Part-time Faculty | Montgomery College, Maryland

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The Institute for Part-Time Faculty Engagement & Support

Part-time faculty have an important role in the Montgomery College community. Montgomery College greatly values the contributions made by its part-time faculty members in achieving the educational mission of the College, and providing breadth and flexibility in its programs. Students benefit markedly by the real-world expertise imparted by professionals from diverse fields. For these reasons and many more, Montgomery College has made the bold move to establish an Institute for Part-Time Faculty Engagement & Support starting this academic year.

The Institute is designed to better incorporate the contributions made by part-time faculty into the fabric of the College. In order to achieve this overarching objective, you will find resource centers on each campus, and customized designs on the highly relevant elements of orientation, professional development, departmental engagement, and recognition.

Under the guidance of an Institute director, the new entity will have campus-based managers as well as an Advisory Team comprised of a cross-section of full and part-time faculty, administrators, and staff. In a newly conceived role, part-time faculty will be able to participate in the inner workings of the resource centers on each campus and serve as liaisons to academic departments and the Institute director. These part-time faculty associates will play a key role in the evolution of the Institute.

The following section should serve as a guide to introduce these faculty members to College features and instructional policies that are specifically for part-time instructors. Unless otherwise stated, all College policies and procedures apply to part-time faculty, so part-time instructors should also see Section 8 of this handbook for additional instructional support information.

Additionally, part-time faculty who meet eligibility requirements are members of the part-time faculty bargaining unit. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 500, CtW represents these part-time faculty and negotiates salary rates and working conditions on their behalf. Click here to view the current contract between the College and SEIU.

For more information, please visit: The Institute for Part-Time Faculty Engagement & Supportnew window.

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Employment

Part-time faculty are assigned duties on a semester basis during the academic year and on session basis during the summer terms. As outlined in the union contract, eligible part-time faculty who have taught or provided other services for four semesters in the preceding three years may apply for good faith consideration for assignment in subsequent semesters. In addition, eligible part-time faculty who have taught at least seven semesters in the preceding ten semesters may apply for a one-year appointment in the subsequent academic year. The terms and conditions of employment shall be confirmed in a written letter from a dean. Employment of part-time faculty members is dependent upon the needs of the College and available funds.

Click here to view the full text of the agreement between Board of Trustees Montgomery Community College and Services Employees International Union.

Benefits

The College offers the supplemental retirement annuity program to part-time faculty members. This is an opportunity for employees to put money away for retirement on a pre-tax basis. The employee determines the percentage that he or she wants to contribute each pay period (there are NO College matching dollars). Employees who elect to participate will have to complete a new salary reduction agreement each semester. The deduction will automatically end with the last pay in a semester and will not continue unless a new form is submitted for the next semester. Forms and additional information are available on the Human Resources website.

Visit the Retirement Programs web site for more information.

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Resources and Opportunities

CLASS SUPPORT

Faculty resources provided for part-time faculty vary according to department and campus. Resources include, but are not limited to, printed material, specialized departmental information, training as appropriate, office space, and participation in departmental meetings and events as sanctioned by the chair and the dean. To help all faculty prepare for classes, departments provide instructional materials—paper, whiteboard markers, as well as photocopying resources. Part-time faculty members should consult with the support staff of their academic departments for specific photocopying instructions and access to support resources. Campuses may provide office support to part-time faculty in specific locations outside the individual departments. Part-time faculty should consult with department staff to see if such facilities exist on their home campuses.

COLLEGE COMMUNITY SUPPORT

As a member of the Montgomery College community, all employees have access to auxiliary services (see Section 3 for more information). These include discounts on educational software and non-textbook items at each campus bookstore, a discounted rate with Montgomery College Child Care Services, access to the campus athletic facilities, escorts to and from class by the Office of Safety and Security personnel, and full access to resources at the three campus library locations.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Montgomery College recognizes that content experts, like most part-time faculty, have the opportunity to expand on their teaching skills and knowledge of pedagogy. Since this professional development is essential to successful instruction, all part-time faculty are invited and encouraged to participate in professional development opportunities, including departmental, campus, and collegewide activities, at the discretion of their department chair or dean. To underscore the importance of this development, Montgomery College has made participation in professional development activities a requirement of part-time rank advancement. To facilitate this participation, the College offers a variety of workshops and fellowships through the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Office of E-Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence (ELITE), and The Center for Professional & Organizational Development.

