5 for independent studies and 2.5 per year are instituted to prevent the radical shifting of incentives for the allocation of time and to be mindful of the total cost that could result from this effort. Please note there can be no ex-post credit given for prior years.
4. Despite variations that inevitably will result, a guiding principle should be that no more than one point may be awarded, despite the number of semesters of research, for a single student with a set of related research activities. [Note: this follows the practice that will be applied for CIS advisers who, despite some students working for two years, will receive only one total point per student.]
5. Finally, help with required senior papers, one required of all senior majors can not fall into this category. Many of our departments require all students to write some form of paper within a capstone setting. The appropriate compensation here is teaching credit for the capstone courses. This proposal relates only to an honors thesis at the department level.
6. The banking of points: When a faculty member formally retires (e.g., granted emeritus status by the Board of Trustees) any unredeemed points may be converted to stipend, at the then current point to $ ratio. With any other separation from the College, there will be no redemption of points. A faculty member may accumulate points and use them to offset a maximum of two courses within an academic year. Such course reductions require careful planning, and, of course, the approval of the department chair and the Dean of Faculty.
7. This process, to be successful and fair, will necessitate department chairs occasionally make some difficult, and even quasi-arbitrary determinations.
2.5.5 Personnel Files
All faculty personnel files are college property held in confidence by the Office of the VPAA/DoF and the Human Resources Department. Official transcripts from all academic institutions must be sent directly to the Office of the VPAA/DoF for inclusion in the faculty member’s personnel file in order to comply with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) requirements. Confidential materials, including all letters written in connection with faculty evaluation procedures, in these files will not be released. Information related to employee benefits is maintained in the Human Resources Office.
2.5.6 Faculty Absences
Faculty members are expected to meet regularly with all assigned classes and laboratories. When it is impossible for a member of the faculty to meet a class, provision should be made for informing the students and for covering the day's work. In all instances, when a member of the faculty will be unable to conduct two successive classes, the department chair and the VPAA/DoF should be notified. (Refer to section 3.3.E.1.)
2.5.7 Short-term Disability Leave
Faculty members in regular, full-time faculty positions are eligible for this benefit after one year of continuous employment. After a faculty member has been on short-term disability and returned to work full-time for one year, that
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employee is again eligible to receive short-term disability benefits. Short-term disability leave may be requested for the following:
(1) Personal illness (2) Recuperation from surgery (3) Recuperation from birth of a child (pregnancy) (4) Personal injury not covered by Worker's Compensation
Tenured faculty members are eligible to receive 100% of their base salary while on short-term disability leave. Non-tenured faculty members are eligible to receive up to 75% of their base salary while on short-term disability leave. Since they do not accrue vacation and sick time, faculty members are not required to fulfill a 90-day waiting period before short-term disability begins. The short-term disability benefit provided by the college will end when the faculty member returns to duty, when the faculty member becomes eligible for long-term disability coverage, or after six months, whichever comes first. Employees with F-5 status are covered under this policy in the same way as tenured full-time members of the faculty. Short-term disability leave may not exceed 180 days (6 months). When a faculty member is allowed to teach a reduced schedule, in keeping with paragraph D in section 2.4.1 of the Faculty Handbook without a reduction in pay, the amount of time not worked will be counted as part of the short-term disability leave and any subsequent leave allowance will be reduced by the time already paid but not worked. A full-time faculty member is scheduled to teach 5 courses per year. A reduction of one class in a semester would result in a subsequent reduction of short-time disability leave by one-fifth. Family Medical Leave will run concurrent with short-term disability coverage. If the faculty member fails to return on an agreed-upon date, the college shall assume that the faculty member has resigned effective on the date the faculty member was expected to return to work. If a faculty member is unable to return to work at the end of the short-term disability leave, the faculty member's employment with the college will end.
To request short-term disability benefits, the faculty member should submit a Family Medical Leave request, which consists of a form completed by the employee and a form completed by the employee's doctor. The request must fully outline the employee's medical condition; clearly specify that the employee is unable to work; and include an estimated return to work date. The college reserves the right to question the documentation presented, to request a second opinion from a doctor designated and paid by the college, and to require periodic certification of continuing disability.
In addition, the faculty member should inform his or her chair about the leave in as timely a manner as possible so the chair can make necessary arrangements for someone to take over teaching and other duties. However, the faculty member is under no obligation to share any private medical information with the chair or anyone else, except for information included on the Family Medical Leave request submitted to HR. All private medical information submitted on that request form will be kept confidential within the HR Department. 2.5.8 Policy on Period of Extended Affiliation (effective April 1, 2010)
A tenured faculty member may request to maintain his or her affiliation (rank and tenure status) with the college for a period of an additional 12 months after the end of the short-term disability leave. Such a request must be made prior to the end of the short-term disability leave. During such an extension of affiliation the tenured faculty member will receive no salary and no benefits from the college. If the tenured faculty member is unable to return to employment at the end of the extension of affiliation, the tenured faculty member’s right to return to employment with the college will end. Before the 12-month extended affiliation period ends, the tenured faculty member shall inform the college if he or she is able to return to employment at the college by providing medical certification of fitness to perform the essential functions of the job. Because of the difficulty of adjusting teaching assignments during the academic year, the tenured faculty member may not return to employment until the beginning of the academic semester following the end of the 12-month extended affiliation period. In exceptional circumstances and when in the best interest of the college, the college may, immediately prior to the beginning of an academic semester, waive the requirement that the tenured faculty member’s extended affiliation period continue for a full 12 months and permit the tenured faculty member to return to employment immediately. Whether or not a tenured faculty member receives long-term disability benefits during the period of extended affiliation does not affect the affiliation or the tenured faculty member’s right to return to employment at the end of the period. During the period of an extended affiliation, the college will make every reasonable effort to have a visiting faculty member or adjunct faculty member cover all or a portion of the number of courses that would have been taught by the tenured faculty member. Unless granted a discretionary exemption by the Dean of Faculty, the members of the tenured faculty member’s department shall cover the number of courses that would have been taught by the tenured faculty member that are not otherwise covered by a visiting or adjunct faculty member. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources at x 2213.
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2.5.9 Retirement
A. Effective January 1, 1994, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act no longer places a mandatory cap on age as a basis for retirement. Medicare eligibility begins at age 65.
B. Retirement Service Requirements [For the most current policy, refer to the Employee Guide on Inside Davidson]
2.5.10 Non-Discrimination and Non-Harassment Policy
A. Equal Opportunity/Non-discrimination Davidson College fosters a positive community environment in which all employees and students enjoy a work and academic environment free from illegal discrimination or harassment. The intent of this policy is to prevent the occurrence of any form of discrimination or harassment by expressing the college's strong disapproval of such action, providing a means for community members to report incidents of discrimination or harassment, setting forth procedures for handling allegations, sanctioning appropriate punishment of those who violate this policy, and informing community members of their right to raise issues of discrimination or harassment and the procedures to be followed in doing so. This policy seeks to protect the rights of the complainant and the accused.
B. Non-HarassmentIt is Davidson College’s policy to admit qualified students and administer all educational, athletic,
financial, and employment activities without discrimination based on race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law unless allowed by law and deemed necessary to the administration of the college’s educational programs or operations. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment as well as all academic, athletic, and other educational admissions, enrollment, participation, and programming.
Davidson College expressly prohibits any form of intimidation or harassment based on race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Other types of harassment are addressed in our Disciplinary Action Policy in the Employee Guide.
The college prohibits such harassment by all employees, students, and other individuals associated with Davidson College, and the college does not condone such conduct by business partners, vendors, guests, or other third parties with whom the college has business or educational dealings.
Harassment is conduct that has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an employee’s or student’s work or educational opportunity; creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment; or otherwise negatively affects an employee’s or student’s work or educational opportunities.
Harassment denies an individual dignity and respect and may take on different forms. It includes, but is not limited to:1. Unwelcome verbal, written, or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an
individual because of that individual’s race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability (or that of an individual’s relatives, friends, or associates):
2. Unwelcome threats, derogatory comments, jokes, innuendoes, insults, slurs, epithets, negative stereotyping, and other similar conduct that relate to race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability; or
3. The placement, dissemination or circulation in the workplace or on campus of any unwelcome written or graphic material (in hard copy or electronic form) that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability.
4. Harassment may further include unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome requests for sexual favors, and other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature where:
5. Submission to or tolerance of such conduct is made either an explicit or implicit term or condition of employment or student admissions, enrollment, participation, and programming;
6. Submission to or tolerance or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for employment or for academic, athletic, or other educational decisions affecting an individual;
7. The conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work or academic, athletic, or other educational performance; or
8. The conduct creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.a. If an individual has welcomed sexual advances or other harassing conduct (whether sexual or otherwise) by
active participation in or encouragement of such activity, he or she should specifically inform the alleged harasser if such conduct is no longer welcome in order for any subsequent conduct to be deemed unwelcome. However, failure to give such notice in no way prevents the college from taking appropriate corrective and/or disciplinary action against the alleged harasser for his or her behavior.
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Although illustrative, the above summary of prohibited behavior is not meant to be all inclusive. Rather, any form of inappropriate discriminatory, intimidating, or harassing behavior by employees, students, or other individuals associated with Davidson College may subject an individual to corrective, disciplinary, and/or other appropriate action, up to and including dismissal, as applicable.
In addition, for further information on the college’s expectations regarding students, see the Davidson College Student Sexual Misconduct Policy and the Davidson College Code of Responsibility and Code of Disciplinary Procedures.
C. Commitment to Academic FreedomTeaching, performing research, and learning are subject to the protections of “academic freedom” as
described in the college’s policy on academic freedom. Actions or words used in the context of the academic curriculum and teaching environments that serve legitimate and reasonable educational purposes will not be evaluated as harassment or other unlawful discrimination because of the principles underlying academic freedom. However, academic freedom is not a legitimate defense in the case of bona fide discrimination or harassment.
D. Workplace Dating and Relationships (also listed as part of the Consensual Relationships Policy)Davidson College prohibits supervisors and managers from dating or having any amorous or sexual
relationship (consensual or otherwise) with a subordinate, including student employees and interns. The college also prohibits any employee from dating or having any amorous or sexual relationship (consensual or otherwise) with any college employee or intern of lesser authority if the employee with greater authority has responsibility of any kind in reviewing, evaluating, supervising, or determining the performance, compensation, job assignments, or general work of the other individual.
Such relationships can be disruptive to the work environment, create a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest, and lead to charges of favoritism, discrimination, and claims of indirect sexual harassment.
Davidson College reserves the right to take whatever action is appropriate, in its discretion, to protect the college’s interests in the event of supervisory / subordinate relationships or violation of this policy generally. This may include, among other things, reassignment or dismissal of one or more of the employees or interns involved.
E. Employee / Student Dating and Relationships (also listed as part of the Consensual Relationships Policy)In addition to the above restrictions on workplace dating and relationships, faculty members and staff are
prohibited from dating students, asking students for dates, engaging in amorous or sexual activities with students, asking students to engage in amorous or sexual activities, or engaging in any activities designed to encourage or which ds encourage an amorous or sexual relationship with a student when:1. The student is enrolled in a course being taught by the faculty member; or 2. The student’s academic work, admissions, enrollment, athletic, or other educational participation or
programming is being supervised or subject to review in any way by the faculty member or staff. Any other amorous or sexual relationship between an employee and student not otherwise prohibited by
this policy is nonetheless strongly discouraged. In principle, such relationships call into question the professional integrity of the faculty member and staff, create an appearance of impropriety, and raise potential conflicts of interest. In addition, such relationships jeopardize the academic freedom of the college community insofar as academic freedom demands an environment in which no person is intimidated, exploited, or coerced. The claim of mutual consent to such relationship will not prevent the faculty or staff member from being subject to administrative sanctions.
Davidson College reserves the right to take whatever action is appropriate, in its discretion, to protect the college’s interests in the event of employee/student relationships or violation of this policy generally. This may include sanctions up to and including dismissal of the employee involved.
2.5.11 Drug-Free Workplace
Davidson College is committed to providing its employees with a safe work place while promoting programs that encourage high standards of employee health.
A. Prohibited Acts1. The college prohibits the manufacture, distribution, sale, dispensation, possession or use of illegal drugs on
college property or while conducting college business away from the campus. 2. The college also prohibits the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol on college premises or as a
part of any of the college’s activities. 3. Employees and members of the Davidson community are expected and required to report for work on time and
in appropriate mental and physical condition to carry out their assigned duties. Any impairment due to alcohol or drug use, however slight, is unacceptable.
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4. Employees should report to the supervisor any medically prescribed treatment involving prescription drugs that may affect their ability to perform on the job.
5. Any conviction, guilty plea or plea of no contest involving the illegal manufacture, distribution, dispensation, sale or use of alcohol, drugs or other controlled substances should be reported to the supervisor. A conviction includes any finding of guilt and/or any imposition of a fine, jail sentence, probation or other penalty.
B. Drug TestingThe college reserves the right to require a drug or alcohol test in the event of damage to a college property
or an on-the-job injury. If such test indicates a positive result, the employee will be discharged. Moreover, if an employee is found to have been under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs at the time of a reportable Workers’ Compensation injury, the college will notify the appropriate insurance carrier of the results of the drug and/or alcohol test, and the benefits, if any, to the injured employee may be affected. The employee, at his or her own expense, may request a retest of such sample within 48 hours of being advised of the positive test result.
C. Penalties Employees or members of the Davidson community who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary
action commensurate with the nature and severity of the violation. Disciplinary action may include oral warning, written warning, probation, satisfactory participation in a drug or alcohol abuse assistance or rehabilitation program, suspension without pay, termination and/or referral for prosecution.
D. Employee AssistanceEmployees are encouraged to admit and seek assistance for any existing or potential drug or alcohol
dependency problem. The Employee Assistance Program is available to college employees for help. Furthermore, any employee may request a meeting with the Director of Human Resources (704-894-2213) regarding such concerns. Available health plan coverage and area resources will be communicated.
E. ReportingEmployees on federally supported grant programs must, as a condition of employment, abide by the terms
of this policy. It is a requirement that they report any convictions under a criminal drug statute for violations occurring on college property or while conducting college business off-campus within five days of said conviction. Reports should be made to the Human Resources office or the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The college must then notify the federal granting office within ten days after receiving notification of the conviction. The college must take appropriate personnel action within thirty days of notification of conviction.
Questions regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources at 704-894-2213.
2.5.12 Employment of Relatives Policy
Employment that would result in any relative being in a position of influence over another will not be allowed except with prior written approval of the President of the college.
1. The term immediate family refers to the degree of closeness of relationship which would suggest that problems might be created related to the provision of equal employment opportunity. In general, immediate family is defined as spouse, domestic partner, mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, grandmother, grandfather, grandson or granddaughter.
2. Also included are step-, half-, and in-law relationships. This definition of immediate family also includes others living within the same household.
3. When as a result of historical employment decisions or through presidential approval one family member supervises another, job performance and salary determinations shall be handled by the second level supervisor or other senior manager. The manner in which conflicts of interest will be managed must be documented in writing and approved by the Principle Executive Staff member in whose division the employee is employed and the Director of Human Resources.
Such employees shall be eligible for benefits and work premiums in accordance with their work schedule and employment category.
Questions regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources at 704-894-2213.
2.5.13 Copyright
Downloading and sharing copyrighted materials (video, music, books, etc.) without permission from the copyright owner is against the law. United States copyright laws provide, among other things, that the owner of a copyrighted work has the exclusive right to reproduce the copyrighted work and distribute copies of such work to others. Therefore, any person
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other than the copyright owner who copies, uploads, downloads, swaps or engages in similar activities with respect to a copyrighted work without the express written permission of the copyright owner is committing a federal crime.
The College is obligated to respond to complaints of illegal activities or inappropriate use of the campus network. The consequences of copyright violation are serious and the Information Technology Services department has created policies and procedures to ensure that Davidson College remains in compliance.
Questions regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources at 704-894-2213.
2.6 FACULTY PERSONNEL BENEFITS
[For a complete listing of employee benefits, please consult the online employee guide and staff in the human resources office.]
A complete listing of college benefits and services for employees is available on the HR website at http://www.davidson.edu/offices/human-resources/benefits and in the Employee Guide, which is at https://inside.davidson.edu/employees/guide/Pages/Home.aspx. Except as noted, these benefit programs are open to all full-time regular employees. Detailed information about each benefit is available from the Human Resources Office. College contracts are in effect for a calendar year rather than the academic/fiscal year. Hence policies and benefits may change during a faculty member’s contract year. For current information employees should always check with the Human Resources Office at #11 Jackson Court, call 894-2213 or refer to the Human Resources Web pages.
2.6.1 Faculty Housing
Although Davidson College does not guarantee to provide housing for faculty, the College Housing Assistance Office will do all it can to aid in locating satisfactory housing. Contact Mike Kessler, Director of Property Management at 704-894-2734 for detailed information.
2.6.2 Reimbursement for Moving Expenses [Revised 01/99; updated 08/03 and 01/18/10]
Davidson College recognizes that new employees selected as a result of a national or regional search should be granted some reimbursement of normal moving expenses.Davidson College recognizes that new employees selected as a result of a national or regional search should be granted some reimbursement of normal moving expenses.
A. Eligibility1. New employees must move at least 50 miles to be eligible for this benefit. 2. Moving expenses must be incurred within one year of the date of employment. 3. The moving expense payment/reimbursement category of the new employee will be indicated in the offer letter. 4. This policy covers expenses incurred to move belongings within the continental United States. The new
employee is responsible for any costs associated with the transport of personal belongings from another country or US territory to the continental United States.
5. The President must approve exceptions to this policy. B. Payment/Reimbursement Categories
1. 80% Payment of Normal Moving Expenses - Moving expenses for new tenure-track faculty will be paid at 80%. 2. $2500 Lump Sum Reimbursement for Visiting Faculty - New, full-time, visiting faculty members will be paid
the lesser of $2500 or 80% of actual moving expenses. C. Moving Provisions and Exclusions
1. In general, the College will only pay for the movement of belongings from one location. Additional expenses charged for moving large or unusual items (such as, pianos, automobiles, boats, extraordinary cost to move works of art, etc.) will not be considered a reimbursable expense. Questions regarding eligibility or reimbursement procedures should be directed to the Human Resources office at 704-894-2213.
D. Guidelines for 80% Benefit1. New employees eligible for 80% payment of moving expenses should make all moving arrangements through
the Davidson College Housing Office of the Physical Plant (704-894-2734). 2. The college has contracted with a national moving service which provides a group discount to the College. The
Physical Plant Office must make initial contact with the moving company to authorize payment by Davidson College.
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3. Moving which is arranged through the college’s contracted moving service will be billed directly to the college. Once the billing has been received, the college pays the entire bill and forwards an invoice to the new employee for the remaining amount or percentage.
4. The 80% benefit applies only to the movement of belongings. Meals, hotel costs, etc. are not reimbursable in this category.
E. Guidelines for $2500 or $1000 Lump Sum Reimbursement1. Salaried employees eligible for this benefit can personally arrange for moving and retain all receipts, or arrange
for moving through the Davidson College Housing Office of the Physical Plant, (704- 894-2734). 2. All moving expenses charged by the contracted moving company will be billed to the College. The employee
will receive an invoice for the amount beyond the eligible reimbursement. 3. Receipts for actual moving expenses should be presented to the Housing Office. Since this benefit has a $2500
or $1000 maximum, employees (moving themselves) may submit receipts for gas, hotel, meals, etc. in addition to receipts for truck/trailer rental and packing materials.
2.7 FACULTY STUDY, RESEARCH, AND TRAVEL POLICIES
Beginning with the 2003-04 fiscal year, faculty who are on a non-paid or medical leave for a full-year are not eligible for faculty study and research funds or for travel funds to professional meetings.
2.7.1 Davidson College Intellectual Property Policy [Approved by the Davidson College Board of Trustees' Executive Committee on June 10, 2008] A full statement of the policy including applicability, ownership rights of Davidson College and members, revenue sharing and other issues can be found on the College website at http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x4485.xml.
2.7.2 Faculty Research [Revised 06/30/15]
A. Internal Funding 1. Research Funds: Members of the Davidson College faculty with full-time appointments are eligible to apply to
the Committee on Faculty Study and Research for reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with research. Per Diem support toward living expenses during a faculty sabbatical/leave is ordinarily available only during the summer preceding and/or following the academic year of the leave. Funds for summer projects are disbursed in early May. For faculty conducting research while in residence at Davidson funds are deposited into individual research accounts from which expenses, including payroll for research assistants, are paid. For research projects away from Davidson, the awarded funds are deposited directly into the same account as payroll deposits. All receipts should be kept and filed with the final report. The committee will not consider new applications for funding until final reports with receipts for previous funding are complete and on file with the committee secretary.
2. Application forms for reimbursement/funding of expenses for research are available on Inside Davidson under Faculty/Faculty Forms. The application forms give information on types of requests and on activities that are eligible for support, as well as review criteria. The application forms provide guidelines which must be followed in writing the proposal and preparing the budget. Requests for funds to cover the cost of tuition for courses, workshops, conferences, computer equipment and software, etc. are not eligible budget items under Faculty Study and Research, except as essential to a specific research project. Budgets may include funds to pay research subjects for their participation in a research project. Books are normally not a reimbursable expense, but can be considered by the committee if necessary for the research project. At the conclusion of the specific project, the Library will review these books and consider them for possible addition to the general collection. Applications for the arts may include expenditures necessary for creative activity, exhibitions, and/or performances.
