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Faculty

Faculty/Staff Handbook
Human Resources - Faculty
________________________________________

Employment
   Appointment
        Salary
        Transfer,Assignment and Reduction Procedures
        Termination
   Commencement
   Consulting/Private Practice
   Distinguished Faculty Award
   Faculty Bargaining Unit – Council of Higher Education (COHE)
   Faculty Evaluation/Appendix F Review
   Course Evaluation
   Faculty Leave
         Sabbaticals/Faculty Improvement Leave
   Faculty Participation in Policy Formulation
   Faculty Senate
   Graduate Council
   Graduate Faculty
   Grievance Procedure – Faculty Grievance
   Rank, Promotion & Tenure
       Promotion & Tenure
        Promotion
        Tenure
   Personnel Records – Faculty
   Policies
   Private Consulting

Management of Courses by Faculty
     Syllabus
     General Education Requirements
     Undergraduate Research
     Service-Learning
     Grading
          Student Academic Evaluation
     Grievance Procedure
     Academic Honesty/Plagiarism
     University Sponsored Activities Policy
     ADA Statement
     Academic Freedom & Responsibility
     Curriculum Changes/Course Changes
     Disruptive Behavior
     Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
     Final Exam Policy
     Office Hours
     Office Supplies
     Ordering Book
     Printing Services
     Sick Days/Absence from Class
     Special Courses
     Web Course Management

Advising by Faculty
     General Education & the CAAP Exam
     Pre-General Education Courses
     Information Literacy Test
     Program Evaluation or Degree Audit
     Student Overloads
     Exit Exams
     Praxis
     Requirements for Graduation
     Center for Academic Success
     Changing Majors/Minors/Advisors
     Holds
     Honors Program

Services Provided by the University for Students
   Admissions
   Career Center
   Child Care
   Counseling Center
   Disability Services
   Educational Outreach Programs
   Health Services
   Mathematics Assistance Center
   Resgistrar
   Student Assistance Center
   Veterans Affairs
   Writing Center

Employment

A complete description of faculty policies including rank, promotion and tenure, grievance procedures, etc., can be found in the COHE Agreement, as well as Chapter 4 of the Board of Regents Policy Manual.

Appointment
Faculty members shall receive a term, tenure-track, or tenure contract offer signed by the President for each year they are employed. Contracts are issued in accordance with the BOR/COHE agreement. The faculty member shall have twenty calendar days to accept the offer and it must be approved by the Board of Regents before it becomes binding. (See BOR Policy 4:1)

Salary: Salary matters are covered in the BOR/COHE Contract.

Transfer, Assignment and Reduction Procedures: General provisions regarding faculty transfers, assignment and/or reassignment of faculty, and faculty unit member reduction procedures are contained in the BOR/COHE Agreement. The agreement also defines special conditions pertaining to federally funded positions.

Termination: For information concerning procedures for termination for cause, refer to the BOR/COHE Agreement.

Commencement
Faculty members are required to participate in the annual fall and spring Commencement activities and are expected to wear appropriate academic apparel. Faculty not able to participate due to legitimate University related activities must seek written approval from the Vice President for Academic Affairs prior to Commencement.

Consulting/Private Practice
Faculty members who wish to engage in private practice, private consulting, additional teaching or research, or other activity for which additional compensation is received during the faculty member's contract period, and excepting as next provided, will not contract to devote more than four days per month on such activity if said activity requires the faculty member's absence from duties. Such consultation and related activity privileges shall be cumulative to a maximum of six days, with all accumulated time to terminate with the end of the faculty member's contract period. The activity for which the individual is released must be substantially and significantly related to assigned duties. Such activity must promote state and local economic development or must benefit the professional discipline and development of the individual, all as shall be determined by the institutional chief executive officer under such guidelines and restrictions as are established from time to time by the Board. Release time will also be subject to the following conditions:

The faculty member must:

1. Apply in writing to the President, or designee, on a "Request to Engage in Private Practice/Consulting Form" for written approval prior to engaging in such activity or contracting to do so;
2. Report to the President the activity, duration of the activity, and the number of hours which were devoted to the additional activity;
3. Limit and restrict such activity so that it does not interfere with assigned responsibilities;
4. Reimburse BHSU for any institutional space, equipment, personnel, and materials used for such additional activity
5. If the activity is not for additional compensation, the consulting form need not be filed – only a travel request is needed.
(See BOR Policy 4:19)

Distinguished Faculty Award
The purpose of the Distinguished Faculty Award is to encourage and reward outstanding teaching and professional dedication by faculty members of Black Hills State University.
Professional dedication includes:

1. Contributions to the campus community and society
2. Research, scholarship, and other creative endeavors
3. Exceptional service to students

One award shall be given each year. Other candidates who do not receive the award shall be acknowledged. The recognition will include the following items:

1. Acknowledgement of the distinguished faculty member at the annual university commencement with a presentation of a plaque and an invitation to speak.
2. News releases
3. A monetary gift shall be awarded to the recipient. This will include a $500 check; a one-time $500 scholarship in his/her name in his/her department, the recipient to be chosen by the distinguished faculty member; and a weekend and dinner for two.

Selection Criteria: A committee chaired by the vice-president of the Faculty Senate consisting of the Senate vice-president and four other faculty as appointed by the appointments committee will review nominations. The nominations shall be evaluated according to these criteria:

1. The recipient shall be a faculty member whose primary assignment is teaching. He/she will have taught a minimum of 36 hours during the past 3 years.
2. The recipient shall show excellence in one or more of these areas: teaching; contribution to the campus community and society; research, scholarship, and other creative endeavors; and exceptional service to students.

Nomination Procedure: There shall be a written open ballot administered in each college. A faculty Senate representative shall distribute and collect ballots for each college. Individual nominations are also encouraged and this option shall be noted on the ballot. The ballots will be returned to the Distinguished Faculty Award Committee.

