III.A.2. Faculty qualifications include knowledge of the subject matter and requisite skills for the service to be performed.  Factors of qualification include appropriate degrees, professional experience, discipline expertise, level of assignment, teaching skills, scholarly activities, and potential to contribute to the mission of the institution.  Faculty job descriptions include development and review of curriculum as well as assessment of learning (ER 14).

The determination of qualifications begins at the divisional/departmental level.  Divisional/departmental qualifications are formulated based on discussions between division/department leaders and their staff.  Once the program needs have been determined and documented, these qualifications are used to complete or update the Position Review Form.

The Position Review Form (PRF) is used to detail job description. Faculty position reviews include requirements for knowledge of subject matter and requisite skills under the Work Experience / Educational Background section of the form. Degree and work experience requirements are listed. This information is used to create the Position Description and Job Announcement, listing requirements for the position. This process is detailed in the HR Standard Operation Procedure for Recruitment and Hiring.¹

Faculty position reviews have been updated to require the assessment of SLOs for each course taught, usage of SLO data to improve student learning, and active participation in program review processes and college committees.

Academic collegiate and pre-collegiate program instructors are preferred to have at least a Masters Degree in the content area or a Masters Degree in a related field with at least 15 credits in the content discipline. In specialized career technical areas, a Master’s degree is preferred, but in lieu of a Master’s degree, a combination of a degree in the field of study, certification or licensure and work experience may be accepted.

Combination of work experience including training and education may be substituted for degree
The successful candidate must meet the minimum qualifications and experience for the vacant position as specified in the job description.  A candidate for a faculty position must demonstrate the appropriate knowledge of his/her subject area, as well as required skills and experience, and this may be confirmed through the applicant’s transcripts and resume.

The interview portion of the hiring process provides opportunity for the interview panel to gauge applicant knowledge and experience in these areas. The interview panel also assesses whether the candidate’s experience and qualifications will reflect and support the institution’s mission and core values.

During the probationary period, faculty is provided the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge, skills and abilities pertaining to effective teaching. Faculty may be evaluated at any point during this period to ensure expectations of the position are met.

Faculty are evaluated using the Faculty Performance Evaluation instrument, which includes items to measure how well they develop, implement, and assess SLOs for each course taught, and how well they use data collected from courses taught on SLOs to share with department and other college stakeholders, and provide recommendations for improvement on student learning. ²