 | Text Only Search Home Login |
| Adjunct Faculty Handbook |
The University of Houston-Clear Lake Adjunct Faculty Handbook has been developed as an information resource and guide for UH-Clear Lake adjunct faculty. Although it is not a comprehensive document, it has been designed to provide resource and policy information related to UH-Clear Lake. This publication does not supersede any Federal, State or local law, nor the University policies or catalog. We are releasing it for general guidance, but it is not a contract, and the University, for good and sufficient reason, must reserve the right to deviate from the conditions and procedures described herein.Specific questions arising regarding current policies, interpretation of policies or information not covered in this document should be directed to the Office of the Dean in the individual schools or the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost. Suggestions for revisions of this document should be directed to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The University of Houston-Clear Lake, authorized in 1971 by the 62nd Texas Legislature, offers upper-level and graduate programs for students in the Houston metropolitan area. UHCL's third President, Dr. William A. Staples, was named President in May 1997. A 524-acre natural environment surrounds the university's five buildings. The Bayou Building houses classrooms and labs, faculty and administrative offices, student services, various instructional centers and the library. Classrooms, art studios, educational centers and laboratories are located in the Arbor Building. The Delta Building accommodates student computer labs, ITV classrooms, computing faculty offices and research centers. The new Student Services and Classroom Building opened for classes in Fall, 2004. The three-story, 160,000 square foot building houses twenty additional classrooms, computer labs and general faculty offices. In addition, the new building will also provide centralized student support including The Writing Center, The Math Center, The Fitness Room, Student Services and the Student Information Center, a one-stop, front-line service for admission, registration, payment and other information. The Central Services Building is headquarters for scheduling and space planning, building and grounds operations, vehicle maintenance, and printing and graphic services. In addition, the University Forest apartments, a 136-unit student housing facility, is a privately owned and managed apartment complex on the campus of the university.UH-Clear Lake is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097: Telephone number 404-679-4501) to award bachelor's and master's degrees as listed in the General Program Requirements section of the UHCL Catalog. The university also has individual accredited programs. The School of Business and Public Administration maintains accreditation by the AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and by the Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services Administration. The School of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), 2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036; phone 202-466-7496. This accreditation covers all of the institution's initial teacher preparation and advanced educator preparation programs. The School of Education is also accredited by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification. The School of Human Sciences and Humanities holds accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, and the National Association of School Psychologists. In addition, the Humanities Program is a full member of the Association for Graduate Liberal Studies Programs, the Clinical Psychology Program is a member of the Council of Applied Masters Programs in Psychology and the social work program received candidacy status for the Council on Social Work Education's Commission on Accreditation. The School of Science and Computer Engineering holds accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and the American Chemistry Society. The university Counseling Service is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Service.The university is authorized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to confer eight degrees in 31 undergraduate and 42 graduate majors. See the UHCL Catalog section on General Program Requirements for a list of degrees. Known for its excellence of instruction and service to adult learners, the university educates a diverse student population from the state, the nation and abroad by offering programs on and off campus.
The University of Houston-Clear Lake is an upper-level educational institution with a distinct identity, whose primary role is to provide fair and equitable learning opportunities to graduate and undergraduate students. The University serves a diverse student population from the state, the nation and abroad, particularly from the Houston-Galveston metropolitan area by offering programs on and off campus. Reflective of the University's upper level-program orientation, a statutorily created council, composed of the presidents of the area's nine community colleges, advises the University's president.The University offers a variety of programs in liberal arts and human sciences, education, business and public administration, and the natural and applied sciences, (including computer engineering and science). The University emphasizes high standards for teaching and learning in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, as well as in its collaboration in any doctoral programs. Each program develops the critical thinking, creative, quantitative, communication and leadership skills of students.The University enhances the educational, economic, cultural, scientific, business, and professional environment of the area. The University is committed to supporting research and scholarship. The University develops and strengthens programs that support the region's various commercial, engineering, human services and trade sectors, especially in the computing, medical, petrochemical, and space industries. The University pursues global outreach consistent with the community's international perspective.The University's faculty, staff, and administrators are committed to providing a humane, responsive, and intellectually stimulating environment for productive learning and working. The University of Houston-Clear Lake emphasizes (a) learning through teaching, research, scholarship, and professional and community service; (b) the advancement of knowledge; (c) delivery of educational opportunities through new instructional technologies and through distance learning; (d) a commitment to high academic standards; (e) sensitivity to the needs of the students and communities served by the institution; and (f) above all, integrity in all institutional functions.
A university is known and judged by the quality of faculty it hires. Likewise, the outcomes of courses undertaken are determined by the quality of material presented to the students. The University of Houston-Clear Lake is committed to the highest quality of education possible by enhancing the critical and creative skills of adult students through study in the arts, sciences, and professions. Intellectual breadth and depth are strongly emphasized in the curriculum of all schools throughout the university.Teaching excellence, supported by highly qualified faculty and staff members who are professionally active and current in their professional fields is primary at the institution. In working with students, faculty, staff and administrators are committed to providing a humane, responsive and intellectually stimulating environment in which everyone can learn and work productively. Adjunct faculty are, and will remain, one of the most important and valuable assets of this university. The select group of highly motivated and well-qualified adjunct faculty bring up-to-date information into the classroom where it is integrated with proven principles and philosophies.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Universities requires that all faculty at an accredited university who teach graduate courses must hold a terminal degree. At UHCL the majority of faculty teaching at the undergraduate level also hold the Ph.D. or other appropriate terminal degree. In some instances, highly qualified or specially credentialed faculty with a significant number of graduate courses in the area of the courses being taught are on the faculty. In all instances adjunct faculty teaching at the graduate level must hold at least a master's degree and have at least 18 graduate semester hours in their teaching field.
