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8/17/2019 Adjunct Faculty Handbook 2015-2016

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Adjunct Faculty HandbookOdessa College

Diane Acosta, Ph.D.

Blair RobertsInstructional Division

2015 - 2016


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Purpose ................................................................................................................................................... 4 President’s Welcome ............................................................................................................................. 5 Welcome to Odessa College .................................................................................................................. 7

College Mission .................................................................................................................................. 7 Odessa College Purpose & Role ......................................................................................................... 7 EEOC .................................................................................................................................................. 7

Campus Initiatives ............................................................................................................................... 8 Drop Rate Improvement Program (DRIP) ...................................................................................... 8 ‘Design For Completion’ (D4C) ..................................................................................................... 8 MetaMajors ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) ..................................................................... 9 Achieving The Dream (ATD) Leader College ............................................................................ .... 9 Aspen Committee .......................................................................................................................... 10

The Community College Philosophy ................................................................................................... 11 Organization of the College ................................................................................................................. 12 Instructional Policies ............................................................................................................................ 13

Responsibilities of Adjunct Faculty .................................................................................................. 13

Course Syllabus ................................................................................................................................. 13 Textbooks .......................................................................................................................................... 16 Materials and Supplies ........................ .............................................................................................. 16 Faculty Attendance............................................................................................................................ 16 Student Attendance ........................................................................................................................... 16 Class Enrollment .............................................................................................................................. 17 Final Exam ........................................................................................................................................ 17 Grades ............................................................................................................................................... 17

First Week Attendance Grade ....................................................................................................... 17 Grade and Grade Point Averages .................................................................................................. 17 ‘Incomplete’ Grade Policy ............................................................................................................ 18

Withdrawing from a Class ............................................................................................................. 18 Grade Changes .............................................................................................................................. 19 End of Semester Procedures ........................................................................................................ .. 19

FERPA .............................................................................................................................................. 20 Religious Observance........................................................................................................................ 20 Academic Honesty ........................................................................................................................... 20 Student Discipline & Disruptive Behavior ..................................................................................... 21 Copyright and Fair Use ....................... .............................................................................................. 21 Academic Responsibility .................................................................................................................. 22

Quality Instruction ............................................................................................................................... 23 The Four Commitments .................................................................................................................... 23

Connecting with Students ................................................................................................................. 23 First Class/Week Meeting ................................................................................................................. 23 Class management ............................................................................................................................. 24 AVID Strategies ................................................................................................................................ 24 Feedback to Students......................................................................................................................... 24 Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI) ........................................................................................... 25 Student Support Services .................................................................................................................. 25

Student Success Center (SSC) ....................................................................................................... 25 Smartthinking ......................... ....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. D4C/MetaMajor ............................................................................................................................ 26 Special Needs Services ......................... ......................................................................................... 26


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Wrangler Express Center .............................................................................................................. 27 Technology, Resources, & Professional Development ........................................................................ 28

OC Portal ........................................................................................................................................... 28 Announcements ............................................................................................................................. 28 Email ............................................................................................................................................. 28 WebAdvisor .................................................................................................................................. 28

OC Global & Blackboard ......................... ......................................................................................... 28 TechSmith Relay ........................................................................................................................... 28

Blackboard Collaborate ................................................................................................................. 29 Blackboard Grade Center ....................................................................................................... ....... 29 Blackboard Retention Center ........................................................................................................ 29

Professional Development Trainings ................................................................................................ 29 Blackboard 101 ............................................................................................................................. 29 Quality Course Components (QC2) .............................................................................................. 29 AVID Training .............................................................................................................................. 30

Classroom Equipment ........................ .............................................................................................. 30 Learning Resources Center .............................................................................................................. 30

Personnel Information .......................................................................................................................... 31 Required Personnel Paperwork ....................................................................................................... 31

Salary and Pay ................................................................................................................................... 31 Faculty Evaluations .......................................................................................................................... 31 Campus Mail ................................................................................................................................... .. 32 Office Space ...................................................................................................................................... 32 Parking .............................................................................................................................................. 32 College Keys ..................................................................................................................................... 32 Standard of Conduct .......................... .............................................................................................. 32 Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco Use .................................................................................................. 33 Smoking Policy ................................................................................................................................ 33 Violations .......................................................................................................................................... 33

Emergency Procedures ......................................................................................................................... 35

Phone Numbers ................................................................................................................................ 35 Personnel Injuries .............................................................................................................................. 36 Injury or Illness in a Classroom or Laboratory: ......................................................................... ....... 36 Assault - Physical ....................... ....................................................................................................... 36 Chemical Spills ................................................................................................................................. 36 Fire .................................................................................................................................................... 37 Tornado/Natural Disaster ................................................................................................................. 37 Medical Emergencies, First Aid and Medical Treatment ............................................................. 38

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 39 Appendix A .......................................................................................................................................... 40 Appendix B .......................................................................................................................................... 41

Appendix C .......................................................................................................................................... 43


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Last Revised 8/5/2015

Purpose

The purpose of this handbook is to help adjunct faculty get acquainted with the administrative procedures at Odessa College. It is important to provide adjunct faculty the appropriateresources through this handbook since they normally are on campus only during their classroom

periods and for a relatively brief time before and after class. Also, adjunct faculty may not cometo campus. Moreover, adjunct faculty may not be present at meetings to receive the briefingsavailable to full-time instructors concerning changing guidelines or college regulations.

This handbook may not contain explanations of all the administrative forms and procedures.Also, instructional problems may arise in your class that this booklet does not cover. If you haveany questions regarding anything that is not covered in this handbook, please do not hesitate tocontact your department chair. Our goal is that you are successful in the classroom and have anenjoyable experience as an adjunct faculty at Odessa College.

This handbook is subject to change as the academic year progresses. Check with yourdepartment chair for any updates to this document.


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P resident’s Welcome

Odessa and Odessa College are both riding a wave that is carrying us to new heights. OC is both benefitted and challenged by our burgeoning economy. On the one hand, resources are easier tocome by. On the other, students are heading to the oil fields for jobs. But this is where OdessaCollege has worked to change its fate and the fate of those who follow the call of the oilfields.

Even with a good job now, there will come a day when a college degree is what puts food on thetable and helps raise a family. We want that dream for every resident of our community, so werevel in these boom times ... but we are working continuously to make OC the kind of collegethat doesn’t make our community choose between life and education. OC is committed to beinga college that allows people to start a job AND come to college; attend high school AND begincollege classes; work at a long-term job AND train for a new one. We want our community tohave solutions, not just options.

But it’s more than that. We want the best for each and every resident of our service area. Thatmeans we need to deliver the best, and good is not good enough. We are challenging ourselves to

be great. Words? Not to us. We are setting the bar and striving to clear it. Let me offer a fewexamples.

Odessa College is leading our state in its course completion levels. In 2008, 82% of thestudents who started a course completed it. In Fall 2012 that number was 92%. For thatlevel of success, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board gave OC a“Recognition of Excellence Award.”

Student success is our core mission. In a little over one year of concerted effort, we havereduced drop out rates from 11% to 7%, while increasing GPA and the success rates(those who earn A’s, B’s or C’s) from 67% to 72%.

