Faculty and Academic Policy Handbook

Effective 21 October 2009

This handbook is provided to students and employees for their general guidance only. It does not constitute a contract; either expressed or implied, and is subject to change at the University's discretion.

Table of Contents

PREFACE

THE UNIVERSITY

History
Mission Statement
Statement of Faith
Standard of Personal Conduct
Principle of Integrity
Board of Trustees
Administrative Officers
Administrative Bodies
Faculty
Faculty Senate
School Governance

FACULTY EMPLOYMENT

Academic Freedom
Job Description for Teaching Faculty
Job Description for Library Faculty
Worldview and Hermeneutics Understanding
Faculty Recruitment
Appointment and Promotion in Rank
Teaching Faculty
Library Faculty
Contract
Administrative Faculty
Nontenure-track Faculty
Scholar-at-Large
Performance Planning, Review and Development
          Faculty Performance Plan
          Teaching and Mentoring
          Faculty Development Plan
Tenure and Promotion
Outline for Faculty Tenure and Promotion Dossier
Sabbatical Leave
Salary Increases
Releasing Faculty from Contract
Contract Termination
Temporary Workload Reduction
Retirement
Emeritus Status

FACULTY PROCEDURES

Center for Teaching and Learning
Office Hours
Consulting and External Work
Gifts from Students and Others
Curriculum Development
Outline for Proposals for New Programs

Hybrid Course Definition
Grievance
Sponsored Faculty Research
Syllabi
Protection of Human Subjects in Research
Telecommuting Faculty

STUDENT PROCEDURES

Admission Criteria and Procedures
Admission for International Students
Enrollment Status Classification
Graduate Full-Time Classification
Undergraduate Full-Time Classification
Independent Study
Internship
Joint Degrees Programs (Graduate Students Only)
Practicum
Registration and Payment
Repeating a Course
Withdrawal from the University
Academic Honor Code and Disciplinary Policy
Academic Probation and Dismissal
Advising
Attendance and Participation
Degree Program Audit
Financial Holds on Academic Records
Grading System including Withdrawal and Incomplete Courses
Graduation Requirements and Commencement
Information Research and Resources Course
Student Appeals

Procedure for Student Appeals to a University Vice President
Course Evaluation
Student Discipline
Accommodation for Disabilities
Evaluation of Student Academic Performance
Student Grievances
Faculty Grievance Against a Student
Student Records Confidentiality
Thesis and Dissertation Writing Guidelines
Thesis/Professional Portfolio
Transcripts
Credit by Advanced Standing and Transfer
Virginia Tidewater Consortium Exchange Program
Writing Skills
Center for Academic Support Services

GENERAL ACADEMIC AND UNIVERSITY POLICIES

Academic Regalia
Archives
Certificates
Commencement Participation of Staff
Conferences, Seminars and Workshops
Intellectual Property Rights
Course and Classroom Scheduling
Degree Programs
Graduate Assistantships
Honorary Degrees
Sexual Harassment
Faculty/Staff-Student Relationships
Speakers on Campus
Student Records Retention
Textbook Ordering
Internet/Web Publishing and Access

APPENDICES

Introduction
Faculty Performance Review
Faculty Performance Plan
Teaching Load
Sabbatical Request Form
Mediation Agreement
Consulting or External Work Request and Approval Form
Human Subjects Review Board Proposal Approval Form
Research Center Proposal Guidelines
Academic Dishonesty Notice

Preface

The Faculty and Academic Policy Handbook is not a contract but only a statement of university policy regarding such things as employment of faculty and administrators, faculty rights and responsibilities, faculty development, university organizational structure, student admission and registration and other academic policies. This Handbook represents the official position of the university on any policy or procedure that it addresses. No person at the university now has, or in the past has had, the authority to make any binding promises, assurances or representations regarding employment status or security different from those defined in this Handbook.

Policies and procedures in this Faculty and Academic Policy Handbook are effective immediately. They are under continuous review and subject to modification upon reasonable notice. If you have questions regarding current academic and administrative policies, contact your dean. For a statement of current personnel policies and employee benefits, consult Human Resources and the Employee Handbook.

In advising students, you may refer to this handbook for academic policies relating to students. All academic policies relating to students also appear in either or both the Catalog(s) and the Student Handbook. You may point students to these documents when they need answers to specific policies.

THE UNIVERSITY

History

Dr. M. G. "Pat" Robertson, founder and president of the Christian Broadcasting Network, had an inspired vision of establishing a graduate-level institution (now also undergraduate-level ) that would train mature men and women for the challenge of representing Christ in their professions. In 1977, that dream materialized when CBN University was incorporated as a nonprofit educational institution in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In the fall of 1978, 77 students began classes in modest, rented facilities.

By October 1989, CBN University had grown from a College of Communication and the Arts (now known as the School of Communication and the Arts) to seven professional schools with nearly 800 students. On January 1, 1990, in recognition of this growth, the Board of Trustees, with the blessing of the Christian Broadcasting Network, unanimously voted to change the name of CBN University to Regent University. A regent is one who represents a king in his absence. For us at Regent University, a regent is one who represents Christ, our Sovereign, in whatever sphere of life s/he may be called to serve Him.

The university has grown to over 4,500 students, offering associates, bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees through on-campus and online programs.