The Faculty Study and Research Committee normally ranks highly those proposals which are substantial and detailed, involve students, have a definite product or outcome, represent new research, are cost-effective, and can be readily evaluated by faculty from other disciplines. The committee encourages research projects that utilize resources not available at Davidson, such as libraries, archives, laboratories, or site-specific explorations. The faculty member should demonstrate clearly on the application the need for this and how the resource will be used. The committee looks more critically at projects that have already been funded before by the committee, include travel without clear project rationale, indicate no willingness to seek external funding, or have an unclear relationship to research, teaching, scholarship, and professional development.
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3. The college also requires all IRB members and principal investigators (faculty, students, and staff) to complete a program of instruction on the responsible treatment of human subjects before conducting human subjects’ research. Research projects involving human subjects or animals must have the project and protocols reviewed and approved by the Human Subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB) or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) prior to funding. Guidelines and protocol forms may be accessed and downloaded from the Grants and Contracts Web page. Requests for IRB and IACUC approval must be submitted with the application for research funding. Faculty Study and Research funds are not released to faculty researchers until copies of the appropriate approvals are received by the chair for the Faculty Study and Research Committee.
4. A faculty member is eligible to receive internal funding only if he/she is full-time and is also continuing as a full-time member of the Davidson College faculty during the following academic year. Contingent upon the availability of funds, the Faculty Study and Research Committee will only review and consider applications from retiring and retired faculty for completion or publication of research projects begun while in service as a full-time member of the faculty (see Section 2.9). [Notes: Grants already awarded must be refunded to the college, if the faculty member elects not to pursue the project or does not return as a full-time faculty member for the following academic year. Beginning with the 2003-04 fiscal year, faculty who are on a non-paid or medical leave for a full-year are not eligible for faculty study and research funds or for travel funds to professional meetings.]
5. At the conclusion of the project as stated in the original request or by next academic year deadline, each faculty member receiving a grant must submit a final report on the project including a complete accounting of the expenditure of funds with receipts. Any unspent funds are to be returned to the college with the final report. Expenditures in excess of the amount of the grant are the personal responsibility of the researcher. If events prevent a faculty member from (a) initiating or continuing the project or, (b) require changes in the proposed budget (for which approval is required), the researcher must notify the chair of the Faculty Study and Research Committee in writing immediately. Such notification should include a return of all unexpended project funds or a detailed explanation for requested changes to the original budget which are being submitted for approval. Prompt return of unexpended funds allows them to be reallocated.
6. Student research assistants employed during the summer are hired as “student employees” of the college. Supervising faculty and the student employee must complete the Student Employment Authorization Form available on the Human Resources website. The student researcher is paid by direct deposit from the faculty member’s FS&R account. The faculty supervisor determines the hourly rate of pay within the guidelines recommended by the Faculty Study and Research Committee and the Human Resources Student Employment website. The student will record the hours worked through the Banner Web. The faculty supervisor signs the completed time sheet prior to submission to the Payroll Office. Any hours over 40 reported during a regular workweek (Sunday - Saturday), even if from different college departments, are paid at the overtime rate of 1.5. The faculty researcher is personally responsible for any expenditures over the amount of the research grant. When calculating payroll expenditures for the research assistant, the faculty supervisor needs to add in the amount of the college’s portion of the FICA/Medicare. If there are questions about this, the faculty supervisor and student researcher should check with Human Resources for current information. An FS&R grant for a student assistant (current maximum is $4000) may use no more than 25% of the total funds for other expenses (e.g., supplies). (Approved by FS&R Committee on March 15, 2015.)
7. Student Research Assistant/Fellow - Supplemental Summer Housing Grants: The VPAA/DoF funds a limited number of grants of supplemental housing grants. Grant amounts vary depending upon the number of applicants, length of the employment period, and the level of financial need of the student as determined by the Financial Aid Office. To be eligible, the student research assistant/fellow must be a Davidson student, or current year graduate and employed for a minimum of thirty (30) hours per week for six (6) or more weeks during the summer. Specific guidelines regarding eligibility and application procedures are announced to faculty each spring.
8. Study and research grants are available to students. Applications for international study and research are available from the Dean Rusk International Studies Program. Students desiring to do research in the humanities or social sciences may apply for Abernethy Grants in the Office of Academic Affairs. There is also a Kemp Scholars program. These student applications are also available in the Office of Academic Affairs.
B. External Funding1. Assistance in seeking external funding for study, research, equipment, curriculum development and other
activities directly affecting the academic programs is available in the Office of Grants and Contracts (Jackson Court #9 - ext. 2181 or check the Grant and Contracts Office Web pages).
2. Cost share/matching funds: Faculty with external grant proposals may request cost share/matching funds for student assistant/fellow support, summer student housing, student travel, equipment related to the project, and
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other approved categories. Cost share/matching funds are determined in consultation with the Grants and Contracts Office and are normally limited to 10% of the grant budget. This percentage may be less for grant amounts above $350,000. Faculty are responsible for requesting cost share/matching funds from their department chair, as appropriate, and then from the VPAA/DoF, using the Grant-Related Institutional Commitment Approval Form provided by the Grants and Contracts Office.
3. Performance Review: Research assistants and technicians whose salaries are funded by external grants are considered employees of Davidson College. As such they are to be included in the regular performance development and planning process and should receive year-end reviews. Goals should be set each June for the academic year or within 30 days of beginning work if hired later. Mid-year discussions of progress and end-of-year performance reviews need to be documented and signed. Please use the College's standard forms for this purpose. Then, salary review should occur in early May for the next fiscal year. When the grant start date is May 1st, the performance review must be completed earlier. Salary increases cannot exceed the agency approved budget. Recommendations for salary increases need to be in writing and should be sent to the chair or to the next level supervisor for approval before they are sent with the Performance Planning document to the Human Resources office.
4. It is the policy of Davidson College to retain fifty percent (50%) of all facilities and administration (formerly indirect costs) reimbursements to cover research-related overhead expenses incurred by the college. Unless otherwise restricted by the funding agency, the remaining fifty percent is divided between the principal investigator, the investigator's department, and the vice president for academic affairs' research fund as follows:a. Principal Investigator
Twenty percent (20%) of the reimbursement on each externally-funded grant will be deposited into a restricted account for use by the principal investigator. Funds may be used to conduct research, to purchase supplies or equipment, to cover the cost of travel to professional meetings for the PI and/or student researchers, or to cover the cost of consultant services. Funds may be used by faculty members to compensate for Davidson salary lost when buying down one or more courses, when buying down time during a leave of absence or to compensate for salary lost during a sabbatical. Fringe benefits will be applied according to college policies as outlined in the faculty handbook. Funds may not be used to augment the regular faculty salary during the academic year or the summer months. Individuals leaving the employment of Davidson College forfeit any funds deposited into the principal investigator's indirect cost account. These funds will be transferred to the VPAA Indirect Cost Fund.
b. Departmental Discretionary FundFive percent (5%) of the reimbursement on each externally-funded grant will be deposited in a restricted account for use by the principal investigator's department. Funds are administered by the department chair and will be used to supplement institutional cost-share on external grants, or to cover the costs of research-related expenses incurred by members of the department.
c. VPAA/DoF's Indirect Cost FundTwenty-five percent (25%) of the reimbursement on each externally-funded grant will be deposited in a restricted account and may be used to meet the additional research needs of faculty who have been successful in procuring external research funds. Funds may be used as seed money for faculty conducting pilot research in anticipation of applying for external support. The VPAA Indirect Cost Fund may be used to provide interim support to faculty temporarily without extramural funding, to provide stipends (housing and salaries) for student research assistants, to cover travel costs associated with compliance workshops, or for matching or institutional cost-sharing obligations..
5. Indirect Cost PolicyIt is the policy of Davidson College to retain fifty percent (50%) of all facilities and administration (formerly indirect costs) reimbursements to cover research-related overhead expenses incurred by the college. Unless otherwise restricted by the funding agency, the remaining fifty percent is divided between the principal investigator, the investigator's department, and the vice president for academic affairs' research fund as follows:Principal InvestigatorTen percent (10%) of the reimbursement on each externally-funded grant will be deposited into a restricted account for use by the principal investigator. Funds may be used to conduct research, to purchase supplies or equipment, to cover the cost of travel to professional meetings for the PI and/or student researchers, or to cover the cost of consultant services. Funds may be may be used to conduct research, to purchase supplies or equipment, to cover the cost of travel to professional meetings for the PI and/or student researchers, or to cover the cost of consultant services. Funds may be used by faculty members to compensate for Davidson salary lost when buying down one or more courses, when buying down time during a leave of absence or to compensate for salary lost during a sabbatical. Fringe benefits will be applied according to college policies as outlined in the faculty handbook. Funds may not be used to augment the regular faculty salary during the academic year or the
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summer months. Individuals leaving the employment of Davidson College forfeit any funds deposited into the principal investigator's indirect cost account. These funds will be transferred to the VPAA Indirect Cost Fund.
Departmental Discretionary FundFifteen percent (15%) of the reimbursement on each externally-funded grant will be deposited in a restricted account for use by the principal investigator's department. Funds are administered by the department chair and will be used to supplement institutional cost-share on external grants, or to cover the costs of research-related expenses incurred by members of the department.VPAA's Indirect Cost FundTwenty-five percent (25%) of the reimbursement on each externally-funded grant will be deposited in a restricted account and may be used to meet the additional research needs of faculty who have been successful in procuring external research funds. Funds may be used as seed money for faculty conducting pilot research in anticipation of applying for external support. The VPAA Indirect Cost Fund may be used to provide interim support to faculty temporarily without extramural funding, to provide stipends (housing and salaries) for student research assistants, to cover travel costs associated with compliance workshops, or for matching or institutional cost-sharing obligations.GRANDFATHERING CLAUSE: The new indirect cost distribution (50:10:15:25) will be applied to faculty grants awarded starting April 1, 2015. The indirect costs from current unexpired grants will continue to be distributed using the old formula (50:20:10:20) until they expire.
C. The Human Subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB): An Administrative Committee of the Faculty1. The committee develops the policies and procedures governing faculty, staff, and student research using human
subjects, both on and off campus. All researchers should be thoroughly familiar with regulations required by governmental and private agencies and with ethical guidelines from their discipline. The committee develops procedures to disseminate guidelines and educate potential subjects about their rights.
2. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) approves all research involving human subjects. All faculty, student, and staff researchers should contact the Office of Grants and Contracts (OGC) well in advance of the anticipated starting date for data collection. The OGC maintains regulatory information such as federal guidelines, compliance requirements, standardized informed consent forms, and protocols for IRB approval. Copies of IRB approvals should be submitted with Faculty Study and Research Applications. The IRB hears complaints and grievances concerning alleged violations of policy.
3. The composition of the IRB is federally mandated. The Director of the Office of Grants and Contracts serves ex officio, non-voting.
D. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC): An Administrative Committee of the Faculty1. The committee develops the policies and procedures governing faculty, staff, and student using animals for
research or instruction both on and off campus, inspects facilities, and develops the program for animal health and care. All researchers should be thoroughly familiar with regulations required by governmental and private agencies and with ethical guidelines from their discipline. The committee develops procedures to disseminate guidelines and educate researchers.
2. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approves all research and teaching projects involving animal subjects. All faculty, student, and staff researchers should contact the IACUC chair, well in advance of the anticipated starting date for data collection, for regulatory information such as federal guidelines, compliance requirements, forms, training schedule, and protocols for IACUC approval. Copies of IACUC approvals should be submitted with Faculty Study and Research Applications. The IACUC hears complaints and grievances concerning alleged violations of policy.
3. Composition of the IACUC meets the requirements set forth in the Public Health Service Policy (PHS) IV.F.2.e in the Faculty Bylaws. Its members are qualified through experience and expertise to oversee the institution's animal program, facilities and procedures.
2.7.3 Policy on Ethical Conduct in Research and Scholarship
It is the policy of Davidson College that research carried out by its faculty and staff be characterized by the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior. It is further the policy of the college to inform fully all affected parties where research data or results of projects or programs sponsored by, or under the administrative supervision of, the college have been falsified or otherwise misrepresented or other misconduct in research has occurred.
Each member of the college community has a personal responsibility for implementing this policy in relation to any scholarly work with which he or she is associated and for helping his or her associates in continuing efforts to avoid
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misconduct in research and any other activity which might be considered in violation of this policy. Failure to comply with this policy is considered to be a violation of the ethical standards of the college and of the trust placed in each member of the faculty and staff, and shall be dealt with according to the procedures specified.
A copy of the complete Policy and Procedures on Ethical Conduct in Research and Scholarship is available in the Office of the VPAA/DoF or from the Grants and Contracts web page.
2.7.4 Research Equipment [08/01/95]
Equipment purchased with institutional/departmental funds (e.g. start-up funds) is the property of Davidson College and not the faculty researcher. If a faculty member leaves the institution, the purchased equipment remains at the college.
Equipment purchased with externally generated funds is considered the property of Davidson College. In general, only specialized items of equipment not suitable for use within the college may be transferred with the researcher to another institution. Exceptions to this policy are special agreements covering equipment transfers negotiated between Davidson College and the funding agency or the principal investigator; or "right of transfer or disposal" policies imposed by external funding agencies. All costs associated with the transfer of equipment to another institution will be charged to the grant as a direct cost or be borne by the principal investigator. The Physical Plant and Business Services Offices should be notified of equipment transfers in a timely manner so that the college's equipment inventory can be revised accordingly. Equipment transfers are coordinated by the Grants and Contracts Office.
2.7.5 Conflict of Interest Policy: For federally funded research and educational activities [Updated 08/01/96]
In response to federal regulations codified at 42 CFR 50.601 et seq. and 45 CFR 94.1 et seq., Davidson College has established standards and procedures to be followed by investigators applying for federal funding to ensure that the design, conduct, or reporting of research, educational activities, cooperative agreements or contracts will not be biased by any conflicting financial interest of those investigators responsible for the proposed activity.
Prior to submission, each investigator is required to disclose to the Grants and Contracts Office a listing of significant financial interests that would reasonably appear to be affected by the activity proposed for funding. Financial disclosures must be updated during the period of the award, either on an annual basis, or as new reportable significant financial interests are obtained.
The complete statement of the “Conflict of Interest Policy for federally-funded Research and Educational Activities” is available from the Grants and Contracts Web page. Additional copies of the policy may be obtained from the Office of Grants and Contracts. Investigators applying for federal funding must read the complete statement and sign the “Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form” prior to proposal submission. Only if a conflict appears to exist, will it be reviewed by the Conflict of Interest Committee.
2.7.6 Reimbursement of Expenses for Professional Travel/ResearchFor general college policies refer to the Employee Guide.
The college provides supplemental travel funds for full-time faculty who are members of recognized learned societies to attend the meetings of these professional organizations. Funds may also be used for travel to workshops, symposia and research with prior VPAA approval. Approval must be attached to the reimbursement form..
Faculty should complete and submit to the Office of the VPAA/DoF reimbursement requests with original receipts for travel expenses within two weeks of their return. Beginning with the 2003-04 fiscal year, faculty who are on a non-paid or medical leave for a full-year are not eligible for faculty study and research funds, travel funds to professional meetings or professional research reimbursements.
A. LimitsThe college reimburses up to 95% of the travel expenses to a maximum of $2000 per year for regular, full-time faculty members. Visiting faculty are reimbursed up to 95% of travel expenses up to the maximum noted in their appointment letters. [This is normally based on the fiscal year from July 1 to June 30.]
B. ProceduresThe application form (blue) for Professional Travel/Research should be completed and returned to the Associate Dean of Academic Administration within two weeks of a completed trip for reimbursement. The application must include an itemized list of incurred expenses and original receipts. Expenses incurred well in advance of travel (e.g., to purchase airline tickets) may be submitted for reimbursement after the expense is incurred but before the travel.
C. Calculation of Expenses
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1. Items considered for reimbursement may include: all travel directly to and from the meeting, all overnight accommodations involved with the meeting and with travel directly to and from the conference site, registration and other fees connected with the meeting, cost of materials required by the meeting, and meals figured at $40 per full days of the trip. Please adjust for partial days, e.g. if leaving town at 2 p.m., there is only dinner; if returning by 2 p.m. there is breakfast and lunch. (Per Diem for meals also covers any meal/banquets included with or added to the conference registration.) Ineligible expense items for reimbursement include, but are not limited to: membership dues for organizations, travel not directly to or from the meeting, food or accommodations not connected with the meeting or with travel directly to and from the meeting, excursions, internet charges, personal telephone calls, personal expenses such as video rentals and health facility use fees, and the cost of personal articles. Where a receipt is specified, the expense may be excluded from the reimbursement amount if no receipt is submitted. (Be sure to exclude from lodging expenses: phone calls, room service, video rentals, health club fees, etc. Parking fees should be listed separately. If room is shared the reduced rate for single occupancy should be used.)
2. For a trip by public transportation, the round-trip fare (including tax) for bus, train, or plane (economy class) is allowed, as well as the cost of transportation from Davidson to and from the point of departure (e.g., Charlotte airport) and from the point of arrival to and from the place meeting location (e.g., limousine, bus, or taxi fare from airport to hotel in the convention city. A faculty member may use online travel services or book flights directly with an airline and charge the expense to a personal credit card. Receipts and flight information must be included with requests for reimbursement.
Faculty may make the reservation through an on-line service, a travel agency or charge the expense to a personal credit card and request reimbursement. Travel agencies can also arrange for lodging and car rentals. Travel agencies charge additional fees for booking arrangements. Be sure to include these fees when calculating expenses, particularly for airfare. There are different fees for domestic and international flights.
3. For a trip by personal car, expenses should be calculated at $0.54 per mile as of 01/01/16 plus tolls and parking. (Gasoline receipts are not required, but do verify dates of travel.) As indicated in the Employee Guide, when using a personal vehicle for college related travel, the individual’s personal insurance is in effect. Please refer to the Employee Guide for detailed information.
4. Groups of faculty members (and students who are also attending the meeting) may also make use of a college owned or leased vehicle to attend meetings. For information regarding requests and procedures make arrangements through the Physical Plant Office (ext. 2595) or on Inside Davidson. When calculating travel expenses faculty must include the cost for using a college owned/leased vehicle on the travel reimbursement request form and deduct that total expense, as a “cash advance”, from the total amount due to the faculty member.
D. Laptop computersCollege-owned laptop computers that are three years old or less are covered by the college insurance policy while faculty are traveling with them. When using public transportation (particularly, but not limited to, travel on an airline) the laptop computer must remain in the faculty member’s possession while in transit. It may not be checked as luggage or be left unattended. If it is checked or left unattended, the individual is personally liable for the loss and college insurance coverage does not apply. During sabbaticals/leaves spent away from the Davidson campus, faculty must provide the VPAA/DoF Office with the following information for insurance coverage: Davidson College tag #, make and model, new location address, and dates when leaving and returning. Note: tablets (iPad, Surface, etc.) are not the same as laptop computers and if they are lost or stolen, the faculty member or department would have to pay for replacement.
E. Health Care Insurance for Faculty while Traveling Abroad Faculty who are active participants in the college health care benefit plan should check with the Human Resources Office for the most recent statement of insurance “Portability Guidelines” before leaving Davidson to participate in a study abroad program or while traveling abroad for research, vacations, etc. Faculty directing college-sponsored programs for a summer, semester, or year should contact the Coordinator of Study Abroad for additional details. (See Section 3.11.)
F. Support for Student Participation at a Professional Conference [updated 8/01/02]The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs has limited funding available to help support travel for students to professional regional or national conferences. Qualifying students will typically be giving an oral report
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or doing a poster presentation concerning their research conducted prior to graduation under the supervision of Davidson College faculty. The award is limited to a maximum of $400 per student per academic year. This support is normally available only for student travel prior to graduation. To apply for the funds (used toward registration, travel, lodging, and meal expenses) the faculty member who supervised the student’s research sends a written request (email is fine) on behalf of the student seeking travel support to Pat Gardner in the VPAA/DoF Office. Once the request has been approved the student must use the “Student Application for Travel Expenses to Attend Professional Meetings” form available in the VPAA/DoF’s Office and on Inside Davidson to report expenses and to receive reimbursement up to the $400 maximum level. Forms should be submitted for reimbursement to the Pat Gardner.
2.8 POLICY ON FACULTY ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE COLLEGE (Consulting) [08/01/94]
Davidson College faculty are encouraged to undertake activities outside the college which relate to their teaching, their professional attainments, and service to the wider community. They are also reminded that, as full-time employees of the college, their primary obligation is to Davidson College. When outside work interferes with that obligation, Davidson College must take precedence.
It is especially important that faculty remain available to students, since such accessibility is an important part of the college's teaching mission. Outside activities should not diminish faculty commitment to Davidson students.
It is equally important that college resources not be used to support outside activities unrelated to the college, since this constitutes a conflict of interest on the part of the faculty member. Examples include the use (at college expense without permission) of: college letterhead for personal communications, copiers, postage, telephones, fax machines, and support services for non-college purposes, unrelated to teaching or professional attainments. Likewise, unusual or long-term expenses for professional activity should be funded through the Office of the VPAA/DoF and Faculty Study and Research or external sources, rather than the department budget, which is primarily for instructional purposes.