A brief one-page nomination form and a minimum of two support letters are required for each nomination.

Selection procedure: Final selection of the recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Award Committee will occur by the third Friday of March. The committee will review the nominations and forward their decision to the Faculty Senate by the third week of April. Public announcement will be made by Monday of finals week. (Revised January 1997)

Faculty Bargaining Unit: Council of Higher Education (COHE)
The Council of Higher Education (COHE), an affiliate of the South Dakota Education Association and the National Education Association, is the faculty bargaining unit for the system. While membership in COHE is voluntary, all full time teaching faculty are governed by the terms of a contract negotiated between COHE and the South Dakota Board of Regents. The contract, referred to as the BOR/COHE Agreement, sets forth the parties’ agreement on rates of pay, wages, hours of employment, and other conditions of employment for all system faculty. A copy of the BOR/COHE agreement is provided to each faculty member at the time of employment or when the agreement is amended or replaced by a new agreement. For details concerning these items, refer to the BOR/COHE Contract. It can be found on the Board of Regents Website:

http://www.ris.sdbor.edu/policies_initiatives/univfacubagree.htm.

Faculty Leave
Provisions pertaining to faculty leaves are contained in the BOR/COHE Agreement and Board of Regents Policy Manual, Section 4:15 at the SD BOR website. All faculty absences due to attendance at conferences, conventions, etc., shall be reported to the appropriate dean. Emergency absences due to illness, usage of personal leave, or absences for other personal reasons shall be reported to the College or department office by completing the appropriate forms. Forms are available in the Dean’s Office and from the HR office in Woodburn 201. Deans shall report all absences to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

For additional information concerning sick leave, personal leave, annual leave, military leave, jury leave, sabbatical improvement and career redirection leaves, leave of absence without pay, unauthorized absence, family medical leave, etc., please see the General Human Resources Section in this Handbook or contact the Human Resources Office at 642-6549.

Sabbaticals/Faculty Improvement Leave
A faculty unit member may apply for sabbatical leave after six (6) or more consecutive years of full-time employment in the system, and for faculty member improvement or career redirection leave after three consecutive years of full-time employment. The total number of sabbaticals granted for the semester and/or the year by the institution may not exceed 5% of the total FTE faculty for that year. Faculty members are not allowed to accept overload or extension contracts from the institution or work on other grants outside of the sabbatical. Applications for sabbatical leave should be submitted in accordance with the current BOR-COHE Contract.
1. Complete applications will include the following information:

A. Filled in Request for sabbatical/educational leave form (available in the college office or online), which will include
• The proposed dates of the leave,
• A brief summary of the leave request,
• A full description of the proposed leave plan,
• Your preparation to do the work of the sabbatical,
• The relation of the project to your long-range professional objectives,
• And the proposed arrangements for financial support;
B. A current Curriculum Vitae;
C. A signed statement of understanding of the expectations and requirements for sabbatical leave in the BOR-COHE Contract (statement is part of the application form);
D. An evaluation of the merit of the proposal by a supervisor, e.g. Department Chair or College Dean. You may also add the evaluation of a colleague who could assess the value of the work to be done.
E. The supervisor must also complete the last page of the application, which includes
• An analysis of the plan,
• A statement about institutional plans to meet employee duties during the leave,
• Current and estimated leave salaries,
• And a plan for salary savings.
F. The last page should be signed by the Department Chair and College Dean

2. Complete applications must be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs by November 15th. The Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs shall deliver all complete applications to the Vice President of the Faculty Senate by the first working day in December.
3. Applications will be considered by the Faculty Senate during the regularly scheduled December meeting.
4. Applicants may be invited to testify orally on their own behalf at the time their application is considered.
5. Qualified applications receiving a majority vote of the members of the Faculty Senate in attendance will be approved for recommendation to the Provost & Vice-President of Academic Affairs. The President makes the final campus decision to award sabbaticals and forwards the applications to the South Dakota Board of Regents.
6. Within six weeks of return from professional leave, the person granted leave will report his/her activities to the President of Black Hills State University in writing.
7. All faculty receiving sabbatical leave are required to return to the institution granting the leave for at least two academic years of full-time service or to refund the full salary and institutional costs of fringe benefits received while on leave.
8. It shall be the responsibility of the Vice President of the Faculty Senate to perform the following duties:

• Publish this policy;
• Receive applications from the Vice President of Academic Affairs;
• Distribute completed applications to the members of the Faculty Senate a minimum of five working days prior to the regularly scheduled December meeting of the Faculty Senate;
• Inform qualified applicants of the date, time and place of the Faculty Senate meeting at which sabbatical applications will be considered;
• Give Faculty Senate recommendations to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

9. The burden of making a timely and complete application will rest with the applicant. If an unforeseen opportunity arises later in the year, however, a late application may be submitted for review.
10. This policy is published in the first Campus Currents at the beginning of each academic year.
11. Procedures are outlined in the BOR Policy 4:15 and COHE Agreement, Section XXI.

Faculty Participation in Policy Formulation
Faculty participation in administrative policy formulation and decision making is accomplished through representation on the Faculty Senate. All colleges are represented by elected representatives. The Senate through its recommendations advises the Academic Affairs and the University President, particularly on matters of instructional programming.

Faculty Professional Organizations
Kappa Delta Pi, educational fraternity; and Phi Delta Kappa, a professional fraternity in education, maintain campus chapters. In addition, Delta Kappa Gamma has a Black Hills Chapter to which many faculty women belong, and the American Association of University Women maintains an organization in Spearfish made up of faculty members and other eligible residents of the Spearfish community.