Mission Statement

Preamble--Regent University is an institution of higher learning that exists to bring glory to God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Mission--Our mission is to serve as a leading center of Christian thought and action providing an excellent education from a biblical perspective and global context in pivotal professions to equip Christian leaders to change the world. (Board of Trustees, February 4, 2009)

Vision--Our vision, through our graduates and scholarly activities, is to provide Christian leadership in transforming society by affirming and teaching principles of truth, justice and love as described in the Holy Scriptures, embodied in the person of Jesus Christ and enabled through the power of the Holy Spirit. Soli Deo Gloria. (Board of Trustees, April 29, 2000)

Statement of Faith

Regent University is a Christ-centered institution. The Board of Trustees, along with the faculty, staff and students of the university, are committed to an evangelical interpretation and application of the Christian faith. The campus community is closely identified with the present-day renewal movement, which emphasizes the gifts, fruit and ministries of the Holy Spirit. All employees are expected to understand and adhere to the following articles of belief:

That the Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible and authoritative source of Christian doctrine and precept.
That there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
That man was created in the image of God but, as a result of sin, is lost and powerless to save himself.
That the only hope for man is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the virgin-born son of God, who died to take upon Himself the punishment for the sin of mankind, and who rose from the dead so that by receiving Him as Savior and Lord, man is redeemed by His blood.
That Jesus Christ will personally return to earth in power and glory.
That the Holy Spirit indwells those who receive Christ for the purpose of enabling them to live righteous and holy lives.
That the Church is the Body of Christ and is composed of all those who through belief in Christ have been spiritually regenerated by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The mission of the Church is worldwide evangelization and the nurturing and discipling of Christians. (Board of Trustees, Resolution #3, September 25, 1977)

Standard of Personal Conduct

Regent University encourages a close and edifying relationship between faculty and students, one that will deepen the spiritual growth of each and stimulate a vigorous intellectual life in the Regent community. In order to accomplish these aims, it is imperative that Regent University faculty, staff and students conduct themselves in a Christ-like and professional manner and maintain an exemplary and involved lifestyle. Regular church and chapel attendance, and participation in the activities of the Regent community and its founding organization, are encouraged for students and expected for faculty and staff.

Regent University requires members of the Regent community--faculty, staff and students--to refrain from the illegal use of drugs and the abuse of addictive substances controlled by law.

Regent also forbids the use of alcohol, illicit drugs and tobacco on campus and prohibits the abuse of these substances by the Regent community. The Apostle Paul exhorted the body of Christ that, if they truly loved their fellow man, they would set aside their personal freedom by refraining from behavior that might be a stumbling block to their weaker brother. Regent University encourages members of the Regent community to exercise their personal responsibility and, guided by Paul's admonition, appropriately set aside their personal freedom and refrain from the use of alcohol, illicit drugs and tobacco. (Board of Trustees, April 29, 2000)

Principle of Integrity

Regent University certifies that the institution is committed to the principle of integrity in all its dealings, both internal and external, including its relationship to the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Regent University's commitment to integrity is an underlying principle that is reflected in all aspects of the university. The University provides accurate information to the public regarding college activities. Inaccurate information is never knowingly disseminated, either on campus or off campus. The university maintains open communication with, and provides timely information to the Commission on Colleges. Integrity is a seminal value that guides all university actions, decisions, and programs, including its relationship with students, faculty, staff and the Commission.

Board of Trustees

The entire voting power, except as provided within the Articles of Incorporation, is vested in the Board of Trustees of Regent University. The Executive Committee, comprised of five trustees, exercises the power of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the university between Board meetings, to the extent permitted by law. (Articles of Incorporation, Article 6)

The chancellor is the principal liaison between the Christian Broadcasting Network and Regent University. As such, s/he consults with the president and the Board of Trustees on such matters as the mission of the university, its scope and its direction. S/he gives guidance on fiscal expenditures, general resource development and coordinates such matters with the parent Christian Broadcasting Network. Her/his primary responsibility, however, shall be to work with the president to assure that the university faithfully adheres to the founding purposes delineated in the Articles of Incorporation. S/he is a member of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee thereof. (Bylaws, Article 6)

The Board of Trustees consists of not less than 12 and not more than 48 members, the number of which is determined by the Board, to be nominated and elected in accordance with the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation. The term of office for the trustees is four years. (Articles of Incorporation, Article 6; Bylaws, Article 2, SECTION II)

The Board is governed by the following officers elected solely from among their membership: a chairman, one or two vice chairmen, a secretary, and other officers as the Board may, from time to time, deem necessary. All officers except for the chairman are elected at the annual meeting with each serving for one year or until her/his successor is elected and qualified. (Bylaws, Article 3)

The Board of Trustees meets two times annually, with other meetings held during the calendar year as deemed necessary. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum for the purpose of transacting business. As a matter of practice, business is not conducted except by unanimous vote of the Board.

The Executive Committee retains all power of the Board in the intervals between meetings except in the election of the members of the Executive Committee, the power to amend the university Bylaws, and the power to rescind or alter previous actions of the Board. The membership of the Executive Committee includes the chairman, vice chairman and secretary of the Board of Trustees, and the chancellor and president of the university. (Bylaws, Article 4, SECTION VI)

As recommended by the chairman and elected by the Board, the following standing committees are currently operative: Executive Committee, Finance and Investment Committee, Building and Grounds Committee, Educational Policies, Public Relations and Development Committee, Audit Committee, and Academic and Student Affairs Committee.(Bylaws, Article 4, SECTION I)

Administrative Officers

President
The president is the chief executive of Regent University. The president's main duty is to provide focus and direction for the institution and to recommend appropriate policies to the board of trustees. The president serves as a member of both the board and its executive committee and submits an annual report to the board concerning the work, condition and needs of the University and any other matters pertinent to the institution or to the cause of higher education.

Further, the president recruits and develops a first-rate administrative team with whom he works to establish a strong, cohesive community within the University. He represents the institution and interprets its mission and purposes to its various constituencies, as well as provides leadership in developing the resources and assuring the fiscal viability of the University. The president has ultimate control of the University's fund-raising activities.

In regards to faculty relationships, the president calls and presides at meetings of the faculty except as otherwise provided in the bylaws of the University and makes sure that the regulations and policies of the trustees affecting the administration and work of the University are observed. The president recommends the appointment of all members of the faculty to the board and, except as otherwise provided for in the bylaws, appoints all committees thereof, maintaining veto power of any action of any faculty, or committee, or agency of the faculty.

Vice President for Academic Affairs
The vice president for academic affairs is the chief academic officer of the University. The individual in this position is a member of the faculty of each school. The vice president for academic affairs promotes and leads in the development of academic programs and schools and maintains primary responsibility for the development of academic and related administrative policy. The vice president for academic affairs chairs the Academic Council and supervises the associate vice president, assistant vice president, deans, executive director of enrollment & academic services, and executive director of institutional effectiveness.