All Davidson faculty must inform their department chair and the VPAA/DoF in advance of their intent to pursue outside activities that may limit in any way their full-time commitments to the college. While the college makes no claim on the nature or compensation of these activities, it reserves that right to ascertain that they do not diminish the faculty member's full-time commitment to Davidson College.
The conflict of interest policy for sponsored research may be obtained from the Grants and Contracts Web page. Any questions regarding potential conflict of interest or neglect of duty should be addressed to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
2.9 EMERITUS/EMERITA FACULTY POLICIES
The following benefits are normally made available to retired faculty. Please address any specific questions or requests to the appropriate office.
A. Employee Benefits [Check with the Human Resources Office for current policy information]1. Health insurance may be continued. The cost to the retiree is based on years of employment at the college.
Refer to the Employee Guide for the schedule.2. Tuition waiver and education grant programs may continue. See the Employee Guide for details.
B. Library1. May apply for a faculty carrel. 2. Receives extended loan privileges for all but seven-day books.3. May submit book selections to the Head of Acquisitions.4. Library privileges for immediate family members are continued.
C. Athletics: With a current CatCard, will receive the same benefits regarding tickets and access to facilities as regular faculty and staff.
D. Faculty Policies1. May attend faculty meetings with privileges of the floor.2. May be extended voting privileges at faculty meetings in semesters in which active on short-term
reappointment.3. May apply for reimbursement of travel expenses to professional meetings upon approval of the VPAA/DoF.
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4. May utilize departmental assistant’s services for work directly related to a college instructional activity as approved by the VPAA/DoF.
5. May apply for Faculty Study and Research funds for completion or publication of research projects begun while in service as a full-time member of the faculty. Applications from emeriti faculty will be considered only if funds are still available after all applications from active faculty have been reviewed and funds awarded.
6. Departmental budgets are primarily for the support of instruction. Hence, emeriti faculty may use departmental supplies (e.g., printer cartridges) and charge expenses for photocopying and postage/FedEx, etc. only in so far as they are directly related to a short-term reappointment in an academic department.
7. May be assigned a mailbox in the Campus Post Office on a space available basis.8. May continue to have card access to appropriate academic buildings if the retired faculty member currently has
a teaching appointment.9. May formally request approval for key/access to the departmental assistant’s office from the department’s chair.
That approval should then be taken to the VPAA/DoF office. Keys are issued in person by the VPAA/DoF office (for Chambers. Preyer, Phi, Elm, Eu buildings) or through the department for (Belk VAC, Cunningham, Dana, Martin, Sloan, Watson) and not sent through campus mail. Departments issuing keys must maintain records of all persons issued keys.
An emeritus/emerita faculty member who teaches in a semester may be issued a key to the departmental assistant’s office in the VPAA/DoF Office (or by the building “manager”/department chair) upon his or her request just as they are issued to other teaching faculty. As a part of the exit procedures for faculty whose contracts are ending, the VPAA/DoF office routinely requests the return of all keys to the issuing department or the VPAA/DoF office. Emeriti faculty may retain a key upon the explicit approval of that specific request by the department chair as outlined above.
E. Information Technology Services1. May attend computer workshops on a space available basis.2. May have an email account and may request in writing to the VPAA/DoF inclusion on the official faculty
distribution list maintained by the Office of Academic Affairs.
SECTION III: ACADEMIC POLICIES
3.1 THE GOVERNANCE AND STANDARDS OF STUDENT CONDUCT
The governance of student conduct at Davidson College is based upon four premises: (1) The Honor Code, representing a time honored tradition of academic and personal dedication to honest and fair dealing with other members of the community; (2) the Code of Responsibility, representing a desirable and acceptable standard of expectations in a wider area of student conduct; (3) the authority and responsibility for measures to implement these two codes rest directly with the President; (4) a clear-cut procedure based upon a realistic appraisal of the will to and means of enforcement of the Codes and accompanying regulations.
The following statement of expectations in student conduct is the official policy of Davidson College, enacted by the Trustees:
Standards of Expectations in Student Conduct
Section 2 of the college charter provides that the Trustees "are authorized to make a constitution and laws for the government of said college, and the preservation of order and good morals therein."
In accordance with this provision, it is the responsibility of the Trustees to establish standards of conduct and regulations for the use of facilities which further the educational purpose of the college, guarantee the health and safety of the community, protect its property, and preserve its good name among its several constituencies. They do so in the conviction that the actions of persons living in community, and especially a campus community, inevitably affect other persons in some way; that the individual student actions determine or affect the general reputation of all students and public attitudes toward them and the college; and that the credibility of a Davidson degree rests not only on the academic reputation of the college but also on the quality of the total life of the college community.
The Trustees therefore affirm, as the college's current standard of expectation in the area of student conduct, the following codes. Further, the Trustees affirm their duty and power to withdraw their approval of all or any part of the Governance system provided herein, if they should determine that the welfare of the college so requires.
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3.1.1 The Honor Code
The Honor Code is very simply stated:
"Every student shall be honor bound to refrain from cheating (including plagiarism). Every student shall be honor bound to refrain from stealing. Every student shall be honor bound from lying about official college business. Every student shall be honor bound to report immediately all violations of the Honor System which come under his or her observation; failure to do so shall be a violation of the Honor System. A student found guilty of an academic violation of the Honor Code shall ordinarily be suspended from the college.”
Entering students sign a pledge that they will live under the system, which includes the condition that they will report an observed violation. A student who does lie, cheat, or steal is tried under the Code of Disciplinary Procedure. Students who admit guilt or who are found guilty by the Honor Council are ordinarily suspended from the college.
Each Davidson student is honor bound to refrain from stealing, lying about college business, and cheating on academic work.Stealing is the intentional taking of any property without right or permission.
Lying is intentional misrepresentation of any form.Cheating is any practice, method, or assistance, whether explicitly forbidden or unmentioned, that involves any
degree of dishonesty, fraud, or deceit. Cheating includes plagiarism, which is representing another’s ideas or words as one’s own. Additional guidelines for each class may be determined by its professor; each Davidson student is responsible for knowing and adhering to them. Each student is responsible for learning and observing appropriate documentation of another’s work.
Each Davidson student is honor bound to report immediately all violations of the Honor Code of which the student has first-hand knowledge; failure to do so is itself a violation of the Honor Code.
All students, faculty, and other employees of Davidson College are responsible for familiarity with and support of the Honor Code.
Any student, faculty member, administrative officer, employee, or guest of the college may charge a student with a violation of the Honor Code. Charges are presented to the Dean of Students and, at the Dean’s discretion, must be signed. If the Dean determines that further proceedings are warranted by the Honor Council, he or she will prepare a formal charge. Hearings, administrative conferences, and other proceedings regarding alleged violations of the Honor Code shall be conducted pursuant to the Code of Disciplinary Procedures.
HONOR PLEDGE
The following is the official Honor Pledge of Davidson College.
"On my honor I have neither given nor received any unauthorized information regarding this work. I have followed and will continue to observe all regulations regarding it, and I am unaware of any violations of the Honor Code by others.”
3.1.2 Code of ResponsibilityPreamble
As a college of liberal arts committed to the Christian faith, Davidson College seeks to liberate men and women of humane instincts, and of disciplined and creative minds for lives of leadership, service and self-fulfillment. Recognizing that the educational process encompasses far more than academic activities, Davidson College believes that its purpose is promoted or hindered by the quality of the total life of a college community. The promotion of a climate that is most conducive to the realization of its purpose is the sole reason for the promulgation of a code of responsibility.
The Code of Responsibility is based upon the belief that Davidson's educational purpose can best be advanced in a context which emphasizes the responsible use of freedom, as opposed to license. The aim of this code is to encourage individuals to develop responsible judgment capable of directing their conduct with a minimum of specific prohibitions. An elaborate system of rules strictly enforced might promote a surface conformity to the standards of behavior desired, but would not effectively serve to develop the maturity of character which is the aim of the college. Rather, responsible maturity is more likely to develop when members of the college community are both free and obligated to wrestle with principles of conduct and to accept full responsibility for their own actions and decisions. Specific rules are laid down in this code only when they seem necessary to prevent actions which would infringe upon the freedoms and well-being of others, or would endanger persons and property, or would be disruptive of community life. Nothing contained in this code is intended to condone or excuse the violation of any applicable public law or regulation.
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Any student, faculty member, administrative officer, employee or guest of the College may charge a student with violation of the Code of Responsibility. These charges are made to the Dean of Students. The Dean may require the charge to be signed. If the Dean determines that further proceedings are warranted, he or she may prepare a formal charge. Violations that result in the filing of a formal charge may be handled by the Judicial Committee or by the Honor Council. However, if the violations include an offense that constitutes Sexual Misconduct the charge will be handled by the Sexual Misconduct Board. [Note: See the Code of Disciplinary Procedure for details. The complete Code of Responsibility is in the Student Handbook, which is available at http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x8869.xml.]
3.2 GENERAL ACADEMIC GUIDELINES AND POLICIES A. Criteria for Initiating, Expanding or Evaluating Interdisciplinary Programs (Adopted February 2010)
Interdisciplinary programs at Davidson may originate either from recognized undergraduate/graduate programs elsewhere or local innovations. The following criteria form the basis by which Davidson evaluates interdisciplinary or interdepartmental programs for creation, maintenance, expansion, and/or senescence. The questions following each criterion are meant to be descriptive, rather than prescriptive; the questions are not meant as a checklist.
1. SignificanceDoes the program promote thinking that invigorates our understanding of relationships among disciplines?Is the program worthy of attention and consistent with the liberal arts mission of Davidson?Is the program likely to be both durable (of continued academic worth) and sustainable (given the College’s resources and personnel)?
2. Coherence Is the program clearly defined? Clearly distinguishable from other programs at Davidson?In what ways do the courses identified for the program progressively demonstrate coherence? Does a final project, capstone experience, or other mechanism demonstrate the unity of a student’s work?
3. ComplexityIs the program characterized by questions or challenges that are not fully met by existing single disciplinary
approaches?Do students integrate multiple methodologies or techniques?Do students confront the limitations of component disciplines or approaches?Does the program model this integration and confrontation with team teaching?
4. DemandIs there significant student demand and faculty interest in the program?Are faculty members committed to participate in team-taught courses in the program?Will required courses in the program be offered regularly?
5. RigorDoes coursework suggest a level of rigor comparable to that found in component disciplines?Does the program incorporate, integrate, or invent courses that foster students’ expertise in methodologies or
techniques?B. [Retention of] Final Examinations and Term Papers
1. Faculty should retain term papers and final examinations for at least one calendar year.2. Faculty on leave during the semester after an examination or term paper is required or who are leaving Davidson
College should leave the examinations or papers with the department chair. After sixteen months (a year plus a summer) the department chair will properly dispose of the papers.
3. Students should have the right of access to all final examinations and term papers after they have been graded.4. Faculty should provide the grades of final examinations to any student upon request.
3.3 ACADEMIC REGULATIONSAs adopted by the Faculty March 8, 2005 and amended subsequently
I. GENERALA. Responsibility for Academic Policies
1. The By-Laws of the Faculty state that “the primary responsibility of the Faculty as a body is the planning and guidance of the educational program and policy of the College.” In exercising its function, the Faculty establishes these regulations governing curriculum requirements and academic standards.
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2. Specific requirements, including amendment of these regulations, are subject to the approval of the Faculty. Ordinarily, revision of requirements or of regulations stems from proposals made through the Faculty Committee on Educational Policy.
B. Student ResponsibilityStudents are responsible for knowing and meeting applicable degree requirements and other academic regulations pertaining to them. Questions regarding regulations should be raised with the student’s advisor or the Registrar. Requests for individual exceptions should be directed through the Registrar to the Curriculum Requirements Committee.
C. These regulations apply to all students, but address principally full-time students who are candidates for a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College. For other categories, see the Appendix.
II. DEGREES AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
A. DegreesA student completing graduation requirements with a major in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, or Psychology shall receive a B.S. (Bachelor of Science) degree. Students with majors in Environmental Studies or in the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies may receive a B.S. degree if recommended by the Director of the program of the major. Other students with majors in the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies or in Environmental Studies receive the A.B. (Bachelor of Arts) degree, as do students completing graduation requirements with a major in any department not listed above. The College awards degrees only at the end of the Spring Semester and at the end of the summer.
Davidson does not award dual degrees. A student who completes requirements for two majors in departments that offer majors leading to different degrees must choose the degree to be conferred, A.B. or B.S. A student who has a Bachelor’s degree from Davidson or from another institution may not receive a second degree from Davidson using credit from a previous degree.
B. Degree Requirements
RationaleA liberal education helps students develop a broad range of skills and sensibilities and thereby become critical, inquisitive, and intellectually responsible citizens. In this development students must explore the fundamental question: “How do I know what I know?” The question prompts students to evaluate the origins of knowledge, values, and beliefs, and to question and revise them when needed. Our distribution requirements aim to foster and guide students’ exploration of that fundamental question. They are designed to help students understand
the relationship between what we know and how we know it; the ways interpretation, analysis and expression differ across and within disciplines of the liberal
arts; and the ways scholars share information and ideas with one another and with the public.
The faculty expects that these requirements will assist students in applying their own and others’ knowledge responsibly in their civic and professional lives. In courses satisfying the requirements, students will examine complex problems through diverse methods of inquiry, understand how different kinds of knowledge are generated, and identify appropriate standards for evaluating knowledge in different realms. The requirements also provide knowledge of public and scholarly concerns from multiple viewpoints, respecting both tradition and creative new approaches. The faculty hopes that students who take such courses early in their college curricula will address these questions frequently during their time at Davidson.
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The faculty supplements the distribution system with requirements in cultural diversity, in foreign language, and in writing. In prescribing a course on one or more cultures other than the dominant cultures of the U.S. or Western Europe, the faculty guides students to explore cultural differences from an academic perspective. In prescribing foreign language study, the faculty guides students toward a foundation for an international education, as well as an understanding of how language works, both as a mode of human communication and as a way of constructing the world in different social and cultural contexts. In prescribing a course in writing, the faculty guides students toward a foundation for making clear and sophisticated arguments about complex intellectual issues.
To complete either the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree, each student must:
1. Be of good character and conduct, as certified by the Dean of Students, and discharge all college financial obligations to the satisfaction of the Controller.
2. Complete satisfactorily 32 courses, one-half in residence at Davidson College. The period of residence must include the senior year (at least the final 7 courses). Courses in off-campus programs officially sponsored by Davidson College are considered to be courses in residence.
3. Complete the foreign language requirement by successfully completing the third-semester level (201 or higher) of a Davidson foreign language course, by an approved transfer course at equivalent level, or by equivalent proficiency as determined and certified by the appropriate Davidson foreign language department. Courses offered through the Self-Instructional Language Program do not satisfy the foreign language requirement. A student who satisfactorily documents that English is not his or her first language satisfies the foreign language requirement through the composition requirement. It is strongly recommended that the student complete the foreign language requirement before entering the senior year. The foreign language requirement as stated applies to all students regardless of the date of their entering Davidson.
4. Complete the composition requirement by completing successfully by the end of the first year at Davidson College either a WRI 101 course or the second semester of either Humanities program track (HUM 151W or 161W). Advanced Placement or other credits completed prior to college matriculation do not satisfy the composition requirement. The composition requirement as stated applies to all students regardless of the date of their entering Davidson.
5. Complete a course designated as satisfying the Cultural Diversity Requirement. Such courses deal principally with one or more cultures that differ from the majority cultures of the United States or Western Europe. The cultural diversity requirement as stated applies to all students regardless of the date of their entering Davidson.
6. Distribution requirements: (The distribution requirements as stated here apply to students entering as first-year students in 2012 and later. For distribution requirements applicable to students who entered earlier, or who entered as transfer students in 2012, see Appendix C.)
Each student must complete eight courses fulfilling distribution requirements, one course in each of the categories in the following table (all but the last ordered alphabetically). The eight courses must come from at least seven different departments or programs, as indicated by three-letter course prefixes. 1, 2
1 The Humanities Program is an exception to this condition; that is, a three- or four-course sequence in Humanities can fulfill three or four categories. Courses in the Writing Program (WRI 101) do not fulfill distribution categories.2 A few departments offer courses with more than one course prefix (e.g., CLA, LAT, and GRE in the department of classics, and MAT and CSC in the department of mathematics). Courses with different designations, however, are sufficiently different to meet the goal of breadth across departments and programs.]
*Beginning with the class entering in August 2013 (Class of 2017 and later), no more than two credits attained prior to matriculation at Davidson (or, for transfer students, as a degree candidate at another college) may be applied to the satisfaction of distribution requirements.
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7. Complete all requirements for a major field of study, including an average of 2.0 on the courses counted toward the major. For the computation of the major grade point average, when a course is repeated, only the most recent grade counts.
8. No single course satisfies more than one distribution requirement, but a course may satisfy a distribution requirement and other requirements such as cultural diversity, major, minor, interdisciplinary minor, and (for courses above the 201 level) foreign language.
The Registrar may designate a transfer credit (including AP or other pre-college credit) as satisfying a foreign language, distribution, composition, or cultural diversity requirement following, as occasion demands, consultation with appropriate department or program chairs.
9. Satisfy the requirements in Physical Education as follows: A total of four non-credit courses is required: Davidson 101 (required of all students, including transfers, during their first semester at Davidson); two (2) Lifetime Activity credits (PE2xx, 3xx, and 5xx level courses); and one team sport credit (PE 4xx). The Davidson 101 requirement must be completed in the first semester of the first year at Davidson. Students are encouraged, but not required, to complete the physical education requirement by the end of their sophomore year.
Historical Thought
Courses that seek to understand past human societies and how those societies have evolved over time. Examining documents and/or artifacts to construct broad narratives about the past and how human societies have evolved over time, these courses reveal the constructed ways in which we understand the past and suggest the contingency of how we understand the present.
Literary Studies, Creative Writing, and Rhetoric
Courses that develop skills for creating and analyzing the complexities of language, form, and aesthetics through which speakers and writers represent the world or express their ideas about it. These courses explore written and oral forms of expression that invite creative interpretation.
Mathematical and Quantitative Thought
Courses that study mathematical, programming, or statistical concepts. Some of these courses instruct students in making and analyzing numerically-based claims about reality; others develop knowledge based on mathematical proof and problem-solving.
Natural Science
Laboratory courses that study the natural and physical world through direct observation, experimentation, and/or analysis of empirical evidence. In these courses students encounter concepts and models and test them against measurements of natural and physical processes, differentiating knowledge based on testable explanations of phenomena from other kinds of knowledge.
Philosophical and Religious Perspectives
Courses on fundamental questions, philosophical reasoning, and religious thought and practices. These courses reflect on questions about knowledge, existence, or the social and ethical world; reasoning about the derivation of positions, beliefs, or values; or practices forming individual or community identity.
Social-Scientific Thought
Courses that employ systematic analysis of qualitative, quantitative, and/or ethnographic information drawn from the human world. These courses develop, test, and explain concepts and theories about human behavior, either individual or collective, and differentiate knowledge derived from observations of the human world from other sorts of knowledge.
Visual and Performing Arts
Courses that teach students to represent or express ideas or formulate arguments about how the world is represented in music, theatre, visual art, dance, and screen media. These courses help students build conceptual vocabularies for interpreting and communicating ideas about such works and the formal and aesthetic concerns related to them, and/or understand how others have interpreted and communicated these ideas in historical contexts.
Liberal Studies Introductory courses accessible to first- or second-year students without prior background in the field that do not fall neatly into one of the seven categories above.
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Except for Davidson 101, the academic transcript does not list separate Physical Education courses or activities. Upon completion of all Physical Education requirements, the following transcript notation is entered: “PE Requirements completed.”
III. MAJORS, MINORS, AND INTERDISCIPLINARY MINORS
A. MajorsRequirements for each major, generally including 10-12 courses, are listed under the several department headings in the College Catalogue. Requirements for a major in the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies are set forth when a student is accepted as a major upon successful application to the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies. All students must officially declare a major through the Office of the Registrar by the beginning of the junior year.
B. Double MajorsA student may choose to declare a second major through the Registrar’s Office. Courses may not be counted in each of two majors except that with specific permission of both major departments, a maximum of two courses may be so counted.
C. MinorsSome departments offer minors. A minor is a set of five or six courses designated by a participating department. Courses counted toward a minor may not be counted toward a major except that with specific permission of both the major and minor departments, a maximum of one course may be so counted. Students must maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average to pursue a minor and must achieve a minimum 2.00 average on all courses counted toward a minor.
Students are allowed to declare a minor through the Registrar’s Office no later than October 1 of the senior year. Department chairs or minor advisers recommend the minor for certification by the Registrar at the time of graduation.
D. Interdisciplinary MinorsIn order to make formal connections among courses and disciplines, a student may choose an interdisciplinary minor, which consists of five or six courses representing two or more departments. The requirements for each interdisciplinary minor may include stipulations regarding grade point average, course level, and limitations on counting a course for both a major and an interdisciplinary minor.
Students apply to and are accepted by the faculty coordinator of the particular interdisciplinary minor. At the time of graduation and upon certification by the faculty coordinator to the Registrar that the student has satisfied requirements for an interdisciplinary minor, the interdisciplinary minor will be noted on the transcript.