Faculty Senate
The Black Hills State University Faculty Senate is an elected body through which the faculty expresses its concern for the welfare of the university and university improvement, stimulates communication, contributes to the formation of general university policy, and performs those duties and functions especially allocated to or assumed by the faculty, subject to the limitations imposed by the laws of the state of South Dakota, the president of the university, and the Council of Higher Education (COHE)-Board of Regent (BOR) Contract.

The Board of Regents charges the president of the university with full responsibility for the operation of the university. It is only through her willingness to delegate certain authority that the faculty can enter into administrative areas. For this reason, the faculty and the Faculty Senate recognize that she must necessarily retain veto powers over faculty and Faculty Senate jurisdiction in order to carry out her responsibilities to the Board of Regents of the State of South Dakota.

The Faculty Senate operates under a constitution which has been ratified by the faculty as a whole. A copy of the Faculty Senate Constitution is available on the university website.

Graduate Council
The graduate council is composed of elected faculty representatives, graduate students, and administration. It is charged with representing graduate issues on the BHSU Campus. The Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, chairs the graduate council, the contact number is 642-6093.

Graduate Faculty
A new or non-graduate faculty member may apply for graduate faculty status at any time. Membership in the graduate faculty may be achieved in the following manner:

Step 1 - Faculty applicants should assemble a packet of materials indicating why he/she should be granted graduate faculty status and whether he/she meets the following minimum requirements, which are as follows:

a. Holds an earned doctorate or an earned terminal degree from an accredited educational institution or possesses exceptional expertise;
b. Evidence of teaching and/or research capability;
c. Other evidence which would substantiate the request to be granted graduate status.

Step 2 - This packet, with a letter of interest, shall be forwarded to his/her college dean. If the dean approves of the request, then he/she shall forward it with a letter of recommendation to the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs who oversees graduate studies.
Step 3 - The Associate VPAA shall review the packet and may ask for recommendation of the membership of the Graduate Council. Once this has been done, a recommendation will be made and the complete package will be forwarded to the Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs, who will forward the packet to the President for final action.

Grievance Procedure – Faculty Grievance
Provisions for the grievance procedure are itemized in the BOR/COHE Agreement. (See BOR Policy 4:7)

Personnel Records - Faculty
A single official personnel file will be maintained on each faculty member at a central location designated by the President. Faculty personnel files are housed in the Academic Vice President’s Office.

Faculty shall have access to their personnel and business record files, exclusive of confidential pre-employment placement credentials, during normal business hours and may request copies, at their own cost, of the contents of the file. For more information, refer to the COHE Agreement, Section XVII.

Policies

Drug Free Workplace
Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy Statement
Search and Screen Policies and Procedures
Sexual Harassment Policy
Tobacco Policy

See the Human Resources General section of this handbook.

Rank, Promotion and Tenure
Rank, promotion, and tenure policies and procedures are established in the BOR/COHE agreement. Each college or department has adopted standards for achieving promotion and tenure. When a faculty member is applying for promotion and/or tenure, they should write their application using those standards to explain why they should be promoted and/or tenured. For more information on the various standards documents, the individual should contact the appropriate department chair.
The promotion and tenure process adopted by the Black Hills State University Promotion and Tenure Committee (revised in 1995 and 1997) are available in the offices of the college deans and/or in the Office of Academic Affairs in Woodburn 218.

Promotion and Tenure
Each College/Department adopted standards for faculty to use and reference when writing the annual appendix F review, and/or applying for promotion and/or tenure. Faculty can obtain this document from the appropriate department chair.

Promotion
The Black Hills State University Promotion and Tenure Committee has adopted the following promotion process. All promotion candidates are required to submit up-to-date information in a prescribed manner, and review levels are required to forward applicant’s packets in a particular order. Candidates are responsible for updating their curriculum vita and the materials which support their application for promotion. Faculty should reference Appendix G (in the BOR-COHE Contract):

http://www.ris.sdbor.edu/policies_initiatives/univfacubagree.htm By the time a candidate’s application reaches the institutional committee, it should include the following in order and clearly labeled as such:

1. A letter stating the candidate’s application and reasons that he or she should be granted promotion.
2. A curriculum vita: a short summary of one’s career including courses taught at Black Hills State University in the past and those currently being taught.
3. Evidence of the applicant’s performance. This evidence should be well organized and clearly labeled according to the following categories:

A. Teaching

1. Dean’s or Chair’s narrative summaries of student opinion surveys
2. All Appendix F’s completed since employment with BHSU
3. Course syllabi for each different course taught since employment with BHSU
4. Any other evidence about teaching performance (Reference Appendix G)

B. Scholarship and Creative Activity

1. Major areas of research interest
2. Publications (complete bibliographical information and inclusive pages)

a) In Print

(1) Books
(2) Chapters in books and articles in refereed journals, refereed bulletins, and refereed proceedings
(3) Other publications (e.g., compositions, essays, etc.)

b) Accepted for publication
c) c. Submitted for publication

3. Other scholarly/creative/artistic contributions (e.g., performances, exhibits, etc.)
4. Papers presented at professional meetings (name of organization, location, and dates)
5. Awards, prizes, lectureships which show recognition of scholarly/creative achievement
6. Contributions to juried or refereed publications (e.g., editorships, associate editorships, referee)
7. Grants and contracts funded (source, funds, dates, other pertinent information)
8. Other evidence of scholarly/creative activity (reference Appendix G)

C. Service (For greater explanation of this category, reference Appendix G)

1. Service to the Institution
2. Service to the Discipline or Profession
3. Service to the Community, State, Region, Nation, and World.
4. A supplementary packet may be submitted if the candidate so desires. This should be labeled ‘supplementary’ and might include reprints of articles (or books), citations, etc. The candidate may also include letters of support from former students, reports of the dean or other classroom visitations, statistical summaries of student opinion surveys, and additional material that demonstrates his/her level of performance. The institutional committee discourages the inclusion of material that relates only peripherally to an applicant’s candidacy such as marital status, number of children, sports, non-professional club and church membership, and letters of support related thereto.