Vice President for Finance
The vice president for finance is responsible for establishing policies and procedures to ensure the proper safeguarding of university assets and the proper use of university funds. The individual in this position is responsible for the planning, implementing, and monitoring the university's annual budget. The vice president for finance acts as liaison to the Board of Trustees for fiscal and administrative matters. The individual in this position oversees the management of the university's endowment assets as the liaison with the university's endowment consultant and the Investment Committee. The vice president for finance serves as liaison with external auditors conducting the annual audit of the university. The vice president for finance provides leadership and direction to the employees in Mail and Copy Services, Administrative Services, Purchasing, and the Business Office.

Vice President for Advancement
The vice president for advancement provides leadership for services related to the advancement of the University. The individual in this position is responsible for supporting the president in a successful university-wide fund development effort, including annual fund initiatives, corporate and foundation relations, planned and deferred giving, and special events. The vice president for advancement advises the president and other senior staff on revenue generation and constituency development working to implement the strategic plan for Regent University. The individual in this position also is responsible for maintaining and enhancing the University's relationships with targeted constituents and for increasing the University's image and reputation with key publics. The vice president for advancement provides guidance and training to the advancement staff in biblical stewardship, comprehensive fund development programs, and institutional marketing and communications. The vice president for advancement supervises the departments of advancement, alumni relations, advancement marketing and research, and advancement events.

Vice President for University Marketing and Public Relations
The vice president for university marketing and public relations initiates and oversees the establishment of integrated strategies, plans and programs designed to ensure that all institutional communication, marketing and public relations efforts are cohesive, consistent and effective in supporting the university's mission and advancement goals. This individual in this position focuses the brand message pertaining to the university's distinction in academic excellence, and uses print and other media to communicate and market the message to major constituencies; formulates and presents a strategic communications plan to senior university leadership. The vice president for university marketing and public relations oversees the university's communication with the media and provides counsel to university leaders as they manage issues that place the university in the public eye. The individual in this position also serves as a source of expertise and support to colleagues and constituencies across the university in the development and implementation of outreach communication and marketing strategies.

Vice President for Human Resources
The vice president for human resources is responsible for leading the University's strategic management of its human resources as a vital part of overall marketplace competitiveness. The individual in this position is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to establish and maintain a healthy and positive workplace environment for faculty, staff, and students. The vice president for human resources develops university-wide personnel policies and procedures to improve organizational effectiveness and oversees all record keeping and procedural functions required to ensure that employment, compensation, benefits, safety, personnel and equal opportunity policies and practices comply with applicable criteria of accrediting agencies, governmental agencies, and federal and state labor laws. The vice president for human resources supervises the benefits manager, director of employment services, and the human resources information systems manager.

Vice President for Student Services
The vice president for student services is responsible for the total student affairs operation, working within a long-range plan that integrates the spiritual, academic and personal development goals indicated by the University's mission statement. The individual in this position is responsible for developing and maintaining an environment that fosters the development of students as whole persons. The vice president for student services also designs and implements policies that protect the rights of both the students and the University in matters related to counseling, student records and student discipline. The vice president for student services formulates student programs for personal, professional and spiritual development, enlisting the assistance of the faculty, administration, Council of Graduate Students (COGS), International Student Organization (ISO), and other student organizations. The vice president for student services supervises the director of campus ministries, the director of central financial aid, the director of food services (Regent Ordinary), the director of international student services, the coordinator of the university shuttle service, the director of student development, the director of student housing, the director of student life, and the director of the university writing center.

Vice President of Information Technology
The vice president for information technology has responsibility for supporting all the academic and administrative computing needs of the University. The individual in this position provides leadership, strategic planning, budgetary management, technical contribution and the direction or assignment of the work activities for all employees within the computer services department. The vice president for information technology supervises the director of instructional technology support, university webmaster, staff of the information technology department, staff of the media services department, and director of institutional research.

Vice President and General Counsel
The vice president and general counsel is the chief legal officer of the University. The individual in this position provides legal counsel to each school and to the central administration. The vice president and general counsel maintains primary responsibility for the development of legal and related administrative policy as well as representing the university in outside legal and administrative proceedings. The vice president and general counsel supervises outside legal counsel.

Dean of the Library
The dean of the library is responsible for the overall management of all library functions. S/he plans for and authorizes the acquisition of all materials, equipment, supplies and recommends policies to facilitate their use.

Dean of a School or College
The dean of a school serves as its chief administrative officer. The dean is appointed by the trustees upon the recommendation of the president. As the academic leader of a school, the dean is charged to maintain academic standards in teaching, research and other services performed by his or her faculty, and to conduct academic relations with other schools and colleges. All the deans are members of the President's Cabinet and the Academic Council.

Administrative Bodies

President's Cabinet
The president's cabinet is composed of the president, vice presidents, deans, the president of the Council of Graduate Students and the chairman of the Faculty Senate. The Cabinet usually meets semimonthly or as determined by the president, who serves as chairman. The Cabinet provides counsel to the president on the affairs of the university and serves as the primary planning committee for the university.

Academic Council
Academic Council exercises overall supervision of the academic affairs of the university. It recommends to the president the adoption and/or the deletion of the academic policies that govern the university, as well as academic programs. The vice president for academic affairs serves as chairman.

Academic Council is composed of the vice president for academic affairs, the associate vice president for academic affairs, the deans and associate/assistant deans for academics of the various schools, the dean of the university libraries, the director of the law library, the executive director of enrollment and academic services, the registrar, a representative from the Faculty Senate, the special assistant to the vice president for academic affairs, and the executive assistant to the vice president for academic affairs.

The Council shall meet once each month and/or as often as deemed necessary by the chairman.

Tax Exemption
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA) requires a tax-exempt organization to make available for public inspection its original exemption application (Form 1023) with any supporting documents as well as the most recent three annual information returns for tax years after December 31, 1986 (Form 990).

The foregoing documents will be available for inspection in the Business Office during regular business hours Monday-Friday. The University will furnish copies and allow copies to be made should this action be required. If you have any questions or receive any inquiries from the public, staff or students, please refer such requests to the Business Office.

Faculty

The faculty of each school is composed of the vice president for academic affairs, the dean of the school or college, such officers designated by the president to be primarily responsible for instruction and research, all full-time individuals of the rank of full instructor or above who are engaged in work from which recognized college degrees are awarded and faculty emeriti.

