2. Introduction

2.1     MISSION - AMENDMENTS REQUIRE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVAL

Champlain College endeavors to be a leader in educating today’s students to become skilled practitioners, effective professionals and engaged global citizens. Champlain’s agile and entrepreneurial approach to higher education uniquely blends technology leadership, market savvy, innovation and fiscal responsibility with a commitment to liberal learning, community involvement and “the human touch.” This distinctive approach permeates the delivery of relevant, rigorous student-centered programs in business, arts, applied technology and public service.

2.2     VISION - AMENDMENTS REQUIRE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVAL

By 2020, Champlain College will be the finest small, professionally and globally focused college in the United States.

2.3     VALUES - AMENDMENTS REQUIRE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVAL

Distinctive Excellence • Sustainability • Innovation • Human Touch • Global Engagement • Diversity and Inclusion

Every endeavor should have a vision and tone. Through ongoing discussion and consensus, the members of the Faculty Welfare Committee, the President, and the Provost agree that John Gardner’s vision of “vital professors” captures the spirit of this Handbook and should continue to guide future editions:

Vital professors typically are individuals who challenge students academically and contribute to their overall development. Usually they participate in the governance and intellectual life of their institution and are involved in the debates of their discipline or professional field. Vital professors are curious and intellectually engaged. They enjoy the respect of their colleagues and are effective in the multiple roles of members of the academic profession. Perhaps most significant, vital professors grow personally and professionally throughout their academic career, continually pursuing expanded interests and acquiring new skills and knowledge. Adjectives that would apply to vital professors include: enthusiastic, caring, dedicated, vigorous, creative, flexible, risk-taking, and regenerative.

(Source: Attributed to John W. Gardner by R.G. Baldwin, Journal of Higher Education, March/April 1990, page 180)

2.4     HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE

Champlain College began in downtown Burlington in 1878 as Burlington Collegiate Institute, founded by G.W. Thompson. The Institute was renamed Burlington Business College and operated under E. George Evans’ direction from 1884 to 1920 when it was purchased by A. Gordon Tittemore. He ran the school until 1956 when C. Bader Brouilette, in partnership with Albert Jensen, acquired the College. Brouilette became the president and two years later established the institution as Champlain College, offering associate degree programs.

Champlain College purchased Freeman Hall in 1958 and moved to the Hill Section of Burlington. In 1965, the College opened its first dormitory in a restored Victorian building on historic South Willard Street. Champlain built Joyce Learning Center in 1970 to support its growing student body. Brouilette remained president until his retirement in 1977 when he was succeeded by Dr. Robert Skiff. During Skiff’s presidency, the College acquired several buildings that were converted to dormitories and constructed the Hauke Family Campus Center in 1989. In 1991, the College introduced its first bachelor degree program.

Dr. Roger Perry became the  sixth president of Champlain in 1992, and under his leadership Champlain established one of the country’s first online academic programs. During the 90’s, Champlain also offered academic programs at satellite campuses in Israel, United Arab Emirates and India. The first master’s degree program was launched in 2002. During Dr. Perry’s tenure, the campus expanded to include the Robert E. and Holly D. Miller Information Commons (1998), the S.D. Ireland Family Center for Global Business and Technology (2004) and the IDX Student Life Center (2005).

In 2005, Dr. David Finney became Champlain’s seventh president. From 2005-2009, Champlain expanded master’s degree offerings, launched an innovative general education core, created a new master plan for the campus, instituted the Emergent Media Center and Champlain Center for Digital Investigation, and opened study-abroad campuses in Montreal, Canada and Dublin, Ireland. Champlain also acquired Woodbury College and in doing so added two graduate-level degree programs.

Building on Champlain’s history of professionally oriented education, the core liberal arts curriculum supplements and supports the concentrated areas of traditional undergraduate professional study. This four-year program fosters skills in critical and creative thinking,  effective  communications,  the  development  of  a global perspective  and  ethical reasoning, among other invaluable competencies. To complement the Core curriculum, the College created the co-curricular Career Flagship program, designed to develop students’ financial literacy and career development skills.

Today, under it’s eigth president, Donald J. Laackman, Champlain College continues its long tradition of being a leader in preparing highly educated, deeply skilled and personally confident professionals through its traditional campus programs, master’s degrees and online offerings.