E. Limitation: A student may choose a second major, a minor, or an interdisciplinary minor, but no combination of the above.
IV. ACADEMIC CALENDAR, REGISTRATION, AND ATTENDANCE
A. Academic CalendarThe fall semester contains fourteen weeks of regular classes and a total of one week of breaks during the semester. In the fifteenth week of classes, there are three regularly scheduled class days on which classes are held at the professor’s option and one reading day, followed by at least five examination days. During the fifteenth week of the spring semester, there are five regularly scheduled class days on which classes are held at the professor’s option, followed by a reading day, and at least five examination days. Any course requiring a final examination shall have no reviews administered during the optional class days.
B. Registration1. The Registrar establishes a registration period for each semester of the academic year and a period for students
to change courses and sections for that semester.
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2. Any student who fails to register or to apply for an approved leave status by the close of the late registration period preceding any academic semester is assumed NOT to be returning, may be withdrawn, and shall forfeit the tuition deposit.
3. The Registrar shall design and publish procedures for drop-add each semester that will include: a. a pre-semester period when feasible; b. periods during the first week of each semester to drop and add courses; and c. periods during the second week of each semester to drop any course and to add a course, with an add
requiring written approval from the professor. Registration changes after the end of the first week of the semester will incur a late fee set and published by the Registrar.
C. Course Loads1. The normal academic load at Davidson is four courses bearing academic credit per semester; a student may
elect to take a fifth course. Except for the opportunity described below (3), a reduced load (three courses) must be recommended by the Dean of Students and approved by the Curriculum Requirements Committee. Such a reduction ordinarily is based on medical or similar circumstances or special accommodations related to learning differences. There is no reduction in tuition for a reduced course load, nor is there an additional fee for an overload.
2. Each Davidson course credit is evaluated as equivalent to four semester hours. A full-time student thus must take a minimum course load of 12 semester hours (three courses) in defined circumstances,16 semester hours (four courses) in usual circumstances. Independent study courses bearing academic credit are included in the student’s course load.
3. A student who is ahead of normal progress in regard to number of courses may elect a three-course load during any one of the final three semesters (spring of junior year, either semester of senior year). No application for permission is required.
D. Credit DefinitionCourse credit at Davidson College is awarded based on the successful completion of learning outcomes developed by individual departments and programs. All courses are approved by the college’s faculty through a process that requires review and action by all appropriate academic programs and the recommendation of the Committee on Educational Policy.
Davidson College courses (with the exception of two-credit intensive courses numbered 103) all carry one course credit. One course credit is equivalent to four semester credits. In-person contact with the course instructor is a key component required for students to meet learning outcomes at Davidson College. In accordance with the federal definition of the credit hour, one course credit at Davidson College equates to at least twelve total hours of academic work each week in a fifteen-week semester. A normal course load at Davidson College consists of four courses, which equates to sixteen semester credits and at least forty-eight total hours of academic work each week in a fifteen-week semester. Students are typically expected to engage in academic activities outside of the scheduled time in class. Depending of the nature of the course, some meet longer in person, while others include more out of class work. The expectation is that regardless of the individual design of the course, each course has a total workload of at least twelve hours per week.
E. Class Attendance Policy1. Regular class attendance is the student's obligation, and the student is responsible for all the work of all class
meetings. A student who is absent from more than one-fourth of the course meetings scheduled by the instructor shall be assigned a grade of F, unless the instructor specifies a different policy at the beginning of the course. Students should note that each professor has the discretion to establish the attendance policy in each class. Regarding Unanticipated Class Absence of Faculty: Faculty unable to meet a class due to illness, inclement weather, or other reasons should notify the departmental assistant or the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs as early as possible so that steps can be taken to notify students.
2. College policies require that schedules for athletic and other college-sponsored extracurricular activities may not require any student to miss more than three MWF or two TTh classes or laboratories. In addition, students may not be required to miss two consecutive regular class meetings in any course or to miss days set aside for examinations or the reading day without special permission from the Committee on Educational Policy. In the
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case of conflicts, class attendance shall always take precedence over other college-sponsored activities. It is the responsibility of coaches or other appropriate officials to notify students, no later than the first week of classes, of days during the semester when students will be required to miss a class and to remind students that, in case of conflict, classes have priority over nonacademic events. Further details apply; see Appendix B.
F. Independent Study courses1. Independent Study or Independent Research courses are available at the discretion of a faculty member and of
the chair of the appropriate department or program. Final registration for all independent study or research courses requires permission of the faculty member who will supervise such work and of the department or program chair. They count as one full course credit and are part of the student's overall course load.
2. Because an independent study course counts in every respect as a full course, the expectation is that the goals and scope of such studies are comparable to those appropriate for any regularly offered course and that the project will consist of work done by the student that explores material new to the student or clearly advances his or her knowledge beyond previous experience. There should be a written understanding on the part of both student and faculty member regarding goals and expectations with regard to work achieved, appropriate deadlines, and criteria for evaluation of the work. An "independent study" contract form, on the model of the Summer Contract Course form, is available from the Registrar's Office. A student may tentatively register for an independent study or research course on the basis of oral or other assurance from the faculty member giving permission, but final registration requires final submission of the form to the Registrar, with the approval of the department or program chair, prior to the end of the scheduled add/drop period (the end of the second week of class). Both the student and the faculty member are to be on campus during the semester involved.
(On occasion, preliminary work for an Honors Thesis may be converted to an Independent Study course and number if the student chooses not to pursue Honors; in such instances, with agreements regarding project goals presumed already to have been made, stipulations here regarding advanced planning and registration do not apply.)
G. Summer Contract Courses1. During the summer, students may arrange individual courses with individual professors on a contractual basis.
These courses are evaluated as residence credit and are normally available only to enrolled Davidson College students. A student may choose to take the course for a regular grade or on a Pass/Fail basis. The work is essentially independent in nature.
2. A student with an overall GPA of less than 2.0 will be allowed to take contract courses only if the instructor and student are in residence for the duration of the course. A student shall be allowed to count toward graduation a maximum of two summer contract courses.
3. To register, the student must get a contract form from the Registrar's office and secure the approval (with signatures) from the appropriate persons. The deadline for registration and completion of contract courses (as well as the fee) will be determined and announced by the Registrar during the spring semester.
4. A faculty member may accept a maximum of four contract courses during a particular summer.
H. Approved Leaves and Voluntary Withdrawals1. A student may choose to take time away for medical, psychological, or personal reasons. Such leaves require
the approval of the Dean of Students following consultation with the college physicians or psychologists when appropriate. Following two consecutive semesters of personal leave, the student will be withdrawn from the College unless the student seeks and obtains permission from the Dean of Students for one further semester of personal leave.
2. A student may choose to spend a semester or year away from campus for an approved program of study elsewhere. Concerning approval, see section VIII, transfer credit and study abroad.
3. A student may choose to withdraw from Davidson College. If the voluntary withdrawal occurs after the end of the second week of a semester, the transcript record preserves the courses for which the student had registered with the grade of “WA” (Authorized Withdrawal) recorded unless a possible disciplinary action is pending.
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Any student who withdraws is eligible to apply later for readmission, but there is no guarantee of readmission, the timing of which is determined by the Dean of Students.
4. All withdrawals, voluntary or involuntary, are processed through the Office of the Dean of Students. The Business Services Office shall inform students of all financial adjustments and/or obligations related to withdrawal actions, voluntary or involuntary.
V. REVIEWS AND EXAMINATIONSA. Reviews
1. Reviews are announced tests that cover several class periods of work and constitute one phase of regular evaluation for grading purposes. They are announced at least one week in advance of their administration.
2. A student must obtain the permission of the instructor to postpone and make up reviews during the semester.
B. Examinations1. An evaluation of each student’s work at the end of each course will normally include a written final
examination of no more than three hours in length covering the work of the entire semester. Other types of evaluation may be employed, such as:a. Oral final examinations to be completed before the end of the examination period;b. Take-home final examinations to be completed during the examination period; orc. Major term papers and research projects completed by the end of the examination period.
2. Apart from the exceptions noted above, examinations are to be given only on the days designated as examination days unless another time has been approved by the Dean of the Faculty. There should be no for-credit assessment, exercise, or activity (e.g., juries, thesis defenses, oral exams) on Reading Day. Procedures for the examination period, following guidelines approved by the Faculty, are published by the Registrar.
3. All written work except that which is part of the final examination or replaces a written final examination shall be due no later than the end of the last official class hour of the semester. Exceptions must be approved by the instructor, who must also notify the Dean of the Faculty.
4. The instructor of the course may authorize a student to postpone an examination for cause (medical or similar) only upon recommendation of the Dean of Students. The professor will assign a grade of Incomplete and arrange with the student a procedure for making up the examination, with the assistance of the Registrar or Dean of Students if needed.
VI. SCHOLARSHIPA. Grades and Grade Reports
1. During the first week of each semester, each instructor supplies to the members of each class a syllabus, including course content and schedule, attendance policy, a statement of the grading procedures, including relative weights of the different factors contributing to the final grade, and the type of final examination. A copy is filed in the Office of the Dean of the Faculty.
2. Each instructor reports grades to the Registrar at the end of each regular semester.
3. Gradesa. Regular grades are issued as follows:
Grade Grade points Grade Grade pointsA 4.0 C 2.0A- 3.7 C- 1.7B+ 3.3 D+ 1.3B 3.0 D 1.0B- 2.7 F 0.0C+ 2.3
THERE IS NO INSTITUTIONAL PERCENTAGE STANDARD OR EQUIVALENT FOR THESE LETTER GRADES. Academic credit is authorized for any regular course completed with a grade of D or higher; credit may be received only once for a course. A student who withdraws from a course without authorization or who incurs excessive absences as determined by the professor will receive an F in the course.
b. Special grades are issued as follows:
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Grade DefinitionI The instructor gives a grade of I (Incomplete) to a student who, for a valid reason, is unable to
complete a substantial portion of the work of the course. If the uncompleted work is the final examination, the approval of the Dean of Students is necessary; otherwise, the determination of “a valid reason” rests with the instructor. A grade of I must be removed by the instructor’s submitting the new grade to the Registrar no later than 14 days prior to the first day of classes of the fall semester of the next academic year following the awarding of the grade of Incomplete. After this date the grade of I shall be changed to a grade of F. In order for a senior to graduate at the May commencement, all that student’s incomplete grades must be removed by the beginning of the spring examination period.
LA Laboratory – ungraded
P/F1 A student successfully completing any course under the provisions of the Pass-Fail option receives a grade of P (Pass); for failure, defined as any grade lower than C-minus, the grade F1 will be given. Pass/Fail grades are not computed in the student’s grade point average.
WA Authorized Withdrawal (WA) is given to a student who withdraws officially from a course or courses in two instances. In both, the grade of Authorized Withdrawal is reserved for withdrawals during a semester and will not be granted after the semester has concluded.
(1) A student seeking an authorized withdrawal on the basis of serious health, family, or personal problems consults with the Dean of Students. If the Dean of Students finds the authorized withdrawal (grade of WA) warranted, the Registrar and the professor(s) are so notified.
(2) A student seeking an authorized withdrawal on the basis of a serious educational consideration consults first with the professor teaching the course and with the student’s advisor, then with the Dean of the Faculty. It should be noted that such educational considerations are highly unusual, commonly involving inappropriate registration in a course for which the student has insufficient background. Poor academic performance, excessive workload, or change in academic or career plans do not qualify as justifying an authorized withdrawal. If the Dean of the Faculty finds the authorized withdrawal (grade of WA) warranted, the Registrar and the individual professor are so notified.
UG Ungraded Credit in Davidson’s Study Abroad Programs or transferred from another institution and representing work deemed to be at the level of C- or higher. [Note: UG grades are not computed in the grade point average and do not count against the allowable total of P/F grades.]
NG No Grade received from instructor.
4. Grade AppealsGrading is a matter of professional judgment and is the responsibility of the course instructor.Questions concerning the reasonableness of grading should be addressed first to the course instructor. If after consultation with the instructor the student believes that a final grade has been unfairly determined or that considerations other than professional judgment have influenced the grade, petition should be made to the chair of the instructor's department. If after conferences among the instructor, the student, and the chair there is still disagreement, an appeal may be made in writing to the Dean of the Faculty, who will attempt to resolve the matter or, failing that, refer it to the Executive Committee of the Faculty. Notice of appeal to the Dean of the Faculty must be made no later than the end of the sixth week of the academic semester following the semester in which the grade was assigned. The decision of the Executive Committee is final.
5. Computing Grade Point Averages a. Grade-point averages for all students are computed at the end of each semester.b. To compute overall grade-point averages, the number of grade points is divided by the number of graded
courses taken, including repeated courses. c. Grades of I, LA, WA, UG, and P/F1 do not affect a student's grade-point average.
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6. Repeated CoursesWhen a course is repeated, the student loses course credit from the first attempt, but both grades remain on the record and both are used in the CUM GPA. For the computation of the major grade point average, when a course is repeated, only the most recent grade counts.
7. Pass/Fail Option
a. A student may elect to take no more than 3 courses Pass/Fail, with no more than one in any semester. Courses designated as Pass/Fail by a faculty member or department do not count towards the 3 course maximum, nor do transfer courses (which are ungraded, not Pass/Fail).
b. Pass is defined as performance at the level of C-minus or higher.
c. A student may elect to designate a course Pass/Fail up until the end of the ninth week of the last semester of his or her senior year, whether the course is one in progress or one in whicha grade already has been recorded. Such designation is made through the Registrar’s Office.
d. Once a course has been designated Pass/Fail, the designation may not be reversed.
e. Pass/Fail courses may be used to fulfill all requirements except that they do not satisfyrequirements in a major, minor, or interdisciplinary minor. A major or minor department orthe advisory committee of an interdisciplinary minor may make individual exceptions to thisrule and may elect to set conditions on such an exception.
f. A student may not designate a course Pass/Fail if a final grade of F has been assigned as the result of an Honor Code sanction.
B. Minimum Academic Requirements1. General Regulation. Any student whose academic work is unacceptable may be required to withdraw from
Davidson College at any time by the Executive Committee of the Faculty.
2. Standards of Progress:a. for entrance to the sophomore class or the third semester:
(1) 7 courses, including the composition requirement;(2) A cumulative grade point average of 1.60.
A student with a cumulative grade point average below 1.60 at the beginning of the first semester of the sophomore year will be placed on academic probation. A student on academic probation receives special advising services through the Dean of Students' Office and the academic adviser.
b. for entrance into the fourth semester (second semester of sophomore year):A student with a cumulative grade point average of 1.7 or below at the end of the third semester must immediately make an appointment in the office of the Dean of Students to assess clearly steps necessary to achieve the average of 1.8 required for entry into the junior class (fifth semester). Advisors will receive notification indicating the requirement of such a meeting.
c. for entrance to the junior class or the fifth semester:(1) 15 courses, including at least 5 of the distribution requirements and PE 101 (Davidson 101);(2) declaration of a major; and(3) 1.80 cumulative grade point average.
d. for entrance to the senior class or the seventh semester:for May graduation, 24 courses;for August graduation, 22 courses.
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3. The Curriculum Requirements Committee specifies standards of progress for students whose records are irregular and who do not fit the requirements for one of the above categories.
4. Low Achievement. Except for the final semester prior to graduation, when only regulations regarding graduation requirements apply, a student who fails to complete all his or her courses during any single semester with a grade point average of at least 2.0 will be contacted by the Dean of Students Office. Advisors will be notified as well.
C. Failure to Meet the Minimum Standards of Academic Progress1. Deficiencies existing at the end of any academic year may be made up through a summer contract course with a
Davidson faculty member or through approved transfer credit. Note that transfer credits do not affect the grade point average.
2. If the deficiency is not made up prior to the beginning of the fall semester, the student is withdrawn and not eligible to return for that semester.
D. Involuntary Withdrawal1. A student may be required to withdraw for academic deficiency; or by the Executive Committee of the Faculty; or
by the Student Honor Council or the Dean of Students for a violation of the Honor Code or for conduct inconsistent with the Code of Responsibility. A student required to withdraw shall be informed of the conditions which must be met before application for readmission will be considered. The Business Services Office shall inform students of all financial adjustments and/or obligations related to withdrawal actions.
2. Academic penalties assessed for infractions of the Honor Code may include a failing grade in one or more courses whether the student is required to withdraw or not.
E. Readmission After Involuntary Withdrawal1. No student who has been required to withdraw is guaranteed readmission. When a student who has been required
to withdraw for academic reasons expresses a desire to be readmitted to Davidson at a later date, the Executive Committee will state the minimum conditions under which he or she may return. When the withdrawal is for disciplinary reasons, the Dean of Students will state conditions.
2. A student required to withdraw will normally NOT qualify for readmission solely by earning credits at another school.
VII.HONORSA. Departmental Honors
1. Students with an overall average of 3.2 are eligible to be considered by their major department for an honors program as early as the spring semester of the sophomore year, but no later than the fall semester of the senior year.
2. Students maintaining at least a 3.2 overall average and at least a 3.5 average in the major and receiving the recommendation of their major department will be graduated with Honors or High Honors in the department of their major.
3. Each department may impose individual requirements in that department in addition to the requirements here specified.
B. Graduation Honors1. Students receive graduation honors based on cumulative GPA as follows:
Cumulative GPA: 3.500-3.749 cum laude3.750-3.999 magna cum laude4.000 summa cum laude
2. The student with the highest cumulative GPA in the graduating class is designated at Commencement as “First Honor.” If there is no tie for “First Honor”, the student with the next highest cumulative GPA is designated as “Second Honor.”
VIII. TRANSFER CREDIT AND OFF-CAMPUS STUDYA. Davidson College accepts credits from other colleges and universities based upon equivalency in terms of level,
content, quality, comparability, and program relevance to a liberal arts curriculum. The following conditions must typically be met:
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1. The college or university is regionally accredited for a liberal arts and general curriculum or has similar accreditation abroad.
2. The courses are consistent with the academic objectives of a liberal arts curriculum and the mission of Davidson College.
3. The grade earned in the transferred course must be at least a C- or its equivalent.4. Credit by examination, with the exception of the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board, the
International Baccalaureate Program, and similar programs abroad, are not accepted via transfer. This means that internships, trainings, and CLEP tests are not transferable.
5. Davidson College is committed to providing rigorous academic instruction and feels learning is a process best achieved via classroom interactions between students and faculty. For this reason, students may only transfer in a maximum of 2 online and/or hybrid courses from other institutions. These courses may only be taken during the summer and not when the student is concurrently enrolled at Davidson College. The courses also must involve ongoing interaction with instructors (not independent, self-paced modules).
6. The Registrar determines credit for satisfactory academic work at another college or university.Since each Davidson College course equates to 4 semester credits and other institutions have credit systems that vary slightly, these criteria govern: each 4 semester hours or 6 quarter hours of total acceptable transfer credit count as one Davidson course, with final fractions of one-half course or more transferable as one course. Single courses of less than 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of credit are not acceptable for transfer unless used as part of a larger total of transfer credits.
7. Limits for the amount of transfer credit to Davidson are as follows:a) a maximum of 16 courses toward graduation; andb) no more than one-half of the courses used to satisfy major requirements, and these transferred courses must
be approved for major credit by the department chair.8. In all instances of transfer credit, including off-campus study, the department of the major or minor determines
whether a credit transferred by the Registrar counts toward the major or minor.
B. Off-Campus Study1. Davidson Programs
a. To be eligible for participation in a program of study off campus sponsored by Davidson College, a student must be in good standing at the college and must meet the personal, language, and other academic requirements of the program to which he or she applies.
b. Academic credit from Davidson programs off campus appears on the student’s permanent record as ungraded transfer credit, except that in a course taught by a regular Davidson professor, a regular letter grade may be given. Non-Davidson faculty taught courses on Davidson programs appear as P grades.
c. The maximum transferable credit for one academic year in another college or university is eight courses; for one semester, four courses.
d. Transfer credit for foreign study is awarded by the Registrar upon the recommendation of the director of the program abroad.
2. Programs Sponsored by Other Colleges or Universitiesa. Students may elect to enroll in a foreign study program sponsored by another college or university. The
program must be approved by the Office of Study Abroad and courses must be approved in advance by the Registrar. Students may also apply directly to a foreign university for participation in a year-long or semester-long program of study. The same approval processes apply. With the approval of the Registrar and the student’s advisor, students may also enroll for a semester or year at an accredited U.S. college or university. In either case, students are considered to be on approved study leave from Davidson College.
b. For such programs, including summer programs, regular transfer regulations and procedures apply.
C. Credits Earned Prior to Matriculation at Davidson1. For transfer students, credit for one full year of normal academic credit at another college or university is
transferred to Davidson as eight courses; credit for one academic semester as four courses. [Note: Grades of D or F and withdrawals might reduce the otherwise normal year's credit at the former college to less than a normal year in credit acceptable to Davidson.]
2. Entering first-year students may transfer a maximum of four credits from courses taken prior to matriculation at Davidson. This includes AP, IB, and dual (high school/college) enrollment credits as well as courses taken between high school graduation and matriculation at Davidson.
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No more than two credits attained prior to matriculation at Davidson (or, for transfer students, prior to enrolling as a degree candidate at another college) may be applied to the satisfaction of distribution requirements. The student may elect which two to apply in such a fashion and may change that selection as late as the beginning of the spring semester of the senior year. Selection is made or changed by official notification to the Registrar's Office.
