Absences
and leave timePosting
GradesFinal
examinations
All faculty are expected to abide by the terms of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA, i.e., Agreement between Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) and State System of Higher Education (SSHE), July 1, 1996 to June 30, 1999) and all applicable university, college, and department policies. For a copy of the CBA, please contact the APSCUF office, B-7 Hart Chapel, 814-393-2089).
'Under the terms of the APSCUF/SSHE agreement, Article 4, faculty members are to make a reasonable effort to insure that assignments are coverd in case of absence and are to provide timely notification of the proper authority regarding their absence and plans for coverage of the absence. Department members should advise their chairperson of any absence and plans for coverage of the absence, and department chairpersons should advise their dean of any absence on their part and plans for coverage.
"Coverage of the absence may include rescheduling of the class missed, a reasonable outside assignment to students, or instruction offered by another faculty member/guest lecturer.
"Academic faculty earn two personal leave days per calendar year and should use personal leave for absence. A faculty member may elect to take leave without pay for time missed if they prefer to not use personal leave."
"In the event inclement weather causes the need for the university to close, this information will be posted to the university web page and announced through local radio and television outlets. In that event, employees who are not identified as essential employees are not required to report for work or to take leave time. . . ." (Timothy P. Fogarty, associate vice president for finance and administration, to all employees, 12 February 2004)
Added 30 June 2004.
Department of Library Science implentation:
(Bernard Vavrek, chair, Department of Libary Science, to faculty, 6 April 2006)
Added 21 April 2006.
Students are expected to abide by the university's academic honesty policy as well as the American Library Association's Code of Ethics (1995). Faculty may handle suspected violations of these standards on their own or in consultation with the department chairperson. In all cases the student's right to appeal disciplinary actions will be respected.
Changes in time or location of course
Faculty are required to report "promptly, and in advance if possible, any changes in class hours or classrooms assigned" (CBA, 4). In other words, faculty may not reschedule class meetings or change venues without notifying the department chairperson. While faculty are responsible for "making a reasonable effort" to notify students should a class need to be rescheduled or moved for any reason (CBA, 4), the department will assist the faculty member in doing so if at all possible.
Please refer to the provost's memorandum of 4 August 1998, "Key University Policies," and to the department's policy for attendance at weekend courses.
Faculty are expected to abide by the university's Computer and Network Use Policy. Faculty may not load software on classroom or laboratory computers without permission from the department chairperson. This is to insure compliance with licensing agreements and to avoid potential conflicts with previously-installed applications. Faculty wishing to use the department Computer Laboratory for instruction must schedule this with the department chairperson. Faculty are responsible for supervising any such use of the Computer Laboratory. Report any computer problems to the department office. Please note that there is no computer support of any kind on evenings or weekends.
Notify the department secretary if you wish a university e-mail account or to publish a World Wide Web home page. All department students are required to have and use e-mail. The department secretary can provide you with a list of student e-mail addresses.
During normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.), report emergencies of any kind to the department office, or, if the office is closed, to Public Safety (2111), Maintenance (2361, for heating, ventilation, lighting, and plumbing problems), or Computing Services (2640, for computer or network problems) as appropriate. During evenings or weekends, report problems, including plumbing, heating, and ventilation problems, to Public Safety (2111). Please inform the department office of any emergency calls you place, so that the department can follow-up as needed.
The department's fax number is (814) 393-2150. Incoming faxes will be placed in your mailbox. The department secretary will assist you in sending faxes.
Faculty desiring to take their classes on field trips must complete a university travel request form at least two weeks in advance of the trip. Funding for field trips may be available through the college's Partnerships in Learning program (contact the department office for an application). Should funding through this program not be awarded, the department will reimburse faculty for trip mileage up to a maximum of $50.00 per faculty member per term.
"No final examinations are to be given during the last week of classes, nor are other tests to be given which are administered in lieu of exams. Final examinations are considered to be part of the evaluation process and it is expected that final examinations will be given in almost all courses as a part of the evaluation procedure. . . . If an instructor believes that an alternative to the final examination is appropriate or that no final examination should be given, the instuctor must clear the alternative with the college dean and department chair before the final examination schedule is prepared and published" (Stan Green, interim provost and academic vice president, to faculty and administration, 9 February 2004). It is department policy that a final examination be administered in all library science core courses. The official final examination schedule is published each fall and spring by the Office of the Provost. By long standing tradition, final examinations for library science graduate classes that meet during the week are held on the same day and time as regular class meetings. Final examinations for weekend graduate classes are held during the last class meeting. Final examinations for all undergraduate classes are held according to the official university schedule. Any departures from the foregoing must be cleared with the college dean via the appropriate department chair before the final examination schedule is prepared and published. The provost solicits requests for such exceptions early in each semester. Revised 30 June 2004.
Funding for guest speakers may be available through the college's Partnerships in Learning program (contact the department office for an application).
You will receive a university photo-identification card from Human Resources when you are processed as a new employee.
Faculty needing special resources for instruction, (e.g., software, use of department bulletin boards, etc.) should notify the department chairperson of such needs as soon as possible. The department cannot guarantee that it will be able to accommodate all such requests. Also, see above, Computer facilities.
Faculty will be provided with keys to the Carlson Classroom Building and to their office. The office key will also open the classrooms, the Computer Laboratory, and all other department offices. Faculty are expected to respect the privacy of other faculty members.
A faculty member's university photo-identification card also serves as a library card. Library services are described on the University Libraries home page.
Faculty mailboxes are located in Carlson 167. Please note that students are not allowed in this room, but may leave assignments, etc., with the department secretary. Student mailboxes are located in Carlson 160.
According to the CBA, as clarified by a memorandum of understanding dated 16 March 1998, faculty are required to hold office hours in proportion to their course load, calculated as a percentage of full-time. One 3-credit course normally equates to 25 percent of full-time. Specific requirements are as follows:
Notify the department secretary if you require a parking permit. Faculty parking permits are available to each faculty member without charge.
All faculty are provided with a code to use the photocopier. Do not share this code with other faculty or students. The department secretary will copy syllabi and other course materials for you. It is expected that faculty intending to make extensive use of handouts (i.e., more than 25 pages per student per course) will have these materials reproduced by Printing Services for sale to students at the university Book Center. Contact the department secretary to have this done.
Faculty are encouraged to deal directly with students who are disruptive or disrespectful of others. If students do not respond to counseling, faculty may refer the student to the department chairperson, who will contact the student's academic advisor and, if necessary, refer the matter to the department's Student Affairs Committee. Faculty are also encouraged to notify the department chairperson of any students who are in academic difficulty, so that such students can be advised on ways to improve their performance.
Please refer to the provost's memorandum of 4 August 1998, "Key University Policies." Faculty must provide two copies of each syllabus to the department secretary.
Faculty may use department telephones, including their office telephone, for official purposes only. This applies in particular to use of long distance. On-campus calls require only that the user dial the last four digits of the telephone number. For local calls, dial 9, then the 7-digit number. For long distance calls, dial 9, wait for a dial tone, then dial 1 and the 7-digit number. Contact the department office if you need to make international calls.