2.5     COLLEGE COMPETENCIES

The Champlain graduate is an ethical, self-guided learner. Life is a process of continuous development - learning in its broadest sense never ends. Developing facility in the competencies helps Champlain graduates continue to grow and develop after college by giving them the tools to take charge of their own learning, to identify what they need to learn and how to do it. This self-directed learning is combined with the ability to examine one’s own assumptions and obligations to others, and to act accordingly with autonomy, integrity and intention.

Technology and Information Literacy: The ability to find, store, evaluate and synthesize information to answer questions, develop new ones and create new content and knowledge in an ethical and socially responsible manner; the ability to use, manage, assess and understand technology

Science and Quantitative Literacy: The ability to interpret quantitative information, apply appropriate mathematical methods to solve quantitative problems and communicate solutions in the appropriate context; the ability to apply scientific methods to understand the natural world, to identify scientific aspects of daily life, and to evaluate the quality of scientific information on the basis of its source and the methods used for its generation

Inquiry: The ability to identify, formulate and communicate questions that guide investigation and reflection toward discovery; the ability to critically and thoroughly examine one’s own assumptions and the assumptions of others

Analysis: The ability to separate and organize complex topics or issues into their component parts, and through a systematic process, to identify and differentiate those components to gain an understanding of the topic or issue

Integration: The ability to move from making simple connections among ideas, disciplines and experiences, to synthesizing and transferring learning and data to new, complex situations

Creativity:  The ability to think, work and respond in ways characterized by a high degree of originality, divergent thinking and risk taking; the ability to combine or synthesize existing ideas, images or expertise (or aspects of these) in ways that are original or that lead to unexpected results

Communication: The ability to use reading, thinking, writing and speaking to convey ideas, information and intentions effectively and in a manner that is appropriate to the topic, situation and audience; the ability to interpret accurately and critically the messages produced by others, and to respond appropriately

Collaboration:  The ability to work inclusively and productively with a group toward a collective outcome; the ability to create an environment where each perspective is considered for the cooperative purpose of making progress toward common goals

Global and Cultural Understanding:  The ability to interact respectfully and effectively in a variety of cultural contexts, to understand how one’s actions affect both local and global communities, and to approach the world’s most pressing and enduring issues thoughtfully and collaboratively

We believe that each of these competencies is best developed through consistent practice, application, and instruction. As a result, each faculty member is expected to design courses with these competencies in mind and incorporate instructional and developmental activities in these nine areas wherever possible and consistent with the goals of the major. Each proposed new course must provide evidence of how it will contribute to undergraduate students’ achievement of the competencies.

2.6     DEFINITION OF FACULTY

Full-time regular faculty members are those whose appointment letters specify that their primary responsibility is teaching and whose appointment is not temporary. Full-time faculty appointments are for a minimum duration of one year, unless terminated sooner as provided in this Faculty Handbook. For purposes of this Handbook, the term faculty refers to full-time, regular faculty, unless otherwise noted.

The Provost, associate provosts, academic deans, and librarians, while considered administrators for employment purposes, are also defined as faculty, with privileges of voice and vote in the Faculty Senate. The Provost, associate provosts, and academic deans may also be considered for academic rank in accordance with policies and procedures in this Faculty Handbook.

2.7     PURPOSE OF THE FACULTY HANDBOOK

The Faculty Handbook is a compilation of publications and websites, consolidated to provide information to faculty regarding the policies and procedures related to the academic operation of Champlain College.  The Faculty Handbook is also designed to offer guidance in matters of concern to faculty and to improve communication throughout the College.

The policies and procedures contained in this Handbook supersede those issued by Champlain College in any and all previous publications, policy memoranda or statements, and administrative directives. In the event that contradictions occur between the requirements or privileges provided in the Faculty Handbook and those provided in a faculty member’s letter of appointment, the provisions of the letter of appointment shall be followed.

The Champlain College Academic Catalogs, as well as policies and procedures posted on the College’s internet site, intranet site, and shared folders also contain information on rules and regulations related to the operation and management of the College. Some of these publications are noted as an official part of this Handbook, and may be reprinted here. The most current version of these external procedures, as they appear on the College website, takes precedence over the Faculty Handbook. The College reserves the right to alter, amend, or suspend terms of policies summarized in the Faculty Handbook, according to the procedures outlined in section 2.8.

The Faculty Handbook is stored on the College website. It is updated annually for any approved amendments, at the beginning of the academic year, unless a modification is approved to take effect immediately, in accordance with section 2.8.5 of this Handbook.