The University of Houston-Clear Lake is fully committed to providing equal educational, programmatic and employment opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, veteran's status, disability or sexual orientation. Inquiries concerning laws and regulations governing employment should be directed to the Office of Human Resources.
All faculty shall have certain privileges and responsibilities under the right of academic freedom in keeping with The University of Houston System Board of Regents Policies. This right entitles the teacher to freedom in the classroom in discussing subject matter, but one should be careful not to introduce into teaching controversial matters that have no direct relation to the subject. The college or university teacher is a citizen, a member of a learned profession and an officer of an educational institution. When teachers speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but their special position in the community imposes special obligations. As people of learning and educational officers, teachers should remember that the public may judge the teaching professionals and their institution by the teachers' utterances. Hence, they should at all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others and should make every effort to indicate that they are not institutional spokespersons.
The application process is initiated in the school in which the adjunct professor will be teaching. The school will contact prospective adjuncts to complete required forms. All members of the University faculty must have submitted the following documentation:
Additional documentation and information dissemination is required by the Office of Human Resources as outlined in the Temporary Part-Time Employment Manual.The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires that all prospective employees show acceptable proof of identity and authorization to work upon becoming employed. Failure to provide acceptable documentation will delay hiring. Prospective employees are directed to the Office of Human Resources for definition of acceptable documentation that must be completed. It should also be pointed out that this documentation must be completed prior to the first class period. Failure to complete this documentation may result in cancellation of the offer to teach.All questions regarding inclusion on the payroll should be directed to the associate dean in the respective school unless otherwise directed.A person who has previously served as an adjunct and who is returning to UHCL adjunct employment following a break in service may be required to repeat the application and immigration documentation process in compliance with federal law. The employing department is advised to check the I-9 status of any prospective adjunct by calling the Office of Human Resources prior to the adjunct's first day of work. Transcripts and reference letters used in the application process are kept only 5 years. An adjunct whose break in service is 5 or more years, may be required to submit original transcripts and new reference letters.
Each adjunct faculty will be offered a contract in the form of a contractual letter. This letter will extend a conditional offer for a part-time position at the University of Houston-Clear Lake to teach a specific course or courses. It will clearly state the course or courses to be taught along with the remuneration to be received for each course. The University is permitted to employ adjunct faculty only after all full-time faculty members' schedules have been filled. Adjuncts may teach a maximum of two courses per semester. Adjunct appointments must be considered conditional until student registration for the current semester has been concluded. The adjunct faculty appointment will be for the duration of the indicated semester and does not carry a standard university rank for the purpose of accumulating credit toward tenure. All appointments will be made by the dean or the dean's designee of the school responsible for the course offering, but will be subject to approval by the Senior Vice President and Provost.Upon receipt of the contractual letter the adjunct faculty must sign one copy of the letter in confirmation of their acceptance of the stated terms. The signed letter should be returned to the dean as soon as possible to facilitate the hiring process. If the new adjunct faculty is presently employed by another State agency, this fact should be noted on the face of the letter. In this case, it is necessary to complete a Dual Employment Form to assure compliance with state regulations.
Adjunct faculty are expected to schedule two office hours per week for each course taught. This may be handled by pre-arrangement with the student or students, through e-mail consultations or office hours. The adjunct faculty member should be accessible for student consultation at hours close to class times.
Unless they are hired at 50% FTE, adjunct faculty are not eligible for fringe benefits, such as insurance, retirement or sick leave. Adjuncts currently enrolled in Teacher Retirement System (TRS) through a school district must notify the benefits coordinator in the Office of Human Resources.
All instructors are required to administer teaching evaluation forms to each class near the end of the semester. Evaluations are available for review, upon request, after semester's end. These evaluations are retained in the appropriate administrative office in the school and are considered as part of the contract renewal process. If an adjunct faculty member is to be retained to teach during subsequent semesters he or she must have satisfactory reviews. Each semester of employment requires a new contractual letter.
Salaries vary from course to course and school to school, depending upon such factors as demand of the discipline, credentials and length of employment.
Adjunct faculty are responsible for the instructional quality and the overall conduct of the courses which they teach. This responsibility includes, but is not limited to, the conduct of lectures and or laboratory sessions, evaluation through examinations or other appropriate methods, recitation sessions and homework. Course content should reflect the focus described in the Catalog course description. All faculty should be mindful of cultural and gender sensitivities and of the needs and sensitivities of the disabled. The final assignment of grades remains the sole responsibility of the individual faculty member responsible for the course.Please refer to the policies and procedures in the Student Life Policies Handbook and in the UHCL Catalog or seek assistance from the appropriate administrator in the school for guidance on academic issues.
In long semesters, adjunct faculty salaries are paid over a period of four and one half months for each semester. State law requires each adjunct faculty member to sign a time and effort report certifying work performed each month. These reports must be signed and returned to the dean's office by the 10th of each month.