The above, with an appropriate cover sheet, will constitute the candidate’s official packet supporting his/her application for promotion and should be submitted to the Dean of the College.

5. The respective recommendation, including the rationale for the decision of the College Committee and Dean. The Dean shall include in the recommendation a statement of the applicant’s performance level in each of the following categories: teaching and advising, scholarship and creative activity, and service. The dean will justify the performance level assigned. (Revised: Spring 1995, Spring 1997)

Tenure
Historically, tenure is a system which requires that personnel decisions be made on the basis of professional competence, thus serving as a check on the use of arbitrary, nonprofessional practices in the decision-making process. It guarantees the right of competent faculty members to employment, and the right of higher education institutions to determine competence. It requires a probationary faculty member to demonstrate competence before tenure is awarded.

With this in mind, the Black Hills State University Promotion and Tenure Committee adopted the following tenure process: All tenure candidates are required to submit up-to-date information in a prescribed manner, and review levels are required to forward the applicant’s packets in a particular order. Candidates are responsible for updating their curriculum vita and the materials which support their application for tenure. Faculty should reference Appendix G (attached to form). By the time a candidate’s application reaches the institutional committee, it should include the following in order and clearly labeled as such:

1. A letter stating the candidate’s application and reasons that he or she should be granted tenure.
2. A curriculum vita: a short summary of one’s career including courses taught at Black Hills State University in the past and those currently being taught.
3. Evidence of the applicant’s performance. This evidence should be well organized and clearly labeled according to the following categories:

A. Teaching

B. Scholarship and Creative Activity

1. Major areas of research interest
2. Publications (complete bibliographical information and inclusive pages)

a) In Print

(1) Books
(2) Chapters in books and articles in refereed journals, refereed bulletins, and refereed proceedings
(3) Other publications (e.g., compositions, essays, etc.)

b) Accepted for publication
c) Submitted for publication

C. Service (For greater explanation of this category, reference Appendix G)

1. Service to the Institution
2. Service to the Discipline or Profession
3. Service to the Community, State, Region, Nation, and World.
4. A supplementary packet may be submitted if the candidate so desires. This should be labeled ‘supplementary’ and might include reprints of articles (or books), citations, etc. The candidate may also include letters of support from former students, reports of the dean or other classroom visitations, statistical summary of student opinion surveys, and additional material that demonstrates his/her level of performance. The institutional committee discourages the inclusion of material that relates only peripherally to an applicant’s candidacy such as marital status, number of children, sports, non-professional club and church membership, and letters of support related thereto.

The above, with an appropriate cover sheet, will constitute the candidate’s official packet supporting his/her application for tenure and should be submitted to the Dean of the College. (Revised: Spring 1995, Spring 1997)

Management of Courses by Faculty

Syllabus: The framework for the syllabus has been established as a system wide mandate of the Academic Affairs Officers. A syllabus is required for each course that must be distributed to the students during the first week of classes. A copy must also be submitted to the appropriate dean’s office. The format for the syllabus is outlined below:

Format for Course Syllabus
University Name
Course Prefix, Number, Title, Credit Hours
University Name
Academic Term, Year

Course Meeting Time and Location
Instructor’s Contact Information
Name
Office location
Office hours
Office phone number
Email address

Course Description
Catalogue description
Additional course description (optional)

Course Prerequisites
Previous courses/experience
Technology skills
Description of Instructional Methods

Course Requirements
Required textbook(s) and other materials
Supplementary materials
Class attendance policy
Cheating and plagiarism policy
Make-up policy

Course Goals
BOR System General Education Goal(s), as required.
Institutional General Education Goal (s), when applicable.
Writing Intensive Goal, when applicable.
Global Issues Goal, when applicable.
Student Learning Outcomes in measurable terms.
Evaluation Procedures of Learning Outcomes
Assessments - Tests, projects, assignments, etc.

Performance standards/grading policy
ADA Statement (verbatim quote must be included in each course syllabus)
Reasonable accommodations, as arranged through the Disabilities Services Coordinator, will be provided for students with documented disabilities. Contact the BHSU Disabilities Services Coordinator at 642-6099 for more information.

Academic Freedom and Responsibility (verbatim quote must be included in each course syllabus)

Freedom in learning. Under Board of Regents and University policy student academic performance may be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled. Students who believe that an academic evaluation reflects prejudiced or capricious consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards should contact their college dean to initiate a review of the evaluation.

Tentative Course Outline/Schedule of Leaning Activities

General Education Requirements & Goals:
Effective Fall 1999, the System General Education Requirements were established by the SD Board of Regents.

These require all students to successfully complete a total of 30 credit hours across the liberal arts curriculum. In addition, BHSU determined 11 credits as Institutional General Education Requirements. Consequently, all degree programs require a total of 41 credits of general education. In the fall of 2005, BHSU added an intensive writing requirement, a global awareness requirement for graduation in each undergraduate degree program.

Likewise, all syllabi for system general education courses must include the applicable general education goals. General education goals and qualifying general education classes can be found in the 2009-2010 Academic Catalog, pages 96-117 and on the BHSU website www.bhsu.edu/catalog.

Undergraduate Research
Black Hills State University values and supports undergraduate research and creative activity. Faculty in all disciplines are encouraged to involve students whenever appropriate in inquiry-based learning in and out of the classroom.

Through the challenge of conducting mentored research or creating art uniquely their own, undergraduates learn how new ideas are developed and tested in their respective disciplines to gain confidence in their own knowledge and ability to contribute meaningfully to society.

