ACEJMC Standard 1 1-1
STANDARD 1: MISSION, GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
L-r: Drs. Hall, Campbell, Devlin, McDermott, Tremblay
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-2
STANDARD 1: MISSION, GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Highlights
The Nido R. Qubein School of Communication (NQSC) is one of seven
independent schools/colleges at High Point University headed by a dean and
administered by department chairs.
The NQSC has a clear mission and operates programs consistent with a
faculty developed strategic plan.
NQSC faculty are active in participating in the shared governance of the
university.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-3
STANDARD 1: MISSION, GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
1. Describe the administrative structure of the unit, including to whom the unit administrator reports to within the university. The High Point University and the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication (NQSC/School) organizational charts are included below:
Nido R. Qubein School of Communication
Organizational Chart and Administrative Organization
Chair,MediaProductionand
Studies
Dean
AssociateDean
Chair,JournalismandStrategic
Communication
OperationsandMediaProduction
CareerServices
AssistanttotheDean
FacultyinElectronicMediaProduction;
GameandInteractiveMediaDesign;MediaandPopularCulture
Studies;andDocumentaryMedia
FacultyinJournalism;andStrategicCommunication;
Faculty Committees:
Assessment Diversity Personnel(T&P)
CurriculumGraduateTechnology
Dean’sAdvisoryCouncil
StudentAdvisoryBoard
GradCoordinator
Studentworkers
FacultyinSportandEventManagement;andSportCommunication
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-4
[A more easily readable version of this chart is in the work room.]
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-5
University-level Administrators High Point University is governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the president and confirmed by the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. The Board includes five ministers and 10 lay members of the United Methodist Church in North Carolina, the Presiding Bishop of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, the President of the High Point University Alumni Association, and at least ten residents of the city of High Point or its environs. The Board’s current officers are Dr. Richard F. Vert (Chair), Mr. John Finch (Vice Chair and Treasurer), and Mrs. Elizabeth Aldridge (Secretary). The Board members serve four-year terms. The president is appointed by the Board of Trustees and serves as the chief executive and educational officer of the university. As an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees, the president is the liaison between the faculty and the Board. The president is a member of the faculty and serves as the presiding officer of every university-wide faculty meeting. High Point alumnus Dr. Nido R. Qubein has served as the University’s president since 2005. Prior to becoming HPU’s seventh president, Dr. Qubein was named chairman of the Great Harvest Bread Company. He is also a Corporate Director and Executive Committee member of the BB&T Corporation, and a speaker and writer covering change, leadership, and branding. Dr. Qubein holds a BS from High Point University, an MSBE from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, an LLS from Mount Olive College, and LHDs from High Point University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The provost reports directly to the president and is responsible for the administration of the academic program of the university. The provost serves as the president's principal adviser on educational policy and on matters of faculty hiring, salary, tenure, promotion and supervision of summer school. High Point University alumnus Dr. Dennis G. Carroll has served as the vice president for academic affairs since 2005 and as provost since 2008. Dr. Carroll joined the University in 1988 as a professor in the School of Education, where he was named dean in 1998. Dr. Carroll also taught in the Guilford County School System for 14 years and served as the system’s Director of the Program for the Gifted. Dr. Carroll holds an EdD from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, an MA from Wake Forest University, and a BA from High Point University.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-6
Nido R. Qubein School of Communication Administrators The dean serves as the chief academic, financial, and administrative officer of the NQSC. The dean reports directly to the provost, and serves as the School’s contact with university administration. He also establishes the School’s strategic direction and long-term goals, supervises accreditation matters, and oversees academic advising. The dean currently serves as department chair for Sport Communication, Sport Management, and Event Management faculty until those programs will be spun off into their own departments. Dr. Wilfred Tremblay, the founding dean of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, was appointed by the President in 2007 in consultation with a faculty search committee comprised of members of the English Department, where the program in communication was formerly housed. Dean Tremblay came to High Point University from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he was on faculty from 1992 through 2007 and served as the Chair of the Department of Communication and the Director of Radio. He also served as faculty or as administrator at Butler University, the University of Indianapolis, the University of Pittsburgh, and Buena Vista College. Dean Tremblay holds an EdD from the University of Pittsburgh, an MS from Boston University, a BS from Arkansas State University, and a Certificate of Broadcast Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The associate dean reports directly to the dean and substitutes for the dean in his absence. The associate dean coordinates the School’s assessment protocols and policies, and promotes the School’s research and creative activities. She also supervises the graduate program’s strategic orientation. Dr. Virginia McDermott was appointed by the provost and dean as the School’s first associate dean in 2013. Dr. McDermott also served as the school’s first Director of the Strategic Communication Master’s Degree program. She was previously an Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico, and served as an independent consultant creating corporate training seminars on developing positive workplace environments, managing leadership paradoxes, and developing conflict strategies. Dr. McDermott holds a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an MA from Texas State University, a BA from the College of New Jersey, and a Certificate in Core Concepts in Global Public Health from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. The graduate coordinator reports to the associate dean and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the graduate program. These duties include supervising the admissions process, chairing the graduate school’s faculty
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-7
committee meetings, and securing adjunct faculty as necessary. Dr. Virginia McDermott is currently serving as the interim graduate coordinator in addition to serving as the associate dean. The NQSC is divided into two departments, each with its own chair: the Department of Journalism and Strategic Communication, which houses the Journalism and Strategic Communication sequences; and the Department of Media Production and Studies, which houses the Electronic Media Production, Game and Interactive Media Design, and Media and Popular Culture Studies sequences. Two new academic majors that began accepting students in fall 2015—Sport/Event Management and Sport Communication—are currently considered to be “programs of the School of Communication,” and their three faculty report directly to the dean until a new department is scheduled to be established during the 2015-2016 academic year. The department chairs report to the dean, and are responsible for the day-to-day administrative operations for their departments. These duties include coordinating class schedules, managing the department budget, securing adjunct faculty, and reviewing graduation audits. Dr. Shannon Campbell was appointed as the NQSC’s first Chair of
Journalism and Strategic Communication in 2014 by Dean Tremblay in consultation with the faculty search committee. Dr. Campbell was previously a faculty member and the Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Miami. She was also on the faculty at the University of Kansas, the University of Southern California, and the University of Florida. Dr. Campbell has worked as a PR practitioner and consultant since 1993 for several organizations, including Exxon, Sony Connect, PayerFusion, and the Max Borges Agency. Dr. Campbell holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, an MA from the University of Southern Illinois, and a BS from Missouri State University.
Dr. Stefan Hall joined the NQSC in 2012 as Associate Professor of
Communication and was appointed as the School’s first Chair of Media Production and Studies by Dr. Tremblay in 2013 after an internal selection process. Dr. Hall was previously a department chair and faculty member at Defiance College, and an instructor at Bowling Green State University. He has also served as a technical writer for Software Technologies Lab, and as an arts columnist for Phi Kappa Phi Forum. Dr. Hall holds a PhD from Bowling
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-8
Green State University, and an MA and BA from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
In addition to the above administrators, the NQSC also employs the following support staff:
Dr. Michelle Devlin was hired in 2007 as the Assistant to the Dean. Before joining High Point University, she was a graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She holds a DMA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Mr. Donald Moore was hired in 2008 as the NQSC Technical Operations Manager. He was previously Chief Engineer at WCWG-TV in Lexington/Greensboro, North Carolina. He holds a BA degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Mr. Martin Yount was hired in August 2009 as Video Producer for the NQSC. He was previously with the Entity-Y Inc. media company in Greensboro, North Carolina. He holds a BA degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Reporting to the Office of Career and Professional Development is Mr. Doug Hall, the School’s representative from the Office of Career and Internship Services. Mr. Hall is assigned to the School of Communication and interacts with Dean Tremblay on a regular basis. Mr. Hall holds an MA from North Carolina A and T State University and is a doctoral candidate at Norfolk State University.