Direct deposit is convenient, saving trips to the bank; safe, avoiding lost or stolen checks; and fast, allowing immediate access to funds on payday. Fiscal considerations compelled the University of Houston System to adopt a policy of mandatory direct deposit of payroll checks on September 1, 1992.Although it would be best to have 100% participation in the direct deposit program, exemptions are allowed. A payroll check can be issued if you: 1) hold a position classified below grade 8 in the nonexempt pay plan - that is, below an annual salary of $17,000; 2) show that you cannot establish a qualifying account for electronic funds transfer; or 3) certify that direct deposit would be impractical or more costly than payment by check. Exemption from the direct deposit program must be renewed annually.It generally takes two pay cycles for direct deposit to begin. Prior to direct deposit taking effect, a message appears on the paycheck stub indicating the direct deposit account number. This number should be verified immediately. If any discrepancies exist, contact the Office of Human Resources. At the next pay period, instead of receiving a regular paycheck, you will receive an earnings statement reflecting the direct deposit amount. You are encouraged to contact your financial institution to verify that the account has been credited with the appropriate amount.
Teaching assignments are made by the faculty chair or associate dean and are specified in a contractual letter.
All classes meet as scheduled. Instructors should begin and end classes at the designated time to provide students the required number of hours of instruction. Instructors should utilize the entire class period. Official holidays are published in the schedule of classes for each semester. Instructors are expected to respond to fire drills along with their students by vacating the building according to the evacuation plan.
(Also, see school section in back of the Adjunct Faculty Handbook)
A syllabus clarifies the structure, organization and content of the course. A copy of the syllabus should be distributed to each student during the first or second class period. Schools require that a copy also be sent to the Associate Dean and may require that the syllabus be submitted for review and approval prior to distribution.
Instructors should state their class policies clearly and completely. Any revisions to the syllabus should be reissued in written form.
If you need assistance in writing a syllabus, you should contact your school administrators.
The syllabus should include, at a minimum, the following information:
Academic honesty is the cornerstone of the academic integrity of the university. It is the foundation upon which the student builds personal integrity and establishes a standard of personal behavior.
Because honesty and integrity are such important factors in the professional community, you should be aware that failure to perform within the bounds of these ethical standards is sufficient grounds to receive a grade of "F" in the course and be recommended for suspension from UHCL.
The Honesty Code of UHCL states "I will be honest in all my academic activities and will not tolerate dishonesty."
The Academic Honesty Policy and its procedures must govern all alleged violations. The complete policy and procedures can be found online and in, The Student Life Policies Handbook and the Faculty Handbook.Adjunct faculty are expected to adhere to the same standard of conduct as full-time faculty. After becoming familiar with the policy, adjunct faculty should direct further questions to the Associate Dean.
Regular class attendance is expected of all students. What constitutes an acceptable rate of class attendance is a matter between students and their instructors, although the university expects instructors to maintain reasonable standards. Whenever instructors determine that students' absences have been excessive, they have the right to request that the appropriate associate dean withdraw the students from the course, in which case the students will receive the appropriate withdrawal mark (see section 2.6 Grades).
Only the course instructor may assign a grade for a student.
Grade changes are allowed for only one of the following three reasons:
Other than removing an incomplete, grades will not be changed on the basis of extra work submitted after final grades are assigned.
Grade changes may be made by the instructor or the appropriate Associate Dean in the absence of the instructor. After one long semester, a grade change submitted by an instructor must be approved by the Associate Dean of the School in which the course is located. Grade changes must be filed in the Office of Academic Records within one year after the initial grade is posted.
The grading system and descriptions of letter grades are also available in the UHCL Catalog.
The university grading system uses 16 marks to record the performance of students in courses. Letter grades of A, B, C, D, and F with marks of plus or minus are acceptable. Exceptions are the grades of A+, F+ and F-, which are not valid. These marks are used in grade reports and transcripts and are further defined in the Catalog.
Grade distribution reports are available in the associate dean's office so that faculty may compare their grading standards with those of other instructors or those teaching the same course.
Performance in the range of "A" represents exceptional scholarship and intellectual initiative in accomplishing course goals and objectives.
Performance in the range of "B" represents solid or significant achievement in accomplishing course goals and objectives.
Performance in the range of "C" represents average or satisfactory achievement in accomplishing course goals and objectives.
Performance in the range of "D" represents the minimally acceptable performance in accomplishing course goals and objectives.
Performance in the range of "F" represents unsatisfactory or below minimally acceptable achievement in accomplishing course goals and objectives.
Performance in the range of "A" represents exceptional scholarship and intellectual initiative in accomplishing graduate level course goals and objectives.
Performance in the range of "B" represents competent achievement in accomplishing graduate level course goals and objectives.
Performance in the range of "C" represents minimally acceptable performance in accomplishing graduate level course goals and objective. A "D" or "F" performance represents unsatisfactory or below minimally acceptable performance in accomplishing graduate level course goals and objectives.
Grades of "+" or "-" are refinements of the letter grades described above and represent grade point variations. Students should check with their school for specific program or certification grade requirements.
For online handbook, link to 11.3 in Faculty Handbook. These procedures are also available in the UHCL Catalog
Class rosters are distributed twice each semester. The First Day Class Roster is distributed on the first day of class. It contains the name of each student officially registered in the class. Students not listed on the roster should be referred to the Office of Academic Records immediately to resolve their schedule discrepancy problem. The First Day Class Roster does not need to be signed or returned. It should be discarded properly when the Census Date Class Roster is distributed.The Census Date Class Roster is distributed after the census date of each semester, generally the 20th class day during the fall and spring semesters and the 4th class day in the summer. The Census Date Class Roster contains the names of all students officially registered in the class for the semester. Only students listed on the Census Date Class Roster will appear on the Grade Roster and will be eligible to receive grades for the class. Any student attending class who is not listed on the roster and who is not auditing the class should be referred directly to the Office of Academic Records.Census Date Class Rosters that are without error do not need to be signed by the instructor and returned to the originating office. However, if there are any discrepancies or errors on the roster, please contact the Office of Academic Records immediately.