3. Advanced Placement Program and International Baccalaureate Programa. Students who have completed college-level work in secondary school through the Advanced Placement
Program and who wish to apply for placement or credit at Davidson should take the appropriate examination offered by the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. Students who have completed college-level work in secondary school through the International Baccalaureate Program should take the appropriate examination. [Note: A matriculated student may not take an Advanced Placement Examination or International Baccalaureate Examination for credit after completing secondary school.]
b. Based on the recommendation of the department concerned and the receipt of the official report from the Advanced Placement Program or the International Baccalaureate Program to the Registrar, transfer credit will be awarded. In nearly all cases, departmental policies stipulate a score of 4 or 5 on an AP examination, 6 or 7 on an International Baccalaureate Examination. If a department is not attached to an AP course, the Registrar will determine transfer credit in accordance with general transfer credit guidelines.
4. Joint or Dual (High School/College) Enrollment: A maximum of four courses completed for credit in joint or dual enrollment programs (high school/college) may be transferred if items A.2-3 above are met and the courses in question are not used to meet the requirements for graduation from high school or for admission to Davidson College. Transfer evaluation of courses taken prior to graduation from high school requires:a. An official transcript from the college or university attended;b. An official letter from the high school principal or guidance counselor confirming that the courses were not
used to satisfy high school graduation requirements.
IX. TRANSCRIPTS, DIPLOMAS, AND VERIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
A. Transcripts: Each transcript will include at least the following information: courses, grades, and credits through the most recently completed semester; date of graduation and degree, if appropriate; and transfer credit by name of institution and course titles. The Registrar establishes procedures for requesting transcripts and assesses a fee for each official transcript.
B. Diplomas: Davidson College diplomas are provided to graduating students on parchment. The diploma shows the student’s official or legal name as verified by the student during the fall semester of the senior year. A replacement diploma is provided upon written request and payment for materials and printing in the name of the student as it appeared at the original issue. If a student’s name has been legally changed by marriage or court order, a new diploma may be issued upon written request, including legal proof of the change, payment of the fee, and return of the original diploma.
C. Enrollment or Degree Verification: Consistent with applicable law, Davidson College will upon request provide official verification of current or past enrollment and of any degree awarded.
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APPENDIX A: ADMISSION AND STUDENT CLASSIFICATION
A. Admission: The Faculty Committee on Admission and Financial Aid is responsible for determining the academic qualifications to be applied in the admission of students. A medical examination by a family physician is required as a part of the admissions procedure; other medical examinations may be required upon entrance or at any time thereafter.
B. Registration beyond eight semesters, excluding summer sessions, must be authorized by the Curriculum Requirements Committee on the advice of the Dean of Students.
C. Categories other than full-time student are possible from time to time. They include:1. Special Student: Davidson College does not ordinarily admit students for single courses or other than a full
course load. In rare circumstances, a student may be admitted for a single course or a single semester. Such students ordinarily will have already earned a bachelor’s degree and are not candidates for a Davidson College degree. Admission requires the recommendation of the Office of Admission under policies set by the Admissions Committee and the approval of the Registrar, contingent upon the availability of space in the desired course or courses. Tuition for each course is set as one/eighth of annual tuition.
2. One-year International Student: A student from outside the US who is admitted to a special certificate (non-degree) program. Students in this program must take at least seven courses and must earn a minimum of six course credits during the academic year.
3. Visiting Student: A student who is a candidate for a degree at another institution, as confirmed by the Registrar of that institution, but who is taking courses for credit at Davidson College or a Davidson College Study Abroad program. A visiting student on campus must be accepted by the Office of Admission under policies set by the Admission Committee; for a Davidson program abroad, by the Office of Study Abroad.
4. Auditor: A person who attends a course without registration or credit but with the permission of the instructor. Permission to audit is a courtesy extended to an individual upon request to the Registrar and involves no grade, and no academic record; some fees may at times apply. The person wishing to audit a course must complete a form in the Registrar’s Office and secure the signature of the instructor. With the exception of currently enrolled students, an auditor must be at least 18 years old and must have a high school diploma.
APPENDIX B: FURTHER DETAIL REGARDING ABSENCES
A. Schedules for athletic and other college-sponsored extracurricular activities may not require any student to miss more than three MWF or two TTH classes or laboratories. In addition, students may not be required to miss any two consecutive classes in any course or to miss days set aside for examinations or the reading day without special permission from the Committee on Educational Policy. In the case of conflicts, class attendance shall always take precedence over other college-sponsored activities.
B. The proposed schedule for any activity planned in advance (including practices and rehearsals as well as contests and performances) must be submitted to the committee on Educational Policy in sufficient time for the Committee's review to result in a schedule change if the above guidelines are not met. It is the responsibility of coaches or other appropriate officials to notify students, no later than the first week of classes, of any days during the semester when the students will be required to miss a class (and to remind students that, in the case of conflict, classes have priority over nonacademic events).
B. In extraordinary cases, exceptions may be approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, who will inform the Committee on Educational Policy of all such instances. It is the responsibility of coaches or others in such situations to minimize class absences as far as is reasonably practical. A similar principle applies to the rescheduling of rained-out events, although it is suggested that sports in which such difficulties occur regularly refrain from scheduling the maximum number of absences.
C. Planned class-related activities that would take students away from campus for one or more full class days, the designated reading day, or examination days during a semester should be reported in advance to the department chair and the EPC for review. Information about extended class-related trips, including cost, is to be available to students at the time of course registration.
APPENDIX C: AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING OF CLASSES POLICY
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Students may not make audio or video recordings of classes (or other organized teaching activity, such as lab sessions) without the prior express authorization of the instructor, except in cases where Davidson College is required by law to provide for recording of a class as a reasonable accommodation for a qualified student with a disability.
PURPOSE: Davidson College’s intellectual property policy (available at: http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x4485.xml) provides that it is generally the college’s policy that intellectual property such as lecture notes and course materials shall be the property of the author or creator. However, the college has a non-exclusive, perpetual and royalty-free license to use all faculty-owned intellectual property for internal instructional and educational purposes. In keeping with this policy, Davidson College prohibits the unauthorized recording of classes.
ADMINISTRATION OF POLICY: Students who wish to create an audio or video recording of a class must obtain the prior express authorization of the instructor. Qualified students with a disability should make a written request for academic accommodation to the Student Disability Resources Coordinator. The Dean of Students Office authorizes academic accommodations and will send written notifications to instructors that the student is authorized to make audio or video recordings of class.
Recordings authorized by either the instructor or the Dean of Students Office are subject to the following conditions of use:
1. Authorized recordings will be used solely for the purpose of class notes for individual study. Students will not use the recordings or allow them to be used for any other purpose;
2. Students will not reproduce (other than transcription solely for the student’s own use as class notes), distribute, or sell the recordings or information contained therein;
3. Students will not allow authorized recordings to be reproduced, sold, or distributed in any manner to any other person(s); and
4. Students will destroy all recordings at the end of the course.
Nothing in this policy prohibits an instructor from agreeing to alternate conditions of use; however, a student must obtain the prior express authorization of the instructor to use a recording in any manner not permitted by this policy.
Making an audio or video recording of a class without the prior express authorization of the instructor or the Dean of Students Office is a violation of the Honor Code. Violating the conditions of use set forth in this policy (or otherwise authorized by the instructor) is a violation of the Code of Responsibility.
Suggested syllabus language for faculty who wish to prohibit recordingDavidson College policy prohibits audio/video recording of classes by students without permission of the instructor. You may not record class sessions or portions thereof unless the Dean of Students has authorized recording as an academic accommodation for a qualified student with a disability and has notified me of that authorization. All such recordings are for the sole use of the individual student and may not be reproduced, sold, posted online, or otherwise distributed.
Suggested syllabus language for faculty who wish to allow recordingWhile Davidson College policy prohibits audio and video recording of classes by students without permission of the instructor, I grant permission for all students in this class to make recordings. This statement gives permission only to record me during class time. It does not imply authorization to record other class members. Authorized recordings are for the sole use of the individual student and may not be reproduced, sold, posted online, or otherwise distributed.
Suggested syllabus language for faculty who wish to allow recording on a case-by-case basisDavidson College policy prohibits audio and video recording of classes by students without permission of the instructor. I will consider permission requests on a case-by-case basis. For students with a disability, permission will always be granted when the accommodations authorized by the Dean of Students Office include recording. Authorized recordings are for the sole use of the individual student and may not be reproduced, sold, posted online, or otherwise distributed.
APPENDIX D: DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO STUDENTS ENTERING BEFORE AUGUST 2012 OR AS TRANSFER STUDENTS IN AUGUST 2012
Note: requirements in composition, foreign language, cultural diversity, and physical education did not change in 2012 -- only distribution requirements.
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1. Complete all Distribution requirements as follows: a. Literature—one course from among specified courses in the Departments of Chinese, Classics, English,
French, German/Russian, and Spanish.b. Fine Arts—one course from among specified courses in the Departments of Art, Music,
and Theatre.c. History—one course from specified courses in the Department of History.d. Religion and Philosophy—two courses, at least one of which must be in Religion, from among specified
courses in the Departments of Religion and Philosophy.e. Natural Science and Mathematics—three courses from among specified courses in the
Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. At least one of the threemust be a course in Mathematics or Computer Science and at least one must be a science course with a laboratory.
f. Social Sciences—two courses from among specified courses in the Departments ofAnthropology, Economics, Education, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.
g. At least six of the ten distribution requirements must be completed for a student to enter the junior year. It is strongly recommended that the student complete all ten distribution requirements before entering the senior year.
h. The four-course Humanities sequence (150, 151W, 250, 251) satisfies the composition requirement and distribution requirements as follows: Literature; History; Religion and Philosophy (two courses). The two-course Humanities sequence (160, 161W) satisfies the composition requirement and the distribution requirement in literature. A student who withdraws from either Humanities sequence after one semester receives one credit toward graduation, but neither distribution nor composition credit. A student who withdraws from the four-course sequence after the second semester receives composition credit for HUM 151W, but satisfies no distribution requirement.
3.4 REGISTRAR POLICIES AND PRACTICES
3.4.1 Mission Statement
The purpose of the Registrar’s Office is to support the academic mission of Davidson College. This is an office of the faculty and acts as its proxy by coordinating activities including, but not limited to, efficient course registration, maintenance and protection of academic records, and certification of students for continued enrollment and for graduation. The office maintains, interprets, and monitors academic policy and communicates procedures to faculty, to students, and to the college’s various publics.
The Registrar’s Office seeks to support the college’s external reporting requirements and its institutional research and academic planning activities by maintaining a comprehensive database of student academic and demographic information. The office certifies student enrollments and academic eligibility to various governmental, public, private, and academic agencies including, but not limited to, the NCAA and the National Student Clearinghouse.
The Registrar’s Office is dedicated to academic advising and course planning to help students incorporate academic experiences at home and abroad to fulfill educational and personal goals.
3.4.2 Responsibilities of the Office of the Registrar
A. Examinations: The Registrar's Office operates the self-scheduled examination service. Near the end of a semester, faculty receive instructions for participating in this examination process. Self-scheduled exams or similar (e.g., take-home exams) are the norm for courses using final examinations.
B. Convocations and Commencement: The President’s Office orders and distributes academic regalia for convocations and Commencement. Notices regarding the rental and the purchase of regalia are distributed approximately six weeks before these college celebrations. The Registrar coordinates all Commencement proceedings.
C. Classrooms: The Registrar’s Office assigns classes into college classrooms. All classrooms in all buildings are available for college-wide use. Many departments have specialized needs for space and/or equipment, and classrooms and labs are furnished accordingly. The department or class for which classroom space has been adapted has priority for the use of that space.
Contact the Registrar’s Office for specific classroom needs such as furniture, lecterns, etc.
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D. Contract Courses: The relatively abbreviated summer registration at Davidson is maintained by the Registrar. The directors of Davidson off-campus summer programs inform the Registrar of the participants and, at the end of the summer, of the grades. The Registrar's Office reports the grades to the students.
For contract courses on an individual basis, students complete the contract form, secure the signatures required, and submit the contract form to the Registrar's Office by the designated deadline. Due date for grades is specified on the contract form.
Students must have a 2.0 average in order to take a contract course (unless there is regular contact with the professor during the course). No student may have more than two contract courses count toward graduation. Also, no faculty member may direct more than four contract courses during one summer (unless the structure is one of classroom contact in residence).
F. Course Ceilings: Individual course ceilings shall be recommended by the department chairs to the Registrar each semester for approval, in accordance with general guidelines established by the Educational Policy Committee of the Faculty. Ceilings shall, insofar as possible, represent the educational needs of the department and the staffing, classroom, and resources needs of the college. In cases where the department and the Registrar cannot agree on an appropriate course ceiling, the matter will be resolved by the Dean of Faculty after consultation with the Educational Policy Committee.
G. Course Enrollments and Class Schedule: The Schedule of Courses for each semester presents course offerings planned at the time of the publication of the Schedule. The class schedule is created in the spring for classes offered the following fall and spring semesters. The document is not a contract; the college reserves the right to alter course offerings if enrollments and/or resources require. Further, the college does not guarantee that a student will be able to enroll in any particular course. Enrollments are guided by stated course ceilings, stated prerequisites, space requirements, a random number registration priority system and academic quality determinations.
Current general course ceiling guidelines are: 30 for regular courses, 16 for writing-intensive courses (English Composition, Humanities), and 12–15 for seminars.
(Ceiling exceptions are approved by the instructor or chair on the student Drop/Add Form.)
H. Records: The Registrar maintains the official records of students and makes them available to faculty as needed. FERPA (privacy legislation) stipulates that a faculty member or other school official may seek to view such records only with legitimate need to know. Commonly, such a need would regard advising or preparing letters of recommendation.
The Registrar is available to faculty members for information and interpretation of the Academic Regulations. In addition, the Registrar's Office provides documentation for reports and information for internal studies carried out by departments, faculty committees, and individual faculty members.
I. Release of Student Information: The release of student information to external sources is governed by the college policy and by the "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. (FERPA)"
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 restricts access to and disclosure of information from students' educational records without the written consent of the student, except in certain instances permitted under the Act. "Directory Information" will be disclosed without the student's prior written consent unless the student has notified the Office of the Registrar to restrict release of that information.
In accordance with provisions of the Act, Davidson provides Directory Information in various college publications including the Davidson College Directory, the Davidson College Official Record (commonly known as the catalog), and various publicity and information publications of the Athletics Department. Directory Information is defined as:
student name local, home, and mobile telephone number major field of study (to include minors and
interdisciplinary minors) degrees, honors, and awards received the most recent educational agency or institution
attended by the student participation in officially recognized activities
and sports
weight and height of members of athletic teams home, local mailing and email addresses class and enrollment status dates of attendance photographs and videos anticipated degree and degree date eating house affiliation
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Students may withhold the release of Directory Information by notifying the Registrar in writing no later than seven days after the beginning of classes each semester. Following receipt of such notification the college will not give the information to outside sources nor print it in its published directories.. The information remains available for internal use within the faculty and administration. A request for non-disclosure of Directory Information will be honored for only one academic year or portion thereof. Therefore, authorization to withhold Directory Information must be filed annually by the student.
Faculty members should be especially attentive to the legal need for privacy regarding grades. It is important not to post grades in any way allowing someone other than a particular student to ascertain the student’s grade on a course or any graded exercise within it; it is important not to leave unsealed graded papers outside an office, classroom, or lab. It is important not to discuss grades on the telephone with people from off campus, even with those identifying themselves as parents.. The Registrar’s Office will assist faculty members in reviewing the academic records of advisees and, when need arises, of other students (e.g., for writing letters of recommendation). Such information often is available to faculty advisors on the secure web (https://bannerweb.davidson.edu). Faculty members are expected to use responsibly their access to information about students and to respect the laws of privacy governing such information.
J. Standards of Progress: The Registrar monitors the standards of progress as prescribed in the Academic Regulations of the college. At the beginning of each academic year, a student's class is determined. The student maintains that classification throughout the year.
Although students are not evaluated for standards of progress at the end of each semester, the Registrar reports to the Dean of Students any student whose academic achievement during the term has been low. The Dean may take to the Executive Committee of the Faculty the names of students who are not making satisfactory progress during the year. Before registration for spring semester, the Registrar and Department Chairs both review Degree Works to monitor students’ progress towards graduation. Students with potential issues are contacted and the advisors should discuss these reports with advisees during the registration period for the spring semester. It is the student's responsibility to meet requirements for graduation.
K. Credit Definition from Catalog and Academic Regulations:
Course credit at Davidson College is awarded based on the successful completion of learning outcomes developed by individual departments and programs. All courses are approved by the college’s faculty through a process that requires review and action by all appropriate academic programs and the recommendation of the Committee on Educational Policy.
Davidson College courses (with the exception of two-credit intensive courses numbered 103) all carry one course credit. One course credit is equivalent to four semester credits. In-person contact with the course instructor is a key component required for students to meet learning outcomes at Davidson College. In accordance with the federal definition of the credit hour, one course credit at Davidson College equates to at least twelve total hours of academic work each week in a fifteen-week semester. A normal course load at Davidson College consists of four courses, which equates to sixteen semester credits and at least forty-eight total hours of academic work each week in a fifteen-week semester. Students are typically expected to engage in academic activities outside of the scheduled time in class. Depending of the nature of the course, some meet longer in person, while others include more out of class work. The expectation is that regardless of the individual design of the course, each course has a total workload of at least twelve hours per week.
Policy Defining Academically Engaged Time:
In-class instruction includes, but is not limited to, activities such as lectures, laboratory work, discussion, group work, and reviews. Out-of-class time includes, but is not limited to, activities such as reading, writing, research, practice, performance, field work, utilizing support services like the Writing Center, and group project work. When combined, academically engaged time in and out of class should total at least 12 hours per week for an individual course. Each instructor and course may require a different combination of in- and out-of-class time. The examples below illustrate 3 possibilities:
Example 1: Lower-level course, meeting 3 times per week for 1 hour of class: Monday: Class (1 hour), peer critique from Monday’s class (1 hour) Tuesday: Read Chapters 1 & 2 in XXX (1.5 hours) Wednesday: Class (1 hour), appointment at Writing Center (1 hour) Thursday: Read Chapters 3 & 4 in XXX, peer critique from Wednesday’s class (2.5 hours)
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Friday: Class (1 hour) Saturday & Sunday: Begin research for paper project and outline first draft (3 hours)
Example 2: Mid-level science course with a lab course, meeting 3 times per week for 1 hour of class, and 1 time per week for a 3-hour lab:
Monday: Class (1 hour), Read Chapters 1 & 2 of XXX ( 1 hour) Tuesday: Read Chapters 3 & 4 of XXX (1 hour) Wednesday: Class (1 hour), Lab (3 hours) Thursday: Read Chapters 5 & 6 of XXX (1 hour), Write up lab results (1 hour) Friday: Class (1 hour) Saturday & Sunday: Study for Review (1 hour), take review (1 hour)
Example 3: Seminar course, meeting 1 time per week for 3 hours: Monday: Class (3 hours), print readings, make reading plan, and review discussion paper prompt Tuesday: Read chapter 1 of XXX & YYY article (1.5 hours) Wednesday: Review readings by XXX & chapter 2 of YYY (1.5 hours) Thursday: Complete application assessments & questionnaires (1.5 hours) Friday: Respond to preferences email, post two blog entries, and create paper outline (1.5 hours) Saturday & Sunday: Write paper and post by Sunday at 5:00pm (3 hours)
3.5 LIBRARY POLICIES
The Davidson College Library is dedicated to supporting the educational mission of Davidson College. In this undertaking, it strives to:
1. Identify, acquire, organize, and disseminate information resources of all types, formats, and locations so as to meet the present and future scholarly research and information needs of its faculty, students, and staff;
2. Assist students and faculty to find, retrieve, analyze, and use these resources through formal and informal instruction sessions;
3. Provide a venue which is appropriate for the use and reflection on these materials; and,4. Contribute to the campus academic community as well as the greater library community on area, state, regional, and
national levels through staff participation and staff development opportunities.
The Library web site, accessible from the college home page, includes extensive, frequently updated information about services, policies, and facilities.
3.5.1 The Libraries
The Davidson College libraries include:1. E.H. Little Library, the main library for the college2. Music Library in the Sloan Music Center (sound recordings, scores, music reference works, DVDs and videotapes)
Regular and holiday hours for each library can be found on the web site.
3.5.2 Checking Out Materials
Regular checkout:1. The faculty member’s Davidson College CatCard serves as his or her library card.2. The due date for books is December 31, no matter when they were checked out.3. Seven-day books are due in seven days for all users.4. Periodicals may not be checked out.
Family member checkout:1. Family members must check out books using their own CatCards. They may not use the card of the faculty
member.2. The due date is four weeks from checkout.
3.5.3 Teaching Support
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Reserves: 1. Materials may be put on print or electronic reserve at the reserve desks in both Little Library and the Music Library. 2. Copyright compliance is the responsibility of the faculty member.3. For more information regarding reserves contact librarians in Little and Music.