OC students are graduating in record numbers. This fall we had our largest graduatingclass ever, with 246 students taking home a tassel and a degree.

These are a few of the signs of our commitment to our students and to you. And thanks to thiscommunity, this year OC has new buildings, new programs and new equipment, enhancing whatwe can offer you and the manner in which it is offered. We are blessed to be in this community.Odessa has always looked to the future and we are thankful for your vote on the Bond measurethat has given us new resources for that future. More importantly, we are humbled by yourunstinting support and your faith in us.

Here are a few of the initiatives we are currently implementing. The college is currently looking at digital textbooks as a way to lower costs and improve

accessibility. OC faculty are challenging themselves to find new ways to reach students and continue to

improve the rates of student success. Instructors are leveraging technology to flip the classroom model on its head, allowing

students to learn content directly, and come to class, not to be lectured to, but to bechallenged and encouraged.

We are creating enhanced programs such as Culinary Arts that offer state-of-the-arttraining to students in the classroom, and a gourmet experience to our communitythrough a college-operated restaurant.

And through it all is a focus on institutional effectiveness. We are not “hoping” we are


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improving, or “guessing at our progress”. We are measuring and responding to reality. Odessahas always embraced big goals because it wants the best for its children and its future. That’swhat we want too. Together, we’ll get there.

Our commitment to you is to become the best community college in the nation.

— Dr. Greg Williams, President of Odessa College


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Welcome to Odessa College

College Mission Odessa College will lead the way in preparing its students and community for the future. TheCollege offers exemplary courses, programs, and services to assist students in achieving theireducational goals and becoming lifelong learners, community builders, and global citizens.Odessa College empowers its employees to model excellence in their service to students,

colleagues, and community.

Odessa College Purpose & RoleOdessa College is an open door, two-year institution offering quality career, technical, andacademic courses for certification or associate degrees. Additionally, the College offerscontinuing education, remedial and compensatory education, and provides guidance andcounseling programs. Odessa College primarily serves individuals located in our service area andinsists on excellence in teaching, research, and public service.

The purpose of Odessa College, as prescribed by the Texas Higher Education CoordinatingBoard, is to provide:

1. Technical programs up to two years in length leading to associate degrees orcertificates.2. Career and technical programs leading directly to employment in semi-skilled and

skilled occupations.3. Freshman and sophomore courses in arts and sciences.4. Continuing adult education programs for occupational or cultural upgrading.5. Compensatory education programs designed to fulfill the commitment of an

admissions policy allowing the enrollment of disadvantaged students.6. A continuing program of counseling and guidance designed to assist students in

achieving their7. Individual educational goals.

8. Workforce development programs designed to meet local and statewide needs.9. Adult literacy and other basic skills programs for adults.

EEOCEqual Educational and Employment Opportunity Policy (EEOC)The college is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunity regardlessof race, color, age, national origin, religion, sex, disability or sexual orientation. The college

provides equal opportunity in accordance with federal and state laws. Equal educationalopportunity includes admission recruitment, extra- curricular programs and activities, access tocourse offerings, counseling and testing, financial aid, employment, health and insurance

services and athletics. Existing administrative procedures of the college are used to handlefaculty and student grievances.


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Campus InitiativesOdessa College faculty and staff are committed to excellence to provide students with the bestlearning experience. Such commitment is supported through various campus initiatives that are

based on improving student success and retention. The following section provides an overviewof the campus initiatives that are at the heart of the institution.

Dr op Rate I mprovement Program (DRI P) The Drop Rate Improvement Program (DRIP) is an original Odessa College program launchedin fall 2011 that has elevated student retention and success to historic levels. The program wasdeveloped from a retrospective study, which analyzed student drop-out patterns from on-lineand face-to-face classes over a three-year period. We found a statistically significant pattern tostudent withdrawals from classes in all departments that tracked to individual instructors anddid not correlate with the class standing, age, gender, ethnicity or other demographic profile ofstudents. In a follow-up study, possible practices of instruction and/or qualities of student-instructor interactions that might account for an individual instructor’s drop rate pattern wer eanalyzed. From that analysis, data-driven suggestions for instructors were established to helpthem reduce student drop outs from their classes and the “Drop Rate Improvement Program”was developed. The Drop Rate Improvement Program was initiated in the Arts and Sciencesdivision in fall, 2011 and in the Career, Technical, Workforce Education division in spring,2012. Since then, class drop-outs in both divisions have fallen to historic lows and the coursecompletion rate throughout the college is now over 90%.

Know your student and let your student know you care about their education is the essentialhardcore of the Drop Rate Improvement Program. What the three-year results from DRIPemphasize is that dramatic, immediate change in student persistence and faculty effectivenesscan be achieved at virtually no cost through implementation of data-driven programs.

The Four Commitments of the Drop Rate Improvement Program1. Interacting with student by name by first class/end of first week2. Close monitoring of student behavior and progress with immediate intervention3. One-on-one meetings/frequent communications with students early in semester4. ‘Masters of Paradox’: highly structured courses w/ penalties for missed

exams/assignments, etc, but flexible when appropriate.

— Dr. Don Wood and Dr. Greg Williams

‘ Design F or Completion ’ (D4C)‘Design For Completion ’ is a program that involves placing students on teams with a StudentSuccess Coach, Faculty Mentor, and Program Advisor. A Student Success Coach is an advisorthat helps students with their schedule, career exploration, and any concerns students may haveduring their time at OC. A Faculty Mentor is a full-time faculty member that mentors studentsthroughout their time at OC, whether it is through a quick text, email, or office visit. AProgram Advisor is a faculty member that is an expert in the student’s chosen fie ld. They

provide guidance regarding their degree plan, career options, etc. throughout the student’s timeat OC. The idea behind D4C is to provide a wrap-around support system for each student toensure they stay in school and complete their educational goals. Faculty communicate withStudent Success Coaches regarding struggling students, as well as students who have stoppedattending class.


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MetaMajors Since the D4C program involves creating teams of students, success coaches, facultymentors, and program advisors, there was a need to develop an appropriate system for

placing students on teams. That is how the MetaMajors concept was created. Students are placed on a team based on their chosen degree. The importance of the MetaMajor conceptis to avoid automatically placing undecided students in a General Studies degree plan andnever revisiting the students’ interest after a semester. When a student visits with a Success Coach to begin their college education at OC, theychoose a MetaMajor from the following list:

Business & Industry Health Sciences Arts & Humanities Public & Consumer Services Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)

Check with your department chair for a detailed list of where the different disciplines fallwithin the categories in this list. You will want this information in order to submit namesof struggling students and students who may have stopped attending class.

Advancement Via I ndividual Determination (AVI D)AVID is a college readiness program that was first established in the K-12 system. Recently,however, AVID has created a higher education strand called AVID for Higher Education(AHE). AVID for Higher Education “is designed specifically to meet the needs of studentsattending a college or university. AHE resources systemically address the goals of increasedlearning, persistence, completion and success in and beyond college. AVID assists highereducation professionals in analyzing existing student support initiatives and data, identifying

barriers and needs, and establishing and assessing student learning outcomes ”(http://www.avid.org/what-is-avid-for-higher-ed.ashx ).

