ADJUNCT FACULTY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The adjunct faculty at SVSU are a valued and essential component of our campus community.
The expertise and diverse understanding that adjunct faculty possess greatly contributes to the
education of our students. Adjunct faculty are hired on a per-semester basis and their
responsibilities are limited primarily to those duties directly related to classroom instruction and
student assessment.

Employment Requirements
Employment Forms
Adjunct faculty employment requires the completion of the following forms:

o SVSU Data Form

o W-4 Federal Tax Form
o W-4 State Tax Form
o W-4 Saginaw Tax Form (City of Saginaw residents only)
o I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form
o FERPA
o Direct Deposit of Pay (optional)

For new hires, an additional requirement will be a background check by Human Resources.
Forms must be submitted in person to HR or the Office of Adjunct Faculty Support Programs.
Coming to campus is required for completion of the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification
Form.

Year Contract/Section Assignments

New Faculty: Once all required paperwork has been turned in and your background check has
been completed, you will receive an email requiring you to go to mySVSU in the Faculty link
under Self Service to accept your Year Contract and Section Assignment. The Office of Adjunct
Faculty Support Programs will send reminders to your SVSU email account until the Year
Contract and Section Assignment(s) are complete.

Experienced Faculty: Each year, you will receive an email instructing you to go to mySVSU in
the Faculty link under Self Service to accept your Year Contract. Should you also have a section
assigned to you, you will be asked to complete the Section Assignment process at that same site.
The Office of Adjunct Faculty Support Programs will send reminders to your SVSU email
account until the Year Contract is complete and, if assigned, your Section Assignment is
1
complete. If you fail to complete the Year Contract process each year, you will be dropped as a
member of the adjunct faculty, and if your department wants to rehire you, you will have to go
through the new employment process.

Jury Duty
If you find that you are called for Jury Duty, you should first contact your department chair to let
her know that there is a chance you might miss a class. If you are seated on a jury and it conflicts
with your class time, you should work with your chair to find a substitute.

In order to continue receiving pay from SVSU, adjunct faculty must provide the Jury Duty form
and the check or cash received from the court to HR. Adjunct faculty may keep any mileage
payout. Once the check/cash are received by HR, there is a Jury Duty Payment Sheet that will
need to be completed. Any further questions can be directed to Human Resources by calling 964-
4108.

Course Cancellation
If you accept a Section Assignment and are then removed from the course due to course
cancellation or the course being taught by a full-time faculty member and you are not given
another course to replace it, however you will receive a $75.00 honorarium.

Instructional Requirements
Course Load
Adjunct faculty are normally hired on a per semester, part-time basis to teach courses during the
Fall and/or Winter terms. Adjunct faculty may also be contracted to teach during the Spring
and/or Summer terms only in cases of clear departmental need and only if this appointment does
not displace a full-time faculty member from desired supplemental teaching.

The maximum credit hour teaching load of an adjunct faculty appointee is normally eight (8)
hours in any given semester and fifteen (15) hours in any given year (July 1 through June 30 of
the following year).
Should a department wish to appoint an adjunct faculty member for more than eight (8) credit
hours during any semester, written consent from the Faculty Association must be obtained by
your department.

2
Syllabus

Check with your department chair about departmental syllabus requirements. If a syllabus does
not already exist, for each class you teach, you are required to create a syllabus which should
contain the following elements, at minimum:
 Instructor Information (how, when, and where students may contact you)
 Office Hours and Office location
 Course Catalog description and an overview of the class
 Course Goals and Objectives (include the General Education objectives, if relevant)
 Title(s) of your textbook(s) and other reading material
 Grading procedure you intend to employ
 Course Calendar, including final exam date/time
 Class policies, including attendance policy
 Academic Integrity policy
 Statement regarding accommodations for disabled students

Be sure that a copy of your syllabus is given to your department chair and dean, as required.

Office Hours
For each class section taught, an adjunct instructor is required to schedule one office hour per
week. Every effort must be made to schedule office hours that are convenient for your students.

Ask your department chair if s/he has a space reserved for you to meet with students and prepare
for class. To find out where space is available beyond that which the department can provide,
please contact the Office of Adjunct Faculty Support Programs or refer to the Adjunct Faculty
Handbook, if you teach at the main campus, or contact the Regional Education Center (REC) -
Macomb if you teach at one of the off-campus sites.

Attendance/Federal Title IV Compliance

It is up to each instructor to determine the attendance policy for her/his classes. Whatever your
policy is, it should be clearly communicated to the students and clearly stated in your syllabus.