3.5.3.1 InstructionLibrarians welcome the opportunity to teach students how to find and evaluate information. Sessions are customized for specific classes, tailored to the needs of faculty and students, and targeted to a specific assignment. Contact the Assistant Director for Information Literacy at x2157.
3.5.3.2 Reference and consultations:1. On-demand reference assistance is available most of the hours the library is open.2. Reference librarians are also available by phone (x2425) and online using the “Ask a Librarian” link from the web
site.3. Individualized research consultations by appointment are encouraged! Call x2425 or use the web form.
3.5.4 Research SupportAlthough the library’s primary mission is to support teaching and learning at Davidson, efforts are made to assist faculty in their research as well.
3.5.4.1 Interlibrary loanThe library actively and swiftly borrows materials from other libraries in North Carolina, the U.S., and around the globe. Requests are made through the link on the web site.
3.5.4.2 Use of area librariesSpecial arrangements can be made for direct borrowing from the Duke Endowment libraries (Duke University, Furman University, and Johnson C. Smith University).
3.5.4.3 Faculty Carrels1. 37 enclosed study carrels, with network access, are available in E.H. Little Library.2. Carrel requests are made in March of each year for the next year through a process administered by the Associate
Dean of Academic Administration.3. Faculty must check out the library books they use in their carrels.
3.5.5 Collection Development
3.5.6 The library’s collection is primarily curriculum-focused, supporting the teaching and learning needs of students and faculty.
3.5.6.1 One-time Orders (mainly books):1. Faculty members should check with their department chairs to learn department rules and procedures.2. To request a book, follow the Book Order Link under Faculty Services on the library’s web page. 3. The library does not usually purchase multiple copies.
3.5.6.2 Periodicals, Newspapers, Standing Orders1. Department chairs and the Library Director must OK these requests since they represent an annual financial
obligation.2. Every 3 to 5 years departments are asked to review journal titles in their disciplines and recommend them for continuation or cancellation.
3.5.6.3 Cataloging timeline1. No item may leave the library before it has been cataloged.2. Books are usually cataloged and ready to be checked out within two weeks of their arrival at the library.
3.5.6.4 Gift policyThe library accepts donations of needed materials. Please check the catalog first, and then send a list of the books and periodicals so the staff can see which titles are needed.
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3.5.6.5 DeselectionPart of collection development is removing no-longer-needed items to facilitate access to the most useful material. Faculty will be asked to participate in periodic opportunities to evaluate the material in their areas of expertise.
3.5.7 Faculty library committee The committee advises the Library Director on policies, operation, and development of the library. Membership includes one faculty member elected from each of the three divisions, one or two students, and the Library Director. Faculty terms are three years; student terms are one year. [The three faculty members appointed by the President were removed in the committee restructuring a few years ago.]
3.6 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Information Technology ServicesInformation Technology Services' (ITS) mission is to work in collaboration with members of the Davidson community to facilitate the use of current and emerging information technology resources. ITS partners with faculty and educates students in all aspects of technology use. The range of systems and services provided include those that support, enrich, and transform teaching, learning, and research. The systems and services touch virtually every aspect of campus life and are central to the academic enterprise, as well as the supporting administrative processes.
The department is organized into teams that work together to provide comprehensive technology services to faculty and students.
Instructional Technology: Instructional Technologists work directly with the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) faculty to design and support a diverse array of technological solutions for pedagogical and research needs. Staff are available to assist on a wide range of technology needs tied directly to research or curriculum and are distributed across the campus in the library, Watson Science building, and the south wing lower level of the Chambers Building. Instruction and development spaces include Studio D (library), the Language Resource Center (Chambers), the Center for Instructional Technology (Chambers), and the Connolly Media Lab and recording studio (Chambers).
● Studio D is an experimental classroom located in the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in the E.H. Little Library. Faculty are invited to propose innovative teaching initiatives that receive CTL support for technology, research, instruction, and assessment. The highly flexible space contains a mix of low and high technologies designed for active learning. Consultations are available upon request.
● The Language Resource Center (LRC) is a traditional instruction and mid-level multimedia development space equipped with thirty student workstations, one instructor workstation, and projection. The LRC is available to all classes by request to the registrar and ITS. Classroom instruction by professional staff on basic multimedia tools is also available by request and following consultation.
● The Connolly Media Lab and nearby recording studio are available to courses requiring professional-level digital video editing projects. Courses need to consult with instructional technology prior to use. The space hosts six high-end multimedia editing stations, along with a gaming and viewing space. Every Sunday-Thursday evening from 8pm-11pm, the lab hosts drop-in tutoring services to all students needing assistance with multimedia projects.
Technology Help Services: Technologists in this group work directly with students, faculty, and staff. The primary services include curricular, classroom, computing facilities/lab, and student support.
● Student Computing Center (SCC) is a thirty-six seat computer lab located in the Belk Residence Hall. Within the SCC there are two technology-infused collaboration rooms, the Think Tank and the Belk Computer Classroom. All workstations are equipped with campus instructional software.
● Chambers Computer Classroom (CHA 3130) is a computer-equipped classroom with eighteen student workstations and one instructor workstation. The facility is available to all classes via request through the registrar. All workstations are equipped with campus instructional software.
● Genomics, Applied Mathematics and Computer Science Classroom (CHA 3146) is a computer equipped classroom with eighteen student workstations and one instructor workstation. The facility is open to faculty and
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students involved in Genomics, Applied Mathematics and Computer Science classes. All workstations are equipped with campus instructional software.
● The Library Classroom (also known as the Fish Bowl) is an instructional space equipped with twenty-one student workstations, one instructor workstation and projection. All workstations are equipped with campus instructional software.
● The Library has forty-five student workstations in the E.H. Little and Music Library facilities, equipped with all campus instructional software.
● Library B110 classroom has thirty-two student computer workstations plus mobile instructor station, with multiple large displays and whiteboards, all equipped with campus instructional software.
● Studio M (Chambers B260): A "makerspace," that fosters technological creativity and exploration and contains a range of low and high technologies (circuits, electronics, computing, legos, drones, etc) to support “making as a way of knowing”.
● The Student Union has twenty-two student computers workstations all equipped with campus instructional software.
Systems and Networks: The group supports the following functions:● Server implementation and support, including all campus services such as Banner; Moodle; Library online catalog;
the college website; directory services; e-mail; various internet, intranet, and extranet websites; and file sharing.● Storage services, including two storage area networks for shared disk storage and a backup tape library.● Network connectivity and wiring, including firewall, VPN, Clean Access, and Wireless access.● Internet access.● Telecommunications, including local, long distance, and intra-campus telephone service and voice mail.● Cable television services provided for residence halls.
All campus buildings have access to wireless, data and telephone connectivity, and have personal computers connected to the campus data and wireless networks. All faculty members are connected to the campus data and wireless networks. The high-speed, high-performance wired and wireless networks provide broadband access to students, faculty, and staff throughout all the buildings and 100-acre main grounds of the campus.
EDUCOM CODE: The statement below, known as the EDUCOM Code, is the policy of Davidson College. Members of the college community abide by its provisions.Respect for intellectual labor and creativity is vital to academic discourse and enterprise. This principle applies to works of all authors and publishers in all media. It encompasses respect for the right to acknowledgment, right to privacy, and right to determine the form, manner, and terms of publication and distribution. Because electronic information is volatile and easily reproduced, respect for the work and personal expression of others is especially critical in computer environments. Violations of authorial integrity, including plagiarism, invasion of privacy, unauthorized access, and trade secret and copyright violations, may be grounds for sanctions against members of the academic community.
3.7 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS
Each academic department is assigned an assistant who provides support for members of the department. Faculty members consult directly with the department assistant regarding the scheduling of work assignments. Because departmental assistants serve a number of faculty members, 48 hours (2 regular work days) should be allowed for completion of regular, routine assignments. Additional notice should be given for longer and more complicated requests. Assistants will work with faculty to meet deadlines and "emergency last minute requests". Late requests, however, create delays for other faculty who submit requests in a timely manner. They place an unfair burden on the assistant. Consideration for others' time and priorities helps the system work smoothly and allows the assistants to plan and use their time wisely and to serve faculty effectively.
Constructive criticism or complaints should be addressed first with the Administrative Assistant and then with the assistant’s supervisor. The Associate Dean for Academic Administration serves as a resource for training, time management, work flow management, recruitment and evaluation of administrative assistants in the Academic Affairs division.
Specific services provided by departmental assistants:
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Word Processing (in order of priority)1. Course syllabi and related materials, tests (reviews), and examinations2. Departmental budgets3. Recommendations and departmental correspondence4. Event planning and management5. Departmental website maintenance6. Grant requests
And as time permits:7. Manuscripts, Papers8. Presentations
A. Perform duties in support of departmental activities and records, including some supervision or coordinating of assignments and payroll for work-study students.
B. Assist department chairs with the review of budget line items and tracking expenditures from special funds. Process invoices/vouchers and journal transfer entries. Maintain general office supplies for departmental use and faculty purchase.
C. Organize departmental correspondence and files for faculty searches.D. Maintain departmental and faculty websites. E. Scan documents and photocopy materials as needed; class sets of materials and longer documents should be reproduced
in Central Services.F. Receive visitors and messages for faculty members as required.G. Process mail for academic departments. Each faculty member is responsible for picking up his or her own mail at the
Knobloch Campus Center. Departmental assistants cannot be expected to carry individual mail for all the faculty members they serve.
H. Complete other duties as assigned and time available permits.
Several buildings have small, convenience copiers that are available to faculty for a limited number of copies. Faculty members are responsible for appropriate use and distribution of photocopied materials in accordance with copyright laws.
3.8 OFF-CAMPUS ACADEMIC YEAR AND SEMESTER PROGRAMS Guidelines for Director and Coordinators (Revised July 2015)
Davidson College has three types of off-campus programs: year-long programs in France and Spain; semester-long programs, such as Peru and India and summer programs, such as Ghana and Cambridge. Section 3.10 addresses guidelines for the first two and Section 3.11 addresses guidelines for the last program type.
A. Off-campus programs are expected to be self-supporting. Program tuition and budgets must be approved by the VPAA/DoF in advance and reviewed during the budget process and should not exceed the total income from tuition and fees, including room and/or board if those items are paid for by the program budget.
Surplus program funds should be used to offset any projected deficit in a one-semester or one-year Davidson College study abroad program. In the event that surplus funds are not sufficient to cover projected annual deficits in these programs, the College must undertake a thorough review of the program to assess the desirability of continuing the program. The final decision concerning the program's viability will be made by the VPAA/DoF.
B. Program funds may be used to cover the following items:1. Academic program and orientation costs, including both administrative and host-university related costs;2. Program-related housing, transportation, and meals (if included with program fees) for students during the
time they are in residence with the program;3. Cell phones for the program director, and the assistant director;4. Cell phones for students;5. Group excursions for students;6. Vaccinations for the program director and assistant director when required for safe travel to the program
country or countries;7. Group excursions for students;
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8. Application fees for required visas for program directors and assistant directors;9. Application fees for required visas for students;10. One round trip airfare from a US point of departure to the program site for the program director and the
assistant director;11. On programs that last a full semester or a full academic year, one round trip airfare from a US point of
departure to the program site for the director’s spouse/domestic partner (as defined by the Human Resource Office) and dependents under the age of 18;
12. On programs that last a full academic year (a fall semester followed by a spring semester, not a spring followed later by the subsequent fall), a second round trip airfare between a US point of departure and the program site for the program director’s spouse/domestic partner (as defined by the Human Resource Office) and dependents under the age of 18 (Note: this second ticket is available only in cases in which the spouse/domestic partner and dependents are not living abroad with the program director);;
13. Program director and family housing;14. Assistant director housing;15. Travel, lodging and meal/incidental (per diem) expenses for the program director and assistant director during
program excursions/study trips; Per diem is the allowance for reasonable and actual meal and incidental expenses. Incidental expenses are defined as: fees and tips given to baggage carriers and hotel staff, as well as busy, taxi or other local transportation expenses incurred while traveling for College business.;
16. Shipping costs for household effects up to $1,000 (semester) or $2,000 (year) for program director;17. Additional program-related equipment or computers only as approved by the Associate Dean for International
Programs and the VPAA/DoF;
C. Except as explicitly stated above, Davidson College funds do not cover expenses for dependent children.D. Please note: If a program director has dependents under the age of 18 who plan to travel with the program, the
dependents must be supervised by an adult chaperone not affiliated with or performing any duties for the program.E. The on-site program director must submit detailed, final budgets [for the study abroad programs] for approval to the
VPAA/DoF well in advance, normally at least two months before the on-site director’s departure date. Approved copies should be sent to the Controller. This isn’t the current practice; the summer section indicates it should be sent to the controller.The Manager of Cash Management in the Business Services Office will work with the Resident and/or Program Directors to coordinate the transfers of monies to the relevant bank accounts based on the approved budgets.
F. At the conclusion of each program, there must be a full budget reconciliation. Copies of this reconciliation should be shared with the Director of Study Abroad, the Office of the VPAA/DoF, and the Controller. Program budget surpluses are generally split 50% to the program’s reserves (a restricted account in the College’s general ledger) and 50% to the College’s general operations. The level of program reserves is subject to annual review and approval of the VPAA/DoF, the VP for Business and Finance, and the President. In addition, all surplus cash (cash amounts in excess of carry-forward balances approved by the VPAA/DoF and the Vice President for Business and Finance), in off-campus bank accounts must be returned to the College’s operating account at the conclusion of each off-campus program. Such carry-forward amounts, if any, will be based on the start-up costs for the next program as well as minimum balance requirements of the banks.
The following describes the policies and procedures for establishing and maintaining bank accounts in the U.S. or abroad: 1. The responsible department must submit a written request, including the justification for a separate bank account, to
the Controller. The Controller will review the request with the VP for Business and Finance. All requests related to academic programs must be approved in writing by the VPAA/DoF prior to submission to the Controller.
2. If the Controller and VP for Business and Finance approve the need for the account, all related bank documents must be submitted to the Manager for Cash Management in Business Services for her preparation and review.
3. The Controller and the VP for Business and Finance will then review all bank documents prior to opening an account. They may also submit the documents for review by the Corporate Counsel.
4. The VP for Business and Finance must then obtain a Board of Trustees resolution authorizing the opening of the new account.
5. The VP for Business and Finance and the Controller must be signers on the new account.6. All periodic bank statements must be sent directly by the bank to the College’s Manager of Cash Management.7. In foreign countries where bank statements are not routinely generated by the bank, the responsible Program
Director or Resident Director will obtain monthly printouts for the accounts, and send those via email or fax to the College’s Manager of Cash Management.
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The VP for Business and Finance and the Controller will review annually the need for specific bank accounts and will close bank accounts when they are no longer needed.
G. Prior to departure from campus, all program directors must provide the Study Abroad Office with the following:1. A complete itinerary for the entire length of the program, including complete air travel information and complete
lodging information. Changes in these dates or locations must be communicated to the Study Abroad Office as soon as possible
2. Information necessary to register the group with the US embassy (see Study Abroad Office for details)All resident directors/trip leaders for Davidson-sponsored trips abroad must have cell phones throughout the duration of the program. [Added 8/1/03; Updated 2006; Updated 08/01/08, Updated 08/13/14]
H. Davidson College reserves the right to cancel or modify part or all of any study abroad program in light of safety concerns. The program director and the Dean Rusk Program Director will make a recommendation to the VPAA/DoF who will take a final recommendation to the President, who retains ultimate decision-making authority.
I. Monthly bank statements for any US or foreign bank accounts are to be provided to the VPAA/DoF and the Business Services’ Office by the Resident Director (for year-long programs) or by the program director (for semester programs). In addition, financial summaries and receipts for items over $25 should be provided to the Business Services Office on a monthly basis. This may be done by emailing the financial summary and a scanned copy of the receipts or by posting them to a Public Folder. Such financial summaries must be in chronological order and must contain all activity listed on the related bank statements as well as detailed accounting for ATM withdrawals, cash advances and transfer of funds from program accounts to individual student accounts. Resident Directors should meet with the Controller and Manager of Cash Management prior to the program beginning in order to understand the format of such reports. The preferable method would be for banks to mail duplicate statements directly to the Controller. However, if foreign banks cannot do so, the Resident Director may scan and email or fax copies of the bank statements.
At the conclusion of each year-long program, the director must file a final report with the Study Abroad Coordinator and the Business Services Office and include an accounting of funds expended [with receipts for all items of $25 or more]. For semester programs the report and receipts should be sent to the VPAA/DoF office and the Controller.
Any purchase over $15,000 requires advance approval by the VPAA/DoF or his designate and by the Controller. A purchase over $5000 that had not been previously approved in the budget process requires advanced approval by the VPAA/DoF or his designate. In either case approval may be obtained by email with such email-approval filed with the supporting documentation for the related expenditures.
3.9 OFF-CAMPUS SUMMER/SHORT-TERM PROGRAMS Guidelines for Directors and Coordinators [Updated summer 2015]
A. All summer and short term programs must be self-supporting on an annual basis and may not depend on general college revenues for any annual shortfall. Program tuition and budgets must be approved by the VPAA/DoF in advance and reviewed during the budget process and shall not exceed the total income from tuition and fees, including room and/or board if those items are paid for by the program budget.
B. Budgets may cover the following items:1. Academic program and orientation costs; including both administrative and host-university related costs.2. Program related housing, transportation and meals (if included with program fees) for students during the time they
are in residence with the program;3. Cell phone for the program director;4. Cell phones for students;5. Group excursions for students;6. Vaccinations for the program director when required for safe travel to the program country or countries; 7. Application fees for required visas for program director;8. Application fees for required visas for students;9. One round trip airfare from a US point of departure to the program site for the program director;10. One round-trip airfare from a US point of departure to the program site for students;11. Program director housing;12. Travel, lodging, and meal/incidental (per diem) expenses for the program director during program excursions/study
trips; Per diem is the allowance for reasonable and actual meal and incidental expenses. Incidental expenses are defined as: fees and tips given to baggage carriers and hotel staff, as well as bus, taxi or other local transportation expenses incurred while traveling for College business.
13. Additional program-related equipment or computers only as approved in advance by the Office of the VPAA/DoF;
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14. Faculty compensation for directing the program and any teaching responsibilities associated with the particular program. For summer and short term programs, the compensation or supplemental pay for the faculty director must be approved in advance by the VPAA/DoF. The approved request with stipend payment schedule will then be forwarded to the College Human Resource office for processing. [08/01/01]Davidson College/program budget funds do not cover expenses for spouses/domestic partners (as defined by the Human Resource Office)/children for summer/short/term programs. All expenses for a spouse/domestic partner/children are the personal expense of the program director.Please note: If a program director has dependents under the age of 18 who plan to travel with the program, the dependents must be supervised by an adult chaperone not affiliated with or performing any duties for the program.
15. Faculty and staff who are going abroad should check with the Benefits Coordinator in Human Resources for the Healthcare Portability Guidelines before departure. Extra costs (above the regular “in network” costs) for “out-of-network” medical services provided to the program director while supervising the off-campus program can be reimbursed by the college. Receipts and statements from the college’s health insurance provider are required. In the event of the need to evacuate students from an off-campus program, the director should seek authorization from the VPAA/DoF, the VPBF, or the President. The College will then wire an appropriate amount of funds to pay the needed travel costs. Resident directors can receive a corporate Visa card which can be used for such an emergency.
C. At the conclusion of each program, there must be a full budget reconciliation. Copies of this reconciliation should be shared with the Office of the VPAA/DoF and the Controller. Program Budget surpluses are generally split 50% to the program’s reserves (a restricted account in the College’s general ledger) and 50% to the College’s general operations. The level of program reserves is subject to annual review and approval of the VPAA/DoF, the VP for Business and Finance, and the President. In addition, all surplus cash (cash amounts in excess of carry-forward balances approved by the VPAA/DoF and the Vice President for Business and Finance), in off-campus bank accounts must be returned to the College’s operating account at the conclusion of each off-campus program. Such carry-forward amounts, if any, will be based on the start-up costs for the next program as well as minimum balance requirements of the banks.
D. The on-site program director must submit detailed, final budgets [for the study abroad programs] for approval to the VPAA/DoF well in advance, normally at least two months before the on-site director’s departure date. Approved copies should be sent to the Controller. The Manager of Cash Management in the Business Services Office will work with the Program Directors to coordinate the transfers of monies to the relevant bank accounts based on the approved budgets.
The following describes the policies and procedures for establishing and maintaining bank accounts in the U.S. or abroad: 1. The responsible department must submit a written request, including the justification for a separate bank account, to
the Controller. The Controller will review the request with the VP for Business and Finance. All requests related to academic programs must be approved in writing by the VP for Academic Affairs prior to submission to the Controller.
2. If the Controller and VP for Business and Finance approve the need for the account, all related bank documents must be submitted to the Manager for Cash Management in Business Services for her preparation and review.
3. The Controller and the VP for Business and Finance will then review all bank documents prior to opening an account. They may also submit the documents for review by the Corporate Counsel.
4. The VP for Business and Finance must then obtain a Board of Trustees resolution authorizing the opening of the new account.
5. The VP for Business and Finance and the Controller must be signers on the new account.6. All periodic bank statements must be sent directly by the bank to the College’s Manager of Cash Management.7. In foreign countries where bank statements are not routinely generated by the bank, the responsible Program
Director or Resident Director will obtain monthly printouts for the accounts, and send those via email or fax to the College’s Manager of Cash Management.
