5. Academic Affairs Policy

5.1  Student Safety in Academic Setting

Faculty should provide instruction in safety procedures to students who are engaged in academic activities (e.g., in classrooms, laboratories and/or off-campus activities that are officially and directly related to instruction) where a known potential danger is present. Unsafe conditions of equipment or facilities should be reported by faculty to the Provost (or an appropriate designee).  (Source: full-time Faculty Handbook, July 2015 edition.)

5.2  Minimum Enrollment Class Cancellation

Champlain College’s minimum class enrollment is six (6) students. If class enrollment falls below this minimum, the class may be cancelled. The Division Dean will work with faculty to determine if an under-enrolled class should be held or cancelled. The College may also offer faculty the option of pro-rated payment for an under-enrolled class, especially if the class is needed by students in order to graduate or complete studies in their major. (Source: full-time Faculty Handbook, July 2015 edition.)

5.3  Academic Honesty

In addition to skills and knowledge, Champlain College aims to teach students appropriate Ethical and Professional Standards of Conduct. The Academic Honesty Policy exists to inform students and faculty of their obligations in upholding the highest standards of professional and ethical integrity. All student academic work is subject to the Academic Honesty Policy.

It is the student’s responsibility to understand and comply with College-wide policy as well as any assigned work – including examinations, tests, quizzes, term papers, reports, themes and other exercises. Every student shall conform to a strict standard of academic honesty.

Any attempt to deceive a faculty member or to help another student to do so will be considered a violation of this standard.

The student’s work must match the instructor’s intended purpose for an assignment. While the instructor will establish the intent of an assignment, each student must clarify outstanding questions of that intent for a given assignment. It is the responsibility of the student to understand and follow the intent articulated by the instructor.

A complete version of this policy is in the College Catalog.

The form for reporting a violation can be found here:  http://www.champlain.edu/Documents/academic-affairs/Academic Honesty Violation Form_Final2.pdf

5.4  Faculty-Authored Books

Champlain College faculty members may adopt books or textbooks they have authored or edited only upon demonstrating to the dean of the division in which the course is offered that the selected material: (1) is relevant to the objectives of the course (2) supersedes other available work in the field and (3) generally does not constitute the majority of books/texts for the class. (Source: full-time Faculty Handbook, July 2015 edition.)

5.5  Relationships between Faculty and Students

In general, Champlain College prohibits sexual or romantic relationships between faculty and students, and considers such relationships to be inappropriate and contrary to a professional code of conduct that is expected of faculty in an academic community.  The only exception to this prohibition would be in situations where a faculty member and a student were in a relationship before the student began his or her studies at the College. Such situations would be handled in accordance to the “Related Persons as Students” policy stated immediately below. (Source: full-time Faculty Handbook, July 2015 edition.)

5.6  Related Persons as Students

Faculty members should avoid being placed in a position of authority over relatives or significant others concerning their teaching or advising.  In the event that avoidance of conflict is not possible, or unfair to the student, the faculty member must disclose the relationship to the academic dean who must approve exceptions to this policy and who will oversee the evaluation process of the student.

For the purpose of this policy, a “related student” is a spouse, civil union partner, child, child of a civil union partner, stepchild, ward, foster child, parent, parent of a spouse or a civil union partner, sibling, or sibling of a spouse or civil union partner.

(Source: full-time Faculty Handbook, July 2015 edition.)

5.7  Graduate Faculty Qualifications

It is expected that graduate faculty, whether regular full-time or part-time will have a terminal degree or appropriate credentials in the field they will be teaching. The graduate Program Director determines whether a faculty member with documented, professional experience but without a terminal degree is qualified to teach in the program. If possible, faculty with terminal degrees shall constitute a vast majority (70% or more) of the faculty in a particular program. All graduate faculty members are expected to remain current and involved in their disciplines, engaging in such activities as presentations, research and publication, conference attendance, membership in professional societies, professional work in their field of expertise, performances, and/or other scholarly activities. This policy applies in a general way to all programs; individual programs may develop specific policies as appropriate for their field and for their respective professional accreditation standards.

(Source: full-time Faculty Handbook, July 2015 edition.)

5.8  Research on Humans

In accordance with federal regulations (see 45 CFR 46.109) Champlain College’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) will have the exclusive authority to:

• Approve, require modifications in (to secure approval), or disapprove of all research activities involving human subjects conducted at Champlain College.
• Suspend or rescind approval of research involving human subjects not conducted in accordance with the IRB’s requirements or that has been associated with unexpected serious harm to subjects.

The complete policy on Research on Humans is in the full-time Faculty Handbook, July 2015 edition.

5.9  Course Withdrawals

There are two ways in which students may be officially withdrawn from a course: A student may voluntarily withdraw or be involuntarily withdrawn by the instructor.  A student’s lack of attendance does not result in an automatic withdrawal from a course.  See the academic policy on Student Attendance.

These include, but are not limited to, violations of the College’s Standard of Conduct, disciplinary problems, or damaging the College’s relationships with internships or project sites.

A grade of “W,” “WP” or “WF” is recorded, as determined by the date of the withdrawal and the student’s academic status at the time, or by the circumstances of the withdrawal.

(Source: full-time Faculty Handbook, July 2015 edition.)

5.10  Final Testing Period

Faculty must convene a class during the final testing period. Faculty will be notified by Email as to when and where the final test schedule will be posted.

Note: Refer to the Academic Information and Policies section of the College Catalog  for policies relating to graduation requirements, course withdrawals, retaking courses, etc. 

(Source: full-time Faculty Handbook, July 2015 edition.)