CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
All members of the faculty are entitled to academic freedom as defined in the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure formulated by the Association of American Colleges and the American Association of University Professors, the text of which follows.
As this statement makes clear, the protections of academic freedom afforded faculty are limited and specific.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records, rights which transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students." Certain provisions of this act apply to classroom management, specifically the privacy of student grades.
Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record. FERPA does allow schools to disclose those records, without consent, to School officials with legitimate educational interest.
Instructors must distribute a syllabus to each student in their classes at the beginning of each semester and give one to the appropriate chair. Departmental syllabi developed by the faculty in that discipline contain descriptions of the course content, which must be directly linked to the catalog course description, and expectations of the students. These departmental syllabi can be individualized with specific information.
Components which are required for each syllabus are indicated with an asterisk (*).
Components of a Syllabus [ Official San Antonio College Syllabus Format ]
Policies on previewing, selection, ordering, etc. of course textbooks are determined on a departmental basis.
A student enrolling at San Antonio College assumes an obligation to conduct him/herself in a manner compatible with the college's function as an educational institution.
Any recognized misconduct, violation of regulations, or socially unacceptable behavior of students or non-students is subject to administrative disciplinary action by the President or his / her designee, action by a student-faculty disciplinary review committee, or possible arrest and charge by authorized campus or other peace officers of the city or state.
Specific disciplinary responsibilities of institutional officials, classification of offenses and sanctions appropriate to each disciplinary offense, and disciplinary procedures are set forth in the official Student Code of Conduct published in the San Antonio College Bulletin.
The San Antonio College Student Handbook outlines the following grievance procedures:
The College Health Center is located in the CAC ( Chance Academic Center ) Room 119. The telephone number is 733-2790. A nurse is available during the following hours:
If the nurse is not available, call the campus police at 222 -0911. If the emergency is serious, call 9-1-1 ( greater San Antonio area emergency telephone number ).
With detailed campus and building maps, this document notes "the procedures for responding to an emergency situation," and provides instructions for dealing with various types of campus-wide emergencies.
Formal faculty advisement varies by discipline. All faculty have a responsibility to advise individual students on their academic progress and methods of improvement in the course in which they are enrolled. District Procedures specify that faculty "should maintain a posted minimum of ten office hours a week..." [ See Teaching Faculty Position Description: Duties & Responsibilities - DDA LOCAL [ ACCD Procedures ]
E-Campus faculty need to be accessible to their students through on-campus or online office hours. The office hour schedule should be published in an online format that is easily available to the students and which accommodates their needs. The office hour schedule should comply with the policies of the college and the department in which the individual instructor teaches.
Faculty are required to administer final examinations and to administer those final examinations during the time period listed in the college bulletin.
Faculty who know they will be missing a class session need to arrange for substitution beforehand. Substitution lists are maintained at the departmental level. Full-time faculty substitution pay is covered by the district. Adjunct substitution pay is not.
Substitute faculty for an Internet class must be certified.
Guest speakers for individual classes are at the discretion of the faculty member, keeping in mind that the speaker needs to be germane to the course content and educational purpose. Speakers who receive honoraria or remuneration are subject to the rules outlined by the District purchasing office.
Disruptive behavior means behavior that interferes with normal academic functions. Examples include persistent interruption of other speakers, behavior that distracts the class from the subject matter or discussion, physical threats, harassing behavior or personal insults, or refusal to comply with faculty direction. Expression of disagreement with the course instructor is not in itself disruptive and is not prohibited. Although disruptive students may have emotional or mental disorders protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, they are held to the same standards of conduct as other students.
A faculty member may ask a student to leave the classroom or other academic site, dismiss the class, and/or call the campus police if the faculty member deems it necessary. For detailed information on dealing with disruptive students, consult the Guidelines for Assisting Students in Emotional Distress and Responding to Disruptive Behavior. Additional resources on assisting students in distress can be found at Important Documents & Resources - Campus Violence.
Any student objecting to being removed from the classroom may file a complaint as outlined in the
Student Non-Academic Grievance Procedures noted above. For additional information, see the following ACCD Board policies:
An employee who conceives, creates, discovers, invents, or develops intellectual property may own or be awarded any amount of equity interest or participation in, or, if approved by the Board, serve as a member of the board of directors or other governing board or as an officer or an employee of, a business entity that has an agreement with the state or a political subdivision of the state relating to the research, development, licensing, or exploitation of that intellectual property without creating a conflict of interest.
Such an employee shall report to the appropriate person or persons at the College the name of the business entity in which the person has an interest or for which the person serves as a director, officer, or employee.
The Board shall include in the appropriate annual report required by Education Code 51.005 the information provided to it under this requirement during the preceding fiscal year.
On July 14, 2000, the College Academic Council adopted a document entitled
The Internet and Intellectual Property.
The SAC Online Advisory Committee will periodically review Internet courses that have already been developed to ensure that they comply with established criteria, e.g. the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These criteria can be identified at the following site: < http://www.accd.edu/sac/itic/intcoord/inet/criteria.rtf >. For additional information, consult Online / Blended Course Development.
When ACCD property is needed off campus to conduct official business for the District, the requesting official must submit an approved
"Off Campus Property Request Form"
to the District Inventory Control Manager before the property is removed from its assigned location. This form must be signed by the requestor and approved by the PROPERTY CUSTODIAN and the next level administrator. The requestor is responsible for the care and security of the property while it is off campus, and for ensuring that it will be used solely to perform official ACCD business. Once the property is returned to its permanent location, the District Inventory Control Manager must be notified by the requestor so the item can be removed from the ACCD Inventory Control suspense file. THE PERSONAL USE OF ACCD EQUIPMENT IS PROHIBITED REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ON OR OFF CAMPUS.
Source: ACCD Inventory Control Guidelines - Revised May 2000
Last Modified: Friday, August 22, 2008
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