Faculty Credentials & Qualifications
Title:
Faculty Credentials & Qualifications Policy
Effective Date:
August 30, 2023
Responsible Office:
Institutional Accreditation and Effectiveness
Last Updated:
First Version
I. Scope
This policy applies to William & Mary as a whole university, including the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (collectively, “the university”). It is applicable to all individuals who serve as instructor of record at W&M, including but not limited to all tenured/tenure-eligible faculty and all full-time and part-time non-tenure eligible faculty. The W&M Faculty Qualifications Manual provides specifics regarding what constitutes an instructor of record at W&M.
The policy does not apply to individuals within these groups who do not serve, have not served, or are not anticipated to serve as instructor of record for one or more courses taught for W&M credit.
II. Purpose and Policy Statement
The purpose of this policy is to ensure compliance with faculty qualifications and credentialing requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the Virginia Administrative Code 8VAC40-31-140(D). The policy details requirements for ensuring that all faculty are suitably qualified to teach courses that they are assigned to teach, as well as requirements for documenting and maintaining documentation of faculty credentials and qualifications.
III. Definitions
Faculty means the instructor of record as defined in the W&M Faculty Qualifications Manual. This word is inclusive of individuals serving in that type of role, regardless of whether they officially have “faculty” status at W&M.
Credentials means the appropriate official documentation of degree(s) earned (i.e., transcripts), and international credential evaluations, and translations of transcripts that are prepared in languages other than English.
Suitably qualified means, at minimum, maintaining compliance with the qualification requirements outlined in the W&M Faculty Qualifications Manual.
IV. Policy
A. Faculty and instructors of record must be suitably qualified to teach W&M courses.
B. Each school-level academic unit must establish their own written procedures for receiving, evaluating, and maintaining credentials, including official copies of transcripts. These procedures must meet the minimum requirements of the W&M Faculty Qualifications Manual. Upon request, school-level academic units will provide to IAE and/or the Office of Provost documentation and information relating to faculty credentialing and qualification, including but not limited to: copies of official transcripts, copies of written procedures required above, and/or any additional information/documentation relating to alternate (i.e., non-degree) qualifications.
C. Deans’ offices shall ensure the use of appropriate criteria for evaluating credentials prior to hiring or certifying the qualifications of all faculty instructors of record and shall maintain documentation (including official transcripts) of all degrees qualifying the individual to teach their assigned courses. This applies regardless of tenure, rank, or compensation to all instructors of W&M credit-bearing courses. Degree credentials used as justification for teaching assignments must have been awarded by an institution accredited by a Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)-recognized institutional accrediting agency or by an international institution with an accreditation recognized by that country’s Ministry of Education or equivalent. Deans’ offices shall ensure compliance with these requirements during the annual faculty verification process for the Office of the Provost.
D. Deans’ offices bear primary responsibility for: (1) evaluating faculty qualifications in accordance with the standards of each particular field; (2) ensuring (in advance of the beginning of the term) that faculty are suitably qualified to teach courses to which they are assigned; and (3) documenting qualifications. Deans’ offices shall ensure that all evaluations of qualifications are completed in a manner consistent with the requirements of the W&M Faculty Qualifications Manual, SACSCOC, and other relevant bodies (e.g., specialized accrediting agencies).
E. All instructors shall provide, in a timely fashion, to the dean’s office of their primary academic department/program official copies of all appropriate documentation of their credentials in accordance with this policy. The faculty member/instructor shall provide international evaluations of credentials for any international degrees, as well as certified third-party translations of transcripts and other documents that are not in English. Deans’ offices are responsible for ensuring all required documentation is received and for maintaining that documentation.
F. In most cases, faculty/instructors should not begin teaching until official documentation of their credentials has been received by the school/academic unit according to the relevant procedures and an assessment of their qualifications has been completed. In last-minute hire situations, deans’ offices shall ensure the faculty member is qualified based upon information provided by the faculty member and shall require an official transcript (and other credentials or documentation as needed) be submitted forthwith. Upon receipt, deans’ offices shall confirm the qualifications of the individual.
G. When requested, deans’ offices shall submit additional information to justify and document the qualifications of faculty, using processes and procedures established by IAE and the Office of the Provost. Deans’ offices shall ensure that faculty course assignments and any requested justifications are consistent with the W&M Faculty Qualifications Manual and the requirements of SACSCOC.
H. The Office of the Provost and IAE shall ensure that reasonable and appropriate justifications of alternate credentialing are provided by deans’ offices as needed to clarify or explain an individual’s suitability to teach a particular course or within a particular discipline. IAE shall provide interpretation of SACSCOC policies and the W&M Faculty Qualifications Manual.
V. Enforcement; Complaints, Grievances, or Appeals
Deans of schools/primary academic units are expected to ensure that their units remain in compliance with this policy.
VI. Authority and Amendment, Implementation
This policy is approved by the Executive Leadership Team in accordance with the Policies & Procedures on Creating and Maintaining Whole University Policies.
VII. Related Documents
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges: Faculty Credentials Guidelines