Federal Financial Aid Regulations require the University to report non-attending students
receiving financial aid. If you have any students who are receiving Financial Aid, during the
third week of the semester, you will receive an email asking you to go to the “Faculty” link in
“Self Service” tab on MySVSU to complete a roster indicating which students (if any) have not
attended your class.

Additionally, when you turn in your final grades, you will be asked to place the last date of
attendance for any student who failed your class. For these reasons, you might want to keep
some informal attendance record even if you don’t have a mandatory attendance policy.
3
Grading Policies and Incompletes
Progress records are maintained by the institution and posted to the student’s online account at
the end of each term. The grading system is: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, F

A grade of “D” is not a passing grade for any required course. Regarding prerequisites, students
must obtain at least a “C” grade in all prerequisite courses before being permitted to enroll in
subsequent courses.

A student may request of his/her instructor, through the last day of the final examination period,
that he or she be given an “I” (Incomplete) grade. The instructor is authorized to give an “I” if it
is deemed that the failure to complete work on time occurred for reasons beyond the student’s
control, or that the student is engaged in an individual research project that requires a second
semester for completion. For more information about this policy, go to
[Link]
tes/

Academic Integrity
The Student Handbook clearly states University expectations for Academic Integrity. Students
should strive to attain their highest possible level of academic achievement. They have an
obligation to abide by standards of academic honesty which dictate that all their scholastic work
shall be original. Violations of academic honesty are governed by the Code of Student Conduct.

A clear statement about Academic Integrity in the course syllabus will communicate your
expectations; include your policies for handling violations. The Academic Integrity Web site is a
valuable resource that can be found at [Link]/academicintegrity. You may wish to
include the URL in your syllabus as well. Violations of Academic Integrity will be addressed
according to the Code of Student Conduct. This URL is:

[Link]

The University also has a site license for [Link]. Contact Helen Raica-Klotz at
klotz@[Link] for the password and a statement to include in your syllabus regarding this web
application.

Disability Services
There are students who attend SVSU who have learning or physical disabilities that may require
special accommodations. Many, but not all may have registered, with the SVSU Disability
Services Office located in Curtiss Hall 112. Should you have a disabled registered student in
4
your class, you will be notified by Disability Services. It is their job to inform you of which
accommodations need to be made for your student. These accommodations could include such
services as note-taking assistance, listening devices, alternative testing or assignments, and
physical accommodation. Disability Services will help you provide the best possible
accommodation for your student. Please contact them at (989) 964-4168 or disability-
services@[Link].

It is recommended that one of the following statements regarding disabled students be added to
your syllabus:

“Students with disabilities that may restrict their full participation in the course activities are
encouraged to meet with instructor or contact the SVSU Office of Disability Services, Curtiss
112 (989-964-7000) for assistance.”

-OR-

“Students with disabilities who seek accommodations must make their request by contacting the
Office of Disability Services located at Curtiss Hall 112 or call (989) 964-7000. All
accommodations must be approved by the Office of Disability Services.”

Course Evaluations
Course evaluations must be administered to every class taught prior to the end of the semester.
Student anonymity must be preserved. Faculty members are required to leave the room while
students complete the forms. On campus instructors should ask a reliable student to carry the
evaluations to Wickes Hall 216 and leave them in the drop box or to the book drop in the
Regional Education Center. If you are an off-campus instructor, have the evaluations taken to the
office at your off campus site.

Adjunct faculty who do not teach in a computer classroom are required to use paper/pencil
evaluations.

Standard evaluation forms should be used and can be obtained from your faculty secretary, the
Office of Adjunct Faculty Support Programs, or from REC - Macomb staff. The forms will then
be scanned and picked up by the respective Dean’s offices for evaluation. After the evaluating
the forms, the Dean’s will send the evaluations to the appropriate Department Chair who will
return them to the adjunct faculty member. You may not pick up your evaluations yourself. You
should receive your evaluations back from your department chair around the first of February for

5
fall semester and around the first of September for winter semester. If you don’t receive them by
this time, please remind your department chair to give them to you.

If you teach in a computer lab, your students may access the online course evaluations in
VSpace. The same policies regarding student anonymity and leaving the room should be applied
when administering online evaluations.

Class Cancellation
 Absence known in advance

If you know in advance that you will not be able to meet with one of your regularly scheduled
classes, you should make every attempt to locate an appropriate substitute instructor or professor
to teach your class(es).

 Absence Notification

Should you need to cancel your regularly scheduled class meeting, because no substitute is
available or time is too short, you must contact one of the University offices listed below so that
a sign can be placed on your classroom door communicating to your student that your class has
been cancelled.

 If you teach on the main campus, contact the Office of Adjunct Faculty Support
Programs (964-4050)

 If you teach at one of the off-campus sites, contact the REC – Macomb at (586) 749-
0067 for Macomb.