Additionally, part-time faculty who meet certain eligibility requirements may also qualify for reimbursement of expenses related to professional development if approved by the dean in advance and/or payment of tuition for a Montgomery College course. Individual eligible part-time faculty members may qualify for up to $450 while funds remain available. To apply, part-time faculty members must complete the approved form and forward to their deans.

WELLNESS ACTIVITIES

Part-time faculty are eligible to participate in the College Wellness Programnew window. Eligible part-time faculty may qualify for payment of wellness expenses of up to $100, subject to available funds. For more information related to participation in wellness activities, please visit the Office of Human Resources and Strategic Talent Management web site.

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Class Coverage

Part-time instructors are subject to the same rules of class coverage expected of full-time faculty. Every scheduled class should be met, and taught, even at some inconvenience, inadequate preparation notwithstanding. Classes will be canceled only as a last resort and upon approval of the instructional dean. Whenever an instructor anticipates an absence from class or any other assigned duties, the instructor must submit a leave request form to the immediate academic supervisor as soon as possible. The leave request form is available on the Collective Bargaining Agreement web site. Part-time faculty members should discuss with their immediate academic supervisor the proper procedure to follow if they must miss a class at short notice before or after regular business hours. Rank New part-time faculty are automatically assigned the rank of lecturer unless a recommendation is made for advanced placement for meeting the criteria stipulated for adjunct I or adjunct II. Upon completion of a minimum of six semesters (may be non-consecutive) and 18 credits of teaching at the College, and participation in certain professional development activities, a part-time faculty member is eligible for assignment to the next rank. Each advancement in rank requires an additional minimum six semesters (may be non-consecutive) and an additional 18 credits and appropriate professional development activities. However, assignment is not automatic but depends upon an administrative review to assure that minimum requirements have been met, and that the part-time faculty member’s evaluations have been satisfactory. The recommendation is initiated by the department chairperson/designated supervisor and is forwarded to the campus vice president and provost for action. For purposes of employment, all part-time faculty at Montgomery College have one official record. Visit Allocation, Recruitment and Employment of Part-Time Faculty (PDF, ) for more information.

Professional development activities required for advancement in this process include MC-sponsored professional development activities, external professional development, conference presentations, performances, creative projects, or other discipline-related activities approved by the appropriate academic supervisors. The only experiences that apply in the advancement process are those completed after the initial hiring date at Montgomery College.

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Salary

The part-time salary schedule is structured in a three-tier pay system, according to rank: (1) lecturer, (2) adjunct I, and (3) adjunct II. The Board of Trustees adopts salary scales annually, where those of bargaining unit part-time faculty are negotiated in the SEIU contract.

Lecturer: New part-time faculty who have not been recommended for higher rank
Adjunct I: Must have completed

6 semesters of teaching
18 credits
18 documented clock hours of professional development

Adjunct II: Must have completed

Requirements for Adjunct I and the following additional requirements
6 semesters
18 credits
18 documented clock hours of professional development

Adjunct II* is an employee who has been employed at the Adjunct II level for three (3) Academic Years (whether for one or both semesters) and who has completed nine (9) hours of professional development training while at the Adjunct II level will receive an additional one percent (1%) in pay rate beginning in the fourth (4th) academic years of service at the Adjunct II level.

Normally, part-time faculty members will receive their first College paychecks within four to six weeks after the beginning of the class(es) they are teaching. Interested part-time faculty should refer to the current year pay period schedule to ascertain specific pay dates.

To access the part-time pay periods and pay dates schedule for the academic year, visit the Pay Schedules website.

Generally, total salary is divided equally between pay checks during the semester or summer session. If a salary check has not been received by the end of the sixth week after class has begun, call the Office of Human Resources at 240-567-5353 to investigate the delay.

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BASIS OF SALARY PAYMENT

Payment to part-time faculty members is based on work performed, as measured by “equivalent semester hours” (ESH). The ESH workload credit for a particular teaching assignment is the same as the ESH credit for such assignment made to a full-time faculty member. If specific questions relating to salary or load determination arise, clarification may be sought from the appropriate dean. See Section 4 for more information on ESH.

ADVANCEMENT IN SALARY

After an individual has been hired and placed on the part-time faculty schedule, advancement in salary is based on successful teaching, ESH experience at Montgomery College, and participation in certain professional development activities. Advancement in salary is dependent upon a satisfactory performance evaluation by appropriate faculty and/or administrators.

Part-time Faculty Rank Advancement Petition (PDF, )

Paid Time Off

Part-time faculty are not eligible to participate in College benefit programs, except that paid time off may be granted on the basis of one absence from each assigned class per semester on a noncumulative basis. Additionally, part-time faculty are eligible for up to five consecutive days of bereavement leave in the event of death in the immediate family, leave for a required court attendance that conflicts with class, and up to one day of approved professional development leave. Part-time faculty who miss more classes than the aforementioned will be required to take unpaid leave, which will result in a proportional reduction in pay.

Visit the Collective Bargaining Agreementnew window for more information.

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Workload

Part-time faculty members are hired for not more than 11.5 ESH per semester during the academic year, not to exceed 23 ESH per academic year. Part-time faculty may not exceed 10 ESH during the summer (that is, the total for summer I and summer II may not exceed 10 ESH). There are no exceptions to these limits.

For more information, please visit: Allocation, Recruitment, Employment and Salary Placement and Advancement of Part-Time Faculty (PDF, )

Responsibilities

Part-time instructional faculty members:

Conduct assigned classes in the area of employment in accordance with the catalog description, the course syllabi, and the stipulations of the College.
Are readily accessible to students for academic consultation through one-on-one or group meetings, telephone, and/or e-mail.
Participate, when possible, in departmental, unit, and campus meetings of a professional nature.
Hold every scheduled class, including the final examination, the full scheduled number of minutes during the scheduled time in the scheduled location.
Maintain standards of teaching consistent with the standards of the department and the College.
Seek out, through professional societies, meetings, and workshops, and the current literature of the field, means of improving instruction.
Adjust, insofar as possible, teaching methods to student needs.
Read and respond promptly to College e-mail and pick up mail from assigned mailbox before each scheduled class day.

Specific departments can—and should—help part-time faculty members meet these responsibilities, specifically with the seeking out of professional societies and workshops to improve instructional practices.

For more information, please visit: Allocation, Recruitment, Employment and Salary Placement and Advancement of Part-Time Faculty (PDF, ) .

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ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

In accordance with established deadlines, at certain points throughout the semester, part-time faculty must submit midterm grade reports and final grade reports to the campus Office of Admissions and Records. For detailed instructions on submitting grades electronically, please see Managing Montgomery College Technology.

They must also submit to the appropriate administrator, determined by the individual academic department, a copy of the syllabus and other materials, such as reading lists or assignment sheets, and a copy of the final examination. Please see the departmental aide for specific requirements.

The College’s e-mail is the official means of communication. Part-time faculty must promptly read and respond as appropriate to communications from the College and from students.

Part-time faculty must also pick up mail from their assigned mailboxes before each scheduled class day. Departments will identify the location of and facilitate access to this mailbox. For information on mailbox locations on each campus, please see Section 3 of this handbook.

Evaluation

Evaluations are intended to support excellence in teaching and to further academic and professional standards. During the first semester of teaching, counseling, or advising and during the first assignment to an additional course, the part-time faculty will be observed by a full-time faculty member in the department. Part-time faculty will undergo a comprehensive evaluation every three years or prior to a request for advancement in rank (or, more often, at the discretion of the department chair or dean). Part-time faculty may request that an observation or comprehensive evaluation be conducted more frequently. The comprehensive evaluation will include classroom observation; student feedback; instructional materials on file (e.g., syllabi, handouts, tests, assignments); and any materials presented by the part-time faculty member regarding the employee’s professional, artistic, or scholarly credentials.

For more information, please visit: Performance Evaluation and Employee Development (PDF, ) .

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