All new full-time faculty members receive training in AVID strategies, which are highengagement strategies that aid in student success and retention. Each semester, AVID trainersvisit the campus to provide workshops for faculty members. In addition to training facultymembers, tutors in the Student Success Center are trained in AVID strategies, which meansthat students are not only exposed to these high engagement strategies in the classroom, theyalso revisit them in their tutoring sessions.

Odessa College was recently named an AVID Certified Campus, which means that the Collegemet and exceeded the specific elements of the program. With this recognition, the next step isfor OC to work on becoming the first AVID for Higher Education national demonstration site.

There are Professional Development Training sessions on AVID that are available to all facultymembers, including adjunct faculty members. See your department chair for on-campustraining opportunities. You can also view AVID trainings online in the Adjunct CornerBlackboard shell. See Appendix C for instructions on logging into the Adjunct CornerBlackboard course .

Achi eving The Dream (ATD) Leader CollegeATD is a network of colleges and states that make up a comprehensive national reformnetwork for student success in higher education. “ Achieving the Dream is based on the

http://www.avid.org/what-is-avid-for-higher-ed.ashxhttp://www.avid.org/what-is-avid-for-higher-ed.ashxhttp://www.avid.org/what-is-avid-for-higher-ed.ashxhttp://www.avid.org/what-is-avid-for-higher-ed.ashx


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premise that to improve student success on a substantial scale, colleges must fundamentallychange the way they operate. Using a Student-Centered Model of Institutional Improvement,Achieving the Dream helps colleges create a culture of evidence in which data and inquiryinform broad-based institutional efforts to close achievement gaps and improve studentoutcomes ” (http://achievingthedream.org/about-us ). Community colleges across the nationhave joined the movement of becoming an ATD college, and each year ATD data coaches visitcampuses to check on their progress in their efforts as an ATD college. Each year, ATD namesLeader Colleges based on their efforts on closing the achievement gap for students.

Dr. Williams created an ATD Committee in 2010 to begin working towards becoming an ATDLeader College. Led by full-time faculty member, Dr. Daniel Regalado, the ATD committee iscomprised of faculty, staff, and administrators. Committee members worked together to createa data-driven campus culture that engages all stakeholders in the commitment to improvingstudent success.

Odessa College was named an ATD Leader College in 2013 after three years of workingtowards becoming an ATD Leader College.

Aspen Committee“The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington,DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisanvenue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and onthe Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also maintains offices in New York City andhas an international network of partners” (The Aspen Institu te, 2013). The Aspen Instituterecognizes outstanding community colleges who continually strive for excellence in the realmsof student completion, labor market outcomes, learning outcomes, and equitable outcomes forstudents. Community colleges across the nation are invited to apply for the Aspen Prize basedon their efforts to address these essential elements. Aspen Prize winners are recognized as thenumber one community college in the nation and are awarded a $1 million dollar prize (TheAspen Institute, 2014).

Dr. Williams established the Aspen Committee at Odessa College in August, 2013 because theCollege has committed to becoming the number one community college in the nation. Led byDepartment Chair of Criminal Justice, Jennifer S. Myers, the committee is comprised offaculty and staff members from various departments on campus, and they are working togetherto address the five areas of the Aspen Institute.

http://achievingthedream.org/about-ushttp://achievingthedream.org/about-ushttp://achievingthedream.org/about-ushttp://achievingthedream.org/about-us


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The Community College Philosophy

Those who are associated with the two-year college often hear about the "community college philosophy." Unless you engage in formal educational courses that focus on the communitycollege, discovering the implications of this philosophy may take years. It is critical that you, asan integral part of Odessa College, understand the unique mission of the community college sothat you will appreciate why effective teaching and student success is a priority.

The community college has been described as an institution whose heart is in the right place butwhose head is in the stars – a Don Quixote marching out to tilt at every societal problem. Inreality, the community college is a unique American institution. It ought to be called"Democracy's College." Odessa College was established in 1946 because of the need for moreeducational opportunities for veterans and others who had given up formal education because ofWorld War II. Also, many Americans returning to colleges and universities were finding thattheir academic success was suffering because of the years they had been away from theclassroom. Odessa College served as a bridge back to improved academic success and animproved life for many Permian Basin residents.

Odessa College was started because of the need for more educational opportunities for veteransand has continued because of the word "more" – more people, more college-age people, more

jobs requiring post-high-school training, more older people returning to work, more housewivesseeking to supplement income for a family living through more inflation, more technology andworkplace changes that resulted in more obsolete jobs, more unemployment, and more underemployment. This has resulted in a world that now requires more re-training, more specialized

business training, and a necessity for more education in general in order to exist in this complexsociety. In response to these demands, the community college responded by "opening the doors"of opportunity. Odessa College continually fulfills the workforce demands of our community

by offering more than thirty occupational/vocational programs, with additional programs plannedto meet the needs of citizens who want to learn new or improve existing skills.

Because of these responsibilities, community colleges like Odessa College have been leadingAmerican higher education for the last fifty years. Odessa College has led, not only in openingthe door through equal access to all populations, but in working to provide teaching excellenceand learning experiences that provide students with the opportunity to reach their educationalgoals. Today, Odessa College continues to lead by experimenting with new educationalconcepts and applications of technology and in developing the potential of all communitymembers who wish to take advantage of this unique American opportunity.

Odessa College has an "open door" admissions policy, welcoming all adults who have the abilityto benefit from and fulfill collegiate level expectations. Any adult, whether a high schoolgraduate or not, who is interested in learning can be admitted to college. Specific criteriaregarding categories of admissions are printed in the Odessa College catalog(http://www.odessa.edu/catalog/current_catalog/ ).

http://www.odessa.edu/catalog/current_catalog/http://www.odessa.edu/catalog/current_catalog/http://www.odessa.edu/catalog/current_catalog/http://www.odessa.edu/catalog/current_catalog/


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Organization of the College

Odessa College has an elected Board of Trustees that operates through the College President.Under the President is a Vice President for Instruction, who supervises several directors anddivision deans. Each division dean supervises several department chairs who, in turn, supervisethe full-time and adjunct faculty in the department. The Odessa College Human Resourcesdepartment has an outline of these vice presidents, deans, and department chairs:https://portal.odessa.edu/employees/hr/Pages/default.aspx

In addition to the Vice President for Instruction, Odessa College has a Vice President for StudentServices and Enrollment Management, a Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, a VicePresident for Advancement, a Vice President for Information Technology, and a Vice Presidentfor Business Affairs. Each of these Vice Presidents has directors that report to their office. TheOdessa College Human Resources department has an outline of these vice presidents:https://portal.odessa.edu/employees/hr/Pages/default.aspx

https://portal.odessa.edu/employees/hr/Pages/default.aspxhttps://portal.odessa.edu/employees/hr/Pages/default.aspxhttps://portal.odessa.edu/employees/hr/Pages/default.aspxhttps://portal.odessa.edu/employees/hr/Pages/default.aspxhttps://portal.odessa.edu/employees/hr/Pages/default.aspxhttps://portal.odessa.edu/employees/hr/Pages/default.aspx


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Instructional Policies

Responsibilities of Adjunct Faculty The general responsibilities of adjunct instructors are defined by the Odessa College Board ofTrustees. A part-time instructional employee is expected:

To meet all classes at the place and time specified, or, when unable to do so, to notify

your supervisor. To be well prepared for each class session. To develop a college syllabus for each course to be taught and post on Blackboard for

student access. Each syllabus should contain at least the information listed in the nextsection.