2.8     AMENDING THE FACULTY HANDBOOK

College policies, including the policies contained in the Faculty Handbook, are established by the Board of Trustees. The Board reserves the right to modify these policies, upon the advice of the administration and/or the faculty through the processes described below.

Some policies in the Faculty Handbook require Board approval for amendment or addition. Other sections are administrative and can be changed at the discretion of the administration, with appropriate faculty consultation, without Board approval.  Changes to sections of the Handbook which are not purely administrative may be proposed by faculty or by administration, through the processes described below.

Minor corrections, edits or administrative changes that do not alter the meaning or intent of any handbook policy or procedure may be made at the Provost’s discretion.

Changes to the Handbook apply in the academic year following the academic year in which changes were approved.

2.8.1     CHANGES REQUIRING BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVAL

• 2.1     Mission
• 2.2     Vision
• 2.3     Values
• 4.2     Academic Freedom
• 4.3     Intellectual Property
• 4.4     Nondiscrimination and Harassment Prevention
• 4.5     Statement of Professional Ethics
• 5.3     Sabbatical Leave
• 6.4     Faculty Evaluation
• 6.11   Relationships Between Faculty and Students
• 6.12   Related Persons as Students
• 6.13   Graduate Faculty Qualifications
• 6.15   Faculty Emerita/Emeritus Status
• 6.16   Research on Humans
• 7.0     Faculty Personnel Policies
  • 7.1     Appointment Letters and Terms
  • 7.2     Provisional Employment Period
  • 7.3     Academic Rank: Initial Hire
  • 7.4     Promotion in Rank
  • 7.5     Official Leave
  • 7.6     Official Personnel File
  • 7.7     Disciplinary Procedures
  • 7.8     Probation and Progressive Discipline
  • 7.9     Separation from the College
  • 7.10   Exit Interview
  • 7.11   Re-employment Rights
  • 7.12   Faculty Grievance Procedure
  • 7.13   Employment of Relatives
• 8.2     Financial Exigency
• 8.3     Discontinuing Academic Programs

Changes to all other sections of the Handbook may be made by the process described below. The process may be circumvented if the Board determines that exceptional circumstances or financial exigency prevails.

The following procedure is the process for the initiation and consideration of amendments or additions to the Champlain College Inc. Full-time Regular Faculty Handbook:

2.8.2     ADMINISTRATION-INITIATED AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS

Sections which are administrative in nature may be changed by the President and/or the Provost without Board or Faculty Senate approval. Minor corrections, edits or administrative changes that do not alter the meaning or intent of handbook policies or procedures (such as changes to maintain consistency among handbook sections, updating of official names, etc.) can be made to any section of the Handbook at the Provost’s discretion. When possible and expedient, the administration will communicate all substantive changes to the faculty through the Faculty Senate in advance.  In all cases, changes will be communicated to the faculty prior to implementation.

Faculty may suggest or request that the administration make changes to sections that are administrative through the following process. (A) Faculty submit(s) a proposal to amend a handbook policy to the appropriate Faculty Senate Committee; if there is no committee specifically charged with the proposal, then the faculty will submit the proposal to the Executive Committee. (B) Once the appropriate Senate Committee agrees to sponsor the proposal, the author and sponsoring Senate Committee will then bring it to the entire Senate for deliberation. (C) If the Senate, by majority vote, agrees to move the proposal forward, the faculty author(s) of the proposal, the chair of the sponsoring Senate Committee, and the Faculty Senate President will present the amendment in writing to the Provost.

The following sections are administrative in nature:

• 1.0     Introduction
• 2.4     History of the College
• 2.7     Purpose of the Faculty Handbook
• 3.0     Organization and Governance
• 5.0     Professional Development Resources (except for 5.3.7)
• 6.2     Orientation of First-Year Faculty
• 6.3     First-Year Expectations
• 6.6     Course Overloads
• 6.7     Independent Study Courses
• 6.8     Minimum Enrollment Class Cancellation
• 6.14   Outside and Professional Activities
• 8.1     Business Continuity
• 8.4     News Releases and Press Conferences
• 8.5     Confidentiality
• 8.6     Travel Expense Report
• 8.7     Emergency Travel Funds

Amendments or additions to all other sections of the Handbook initiated by the administration should be submitted, along with a rationale, to the Faculty Senate for review and comment. The Faculty Senate will refer the amendment or addition to the appropriate faculty committee for study and recommendations. The appropriate committee will consult with the administration and work toward a mutually satisfactory solution. The committee will then forward the change to the Faculty Senate for review and comment by the full faculty. The administration should receive a response from the Faculty Senate, in writing, on behalf of the faculty in an expedient manner, according to a mutually agreed upon timeline. The exception to this process is section 5.3, Sabbatical Leave. Changes to the sabbatical leave policy require voted approval of the full Faculty Senate as well as approval of the President and the Board of Trustees.