The Black Hills Research Symposium is an annual campus event that showcases the faculty-mentored scholarship of BHSU students. Usually held in late March, the symposium is open to those in all disciplines.

Black Hills State University is also a member of the National Council on Undergraduate Research. Students who have completed or are presently conducting faculty-mentored scholarship can apply to present at this organization’s annual conference. Those who are chosen through NCUR’s competitive selection process can receive financial support to attend. Contact the Black Hills Research Symposium Committee for more information on both of these events.

Service-Learning
Black Hills State University is a member of the Midwest Consortium for Service-Learning in Higher Education. As such, it values and supports service-learning as an integrated form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs together with structured opportunities for reflection to achieve desired learning outcomes. Faculty members are encouraged to use academic service-learning as a pedagogy that integrates service in the community with academic courses to meet specific learning goals for students. AmeriCorps*VISTA supports academic service-learning through mini-grants for faculty to apply for funds to integrate community service across the curriculum. Their office is located on the third floor of the Student Union 223. Call 642-6471 for more information about the Community-University-Resource-Exchange (C-U-R-E) grant to support the integration of service-learning across the academic curriculum and the university campus.

Grading
For a full description of grading see the Academic Catalog on the BHSU website www.bhsu.edu/catalog.

To briefly summarize, the University uses the BOR system of an A through F structure with the following criteria:
A: Exceptional
B: Above Average
C: Average
D: Lowest Passing Grade
F: Failure

Incomplete (I) or In progress (IP): An incomplete or in progress grade can only be assigned when a number of conditions are met, see the 2008-2009 Academic Catalog. A “Notice of In Progress or Incomplete Form” must be prepared by the faculty member and submitted to the Records Office. Contact April Meeker, Registrar at 642-6567 if you have questions.

Assigning Grades: All grades are assigned on-line using WebAdvisor. The Records Office provides training for faculty to enter their grades online through Web Advisor. A deficient academic progress report is done at Midterm. Faculty are responsible for assigning a “DEF” to those students no later than three working days after the Midterm date for Fall and Springs semesters. Final grades are due on the third day following the last final exam.

Changing a Grade: Grades may be changed if a student has completed an “In Progress,” or when an error has been made by the faculty member in assigning the initial grade. Forms are available in the Records Office or in the Deans’ Offices.

Student Academic Evaluation Grievance Procedure: BHSU has established the following procedure to review student allegations that an academic evaluation was tainted by prejudiced or capricious consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards. This process shall prohibit retaliation against persons who initiate appeals or who participate in the review of appeals. All parties will adhere to the provisions for confidentiality required in such a process.

Step 1 -- The student should first attempt to resolve the problem with the instructor involved.

Step 2 -- If the problem is not resolved by the action taken in Step 1, the grievant must present a written grievance at the lowest administrative level having authority to dispose of the grievance (usually the department chair). The grievance must be filed within 10 working days of the date on which the incident, situation, or circumstance occurred. The administrator upon receiving the grievance will investigate the matter in a thorough and appropriate manner and respond to the grievant within 10 working days.

Step 3 -- If the grievance is not resolved at Step 2, the grievant may formally grieve to the administrator at the next level (usually the college dean). That administrator will conduct an appropriate and thorough investigation of the alleged incident, situation, or circumstance, and prepare a decision on the grievance within 15 working days of the date of receipt of the Step 3 grievance. The grievant may be notified in person or by certified mail regarding this decision.

Step 4 -- If the grievance is not resolved at Step 3, the grievant may formally grieve to the BHSU Academic Standards Committee within 10 working days of the notification to the student as to the decision rendered in the previous step. The Committee will conduct an appropriate and thorough investigation of the alleged incident, situation, or circumstance and prepare a recommendation for the Vice President of Academic Affairs within 20 working days of the receipt of the Step 4 grievance. Within twenty days after the recommendation, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall notify the grievant in person or by certified mail regarding his/her decision. Adopted by BHSU 6-7-2006; and Amended 7-27-06

Academic Honesty/Plagiarism
Each faculty member needs to establish a policy for cheating or plagiarism on his or her syllabus. When cheating or plagiarism has occurred, the faculty member should report the incident in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs’ office. Formal procedures for filing a complaint for academic misconduct are in the Student Conduct Code in the Student Handbook. Cheating and plagiarism are defined in Section II, Part B, 1. Disciplinary sanctions are outlined in Section III, Judicial Policies.

To control plagiarism, the university subscribes to “turnitin.com,” which allows faculty to check student writing assignments. The Director of the Writing Center is responsible for administering the program on campus.

University Sponsored Activities Policy
Faculty who desire to take students on a university sponsored activity must obtain the sponsored student activity form from the dean’s office and give one to each student who is involved in the university sponsored activity. The student must take it to each class he/she will miss to notify the instructor. The instructor of the missed class will inform the student of the missed assignments. Students may not be penalized for missing activities or assignments during the university sponsored activity. The faculty member is responsible to collect all student forms and keep them on file for the term for accountability purposes.

ADA Statement
The syllabus must inform students with documented disabilities that accommodations will be made for them. Refer the students to the Disability Services Advisor in Student Union #022, 605-642-6099. Full details are available in the Academic Catalog for 2008-2009.

Academic Freedom and Responsibility - BOR Policy 1:11(2)
To secure student freedom in learning, faculty members in the classroom and in seminars should encourage free and orderly discussion, inquiry and expression of the course subject matter. Student performance may be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards.

A. Students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled.
B. Each institution shall establish an academic appeals procedure to permit review of student allegations that an academic evaluation was tainted by prejudiced or capricious consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards. These procedures shall prohibit retaliation against persons who initiate appeals or who participate in the review of appeals.
C. Students are responsible for maintaining standards of academic performance established for each course in which they are enrolled.

