The Louisiana Board of Regents, in 2001, adopted the Master Plan for Public Postsecondary Education. In fulfillment of its mission as part of that Master Plan, Nicholls State University endorses the principle that all faculty meet necessary standards for academic and professional preparation. Additionally the University strives to meet all standards for faculty qualifications as established by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS-COC). The quality of faculty is documented in this report via faculty résumés [1] (type in username and password for links to faculty résumés) and the Roster of Instructional Staff [2]. Selecting qualified faculty is a vital part of the employment process.

Primary Consideration to Highest Degree Earned

The University gives primary consideration to the highest degree earned in the discipline for tenure-track faculty. The majority of those faculty not holding terminal degrees are instructors. Each instructor is hired with a one-year appointment. The one-year appointment is renewable but for only one year at a time. Faculties at the rank of instructor hold the master's degree and meet SACS-COC qualifications. Of the University's 285 (total) full-time faculty in fall 2004, 56.49 percent held the terminal degree [3]. Of the 192 full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty in the fall of 2004, 76 percent (146) held the terminal degree [4].

Competence, Effectiveness and Capacity Considerations of Faculty

To fill a vacated, existing position or in the creation of a new position, the department head must first complete a Request for Authorization to Begin Process for Filling Position (R-1) form [5]. After gaining approval, the department must then conduct the search. The SACS-COC criteria relating to faculty qualifications must be fully considered by the search committee and department heads when seeking to fill instructional positions at any level, as specified in Sections 2.4 [6] and 2.4.3 [7] of the University's Policy and Procedure Manual. The department head determines whether or not applicants are qualified by SACS-COC's stated Credential Guidelines or by letter of exception [8].

In order to be qualified by exception, the University considers competence, effectiveness, capacity, including as appropriate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications, and/or other demonstrated competencies and achievements. It should be noted that the majority of faculty hired by exception either have a master's degree and are slightly shy of the 18 hours of graduate course work or have greater than 18 hours of graduate course work but lack the master's degree. Sample letters of exceptions are available [9A, 9B]. Justifications for faculty qualified by exception can be found in column 4 of the Roster of Instructional Staff [2].

After completion of the search process, the committee then makes a recommendation for hiring to the University. Upon approval of the candidate by the administration, the department head must then complete a Request for Authorization of Employment (R-2) [10] and a Faculty Credentials Verification Checklist [11].

The hiring process for graduate assistants consists of a Graduate Assistant Application that, like other teaching position applications, must include transcripts, résumés, and three letters of recommendation, and a criminal background check. Teaching assistants should also satisfy SACS-COC faculty criteria to teach courses that are offered for college credit. Nicholls employs no graduate teaching assistants above the developmental level. Those who teach developmental courses are directly supervised by an experienced math professor, are required to complete Math 500 (Preparation for Teaching Developmental Mathematics), and are evaluated on a regular basis [12]. Hard copies of completed evaluations are on file in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.

Justification and Documentation of Faculty Qualifications

The University verifies that at least 25 percent of the discipline course hours in each undergraduate major are taught by faculty members holding the terminal degree in the discipline, unless otherwise indicated [13].

Rosters of instructional staff [2] are available for fall 2004 [14],spring 2005 [15], summer 2005 [16] and fall 2005 [17]. Each Roster lists courses taught in column 2 and faculty qualifications in column 3. When appropriate, column 4 is used to document and verify qualifications other than undergraduate and graduate degrees that, in the University's estimation, qualify the individual to teach the courses noted.

Each department head is responsible for corroborating with his or her faculty to verify that the Roster remains accurate and correct. The Roster is returned, with any necessary changes, to the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research each academic semester.

Nicholls State University accepts full responsibility for justifying and documenting these qualifications. The University follows set procedures that serve as internal accountability checks, ensuring adherence to faculty standards for qualifications. The checks include completion of forms listed above and the requirement that all original transcripts be sent directly from respective universities to Nicholls' Human Resources department or to the department conducting the search. The transcripts cannot be hand delivered by the applicant. For all applicants, the department head must complete the checklist included on the R-2 form acknowledging receipt of official applications for employment, résumés, and official transcripts from all institutions attended. Three letters of reference are also required. Official transcripts for all faculty members are kept on file in the Office of Human Resources. As noted previously, faculty résumés are also available for review in this document [1].