Grade Rosters constitute the official record of grades reported by instructors for all students officially enrolled at the University. Semester Grade Rosters are produced electronically by the Office of Academic Records and are made available online for a specified period of time before the grading deadline. This window of opportunity for the input of grades online will be approximately 3 weeks in the spring and fall and 10 days in the summer. Those periods of time will be published as part of the academic calendar.Only faculty who are the official instructor of record will be allowed to enter grades online. Once grades are input and saved, print out a copy of that roster online for future reference and confirmation of grades. Training and support will be provided prior to the grading period each semester by the Office of Academic Records. Those dates will be announced mid-semester by the Office of Academic Records.The deadline for submission of Semester Grade Rosters is noon on the published date. Grades of No Grade ("NG") are assigned to students when Grade Rosters are missing or late. Once a "NG" is assigned, the instructor must complete a Grade Change Form for each student on the Grade Roster. Students who receive an NG may not be eligible for the President's List. In addition, decisions regarding suspension/probation and graduation may be affected if Grade Rosters are not submitted in a timely manner. It is imperative that all Grade Rosters be entered online prior to noon on the deadline date.Valid grades are noted on the grade roster. Effective Fall 1990, the university adopted the use of plus/minus with letter grades. Only the grades indicated on the roster are acceptable. Input of invalid grades will result in an error and the inability to save the roster's grades. If a student has officially withdrawn from the class, a grade of WX will already have been recorded on the Grade Roster. A grade of WX cannot be assigned by the instructor to a student who has not officially withdrawn.
The Grade Roster is an electronic form that is accessible online at a secured site only by the official instructor of record. Training and documentation will be provided by the Office of Academic Records each semester. The input of grades period and grading deadlines will be published and will be strictly adhered.Grades of In Progress ("IP") are only valid for Master's Thesis, Project and Internship classes that are still in progress. Grades of Incomplete ("I") are given only under special circumstances within the framework of an agreement worked out between the student and the instructor. That Incomplete Grade Contract must then be submitted to the Associate Dean's office of your school.The week following grade processing, Grade Confirmation Rosters will be returned to all instructors. These Confirmation Rosters list the grades recorded for each student. The instructor should compare this list to his/her grade roll to insure that no discrepancies exist. The Grade Confirmation Rosters help to insure the accuracy and security of the grading process. Instructors should notify the Office of Academic Records if all Grade Confirmation Rosters are not received or if errors are found.
A grade of Incomplete ("I") may be given at the discretion of the instructor to students who are making satisfactory progress in a course. Incomplete grades are typically given for emergency situations which occur after the withdrawal date but prior to the end of the semester, and which prevent the student from completing course requirements. When assigning the grade of "I," instructors provide students with an Incomplete Grade Contract which outlines the work to be accomplished before the "I" can be converted to a final grade and specifies a deadline date; this contract constitutes an agreement between instructors and students. A grade of "I" must be resolved within the time limit set by instructors; however, such limits may not be extended beyond the last day of classes of the next long semester following the semester in which the "I" was assigned. Failure to resolve an "I" will result in its conversion to a final grade of "F" on students' permanent records. An "I" can be converted to a final grade only. The original grade of "I" and the changed grade will both appear permanently on the academic record. Students should not reregister for a course to complete a grade of "I." If any portion of the course must be repeated, students must sign up as an auditor for the course and pay appropriate fees. Incomplete Grade Contracts are submitted with Final Grade Rosters at the end of the semester.Students on academic probation, who have outstanding "I" grades, will remain on probation until all incomplete grades are resolved. Students who have accumulated two or more unresolved grades of "I" may not register for additional courses without the approval of the appropriate Associate Dean. "I" grades are not calculated in the GPA. An "I" which has been changed to a grade or has been converted to an "F" will be recorded and academic action taken during the semester of the grade change.
Only the instructor may assign the grades for a student in a class. Grade changes may be made by the instructor or the Associate Dean in the absence of the instructor to correct errors that might occur at any time for one long semester. After that time, a grade change submitted by an instructor must be approved by the class's Dean. Grade changes must be filed in the Office of Academic Records within one year after the initial grade is posted. Grade Change Forms are located in the Associate Deans' Offices and the Office of Academic Records. The instructor must come in person to complete the Grade Change Form - they may not be taken from the office. When the form is processed, the Registrar's staff will compare the instructor's signature on the form to their signature on file. If the signatures match, the grade is changed on the student's permanent record electronically and thereby noted on the grade roster. A copy of the change is sent to the student and the student's school is notified.
Students may audit courses if they meet the admission requirements of the University and have the permission of the course instructor.Application forms to audit a course may be obtained from the appropriate Dean's office. Registration to audit a course is on a space-available basis. Only after all registration for a semester has been completed - and after determination is made that space is still available - will individuals be assigned to particular courses for auditing purposes.Students who audit a course are eligible to attend class only. Auditing does not include any further participation in class and does not provide a grade for the course. No official registration at the University is noted on the student's record, the student is not on the official class roll and will not appear on the Semester Grade Roster. Auditors, except for senior citizens, pay regular tuition and fees.
