Policies & Guidelines

In the context of a community of scholarship and faith, committed to fostering a culture where differences are affirmed and anchored in a belief in the inherent dignity of each person, the students, faculty, and college staff of Stonehill College maintain an uncompromising commitment to academic integrity.

We promote a climate of intellectual and ethical integrity and vigorously uphold the fundamental values of honesty, trust, fairness, and responsibility while fostering an atmosphere of mutual respect within and beyond the classroom. Any violation of these basic values threatens the integrity of the educational process, the development of ideas, and the unrestricted exchange of knowledge. Therefore, we will not participate in or tolerate academic dishonesty.

All members of the College community have the responsibility to be familiar with, to support, and to abide by the College’s Academic Honor Code. This responsibility includes reporting known or suspected violations of this policy to the appropriate faculty member or to the Director of Academic Services or designee.

Stonehill is committed to ensuring the health and general well-being of all members of our community by providing a wide range of competitive benefit programs. All full-time and regular faculty members are eligible to participate in the following benefit programs:

• Health Insurance – Individual or Family
• Dental Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
• Worker’s Compensation Insurance
• Liability Insurance
• Social Security
• Tuition Remission & Exchange Programs
• Rental Vehicles
• Retirement Plans

For a full description of these and other benefits, please visit the Office of Human Resources.

The Bias Response Protocol provides our community with an appropriate, timely and productive response to acts of bias and hate crimes. We believe in the inherent dignity of all people and in the education of the whole person so that each Stonehill graduate thinks, acts, and leads with courage to create a more just and compassionate world. To achieve these goals, and to support our community in realizing these goals, we are committed to fostering an environment free of harassment and hostility based on personal identity.

What is a bias-­related incident?

An act directed against a person, group or property expressing hostility or bias on the basis of perceived or actual gender, race, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or disability is a bias incident. Bias incidents may consist of slurs, epithets, name calling, use of degrading language, graffiti or slurs, intimidation, harassment or coercion directed at the targeted person or group. Bias acts occur whether the act is intentional or unintentional or is directed toward an individual or group and may contribute to creating an unsafe/unwelcoming environment for victims and social identity groups. Bias acts are considered such even when presented as a joke, prank, or delivered with humorous intent.

What do I do if I witness or am a target of a bias-­related incident?

Immediately notify Campus Police x5555 to report the incident. Please note that reports will be filed with Campus Police, regardless of the presence of an alleged perpetrator (e.g., graffiti, etc). Campus Police will respond to the scene, collect evidence, interview witnesses, and file a report that states the situation may be a bias incident. Please do not touch any evidence of a bias related act; Campus Police has specific protocols for documenting, gathering, and removing of bias-­‐ related graffiti or property damage. For more information about how to get involved with stopping hate on our campus, contact Intercultural Affairs at x1409 or email diversity@stonehill.edu.

Report an incident

Never risk your own safety to try to contain or otherwise deal with an emergency. However, if time allows and you can do so without risk to yourself and others, please take the following steps:

1. Pull a fire alarm to begin evacuation of the building.
2. Call Campus Police to report the emergency.
3. Close doors that might help contain the problem.
4. If a faculty/staff member or student is injured, call Campus Police at 911 or x5555.
5. If any member of the College community receives a suspicious call or a threat to the College or college personnel, contact Campus Police at 911 or x5555.

Communication

In the case of a campus emergency, students and College personnel will be contacted via Connect-ED (campus emergency notification system), Stonehill.edu, and e-mail.

Hill Alerts

The Hill Alert emergency notification system quickly and efficiently sends students, faculty, and staff a text message containing important information when a campus emergency occurs. We encourage community members with text enabled cell phones to provide a cell phone number to participate in the Hill Alert system.

Evacuation of Campus Buildings

Familiarize yourself with the emergency procedures and evacuation routes in buildings in which you find yourself frequently.

In the event of an emergency, direct students to either remain in classrooms and work areas or lead students to evacuation sites. Be prepared to assess situations quickly and use common sense in determining a course of action. Evacuate any area that poses a risk to safety in an orderly manner.

Evacuation Procedures

• Move at least 500 feet away from any building that is being evacuated.
• Gather in the assigned evacuation location during any evacuation incident.
• If it is believed that someone is still inside the building, notify responding emergency personnel.
• If the evacuation of the building is expected to be for a short period of time and if the weather is not severe, wait outside the building to be readmitted.
• If the evacuation will likely be lengthy or if the weather is severe, you will be directed to an evacuation location.
• When the building is clear for re-admittance, Campus Police will go to the evacuation location and let you know that the building can be reoccupied.