Reporting to the Office of Student Success is Michael Robinson, MA. Mr. Robinson has been assigned to the School and will interact with the dean and faculty on a regular basis.
A full description of duties for the NQSC administrators is covered in Appendix C of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication Faculty Handbook and is also presented here: Dean of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication ReportstoProvost,HighPointUniversity Servesaschiefacademic,financialandadministrativeofficeroftheSchool FunctionsasbrandmanagerfortheSchool Establishesstrategicdirectionandlong‐termgoalsfortheSchool Supervisesaccreditationissuesandinteractionwithaccreditingagencies ServesasSchool’scontactwithuniversityadministration Overseesrecruitmentandretentionstrategiesforfacultyandstaff
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-9
Writesevaluationsoftenure‐trackfaculty Appointssearchandscreencommitteesforallfull‐timeteachingopeningsintheschool ChairsSchool’sPersonnelCommittee Supervisesalltechnicalandproductionqualityissuesandpersonnel MonitorsandsupervisesSchool’simplementationofitsdiversityplan SupervisesSchool’sMediaFellowsprogram ProvidesoversightandfinalauthorizationofallSchoolbudgets CoordinatesSchoolfundraisingwithappropriateuniversityoffices CoordinatesactivitieswithSchoolalumniwithappropriateuniversityoffices Establishesrelationshipswithotherexternalconstituencies SupervisestechnicaloperationsandfacilitiesintheSchool ConductsevaluationsofSchoolstaff CreatesandsolicitsinputfromStudentAdvisoryBoard CreatesandsolicitsinputfromProfessionalAdvisoryCommittee Overseesacademicadvisingandcoordinatesclassschedulingbetweendifferent
departments
Associate Dean of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication ReportstoDean,NidoR.QubeinSchoolofCommunication SubstitutesforDeaninhis/herabsence Promotesandcoordinatesfacultyresearchandcreativeactivities Promotesandcoordinatesundergraduateandgraduateresearchandcreativeactivities PromotesgrantactivitiesintheSchool Supervisesthestrategicorientationofthegraduateprogram CoordinatestheSchool’ssummativeandformativeassessmentprotocolsincludingthe
digitalportfolioprocess SupervisesandassessesSchool’sintroductorycourses Participatesinannualreviewsoftenureandtenure‐trackfacultyasrelatedtograduate
instruction Developsandcoordinatesnewfacultyorientationprograms
Graduate Coordinator of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication ReportstoAssociateDean Supervisesgraduateadmissionsprocess ChairsSchool’sgraduatefacultycommitteemeetings Coordinatesandmonitorsgraduatewebsite Securesgraduateadjunctfacultyasnecessary EncouragesgraduateschooladmissionatotherinstitutionsinadditiontoHPUand
maintainsrecordsofsuchplacements.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-10
Assistant to the Dean/Administrative Assistant to the School of Communication ReportstoDean ServesasAdministrativeAssistanttotheDeanandtheSchool Day‐to‐daymanagementofbudget ProvidesresourceallocationsthroughouttheSchool,assuringadequatedisbursements
amongthevariousprograms Supervisesofficeproceduresandmaintenanceofdepartmentrecords SupervisesSchool’sclericalandstudentemployees
Department Chair in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication ReportstoDean Coordinatesclassschedulingforallclassesindepartment Securesadjunctfacultyfortheirunitswhennecessary Supervisesandwritesreviewsfornon‐tenuretrackfacultyandinstructorsintheir
unitsandparticipatesinevaluationsoftenure‐trackfaculty Managesbudgetsanddisbursefundsforindividualunits Coordinatesacademicadvisingintheunits Coordinatesclassschedulingandmanagement Approvesprofessionaldevelopmentfundsforfacultyintheirunits Managesundergraduatecurriculumissuesthroughuniversityapprovalprocess PerformsseniorgraduationauditsandassuresstudentshavemetACEJMCguidelines Coordinatesunit’sadmissionsactivitieswiththeAdmissionsoffice
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-11
2. Describe the unit's process for strategic or long-range planning. Attach a copy of the unit's written strategic or long-range plan. This plan should give the date of adoption/revision and any timeline for achieving stated goals. Discuss how the plan provides vision and direction for the unit's future. The NQSC faculty has crafted mission, vision and values statements, as well as a strategic plan for 2012-2017, to guide long-range planning. These statements and plan are posted below as is the August 2015 assessment of strategic goals.
Mission Statement The Nido R. Qubein School of Communication balances theory and application courses in a multidisciplinary environment, enabling students and faculty to think, speak, write and produce strategic messages about a broad range of ideas and issues. The School is committed to:
Collaboration between students and faculty in and out of the classroom Independent thought and critical thinking that produces ethically aware,
historically informed, and socially engaged citizens prepared for leadership in the global community
Culturally diverse team-based learning experiences A universal right to creative expression
Adopted May 2012
Vision Statement The vision of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication is to be a respected program within our peer group for encouraging and demonstrating intellectual curiosity, creativity, and professional competence. Adopted May 2012
Values Statement The Nido R. Qubein School of Communication values:
Expression—Appreciating the principles and constraints on the exercise of free expression in a democratic society
Integrity—Maintaining a commitment to honesty, accountability, and professional ethics
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-12
Excellence—Performing high-quality work in a capable, efficient, and appropriate manner
Accuracy—Communicating fairly, without distortions or conflicts of interest, and in recognition of subjectivities
Diversity—Encouraging creative and independent ways of thinking and mindfulness about cultural differences and multiple perspectives
Curiosity—Acquiring new skills and knowledge and continuously pursuing education and innovation
Awareness—Understanding the history, role, context and reality of the process of communication
We emphasize: Analytical thinking—Extracting from various areas the knowledge
required to formulate realistic responses to complex problems Communication skills—Developing the ability to present, listen to, and
exchange written, oral, aural, and visual information in forms appropriate for the audience, purpose, and context
Interpretation of converging information—Linking data, knowledge, and insight for strategic decision-making and presentation of information through media
Technological development—Using technology in ways that add value to the communication professions
Integration of theory and practice—Understanding how communication theory informs both research and best practices