To certify class attendance on the designated certification date. To certify and submit final grades in accordance with the deadlines and guidelines

established by the Registrar. To maintain accurate grade information (using Blackboard in accordance with the

guidelines established by the Vice President for Instruction). To be familiar with the contents of handbooks, instructional resources guides, and other

items of information which are distributed for faculty use. To enforce district and college policies and procedures. To participate in staff development activities that are agreed upon by you and your

supervisor. If unable to attend class, the faculty member will be required to arrange for class

assignments/instruction in consultation with the appropriate supervisor.

Course SyllabusSyllabi must be turned into your department chair at the beginning of the semester. See yourdepartment chair for a standard syllabus template that must be used for all courses . Thesyllabus should also be included in your Blackboard course shell, as it is a template inBlackboard. A Blackboard 101 training course has been developed for faculty to learn how toadd their syllabus information to the template. Please see Appendix C to enroll in theBlackboard 101 course .

An exemplary syllabus has been defined by Odessa College as one that contains certain criticalelements:

Faculty Informationo Faculty Nameo Contact Information (e-mail address, phone number, office number)o Preferred method(s) of communicationo Times of face-to-face office hours and of online office hourso Some information about the instructor – education, credentials, some

casual information that will help to personalize the experience for thestudent

o Photo of the instructoro What the student can expect from the online instructor

Required Materialso Textbooko Hardware/Software


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o Specialized Materialso Websites that the student will need throughout the courseo Other materials, not required but optional, that may improve student

success rates Information About the Course

o Course Description from the Catalogo Optional: add information detailing how the course fits into

program/department, and the fieldo Pre-requisiteso Course Topics

Grading o List assignments/assessments, value of each toward overall grade, and

learning outcome to which each assignment/assessment is alignedo Grading Scaleo Grading Policy for course/program

Expectations of the Studento This section is filled in with standard information provided by Odessa

College Course Policies

o Much of this section is fi lled in with standard information provided byOdessa College; however areas need customization to meet your courserequirements/standards

Course Schedule/Calendaro This must be updated for every course term -- unlike much of the rest of the

syllabus. This will allow your students to know what to expect. Within the syllabus, this can be set up by periods of time (not necessaril y specificdates). For example:

Date Instructional Approach

(* denotes a strategyadopted by AVID)

Topic Assignment Assignment

Submission

Week 1 Lecture /Discussion

Course overview,review ofsyllabus

CourseScavengerHuntAssignment.Discussion 1

AssignmentandDiscussion

posts due bySunday,11:30 PM

Week 2 Lecture(Collaborate) /Discussion /

Research

Module 1:Lecture usingBlackboard

Collaborate. Twosessions will beavailable -- besure to participatein at least one.These are livesessions, withopportunity forsynchronous,

Submit proposedresearch

topic forapprovalDiscussion 2(original

post must beat least 750words;respond withmeaningful,

CollaborateSession:Monday,

8:00 PM -9:30 PM-- OR –

Saturday10:00 AM -11:30 AM

Researchtopic


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real-timeinteraction withyour instructorand classmates.

constructivecomments toat least twoclassmates'

posts, with aminimum of250 wordsfor eachresponse

post)

proposal due by Sunday,11:30 PM

Discussion postsOriginal postdue byThursday,11:30 PM;Responses toclassmates'

posts due bySunday,11:30 PM

Using week numbers instead of actual dates allows for fewer updates within the syllabus... justremember that a schedule/calendar outlining actual dates should be provided in conjunction withthe syllabus.

General Education – Core Objectiveso Descriptiono Odessa College's Core Objectives

Discipline Core Statemento Discuss this with your Department Chair if you are not sure how to address

this section Student Learning Outcomes

o Listed in the table provided, and aligned with Odessa College’s CoreObjectives

Program-Level Student Learning Outcomeso These should be linked to course outcomes, and linked to individual

assignment/assessment Odessa College Policies

o The verbiage for this section is provided by Odessa College and should notbe altered

Student Support Services and Technical Supporto The verbiage for this section is provided by Odessa College and should not

be altered

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TextbooksBasic text adoptions are made collectively by the department for the purpose of providing the

best possible instruction to students. Because of many changes and new methods beingdeveloped constantly, textbook changes are not only inevitable, but are also desirable whenthoughtfully considered. Textbook changes are made by recommendation of the departmentthrough the department chair, who forwards the information to the bookstore manager .

Adjunct faculty can request a copy of the course textbook from the Department Chair. If youwant to use copies of articles and other materials in your classroom, contact the library to see ifthey are available in the online databases and journals.

Adjunct faculty should check with their department chair for information about the textbook(s)currently being used for a particular course. Instructors are expected to use all textbooks selectedfor the course. Any exceptions to this policy must be cleared through the department chair. Thefollowing is the address and phone number for the campus bookstore:

Odessa College Bookstore201 West UniversityOdessa, TX 79764

432-335-6655

Materials and SuppliesFunds have been budgeted for most teaching materials, office supplies, and classroom supplies;such supplies are purchased and distributed at the discretion of the department chair.

Faculty AttendanceAlways arrive on campus at least fifteen minutes before your class starts (or earlier if you decideto come in to help students with coursework). Instructors are expected to hold classes for the fullscheduled period. In the event it becomes necessary for you to miss class, immediately contact

your department chair so he/she can arrange for a substitute. Substitutes are assigned by thedepartment chair. DO NOT ARRANGE FOR YOUR OWN SUBSTITUTE . No class shall beleft without an instructor or be dismissed without permission of the department chair and thedivision dean. In the absence of the department chair, the division dean should be notified.

Online adjunct faculty members are expected to stay connected with students throughouteach week of the semester . It is expected that faculty will respond to student email within 48hours of the message sent from the student.

Student Attendance Studies have shown that students benefit from attending classes by getting better grades.

Accordingly, student attendance at every class is strongly encouraged and when an absence isunavoidable a student should consult with his or her instructor. Each instructor will providespecific details of their course policy regarding student attendance and absences in their syllabus.

Studies have also shown that, with rare exceptions, when a student misses 20% or more ofscheduled class time, their grades will decline significantly. Accordingly, a student whoseabsences approach or exceed 20% of scheduled class time should immediately review his or herstanding in the class with the instructor and determine whether to continue in the class orwithdraw. If a student decides to withdraw from a class, he or she must comply with the


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dead lines published in the college’s calendar. You are enc ouraged to work closely with yourstudents whose grades are suffering because of excessive absences.

Students enrolled in developmental courses in English, mathematics and reading because ofscores on the TSIA should understand that attendance in those classes is mandatory under statelaw. Developmental instructors should see the department chair for the attendance policy.

Online course student attendance is defined as active participation in all online instructionalactivities as described in the course syllabus or course information. Thus, online adjunct facultymembers are encouraged to implement some kind of attendance policy in their online classes.Online courses at Odessa College will, at a minimum, have weekly activities that will requirestudent participation, which will include any or all of the following: Asynchronous and/orsynchronous communication activities, Submission/completion of assignments, orCommunication with the instructor.

