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UHD Composition Program
POLICIES
AND PROCEDURES
In compliance with UHD's PS 10.A.15, "Adjunct Lecturers,"
the English Department provides here a statement of the most important policies
and procedures concerning Adjunct Lecturers (Adjuncts) in the Composition
Program.
The Department of English provides this document to you as
Adjuncts in the Composition Program for multiple purposes. This document will assist you to design
and teach your classes so that they are consistent with standard pedagogical
and composition practices.
Moreover, because programmatic coherence is one element that contributes
to student academic success, the department wishes to make clear programmatic
expectations. Finally, your
teaching effectiveness will be enhanced with clear knowledge of the support you
can expect from the English Department.
The policies and procedures listed here are common to most university
teaching positions, though they are not always listed so specifically or
formally. Some of them, indeed,
could be said to fall under the designation "common sense," others under the
heading "basic professional behavior;" others reflect basic pedagogical
principles in the field of composition.
If you have questions about any of the issues raised in this document,
please see Assistant Chair for Administration Dr. Sandi Dahlberg, or the
Director of Freshman Composition, Dr. JoAnn Pavletich.
As Adjuncts in the UHD Composition
Program, you have the right to:
 Design
or choose reading and writing assignments -- within the general curriculum
guidelines -- according to your professional judgment.
Have
notice of textbook changes well in advance of the semester in which the text
will be used.
Assign to students grades on academic work that reflect your assignment, criteria, and professional judgment.
Receive
assistance as needed in responding to students who are disruptive, seriously
unprepared for course work, or in need of other assistance.
Receive
assistance at any time in improving or adjusting any approaches to teaching
that are not working with a particular class or text.
Be
informed in advance of any official administrative observation of your class.
Be
provided a full explanation of any problems or complaints made by students and
be given the opportunity to respond to those complaints before any
administrative action is taken.
Be
viewed as a fully contributing member of the program faculty, with ideas about
teaching, curriculum design, and/or program administration that will be taken
seriously.
Have
an adjunct instructor represent you on the department's Composition Committee.
The Composition
Program currently provides you the following material support:
Space
in a shared office with access to a networked computer, printer, and phone
Photocopying
machines for class materials
Additional
tutoring for students in UHD's Writing Center (N925)
Desk
copies of all texts currently in use
Access
to sample syllabi, class activities, and assignment suggestions
Access
to grade books and white-board markers
Access
to lockers for personal effects.
As Adjunct instructors in the UHD
Composition Program, you are expected to
Provide
all required documentation needed for employment before classes begin. This documentation includes a CV, official transcripts for all
institutions of higher learning attended, three letters of reference and a
one-page statement of your teaching philosophy.
Attend all pre-semester orientation sessions.
Provide
the English Department with a syllabus and a course calendar before the end of
the first week of classes.
Verify
class rolls several times throughout the semester to make sure that all
students attending your class are on your class roll, and send those students
who are not on the rolls to 1045-S for assistance with proper registration.
Meet
classes during all assigned periods.
Where your absence is unavoidable, notify the English Department
(713/221-8013) as far in advance as possible. Given enough
lead time, the Department will try to find a qualified substitute for you; we
welcome your suggestions about a possible substitute. If you must cancel class, attempt to assign
appropriate alternative homework activities and allow students to make up
missed work.
Inform
the English Department office whenever
you change the meeting location of a class or arrange for a substitute
teacher. If you take a class to
the library or a computer classroom, and even if that activity is stated in
your syllabus, please let the English Department staff know about the move on
the scheduled day so students who are unaware of the change can come to the
office and be properly informed.
Set
and keep office hours (1 hour per week per class taught for a maximum of three
hours).
Keep
and retain clear records of grades and absence counts.
Provide
the department with a copy of final grade sheets.
At
the end of a semester, leave files that contain unreturned student essays with
the English Department.
Administer,
in accordance with University policy, Surveys of Student Opinion (course
evaluations), receive -- overall -- generally satisfactory evaluations from students,
and continue efforts to improve and refine your teaching strategies.
Alert
the Director of Composition, whenever possible, to potential problems that may
affect classes or students.
Meet
with the Director of Composition and/or Assistant Chair for Administration as
requested to discuss teaching policies and/or practices.
Treat
students, staff members, and other instructors fairly and with respect.
The following list details basic
pedagogical practices expected by the Composition Program.
Provide
all students with a syllabus and course calendar that set forth course
policies, grading procedures/weights, major due dates, including the final
exam, your penalties for plagiarism, tardiness, and unexcused absences, contact
information including office hours, and accommodations for students with
disabilities.
Follow
the current curriculum and make use of the required textbooks.
Familiarize
yourself with the goals established for the individual composition courses and
develop pedagogical practices specific to those goals.
Familiarize
yourself with departmental grading standards and employ them in your assessment
of student writing.
Familiarize
yourself with UHD policies that are central to students including the policy
that does not permit instructors to drop students from courses, the policy that
requires instructor permission for a student to withdraw at mid-term, and the
policy governing academic honesty.
Provide
students and the English Department with clear, written descriptions of graded assignments. This description should typically
include the purpose and audience for the essay, an explanation of the required
essay characteristics, and a list of the grading criteria you will employ to
assess the assignment. Such
written assignments are helpful as students engage their writing process,
whether alone, in collaborative groups, or, especially, in consultation with
staff in the Writing Center (N925).
Provide
clear and timely feedback on student writing, i.e.,
Provide feedback on
most major essay drafts, most
particularly those written early in the semester, and /or allow students to
revise "final" commented-on essays for a grade improvement.
Use
written comments to identify accomplishments, to clearly denote areas that need
improvement, and to suggest useful methods for achieving that improvement.
Employ
class time to verbally reinforce the written comments and to allow students the
opportunity to gain clarity on the meaning of those comments.
Return
student essays with comments in time for students to use your feedback to
improve their writing for the next essay.
Practice
sound pedagogical strategies, which, in addition to the above may include
student conferences, student workshops, peer review, and reading quizzes.
For your information, copies of
university policies on sexual harassment and drug and alcohol abuse are
attached. If you wish copies of
other university policies, they may be obtained through the Department of
English.
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