Adopted May 2011
Strategic Plan for 2012-2017
Goal 1: Promote freedom of creative and academic expression o Measure A: Identify constraints on freedom of expression o Measure B: Identify models of freedom of expression at comparable
and aspirational institutions o Measure C: Sponsor symposia on freedom of expression o Measure D: Encourage faculty to seek more controversial issues for
class assignments o Measure E: Hire the Survey Research Center to study student
perception of constraints on freedom of expression o Measure F: Create a venue for display of creative student work o Measure G: Develop strategy to deal with interference over
academic freedom
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-13
Goal 2: Align faculty/student ratio and other metrics with university norms
o Measure A: Boost administrative support o Measure B: Stabilize professor/student ratio o Measure C: Develop equity in advising
Goal 3: Define and demand professional work ethics and standards o Measure A: Insist that grading rubrics recognize that a “B” grade
represents publishable or broadcast-ready work and that work that does not meet this standard does not earn higher than a “C”
o Measure B: Evaluate professional attitudes and work ethic as part of the student’s final grade, including through class participation and peer-evaluation
o Measure C: Create two professional seminars per semester in which students hear from professionals about the expectations and standards of their work
o Measure D: Re-evaluate the department-wide deadline policy to ensure we can all support it
o Measure E: Establish a zero-tolerance or honor court policy regarding plagiarism and copyright violations
o Measure F: Create formal systems for the department to interact with the professional community
Goal 4: Improve oral, written, aural and visual communication skills o Measure A: Ensure COM 1110—Human Communication and COM
1111—Mediated Communication Systems content is reinforced in higher level courses across all sequences
o Measure B: Ensure that there is at least one writing assignment in every course
o Measure C: Consider establishing the “Fatal Flaw Rule” as a department policy for all written assignments
o Measure D: Consider requiring at least one presentation in every course
o Measure E: Consider requiring a course in visual literacy or visual rhetoric
o Measure F: Require students to visit the writing center in intro courses
o Measure G: Develop argumentation course o Measure H: Hire an engineering/audio specialist to enhance
emphasis on aural literacy
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-14
Goal 5: Produce nationally recognized student and faculty creative and scholarly works
o Measure A: Include assignments that prepare students to submit research and creative projects
o Measure B: Provide support for dissemination of student and faculty activities
o Measure C: Support faculty who engage students in academic and professional extracurricular work
Adopted May 2012 Following on pages 1-15 through 1-19 is an update on the status of the strategic plan’s goals and objectives.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-15
Measu
reRe
spon
sibilit
y Cen
terSta
tusDis
cussi
on (u
pdate
d Jun
e 15)
Next
●Iden
tify co
nstra
ints o
n free
dom o
f expre
ssion
Dean
and F
acult
yOn
going
●Disc
ussed
issue
s at d
epart
ment
meeti
ngs.
●Re
linqu
ished
Ca
mpus
Chron
icle pu
blishing
respon
sibilit
ies. ●
Ongoing
. Co
ntinu
e to d
iscuss a
t scho
ol and
dept.
meeti
ngs
●Iden
tify mo
dels o
f freedo
m of ex
pressi
on at
comp
arable
and a
spira
tional in
stitut
ions
Curriculum
Comm
ittee
Unde
r revie
w.
Not st
arted
Conside
r writing
repo
rt sum
mer 1
6 afte
r accr
edita
tion.
●Spo
nsor
sympo
sium o
n free
dom o
f expre
ssion
Dean
Ongo
ng●F
irst A
mend
ment
Symp
osium
in Co
mmun
icatio
n Week 2
014 a
nd 15
. ●A
mend
ment
Free F
ood f
estiva
l in CO
M we
eks 2
013 a
nd 20
14. Pl
anne
d sym
posiu
m for
15‐16
AY sp
onsored
by Ins
titute
of Hu
man S
tudies
.
Conti
nue in
upcomi
ng ye
ars
●Encou
rage fa
culty
to se
ek mo
re contr
overs
ial iss
ues fo
r class
assig
nmen
tsDe
an an
d Cha
irsOn
going
●Have d
iscussed
the is
sue in
departm
ent m
eetin
gs and h
ave e
ncou
raged
stu
dents
to ex
plore
contr
overs
ial iss
ues in
their
blogs.
Still c
oncern
by
stude
nts an
d vau
lty ov
er rep
recussio
ns.
Conti
nue t
o disc
uss a
t scho
ol and
dept.
meeti
ngs
●Hire
Surve
y Rese
arch C
enter
to stu
dy stu
dent
perce
ption
of co
nstra
ints o
n free
dom o
f expre
ssion
Dean
Not b
egun
●Not
yet b
egun
. Possible
Sprin
g 15 p
roject. H
ave n
ot be
gun s
umme
r 15.
Conta
ct SRC
summ
er for
fall pr
oject
Assig
n to f
acult
y or gr
ad stu
dent?
●Crea
te a v
enue
for d
isplay
of cre
ative
stude
nt wo
rkDe
an an
d Cha
irsOn
going
●Web
site li
nk to
stude
nt wo
rk.
●Also
prese
nted s
tuden
t work
durin
g Com
Week 2
013/14
and 1
5.
●Rese
arch p
oster
prese
ntatio
ns 20
13/ 2
014/1
6 at G
rad an
d U
dd
h
i
To be
comp
leted
by Oc
tober
15.
●Develo
p stra
tegy to
deal w
ith int
erfere
nce fr
om pa
rts ov
er academ
ic free
dom
Dean
Co
mplet
e●S
ecure
d a sig
ned le
tter fr
om th
e Pres
ident
promi
sing th
at the
Unive
rsity
will re
spect FA
rights
of stu
dents
and f
acult
y con
sisten
t with
conte
mpora
ry law
.
●Re
gular
di
i i
th t
d th
d
Did
Goal 1
. Prom
ote fre
edom
of cre
ative
and a
cade
mic e
xpres
sion
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-16
Measure
Respon
sibility
Center
Status
Descrip
tion
Next
Boost a
dministrativ
e sup
port
Dean
Completed
●Revise
d dep
artm
ent o
rganiza
tion w
ith Dean,
Associa
te De
an an
d chairs
of tw
o individ
ual departm
ents, M
edia Prod
uctio
n & St
udies
and J
ournalism
and S
trategic
Co
mmun
icatio
n.
●H
ired a
full‐tim
e administrative a
ssistant.
●Dean:
budget, personn
el, stra
tegic
direction
Completed
●Com
plete
●Assistant D
ean:
day‐to‐day
activities
Completed
●Full‐tim
e Adm
inistrative A
ssistant b
ut no
Assis
tant
Dean
●Chair:
scho
larly/
curricular
, com
prehen
sive e
xam
Completed
●Broke
Scho
ol into
two d
epartm
ents
with
two c
hairs
after two
unsuccessfu
l searches
for o
ne de
partm
ent/on
e chair
●Con
sider
a coordinator for
each
track
Completed
●Not
Necessary
due t
o other
changes
Stabiliz
e professor/stude
nt ra
tioDe
an●H
ired t
wo n
et faculty
positions
and b
rought
Faculty
/student
ratio
to 30
:1 Plan
to
hire
2 net faculty
for 1
6/17
AYCo
ntinue
to ad
vocate
for n
ew lin
es to
maintain S
T ratio.
●Hire
more p
rofessors a
nd lecturers
Ongoing
●Hire
d fou
r new
Commun
icatio
n position
s‐‐tw
o ten
ure t
rack
and o
ne m
ore t
enure
track
in Ev
ent M
anagem
ent.
●Set
up ad
missions
crite
ria fo
r incoming s
tude
nts
Not b
egun
●Not
begun a
s adm
issions
process is
still dictated
by un
iversity
admission
standards. All stude
nts a
dmitted
to HPU
are a
utom
atica
lly at
tmitted
to an
y program
Nothing t
angib
le to
do ot
her than t
o con
tinue
to ad
vocate
to se
nior
administratio
n.