The University has policies governing voluntary withdrawal, administrative withdrawal and the assigning of the withdrawal mark. These policies can be found in more detail in the General Program Requirements section of the Catalog.Students wishing to drop courses must do so before the deadline stated in the academic calendar. This date is published in the Class Schedule and in the Catalog. Students who drop a class prior to the published deadline will receive a Without Evaluation ("WX") for the course. The grade of WX will be printed on the Grade Roster. Students who do not withdraw prior to the deadline will be given a final grade based on performance by the instructor.
The university expects each class to meet as scheduled. If an instructor needs to be absent, the Associate Dean's office should be contacted. This contact should be made in a timely manner in order to facilitate making alternative arrangements for the instruction of the class and to notify students. Regular class attendance is expected of all students. What constitutes an acceptable rate of class attendance is a matter between students and their instructors, although the university expects instructors to maintain reasonable standards. Whenever instructors determine that students' absences have been excessive, they have the right to request that the appropriate associate dean withdraw the students from the course.
If you wish to know if the university has been closed due to bad weather, please contact the university hot line (281-283-2221).
Report incidents, safety hazards or accidents to the University Police Department (Extension 2222) immediately. During an evacuation, adjunct faculty should be prepared to assist or to organize assistance for students needing special help. Instructors and their students are expected to respond to fire drills by vacating the building according to the evacuation plan, available from the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. This plan is also posted in the mailroom.
Adjunct faculty should check with the academic program administrator concerning the textbook selection process for the assigned course. It is common practice, in multiple section courses, for all adjunct faculty to use the same textbook. In this case, it is likely that the textbook you use has already been selected. Your academic program administrator can give you relevant course information, and help you in processing book order forms for the University Bookstore. The bookstore does not supply desk copies of textbooks. Desk copies must be ordered by the adjunct faculty directly from the publishers. Book orders should be processed through the Associate Dean's or division chair's office. Please do not deal directly with the University Bookstore.
The University of Houston-Clear Lake strictly adheres to US copyright law. Adjunct faculty who wish to assemble materials to be distributed to classes and have them copied and sold in the University Bookstore must obtain a Print Request form either from the Associate Dean's or division chair's office or from the University Bookstore. Permission to publish copyright clearances must either be obtained by the instructor and submitted with the form or by the University Bookstore. All Print Request forms must be signed by the Associate Dean of the appropriate school.
Classrooms are assigned during the scheduling process. Should your classroom be inappropriate for the course you are instructing, contact the Associate Dean in the school in which you are teaching.
Adjunct faculty will be assigned a workspace in a faculty suite in which to conduct office hours and prepare for class or to perform other duties associated with teaching. Secretarial support will be available through the suite secretary in the assigned suite. Computers are available in computing labs and with limited access in the suites. A UHCL account is the university's official vehicle for communications with adjunct faculty. A VAX/Internet account request form should be included in your orientation packet. You must complete and return the form to open an account. If you did not receive a form in your packet, please see the associate dean to request a form. The account may be renewed each subsequent semester with notification from the associate dean to Computing. However, if there is a semester break in your employment, the account will be closed and you must submit a new form to open a new account.Mail and telephone messages may be forwarded to the suite secretary and office suite to which you are assigned. Check with the suite secretary for telephone and post office box numbers to be used.You also will have a faculty liaison appointed with whom you can discuss any academic concerns such as syllabus preparation, course content, and grading standards.
Once you have been assigned an office location, a key request form can be obtained from your school's Dean's office for your school. The completed and signed key request form should be taken to the Police Department (B1636) to obtain the key.
Authorization for an ID Card is obtained in the Office of Human Resources. The form is then taken to the Office of Student Life where your photo ID Card will be made. The ID Card serves as your library card.
Parking regulations require that all employees display a parking permit on the inside rear view mirror of their automobile. The permits are transferable to any vehicle you operate and park on campus. The Office of Human Resources (B1111) will fill out a parking permit application that you will need to take to the University Police (B1636) where your permit will be issued.
UHCL's Alfred R. Neumann Library, named after the university's founding chancellor, provides students with online access to thousands of books, journals and scholarly resources. UHCL librarians offer personal research assistance to students via online chat or face-to-face at the library reference desk and tips on navigating search interfaces, retrieving information and evaluating information for use in scholarly research. Visitors can receive help formulating effective search queries, becoming familiar with controlled vocabulary searching and identifying the best online resources out of a collection of more than a 100 subscription-only databases - most with full-text articles. Classes are available in research procedures tailored to particular courses. Students may also make appointments with librarians in order to explore more in-depth instruction on library research strategies in a comfortable one-on-one environment.UHCL students, faculty and staff may also borrow books from UH and UH-Downtown quickly and easily through the shared catalog. The Texshare card, available upon request in Neumann Library, allows a UHCL student to go to any academic or public library in Texas and check out a book, which can then be returned to Neumann Library. The library's interlibrary loan service will borrow requested materials from any library in the country through a national interlibrary loan network.Neumann Library offers 35 fixed computer workstations and 14 wireless laptops for student use. The library classroom is equipped with wireless laptops so that students may participate in a hands-on learning environment.The library occupies approximately 80,000 square feet in the Bayou Building and contains study space for more than 1,000 users. The library contains more than 425,000 volumes, subscribes to nearly 1,000 periodicals, and has approximately 1.8 million items in microform. A curriculum library for education students contains K-12 textbooks, classic children's literature and a review center for recent children's literature. Neumann Library also includes university archives, which houses the NASA Johnson Space Center History Collection.The University Archives is located within the Neumann Library. It is home to the NASA Johnson Space Center History Collection, consisting of 2800 linear feet of historical documents from the Apollo, ASTP, Skylab, Shuttle, Space Station, and Center programs. The JSC Oral History project contains over 800 audio recordings and transcripts of interviews with NASA personnel. The University Archives also contains historical documents from various University departments, photographs, early university publications, catalogs, and all issues of the The Signal.
