Section 1 - The Faculty Manual

I. Purpose and Distribution

The Faculty Manual sets forth the rights of faculty members, and various obligations of faculty members to the College, and of the College to faculty members, through policies adopted by the Board of Regents pursuant to its responsibility under Section 3.02 of the College Bylaws. Consistent with the College's commitment to shared governance, these policies generally reflect substantial faculty input, and the implementation of most of the policies contained herein depends upon faculty participation. The Dean of the College shall distribute the Faculty Manual in print or electronic form to the faculty.

The Faculty Manual is recognized as a contract between each faculty member and the College. The terms of the contract are as set forth herein, and can be changed as provided in Sections 1.II and 1.III of the Faculty Manual.

The Faculty Manual is a “unilateral contract.” A unilateral contract is one that is not negotiated between two parties, but instead is offered by one party without receiving in return any promise of performance from the other. With a unilateral contract, the offering party must perform according to the offer for as long as the offer remains standing.

The policies and procedures in this Faculty Manual are designed to provide for respectful treatment of faculty, protection of academic freedom and the effective and efficient operation of the College as an institution.  Dates and other time frames provided in this Faculty Manual are intended to be followed; however, they should not be considered firm deadlines.  Deviation from them may be necessitated from time to time, and the College's failure to act prior to a stated deadline shall not bind the College in any way. Additionally, throughout this Manual there are various responsibilities and deadlines imposed upon faculty.  The failure by any faculty member or faculty committee to act in accordance with the Manual 's policies and procedures, or to act within a stated deadline, shall not bind the College in any way.

Should institutional sanction or dismissal proceedings be initiated against a faculty member, either for failing to comply with one or more provisions of the Faculty Manual , or for any other reason, the procedures identified in Sections 4.XVIII - 4.XXIII of the Faculty Manual shall be followed.

The Board of Regents, as the highest governing body of the College, may change the Faculty Manual by following the procedures contained herein.

Modifications to the Faculty Manual may be initiated during the academic year only. The following procedures will be used.