Develop e
quity
in ad
vising
Dean
●University
establish
ed Fr
eshm
en Su
ccess C
enter, w
hich
hand
les a
ll freshmen
advis
ing,
thus
relievin
g faculty
of ov
er 1/
4 of advise
es.
●A
lso,
establish
ed "o
f Practice
" professors, who
now
have
advis
ing a
s part o
f their j
ob
functio
ns, re
lievin
g som
e of the
burden
of ad
visiing o
n ten
ure‐tra
ck ad
visers. Also,
Fall 1
5 will begin
grou
p sched
uling s
ystem
to se
parate
advis
ing from
sche
duling a
nd
allow
advis
ers to d
o more m
entorin
g than s
ched
uling
●Advising
center
Completed
●See
above.
●Stabilize n
umbe
r of advise
es fo
r each a
dvise
rCo
mpleted
●See
above.
No lon
ger respo
nsible
for freshmen
advis
ing.
Mean n
umber for
each
faculty
mem
ber is
now 20.3
vs. 41.
Also, to
ok ad
vising a
way
from
instructors in a
ll
Goal
2. A
lign f
aculty/stude
nt ra
tio an
d other
metric
s with
university n
orms
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-17
Measure
Respon
sibility Ce
nter
Status
Description
Next
●Insist
that
grading
rubrics recognize
that
a "B
" grade
represen
ts pub
lishable or
broadcast‐
ready w
ork and that
work t
hat d
oes n
ot m
eet this s
tand
ard do
es not
earn higher
than
a "C
."
Dean,
Cha
irs and
Faculty
Ong
oing
●Cu
rren
tly th
e NQSC
syllabu
s boilerplate
has
a bulleted ite
m, "Grade
expe
ctations" w
here
it ta
lks a
bout
grade
s in relatio
n to
"work [that] is o
f a
markedly s
uperior q
uality"
for "A" a
nd "n
ot notably
supe
rior,
is clearly
above average"
for "B". Th
is is
left
ope
n to
the discretio
n of
the
instructor
of record;
how
ever, the
lack
of n
ormalizing be
tween multip
le
sections
of the
same course
(involving
full‐tim
e faculty
as w
ell as
adjuncts) m
ight
mean there are variations
in what is c
haracterized
as
"pub
lishable"
or "broadcast‐ready."
●Add
ition
ally, the
re m
ight
be
furthe
r variatio
ns amon
g NQSC
faculty
and
/or tracks a
s a who
le based
on
individu
al interpretatio
ns of the
se qualifiers. While
it m
ight
be too
prescriptiv
e to
lock
dow
n these de
finition
s with
specific q
ualifiers, the
NQSC
likely
needs
to im
plem
ent com
mun
ity stan
dards s
choo
l‐wide for
guidelines
as to wha
t the
se te
rms m
ean.
A re
view
of N
QSC
syllabi
refle
cts
a wide latitud
e of
sentim
ent tow
ard this
standa
rd.
Continue
discussions
at faculty
meetin
gs and
mon
itor insturctor G
PA.
●Evaluate
professional attitu
des a
nd work ethic a
s part o
f the
stud
ent's
fina
l grade
, including
through class p
articipation an
d pe
er‐evaluation.
Dean,
Cha
irs and
Faculty
Ong
oing
●NQSC
faculty
do factor
in class p
articipation as
a co
mpo
nent
of the
overall cou
rse grade for stude
nts.
Peer‐evaluatio
n is
less
implem
ented,
althou
gh it
is used in
critiqu
e of
pub
licly
presented
stud
ent w
ork;
this
might
exten
d partly
from
the ne
cessity
(and
time)
to train stud
ents
how
to
effectiv
ely e
ngage in
peer‐review
as w
ell as the
negotiatio
n of
peer
criticism
if it
is integrated
into
teaching
(or o
ther
evaluative)
metho
dologies.
●Create
two profession
al se
minars p
er se
mester in which
stud
ents
hear from
professionals
ab
out the
expectatio
ns and
standards o
f the
ir work.
Dean,
Cha
irs and
Faculty
Complete an
d on
going
NQSC
Com
mun
ication Week effectively c
overs this m
easure
for the
Scho
ol. It
might
be prud
ent to investigate ways to distrib
ute more
seminars throu
ghou
t the
semester a
s well as o
nes w
hich
target
specific
tracks. H
aven
't de
velope
d a form
al lecture serie
s for
fall semester o
ther
than
Pulitzer
speakers
But
have incorporated
man
y gue
st sp
eakers
into
classes.
●Re
‐evaluate the de
partmen
t‐wide de
adline po
licy t
o en
sure
we can all sup
port
it.
Dean,
Cha
irs and
Faculty
Complete
●Deadlines
are
covered in
the NQSC
boilerplate. Th
ese are the minim
um
standards.
Faculty
are
permitted
to im
pose
more stringen
t regulations
if
they
wish.
One
impe
dimen
t to de
adlines, particularly
those that
involve
projects
utilizing NQSC
resources (techno
logical),
is th
e availability,
accessibility, and
amou
nt of the
se per
stud
ent,
which
is always a
conten
tious
issue.
Rem
ains
a ca
se‐by‐case
issue
●Establish a zero‐toleran
ce, o
r hon
or co
urt p
olicy regarding plagiarism
and
copyright v
iolatio
ns.D
ean,
Cha
irs and
Faculty
Complete an
d un
der review
●NQSC
passages o
n Plagiarism
and
the University
Hon
or Cod
e are pa
rt of
the syllabu
s boilerplate
and
present
in all syllabi. Add
ition
ally, nearly
all
classroo
ms h
ave pu
blicly
displayed
posters
regarding the profession
al
standards for
orig
inal
work.
●Create
form
al sy
stem
s for
the de
partmen
t to interact
with
the profession
al co
mmun
ity.
Dean,
Cha
irs and
Faculty
Complete an
d un
der review
●With
in th
e NQSC, the
estab
lishm
ent o
f the
Dean's A
dvisory B
oard
is an
impo
rtant step in
creatin
g the foun
datio
n for m
ore form
al interactions
to
be sy
stem
atized
with
the profession
al co
mmun
ities, both local, natio
nal,
and international.
Add
ition
ally, m
any faculty
utilize their o
wn contacts
an
d profession
al develop
men
t resou
rces
to fo
ster
more interactions,
man
y spe
cific
to th
eir tracks.
The
NQSC
realizes
that
these interactions
are be
neficial to bo
th stud
ents
and
faculty
and
shou
ld find
ways to
encourage this
sort
of collabo
ratio
n. ‐‐Presen
ting an
"Executiv
e in
Re
side
nce"
program
to adm
inistration in
fall 15
semester.
Implem
ent e
xecutiv
e in
reside
nce program
in 15/16
Acade
mic
Year.
Goa
l 3. Define an
d de
man
d profession
al work ethics
and
stan
dards
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-18
Measure
Respon
sibilit
y Cen
terSta
tusDe
script
ionNe
xt
●Ensure
1110
and 1
111 c
onten
t is re
inforc
ed in
highe
r level co
urses
acros
s all s
eque
nces.
Faculty
, Dean a
nd Ch
airs
Ongo
ing●U
nsure
if pres
entat
ions a
nd pr
oductio
n assignme
nts re
quire
d in all
cla
sses?