Class EnrollmentACCURACY IN RECORD-KEEPING is of the utmost importance. It is the duty of everyinstructor, full-time or part-time, to ensure that enrollment records are correct.

The class roster is available on the Portal prior to your first class meeting. You should log intothe OC Portal, print the roster, and have it with you when you meet your first class. Any studentnot on the roster should have some type of official form to show that he or she is enrolled in yourclass. See Appendix C for instructions on checking class rosters in WebAdvisor on the OCPortal .

DO NOT assume that students belong in your class merely because they happen to be sitting inthe room. The time to correct errors is the first time the class meets, so that the students in errormay be guided to the right class. Students who do not belong in your class should be directed toWrangler Express on the first floor of the Saulsbury Campus Center. Faculty must check theirclass roster via the OC Portal every day until the last day of registration.

Final ExamOdessa College policy calls for the use of comprehensive final examinations in all courses. Thefinal exam should be given in accordance with the Final Exam Schedule. You will need to checkwith your department chair regarding the content of the final exam. If you create a paper exam,check with your department chair regarding printing policies and use of the Print Shop.

GradesF ir st Week Attendance GradeTo ensure students are set up for success, it is important to verify they are attending class.Therefore, OC has instituted the 1st Week Attendance grade. All faculty members mustsubmit the 1st Week Attendance grade. See Appendix A for instructions on submitting the1st Week Attendance grade .

Grade and Gr ade Poin t AveragesUnless a department-wide grading policy applies to a class, the instructor determines coursegrades. See your department chair with regards to the grading system that applies to the courseyou are assigned to teach. Instructors often weigh course requirements (for example: counting


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the daily grades 30%, tests 50%, and the final examination 20%). The letter grades and grade points used by Odessa College are as follows:

GRADE INTERPRETATION Grade PointValue

A Excellent 4 pointsB Good 3 points

C Average 2 pointsD Poor 1 pointsF Failing 0 pointsI Incomplete 0 points

W Withdrawn 0 points

Students are obligated to know their standing and rating in college classes during the semesterand to secure these ratings before registering for the next semester.

‘Incomplete’ Grade Policy

The conditional grade of “I” indicates that a student has not completed the required work for acourse. This grade may be given only if (1) the student has passed all work completed, and (2)he/she has completed a minimum of 75% of the required coursework. This grade is given whencircumstances beyond a student’s control prevent him/her from completing the w ork for acourse by the end of the scheduled semester.

A grade of “I” will only be assigned when the conditions for completions have been discussedand agreed upon by the instructor and the student. This agreement is to be documented by theinstructor, w ho will provide a copy to the student. The final decision as to the student’seligibility for a grade of “I” rests with the instructor. If a grade of “I” is given, the student does

NOT need to register for the course for the next semester. He/she must simply complete the

work and submit it to the instructor for grading no later than the week of final exams in thesubsequent long semester. A student may not withdraw from a course after being given agrade of “I.” If the work is not completed and submitted t o the instructor by the end of the longsemester following the semester/session in which the grade was given, the grade of “I” will bechanged to an “F.” This grade cannot be contested or changed. The instructor must submit tothe Records Office a Request for a Grade Change in order for the grade of “I” to be updated. See the End of Semester Procedures section below for instructions .

Withdrawing f rom a ClassIn order for all records to be left in proper order, students who leave OC before the end of asemester or before the end of a class for which they are registered must follow the official

withdrawal procedure. Students initiate this procedure themselves in the Wrangler Express.When an individual other than the student initiates a withdrawal, that individual must beidentified and verified for the student’s protection, and that individual must provide writtenauthorization from the student. Students who stop attending class without completing thewithdrawal process will receive an “F” in the class for the semester. The withdrawal process iscomplete only after the student has returned the signed withdrawal form to the WranglerExpress and received a receipt showing the courses dropped.


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Students who drop classes or completely withdraw prior to the official census day for thesemester will not be assigned a grade for the class or classes dropped. No record of the classwill appear on their permanent academic records. The date of the census day, for semesterlength courses, is listed on the Academic Calendar on the OC website each semester(http://www.odessa.edu/College-2014-2015_Academic_Calendar.pdf ).

Grades of “W” will be assigned to all students who withdraw during the official withdrawal period of any semester or session. The last day to drop or withdraw is posted on the AcademicCalendar on the OC website each semester (http://www.odessa.edu/College-2014-2015_Academic_Calendar.pdf ). Students who are part of Armed Forces Reserves maywithdraw with a full refund if the withdrawal is due to their being ordered into active duty. Acopy of the student’s orders must be presented to the Wrangler Express at the time of th ewithdrawal.

No longer attending class does not automatically constitute withdrawal from that class, nordoes a student’s notification to an instructor that the student wishes to be dropped. Failure of astudent to complete the drop/withdrawal process will result in a grade of “F.”

It is the policy of the Record's Office to send students to the instructor or the department chair

for a signature so that a last effort at counseling the student with regard to the withdrawal can be made. Many instructors believe that they can increase course completion rates if they have achance to visit with a student about their reasons for withdrawal and a chance to work withthem in solving the problems that are causing the withdrawal. This withdrawal period is,however, the period in which the student has the option to withdraw with a grade of "W." Seethe End of Semester Procedures section below for instructions .

Grade ChangesAll grade changes must be requested and made no later than the end of the long semesterfollowing the one in which the original grade was assigned. Students who wish to contest agrade from an instructor must address the issue with the instructor, department chair, dean,

then Vice President for Instruction, in that order no later than the end of the long semesterfollowing the one in which the contested grade was assigned. Any change of grade must bedocumented and submitted to the Records Office using the Grade Change Request formavailable on the OC Portal. See the End of Semester Procedures section below forinstructions and the form .

En d of Semester Procedur esThe end of the semester brings questions regarding grade submission, Incompletes, GradeChanges, etc. It is important that you follow policy and procedures provided by the RecordsOffice. The accuracy of grade submission is critical each semester, including abiding by thesubmission deadline for not only state reporting purposes, but also for your students.

All of the guidelines for grade submissions for the semester can be found in Appendix B in the End of Semester Procedures section .

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FERPAPrivacy Restrictions: Posting of Grades/Distribution of Papers (Family Educational Rightsand Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974

In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the college mayrelease information classified only as "directory information" to the general public without thewritten consent of the student. Directory information includes: (1) student name, (2) studentaddress, (3) telephone number, (4) date and place of birth, (5) weight and height of members ofathletic teams, (6) participation in officially recognized activities and sports (7) dates ofattendance, (8) educational institution most recently attended and (9) other similar information,including major field of study and degrees and awards received. Students may request that all orany part of the directory information be withheld from the public by giving written notice to theRegistrar's Office during the first 12 class days of a fall or spring semester or the first four classdays of a summer session. If no request is filed, directory information is released upon writteninquiry. No telephone inquiries are acknowledged; all requests must be made in person. Notranscript or academic record is released without written consent from the student, except asspecified by law.