Curriculum Changes / Course Changes
Because BHSU is one of six public universities governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, courses that are common among two or more of South Dakota’s public universities have common course numbers and descriptions. However, each campus has the flexibility to offer unique courses to design their majors and minors.

A curriculum process exists which allows faculty to make desired changes. The curriculum forms are available at the Board of Regents Web Page: click on Academic Information, then on AAC Council, then on AAC Guidelines -- http://www.ris.sdbor.edu/services/academics/index.htm.
The forms should be completed and given to the appropriate department chair to start the process for consideration by the college and then the university curriculum committees. Contact Ms. Dawn Kennedy at 642-6289 for assistance in completing the form.

Disruptive Behavior
If a student is disruptive, a faculty member may ask them to stop the behavior; may warn them that they will be asked to leave; and/or may tell a student to leave a classroom.

If there is a greater threat, call security: at 642-6297 or call 911.

For additional information on the Disruptive Behavior Protocol, contact the Vice President of Student Life Office at 642-6599.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The US Department of Education encourages parent involvement in their children’s education. While the privacy rights of all parents and adult students are very important, there are clear and straightforward ways under FERPA that institutions can disclose information to parents and keep them involved in the lives of their sons and daughters at school. BHSU follows these federal guidelines and supports faculty interaction with concerned parents. For additional information, please visit their website www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/hottopics/ht-parents-postsecstudents.html.

In brief this law provides that only directory information, as defined in the FERPA legislation will be released to organizations, agencies, or individuals, other than university officials, officials of other schools, certain federal officers, state educational Finance, the Vice President of Student Authorities, accrediting agencies, or in connection with applications for financial aid. A judicial order or subpoena is also grounds for such release. (BOR Policy Manual Section 10.01:12, PL 93-380). Students have two weeks at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters to notify the Office of Student Life to withhold their directory information from published rosters, phone directories, etc. that are available to university personnel and students. This notification appears in the Student Handbook and is advertised on campus at the beginning of the each Fall and Spring semester. Further, the law provides that students have the right to inspect and review their own official university records and the right to a hearing regarding possible inaccurate or misleading data.

Final Exam Policy
End of semester exams, whether comprehensive or unit exams, must be given according to the final exam schedule during “Final Exam Week.” Exceptions must be approved in writing by the appropriate college dean.

Consolidated exams for multiple sections of classes must be approved by the dean of the appropriate college (or department chair) and scheduled through the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Ordering Books
The university bookstore is the sole vendor of textbooks and related supplies on campus. Faculty select their textbooks and teaching materials. The Bookstore emails faculty to alert them as to when text orders are due:

Fall Semester – late March
Spring Semester – late October
Summer – late March

Questions on ordering books should be directed to the University Bookstore at 642-6636.

Office Hours
Faculty members will schedule a formal office hour on a minimum of four days during the regular academic week. Office hours will not be less than 50 minutes. These hours, as well as class hours, will be posted at the faculty member’s office so students can see when a faculty member is available. Faculty are encouraged to be available to our students to establish strong mentoring relationships.

Office Supplies
Faculty members are given a departmental BUZZ card which can be used to purchase items at the bookstore. Items not available at the bookstore must be ordered by requisition through the department chair, and/or college secretary. Ink cartridges for printers are available through the Printing Center in the basement of Jonas Hall.

Printing Services
Classroom materials may be printed at the University Printing Center in the basement of Jonas Hall. Bulk material should be submitted there with at least a two day lead time. A Duplicating Order Form must be completed with your printing account number. The account number is on the departmental BUZZ card issued to faculty. Faculty are allotted a printing budget for the academic school year. If you should overcharge your allocated budget, contact your college secretary.

Sick Days/Absence from Class
Inform the college office of any absences, including sick leave, attendance at conferences, and absences for personal reasons. Benefit-eligible faculty earn 9.34 hours of sick leave each month, which accumulates without limit. In case of illness requiring special arrangements for covering or cancellation of classes, please notify the college secretary as soon as possible in order that appropriate arrangements can be made. A University “Request for Leave” form can be obtained from the BHSU HR web page and must be completed as soon as the faculty member returns to work. In addition, the appropriate leave must be recorded on the employee leave report available through SNAP.

Web Course Management
Currently, BHSU faculty members teach internet courses using Desire2Learn. Training for the platform is offered by the Instructional Technology department and the Educational Outreach program. For more information with electronic instructional support, contact Instructional Technology at 642-6038. For assistance in developing an online course, contact Educational Outreach at 642-6771.

Advising by Faculty

As part of the regular workload, BHSU faculty are assigned advisees. Successful advising involves understanding the University requirements and working closely with advisees to provide student-centered interactions. Black Hills State University mandates advising for freshmen to ensure that students enroll in appropriate courses that follow an individualized program of study that leads to graduation. GS 100 University Experience is designed to establish resident-based learning communities with a faculty member or professional staff to serve as instructor and mentor for first time freshmen. This First Year Experience seminar is strongly recommended when advising freshmen to implement the advising mandate. During this first semester, the seminar serves as the bridge to connect freshmen with an academic advisor in the major. When students are undecided, they are advised by professional staff in the Center for Academic Success. In addition, the Center for Academic Success offers professional development workshops to help faculty utilize Web Advisor, individual student assessment information, and “best practices” in academic advising. Contact Dr. Joe Valades at 642-6107 for more information and assistance with academic advising.

General Education and the CAAP Exam
All students should take the 41 hours of general education requirements during the first two years of their academic career. This is of critical importance because after completing 48 semester hours, the student is expected to pass the “Rising Junior Exam” (Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency- CAAP). Students may be prevented from registering for future classes when they do not pass this exam.