●adde
d year‐
end w
orkshop
in Ad
obe c
reativ
e suit
e for al
l faculty
but st
uden
t
●Ensure
that t
here
is at le
ast on
e writing
assig
nmen
t in ev
ery co
urse.
All fac
ulty
Ongo
ing●S
ome t
racks
have
this b
ut no
t all tr
acks.
Chair
s need t
o assu
re tha
t there
are
writin
g assignme
nts in
all sy
llabi.
●Con
sider
establish
ing th
e "Fatal
Flaw R
ule" a
s a de
partm
ent p
olicy
for all
written
assig
nmen
ts.De
an an
d Cha
irsOn
going
●COM
1110
has a
fatal f
law ru
le, bu
t it ha
s not
been
develop
ed fo
r all
classe
s. Imp
lemen
tation
by so
me fac
ulty h
as cau
sed pr
oblem
s with
excessively l
ow ev
aluati
ons so
policy
has to
be mo
dified
from c
ase to
●Con
sider
requir
ing at
least o
ne pr
esenta
tion in
every
cours
e.Faculty
Ongo
ing●n
eed d
iscussio
n and
develop
ment.
Hirin
g of 11
10/111
1 coo
rdinator
to
supervi
se thi
s integ
ration
is a fi
rst stp
●Con
sider
requir
ing a c
ourse
in vis
ual lit
eracy
or vis
ual rh
etoric
.Faculty
Ongo
ing●V
isual R
etoric
has b
een a
dded
as an
elective
cours
e
Need
to off
er vis
rhet i
n upcom
ing ye
ar but
may b
e diffi
cult a
s one
facult
y teachin
g this c
ourse
will b
e on s
abbatical
●Req
uire s
tuden
ts to v
isit th
e writing
cente
r in int
ro cours
es.Faculty
Ongo
ing●n
eed d
iscussio
n and
develop
ment.
Faculty
do th
is on a
n indiv
idual b
asis.
Change
in sco
pe an
d fun
ction
of th
e Writing
Cente
r has
changed t
he
●D
evelo
p argu
menta
tion c
ourse
.Cu
rriculum
Comm
ittee
Unde
r revie
wMe
ed dis
cussi
on an
d develo
pmen
t Have d
iscussed a
t faculty
meeti
ngs b
ut no
t start
ed. Co
ncern
for FT
E and
how t
o fit in
to 54
hour
curriculum
.
●Hire
an en
gineerin
g/aud
io spe
cialist
to en
hance e
mphasis
on au
ral lite
racy.
Dean
Comp
lete in
pa
rt; un
der
●Atte
mpted
but h
ave b
een u
nable
to; D
evelo
ped c
ollabora
tive p
rogram
with
Dark H
orse R
ecord
ing Ins
titute
. Fall 2
014 h
ired a
djunct w
ith 20
+
Goal 4
. Impro
ve or
al, wr
itten
, aural
and v
isual c
ommu
nicati
on sk
ills
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-19
Measure
Responsibility Center
Status
Description
Next
Include assignments
that prepare
students
to submit
research and
creative projects
All faculty
●Develop assignments
appropriate
for conference
and festival
submission
Faculty
ongoing
Implementing requirement in
all capstone courses FY
15/16
●Encourage students
to submit
work
to conferences and festivals
Faculty
ongoing
●In
AY 2013‐2014, at least
one undergraduate
and
seven graduate
students
submitted work
to
●Include students
in extracurricular research projects and creative
projects
Faculty
ongoing
●Students
from
COM
3385 work
as research assistants
to
multiple
faculty m
embers. Students
have worked on
●Develop a
"Communication W
eek" that features student and
faculty works
Dean
ongoing
●In
2013, the NQSC hosted the first
Communication
Week. Subsequent Communication W
eeks in
14 and 15
had increased attendance
and student interest. 15
Provide support
for dissemination of student and faculty activitiesDean
●Find sources of funding to support
undergraduate
and graduate
student membership
to and participation in
conferences and
festivals
Dean
completed
●(a) The URCW
supports undergraduates'
research and
creative works.(b) There
is now
a small fund to support
graduate
students
research and travel
●Provide additional funding for faculty who are
presenting at
conferences or showing in
festivals
Dean
completed
●In
AY 2013‐2014, p
rofessional development funds
were
increased to $1700. In 14/15 to $1900
●Provide prizes and recognition for publications and award‐
winning creative works
Dean
completed
●The display cases in
the lobby showcase
faculty work.
New
plaque to display winners
of faculty teaching and
research awards in
COM
office area.
Support
faculty who engage students
in academic
and
professional extracurricular work
Dean
●Course release
tim
eDean
ongoing
●Faculty m
embers
who serve on graduate
capstone
committees accrue points
toward
release
tim
e
●Extra
travel compensation
Dean
ongoing
●The URCW
provides funding to faculty to who take
undergrad students
to present work
●Establish
regular faculty research presentations and discussion
meetings
All faculty
to be started
●needs discussion and development
●Develop School of Communication colloquia
All faculty
to be started
●needs discussion and development
●Establish
periodic
teaching workshops and discussions
All faculty
ongoing
●Jose
Bowen teaching workshops in
fall 13 and spring
14; n
ew
university teaching center opened in
spring 15
●Clarify
the shared teaching rules and guidelines
All faculty
??
●Share
teaching tips and techniques
Faculty
ongoing
●there
have been some small group m
eetings about
teaching. The faculty seminars
have focused largely
on
●Establish
systems to
enhance
department im
age across
campus
Dean
ongoing/establi●Phil W
atson develops news releases and submits them
to
Communication office; also coordinates Facebook
●Develop framework
for connecting out of HPU
All faculty
ongoing/establi●Service learning, community‐based projects
●Encourage national level internships for undergraduates
Career services
ongoing
●We now
have a
dedicated internship
coordinator for
communication. H
ave urged students
apply
for national
●Provide opportunities for connecting with high profile
professionals
All faculty
ongoing/establi●Communication week and the advisory
board
both
create
professional connections
●Skype with industry
leaders
All faculty
ongoing/establi●Have Skyped with guest
speakers
for class. U
sed
regularly by a
number of faculty
●Faculty should
seek leadership
roles and responsibilities in
academic
and professional organizations
All faculty
ongoing
●multiple
faculty m
embers
have taken leadership
roles
in academic
and professional organizations
●Sponsor a communication conference
or festival
Dean
Completed
Communication W
eek is
now
regularly presented each
spring semester
Goal 5. P
roduce
nationally recognized student and faculty creative and scholarly works
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-20
3. Describe the unit's policies and procedures for faculty governance. Provide the Web link or make available in the site team workroom a print copy of faculty policy manuals, handbooks or other documents specifying policies, procedures and the roles of faculty and students in governance and in development of educational policy and curriculum. High Point University’s charter recognizes the general powers of the faculty
to confer by and with the consent of the Board of Trustees all degrees and marks of literary distinction as are usually conferred by colleges and universities and to make regulations regarding courses of instruction, student [academic] discipline, and such other matters as may be assigned to it by the Board of Trustees.