Instructors should not: Disclose grades of students Disclose student identification of any student Post grades other than in summary form Disclose personal contact information for any student to another student

Religious ObservanceA student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious holy day shall be allowedto take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonabletime after the absence if, not later than the 15th day after the first day of the semester, the studentnotifies the instructor of each class scheduled on the date that the student would be absent for a

religious holy day. A "religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose placesof worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, ACAD Tax Code.

The notice shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally by the student to the instructor ofeach class, with receipt of the notice acknowledged and dated by the instructor, or by certifiedmail, return receipt requested, addressed to the instructor of each class.

A student who is excused under this section may not be penalized for the absence, but theinstructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to satisfactorily complete the assignmentor examination.

Academic Honesty Odessa College, as part of the academic community, expects students to recognize and upholdstandards of intellectual and academic integrity. A basic and minimum standard of conduct inacademic matters is required of students, which mandates that they be honest and submit forcredit only the products of their own efforts. Both the ideals of scholarship and the need for

practices that are fair require that all dishonest work be rejected as a basis for academic credit.They also require that students refrain from any and all forms of dishonorable conduct including

plagiarism, cheating, unauthorized collaboration, falsification, multiple submissions - in thecourse of their academic work.


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Student Discipline & Disruptive Behavior Adjunct faculty members are encouraged to discuss any disciplinary problems with thedepartment chair. If the disruptive behavior incident is not resolved between the student,instructor, and department chair, the department chair will meet with the divisional dean todetermine the next steps.

Disruptive behavior is defined as a student behavior in a classroom or learning environmentwhich interferes or interrupts the learning process for the faculty and the other students. Such

behaviors include but are not limited to verbal or physical threats, repeated obscenities, or otherobstruction of learning – verbal, physical, electronic or otherwise. Examples of such behaviormay include repeatedly and/or continuously dominating discussion, conducting personal cell

phone conversations, and leaving and entering class frequently during class.

Copyright and Fair UseWhat is Copyright Law?

In the United States, copyright law protects the authors of "original works of authorship,including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works." This

protection covers both published and unpublished works, regardless of the nationality ordomicile of the author. It is unlawful for anyone to violate any of the rights provided bycopyright law to the owner of a copyright.

Derived from specific language in the Constitution, U.S. copyright law exists to fostercreativity and spur the distribution of new and original works. The law grants copyrightholders, such as publishers, writers and other types of creators, the exclusive right toreproduce, perform, distribute, translate, and publicly display their original works. Simplystated, this means that unless your situation meets one of the exceptions outlined in theCopyright Act, you must get explicitly permission from the copyright holder before you canlawfully reuse, reproduce or redistribute a copyright-protected work.

What you need to know: If you reproduce, republish or redistribute something produced by someone else without

the copyright holder’s permission, there’s a good chance that you are violating copyrightlaw.

Copyright is granted automatically. Registration and notice are recommended but nolonger generally required by U.S. law.

Publicly available information such as material posted on the Internet is not necessarilyfree from copyright protection. Registration is required prior to filing suit forinfringement.

Copyright infringement can result in court-ordered damages ranging from $250 to$150,000, plus attorney’s fees, for each act of infringement. If the infringement isconsidered "criminal copyright infringement," it can result in fines and jail time.

The Copyright Act includes specific provisions for the use of copyright-protectedmaterials by academic institutions.

What is Fair Use?Fair use is a concept embedded in U.S. law that recognizes that certain uses of copyright-

protected works do not require permission from the copyright holder or its agent. These includeinstances of minimal use that do not interfere with the copyright holder's exclusive rights toreproduce and reuse the work.


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Fair use is not an exception to copyright compliance; it is more of a "legal defense." That is, ifyou copy and share a copyright-protected work and the copyright holder claims copyrightinfringement, you may be able to assert a defense of fair use which you would then have to

prove.

Fair use is primarily intended to allow the use of copyright-protected works for commentary, parody, news reporting, research and education. However, not all uses in an academic contextare automatically considered fair use.

The Copyright Act does not spell out the specific types of content reproduction that qualify asfair use. It offers an outline as to how to analyze whether fair use may apply in a particularsituation. As a result, the Copyright Act leaves it up to the individual to determine, based uponthe factors in Section 107 of the Act, whether fair use applies in each particular circumstance.To avoid a potential legal challenge from the copyright holder, many institutions follow a

policy of "when in doubt, obtain permission."

What you need to know: Fair use is a defense to a claim of copyright infringement, not an exception.

Not all educational uses of copyright-protected materials are considered fair use. Copyright law provides specific exceptions for reproductions made by libraries andarchives.

Copyright law provides specific exceptions for performance and display in the classroom.

Academic ResponsibilityThe academic freedom of faculty members is accompanied by equally compelling obligationsand responsibilities to their profession, their students, their college, and the community. Facultymembers must defend the rights of academic freedom while accepting willingly theresponsibilities enumerated below:

Faculty members will be judicious in the introduction of material in the classroomwithout forfeiting the instructional benefits of controversy.

No faculty member will attempt to force on students a personal viewpoint intolerant ofthe rights of others to hold or express diverse opinions.

Faculty members must recognize their responsibility to maintain competence and adapt tochange in their disciplines through continued professional development and todemonstrate their competence through consistently adequate preparation and

performance. Faculty members must recognize that the public will judge the District and their

profession by their public conduct. Therefore, faculty members will make clear that theviews they express are their own and should avoid creating the impression that they speak

in or act on behalf of the College, District or of the profession.

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Quality Instruction

The Four CommitmentsAs stated in the Campus Initiatives section of this handbook, the four commitments of theDrop Rate Improvement Program are among the foundations of student success at OdessaCollege. It is expected that all faculty adhere to the following four commitments:

1. Interacting with student by name by first class/end of first week

2. Close monitoring of student behavior and progress with immediate intervention3. One-on-one meetings/frequent communications with students early in semester4. ‘Masters of Paradox’: highly structured courses w / penalties for missed

exams/assignments, etc, but flexible when appropriate.

The remainder of this section provides essential information on how to address the fourcommitments of the Drop Rate Improvement Program.

Connecting with StudentsConnecting with students is the foundation of the Drop Rate Improvement Program (DRIP),which has received state and national attention. It is important that you recognize theimportance of connecting with your students from the beginning of the semester through theend. There are Professional Development Trainings available to help you in this area in theAdjunct Corner Blackboard shell. See Appendix C for instructions to log into the AdjunctCorner Blackboard course .

Adjunct faculty members are encouraged to be available to students on a regular basis to discusscourse content questions. Making yourself available at least 30 minutes before or after class willgive you the opportunity to connect with your students outside of class, which has been shown tohelp increase student success.

Online adjunct faculty members are encouraged to connect with students through BlackboardCollaborate, as it provides a space to connect in real-time. See the Technology and Resourcessection for a description of this tool .

If a student begins struggling with the coursework or has missed class, it is important for you toreach out to them to find out how you can help them get back on track. A quick personalizedemail, phone call, or text message can make a big difference in a student’s decision to drop orstay and complete the course successfully.

If you have reached out to the student and still believe they need extra help or they have notresponded to your messages, please email the Student Success Coach in your MetaMajor area.Check with your department chair regarding the contact information of the Student SuccessCoach.