The VP for Business and Finance and the Controller will review annually the need for specific bank accounts and will close bank accounts when they are no longer needed.
E. Prior to departure from campus, all program directors must provide the Study Abroad Office, the VPAA/DoF and the academic department chair with the following:1. A complete list of all participants and their family contact information2. Signed “Terms and Conditions” forms for all participants (forms provided by the Study Abroad Office)3. Signed “Proof of Insurance” forms stating that the student is covered by a primary policy that applies abroad (forms
provided by the Study Abroad Office)
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4. A complete itinerary for the entire length of the program including complete air travel information and complete lodging information. Changes in these dates or locations must be communicated to the Study Abroad Office as soon as possible
5. Information necessary to register the group with the US embassy (see Study Abroad Office for details)6. All resident directors/trip leaders for Davidson-sponsored trips abroad must have cell phones throughout the
duration of the program. [Added 8/1/03; Updated 2006; Updated 08/01/08]
F. Davidson College reserves the right to cancel or modify part or all of any study abroad program in light of safety concerns. The program director and the Dean Rusk Program Director will make a recommendation to the VPAA/DoF who will take a final recommendation to the President, who retains ultimate decision-making authority
G. At the conclusion of each program, the director must file a final report with the Office of the VPAA/DoF and the Controller and include an account of funds expended [with receipts for all items of $25 or more]. This may be done by emailing the financial summary and a scanned copy of the receipts or by posting them to a Public Folder. Such financial summaries must be in chronological order and must contain all activity listed on the related bank statements as well as detailed accounting for ATM withdrawals and cash advances. Resident Directors should meet with the Controller and the Manager of Cash Management prior to the program beginning in order to understand the format of such reports.
Any purchase over $15,000 requires advance approval by the VPAA/DoF or her designate and by the Controller. A purchase over $5000 that had not been previously approved in the budget process requires advanced approval by the VPAA/DoF or his designate. In either case approval may be obtained by email with such email-approval filed with the supporting documentation for the related expenditures.
In addition, monthly bank statements or bank account printouts must be provided to the Controller. The preferable method is for banks to mail duplicate statements directly to the Controller. However, if foreign banks cannot do so, the Resident Director may scan and email or fax copies of the bank statements.
3.10 OFF-CAMPUS PROGRAMS: Insurance and Benefit Guidelines
A. Emergency Travel Assistance Insurance Program: Davidson College has purchased foreign travel accident and sickness assistance insurance for students on Davidson programs abroad and for faculty and staff (including dependents) who are abroad on Davidson business based on the assumption that all travelers have health care insurance. Employees should review the “Travel Benefit” pages, http://www.davidson.edu/offices/human-resources/benefits/health-and-welfare/travel-benefit, and contact Human Resources with any questions. Students should contact the Study Abroad Office for the same information.
Important Note: In the event of the need to evacuate all students from an off-campus program, the director should seek authorization from the VPAA/DoF, the VPBF, or the President. The College will then wire an appropriate amount of funds to pay the needed travel costs. Resident directors can be issued a corporate Visa card which can be used for such an emergency.
B. Faculty and staff who are going abroad should check with the Benefits Coordinator in Human before departure. The college [from the program or the Academic Support budget] will reimburse faculty member for the extra “out-of-network” medical costs incurred while serving as the off-campus program director and for the spouse and dependents if it is a semester- or year-long program and if they are included on the college’s health insurance plan. The amount of the reimbursement will be the difference between “out-of-network” co-pay expenses and deductibles and the “in-network” costs for all participants included on the college’s health insurance policy plan. Medical bills should be sent directly to the insurance provider for reimbursement. After the insurance provider has determined the payment, the director may apply through the Director of Study Abroad Programs for reimbursement for the additional expenses for using “out-of-network” providers. Medical bills from abroad: You will have to pay your medical bills yourself and send them to the college’s health care provider (address on the back of your insurance card) for reimbursement. You do not need to translate your medical bills before you send them to CIGNA. You should submit claims for reimbursement as soon as incurred.
C. For year-long programs only, health care expenses for the resident director and his/her family may be borrowed from the program budget only when extraordinary health care expenses necessitate it, i.e., health care expenses of $1,000 or more per quarter (every three months starting with January of any given year). The resident director may borrow up to $2,000
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per academic year only with approval from the Study Abroad Coordinator and the VPAA/DoF. Approval will be contingent upon a clear arrangement to repay the loan within two months of any reimbursement from either the insurance company or the College for such expenses.
SECTION IV: ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES
4.1 THE COLLEGE STORE [Refer also to the Employee Guide.]
A. Store Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday - Saturday
For general information regarding supplies and special services, refer to the Employee Guide.
B. Textbook Requisitions: Requisitions are requested by the Bookstore staff in March for the fall semester and in October for the spring semester, they are due by the end of April and November, respectively. It is a requirement of the Higher Education Opportunity Act to post textbook adoption data for all courses offered, in a place where it is easily accessible for all students. All course textbook information is posted on the College Store’s website.
C. Textbook Returns: Returns are accepted during the first two weeks of classes. Faculty should advise students who drop courses to return books as quickly as possible so that students adding courses may purchase them. Course materials are returned to publishers and may no longer be available in the Store starting on each semester break. Exceptions may be negotiated with the Store Manager.
D. Desk Copies: It is the responsibility of the individual professor to obtain desk copies. The Bookstore staff will gladly assist with obtaining desk copies and ancillaries for requisitions turned in by the deadline, when requested.
E. Textbook buyback. At the conclusion of each term, the College Store purchases used textbooks back from Davidson students and faculty, provided they are current editions and in saleable condition. Textbook purchases made by outside brokers are in violation of the College’s policy on solicitation.
F. Sale of Copyrighted Materials: Copyrighted materials may be reproduced and sold through the Bookstore only if the professor has obtained prior permission to copy materials from the publisher. Copyright laws are being enforced and these measures are necessary to protect both the college and the professor. Assistance in obtaining copyright permissions is available through department assistants or the Little Library staff.
G. Textbooks: Contact the textbook manager directly for further information or if you have questions concerning the policies as described.
4.2 COPYING AND FAXING SERVICES
A. Copying Facilities and Services: Central Services operates a copy/print facility and contract post office located on the second floor of the Alvarez College Union. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. for copying services. Copying services include high-speed black and white copies (that can be sent via the network), color copies, transparencies, cutting, folding, spiral binding, and padding. These types of services are used for programs, syllabi, letters, examinations, course packets, pictures, covers, presentation materials, post cards, and books.
Through the PawPrint system copiers/printers are available 24/7 and they are located through the academic buildings. Check with your departmental assistant regarding access. Please reimburse the department for any personal copies made at current copy rate.
Faculty are responsible for adhering to copyright laws when photocopying materials or requesting others to make copies for their use (in research, classroom teaching etc.). Assistance (for a fee) with obtaining copyright permissions is available through the Copyright Clearance Center to which Davidson subscribes. Contacting the Copyright Clearance Center may be done online. For information about the procedures contact faculty assistant, Ms. Melanie McAlpline at ext. 2321.
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Faculty should charge students for course packs or other extensive photocopies provided during a semester. Remember to include cost of copyright permissions along with binding, covers, and per sheet expenses when determining how much to charge students for photocopies materials and course packs. These can be sold within the department or at the College Bookstore. [The Bookstore does add a handling charge to the cost.]
B. Postal Services: The contract post office in the Alvarez College Union serves the faculty, staff, and students. Hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. mail is distributed by noon each day. Please reimburse the department budget for any person postage or FedEx charges, particularly if mailing manuscripts to multiple addresses.
C. FAX Services: FAX services are available on multi-function devices (copier, printer, scanner, FAX) located in academic buildings. These machines are self-service; instructions are located nearby. They are available to faculty 24/7.
4.3 TELEPHONES AND VOICE MAIL (managed by ITS)
Phone numbers assigned to faculty will normally stay with that faculty member when the faculty member moves to a different office assigned by the Associate Dean for Academic Administration. The college utilizes a voice mail system for the convenience of faculty and staff. For information about or assistance with the voice mail or phone systems, or if problems are encountered with the telephone line, voice mail system, or the instrument, email the HelpDesk.
4.4 FACULTY OFFICES, EQUIPMENT, BUSINESS CARDS
A. Faculty Offices: The Associate Dean for Academic Administration assigns office space to full-time and part-time faculty, who are currently teaching. Faculty away from campus on leave or abroad for a semester or year may be asked to share their offices during that semester/year in order to provide office space for visiting faculty. Desk drawers, as well as some file and bookshelf space, must be cleared for the use of the teaching faculty member. College owned computers will be provided in the office for the use of the visitor. The VPAA/DoF may grant exceptions upon receipt of a written request from the faculty member prior to going on leave. Offices become available to faculty on the first day of their contract (typically August 1). All departing faculty (including retirees) are expected to vacate their offices by July 15 so as to insure orderly transition to the new faculty occupant.
B. Office Equipment: The College equips each faculty office with a desk, one task chair, two guest chairs, and at least one file cabinet. Bookshelves or up to three bookcases and a computer table are also standard. Faculty may have basic desktop printers or print on networked printers available in office buildings and the library. Faculty may send requests for other equipment to the department chair or the Associate Dean for Academic Administration, depending on funding source, for budget approval. Computers, file cabinets and all other equipment, furniture and supplies, purchased with college/departmental funds, are the property of Davidson College. Equipment and furnishings remain with an office when a faculty member is either assigned to another office OR leaves the college. Computers are an exception in that they may be moved with a faculty member to another office on the Davidson campus.
C. Business Cards: Requests should be made to the Office of Purchasing.
4.5 COLLEGE POLICY ON KEYS AND CARD ACCESS TO BUILDINGS Refer also to the Employee Guide at http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x8062.xml.
A. Keys: The Physical Plant is responsible for administration of all campus keys. A faculty member's request for keys is subject to the approval of the Physical Plant, the Campus Police Department, the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the appropriate academic department head. Faculty requests for keys should be initiated with the Office of the VPAA/DoF.
Generally, the Office of the VPAA/DoF issues keys and approves card access for faculty offices in Chambers, Preyer, Carnegie Lower Level, Elm Row, Jackson Court, and for other buildings on campus as appropriate. Keys for faculty offices and card access in Cunningham, Dana, Martin, the Belk Visual Arts Center, Sloan, and Watson are available through administrative assistants with approval from the department chair. Administrative assistants are responsible for securing keys at all times and for monitoring who has possession of duplicate. Faculty members are responsible for all keys issued to them. They are not issued duplicate keys and no one may duplicate a key according to college policy except the Physical Plant staff. When a faculty member leaves the college, he or she returns keys for all
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college offices and buildings, as well as files and desks, to the Office of the VPAA/DoF or the issuing department, keys for college housing to the Physical Plant Office, and keys for mail boxes to the Central Services Office.1. Replacement keys are provided in exchange for defective keys. Keys that are lost are replaced at the individual's
expense. 2. Lost or stolen keys must be reported to the VPAA/DoF office and the Campus Police Department. 3. Upon transfer to another office or termination of employment the faculty member returns all keys to the Office of
the VPAA/DoF or other appropriate college offices.For additional details regarding the "Key Policy," you should check with the Office of the VPAA/DoF and the Physical Plant Office.
B. Card Access: Many college buildings are accessible evenings and weekends only by card access. College I.D. cards may be encoded for access to appropriate buildings. Faculty, staff, and students obtain I.D. cards in the Campus CatCard Services Office located in Belk Residence Hall - lower level. Once you have completed your paperwork with Human Resources and they have entered your information into Banner, your account in Banner will download into the 1Card access system that evening or the following Monday if completed on Friday. On or after your beginning contract date (usually August 1), you can then proceed to have your Davidson ID made at the CatCard office. All full-time staff and faculty have 24/7 access in the academic building in which they work. Faculty turn in their I.D. cards to the Office of the VPAA/DoF when they leave Davidson College.
Student access to academic buildings with exception of 24 hour computer labs and 24 hour room in Little Library is prohibited from 1 am to 6 am. Exceptions to this building closure policy may be made on those limited (i.e. not regular or recurring) occasions when a research experiment done in conjunction with a faculty member requires the use of a laboratory for a period of time which must include some or all of the hours from 1-6 am. On such occasions, the faculty member will provide the student’s name and date when such accommodation should be made to the Dean of the Faculty. With his approval, this information will be sent to the Chief of Campus Police.
Emeriti/ae faculty with current teaching responsibilities are issued keys and approved for card access as needed and related to their teaching responsibilities.
4.6 COLLEGE ALCOHOL POLICY
Davidson College expects to operate in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina (see Appendix A of the Code of Responsibility) with regard to the use, sale, possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is the responsibility of all members of the college community to abide by those laws.
Davidson students and organizations are required to be familiar with the Davidson College Alcohol Policy and to operate within that policy. Patterson Court organizations have a special responsibility to ensure that their officers and members know and abide by the ABC laws of the state, as well as be knowledgeable of the policies of their inter/national organization where applicable. Ignorance of policy is not a defensible excuse.
Departments or programs serving alcohol at parties or events are responsible for abiding by the Davidson College Alcohol Policy and the laws of North Carolina. It is recommended that departments or programs hire trained bartenders through the College catering service, Much Ado.
Students or members of the community who observe a medical or other emergency are obligated to call for help. As such, if the "Good Samaritan" who places a call for help is found to be in violation of policy, the fact that he or she placed the call will be considered a mitigating circumstance when sanctions are imposed on an individual or student organization.
The alcohol policy is in the student handbook found at this link: http://www.davidson.edu/offices/dean-of-students/student-handbook, page 46-49 of the pdf
4.7 FACILITY USE POLICY[Excerpt from Facility Use Policy for Outside Groups: February 2006, Revised August 2009]
IntroductionDavidson College’s central mission is to educate young men and women for lives of leadership and service. Use of college facilities by non-college groups is secondary to this mission. The Guest Services Department is charged with processing all inquiries from non-college groups. Interested parties may contact Cissi Lyles, Manager of Guest Services at
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[email protected] or 704-894-2185 or Richard Terry, Director of Auxiliary Services at [email protected] or 704-894-2723.
“Non-college groups” are separately constituted organizations that are not found within the organizational chart of the college. “Non-College Activity” is activity that is not initiated or funded by an existing department of the college.
Criteria for Accommodating Non-college groups
The college will evaluate requests for non-college activity when school is out of session based on the following criteria:
Compatibility with the College mission as reflected in the Statement of PurposePotential for economic enhancement Opportunity to support college alumni and friendsDevelopment of community relationsSupport of related college departmental activityCompatibility with Physical Plant maintenance and construction needs
The College will consider accommodating requests when school is in session on a very limited basis. These decisions are based on the criteria above, but also with acute sensitivity to the potential for interfering with academic and extra-curricular activity, the size of the group and the location and length of the meeting.
Activity initiated and funded by departments of the college and/or by chartered student organizations is classified as departmental and therefore is not subject to the requirements of this policy. Departmental events are planned by members of the department. Guest Services may provide consultation assistance, but all logistical work (work orders, registration, mailings, catering, etc.) must be managed by the department.
Requirements of Non-college groups
The following are requirements of non-college groups:
A Certificate of Insurance listing Davidson College as additionally insured (see specific insurance requirements in Facility Use Agreement)An explicit description of the nature of the proposed activity, expected participants, and all other logistical needs of their activity.A signed Facility Use Agreement. The Facility Use Agreement includes a Non-discrimination clause that insures each group meets a minimal compliance with the college’s Statement of Purpose.
NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY: Licensee expressly agrees that (a) participation in its organization, and participation in Licensee’s Use of the Premises under this Agreement, is and shall be open to any individual regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, (the “Nondiscrimination Policy”); or (b) Licensee has informed the College, in writing prior to the execution of this Agreement, that Licensee is or will be knowingly in violation of the Nondiscrimination Policy. The College hereby reserves the right immediately to terminate this Agreement upon discovery of Licensee’s violation of the Nondiscrimination Policy; or, to waive the Nondiscrimination Policy in the College’s sole discretion when appropriate and otherwise permitted by law.
Payment of rental fees for space in addition to all direct costs for an event (room set ups, technical support, public safety staffing, etc.).Right of first refusal by Much Ado, (Davidson College Catering) for all food and beverage needs.
The Vice President for Finance and Administration serves as the final arbiter of disputes over the classification of an event as departmental or outside in nature.
Information Specific to Individual Event Categories
Professional Association ActivityProfessional Association activity is classified as non-college activity, regardless of whether an employee of the college is a member of the association. Therefore this activity will be considered against the criteria listed above and subject to the
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requirements described above if accommodated. Typically association activity will not be scheduled when school is in session.
The college may allow association activity that is clearly related to an employee’s work at the college and that has attendance of 50 or fewer participants, to be scheduled during the college calendar depending upon anticipated needs for space for departmental and student organization activity. These groups will be required to sign a Facility Use Agreement but will only incur direct charges (room set-ups, staffing support, etc). Rental charges will not typically apply. These groups will be asked to provide a Certificate of Insurance. If the association does not carry any business liability insurance, the college may choose to waive this requirement and cover the group’s activity under the college insurance policy. The Guest Services Department will determine whether such meetings can be accommodated in consultation with the College Union. The Guest Services Department will consider the nature of the group’s activity in determining whether it can be covered by the college policy. Finally, Much Ado, (Davidson College Catering) will still retain right of first refusal for all food and beverage needs.
Professional activity initiated, planned, and funded by a department (as opposed to an association) that involves inviting fellow professionals from other schools or companies is regarded as departmental activity and therefore is not subject to the requirements of this policy. Departmental events are planned by members of the department. Guest Services may provide consultation assistance, but all logistical work (work orders, registration, mailings, catering) must be managed by the department.
Worship ActivityThe college at its discretion may identify a religious activity as an important worship opportunity for our students, faculty and staff to enjoy locally. In these instances, though an outside entity may be the organizing agent of the service, the service is regarded as departmental activity of the Chaplain’s Office. The service may be booked in campus space while school is in session and no rental fees shall be charged. The Client will, however, be required to provide a Certificate of Insurance to the Guest Services Office and sign a Facility Use Agreement. The service provider is required to submit a request to the Chaplain's Office to make all logistical arrangements for the worship event. In turn the Chaplain’s Office shall provide this information to the appropriate service provider (Physical Plant or College Union Scheduling Office)
Requests for worship service space that are not specifically endorsed by the college, may still be accommodated, but will be considered against the criteria listed above and subject to the requirements described above if accommodated.
Entertainment/Cultural ActivitiesThe college does not generally accommodate space for broadly advertised entertainment and cultural activity at any time during the year. The College is not in the promotions business. The College will consider accommodating activities of an entertainment nature that that are made available by invitation to a limited and known population. The College will consider accommodating a public event when school is out of session as part of a broader contract that includes performances during the school year for the benefit of the student body. Any college department negotiating such an arrangement must contact Guest Services before making any commitments.
Parent EventsThe college classifies events provided by parents whose children are involved in a common college activity (sports teams, student organizations, work groups, etc.) as departmental in nature, covered by college insurance, subject only to direct costs, and allowed to be scheduled as any other departmental event. Because parents are often significantly involved in planning these events, it is required that Much Ado, (Davidson College Catering) be given right of first refusal for all food and beverage needs. This provides the college with an appropriate level of control over these activities. Beyond catering arrangements, all logistical details must be communicated by an employee of the department (coach, department head, etc.) to the specific service provider (physical plant, technical services, etc.). Parents are not to be in direct contact with these support offices (with the exception of Much Ado, Davidson College Catering).
Commencement Day Brunches organized by groups of parents of graduating seniors fall into this same category. These will be specifically coordinated by the Guest Services Office. Due to the breadth of activity on campus on Commencement Day, only a limited number of venues can be made available. Guest Services in conjunction with the Physical Plant will identify these venues.
Individual Student RequestsIndividual student requests for space for activity unrelated to academic work or unrelated to chartered student clubs and organizations are classified as outside activity and subject to the standard criteria. Activity that is part of recognized clubs and organizations is, by definition, departmental and requires no review process or authorization by Guest Services.
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PhotographyAll commercial photography requests will first be reviewed by College Communications to protect college images from inappropriate use. Once this approval is given, the standard criteria for assessing outside group requests will be invoked. Commercial photography sessions such as wedding portraits (or any other personal portrait or still life photography) will be accommodated at no charge for the following:• alumni/ae and their immediate family • faculty and staff and their immediate families • members of Davidson College Presbyterian Church • wedding parties using Davidson College Presbyterian Church
These requests must be scheduled through the Guest Services Office, and the photographer and subject/s must complete Hold Harmless Agreements prior to the shoot. The Guest Services Manager will identify locations on campus for these photography sessions that do not interfere inappropriately with the life of the college. Unscheduled portrait and still life photography of a commercial nature is not allowed on the campus. Campus Police will ask photographers without a scheduled appointment to leave campus. If an unscheduled commercial portrait sitting is in progress, the subject would otherwise be approved, and there is no competing campus activity, Campus Police may issue a warning but should not disrupt the shoot. If the session is competing with a campus event, it should be rescheduled.Commercial photography requests of a business nature will be considered according to the rules and regulations governing standard outside activity.
Outdoor EventsThe college will not accommodate outdoor events, particularly those including tents, except in those rare situations when adequate control and privacy can be assured.