The University does not provide compensation for substitutes but funds might be available
through your department upon request. However, the professional in Career Services are ready
and able to help in an emergency or if you have an unplanned event. They will deliver one of
their presentations to your class in your absence. Their number is (989) 964-4954.

6
 Adjunct Faculty Compensation 2013-2014

Adjunct Faculty Pay

Compensation is based on the following scale:

Pay Degree Semester Experience at Pay/Credit

And/or
Scale Level SVSU Hour

One Bachelor’s 0-3 semesters $525

Master’s or BFA 0-3 semesters $600

Two

All Bachelor’s or
Three 4-6 semesters $600
Master’s

Four All Bachelor’s or Masters 7-9 semesters $650

All Bachelor’s or
Five 10+ semesters $750
Master’s

Six Ph.D./J.D./M.D. $750

 Adjunct faculty who are hired to teach English 111 and/or 080, Category Ten and/or
Communication Intensive General Education Courses are compensated at the rate of
$850/credit hour. The special demands of these courses are reflected in this compensation.
 Adjunct faculty hired to teach General Education courses will receive an additional
$75.00/credit hour to participate in course assessment
 Adjunct faculty whose mileage from their home address to campus is between 50 and 75
miles will be additionally compensated $375.00 per course. An adjunct faculty member
whose mileage from their home address to campus is 76 or more miles will be additionally
compensated $500.00 per course. This additional compensation will be paid mid-semester in
a lump sum. The faculty member should notify their dean’s secretary, to let them know they

7
 are eligible for the additional mileage compensation. This compensation is computed at the
start of each semester and will not be recomputed should the faculty member move during
the semester.
Adjunct Faculty Perks
FACULTY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Master Teachers Program

This program, is intended to prepare and advance the teaching practices of SVSU’s adjunct
faculty. The goals of this program are to help faculty create safe learning environments, become
skilled in classroom management, knowledgeable about diverse learning styles, and develop
techniques to motivate students.

Anyone interested in this program must first apply. Following acceptance into the program each
participant is expected to watch ten online videos produced by Magna publications. The content
of each video will then be used by the faculty member to compose an essay reflecting upon its
content followed by the creation of a lesson plan for a class or a personal action that will be
implemented in her teaching practices. All of these must be submitted to the Program's Canvas
space. Finally, classroom observations by the program’s director near the beginning of the
semester and a classroom observation, by someone in the participant’s department, will be
required near the end of the semester. For more information on this program please go to the
Master Teachers Program link at [Link]

Faculty will be compensated $25.00 for watching each video and completing the assigned work.
Once all of the requirements are complete the adjunct faculty member will receive a
$50.00/credit hour bump in pay. Only ten faculty will be admitted into this program each year so
don’t forget to apply!

Adjunct Faculty Funding Plan

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to provide funds to adjunct faculty members who
would like to attend conferences, workshops, meetings, presentations, etc. as a means to further
develop their substantive discipline area and teaching experiences.

To apply one must complete and Individual Development Plan (IDP) prior to attending the
conference or training. This IDP should address the ways the applicant would like to build
knowledge in their discipline specific area and discuss clear teaching and learning goals for
future classroom experiences. The applicant must also complete a Faculty Development
8
Funding Application aligning IDP with the professional development activity the applicant is
choosing to attend. For timely funding to occur, the application should be submitted to the
Adjunct Faculty Support Program Office (SE201) two months prior to the registration deadline
for the event or the start of the activity. Upon completion of the professional development
activity a report summarizing the extent to which the activity addressed the applicant’s IDP goals
must be submitted. This summary must accompany the reimbursement request. Applicants are
eligible for funding one time per academic year. Funds range from $150.00 for attending a
conference to $300.00 for presenting at a conference. To be eligible for this funding you must
have taught at SVSU for at least two semesters. For the application and more information on the
Adjunct Faculty Funding Plan please ago to:
[Link]/fileadmin/websites/officeofadjunct/Forms/Adjunct_Faculty_Development_Fundi
[Link]

New Adjunct Faculty Seminar

Faculty who have taught at SVSU for four or less semesters are eligible to register for the
Adjunct Faculty Seminar. Seminar participant meet every two weeks for a total of five sessions
to explore and reflect upon learning and teaching practices. A book is provided to each
participant and participants are compensated a total of $225.00 if they attend all five sessions.