In cooperation with the president, the vice president for academic affairs and officers of the university, the faculty of each school is responsible for the conduct of instruction and research in that school. Each school faculty, with the consent of the deans and the vice president for academic affairs, recommends such regulations to the president as it deems necessary to carry on instruction and research, promote faculty and student welfare, advance the standard of work and otherwise further the aims of each academic unit within the university. It also recommends such persons as it determines fit to receive degrees or other marks of distinction as well as recommends new degrees or diplomas.

Each school faculty may request information relating to the affairs of the university which is found necessary for the exercise of its functions. Subject to the power of the Board of Trustees and the president, any school faculty may recommend policies to which the faculty of any school and all committees and councils thereof are expected to conform. In extraordinary circumstances, when normal channels of communications are unavailable, the faculty may by formal action request conferences between its representatives and the Board of Trustees. The vice president for academic affairs is normally the liaison between the faculty and the Board of Trustees or its committees. Each school faculty has as its chairman the respective dean of the school or college and has a secretary, who is elected by the faculty.

Regular meetings of the university faculty shall be scheduled in October and February and before the May commencement. The vice president for academic affairs may call any other meeting as deemed necessary. At the first meeting of each year the university faculty receives from the president the report on the state of the university. The university faculty may exercise its functions through such committees as approved and appointed by the president. (Bylaws, Article 8)

Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate is a representative university faculty body and is composed of one full-time faculty member from each school, and from the university and law libraries. The faculty of each school and library elects its own Senator, who holds office for two years. Senators are limited to those full-time faculty holding faculty appointments only. The officers of the Faculty Senate include the chair, vice chair and secretary who are elected annually by the Senate. The chair represents the Senate to the president, the president's cabinet and to the academic council.

The Faculty Senate has the primary responsibility and authority on behalf of the faculty to advise the president as appropriate on faculty affairs, and on all matters affecting the university community except as they pertain to the educational program that is within the jurisdiction of the individual schools. The Faculty Senate, in fulfilling its responsibilities, observes the integrity of the individual schools as separate and distinct academic authorities. It in no manner displaces the authority and jurisdiction over matters originating from and pertaining solely to a particular school and its faculty.

The Faculty Senate's functions are governed by and receive their purpose, privilege and authority from the charter of the university and from the stated goals and purposes of its Board of Trustees. The Faculty Senate meets regularly, at least once per term, during the academic year. (Academic Council, Revised February 2008)

School Governance

Each school faculty participates with the dean in the governance of that unit. The dean organizes the faculty as a committee of the whole, or as necessary, into standing or ad hoc committees. The faculty are actively involved in the academic and student affairs of each school. The above remains the same for the School of Undergraduate Studies; formerly known as the Center for Professional Studies and the Degree Completion Program.

In coordination with the Office of Student Services and the Council of Graduate Students, each graduate school sponsors at least one town meeting during each semester. Participants include the dean, the faculty and all currently enrolled students. The purpose of the town meeting is to facilitate dialogue regarding degree plans, course offerings, graduation requirements and academic life in general, and to establish and promote community life within each school.

FACULTY EMPLOYMENT

Academic Freedom

We regard academic freedom as a sacred trust and God-given responsibility that encourages the scholarly pursuit of truth in each academic discipline to which God has called us. The foundation of academic freedom is the belief that God is the author of all truth. All faculty are encouraged to seek wisdom and understanding, acquire knowledge and teach others. Therefore, faculty need not fear where their pursuit of knowledge and wisdom may lead, but rather be guided by the fear of the Lord.

Academic freedom is entrusted to every full-time and part-time faculty member, teacher and researcher at Regent University. Academic freedom is always found within a context of standards or norms. Therefore, Regent University defines academic freedom within the following context of standards or norms for its faculty members:

God is the source of all truth. The Scriptures are the written expression of truth and the revealed will of God. There is also natural revelation. Both types of revelation contribute to our understanding of truth.
Academic freedom functions within Regent University's mission statement and statement of faith. Specifically, within the mission statement, the faculty member takes the role of being a Christian leader in order to model Christian leadership to students. Academic freedom serves to make the university a "leading center of Christian thought and action." Regent's vision to transform society "by affirming and teaching principles of truth, justice and love, as described in the Holy Scriptures, embodied in the person of Jesus Christ and enabled through the power of the Holy Spirit," can be achieved only if faculty demonstrate these principles in the classroom.
"The teacher is a citizen, a member of a learned profession and an officer of an educational institution" ("Academic Freedom and Tenure, 1940 Statement of Principles and Interpretive Comments," American Association of University Professors). What faculty say or do as private citizens outside their own area of professional competence cannot be justified on the grounds of academic freedom. The public will judge the university by the faculty's utterances. Consequently, accuracy, proper restraint and respect for the rights of others to express their opinions shall be exercised by faculty speaking in public as private citizens. These considerations are not meant to restrict the faculty's ability to make public utterances on topics outside of their discipline, but to encourage faculty to speak the truth in love in accordance with scriptural principles.
The university does not restrict faculty as private citizens from speaking out politically, or from addressing the wrongs in society. Faculty are free to hold public office so long as holding that office does not interfere with fulfillment of contractual duties.
Exercising academic freedom requires responsibility and propriety in the pursuit of truth, as well as complete honesty and loyalty to the university's mission statement and statement of faith.
Academic freedom at Regent University is framed by the context of the university's mission statement and statement of faith and is consistent with the standards and norms stated in the academic freedom policy. Faculty are free to pursue truth within their discipline by research, discussion and other forms of inquiry. This freedom carries a responsibility to truth, to scholarly integrity and to one's students.

Faculty members may not use their position or classroom as a platform to demand adherence by students to a personal theological viewpoint, political preference or social agenda.

If an individual believes that a faculty member has violated the university's mission statement and/or statement of faith, s/he should confront that faculty member with the charges. If the issue is not resolved, these two individuals should meet with the faculty member's dean. At this point documentary evidence must be presented.