These powers are primarily organized through, and communicated by, the Faculty Senate. As noted in the Faculty Senate by-laws, the powers of the faculty include the following:
To recommend the academic standards for admission of students to High Point University and for retention therein
To determine the courses of study, including experiential learning, requirements for admission thereto, and standards of performance
To make recommendations to the administration concerning student academic advising
To determine and to maintain current requirements for granting academic degrees
To evaluate student performance and to recommend approval of student applications for graduation
To make rules for the implementation of the instructional program To evaluate (1) effectiveness of the instructional program, (2)
performance of faculty members in execution of the program, and (3) proposals for improvement of academic instruction
To make rules for conduct of faculty participation in governance and to organize such councils and committees as may be required
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-21
To directly communicate, through an established collective channel, with faculty on academically related matters
To review and approve faculty-related policy changes including those within the Faculty Handbook(s) and other like documents
To determine and recommend to the Board of Trustees standards for selection, promotion, and tenure of faculty members
To collaborate with Human Resources on policy creation and development in areas related to faculty concerns and general welfare
To collaborate with the Provost in the establishment of the academic calendar
To make rules of conduct for aspects of students' lives relating to the educational process and judge appeals of punishments assigned to students for academically related issues
To make recommendations to the Board of Trustees through the Provost on any matter pertaining to the educational program of the University
To define ethical and professional standards for members of the faculty To make recommendations concerning issues related to the welfare of
faculty as a whole To advise the Provost and President on long range and strategic planning,
as well as the academic budget
The faculty have the right to appeal to the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees regarding any administrative action which is counter to, or which disregards, a decision that has been voted on and approved by a majority of the faculty. Failure to respond to a faculty-approved initiative is considered an administrative action that can be appealed to the Board of Trustees. The Faculty Senate is composed of one non-administrative representative from each school—including the NQSC—as well as six at-large members. The faculty handbooks for High Point University and the NQSC are available in the workroom for review.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-22
4. How often did the faculty meet during the most recent academic year? The NQSC held four School-wide faculty meetings in the 2014-2015 academic year: August 19, September 19, January 16, and during the School’s annual faculty retreat on May 13. The Media and Production Studies Department met four times in the 2014-2015 academic year: August 20, September 5, February 6, and May 11. The Journalism and Strategic Communication Department met six times: August 20, September 5, October 3, November 7, December 5, and March 6. The full university faculty met six times during the 2014-2015 academic year: during the faculty seminars on August 19 & 20, October 17, November 21, February 20, and on April 7. Attendance and participation at faculty meetings are considered a requirement for employment. Minutes for the NQSC faculty and department meetings are available for review in the workroom.
5. List faculty membership on and responsibilities of the unit’s standing and ad hoc committees. (The list should include the names of faculty serving on each committee.)
Nido R. Qubein School of Communication Committee Appointments for 2014-2015
Personnel, Tenure and Promotion The Personnel, Tenure and Promotion Committee reviews the standards and applications of candidates for tenure and promotion. This committee is composed of the School’s tenured faculty members and one non-tenured tenure-track member selected by a majority vote of the department. Other than
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-23
the elected member, there is no term limitation imposed on members of this committee.
Dr. Wilfred Tremblay (Chair of Personnel; recused from T & P) Dr. Kate Fowkes Dr. Judy Isaksen Dr. Jenny Lukow Dr. Virginia McDermott Dr. Nahed Eltantawy Mr. Brad Lambert (non-tenured rep; recused from T & P)
Curriculum Committee This committee submits proposals for new courses or curriculum revisions for approval by the NQSC’s faculty and the University’s Educational Policies Committee (EPC). [EPC is being replaced by a new committee, AIPERC, fall 2016]
Chair: Dr. Nahed Eltantawy Dr. Yan Yang Dr. Shannon Campbell Dr. Linda Gretton
Diversity Committee This committee develops and oversees the NQSC’s plan to encourage the demographic and intellectual diversity, recognizing that learning is enhanced when students are exposed to diverse backgrounds, identities and ideologies.
Chair: Mr. Jim Goodman Dr. Stefan Hall Dr. Bobby Hayes Dr. Judy Isaksen
Graduate Committee This committee addresses admission, curriculum and other issues related solely to the graduate program.
Chair: Mr. Brad Lambert Dr. Sean Stewart Members: all members of the graduate faculty
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-24
Assessment Committee This committee evaluates the educational effectiveness of the undergraduate curriculum consistent with the NQSC’s master assessment plan and university assessment protocols.
Chair: Dr. Virginia McDermott Dr. Dean Smith Dr. Sojung Kim Mr. Jim Goodman Dr. Vern Biaett
Technology Committee This committee evaluates the effectiveness of the School’s instructional and production related technologies at the NQSC, and recommends short- and long-term replacement and enhancement strategies.
Chair: Dr. James Trammell Ms. Kristina Bell Mr. Brian Heagney Dr. Phil Watson
6. Describe the faculty’s contributions to the administration and governance of the university. As a stipulation of employment, all full-time faculty serve on university committees. The following are the 2014-2015 university committee appointments for NQSC faculty:
Admissions The committee recommends admission and financial aid policy statements to the president and the faculty, and advises the director of admissions and the director of financial planning on implementing the approved policies. The duties and responsibilities of this committee embrace all problems associated with admission and financial aid, as well as the review of the academic progress of High Point University students.
Mr. Phil Watson
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-25
Athletic The athletic committee evaluates athletic practices and policies to assure an educational atmosphere in the athletic program commensurate to that of other such programs at the University institution. The duties and responsibilities of the committee deal with all areas of the athletic operation in an advisory capacity.
Dr. Bobby Hayes
Cultural Programs The cultural programs committee plans educational and cultural programs to complement the academic program of the university, and stimulates and encourages an atmosphere of academic and cultural appreciation. The duties and responsibilities of this committee include program planning, financial planning, and delegating responsibility for cultural program presentations.
Mr. Jim Goodman Ms. Charisse McGhee-Lazarou
Diversity Committee The diversity committee explores, fosters, and recommends policies and programs in support of the university’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The duties and responsibilities of the diversity committee include research, planning, and advocacy for diversity, working in coordination with University leaders, faculty, and students.
Dr. Judy Isaksen, Chair
Educational Policies The educational policies committee reviews and recommends to the faculty new course proposals, major restructuring of existing courses and programs, the addition and deletion of majors and minors, and the implementation of changes in the academic requirements and standards recommended by the Academic Planning Committee and approved by the faculty. The scope of the committee covers the instructional areas including the content, methods, and objectives of all academic courses, programs, major fields of concentration and library services.
Dr. Nahed Eltantawy
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-26
First Year Seminar The first year seminar committee oversees the creation and implementation of First Year Seminars, in accordance with the goals, structure, and implementation requirements of the program.
Dr. Linda Gretton
Global Studies The global studies committee reviews and approves all courses for the Global Studies component of the general education requirements.
Dr. Stefan Hall
Graduate Council The graduate council is the policy-making committee for the Norcross Graduate School. This committee approves the development of new graduate programs, new graduate curricula, and polices covering graduate faculty and the culture of HPU’s graduate programs.
Dr. Virginia McDermott, Chair Dr. Sean Stewart Ex-Officio: Dean of the School of Communication (Dr. Wilfred
Tremblay)
Honors Program Committee The honors program committee plans and supervises the implementation of the High Point University Honors Program.