The goals of the Seminar are to:

 Foster an environment for collegial collaboration and learning

 Become familiar with appropriate methods for classroom management and assessment
 Discover evidence based methods for creating an engaged course utilizing best practices
for teaching undergraduate students
 Learn methods to motivate students and help them understand learning processes
 Become familiar with SVSU's culture

Workshops and Other Forms of Training

In keeping with teaching and learning practices across the country, all professional development
workshops are now housed in the Center for Academic Innovation. These workshops are
designed to enhance your classroom experience and create student success.

Adjunct faculty who attend up to four University sponsored trainings or faculty development
activities will be reimbursed $25.00 for each. All day workshops or the Fall Adjunct Faculty
Orientation are compensated at a rate of $50.00. To be compensated, the workshop must be
listed on the workshop schedule. You will need to print and bring the workshop completion
certificate to our office. Note that you cannot be compensated for attending the same workshop

9
more than once (for budgetary reasons). You may register for any and all workshops sponsored
by the University by going to [Link]/workshops

Technology Support Services

Technology training sessions can be found on the workshop schedule at

[Link]/workshops. However, one-on-one scheduling for technology assistance is also
available. VSpace and the ITD Lab Software Support and Training can be contacted by calling
989-964-4225 – option 4 or by mailing support@[Link]

HEALTH, WELLNESS AND FAMILY

Ryder Fitness Center

Adjunct faculty are eligible to use the facilities located in the Fitness Center located in Ryder
Center. The Fitness Center offers the use of equipment, cardiovascular machines, and weights.
You may also opt to swim some laps in the Olympic sized pool, walk around the indoor
track, and play a little racquetball with friends or sign up for an intramural sport or fitness
class. An SVSU ID card is required for admission to the Center.

Athletic Passes

Free passes to all SVSU regular season athletic events are available to adjunct faculty with a
valid SVSU ID. The passes can be picked up at the Athletic Office located in Ryder Center.

Bay City Country Club

Adjunct faculty enjoy an alliance membership at The Bay City County Club located on Davis
Road. As an Alliance Member, you are entitled to a number of privileges including use of the
BCCC dining facilities, golf discounts, and use of the pool to name a few. For more information
you may contact Joe Vogl at ext. 4051 or javogl@[Link] or contact the BCCC at (989) 684-
6313.

SVSU Healthy U

Healthy U is dedicated to helping make positive and lasting changes in healthy living. Adjunct
faculty are eligible to participate in any Healthy U activities which can include attending a Lunch

10
and Learn or Weight Watchers meeting or keeping a Daily Exercise Log. The competitions are
available only for benefit eligible employees; however, adjunct faculty may participate as a
means of becoming a part of our Healthy U!

ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS
SVSU I.D. Card

The SVSU I.D. card is important for several reasons. First, it is your ticket to a number of
campus activities. If you want to attend a football game, swim at the Ryder Center or golf at
BCCC, you will need your ID. Second, it is important because you need an I.D. card to check
books out of the library or receive a 15% discount at the Bookstore. Finally, it is important
because you can put money on the card and use it to purchase food at any of the University
eateries without having to pay taxes on your food purchase. SVSU I.D. cards can be obtained by
visiting the Cashier’s Office in Wickes 166.

TIAA-Cref (403b)

Adjunct faculty are eligible to participate in the Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity plan
(GSRA) that is offered by TIAA-CREF. Through this plan pre-tax contributions can be made to
a retirement account. There is no contribution from the University. Participants will have access
to a variety of TIAA-Cref resources, including individual counseling sessions with TIAA-Cref
representatives. Adjunct faculty may enroll in this plan by contacting Human Resources in
Wickes 373 or by contacting the SVSU Benefits Manager, Jeanette O’Boyle at
jkoboyle@[Link] or 989-964-7100. A salary reduction agreement must be signed and returned
along with the TIAA-CREF enrollment form when enrolling.

Parking Permits

Adjunct Faculty are allowed one free parking permit each academic year. SVSU Parking
Services has an online method to apply for parking permits. Once you complete your online
application, your permit will be sent to your home address. To receive your permit go to
[Link]/universitypolice and scroll to the link titled Parking Information. From there follow
links to Faculty/Staff Permits and then Manage. You will need to log in with your SVSU user
name and password to complete the application.

11
Parking permits are valid in Lot F (west side), Log G-1 (south side), Lot J-4 (north side) and
Lot L.

Tuition Discount

Adjunct faculty may receive a 50% discount off the regular tuition rates for SVSU classes in any
semester during the academic year in which they teach. Adjunct faculty Tuition Waiver forms
are available at [Link]/adjunctfaculty/employment/forms/

Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2013 Discount

SVSU has partnered with Microsoft, to provide current SVSU students, faculty, and staff access
to free Office software - for personal home devices. Visit [Link] and login with your
SVSU email address and password. For more information on this and other free software please
go to: [Link]

12