First Class/Week MeetingThe first impression given by the instructor is extremely important. Students’ attitude toward theclass and the institution may well be affected by this first class/week. Here are some tips tofollow as you deliver the first class:


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Class should start on time If teaching online, you must log in on the first day of the semester The latest roster should be checked to make sure that everyone present belongs in the

class If there is a prerequisite for the course, make sure the students in the class have

completed the required prerequisite(s) If teaching online, you should post an announcement about the prerequisites for the

course, if any You should get acquainted with the class by introducing yourself and vice versa

Class management Instructors are expected to hold class for the full time each class session-including the first classand the last one. The college expects that you will prepare sufficient material to fill the entireallotted time for the class.

Evening classes operate under the same procedures as day classes, making allowance for theunique needs and requests of evening students who are mostly adults regularly employed duringthe day. Instructors should recognize and cope with the special circumstances, which confront

adult part-time students who are continuing their education. Academic standards set for daystudents should be maintained for evening students, but instructors should expend special effortto assist the latter to attain these standards. This effort frequently calls for patience, specializedinstructional techniques, individual assistance, and encouragement to develop confidence andmotivation.

Keeping students’ attention for long periods of time is difficult and can become a challenge forfaculty members. One good method of keeping their attention, however, is to create an activelearning environment in which students are part of the discussion. There are various activitiesthat can be implemented during a class period. See the section below on AVID strategies .

AVID StrategiesAs stated in the Campus Initiatives section of this handbook, AVID is a college-readiness program designed to accelerate student learning and provide faculty members with effectiveinstruction methods to increase engagement, thereby increasing student success and retention.There are over 900 AVID strategies designed to help with student engagement in the classroom,as well as organization outside of the classroom. You can find more information about AVID ontheir website: www.avid.org

All faculty members are encouraged to incorporate AVID strategies in their classroom. If youwould like to attend AVID workshops on campus, contact the Associate Dean for Teaching &Learning at 432-335-6342. You can also view workshops online in the Adjunct Corner

Blackboard shell. See Appendix C for instructions to log into the Adjunct CornerBlackboard course .

Feedback to Students Written tests and other graded assignments are an effective way to provide information tostudents on how they are doing in class. Give as many tests or other graded assignments as you

believe are needed to evaluate student progress. Be sure to follow any guidelines given to you by your department chair regarding assignments, tests, content to be covered, etc.

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You should grade tests and return them as quickly as possible. Try to review tests no later thanthe next class period after the students take them. Reviewing tests with students provides anotherlearning experience for them and also gives them the opportunity to ask questions pertaining tothe test.

In most cases, the department can duplicate tests for you. The college has a print shop located inthe post office. The print shop can reproduce work from almost any kind of original and can printon both sides of a page, collate, staple, fold, or meet other special printing requirements.Requests for print shop work should be given to your department chair. Allow at least threeworking days for completion of printing requests.

Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI) Student Evaluation of Instruction is a tool used to receive feedback from students regarding theirlearning experience in your course and all of their courses at Odessa College. It is a valuabletool that faculty can use to improve their courses the following semester.

Faculty and students will receive an email regarding the availability of the SEI on Blackboard.Because the SEI is completed on Blackboard, it is important for you to remind students to

log into the course to complete the evaluation .The SEI is conducted through the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. After the semester ends,the SEI results are analyzed and disseminated to the Vice President for Instruction, respectiveDeans and department chairs. Contact your department chair for the results of your SEI.

Student Support ServicesOdessa College administration, faculty and staff are committed to student success, as is evidentfrom the various initiatives to provide support for students and faculty. Therefore, it is criticalfor you to know the support available to students on campus and online.

Student Success Center (SSC)The purpose of the Odessa College Student Success Center is to provide assistance to studentsin meeting their academic and career goals. They strive to continually provide new and updatedresources that will empower all Odessa College students to succeed at OC and beyond.

Friendly, professional staff members are ready to help with questions or any service studentswould like to use. The SSC is located on the 1st floor of the LRC, and students can call 432-335-6673 to make an appointment. The SSC is equipped with a computer lab, individual studyrooms, and a group study room. For more information, visit their website:http://www.odessa.edu/dept/ssc/

AVI D TutorsIn addition to providing a computer lab and study rooms, the SSC employs CollegeReading and Learning (CRLA) tutors and AVID tutors. CRLA tutors have gone throughan international tutor training program that focuses on development education tutoring andmentoring. AVID tutors are trained in the socratic method of tutoring, which means thattutors utilize inquiry-based strategies to tutor students.

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M ath L abStudents enrolled in any Math course at OC have the opportunity to receive tutoring in acomputer lab dedicated to Math only. All developmental Math courses include arequirement of 14 lab hours by the end of the semester which are completed in the MathLab. Students can either receive tutoring or work on homework. The lab is located in theWood Building of Math & Science, Room 201 (432-335-6537).

UpSwingOnline students who are not able to come to the SSC on campus have the option of utilizingUpSwing. UpSwing is an online tutoring service that is available 24/7. If you have a studentwho is struggling with content and is not able to meet with you, remind them of this convenientservice that is all FREE to them! (http://www.odessa.edu/dept/ssc/tutoring.htm )

D4C/MetaMajorAs mentioned in the Campus Initiatives section, all students are assigned to a D4C MetaMajorteam based on their degree. Recall the team is a wrap-around support for students and is madeup of faculty and staff with the following roles:

Student Success Coach – An academic advisor who provides support to students in theform of academic advising, academic intervention, and guidance with issues or concernsthe student may have during the semester.

Faculty Mentor – A mentor is a full-time faculty member who connects with the studentto provide extra support throughout the semester. A mentor may help the student decide ona degree, career, or provide guidance for being successful in college.

Program Advisor – A program advisor is either a department chair/director or full-timefaculty member who advises students on what courses to enroll in each semester tocomplete a degree. They also engage in a mentoring relationship with the student to helpthem complete their degree.

If you have a student who is struggling or has not responded to your correspondence,intervene early by emailing the Student Success Coach in your MetaMajor. Check withyour department chair to determine the correct MetaMajor.

Special Needs ServicesIn keeping with the College's commitment to provide universal access to support services thataccommodate disabilities and as required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 andTitle II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Odessa College affirms that itwill provide access to programs, services and activities to all individuals who meet thequalification requirements for special needs services. Such needs may include, but are notlimited to, chronic medical conditions, learning disabilities, emotional disorders as well ashearing, mobility or visual impairments.

Odessa College uses the Blackboard Learning Management System as the primary means of presenting course content to online students. It is also used in other modalities, such as hybridand web-enhanced courses. The Blackboard interface confirms to Federal Section 508 whichaddresses Internet accessibility standards.

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If there is a student in your class that needs special accommodation please direct them to theSpecial Needs Office in the Saulsbury Campus Center at 432-335-6861.

Wr angler Express CenterThe Wrangler Express Center is a one-stop-shop for students to complete the processesnecessary to enroll in a course. Students can come in to enroll and never have to visit anotheroffice for payment, financial aid, schedule changes, etc. Everything can be taken care of in thisone office. Students can come any time during business hours without an appointment. Formore information, visit http://www.odessa.edu/wrangler_express/ .