To sit for this exam, students must have successfully completed at least 15 hours of general education requirements. These include: 3 hours of composition; 3 hours of natural science; 3 hours of humanities/fine arts; 3 hours mathematics; and 3 hours of social science. Full details are in the Academic Catalog for 2006-2007 on pages 68-69 or on the BHSU website. Students are notified by mail when they are eligible for the exam. For questions, feel free to the contact the Student Assistance Center at 642-6259.

Pre-General Education Courses
For students who are not academically prepared for College Algebra and English Composition or have difficulty with reading comprehension, pre-general education courses are offered. This determination is made at the time of application for admission. It is based on either the student’s ACT scores or by the COMPASS Placement Exam taken at the time the student enrolls. Pre-general education courses include ENGL 031, ENGL 032, ENGL 033, MATH 021, MATH 101, and READ 041. These classes must be completed within the first 42 hours attempted. The courses except MATH 101 do not count in the total number of hours completed toward graduation. If a student has a special concern, they may discuss their options with the English or Math Department Chairs.

Information Literacy Test
By Regental policy, information literacy is taught in English 101, English 201, and Speech Communication 101. Currently a pilot test covering knowledge of information literacy is administered with the CAAP examination. In the spring of 2008, students will be required to take and pass an examination.

Program Evaluation or Degree Audit
Program evaluation is an electronic process that compares the general education, major/minor, and graduation requirements to the student’s academic record. This will allow that person to see what classes have been taken, those that they are pre-registered for, and which ones still need to be taken to complete the degree requirements along with total hours needed, CAAP/Information Literacy Exam, and GPA requirements. Faculty are encourage to prepare a program evaluation for student advisees to assist in providing accurate and current academic information when helping students plan their programs of study. Students can evaluate their credit against any active program (associate, bachelor, or education majors) in the system. Minors must be added to the student’s SPRO screen by college dean secretaries for additional requirements to be added. For assistance in accessing degree audits for advisees, please contact the Registrar’s office at 642-6567.

Students may request a status sheet for their selected majors/minors from the Registrar’s Office after the completion of 64 credit hours. Status sheets are the manual process of the “program evaluation”. The manual process will “catch” substitutions, independent studies, and special topics courses that are used instead of the required course. Blank copies of status sheets can be found on the BHSU website at this address: www.BHSU.edu/academics/statussheets. Faculty may want to use the status sheet in conjunction with the program evaluation when advising students.

Please advise that all graduating students must schedule a graduation appointment 2 semesters prior to graduation with the Registrar’s Office.

Exit Exams
Prior to graduation, a student receiving a baccalaureate degree must complete an Exit Examination. These exams are given the first morning of Finals Week. Each exam is subject specific, with non-education majors using the Major Field Test (MFT) and education majors using the Praxis and a second subject area test. The exit examination results are used by the various departments to assess the major.

Praxis
All students in teacher education must take a Praxis Content exam and a Praxis Pedagogy exam. These tests measure the academic achievement and proficiency of individuals completing a teacher preparation program. A passing score on the Content exam is required prior to student teaching. The scores on the Pedagogy exam administered during student teaching are used by the State Department of Education for purposes of certification. For more information, visit the College of Education Web Page.

Center for Academic Success (CASS)
Faculty are encouraged to help students be successful at Black Hills State University. They can do this by contacting the Center for Academic Success in the lower level of the Student Union. CASS is a student-centered, service-oriented office focused on ensuring student persistence and success. The center provides academic advisement to undeclared and at-risk students, as well as information to all students, faculty, and staff in an effort to strengthen student enrollment toward graduation and enhance students’ levels of satisfaction with their overall university experience.

An online “early alert” system is faculty friendly so that faculty can alert this office of any students needing additional support. CASS staff will follow up by contacting students to offer assistance. The main office for CASS is located in Student Union # 023. Please call 642-6107 for assistance in using the “early alert” system.

Changing Majors/Minors/Advisors
Faculty should send students interested or planning on changing their major to the respective College secretary, or to the Center for Academic Success, lower level of the Student Union if unsure about their major.

Holds
Some students may have a hold on their University activities because of a financial or administrative obligation. These holds may limit student use of WebAdvisor. The WebAdvisor screen will indicate which holds have been placed and who students should contact. Once compliance or restitution has been met at the appropriate office, the hold will be removed.

Honors Program
The BHSU Honors Program is designed to provide academic enrichment and enhancement to students with exemplary academic records. Students in this program enroll in courses specifically designed for Honors students and arrange to receive Honors credit for regular, general education courses by special contract with professors. They also write an Honors Thesis or complete a major Honors Project with the support of a faculty advisor and a second reader. All tenure-track faculty members are welcome to participate in the Honors Program by working with individual students under special contracts and by serving as advisors and second readers. Faculty members are also encouraged to submit proposals to teach Honors Colloquia. These classes are team-taught and usually have a multi-disciplinary approach. They emphasize group discussion and independent research. Proposals are submitted each fall for colloquia to be taught the following year. To contact the Honors Program call 642-6397.

Requirements for Graduation
To graduate most students must have at least 128 hours. Of those, 36 credits must be upper level. Of the 128 hours, 41 hours are general education. The majority of credit hours will be taken in the student’s major, and each college has unique requirements for majors. The university requires a minimum of 2.0 grade point average to graduate; however, with some degrees, such as teaching, the university requires 2.7 GPA.

Student Overloads
The maximum number of credit hours a student may enroll for is eighteen hours per semester. To register for more hours, a student must petition the College Dean and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.70.