University Computing and Telecommunications (UCT) provides media equipment for classroom and student activities. A video production studio is available in the Bayou Building. Multimedia classrooms with various levels of technology are available in all classroom buildings. Technology Enhanced Classrooms and Teaching Labs are defined as:
Computing and telecommunications resources available to students, faculty and administrative staff include:
The Mathematics Center is an instructional facility that serves the educational needs of UHCL's mathematics students, especially elementary school certification candidates who wish to strengthen their understanding of mathematical concepts and skills. Resources include one-on-one assistance, software, videos, reference books and manipulatives. The Mathematics Center also teams with the Career and Counseling Center to provide Math Success Workshops. Contact the Mathematics Center at 281-283-3883 or mathcenter@uhcl.edu.
The Writing Center is an instructional facility designed to help students improve their writing skills. Peer tutors are trained to assist students by teaching a range of strategies for creation, planning, organization, revision, documentation and editing. Tutors use collaborative techniques to explore with students the requirements and possibilities of academic writing styles. The Writing Center also offers COLT, an online tutoring service for currently registered students. For more information, contact the Writing Center at 281-283-2910 or writingcenter@cl.uh.edu.
The University Police Department is responsible for law enforcement, security and emergency response at UHCL. The UHCL Police serves the university community and visitors alike through law enforcement, crime prevention, traffic control and public assistance programs. The department enforces all university regulations and local and state laws. The office is located in the Bayou Building, Suite 1636 and is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Trained, professional police and communications officers staff the department. Services provided by the University Police include: issuance of all parking permits, lock shop services including the issuance of codes and keys, vehicle unlocks, vehicle jumpstarts, airing deflated tires and safety escorts to your vehicle. To report a crime or emergency, call the University Police Department at 281-283-2222 from off-campus telephones or 2222 from on-campus telephones. For special announcements, emergency closing and other information, call the UHCL Hotline at 281-283-2221.
Just as there is a formal procedure for becoming an employee of UHCL, there also is a formal procedure for leaving our employ; we call this latter procedure "terminal clearance." If you are continuing employment from one semester to the next, then you are exempt from terminal clearance for that semester, but if you are not continuing your appointment for the next semester or summer session, then you are required to complete terminal clearance. The procedure is as follows:
Obtain the Terminal Clearance Form from the Office of Human Resources (B1111) and turn in your ID card.
Turn in your office and any other keys and receive a refund of your key deposit from the University Police Department. Pay any outstanding traffic fines at the University Police (B1636).
Return any library materials and pay any outstanding fines at the library; clear through the Audio Visual Services Center (B3602).
Check with the Cashier's office for any checks with insufficient funds.
Clear through computing and telecommunications offices.
Return completed Terminal Clearance Form to the Office of Human Resources.
Each of these offices must sign-off on the Terminal Clearance Form, even if you have not had dealings with the particular office. Please do not go through Terminal clearance on Friday afternoon, when many offices are closed.
Policies and procedures concerning student conduct may be found in The Student Life Policies Handbook available from the Office of Student Services.
The University has a policy on AIDS to address the issue of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and to establish guidelines for responding to AIDS within the campus community. The university acknowledges its responsibility to promote a safe, healthy, and supportive campus community. The complete policy can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook.
The UHCL ADA Policy establishes guidelines for ensuring compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. The complete policy can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook and in the online Faculty Handbook. The Disability Services Coordinator in the Office of Health and Disabilities Services assists faculty in implementing this policy.
UHCL is committed to enforcing the provisions of the Drug Free Workplace of Act of 1988 and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989 and believes these acts and their regulations provide a proper framework for the drug and alcohol abuse policies of the university. It is the policy of the university that illicit drug use, including the manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use, is prohibited in the workplace on the campus, or as part of any university activities. The complete policy can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook and in the online Faculty Handbook.
UHCL prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, and sexual orientation. The purpose of this procedure is to provide the primary process for addressing allegations of illegal discrimination by employees and students at UHCL. The complete policy can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook and in the online Faculty Handbook.
UHCL is committed to upholding the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) which is a federal law stating (a) that a written institutional policy must be established and (b) that a statement of adopted procedures covering the privacy rights of students be made available. The law provides that institutions will maintain the confidentiality of student education records. The complete policy can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook and in the online Faculty Handbook.
UHCL is committed to providing a professional working and learning environment free from sexual assault and to providing training to educate the staff, faculty and students about sexual assault. This policy outlines the definitions of sexual assault, procedures for filing complaints, and campus and community resources. The complete policy can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook.
UHCL has a Sexual Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedures and will not tolerate any form of sexual harassment. The complete policy and procedures can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook and in the online Faculty Handbook.
UHCL is required by State law to follow the rules regarding smoking on State property and is committed to providing a healthy working and learning environment. This policy describes the places around campus where smoking is permitted. The complete policy and procedures can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook and in the online Faculty Handbook.