If the dean is unable to resolve the issue satisfactorily to all parties involved, any party may then take the issue to the vice president for academic affairs. The vice president for academic affairs may dismiss the matter or refer it to the standing Hearing Committee if s/he determines that there may be a violation of academic freedom. The committee conducts their hearing consistent with policies outlined in the Contract Termination policy and makes a recommendation regarding the disposition of the matter to the president. The president makes a final decision. (Academic Council, Approved April 1994)

Job Description for Teaching Faculty

The professor, associate professor, assistant professor and instructor faculty positions include the following professional requirements: teach assigned courses; advise students; conduct research; direct students' academic activities; participate in student development activities; serve on college and university committees; and participate in university, community and professional service. As the rank increases, an increasing degree of quality is expected. All activities are to be consistent with the institution's mission and purpose statements.

Responsibilities
Implicit to each of the basic criteria should be evidence of an ongoing and growing spiritual vitality both personally and professionally as demonstrated by the integration of Christian principles and behavior in every aspect of the academic process as well as personal lifestyle. Faculty report directly to the dean. Faculty appointments are made at the school or college level. Joint appointments may be made.

Teaching and Mentoring
Teaching faculty are expected to teach assigned courses, develop standardized course syllabi and course materials, communicate relevant content, set clear course outcomes and foster student learning. They should continually evaluate the effectiveness of teaching style, content and student learning, and making appropriate modifications to maximize instructional effectiveness. Advise students regarding academic, spiritual and personal advising. Supervise students' culminating experiences to successful and timely completion.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works
The teaching faculty member is expected to conduct research that advances the mission of the university, reflects commitment to a biblical worldview and expands the knowledge-base in her/his field of endeavor. S/he should communicate research findings in professionally relevant media, actively participate in professional organizations that promote scholarship, and engage in professional development activities that will enhance scholarly and professional competence.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service
The teaching faculty member is expected to serve the university through committee assignments, recruiting activities, public relations events and other extracurricular activities. S/he should initiate activities that enhance institutional goals and promote institutional unity, demonstrate a willingness to be of service, work cooperatively with others in the university, and apply professional and personal talents to the community outside of the university.

Qualifications
Education--Generally, an earned doctorate or its equivalent from an accredited university or evidence of outstanding accomplishments in the field related to teaching assignments.

Experience--Several years of professional experience, preferably mixing teaching and non-teaching leadership roles and, ideally for graduate faculty, experience in directing theses and dissertations.

Scholarship--Demonstrated scholarly productivity in publications and participation on scholarly programs at appropriate professional meetings.

Personal--A lifestyle consistent with the standards of Regent University. A personal appearance and dress appropriate for the role of a faculty member at a Christian university. (Academic Council, Approved April 1994)

Eligibility Requirements to Teach at the Graduate Level
To be considered eligible for teaching at the graduate level, individuals must meet all of the requirements for faculty rank and employment at Regent University as described in the "Job Description for Teaching Faculty" ("Qualifications" section). Experience, scholarship, and professional development shall support the graduate program and be of a caliber appropriate to graduate faculty. (Academic Council, Revised January 2006)

Priority of responsibilities may vary depending on the gifts of the faculty member and the need of the school or college.

Job Description for Library Faculty

The librarian, associate librarian, and assistant librarian, and affiliate librarian faculty positions include the following professional requirements: provide accessible academic resources, interpret these collections; provide instruction in the use of research materials; conduct research; serve on library and university committees; and participate in university, community and professional service. As the rank increases, an increasing degree of quality is expected. All activities are to be consistent with the institution's mission and purpose statements. Librarians report to the dean of the library or the director of the law library.

Professional Librarianship
Assist patrons with specific reference questions, provide guidance in the use of the collections and teach electronic resources. Develop collections and collection policies in specific disciplines and serve as a liaison to a school, or manage the library support functions. Teach required research courses and workshops; and provide specialized seminars and demonstrations. Advise students and teaching faculty regarding specific research project resources.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works
Conduct research and scholarly or creative activity that advances the mission of the university, reflects commitment to a biblical worldview and expands the knowledge base in librarianship. Communicate research findings in professionally relevant media. Participate actively in professional organizations that promote scholarship. Engage in professional development activities that will enhance scholarly and professional competence.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service
Serve the university body through committee assignments, public relations events and other extracurricular activities. Initiate activities that enhance institutional goals and promote institutional unity. Demonstrate a willingness to be of service and to work cooperatively with others in the university. Apply professional and personal talents in the community outside of the university.

Qualifications
Education--A master's degree in library science from an ALA, accredited school. A second graduate degree is recommended.

Experience--Several years of appropriate academic library experience or equivalent with demonstrated competence in reference or collection services.

Scholarship--Demonstrated scholarly productivity and/or creative activity and participation on scholarly programs at appropriate professional meetings.

Priority of responsibilities may vary depending on the gifts of the faculty member and the need of the library.

Worldview and Hermeneutics Understanding

Prospective Faculty
It is desirable that all prospective faculty be proficient in effectively integrating their faith and learning. However, because of the nature of academic training, it is often true that while individuals eminently qualified in their chosen field, they are not as well qualified in terms of hermeneutics and worldview understanding. Regent University recognizes this and has established a process for faculty to achieve such proficiency.

Each dean determines if new faculty are proficient in the integration of faith and learning. A representative from the School of Divinity may be consulted in this process. Faculty who are not proficient shall include in their professional development plan, a plan to achieve proficiency within a three-year period. The plan should have appropriate timelines and expectations and shall include activities such as one or more of the following:

Attend a basic course in Christian doctrine and/or hermeneutics offered by the School of Divinity.
Complete a prescribed reading list on doctrine, hermeneutics and integration.
Attend a lecture and discussion series offered jointly by the School of Divinity and other schools within the university.

No later than by the end of the third year of appointment, these faculty submit-as part of their annual performance review-documentation that demonstrates proficiency. Faculty may demonstrate proficiency by submitting a paper of an integrative nature or developing course materials that demonstrate appropriate integrative skills and understanding. The dean will review these materials and may consult with a member of the School of Divinity.