The College offers several opportunities for leave and release time awards, to provide additional time for faculty to pursue research/scholarship or other professional activities.

Sabbatical

Sabbatical leave is granted for the express purpose of providing an opportunity for faculty members to enhance their professional development through projects of research, written scholarship, or similar creative endeavors. The project must enhance the individual’s ability as an educator in the classroom and/or promote scholarship in one’s academic discipline. Sabbatical leaves can be awarded for one year at half-salary, or one semester at full salary.

Conboy Award for Faculty Development

The Conboy Award for Faculty Development provides a course release in one semester to advance the research of an Assistant or Associate Professor.

Teaching and Learning Strategies Seminar

This seminar, which is facilitated by the Center for Teaching and Learning, takes place one semester each year. Faculty apply for one of several openings and will be given release time from one course to spend the semester working with colleagues and experts from within and outside the College on specific issues related to teaching and learning.

Special Leave of Absence

If opportunities such as funded fellowships or research grants become available, faculty are encouraged to consider them. An authorized Leave of Absence (for purposes other than those covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act Policy) without pay is not considered a Sabbatical Leave. The College grants such leaves only under special circumstances and only if the leave does not seriously impair the teaching mission of the College. An authorized Leave of Absence for one academic year or less is not ordinarily considered to be an interruption of service to the College, in consideration of tenure, promotion, retirement, or salary increments.

Stonehill provides many opportunities for new faculty to acquaint themselves with the College community. Faculty, administrators and staff from across the College participate in a number of events intended to introduce new faculty to the many resources available to them.

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Supporting new faculty as they transition into their teaching roles at Stonehill is central to the mission of the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning. The CETL, in partnership with the Provost’s Office, organizes a number of programs meant to assist new full-and part-time faculty and fellows with this transition during their first year. Key to this support is the New Faculty Mentoring Program.

New Employee Orientation: “The Spirit of Stonehill”

Every new employee at the College participates in a four-part orientation program entitled The Spirit of Stonehill. The Spirit of Stonehill is an opportunity for you to learn more about Stonehill’s mission, history, students and aspirations. Each session consists of a presentation, discussion, and opportunity for conversation with employees from around the College. Sessions include:

• Leadership and Organization
• Living the Mission
• A Walk through Time
• Envisioning Stonehill’s Future

Faculty who teach in part-time appointments are critical to the academic mission of Stonehill College. Part-time faculty can be found teaching in just about every academic program. Sometimes they are hired for their professional expertise, sometimes for their disciplinary specialty and sometimes to assist programs to meet enrollment needs. Part-time faculty are welcome to participate fully in the life of the campus. Below are offices that are committed to supporting the important work of part-time faculty.

• Academic Affairs
• Academic Services & Advising
• Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
• Accessibility Resources
• Center for Writing & Academic Achievement
• Counseling Services
• Intercultural Affairs
• MacPhaídín Library
• Registrar's Office
• Information Technology
• Human Resources

As members of a College community, faculty are expected to be active participants and contributors to their respective academic departments. This responsibility includes attendance at alumni reunions and career nights, admissions events, seminars and student activities. Faculty are expected to contribute to curriculum review and development, faculty searches, and other departmental functions, as requested by the department chair.

Full-time faculty members are expected to attend all meetings of their department, normally scheduled during the Activity Period (11:30 – 12:45) on the fourth Monday of each month.

In addition, faculty must attend to the development of the Library collection, most particularly within their own disciplines. Typically, requests or recommendations are to be submitted to the Acquisitions Librarian though extraordinary requests should be discussed with the Library Director.

Faculty Senate and Faculty Assembly Meetings

The Faculty Senate expects all full-time faculty members to attend all meetings of the Faculty Assembly (held during the activities period whenever there is a fifth Monday of a month and at other times) and to vote in all faculty elections, unless prevented from doing so by official duties or other serious reasons. Faculty members are invited to attend all meetings of the Faculty Senate, normally scheduled on the first Monday of each month during the Activity Period.

Committee Participation

The College encourages active participation by the faculty in the governance of the College and considers this essential to collegiate life. Faculty members will serve on committees when appointed or elected. Generally, no faculty member should serve on more than two College standing committees at any one time. For the convenience of these committees, the third Monday of each month is reserved for meetings, though some committees may need to meet more frequently, or at alternative times.