Dr. Yan Yang Dr. Dean Smith
Information Technology Advisory Committee The information technology committee coordinates the planning and evaluation relative to the educational use of computer and other information technology at the University, to recommend to the appropriate administrative officials’ action steps for the utilization of information technology on campus. The committee’s duties and responsibilities deal with all aspects of planning, assessing and making recommendations regarding the educational use of information technology at High Point University.
Mr. Jim Goodman Mr. Brad Lambert
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-27
QEP Steering Committee The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is a required component of the University’s SACS accreditation. This five-year plan, which focuses on the development of a growth mindset, demonstrates HPU’s commitment to enhancing the educational experience of the students.
Dr. Virginia McDermott
Student Life Committee The student life committee sets the general policy for a program encouraging, yet regulating, student life. The committee’s duties and responsibilities include all areas related to student welfare and programs to assure improvement and maintenance of positive relationships between faculty, administration, and the student body.
Dr. Bobby Hayes
Study Abroad Committee The study abroad committee determines the educational objectives of the international study program (including study abroad), and supervises the accomplishment of those objectives. The duties and responsibilities of the committee pertain to all areas of international study abroad programs and international students who study at High Point University.
Dr. Linda Gretton Dr. Yan Yang
Survey Research Center Advisory Committee The Survey Research Center (SRC) advisory committee reviews the priorities and schedules for the SRC, provides feedback and original proposals, and otherwise supports the operation of the SRC.
Dr. Sojung Kim Ex-Officio: Dean of the School of Communication (Dr. Wilfred
Tremblay)
Tenure and Promotion This committee recommends to the president the faculty members who are eligible and qualify for promotion in rank or for tenure appointment.
Dr. Kate Fowkes
University Research and Planning Committee
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-28
The university research and planning committee is a new committee tasked to enhance the research profile of the university.
Dr. Virginia McDermott
Washington Center Advisory Committee The Washington Center Advisory Committee reviews High Point University’s affiliation with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, and oversees the High Point Washington program.
Dr. Judy Isaksen
Women’s and Gender Studies Program Committee The Women’s and Gender Studies Program committee reviews and oversees the University’s Women’s and Gender Studies program, including its minor requirements, events and projects.
Dr. Nahed Eltantawy
Faculty Senate (Elected by the Faculty) The Faculty Senate is an elected body that represents the faculty in administrative issues and concerns, including creating policies regarding courses of instruction, academic discipline, and tenure and promotion expectations.
Senator: Dr. James Trammell
Professional Growth The professional growth committee oversees all aspects of the professional growth program for faculty, including program approval and evaluation. A Professional Growth Committee exists in each College/School of the University.
Dr. Wilfred Tremblay, Chair
Honorary Class Counselors Class of 2016 – Dr. Virginia McDermott
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-29
7. Describe the process for selecting, appointing and evaluating unit administrators. The dean is appointed and removed by the university president with the advice of the university’s academic administration and the NQSC’s tenured and tenure-track faculty or their representatives. The dean appoints the other School officers and coordinators with the approval of the university’s academic administration and the advice of the School’s tenured and tenure-track faculty or their representatives. The dean is evaluated each year by all faculty (see 1-30) who forward evaluations to the provost. The provost provides his summary of these evaluations within his annual review of the dean (1-31). The department chairs and the provost evaluate the dean each year. The department chairs submit their evaluations to the provost, who uses their feedback to guide his performance review. The provost also meets with the dean to review his progress and establish goals for the upcoming year. The dean also provides a goals update to the provost each quarter. The forms used for the dean’s evaluation are included below. The associate dean serves at the pleasure of the dean and provost for her administrative position. The dean factors her administrative duties under the service component of her annual evaluation. While faculty have no direct input into her performance, the dean welcomes comments from department faculty. Department chairs undergo an annual evaluation by their department’s full-time faculty. The evaluation occurs in January, and covers the preceding spring and fall semesters. The form for department chair evaluations is included below. The dean then provides an evaluation of the chair based on that and other input.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-30
REQUIRED EVALUATION OF DEAN Name of College/School Dean ______________________________ Dates Covered __________________________________________ The goal of the evaluation is twofold: it will provide Department Chairs the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the Dean, and it will provide the Provost a basis for his own evaluation of that effectiveness. In a narrative, please evaluate your Dean. Evaluator’s Name Date
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-31
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-32
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-33
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-34
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-35
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-36
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-37
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-38
REQUIRED EVALUATION OF CHAIRPERSON
Name of Chairperson Dates Covered Department The goal of the evaluation is twofold: it will provide members of the department the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the department chair, and it will provide the Provost a basis for his own evaluation of that effectiveness. In a narrative, please evaluate your department chair. (You may wish to consult the “Department Chair Position” found in Appendix I of the High Point University Faculty Handbook.) Evaluator’s Name Date
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-39
8. Describe the unit’s process for timely and equitable resolution of complaints and concerns expressed by faculty, staff or students. The NQSC by-laws stipulate that grievances against the dean or faculty members are to be consistent to the process established in the High Point University Faculty Handbook. The handbook’s procedures for hearings and faculty complaints are posted below. Policies for student complaints against faculty are addressed in the University Bulletin, and are spelled out in every NQSC syllabus with the following statement:
If a student has a complaint about a faculty member regarding a grade they should first try to resolve it with the instructor in question. If the complaint is not resolved the student should then go to the department chair. The decision of the department chair is final. For non-grade matters please see “Procedure for Student Complaints” outlined in the University Bulletin or contact the Office of Student Life, 3rd Floor, Slane University Center, 336 841-9231. Bypassing any of these steps—going directly to the president, for example—will not resolve the issue and only delay resolution. Senior administration will not deal with grievance issues unless they have been discussed at the appropriate level.
Students who decide to pursue formal intervention by university officials after meeting with the dean may submit a written complaint to the Office of Student Life. All formal student complaints are overseen by the dean of students. The School keeps its records of student complaints in a folder in the administrative assistant’s office. Faculty who raise plagiarism accusations may discipline the student in several ways, from requiring the student to resubmit the project to assigning a failing grade for the course. Faculty may also call for a hearing by the Honor Court, which is administered by the Office of Student Life. Students may appeal a penalty of plagiarism through the Honor Court.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-40
The NQSC tracks plagiarism accusations. A standardized form was created and is used to file plagiarism complaints and is posted below and after the listing of the university complaints procedures identified as 5.5 that follows. From the High Point University Faculty Handbook: 5.5 Procedures for Hearings/Complaints
The following procedures will be available in any instance where a faculty member believes that he or she has a grievance as defined above.
A potential grievance issue should be settled whenever possible through informal discussion at the appropriate level of administrative decision-making. Failing such settlement, the faculty member may begin a formal process for redress of grievance by submitting a written, dated statement to the Department Chair within seven (7) days. The word “days” as used hereinafter means working days, excluding normal interruptions of the academic term such as holidays and vacations. The day following receipt of the written statement will count as the first full day of the specified time period.
The statement should include a precise definition of the situation as perceived by the grievant, a description of the type of conciliation desired, and the listing of the grounds upon which the grievant believes conciliation to be possible. Upon receipt of this statement, the Department Chair will render a decision and response to the grievant within seven (7) days.
Filing of the Formal Grievance
Should the grievant fail to receive satisfaction from the Department Chair within seven days, both the decision and response may be forwarded to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs except:(1) where the grievant is a department chair or dean, or (2) in the case that the grievance is directed toward the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs and names this individual as the respondent. In these cases the grievance will be filed directly with the President of the University.