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Technology, Resources, & Professional Development

OC PortalThe OC Portal is the website used by all OC employees to check email, view employee resourcessuch as pay advices and position summary, as well as view campus announcements, log intotheir Blackboard courses, and submit student grades.

It is important to log into the OC Portal regularly so that you stay connected to the campus,whether you are local or distant. The list below highlights areas found in the OC Portal. SeeAppendix C for instructions on logging into the OC Portal.

AnnouncementsThe first page that opens after logging into the OC Portal includes campus announcementsfrom different departments. To view details of the announcement, click on the title of each

posting.

EmailEvery instructor, full-time or part-time will be given an OC email account, and they must usethat account to communicate with their students and department chair. It is important foradjunct faculty members to check their OC email account regularly because this is the maincommunication line used by all OC employees to deliver important information regarding allaspects of the College. Plus, your students are used to communicating via an OC email addresswith their full-time faculty members.

If you are experiencing problems with your email account, contact your department chair.

WebAdvisorWebAdvisor is the College ’s main system for record keeping of all faculty, staff, and students.All final grades are submitted via WebAdvisor. You can get to the WebAdvisor links withinthe OC Portal. See Appendix C for instructions on using WebAdvisor on the OC Portal tocheck class rosters and submit final grades.

OC Global & BlackboardOC Global is a department dedicated to creating standardization for all courses built in theBlackboard Learning Management System, as well as providing support for faculty throughonline trainings and one-on-one sessions. Blackboard is a Learning Management System thatallows instructors to create assignments, tests, post grades, send student email, and post otherresources students utilize in a course. All OC courses have a Blackboard shell that can be used

by faculty to organize their course. If you are teaching an online course, you must use

Blackboard to teach the course.The following section highlights only a few of the features within Blackboard. For a fulldescription of how to use Blackboard and these tools, please see the section belowregarding Professional Development Trainings available to all faculty members .

TechSmi th RelayTechSmith Relay is a lecture-capture software that gives faculty the ability to record and sharevideos, as well as measure the effectiveness of those videos. The software captures what you


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are doing on the computer, as well as what you are saying. This is an excellent tool to use forall courses, regardless of modality. Students can view these recordings as they work onassignments and review for exams. You can even attach quizzes throughout the video toensure students are viewing and grasping the material. This is an innovative approach todeliver content that will give students the interaction they need to grasp information.

Bl ackboard CollaborateBlackboard Collaborate is an online collaboration platform providing web conferencing,mobile collaboration, instant messaging, and voice authoring. Are you teaching an onlinecourse? Blackboard Collaborate is an excellent method of communicating with your studentsvia the web. You can designate a specific time to meet with your students each week to answerquestions regarding the course. It’s a great way to connect with students , which is a great wayto increase retention!

Bl ackboard Gr ade CenterThe Blackboard Grade Center is an interactive gradebook that is connected to all assignmentsand tests that have been created within the course shell. You can grade assignments and testsdirectly from the grade center and download a version of it as an Excel spreadsheet to save onyour computer. You can set up the grade center with specific percentages for specificcategories, as well as allow for a current average to be available to students. Posting grades inthe grade center ensures students have access to their course grades throughout the semester.

Bl ackboard Retenti on CenterThe Blackboard Retention Center is a new feature for OC faculty. It gives faculty members theability to view missing assignments/tests for each student without the hassle of scrollingthrough grades in the grade center. This is an excellent resource that will help you withmanaging student success and retention throughout the semester. You can view students’

progress and easily note struggling students who may need intervention from you or theStudent Success Coach.

Professional Development Trainings Now that you have read about the importance of quality instruction and how Blackboard canhelp organize your course, it is time to learn about how to keep students engaged in theclassroom, and how to use Blackboard effectively. All faculty members have access toProfessional Development trainings offered each semester. The following are some trainingopportunities available to you via Blackboard.

Bl ackboard 101Blackboard 101 is an online course developed by OC Global to introduce faculty membersto the Blackboard environment. You will learn the basics of how to use Blackboard,

including creating assignments, announcements, and other content for your course, as wellas how to use the interactive features available in Blackboard. See Appendix C forinstructions to enroll in the Blackboard 101 course .

Qual ity Course Components (QC2)QC2 is an online course designed to teach faculty members how to used Blackboardeffectively to deliver a quality online course. You will learn about the essential elements ofan online course that will help you improve student success and retention in your onlinecourses. See Appendix C for instructions to enroll in the QC2 course.


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AVI D TrainingAre you having trouble keeping students engaged in your class? Or maybe you would just likesome new ideas about how to change things up in the classroom. AVID teaching strategies arean excellent method of engagement, and your students will appreciate the change from thestraight-lecture method. Each semester, OC faculty members have the opportunity to attendAVID workshops that help them provide an engaging learning environment for their students.See Appendix C for instructions on logging into the Adjunct Corner Blackboard course .

Classroom EquipmentIf you need any kind of equipment in your classroom, contact your department chair to find outthe availability of equipment in the department. Most classrooms are equipped with an instructorcomputer connected to a projector. Other classrooms may have a document camera, smart board,or other technologies purchased within the department. If you need training on your classroomequipment, contact your department chair.

Learning Resources Center The primary goal of the Murry H. Fly Learning Resources Center (LRC) is to support andenhance curricular programs and classroom research.

Adjunct faculty members are allowed to check out materials if they obtain a form from theCirculation Desk in the Learning Resources Center and have their respective department chairsign for approval. Check with your department chair regarding this approval form .

If previews or purchase of media/books are necessary during the semester, the respectivedepartment chair should contact the Technical Services Clerk in the LRC at 432-335-6650. LRCstaff members are available to instruct adjunct faculty in the use of all LRC. The LRC alsooffers orientations in the use of available resources to an entire class that includes information ona variety of instructional programs related to research skills, information literacy and theInternet. Call the LRC at 432-335-6641 to schedule a classroom tour.

Adjunct faculty may place materials on reserve in the LRC to be used by their students. Thematerials can be designated "for in building use only" or "for photocopying." Contact theCirculation Desk or call 432-335-6641 for additional information on placing materials on reservein the LRC.

LRC hours of operation are as follows:Fall/Spring

Monday — Thursday 7:30 am — 9:30 pm

Friday 7:30 am — 1:00 pmSunday 2:00 pm — 5:00 pm

Summer

Monday — Thursday 7:30 am — 9:00 pmHolidays and other exceptions to the regular hours will be announced and posted in advance.

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Personnel Information

There are many Odessa College personnel policies and procedures that cover adjunct faculty andfull-time employees. These policies covered under this section include information onemployment practices, personnel records, and others. Most of the policies listed in this handbookare general. You are encouraged to become familiar with all of the Odessa College policies thataffect you and your employment, which can be found on the HR site on the OC Portal. SeeAppendix C for instructions on logging into the OC Portal .

Required Personnel Paperwork Adjunct faculty must meet the same requirements and qualifications as required of regular full-time instructors. All part-time instructors shall be listed as valid members of the faculty andshall be subject to the same policies and regulations of the institution as regular full-timeinstructors or to such special policies and regulations as may be adopted by the Board andadministration. District personne