Attendance at College Functions

Faculty members are expected to attend the major academic events of the College, including the Opening Meeting of the Faculty, Academic Convocation, Commencement, Academic Development Days, Celebration of Student Achievement and Stonehill Scholars Celebration. In addition, faculty members are encouraged to support other College-related activities and forums, especially those coordinated by their own department. Faculty may be asked to represent their department at College events and events sponsored by other departments, a responsibility which can be shared among members of the department.

For Convocation and Commencement, faculty members must furnish their own caps and gowns. Rental orders can be placed through the College Bookstore.

Office Hours

At least four hours a week of scheduled office hours are recommended for full-­‐time faculty, with availability at other times by appointment. Office hours must be communicated to departmental administrative assistants and department chairs, and posted on faculty doors.

Detailed original receipts for all purchases/reimbursements must be submitted with the appropriate form. Once the form has been completed, reviewed and approved by the Chair of the department, the form and receipts should be sent to the Office of the Provost, Duffy 134.

Every course taught at Stonehill must have a syllabus that summarizes for the student the key elements of the course. For accreditation and other purposes, the Office of Academic Affairs maintains copies of syllabi for all courses offered. Each Semester faculty must provide electronic copies of syllabi to the department chair and to the Office of Academic Affairs.

In order to be most useful to students, a syllabus should contain the following elements:

• general overview of the course content and plan for assignments and examinations;
• student learning objectives;
• detailed explanation of grading policy;
• office hours and contact information for the instructor;
• expectations for students in terms of attendance, class participation, etc.;
• statement of policy on academic integrity.

A statement regarding accommodation for disabilities should also be included: the Office of Academic Services will provide faculty with a standard statement.

The following header for course syllabi is recommended in order to be consistent in the information provided to students:

• Semester, year
• Course number and title
• Instructor’s name
• Instructor’s office, extension, email
• Instructor’s office hours
• Course Description

Suggested Syllabus Statements

You are welcome to borrow from the suggested syllabus statements provided by the Center for Teaching & Learning as you assemble your syllabus.

The criteria for tenure or promotion guide the evaluation of candidates by academic administrators, the Rank and Tenure Committee, the President, and the Board of Trustees. The intent of these criteria is to assure the highest quality faculty, objectivity in tenure and promotion decisions, and the vitality of the College. The criteria for tenure and for promotion to associate professor are the same; criteria for promotion to professor that differ from them are noted.

Faculty seeking tenure and promotion ordinarily will have attained a doctorate or equivalent terminal degree in his or her field. Faculty seeking promotion to professor must have achieved distinction and continued accomplishment in their professional and academic activities. In order of importance, candidates for tenure or promotion are evaluated on their teaching, scholarship, and service.

Teaching

Effectiveness in teaching is the most important criterion for the candidate and is a necessary prerequisite for tenure and promotion. Sustained effectiveness in teaching is necessary for promotion to professor. An effective teacher is knowledgeable in the subject matter, is enthusiastic about teaching, and uses a variety of teaching methodologies to promote student learning. Given the dynamic nature of learning, an effective teacher creates an environment that engages students’ intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and capacity for lifelong learning.

Scholarship

In order to be tenured or promoted, a candidate must have a record of scholarship that contributes to his or her discipline and strongly indicates future accomplishments. A successful candidate for promotion to professor has a sustained record of acknowledged professional contributions within his or her field that includes national and/or international scholarly accomplishments, and also strongly indicates future accomplishments.

Service to the College

For tenure or promotion to associate professor, service to the College consists of contributions of time and effort that help to advance the College’s mission. Service includes many activities; those involving leadership are particularly important, especially for promotion to professor.

When does one apply for tenure or promotion?

During the year in which a candidate is being evaluated for tenure or promotion to associate professor, the candidate will have completed at least five years of full-time college teaching, including two years at the rank of assistant professor, and will have taught full-time for at least two years at Stonehill College.

When the Rank and Tenure Committee is evaluating a candidate for promotion to the rank of professor, the candidate will have completed at least twelve years of full-time teaching, including five years at the rank of associate professor, and will have taught full-time for at least three years at Stonehill College.

For documentation purposes, faculty are asked to provide notification prior to traveling off campus with
students by completing the Travel Notification Form.

Due to safety and liability issues, faculty and staff members should avoid traveling alone with a student or using a personal vehicle for travel whenever possible. In cases where travel in a personal vehicle with students is considered necessary and proper by a faculty member in the course of their duties, the faculty member’s insurance will be the primary carrier in the event of an accident. Any faculty member performing their duties off-campus remains indemnified under article VI of the Bylaws of Stonehill College.

Off campus activities should not conflict with the course schedules of enrolled students.