Services Provided by the University for Students

As part of their advising function, faculty may wish to refer students to one or more of the following offices:

Admissions
The Admissions office is responsible for recruiting and determining prospective student admission status that follows the admission criteria established by the SD Board of Regents of Regents. Freshmen applicants must take the following high school courses and average a minimum grade point average of 2.0:

• 4 years English
• 3 years math (algebra or advanced)
• 3 years lab science
• 3 years social science
• 1 year fine arts

In addition to meeting the core requirements with a minimum High School GPA of 2.0, students must also meet one of the following three requirements:

• minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6
• minimum composite ACT of 18
• class rank in the top 60% of graduating class

Transfer students must have a 2.0 (C) grade point average for all previous college/university course work and submit all college/university transcripts. Students not meeting the 2.0 GPA admission requirement may be admitted on academic probation. Transfer students must also submit a copy of their high school transcript, and students who are not yet 21 must provide us with ACT or SAT scores. In addition, Admissions plans and organizes Preview Days for students to visit BHSU throughout the academic year as well as arranges for individual campus visits for students to meet with faculty, staff, and current students. For additional information, see the BHSU catalog, pp. 8 – 19. For questions, contact the Admissions Office at 642-6343.

Career Center
Career exploration and preparing for employment workshops and seminars are offered throughout the academic year. Professional staff is available for presentations and special programs across the majors to be integrated into particular courses taught at BHSU. The Career Center offers an electronic system for all BHSU students to showcase academic and co-curricular activities as they develop professional resumes. The Career Center arranges for internships, coordinates part time and full time off campus employment opportunities during summers and the academic year for all students, and plans job fairs where local, regional, and national employers search for prospective employees. In addition, individual student appointments are encouraged to assist with administering career assessments and customize career services for each students’ needs. The Career Center is located in Student Union 220, the contact number for the Career Center is 642-6277. Its website is www.BHSU.edu/StudentLife/CareerCenter.

Child Care
The Child Care Center is for children of students, faculty, and staff on a space-available basis. For information about hours, fees and space, call 642-6322.

Counseling Services
The university provides brief intervention counseling services for all students, and makes referrals to community mental health services for extensive therapy needs. They offer regularly scheduled appointments, walk-in, and emergency interventions. Counseling Services is located in the Lower Level of the Student Union Room 007 and 008, their phone number is 642-6270.

Disability Services
Students who require accommodations due to a physical, emotional, or learning disability should be referred to the Disability Services Coordinator in SU #022, or call 642-6099.

Educational Outreach Programs
Black Hills State University provides outreach educational services, and specializes in supporting distance learning programs. Distance Learning allows individuals with busy schedules to pursue higher education with access to curriculum including degree programs via the Internet, videoconference, extension correspondence and adult education through professional development across the disciplines. Such courses are supported by university outreach services. The office is located in Woodburn Hall 314 and the office phone number is 642-6258.

Distance education redefines the university experience for students by providing a flexible learning environment that may not be directly linked to the classroom. Courses offered by distance education must have equivalent standards, rigor, student outcomes, substance and assignments as courses offered face to face. Distance education courses are subject to review by the Electronic University Consortium (EUC). This consortium involves the six regental institutions.

Distance education courses may be scheduled on a semester basis and require that students complete learning experiences within a particular timeframe (i.e., each week). Likewise, distance education courses may be offered asynchronously (self-paced) to allow students maximum flexibility in participation. Asynchronous courses may or may not necessarily be offered on a semester basis. For a listing of all distance education courses offered at the six public universities in South Dakota, access BHSU’s distance learning webpage and click on the Electronic University Consortium. www.BHSU.edu/distancelearning.

In addition, the University Outreach Program develops special institutes and coordinates educational as well as entertaining summer programs for all ages.

Health Services
Student Health Services is staffed Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. by medical personnel. They provide flu shots, student immunizations, and treatment for minor illnesses. It is in the Student Union, Lower Level, Room 006, call 642-6520 for an appointment.

Mathematics Assistance Center
The Mathematics Assistance Center’s mission is:
To provide mathematical support to:
a) Students in introductory math courses.
b) Students in courses that rely on mathematics.
c) Students using mathematics in educational research projects.
d) To provide CAAP review as needed.
Please contact Curtis Card at Curtis.Card@BHSU.edu for additional information.

Registrar
The Records Office provides the following services:
• Student Application Data
• Transcript Requests
• Grade Sheets
• Student Permanent Academic Records
• Program Evaluation or Student Status Sheets
• Recorded transcripts from other institutions of higher education
The Registrar's Office is Located in Woodburn Hall, Room 104. Questions may be directed to 642-6092.

Student Assistance Center
The Student Assistance Center within the Center for Academic Success, located in the lower level of the Student Union, coordinates testing and tutoring services for the university. It administers the CLEP (advanced placement test), COMPASS (admissions test), and GRE (graduate school admission test), and the CAAP and information literacy examinations, and oversees the university’s Academic Standards procedures which reviews academic appeals. This program also provides assistance with course/major selections, academic counseling, and special coursework (ED 101 University Success) for students on academic probation/suspension. The Student Assistance Center employs students in their area of specialty to serve as Peer Tutors. These tutors maintain regular hours in the writing and math centers. To contact the Student Assistance Center, call 642-6259.

Student Support Services
Student Support Services is an educational opportunity program funded by the U.S. Department of Education and hosted by Black Hills State University. The program provides services and resources to students who are from low-income families, are among the first in their families to attend college, or have disabilities. To find out the eligibility requirements check the BHSU Web page or call 642-6824. Their website can be found at www.BHSU.edu/StudentSupportServices.

Veterans Affairs
This office provides information on eligibility for Veterans Administration Educational Benefits. Contact them at 642-6291, their office is in Woodburn 106B.

Writing Center
The Writing Center provides editing and writing assistance for faculty and students. It is located on the main floor in the E.Y. Berry Library/Learning Center. Please visit its website for additional information at www.BHSU.edu/writingcenter.