Employed Faculty
As part of the annual performance review, it is the dean's responsibility to insure that employed faculty continue to demonstrate-through their teaching and writing-an ability to effectively integrate their faith and practice at a level of sophistication that reflects the level of the program in which the faculty instructs (i.e., undergraduate or graduate). Deans should periodically select examples of quality integration papers or classroom materials that should be placed in a special section of the library to be used by new and current faculty. (Academic Council, Approved April 1994)

Faculty Recruitment

Upon the approval of a new faculty position, or in the event of a vacancy on the faculty, the dean-or other university official who has direct administrative responsibility for that position (or in the case of administrative officers who hold faculty rank, the president)-recruits candidates to fill the new position or vacancy. Advertisements in the appropriate media should be used.

Upon receipt of an inquiry concerning employment for a position currently available, the dean affords all apparently qualified prospective faculty an opportunity to submit a written resume, references and a completed Faculty Application Form.

After the dean reviews the application materials, the dean determines if an on-campus interview is appropriate. [If the prospective faculty is located internationally, a video teleconferenced interview should precede bringing the candidate to campus when possible.] As part of the interview process, prospective faculty will make a scholarly presentation.

All candidates for employment are interviewed by the vice president for academic affairs (or her/his designee), the dean of the representative school or college and members of faculty of the school or college in which the candidate is being considered for employment. The dean sends a copy of the Faculty Application Form to each interviewer prior to the scheduled interview.

After the interviews, the dean normally obtains a report from each interviewer, consults with members of the faculty, and assimilates relevant information for submission to the president through the vice president for academic affairs.

Upon the dean's recommendation, and in consultation with the vice president for academic affairs, the president determines whether to appoint the interviewed candidate in accordance with the university bylaws and the policies of the Board of Trustees. (Academic Council, Revision Approved February 2008)

Appointment and Promotion in Rank

Academic ranks for teaching faculty are: professor, associate professor, assistant professor and instructor. Equivalent academic ranks for library professional staff are: librarian, associate librarian, assistant librarian and affiliate librarian.

The dean has sole authority to make initial recommendations concerning initial appointment in academic rank. Ordinarily, the dean initiates considerations for promotion. However, the eligible faculty member or the vice president for academic affairs may initiate such considerations.
Initial appointment or promotion in rank is based on the following criteria: professional experience; teaching and advising; research and scholarly or creative achievement; and university, community and professional service. Once an appointment has been made, the dean gives the faculty member a contract and a Faculty and Academic Policy Handbook.

Teaching Faculty

Following are the basic criteria for the various ranks. Implicit to each of the basic criteria should be evidence of an integration of Christian principles in personal behavior and professional scholarship.

Distinguished Professor

Distinguished Professor is the highest rank bestowed on faculty. It is a title of distinction for faculty members who have a record comprised of either convincing evidence of significant national and/or international contribution in their academic discipline through research and publication, or through extraordinary public and/or governmental service. Consideration for this rank is based on either an extraordinary level of recognition by academic peers of a national and/or international context within the discipline of the distinguished candidate, or on particular recognition in public service. Implicit in this criterion is an ongoing demonstration of the distinguished faculty member's Christian witness and excellence in the integration of faith and practice.

Distinguished Professor is not conferred in the academic context for distinction in classroom instruction, academic administration, or professional / community service. Nominees ordinarily would already have held the rank of professor with tenure for no less than ten years (except those in the public sector).

Distinguished professors will be subject ordinarily to the same standards and procedures relative to appointment, retention, and tenure which are applicable to university full professors. For academic assignments and budgetary support, distinguished professors will be accountable to the academic departments in which they are appointed.

Ordinarily a person should not be recommended to the distinguished professorship until that person is a member of the faculty. Any exception to this policy must be considered before the recommendation is made.

1. RANK OF DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR
1.1 To be eligible for promotion to Distinguished Professor, ordinarily the candidate will have made at least one scholarly contribution that has significantly shaped, transformed, or redirected the flow of research or scholarship in the relevant field. Thus, the quality and impact of the candidate's scholarly contributions, not simply the number of them, constitute the critical criteria for evaluation The candidate distinguished by extraordinary public and/or governmental service would be evaluated by other criteria.

1.2 Candidates will normally be recognized by peer statement, to be among the highest echelon of active scholars in their area of research or scholarship on a national and/or international basis. Ordinarily eight letters of recommendation should be received from a combination of distinguished international (when feasible) and domestic (US) scholars strongly endorsing the nomination, unless the candidate's credentials warrant other nomination.

1.3 Candidates may hold administrative assignments, but administrative competency will not be evaluated as a basis for qualification.

1.4 The Distinguished Professors not only bring honor and recognition to the University, but also comprise a body of individuals with expertise and a desire to be a resource for Regent University's progress. The vice president for academic affairs, through at least an annual meeting with the entire body of Distinguished Professors (unless particular contracts specify otherwise), will discuss and communicate opportunities for contributions to the advancement of the University.

2. UNIVERSITY CANDIDATE COMMITTEE OF DISTINGUISHED PROFESSORS
2.1 The University Distinguished Professors Candidate Committee (The Candidate Committee), chaired by the vice president for academic affairs, is responsible for advising the vice president for academic affairs on proposed appointments to Distinguished Professor as nominated by the deans of the individual schools.

2.2 Members of The Candidate Committee are chosen annually by the vice president for academic affairs from among the members of the Academic Council and the ranks of the Distinguished Professors at the University. Members from the Academic Council should ordinarily not include members from the various schools of the nominee(s) for Distinguished Professor. Should the ranks of appointed Distinguished Professors at the University exceed a total of five, Academic Council will facilitate a nomination of five Regent Distinguished Professors to serve on The Candidate Committee to be determined by the vice president for academic affairs.

3. PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA FOR REVIEW OF CANDIDATES FOR DESIGNATION AS DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR
Guidelines for the preparation of material supporting the case for designation of faculty members as Distinguished Professors

3.1 In order to expedite the review of the qualifications of persons nominated for appointment to the rank of Distinguished Professor, the following documentation should accompany the nomination dossier:

3.1.1 A list of the chair (ordinarily the dean from candidate's school) and other members of the nomination committee (may be composed of, but not limited to the individual school's tenure and promotions committee).

3.1.2 A narrative summary of the candidate's scholarly career, specifying the subjects to which s/he has made seminal contributions, and stating her/his principal original contributions to those subjects. Literature should be cited to support the candidate's original contributions.