This document outlines the policy to minimize risks of liability connected with travel by students of component universities. This policy applies to travel in excess of 25 miles that is undertaken by one or more students presently enrolled in a component university that is organized and sponsored by the component university and that is travel funded by the institution and using vehicles owned or leased by the institution or travel required by a student organization registered at the institution. Faculty must file the appropriate paperwork in the Travel Office, the Office of Risk Management, and the Dean of Students. The complete policy and procedures can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook.
UHCL will endeavor to provide facilities for groups and/or organizations on a space available, first-come, first-serve basis. In order to provide facilities, a completed Request for Utilization of Facilities form must be filed with the Office of Scheduling and Space Planning (OSSP) stating the date(s), duration, type of room(s), and number(s) of persons involved, as well as the official name of the organization or composition of the group and the purpose of the meeting(s) to be held in University facilities. The complete policy and procedures can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook and in the online Faculty Handbook.
UHCL will not tolerate workplace violence of any type, from any source. This includes, but is not limited to, threatening, destructive or violent actions directed against employees, students, visitors, or university buildings, equipment, or property. The complete policy and procedures can be found online in The Student Life Policies Handbook and in the online Faculty Handbook.
The Student Services division of the university offers support services for students, enhances student learning and promotes student participation in social, cultural, recreational and governance programs. The quality of student life and of campus involvement outside the classroom are important aspects of the total academic experience. The Student Services division consists of the offices listed below.
The Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Services (AVPSS) provides support and direction for the Offices of Student Life, Career and Counseling Services, Health and Disability Services, Intercultural and International Student Services, Dean of Students, Office of Financial Aid, and the Office of Student Publications.
The Office of the AVPSS provides students with advocacy, information and help with any phase of campus life. The AVPSS is responsible for interpreting and implementing student life policies, resolving disputes and disciplinary problems and handling student complaints. The rights and responsibilities of students are published in Student Life Policies. Standards of student conduct are enforced to ensure the safety of individuals, protection of property and the continuity of the educational process. Copies of Student Life Policies are available from the offices of the AVPSS, Student Life, Dean of Students and online at www.uhcl.edu/studentservices .
Career and Counseling Services. Counseling and Testing Services are designed to help students improve personal, academic and professional skills related to academic success. Counseling Services offers personal and group counseling, academic skills training, testing (GRE, GMAT, MAT, MCAT, THEA), workshops and vocational testing and counseling.
Career Services. Career Services assists students in establishing or advancing careers in their degree fields and in finding jobs while they are enrolled in school. Career Services offers job search assistance, mock interviews and résumé critiques, résumé referrals, job fairs, cooperative education and online job listings.
Cooperative Education. Cooperative Education is a planned learning process designed to prepare students for careers by integrating work experience with academic study. The UHCL Co-op Program offers two work plans. The alternating plan allows students to alternate semesters of full-time classes with cooperative education work experiences. The parallel plan allows students to work part-time while attending classes. Students must be degree seeking and meet academic eligibility requirements as defined by individual schools. Cooperative Education offers a way to make money while in school, a way to gain on the job experience, flexible work schedules and opportunities in many areas of interest.
The Office of the Dean of Students is charged with providing programs and services that are designed to support students in both academic and co-curricular pursuits. The primary services directed by the Dean of Students include the following:
Health and Disability Services. The Health Center serves students, staff and faculty by fulfilling two primary functions: (1) programs and services encouraging the prevention of illness, promotion of health and participation in the university experience and (2) providing emergency services and short-term medical treatment.
Disability Services. Disability Services actively addresses and promotes disability awareness within the UHCL campus community through programs and services designed to meet the academic and professional needs of individuals with disabilities. Any student who identifies a disability must register with the Office of Disability Services. Any faculty needing help in making appropriate accommodations for a student with a disability may consult with the Office of Disability Services.
The mission of the Office of Intercultural and International Student Services (IISS) is to provide leadership, advocacy and support which facilitates the development of successful, well-rounded, educated and accepting individuals. IISS promotes and enhances awareness of cultural pluralism through programming and empowers underrepresented, first-generation, marginalized, international, GBLT and women students.Programs and services available at no cost to UHCL students include: the Cultural and International Resource Center, the Women's Resource Center, the Student Ambassador Program, cultural programs, festivals and student organizations, the New International Student Orientation, airport pick-up, settling-in services for international students, academic advising, the Intercultural and International Coffee Hour, the Friendship Family Program and Strictly Speaking. The Celebrating Our Elders project awards scholarships to high school and community college students who write essays honoring Hispanic and African-American elders. This office also offers National Coalition Building training which is a prejudice reduction/conflict resolution model for students, staff and faculty.
Students may seek financial assistance in the form of loans, grants, scholarships and part-time employment through the Office of Student Financial Aid. Financial aid is predicated on demonstrated need as determined by federal and state regulations and is available to those who quality and meet the requirements as long as funds are available. Students eligible to receive Veterans' education benefits should also contact the Office of Student Financial Aid. Students will be notified regarding missing information, awards offered, etc. via their UHCL email. Students should check their UHCL email accounts regularly to receive information from the Office of Student Financial Aid as well as other university offices.
The Student Life Office provides programs and services that enrich and support students' educational experiences by giving them the opportunity to express ideas, develop leadership skills and meet new people. Services provided include locker rentals, student ID cards, ticket sales to various university events, posting approval and the UHCL shuttle van,The Student Life Office is comprised of the following components: Orientation; Student Organizations; Special Events Programs; Fitness Center, Honor Societies and the Student Leadership Institute.
The UHCLIDIAN, the student newspaper, is published throughout the fall and spring semesters to provide news concerning university events and issues. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the UHCLIDIAN.
The Bayousphere, the university's prize-winning literary magazine, publishes creative writing, photography, design and art submitted by the campus community each spring.The UHCLIDIAN and Bayousphere have received numerous state awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and numerous national awards from The Columbia Scholastic Press Association over the past several years. Both publications are also available online at the UHCL homepage www.uhcl.edu.
The University Forest Apartments (UFA) is the only housing located on the UHCL campus and managed by Century Campus Housing Management. This 136-unit student housing facility is a two-story complex that houses 288 students, faculty and staff. UFA was built to provide comfortable living while providing students the opportunity to experience on-campus life.
Course Syllabus Preparation GuidelinesIn order to be in compliance with various accrediting bodies' accreditation guidelines and various UH-Clear Lake academic policies and guidelines, the following components should be present on all syllabi:
| Suite 1325, Bayou Building | 283-3580 |
Courses in COUN (counseling), EDUC (educational foundations), INST (instructional technology), and SILC (multicultural education and ESL/bilingual education).
| Suite 1119, Bayou Building | 283-3540 |
Courses in SPED (special education), ECED (early childhood education), GEOG (geography), LLLS (learning resources and reading), and TCED (elementary and secondary education)
| Suite 1125, Bayou Building | 283-3550 |
Courses in ADSU (mid-management, instructional supervision, and superintendent) and EDLS (doctoral program)
| Suite 1231, Bayou Building | 283-3615 |
| Suite 1231, Bayou Building | 283-3618 |
| Suite 1231, Bayou Building | 283-3612 |
| Suite 1237, Bayou Building | 283-3501 |
| Suite 1231, Bayou Building | 283-3620 |
Dean Rm.1611 283-3302Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Rm.1541 283-3400Secretary to Associate Dean Rm. 1541 283-3402
Advising Coordinator Rm. 1539 283-3334
Division Chair for Humanities and Fine Arts Rm. 1539 283-3364Division Chair for Behavioral and Social Sciences Rm. 1529 283-3393Division Chair for Psychology and Fitness and Human Performance Rm. 1541 283-3383
Secretary to the Division Chairs Rm. 1541 283-3352
Business Coordinator Rm.1611 283-3350
Director of the TDC Program Rm. 2535. 283-3385
Once each semester the Associate Dean will hold an orientation session for new and continuing adjuncts to acquaint them with HSH. In addition, adjunct faculty will be invited to attend school and program meetings as nonvoting members and to provide input on curriculum development and academic policy.
Office of the Dean Rm 3611 283-3700Office of the Associate Dean Rm 3611 283-3700Faculty Chair in Computing and Mathematics Rm D161 283-3873Faculty Chair in Engineering Rm D101 283-3875Faculty Chair in Natural Sciences Rm 3531 283-3793
In general, adjunct faculty have offices in one of the suites within the division in which they are teaching. Due to space considerations, some computer science adjunct professors will conduct office hours in the conference room of the Administrative Sciences suite adjacent to the computer science suite.
Secretaries in the division can assist with typing, copying, etc. A day or two of notice prior to the day the materials are needed is greatly appreciated. A copy card will be checked out to each adjunct faculty member. Please use this card when either you or the secretary are copying. The card must be returned to the suite secretary at the end of the semester.
Inter-school mail including notices, requests, course rosters and grade sheets will be placed in you mailbox. Please check the box weekly.
If for any reason you cannot meet with your scheduled class, please arrange for a substitute lecturer or contact the suite secretary who will work with the chair to ensure that a notice is placed on the classroom door.
The secretaries in each suite are instructed to collect copies of all course materials handed out during the semester. Extensive files of course materials are kept in the Dean's office as part of the requirements for university accreditation. Please assist the secretaries in this important task by providing any classroom handouts to them. At a minimum the course file must contain copies of exams and the course syllabus. A guide to the preparation of the syllabus is included in the offer letter.
The student final exams, along with a copy of the grade book indicating all the student grades in the course, must be turned in to the suite secretary at the close of the semester. These documents are essential in the case of a grade appeal. Final exams may be returned to students after one long semester when grade appeals can no longer be made in the course.
Many adjunct faculty serve as supervisors to graduate teaching assistants. Please attend the orientation for TAs and supervising faculty held each semester. If that is not possible, a meeting with the Associate Dean should be arranged to discuss the matters covered during orientation.
Expectations of instructor behavior have changed dramatically with regard to sensitivity to gender and ethnicity of students. Language and behavior that were acceptable during your educational experience may no longer be acceptable in today's classroom. Issues of sexual harassment, gender discrimination and racial or ethnic discrimination are of great concern to the university and school administrators. We have no specific guidelines to describe what is or is not acceptable. The university requests that you consider your comments and actions from the perspective of students of gender or ethnicity different from your own. Please be sensitive to their possible perception of discrimination or harassment and avoid speech or action that may elicit these perceptions.
Students who request retroactive withdrawals must satisfy one of the three following criteria and must provide written documentation addressed to the Associate Dean to substantiate their request.
If the request is granted, the student will be withdrawn from all courses for which he/she is registered during the semester in which the course in question appears. In effect, a request for a retroactive withdrawal in any class is a request for a retroactive withdrawal for the entire semester. The petition must be received no later than 14 days prior to the last class day of the semester for which the withdrawal is being requested. Please announce this to your class.
Information regarding your class, including size and location, can be obtained by calling the suite secretary during the registration period. Classroom assignments are subject to change up to the last minute.