NACC follows the faculty qualifications requirements outlined in the Alabama Community College System’s Board of Trustees Policy 605.02. The faculty member assigned teaching responsibility for each academic and technical course offered at NACC must document having the proper credentials and overall qualifications for the assigned discipline. The College President makes the final determination for appropriate faculty qualifications.
The institution uses the following guidelines and rationale when reviewing credentials, as published in the SACSCOC Faculty Credentials Guidelines (2018):
- Faculty teaching general education courses at the undergraduate level: doctorate or master’s degree in the teaching discipline or master’s degree with a concentration in the teaching discipline (a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline).
- Faculty teaching associate degree courses designed for transfer to a baccalaureate degree: doctorate or master’s degree in the teaching discipline or master’s degree with a concentration in the teaching discipline (a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline).
- Faculty teaching associate degree courses not designed for transfer to the baccalaureate degree: bachelor’s degree in the teaching discipline, or associate degree and demonstrated competencies in the teaching discipline.
- Overall qualifications: The College President may determine that appropriate qualifications other than those listed above can qualify a potential faculty member. Examples of other types of qualifications are appropriately related work experiences in the field; professional licensure and certifications related to the teaching assignment; honors and awards; continuing professional development; relevant peer-reviewed publications; and/or continuous documented excellence in teaching.
The College President will request special approval from the ACCS Chancellor to hire a faculty member with alternative qualifications.
Faculty Definitions
Full-time Faculty: Full-time faculty are appointed for a period of nine months (fall and spring semesters only) and can receive an additional appointment of three months if employed for the summer term. Some supervisory faculty are appointed for 12 months. Each full-time faculty works 35 hours per week and is assigned a credit load of 15-16 semester hours per term (12- 13 hours in summer term, when employed) or equivalent non-teaching assignments. The maximum contact hours per week for a full-time technical instructor may not exceed 30 hours. Full-time technical and academic faculty must maintain a weekly office schedule that includes five and ten hours per week, respectively, for student advisement and conferences. Full-time faculty are on duty for all instructional and faculty workdays, as indicated on the College calendar. Full-time faculty have the main responsibilities of instruction; assessing student performance and student learning outcomes; advising; and institutional assignments such as committee appointments and student organization sponsorships.
Adjunct Faculty: Adjunct faculty are employed on a part-time, per course basis for one semester at a time. The adjunct teaching load is no more than nine credit hours or 19 contact hours per semester. Adjunct faculty must either designate student conference time or offer arrangements for appointments, according to the needs of their students.
Faculty Credentials Review Procedures
- Full-time faculty credentials are reviewed during the hiring process. A completed Credentials Review Form with official transcripts for each degree earned and any other documentation required or associated with the discipline that demonstrates experience or expertise (e.g. licensure, certification) must be in the faculty member’s personnel file in order for the individual to teach as the instructor of record. Faculty personnel files are housed in the Office of the President for full-time faculty and adjunct faculty. This form and the documentation are typically completed during the hiring process but may be updated if teaching responsibilities change.
- Adjunct faculty credentials are required to meet the same credentialing standards as those for full-time faculty. These credentials are reviewed by the SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison and/or Human Resources Director before a Request for Employment of Adjunct Personnel can be submitted to the President. A completed Credentials Review Form with official transcripts for each degree earned and any other documentation required or associated with the discipline that demonstrates experience or expertise (e.g., licensure, certification) must be in the faculty member’s personnel file in order for the individual to teach as the instructor of record. Faculty personnel files are housed in the Office of the President for full-time faculty and adjunct faculty. This form and the documentation are typically completed during the hiring process but may be updated if teaching responsibilities change.