3.1.3 A curriculum vitae (CV) that includes an up-to-date list of the candidate's publications. Recognized bibliographic standards of the candidate's field shall be used in listing the publications including title, journal name, number, and date, and beginning and concluding page numbers.

3.1.4 Evidence of the candidate's national and international reputation (when pertinent), in the form of letters from persons in university departments of high repute in the candidate's field (notes made from telephone conversations may be substituted when expedient). Qualifications of those contributing letters of endorsement should be furnished. In some cases, letters from persons in prestigious non-university research venues or institutes may be appropriate. Letters should comment on the candidate's publications or concepts that exemplify the candidate's influential contributions, and why the candidate should be designated "Distinguished Professor."

3.1.5 Additional material in support of the nomination may include:

A list of major invited addresses (if not included in CV).
A list of research grants (if not included in CV).
A list of graduate students supervised, with present position of each given where known.
Letters from successful former students.

3.1.6 Nominations are submitted as a nomination to the vice president for academic affairs by the Regent school in which the candidate professor is employed, no later than February 1. By March 1, the vice president for academic affairs, on behalf of The Candidate Committee, will forward the recommendation to the president regarding the award of appointment to Distinguished Professor. By March 1, the president notifies the candidate of her/his recommendation. If the recommendation is positive, it is forwarded to the Board of Trustees. Generally by April 30, the Board of Trustees makes a decision on the matter at their spring meeting. Their decision is final. Ordinarily the vice president for academic affairs and The Candidate Committee will not recommend more than two Distinguished Professor appointments in any academic year. The above does not prohibit the President's making direct nomination and recommendation as applicable.

Professor

Professional Experience: Faculty should have a minimum of six years of full-time teaching experience at the college level or an equivalent outstanding professional record. They should demonstrate a significant degree of leadership qualities (professional maturity) by being role models to students, staff and other faculty and actively participating in professional organizations in an effort to keep abreast of current practices and to influence the way individuals in the organization think (i.e., presenting at meetings, holding office, etc.).

Teaching and Mentoring: Faculty should demonstrate a significant degree of excellence in teaching effectiveness and advising. Evidence of this may include: consistently receiving high overall ratings by their students and by peer review; updating their course syllabi as changes in their discipline and/or increased understanding of a biblical perspective warrant; updating their teaching skills (i.e., keeping abreast of current best teaching practices in their disciplines); developing supplementary material for class; developing curricula; stimulating students toward scholarly activities through academic advising; and demonstrating an exemplary Christian witness while teaching and advising.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works: Faculty should have an earned doctorate degree or its academic equivalent or evidence of outstanding contributions in their discipline. They should demonstrate significant productivity in research and scholarly or creative activity that reflects the university's mission or goals. Evidence of productivity may include: submitting original contributions in professional journals; contributing research that is presented in professional conferences or seminars; authoring or coauthoring published books; and submitting other forms of research and scholarly or creative activity for professional presentation or distribution.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service: Faculty should make significant contributions to the university by: serving actively and effectively on school, college and university committees; seeking opportunities to represent the university in community service based on their expertise; and assuming leadership roles in professional organizations.

Associate Professor

Professional Experience: Faculty should have a minimum of three years of full-time teaching experience at the college level or an equivalent outstanding professional record. They should demonstrate leadership qualities by being role models to students, staff and other faculty and by participating in professional organizations (i.e., attending meetings in an effort to keep abreast of current practices in their disciplines).

Teaching and Mentoring: Faculty should demonstrate excellence in teaching effectiveness and advising. Evidence of this may include: consistently receiving moderate to high overall ratings by their students and by peer review; updating their course syllabi as changes in their discipline and/or increased understanding of a biblical perspective warrant; updating their teaching skills (i.e., keeping abreast of current best teaching practices in their disciplines); developing supplementary material for class; developing curricula; stimulating students toward scholarly activities through academic advising; and demonstrating an exemplary Christian witness while teaching and advising.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works: Faculty should have an earned doctorate or its academic equivalent or evidence of outstanding contributions in their discipline.�� They should demonstrate productivity in research and scholarly or creative activity that reflects the university's mission or goals. Evidence of productivity may include: submitting original contributions in professional journals; contributing research that is presented in professional conferences or seminars; authoring or coauthoring published books; and submitting other forms of research and scholarly or creative activity for professional presentation or distribution.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service: Faculty should make contributions to the university by: serving actively and effectively on school, college and university committees; seeking opportunities to represent the university in community service based on their expertise; and assuming leadership roles in professional organizations.

Assistant Professor

Professional Experience: Faculty should have potential success as a teacher and/or researcher. They should demonstrate growing leadership qualities by being role models to students and staff and by belonging to professional organizations in an effort to keep abreast of current practices in their disciplines.

Teaching and Mentoring: Faculty should demonstrate growing excellence in teaching effectiveness. Evidence of this may include: consistently receiving at least moderate overall ratings by their students and by peer reviews; updating their course syllabi as changes in their discipline and/or increased understanding of a biblical perspective warrant; updating their teaching skills (i.e., keeping abreast of current best teaching practices in their disciplines); developing supplementary materials for class; developing curricula; and stimulating students toward scholarly activities through academic advising.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works: Faculty should have an earned doctorate or its academic equivalent or evidence of outstanding contributions in their discipline. They should demonstrate growing productivity in research and scholarly or creative activity that reflects the university's mission or goals. Evidence of growing productivity may include: submitting original contributions in professional journals; contributing research that is presented in professional conferences or seminars; authoring or coauthoring published books; and submitting other forms of research and scholarly or creative activity for professional presentation or distribution.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service: Faculty should begin to contribute to the university by: serving actively and effectively on school, college and university committees; seeking opportunities to represent the university in community service based on their expertise; and assuming leadership roles in professional organizations.

Instructor

Professional Experience: Faculty should demonstrate potential for professional success.

Teaching and Mentoring: Faculty should demonstrate a significant aptitude for teaching.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works: Faculty should have an earned master's degree and promise of scholarship in their discipline.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service: Faculty should contribute to the university by: serving actively and effectively on school, college and university committees; seeking opportunities to represent the university in community service based on their expertise; and assuming leadership roles in professional organizations.