Faculty/Staff Personal Events and Organization AffiliationsPersonal events for faculty and staff, including activity by a civic or church group to which a faculty or staff member belongs, are classified as outside events and will be considered against the criteria listed above and subject to the requirements described above if accommodated. Full rental and direct charges apply.
Faculty/Staff Athletic Camps and InstructionWhen practical, athletic camps will be given priority over non-college groups regarding the scheduling of College facilities. Rates charged to such camps will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure College priorities are best served.
Use by Political Candidates or OrganizationsThe college does not rent facilities to political candidates or parties for fund-raising activity or other political activity. Requests for space from non-partisan agencies to provide a venue for public debate will be considered against the criteria listed above and subject to the requirements described above if accommodated.
Alumni Functions for Sports Contest OpponentsRequests for space from Alumni Departments of schools against whom we are competing in a home athletic contest are classified as outside activity and will be considered against the criteria listed above and subject to the requirements described above if accommodated. Guest Services, in consultation with the Davidson College Alumni Office, reserves the right to consider the potential for a reciprocal arrangement with the inquiring institution in making this determination. Should this potential be strong, the college may choose to accommodate the request without charge and schedule it during the school year. A Certificate of Insurance and completed Facility Use Agreement are still required and the client must give Much Ado (Davidson College Catering) right of first refusal for all food and beverage needs.
SPECIAL VENUES
Carnegie Guest HouseThe Carnegie Guest House may be booked for non-college group activity only when the entire facility (all eight overnight rooms) is booked by the one group. It is the responsibility of the Guest Services Manager to insure that such activities do not interfere with departmental and student organization activity. Further, it is the responsibility of the Guest House Manager to block out dates when the facility will be needed for major campus events and refuse outside reservations.
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Clients with non-college activity at the Guest House must meet the requirements of all non-college groups (see Requirements of Non-college groups, above).
Erwin LodgeErwin Lodge is a venue that may be regularly booked for outside group activity while school is in session. Requests for its use are first fielded by the Union Calendar Coordinator who considers potential conflicts with college activity before forwarding these requests to the Guest Services Office. In keeping with the conditions established when it was given as a gift to the college, special consideration is given to use by the local community. Guest Services will follow up on all requirements for non-college groups described in this document. Guest Services is to receive all rental fees associated with these activities. Alcohol is not allowed in or around the Lodge.
Carolina Inn, Blackwell House Sun RoomEach of these spaces is managed and booked by the specific college department housed therein. Requests for their use are first fielded by the respective facility manager who considers potential conflicts with college activity before forwarding these requests to the Guest Services Office. Guest Services will follow up on all requirements for non-college groups described in this document. Guest Services is to receive all rental fees associated with these activities.
Space Responsible DepartmentCarolina Inn Center for Interdisciplinary StudiesBlackwell House Sun Room Alumni Office
WDAV Boswell Community RoomWDAV may independently schedule non-college groups in the Boswell Community Room. It is understood that one of WDAV’s primary interests is the cultivation of good relationships with outside constituencies. WDAV may request waiver of the insurance requirement for those groups that do not carry liability coverage, but contribute to the fulfillment of WDAV’s core mission. These waiver requests are directed to the Guest Services Coordinator. Further, WDAV shall collect and retain any and all fees associated with rental of the Community Room or any other part of the WDAV building and is responsible for setting these rental rates. WDAV may establish whatever fee structure it deems appropriate including reduced fees for particular individuals or agencies. WDAV will inform Guest Services of all outside bookings as well as provide signed Facility Use Agreements and insurance documentation.
Davidson Lake CampusAll inquiries for use of the Davidson Lake Campus are directed to Lee Jones at the Lake Campus Facility. Alcohol is not allowed at the Lake Campus.
SECTION V: STUDENT LIFE POLICIES OF INTEREST TO FACULTY
5.1 STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION BYLAWS[A complete copy of Student Government Association Bylaws is available in the Dean of Students Office upon request.]
Preamble
We, the students of Davidson College, in order
to share with the Board of Trustees, the faculty, and the administration the responsibility for developing and maintaining Davidson as a superior academic community;
to provide a mechanism for recognizing the collective voice of the students;
to implement student directives;
to promote a high level of character and student life; and
to enumerate those rights, privileges, and responsibilities inherent in our roles as students of Davidson College;
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do hereby establish these Bylaws of the Davidson College Student Government Association in accordance with the Davidson College Constitution.
Article I: The Student Government Association
A. Membership1. All enrolled students of Davidson College are members of the Student Government Association of Davidson
College (hereafter SGA), including students from other schools studying at Davidson on educational exchange programs and Davidson College students at other universities for a specified length of study, but excluding those attending summer school sessions at Davidson unless they attend the college under a regular enrollment plan during the academic year.
2. All students have equal rights and responsibilities under the Davidson College Constitution, The Honor Code, Code of Responsibility, The Code of Disciplinary Procedure, The Academic Regulations of Davidson College, and these SGA Bylaws.
B. Meetings1. The SGA meets as a body at the direction of the SGA President or at the request of five percent of the SGA.
Meetings will pertain to matters of general concern and will be adequately publicized. The parliamentary authority is the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, unless superseded by these Bylaws.
C. General Powers1. The SGA exercises the powers and privileges granted the student body in the Davidson College Constitution, The
Honor Code, The Code of Responsibility, and The Code of Disciplinary Procedure. In the exercise of such powers and privileges the SGA acts through itself, its officers, the agencies established in these Bylaws, and other such agencies as the SGA Senate may establish. The SGA may adopt rules and procedures for its further self-government.
2. The SGA may make its opinion known on any pertinent matter through a vote in an official SGA referendum, pursuant to Article X of these Bylaws.
3. Members of the SGA are entitled to attend all meetings of the SGA Senate, unless excluded by the Senate for a specific matter as stipulated in Article II, Section C, of these Bylaws. Non-Senate members of the SGA have full privileges of the floor, but may not vote.
4. The SGA may elect its own officers pursuant to Article VI of these Bylaws and may remove an elected official from office pursuant to Article VII of these Bylaws.
5. The SGA may petition the Trustees for direct action in respect to any matter substantially affecting the fundamental interests of the college as specified in Article XI of the Davidson College Constitution.
5.2 STUDENT HEALTH AND COUNSELING CENTER (SH&CC)
The Student Health & Student Counseling Center (SH&CC) exists primarily to meet the physical and psychological needs of Davidson students. Although we recognize the integral relationship between the mind and body, for the purposes of clarity the information will be presented separately (i.e., Health Services and Counseling Services)..
5.3 HEALTH SERVICES
The Student Health Center (SHC) handles routine medical care for students only. There is no charge for the actual visit with a physician or nurse. A nurse is on duty from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and “on-call” after hours and through the weekend. A physician or a physician’s assistant is available for appointments weekday afternoons and portions of two mornings. The SHC staff can assist with referral to specialists and local urgent care facilities or hospitals if needed.
A few beds are available in the Student Health Center for the care of students who need isolation due to infectious diseases or nursing services post-surgically. Charges for these services are placed on the tuition bill.
The Student Health Center relies on the Honor System and does not write medical excuses. All medical records are strictly confidential. Medical information is released to parents, college officials and others only with the written authorization of the student. This includes confirmation of whether the student has been seen here.
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5.4 COUNSELING SERVICES
College is a time of transition and change. While this can be a very exciting experience for many students, for some it can prove to be quite stressful. For example, some students struggle with adjusting to newfound independence, the changes in academic rigor or time management skills. Other students present with concerns around anxiety, depression, eating disorders or issues related to their family of origin. The Student Counseling Center exits to help students successfully navigate their college experience while also managing or maintaining their overall mental health.
Counseling services are available to ALL full-time enrolled students free of charge. Counseling offices are located within the Student Health and Counseling Center, which is at the corner of Glasgow and Main Streets. Counseling services are available Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. A counselor also remains on-call after-hours and on weekends.
The staff includes both licensed psychologists and professional counselors who have been chosen because of their training and experience as well as their special interest in young adults and their development. Students generally make appointments on their own accord, by calling 704-894-2451, but there are certainly times when a student has come as a result of others expressing concern for their well-being. The relationship between the student and counselor is considered confidential and thus no information may be released unless a) there is an imminent threat of the student’s life, b) there is a threat of an identified other, c) the student has signed a release of information. However, if a faculty member has a concern about a particular student, he or she is welcome to contact the staff and seek general counsel on how to approach and subsequently refer the student for counseling.
5.5 SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
The college does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or education of students. The Associate Dean of Students in the Dean of Students Office serves as the ADA Coordinator. The Academic Access/Disability Resources Office provides individualized assistance to students with disabilities consistent with applicable law and college policies. Additionally, there are various student organizations that provide support and information to students with disabilities.
Students who seek accommodations on the basis of a disability are required to submit documentation from an approved designated learning specialist, usually at the student's expense. The results of the evaluation, made available to the college with the student's permission, may include recommendations for compensatory learning strategies to be used by the student and recommendations for services and accommodations to be provided by the college. Using these recommendations as a guide, strategies are developed to enhance learning strengths and compensate for learning difficulties. Individual faculty may be notified of strategies and accommodations for a student in a class only at the request of the student.
The Curriculum Requirements Committee considers any recommended adjustments to academic requirements. The Committee then approves the recommendations or a substitution for the academic requirement.
A copy of the Policy for Disabled Students at Davidson College and additional information regarding services provided by the college to those students are available in the Office of the Dean of Students.
5.6 CENTER FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Leveraging the Davidson network, the Center for Career Development empowers students to assess and achieve their post-graduate goals. Our vision is for all students to have clarity and confidence in their career choices, to be prepared to navigate their search for internships, fellowships, employment and graduate school opportunities, and to effectively market the experiences, skills, and knowledge developed during their time at Davidson.
Recruiting and Employer Relations: The employer relations team works with the employers and graduate programs seeking to recruit Davidson students and alumni for internships and post-graduate experiences. Services include the management of position postings, on-campus interviews and information sessions, a law school fair, and participation in the Liberal Arts Career Network.
Career Advising, Programming, and Networking: The career development team conducts over 2,500 individual career advising meetings and organizes dozens of career exploration and preparation programs per year. We also connect students with alumni and parent professionals through on-campus career talks, networking events and DCAN, our on-line career mentoring platform.
We welcome the opportunity to partner with faculty who wish to help prepare their students for summer or post-graduate experiences. Visit the Center for Career Development website to learn more about our services, or contact us at [email protected]
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5.7 ALVAREZ COLLEGE UNION
The Alvarez College Union staff work with student committees who run the Union programs and allocate student activity funds for a wide variety of programs and entertainment.Services and programs available through the Union include: meeting rooms, event venues, laminating, poster shop, intra-campus mail, the college calendar of events, lost and found, the Fitness Center, campus telephone operators, the Union Ticket Office, Technical Services, and Davidson Outdoors. Davidson Outdoors develops programming for faculty, staff, and students, including the pre-orientation Odyssey program, and scheduled opportunities for climbing, whitewater rafting, canoeing, bicycling, et cetera. Event venues include the Duke Family Performance Hall, the C. Shaw Smith 900 Room, and the Brown Atrium.
SECTION VI: DIVISION OF COLLEGE RELATIONS
6.1 DIVISION OF COLLEGE RELATIONS: FUND RAISING
College Relations is one of the major administrative divisions of Davidson College. The division consists of the offices of the Vice President, Campus and Community Relations, Communications and Operations, and Development. Campus and Community Relations includes Alumni Relations, Donor Relations, Friends of the Arts, and Corporate and Foundation Relations. Communications and Operations includes College Communications, operations and technology for the division, and 89.9 WDAV all-classical radio station. The Development Office includes Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Planned Giving, Parent Giving, the Davidson Athletic Fund, and Research.
These offices work to secure support for approved projects and to build and maintain lively relationships with prospective and past donors, including individuals, foundations, corporations, and organizations. Funding priorities are set by the President and approved by the Board of Trustees. On July 1, 2014, the college entered into the public phase of a comprehensive campaign with a target of exceeding $425 million by June 30, 2019. The largest financial components of this effort will be increasing current-use and endowment funding for scholarship programs, completing the new academic building and athletic center, funding for faculty support and student-led research, and Transition to Impact initiatives.
Davidson College both welcomes and relies upon gifts, from individuals and from groups, which in various ways enable the College to realize its educational goals. Some substantial gifts, such as those establishing endowed chairs or those providing resources for new academic programs, can have a direct impact upon the College’s curriculum. The College’s constitution vests in the Faculty the “general responsibility for the planning and guidance of the Educational Program and Policy of the College.”
The elected members of the Executive Committee, with the Vice Chair of the Faculty pro tem serving as the committee chair, shall comprise an ad hoc Committee for Faculty Review of Gifts Affecting the Curriculum. This committee shall (a) evaluate all proposed gifts that would have a material impact upon the College’s curriculum, and (b) communicate to the President, the VPAA/DoF, and development officers the committee’s understanding of the future curricular needs of the College in so far as they may affect development and fundraising activities. The committee shall undertake its responsibility in accordance with the following guidelines:
1. It shall review all proposals to create endowed professorships and programs that would have a material impact upon the College’s curriculum and shall advise the President, VPAA/DoF, and development officers as to whether those proposals:
a. are consistent with the academic goals, mission, and values of the College; andb. would enhance the College’s reputation in the larger academic world.
2. It shall consult with department and program chairs, and through them with members of their departments and programs, concerning any proposed gifts that could have a direct impact upon staffing and course offerings in those departments, and it shall consider the concerns and aspirations of the departments in evaluating those proposals. To the extent possible, these consultations shall be conducted in confidence so as to respect the privacy of potential donors.
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3. It may design and implement a mechanism to consult all members of the faculty concerning areas of greatest curricular need and consider the views expressed by the Faculty in advising the President, the VPAA/DoF, and development officers as to where new positions, by gift or otherwise, could have the most beneficial impact on the curriculum.
Policy Revised April 7, 2009
6.2 THE OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION and PUBLIC RELATIONS POLICIES
A. Publicity: The Office of Communications generates publicity for the college, campus events, lectures, concerts, arts event, etc. The office can help you promote your event with printed pieces, social media, advertising, press releases and other materials. For the most effective public relations, please contact the office about six weeks before the event and eight to twelve weeks if you’ll be mailing materials via the USPS.
B. Dealing with Newspapers, Radio, and Television: The Director of Media Relations is designated as the official contact with outside media, and the director is designated (among a few others) as an official spokesperson for the college. This office has established good relationships with regional and national media, so please ask for help when looking for media attention. Communications can help publicize academic departmental program or activities and can also help write and market op-ed pieces for newspapers. The office welcomes tips or ideas for stories that can illuminate the college’s mission and excellence.
Faculty members should let the Director of Media Relations know when they are contacted by a member of the media. For guidance in dealing with the media, contact the Director.
C. Publications: The Communications Office staff publishes most of the college’s publications. Graphic design and layout services are free to college offices and departments. All printing is contracted to outside professionals or to Central Services and is charged to the office requesting the project. Staff members work closely with faculty and college offices to obtain cost estimate and to control overall costs for printing projects. Faculty members are encouraged to take advantage of these services, particularly with publications intended for external audiences.
Initiate a project by filling out a Project Request Form available on Inside Davidson and the College Communications page of the Davidson Web site. In general, allow a minimum of six weeks for design and layout for simple brochures and pamphlets. The production of more complex publications will need to be planned in conjunction with the design staff.
The Davidson Journal is published twice a year, fall and winter. Please allow at least two months lead time for information to be included in these publications.
The Davidson Events Digest is a twice monthly newsletter with information about public events on campus. All events entered into the Davidson College events calendar will be included..
D. Photography: The Communications Office maintains digital headshots of all college employees, as well as campus scenes of buildings and campus activities. The office uses these images in its own publications, news, and design works, but the files are also available to faculty members for institutional needs.
E. The Davidson College Web Site: Content on the college’s Web site is primarily maintained by the Digital Staff in conjunction with staff and faculty across campus. Digital Staff members are available to consult and collaborate on content, design and maintenance. The Director of Digital Communications and the Digital Staff are charged with the look and feel of the site, and they work with others across the campus to coordinate the site design and architecture.
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SECTION VII: DAVIDSON COLLEGE CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
2015-16 Services
The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) supports Davidson College’s commitment to academic excellence by fostering a vibrant and engaged community in which faculty can explore and create innovative pedagogy and students can proactively enhance and expand their learning strategies.”
Located in the E.H. Little Library, with additional locations in the south basement of Chambers building, the CTL promotes coordination, collaboration, and cooperation among numbers of services in order to create a structure and venue for conversations to occur that will increase the overall effectiveness of Davidson’s educational experience.
Current Support for LearningAcademic support centers and other services play a key role for students, especially during their first year at Davidson.
A. Discipline-Specific Assistance 1. The Mathematics and Science Center (MSC) serves students taking courses or doing research in Mathematics,
Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Psychology, and other areas involving quantitative or scientific reasoning. The MSC helps students understand concepts, connections, and applications in all science and math classes, with emphasis on gateway courses to the majors. The MSC provides assistance with research, presentations, lab reports, and other math and science projects. Emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Study groups are supported and facilitated.
2. The Economics Center provides tutorial help with assignments in Introductory Economics and assistance in using some of the basic computing tools employed in all economics courses. The center supports individual and group work on economics projects as well.
3. The CTL maintains a list of tutors in other academic disciplines as well. The CTL assistant, Abbey Merendino has the list available for individual tutoring. All tutoring through the CTL is free.
B. Speaking – The Speaking Center offers the services of trained student tutors who provide support for students’ oral communication needs across the curriculum campus, and community. These tutors assist students in learning to speak and speaking to learn. Tutors provide help in selecting speech topics, researching and organizing topics, polishing speech delivery and incorporating presentation aids. Additionally, tutors provide students with skills to prepare for interviews, lead or participate in meetings, present research and co-curricular projects. Tutors also enhance non-native speakers’ command of English.
C. Writing – The Writing Center tutors help students to assess their own writing process and to learn to write more effectively. The tutors provide assistance with brainstorming and research, as well as technical writing skills such as structure, style, and usage for any Davidson course regardless of discipline. Further, specialized tutoring is available for writers in English as a second language and for writing in Spanish, French, and German. Other support available through the Writing Center includes support for fiction and non-fiction co-curricular writing projects and help in preparing applications for scholarships, grants, and internships. Ultimately, the Writing Center strives to create better thinkers and writers, not just better papers.
D. Information Literacy – Information Literacy services provided by the E.H. Little Library staff are an important component of the new CTL designed to help students acquire the skills and confidence they need to become information literate, life-long learners. To this end, the librarians provide scheduled and point-of-need instruction in critical thinking using research tools and identifying, locating, and evaluating information. This instruction occurs as a result of course-integrated instruction on which librarians collaborate with faculty and as a result of assignments without such collaboration. Information Literacy Librarians help faculty match course objectives to library resources and collaboratively plan information literacy experiences that lead to the achievement of the faculty member’s course goals.
E. Study Skills and Time Management/Support for Learning Differences – The Office of Academic Support and Learning Disability Services provides individual counseling and accommodations assessment for students with learning disabilities. More than 100 of the 1800-person student body registered with the Dean of Students Office as having a type of learning difference, and there may be additional students who have chosen not to disclose diagnosed learning disabilities or who have undiagnosed learning disabilities. The office assists these students with acquiring testing to determine their levels and types of learning difference. Once learning challenges have been identified, the office supplies or assists students with procuring technology and other materials that will help them meet the demands of college life. Faculty with questions regarding accommodations should contact Nance Longworth In addition, assistance with note-taking and distraction-free testing and study spaces are provided. The office offers all interested students guidance in learning dynamics (time management skills, study skills, test-taking
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skills, note-taking skills, organizational skills, reading enhancement, and guidance on talking to professors and advisors.
F. Network and IT support – Students trained by ITS are available to assist fellow students with general technology questions. They serve as a first line of support and can refer students to the appropriate professional staff when needed.
Current Support for TeachingAs with the support for learning, the CTL enables the college to expand the opportunities available for faculty professional development. The combination of instructional technology, information literacy, and other teaching resources provides opportunity for exploring the latest classroom technologies, learning environments, and pedagogies.
A. Information Literacy –Information Literacy Librarians help faculty match course objectives to library resources and collaboratively plan information literacy experiences that lead to the achievement of the faculty member’s course goals.
B. Instructional Technology – Instructional technologists collaborate with faculty on the use, development, and evaluation of a wide range of teaching and learning technologies, including multimedia, web-based, and emerging technologies. Innovative applications of classroom technology presented periodically in open forums tie technologies to pedagogical goals. Information Technology Services staff will maintain and support the technologies identified by faculty and instructional technologists. ITS sponsors a faculty showcase for the classroom technology applications during poster sessions held approximately once every 18 months.
C. Oral Communication – The Director of Oral Communication assists faculty with the incorporation of oral communication in a variety of forms into their classrooms and provides feedback to faculty on their communication in the classroom.
D. Conversations About Teaching (CAT) – For the past several years, Davidson’s Teaching Discussion Group sponsored a series of teaching discussions highlighting excellent teaching by Davidson faculty and featuring leading pedagogical innovators from other campuses. With the opening of the CTL, the teaching discussions will be coordinated by the CTL faculty liaison, Kristi Multhaup, and Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning, and Research, Verna Case.