The Faculty Credentials and Responsibilities Committee is one of seven committees that will assist NKU in conducting the self-studies necessary to prepare its Compliance Certification as part of the SACS reaffirmation process. Each of these committees has been assigned a different set of Core Requirements, Comprehensive Standards, and Federal Requirements on which to focus its attention.

 
The seven committees will do most of their work during the 2007-08 academic year and have their analyses finished by the end of spring 2008. Final editing and polishing of the Compliance Certification will occur during summer 2008, and it will be submitted to SACS in early September.

Dr. Linda Marquis, professor of accounting, is chairing the Academic Programs & Support Committee. She can be contacted by phone at extension 6526 or by email at marquis@nku.edu.

Other committee members include:

Andrea Cornuelle (School of Nursing & Health Professions)
Dr. Perilou Goddard (Psychology Department)
Mary Lepper (Office of Curriulum, Accreditation & Assessment)
Dr. Penny Summers (Communication Department)
Dr. Jeffrey Williams (History & Geography Department)

 
Reviewing Faculty Rosters is this committee's most high-profile and most demanding task.

The Faculty Roster is a relatively simple but vitally important document that SACS now requires institutions to prepare every academic term they offer classes. It is a list, compiled on a program by program and department by department basis, of all faculty (part-time as well as full-time) and the specific courses they are teaching during the current academic term. Beyond the faculty members' names, course numbers, and course titles, the Faculty Roster requires a brief summary of each faculty member's qualifications for teaching each of their courses.

• For faculty members who only teach courses in a discipline in which they have earned a graduate degree, this simply requires listing the title and discipline of their graduate degree(s) and the institution which granted it. Roster information about these faculty members is quite simple and may even appear somewhat repetitious.
• Information about faculty members whose graduate degrees are from disciplines other than those in which they are currently teaching or those, such as part-time adjuncts, whose qualifications for teaching may be based on something other than graduate course work, can be a bit more complicated. It must include a narrative justification of why this person is qualified to teach each of the specific courses he/she is teaching.

This new focus on faculty members' qualifications to teach particular courses instead of their overall qualifications to hold a faculty position which had been the focus of earlier versions of the SACS requirements is a clear reflection of SACS's new emphasis on student learning outcomes all the way down to the individual course level. It also indicates SACS's commitment to ensuring that student learning remains a carefully attended to priority at all institutions.

SACS's directions for preparing a Faculty Roster (pdf)

SACS's guidelines for faculty credentials (pdf)

 
The percentage of courses taught by faculty with terminal degrees is another critical concern of this committee.

SACS Comprehensive Standard 3.5.4 requires:

"At least 25 percent of the discipline course hours in each major at the baccalaureate level are taught by faculty members holding the terminal degree—usually the earned doctorate— in the discipline, or the equivalent of the terminal degree."

Working with the department chairs and deans, the committee will determine whether this 25 percent requirement is being met in all NKU majors or if corrective actions such as revised teaching assignments or more stringent credentials for part-time faculty are needed.

 
The following is a complete list of SACS requirements and standards this committee will address:

SACS Core Requirements

2.8	The number of full-time faculty members is adequate to support the mission of the institution. The institution has adequate faculty resources to ensure the quality and integrity of its academic programs.

SACS Comprehensive Standards

3.2.9	The institution defines and publishes policies regarding appointment and employment of faculty and staff.
3.2.14	The institution’s policies are clear concerning ownership of materials, compensation, copyright issues, and the use of revenue derived from the creation and production of all intellectual property. This applies to students, faculty, and staff.
3.5.4	At least 25 percent of the discipline course hours in each major at the baccalaureate level are taught by faculty members holding the terminal degree — usually the earned doctorate — in the discipline, or the equivalent of the terminal degree. (2007 revision)
3.7.1	The institution employs competent faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission and goals of the institution. When determining acceptable qualifications of its faculty, an institution gives primary consideration to the highest earned degree in the discipline. The institution also considers competence, effectiveness, and capacity, including, as appropriate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications, honors and awards, continuous documented excellence in teaching, or other demonstrated competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching and student learning outcomes. For all cases, the institution is responsible for justifying and documenting the qualifications of its faculty.
3.7.2	The institution regularly evaluates the effectiveness of each faculty member in accord with published criteria, regardless of contractual or tenured status.
3.7.3	The institution provides evidence of ongoing professional development of faculty as teachers, scholars, and practitioners.
3.7.4	The institution ensures adequate procedures for the safeguard and protection of academic freedom.
3.7.5	The institution publishes policies on the responsibility and authority of faculty in academic and governance matters.