The aggrieved faculty member must file the grievance using the Faculty
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-41
Grievance Form (see Appendix). All formal grievances must be filed within sixty (60) days of the time the faculty member knew or by reasonable diligence should have known of the acts which gave rise to the grievance.
The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (or President of the University) will render a written decision to the grievant within seven days of receipt of the Faculty Grievance Form.
Grievance Committee Review
Should the grievant fail to receive satisfaction from the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (or the president of the University), the grievant may request, within seven days, that the President send the case to the Grievance Committee for a full review.
Composition of the Grievance Committee
The membership of the Grievance Committee shall consist of five (5) full-time tenured faculty who will be appointed by the President. No one whose duties are primarily administrative may serve on the Grievance Committee.
The Grievance Committee will elect from its membership a Chair and Secretary whose terms of office will be effective on the day of their election.
The Grievance Committee will act in accordance with the written policies and procedures established in the Faculty Handbook for the resolution of faculty grievances, and in matters of suspension and dismissal of faculty members.
The Grievance Committee will report to the Faculty Council annually, concerning its activities. This report will include a statement of the number and general nature of complaints received and their disposition, but will not report the confidential records of the Preliminary Inquiries.
Pre-Hearing
The Grievance Committee may bring parties together, with their consent, at pre-hearing meetings in order to achieve such appropriate objectives as will render the hearing fair, effective, and expeditious.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-42
Serving Notice
The Grievance Committee Chair will be responsible for serving notice to the necessary parties by hand delivery or Registered Mail when a hearing has been scheduled.
The notice will include a statement of the specific charges, the names of the members of the Grievance Committee, a copy of the Grievance Policies and Procedures, and the date, time and place of the hearing. At this time, both parties will be given the opportunity to strike one committee member for cause. In the unlikely event that two faculty members are stricken, the chair of Faculty Council will appoint up to two members from the Faculty Council at-large to serve on the hearing committee for that case.
Grievance Hearing
All parts of the hearing must be attended by all Grievance Committee members. The formal hearing will be tape-recorded. This recording and the transcript of the proceedings will be kept and made available to necessary parties in the event an appeal is filed. Final deliberations of the hearing committee will not be tape-recorded.
The faculty member (grievant) will be responsible for demonstrating the merits of his or her grievance. He or she must demonstrate by evidence that the action or inaction complained of occurred; that the action or inaction adversely affected him or her; and that a remedy is reasonable and proper. The faculty member will have the right to examine and use any legally available part of his or her personnel files.
The grievant and the respondent will be allowed to be present during all testimony. At the formal hearing, each party of the grievance may present its case, or may elect a representative (non-attorney) to speak for the party.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-43
Volunteer Witnesses
Necessary parties will be afforded a reasonable opportunity to obtain necessary witnesses and documentary or other evidence. The grievant and respondent will identify all witnesses that may
be called upon by the committee to testify at the hearing and what relevant facts they may be able to contribute. A list of these witnesses must be submitted to the Chair of the Grievance Committee at least 48 hours prior to the start of the hearing. The Chair will be responsible for contacting these individuals to ascertain their willingness to participate in the hearing. No retaliatory action may be taken against any individual who chooses to appear or not to appear.
Right of Cross Examination
The parties to the grievance (and/or their representatives) may present statements and witnesses and interrogate each other, or may interrogate witnesses to the dispute. A reasonable period of time will be allotted for each party to question each witness’s testimony. Where a witness cannot or will not appear but the Committee determines that the interests of justice require the admission of his or her statement, the Chair of the Grievance Committee will identify the witness, disclose the statement and, if possible, provide for interrogatories.
The parties to the dispute will be afforded access (with sufficient time for response) to any document or other evidence reviewed or considered in any grievance procedure pertaining to the case. All parties are entitled access to any documents or other written statements which are submitted to the committee.
Admissible Evidence
As the hearing is an administrative rather than legal procedure, the Grievance Committee will not be bound by the rules of legal evidence, and may admit any evidence which is of probative value in determining the issues involved.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-44
All questions relating to admissibility of evidence will be decided by the Chair of the Grievance Hearing Committee.
The Grievance Hearing Committee may grant adjournments as it deems appropriate to enable either party to investigate evidence concerning a valid claim of surprise if made.
The committee may consider only such evidence as is presented at the hearing, including the written statements from the grievant and the respondent. Evidence may include isolated events and trends of behavior with respect to the current grievance.
Record of Hearing
The only persons who will have access to the tapes are the committee members, the grievant, the respondent, and the President of the University. A complete report of all records of the hearing and committee recommendations will be kept to preserve the findings of fact, and the recommendations of the Committee. Following the end of the hearing, the grievance file will be retained in the President's office for three years following the completion of the grievance proceedings and then will be destroyed.
Committee Deliberations
The final recommendations of the Grievance Hearing Committee will be based solely on the hearing record. The committee will, within seven (7) days of the completion or termination of its
hearings, file a written report of its findings of fact and judgment concerning the resolution of the grievance with the President of High Point University. Copies of this report shall also be sent simultaneously to all necessary parties involved by Registered Mail.
If the President does not approve of the judgment reached by the committee, any alterations of the report filed by the Grievance Committee will be so noted in the grievant’s file.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-45
Presidential Review
After the case has been reviewed by the Grievance Committee, the grievant may request, within seven days, a full review by the President of the University. The President, at his/her discretion, may render a decision in writing within 21 days of receipt of such a request. Copies of this decision will be sent to each member of the Grievance Committee. Ordinarily, further formal internal provisions for review will not be considered.
Should the President decide that the grievance is justified and a remedy is to be awarded, the grievant will, before receiving any such remedy, execute a written agreement recognizing the remedy to be satisfactory and waiving any claims to causes of action arising out of the grievance.
Appeal to the Board of Trustees
All appeals to the Board will be carried out according to the procedures outlined under Access to the Board of Trustees.
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-46
Sample Faculty Grievance Form
(Note: This form is to be used only by members of the full-time instructional faculty who hold faculty status and who are on continued appointment. Please see the Faculty Handbook for complete information on grievance procedures and grievable issues).
Name of Grievant: Date: Mailing Address: Home Telephone #: Department/School: Campus Telephone #: Rank:
Date(s) Grievance Occurred:
Nature of Grievance:
Respondent(s): Relief Sought:
Attach a List of Witnesses/Relevant Documents to be Submitted:
Signature of Grievant:
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-47
[School of Communication Document] Nido R. Qubein School of Communication Plagiarism and Cheating Incident Report
STUDENT NAME AND ID #: FACULTY NAME:
DATE OF INCIDENT:
COURSE NUMBER AND NAME:
ASSIGNMENT:
DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT:
DECISION:
OPTION #1 Student accepts responsibility and report is forwarded to dean. If this is a first offense, the dean and faculty member may opt to retain the report in the dean’s office. If this is a second offense, the dean forwards this to the honor court. Student Signature
Date:
ACEJMC Standard 1 1-48
Faculty Signature
Date:
Dean Signature Date: OPTION #2 Student does not accept responsibility and report is forwarded to student honor court. Student Signature
Date:
Faculty Signature
Date:
Dean Signature Date: