To confirm CWI’s adherence to principles of academic freedom and to encourage an educational environment that
supports independent thinking and open dissemination of knowledge.
All faculty at CWI.
CWI encourages an environment that supports independent thinking and open dissemination of knowledge. Thus, CWI takes responsibility to protect faculty and students from inappropriate influences or pressures. Academic freedom is essential to protect the rights of the faculty member in teaching and the student in learning.
Academic freedom carries with it responsibilities as well as rights. Those with teaching responsibilities are expected to present scholarship objectively and fairly. They are to reveal sources of intellectual property and identify personal opinions when they voice them. Membership in the academic community imposes on administrators, faculty members, other institutional employees, and students an obligation to respect the dignity of others, to acknowledge the right of others to express differing opinions, and to foster and defend intellectual honesty, freedom of inquiry and instruction, and free expression on and off the CWI campus.
Each CWI faculty member is a citizen, a member of a learned profession, and a representative of CWI. When speaking or writing as a citizen, the faculty member should be free from institutional censorship or discipline. However, as a member of the academic community and a representative of CWI, the faculty member should at all times be accurate, exercise appropriate restraint, show respect for the opinions of others, and make every effort to indicate that he or she is not an official spokesperson for CWI. Furthermore, each faculty member must refrain from using institutional resources to further his or her interests or activities which are not a part of his/her assigned responsibilities to the institution.
To provide for the establishment of a process for developing academic standards for students at CWI.
Applies to all students at CWI.
The President shall cause to be established procedures defining academic standards which shall address grading practices, academic record symbols, grade point average, Prior Learning Assessment, probation, suspension, renewal, course repetition, limits on remedial course work, and grade changes. The CWI catalog will publish this information.
This policy establishes CWI’s compensation program for CWI’s adjunct faculty employees in accordance with state and federal law and CWI policy.
Applies to part-time non-benefited faculty
Letter of Teaching Appointment (LTA): The agreement signed by an Adjunct Faculty that governs the responsibilities and expectations for the identified semester or session.
LTA Period: Time period during which faculty is under obligation to the College through an LTA.
Type of Course: Per the CWI College Catalog, course types are lecture, lab A, and lab B.
Adjunct Faculty provide essential services to CWI and its students. This policy seeks to ensure that the employment of Adjunct Faculty is uniform and compliant with state and federal laws.
Like full-time faculty, Adjunct Faculty have the right to apply for Professional Development support and to access professional development opportunities through CWI’s Center for Teaching and Learning. Faculty participating in professional development requiring financial support submit a Professional Development Form for approval by the Department Chair and Dean, or their designees.
Adjunct Faculty participating in an approved professional development activity outside of their Letter of Teaching Appointment (LTA) period, are covered by CWI policies and processes including, but not limited to liability coverage, workmen’s compensation, and travel support. Time engaged in professional development activities outside of their LTA Period will not be compensated as time worked unless specifically approved by the dean, or their designee, in advance for exceptional situations (simultaneous supervision of students and professional development at a national conference, for example). Upon approval, professional development requests may include opportunities during the LTA Period in which case faculty work with their supervisor to determine appropriate support for their students during the professional development activity.
The compensation for Adjunct Faculty is based on a standard credit/contract rate per unit, based on the content taught. Prorated courses are paid at a fixed rate per student per type of credit.
Adjunct Faculty workload assignments must meet ALL the following criteria:
NON-TEACHING WORKLOAD
CWI recognizes the value of the adjunct perspective and may make certain institutional engagement opportunities available to adjunct faculty. These assignments are made when Fulltime Faculty cannot meet institutional needs due to availability or lack of applicable content knowledge.
Adjunct Faculty receive the following rights and privileges during the period of the appointment:
Access to IT systems can be terminated at the request of the hiring department chair, Dean, or Provost if the Adjunct Faculty member is dismissed or suspended before the end of the appointment term.
Adjunct Faculty are not eligible for benefits and do not accrue vacation or sick leave.
Compensation for grant related projects is only allowed when:
CWI reserves the right to change general compensation for any reason deemed appropriate. Compensation may also be adjusted based upon job performance and the availability of funds to maintain a solvent CWI budget. Hours worked may be reduced or employees may be laid off as necessary to meet budgetary constraints or as the workload changes.
To provide guidelines for the development of articulation agreements which address the transfer of credits between CWI and other colleges and universities and high schools.
Applies to all agreements between CWI and colleges, universities, and high schools which allow for the transfer of credits from one institution to the other.
Articulation Agreement: An officially-approved agreement between two institutions which allows a student to apply credits earned at one institution toward admission, advanced standing, or entry or transfer into a program at the other institution.
It is the policy of CWI to enter into articulation agreements with other colleges and universities and high schools to allow students to apply credits earned at one institution toward admission, advanced standing or entry or transfer into a program at the other institution subject to the guidelines set forth below.
Initial contact between appropriate colleges and universities shall be conducted through the Office of the Provost. General conditions for Articulation Agreements shall be developed through the appropriate units of Enrollment and Student Services and maintained within the Office of the Registrar.
Specific Articulation Agreements for Dual Credit/Technical Dual Credit and Technical Competency Credit shall be initiated by the Executive Director of Dual Credit and the Transition Coordinator, respectively, in partnership with specific CWI Instructional units.
All Articulation Agreements shall be approved by the Provost. Approved Articulation Agreements shall be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar. These documents shall provide the sole basis for the creation and maintenance of CWI transfer equivalency and the production of advising materials.
At least annually, the Assistant Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services will be responsible for coordinating the review of Articulation Agreements with all appropriate campus and external institutional representatives. They are also responsible for appropriately communicating changes and maintaining appropriate CWI advising tools and resources.
Specific program-by-program or discipline-specific agreements may be developed by appointed faculty, department chairs, or deans. Program agreements must be approved by the Provost and the appropriate administrator from the receiving institution. All program or discipline-specific agreements shall be posted on the program webpage. At least annually, Credit Instruction shall have each program-specific transfer agreement reviewed by all appropriate campus and external institutional representatives. They are also responsible for appropriately updating changes to those agreements on the program webpage.
To provide for the establishment of standards for Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees, Academic Certificates, and the CWI General Education Program which supports these awards.
Applies to academic transfer programs offered by CWI.
Associate of Arts (A.A.) degrees, Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees, and Academic Certificates (AC) represent more than an accumulation of courses. They symbolize CWI’s commitment to providing students a program of study, thoughtfully designed to develop a level of specialized knowledge and skills associated with the attainment of a college-level degree.
General Education (GE) is the foundation of the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees and provides a broad-based learning foundation designed to prepare students for personal, community, and global responsibility. This is accomplished by completing general education coursework that empowers students to consider other contexts and viewpoints, communicate with clarity and accuracy, and apply solutions and ideas. Students will be prepared to move forward in their academic careers with a solid foundation from the general education courses they completed at CWI. CWI therefore has established the processes for developing appropriate and meaningful standards for academic transfer programs offered by CWI.
The President, with assistance of the Faculty Senate, Curriculum Committee, the Provost, and other appropriate administrators, shall establish procedures intended to assure courses used for complying with academic transfer requirements meet specific criteria.
To provide the process for establishment of standards for Career and Technical Education certificates and degrees.
Applies to all Career and Technical Education certificates and degrees offered by CWI.
CWI provides programs in Career and Technical fields of study where regional workforce demand exists. In doing so, CWI seeks to ensure that its curriculum serves the present needs and anticipates the future expectations of its service area. CWI currently awards four different Career and Technical certificates, including a Basic Technical Certificate (BTC), Intermediate Technical Certificate (ITC), Advanced Technical Certificate (ATC), and Specialized Certificate (SC). CWI also awards an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree and a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree.
The President, with assistance of the Faculty Senate, Curriculum Committee, the Provost, and other appropriate administrators, shall establish procedures intended to assure courses used for Career and Technical certificates and degrees meet specific criteria.
CURRICULUM APPROVAL
To provide guidelines regarding credit hours in compliance with the Northwest Commission on College and Universities’ Policy on Credit Hours, Idaho State Board of Education Policy, and U.S. Department of Education Policy.
Applies to all CWI credit courses regardless of the modality of delivery. Courses that are delivered to meet continuing education requirements are exempt from this policy and do not count toward degree requirements.
Credit Hour: time-based reference for measuring educational attainment used by the Association of American Universities and Colleges.
Clock hour: a 50-minute lecture, laboratory, internship, or recitation in a 60-minute period.
This policy defines credit hours and the assignment of credit hours. Such definitions are important because there are many types of educational experiences with which Credit Hour assignments are associated. Additionally, definitions are required for compliance with federal law and accreditation standards and facilitation of accurate academic measurements and cross-campus comparability.
For each Credit Hour granted, students, must have successfully met the academic requirements with an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that reasonably approximates not less than:
CWI courses align with Credit Hours in the following manner:
| Credit Hours | Instructional Contact Hours | Out of Class Hours | Total Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 1 | 12.5 | 25 | 37.5 |
| Lab A | 1 | 37.5 | 0 | 37.5 |
| Lab B | 1 | 25 | 12.5 | 37.5 |
The expectation of contact time with the instructor and student effort outside the classroom is the same in all formats of a course regardless of modality. Courses with less structured classroom schedules, such as workshops, research seminars, independent studies, internships, practicum, studio work, or any other academic work leading to the award of credit hours, at a minimum, should state clearly the workload expectations that meet the standards set forth above.
Credit Hours are examined for compliance by various campus units.
To provide guidelines for submitting student grades.
Applies to all faculty teaching graded courses.
All CWI faculty who teach graded courses must submit final grades as outlined below.
Related policies, procedures, and forms:
To provide for the establishment of procedures for determining graduation requirements for degrees and certificates.
Applies to all degrees and credit certificates granted by CWI.
The President shall cause to be established procedures defining the necessary requirements that must be satisfied to obtain a degree or certificate from CWI.
CWI grants the following degrees: Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Science. In addition, CWI grants Academic Certificates, Basic Technical Certificates, Intermediate Technical Certificates and Advanced Technical Certificates. Students must have completed the subject requirements for graduation and where applicable, complete general education components, maintained a 2.0 grade point average in the subjects attempted to receive a degree, and comply with residency requirements as articulated in the catalog of the year they enrolled.
The President shall establish procedures to determine graduation requirements for degrees and certificates, updating them as necessary with appropriate involvement of the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee. These procedures shall assure that graduation requirements are published in the catalog and included in other resources conveniently accessible to students.
To establish guidelines for the joint appointment of a full time faculty member to multiple instructional departments or where there would be more than one supervisor.
Applies to all full-time faculty.
Joint Appointment: a faculty member holds a joint appointment if he or she holds appointments in two or more academic departments.
Administrative Home: the administrative home of a faculty member who holds a joint appointment is the department responsible for the execution of all personnel processes; the administrative home carries out these responsibilities in coordination with all departments participating in the joint appointment.
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Designates the administrative home, addresses all principles outlined within this policy, and sets forth the terms of the joint appointment.
CWI recognizes that some faculty members have interests and capabilities that draw them into collaborations with colleagues from different fields. These faculty members are particularly important to efforts that cross the disciplinary boundaries between academic departments or programs. To encourage interdisciplinary activities, CWI provides for the joint appointment of faculty members to multiple academic departments. The proper formation of a joint appointment is dependent on adherence to principles and procedures that promote clarity, administrative efficiency, and the success of the academic departments as well as the faculty member.
To provide guidelines for the maintenance of CWI’s library spaces, services, collections, and information literacy instruction.
Applies to all library resources provided by CWI.
The library is the essential focal point for learning outside the classroom. As such, CWI shall maintain library space, services, collections, and information literacy instruction critical to CWI’s educational programming. CWI librarians shall have primary responsibility for the identification, selection, coordination, and provision of academic resources, services, and collections that meet the information needs of CWI. With respect to the Library’s operations, CWI supports the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and the Association of College & Research Libraries’ Standards for Libraries in Higher Education. The library’s operational policies and procedures are available in the Library User Manual on the Library’s website on cwi.edu, and staff procedures are available in the Library Staff Manual linked for staff in the referenced section of this policy.
CWI will provide the means to ensure the planned and systematic acquisition and maintenance of physical and electronic library materials, resulting in a well-balanced collection having the depth, scope, and currency required to support CWI’s curriculum.
Librarians, collaborating with faculty, will provide an information literacy instruction program that aspires to integrate the Association of College & Research Libraries’ Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education and guides students towards achievement of AACU Information Literacy VALUE Rubric Capstone skills.
Students and faculty involved in distance education and off-campus programs shall have access to Library services and resources that is equivalent to that of on-campus students.
Library resources shall be available to students, faculty, and staff at CWI and, where possible pursuant to licensing and other legally binding agreements, to residents of CWI’s taxation district.
To provide guidelines for the administration of Special Course Fees and procedures for allowing students to opt out of eligible Special Course Fees.
Applies to students who are registered for a course with an eligible opt out Special Course Fee.
Tuition and Fees: The cost per credit for the offering of a general unit of instruction.
Special Course Fee (SCFs): These fees offset unique cost beyond a traditional college lecture class and are limited to the approved justifications for SCFs as noted in the Tuition and Fees Policy (STU 100). Some SCFs allow students to opt out of payment as noted in this policy.
CWI strives to provide accessible and affordable learning opportunities for students and makes a conscious effort to apply Special Course Fees (SCFs) reasonably, affordably, and sparingly. SCFs are applied for the purposes outline in STU 100 Tuition and Fees Policy. An SCF may be applied when one or more of the following is true:
In accordance with Federal Department of Education regulations, CWI provides students the ability to optâ€out of certain SCFs under the parameters noted above. A list of SCFs eligible for optâ€out is available to students at all One Stop Student Services locations as well as on cwi.edu under Tuition and Fees. Not all SCFs are eligible for optâ€out.
A student must first be registered for a course with an eligible opt out SCF. The student may file a request to opt-out of the eligible SCF no later than two (2) weeks before the first day of the session.
The student will initiate the opt out process by consulting with a One Stop representative on the potential impact of opting out, the responsibilities the student assumes, and the specific materials the student agrees to personally acquire for participation in the course in lieu of the SCF. One Stop Student Services will provide the student a detailed list of required materials the student must purchase. These materials may or may not be available for purchase at the CWI bookstore. Materials may be required for class prior to the date Financial Aid refunds are disbursed. The opt out form requires the signature of both the One Stop representative and the student.
Within ten (10) business days, the student’s account will be adjusted in the amount of the SCF. Students can access their account detail through myCWI (Summer and Fall account access opens July 1). Once an opt out request is submitted and the student has accepted the personal responsibility for acquiring the required materials or supplies, the opt out adjustment cannot be reversed. Because SCFs are specifically intended to ensure students’ preparedness for the course and immediate access to learning materials, students who opt out and do not fulfill their responsibility to acquire their own materials reduce their likelihood for success.
To provide guidelines for the engagement and use of substitute instructors.
Applies to Career & Technical and Academic faculty members.
Faculty members are expected to conduct classes as scheduled. Faculty who must be absent from class must notify their supervisor in advance. Supervisors will recommend arrangements to cover absences of faculty.
It is the responsibility of faculty and supervisors to provide maximum instructional time each semester. Permission to pay substitutes must be approved in advance by a direct supervisor.
Substitute instructors may be used at CWI pursuant to the following guidelines:
CWI will compensate a qualified substitute in the following instances:
To address registration in courses requiring requisites.
Applies to all CWI students enrolling in courses requiring requisites.
Course Requisite: A course or other demonstration of requisite knowledge deemed to be necessary for success in a course.
Prerequisite: A course which must be completed prior to participating in another course.
Co-requisite: A course which must be completed concurrently with another course.
Pre/co-requisite: A course which may be completed either prior to or concurrently with another course.
In-Progress: A course in which a student is currently enrolled; in progress courses are noted on the transcript with the grade notation of Course in Progress (CIP).
Academic Calendar: The system which defines the landmark dates that drive the day-to-day business atCWI.
Students: Anyone enrolled in credit courses at CWI.
Instruction: CWI’s Academic Department.
CWI is committed to outlining the appropriate sequencing of courses. Many courses require requisites to ensure students are prepared to be successful in the course material and learning outcomes. Therefore, CWI will enforce course requisites upon registration. Unless otherwise stated in a course description, a minimum grade of C or higher is required in all courses fulfilling a requisite requirement.
Recognizing that the registration process for upcoming semesters begins while current classes are incomplete, CWI allows registration into next-level courses while requisite courses are in progress. Because student success is equally important to access, CWI will remove students in current classes who have utilized this option but do not ultimately meet the requisite requirement after grades post for the current semester.
To establish policies and reference procedures to protect the rights, wellâ€being, and personal privacy of individuals serving as Human Subjects, to assure a favorable climate for the conduct of scientific inquiry, observations, collection of historical data, surveys, and questionnaires, and to protect the interests of CWI when conducting research involving Human Subjects.
This policy applies to all research projects involving Human Subjects.
Federal Wide Assurance (FWA): Pursuant to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) regulations providing for the protection of Human Subjects, 45 CFR 46.101, et seq., every institution engaged in human subjects research that is funded or conducted by DHHS must obtain an Assurance of Compliance approved by the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP). NOTE: All research activity involving Human Subjects will be subject to such an assurance regardless of whether the activity is funded or unfunded.
Human Subject: A living individual about whom a professional or student investigator conducting research obtains data through intervention or interaction with the individual or collects identifiable private information, 45 CFR 46.102 (f). Human Subject under United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) regulations includes an individual who is or becomes a participant in research, either as a recipient of a test article or as a control. A “subject” may be a healthy human or a patient. 21 CFR 56.102 (e).
Institutional Review Board (IRB): An administrative body established to protect the rights and welfare of human research subjects recruited to participate in research activities conducted under the auspices of the institution with which it is affiliated, established, and registered with OHRP.
Research: A systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalized knowledge. 45 CFR 46.102(d). Research includes surveys and interviews, behavioral investigations, retrospective reviews of medical information, experiments with blood and tissue, and demonstration and service programs and clinical trials. In addition, the FDA includes under the definition of reviewable research any use of an FDA regulated product except for use of a marketed product in the practice of medicine. Under this definition of Research, CWI includes the collection of historical data and the review of records, observations, and questionnaires that will be used, shared, or published outside of the CWI campus.
CWI is committed to the ethical principles for the protection of Human Subjects in research set forth in the Belmont Report of the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects in Biomedical and Behavioral Research and the federal rules and regulations, 45 CFR 46.101, et seq. The College recognizes and accepts responsibility, which it shares with its investigators and other researchers, for determining that research involving Human Subjects fulfills these ethical principles. The following general guidelines apply equally to all research involving Human Subjects, whether carried out solely with College resources or with assistance of outside funds. The College assumes responsibility for communicating and explaining these policies and guidelines to all College personnel and for providing procedural guidelines to affect their observance.
Under federal regulations as prescribed by DHHS and the OHRP, the College requires the review of all human subjects research by an IRB prior to conducting any research.
For research involving Human Subjects, the College uses as its guide the federal rules and regulations including 45 CFR Part 46, entitled “Protection of Human Research Subjects” (HHS regulations), 21 CFR Part 50, entitled “Protection of Human Subjects” (FDA regulation), and 21 CFR Part 56, entitled “Institutional Review Boards” (FDA regulations). Other applicable FDA regulations, which the IRB and the investigator must follow, depending on the study, include 21 CFR Part 312, “Investigational Drugs” and 21 CFR Part 812, “Investigational Devices.” Importantly, the National Institute of Health (NIH) and FDA publicize additional guidelines for the conduct of certain types of research from time to time.
The President of the College has designated the Provost as CWI’s official signatory and Institutional Office (IO), who is responsible and has oversight for all Human Subject research activity. The IO shall designate a Human Protections Administrator that shall provide for day-to-day oversight of all human subject research at CWI. In order to conduct nonexempt human subject research, CWI shall, as required, enter into an agreement with an IRB such a relationship will be documented by a written agreement between CWI and the other institution or organization operating the IRB that outlines the relationship and includes a commitment that the IRB will adhere to the requirements of CWI’s FWA. The IO shall confirm annually that such an agreement has appropriate composition and representation, according to federal guidelines.
To address exceptional teaching assignments (overloads) for exempt full-time employees.
Applies to all CWI full-time status employees applying for part-time teaching assignments in Instruction.
Overload: A credit course teaching assignment provided to exempt, full-time CWI employees outside of their regular work assignments on an exceptional basis.
Primary Supervisor: The supervisor of the exempt, full-time position.
Subject to approval by the Instructional Dean responsible for the discipline in consultation with the Provost, supplemental pay for teaching overload may be offered in limited and restricted situations of special institution need, with each case approved on an individual basis. Teaching is normally performed by faculty as part of their regular duties; however, faculty still may be eligible for supplemental pay for teaching overloads. All overload is considered additional responsibility, regardless of the employee’s primary position classification (faculty or staff). Supplemental pay for teaching overload should not occur on an ongoing basis.
To establish authority and responsibilities of the College in awarding credit for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).
Applies to all CWI students seeking credit through Prior Learning Assessment.
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA): The process by which learning gained through means other than completion of a regionally accredited course is assessed to determine if credit should be awarded.
Instructionalâ€based Learning: Knowledge gained in a classroom environment or through structured, monitored progress of content. Instructionalâ€based learning might take place in high school, a nonâ€regionally accredited college or university, or through structured training through the community or workforce.
Experiential†based Learning: Knowledge gained through handsâ€on experience in a field of study. Experiential based learning might take place through personal hobbies, community engagement, or work experience.
Equivalencies: The CWI course or program outcomes deemed to be a match for the content learned through PLA.
Students: Anyone enrolled in credit courses at CWI.
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) enables individuals to earn credit and recognition for the skills and knowledge they have already acquired outside credit awarded by accredited postsecondary education institutions. Prior learning includes learning acquired from work and life experiences; community and volunteer extension courses; individual study and reading; civic, community and volunteer work; and participation in informal courses and in-service training sponsored by associations, business, government, and industry. PLA credit is not awarded for experience but for college-level learning which entails knowledge, skills, and competencies a student has obtained as a result of their prior learning experience.
To align with Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and Idaho State Board of Education (SBOE) expectations of PLA, CWI adopts the following guidelines related to the awarding of PLA credits.