2.8.3     FACULTY-PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS

Proposals that are initiated by the faculty to sections other than those defined as administrative in section 2.8.2, should be sent simultaneously to the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate and the Provost.

A submitted proposal, whether intended as a revision of this Handbook or as an addition to the Handbook, shall follow these guidelines:

• a proposal shall be made in writing;
• each proposal shall contain no more than one substantive alteration to the Handbook; and
• a brief explanation of the reason(s) for proposing the revision or addition shall accompany the proposal.

2.8.4     PROCESSING OF PROPOSALS

The Executive Committee shall consider the proposal and recommend its approval or disapproval as it deems appropriate, with or without amendments, to the Faculty Senate.

The Role of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee

In considering proposals, the Executive Committee may, at its discretion, consult with individuals connected with or interested in the proposal. The committee will, prior to making its recommendation to the Faculty Senate, appropriately edit and amend the proposal and suggest where it might most appropriately be integrated into the current Faculty Handbook, if it were to be adopted.

The Faculty Senate Executive Committee may propose amendments and additions to the Faculty Handbook based on suggestions made to any member of the committee or based on the committee’s review of the Faculty Handbook. In such case, the committee is responsible for preparing the written proposal, submission of the proposal to the Provost, and processing the proposal in accordance with Section 1.

The Role of the Faculty Senate

Upon receiving a proposal from the Faculty Senate Executive Committee with its recommendation of approval or disapproval, the Faculty Senate shall vote to recommend approval or disapproval of the proposal with or without further amendments and editing. The Faculty Senate shall inform the Provost in writing of its recommendation.

Alternatively, the Faculty Senate may choose not to vote on the proposal at the current time and send it back to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee for further work or modification prior to resubmission to the Faculty Senate.

The Role of the Provost

The role of the Provost is to accept or reject the recommendation of the Faculty Senate. The Provost may choose to remand any proposed amendment or addition to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee for further study or modification. The Provost shall meet with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee to discuss the proposal if he or she has concerns about it. The Provost will make a diligent attempt to reach a mutually agreeable compromise regarding the wording and intent of the proposal.

The Faculty Senate Executive Committee, at its discretion, will resubmit the proposal, with or without further amendments, to the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate will once again vote to recommend approval or disapproval of the proposal and forward its recommendation in writing to the Provost, who will accept or reject the recommendation, or modify the proposal. If the Provost rejects the recommendation of the Faculty Senate or chooses to modify the proposal, he/she will explain promptly his/her decision to the Faculty Senate in writing.

Once a proposal has been accepted by the Provost, it shall be sent to the President and, upon approval by the President, the proposal can be implemented unless the President determines that the proposal represents a new policy or a policy change to policies defined in section 2.8.1 as requiring Board approval, in which case the proposal must go on to the Board of Trustees for consideration.

2.8.5     EMERGENCY PROCEDURE

When the Provost, the academic deans, and the President of the Faculty Senate agree that, in the best interests of the College, a modification to the Faculty Handbook is immediately necessary, they may petition through the President for a special review of a proposed policy. It shall be fully within the discretion of the President to grant or deny such a request for special review of a proposed policy.

2.8.6     GENERAL RULES OF IMPLEMENTATION

An amendment or addition to the Faculty Handbook to sections defined in section 2.8.1 becomes effective by directive of the Board of Trustees.   Amendments or additions to other sections become effective by directive of the President, after going through the approved process. Any grandfathering provision will be specific to a given policy or administrative regulation and so noted in specific language.

Annually, the Provost and the Faculty Senate President will review and approve the official copy of this Handbook for the upcoming year.  That official copy will be available in the Faculty Senate folder on the shared K drive as well as on the People Center and Academic Affairs pages of the web site. Responsibility for maintaining this current copy will be with the Academic Affairs office. In addition, at the time of their employment, all new faculty members shall be advised in writing of the web address of the Faculty Handbook.