Library Faculty

Following are the basic criteria for the various ranks. Implicit to each of the basic criteria should be evidence of an integration of Christian principles in personal behavior and professional scholarship.

Librarian

Professional Experience: Library professionals should have a minimum of six years of full-time library experience at the college level or an equivalent outstanding professional record. They should demonstrate a significant degree of leadership qualities by being role models to students and staff and by actively participating in professional organizations in an effort to keep abreast of current practices and to influence the way individuals in the organization think (i.e., presenting at meetings, holding office, etc.).

Professional Librarianship: Library professionals should demonstrate a significant degree of excellence in the performance of their duties. Evidence of this will be consistently high overall ratings on an evaluation instrument determined by the dean of the library.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works: Library professionals should have an earned doctorate degree or a master's degree in librarianship and a second master's degree in an approved subject field, or the master's degree in librarianship and evidence of library contributions of unusual merit. They should demonstrate significant productivity in research and scholarly or creative activity, evidence of which may include: submitting original contributions in professional journals; contributing research that is presented in professional conferences or seminars; authoring or coauthoring published books; and submitting other forms of research and scholarly or creative activity for professional presentation or distribution.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service: Library professionals should significantly contribute to the university by: serving actively and effectively on library and university committees; seeking opportunities to represent the university in community service based on their expertise; and assuming leadership roles in professional organizations.

Associate Librarian

Professional Experience: Library professionals should have a minimum of three years of full-time library experience at the college level or its equivalent. They should demonstrate maturity by being role models to students and staff and by participating in professional organizations in an effort to keep abreast of current practices in their discipline.

Professional Librarianship: Library professionals should demonstrate excellence in the performance of their duties. Evidence of this will be consistently moderate to high overall ratings on an evaluation instrument determined by the dean of the library.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works: Library professionals should have an earned master's degree in librarianship. They should demonstrate productivity in research and scholarly or creative activity, evidence of which may include: submitting original contributions in professional journals; contributing research that is presented in professional conferences or seminars; authoring or coauthoring published books; and submitting other forms of research and scholarly or creative activity for professional presentation or distribution.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service: Library professionals should contribute to the university by: serving actively and effectively on library and university committees; seeking opportunities to represent the university in community service based on their expertise; and assuming leadership roles in professional organizations.

Assistant Librarian

Professional Experience: Library professionals should have two years of successful library experience at the college level or its equivalent. They should demonstrate growing maturity in their profession by being role models to students and staff and by belonging to professional organizations in an effort to keep abreast of current practices in their discipline.

Professional Librarianship: Library professionals should demonstrate growing excellence in the performance of their duties. Evidence of this will be consistently moderate ratings on an evaluation instrument determined by the dean of library.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works: Library professionals should have an earned master's degree in librarianship. They should demonstrate growing productivity in research and scholarly or creative activity, evidence of which may include: submitting original contributions in professional journals; contributing research that is presented in professional conferences or seminars; authoring or coauthoring published books; and submitting other forms of research and scholarly or creative activity for professional presentation or distribution.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service: Library professionals should increasingly contribute to the university by: serving actively and effectively on library and university committees; seeking opportunities to represent the university in community service based on their expertise; and assuming leadership roles in professional organizations.

Affiliate Librarian

Professional Experience: Library professionals should demonstrate potential for professional success.

Professional Librarianship: Library professionals should demonstrate increasing skill in assuming librarian responsibilities.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works: Library professionals should have an earned master's degree in librarianship and promise of scholarship in their discipline.

Contract

Unless tenure has been awarded by the Board of Trustees, all appointments of full-time faculty are on an annual contract, renewable at the discretion of the university. The new contract supersedes the previous contract. In some cases, appointments for a period of less than one academic year may be made as in the case of initial appointments at midyear or emergency one-semester appointments.

Reappointment of Tenure-track Faculty
Each dean will conduct an annual review of the tenure-track faculty. This review is based on the performance of the individual faculty member and the needs of the unit.�� Based on the review, the dean recommends to the vice president for academic affairs one of the following actions:

Consider the faculty member for tenure through normal channels if sufficient period has elapsed.
Offer the faculty member an additional annual contract without tenure.
Recommend that the faculty member be given a nontenure appointment, renewable annually subject to the recommendation of the dean and the approval of the vice president for academic affairs acting under the direction of the president.
Do not reappoint the faculty member, i.e., do not offer an additional contract.
Notice of the administrative decision concerning reappointment of tenure-track faculty members shall be made no later than March 15 of the academic year prior to the next appointment. Length of service will continue to accrue during an approved leave of absence and any subsequent approved extensions.

Dismissal and Termination
Any faculty member is subject to immediate suspension by the Executive Committee of the university and then eventual dismissal and termination of the university's contract obligation upon a finding of breach of the contract in accordance with due process under the Contract Termination policy. Breach of contract means violation of professional ethics, insubordination, failure to perform reasonable assigned duties, immoral behavior contrary to biblical standards, incompetence, failure to perform at a level commensurate with the rank held as specified in the school or college standards or action inimical to the best interests of the university as determined by the university's governing board.

Tenure

Annual Entitlement
Faculty who have received a tenure appointment are entitled annually to a new contract unless: they are found, in accordance with due process procedures established in the Faculty Contract Termination policy, to have breached their contract; the program/school/college in which they are employed is reduced or discontinued due to severe financial exigencies; or the program/school/college is discontinued for other reasons.

Probationary Status
Faculty are subject to immediate suspension by the Executive Committee of the university and then eventual dismissal and termination of the university's contract obligation or to be placed on probationary status upon a finding of breach of the tenure contract in accordance with due process under the Contract Termination policy.

Removal from Probationary Status
Faculty who have been placed on probationary status for breach of contract shall be afforded an opportunity to be reinstated to tenured contract status upon satisfactory completion of the terms of their probation. (Academic Council, Approved April 1994)

Administrative Faculty

Faculty with administrative responsibilities are classified as faculty. Deans and executive administrators who hold faculty rank are classified as administrative faculty. In addition to their faculty status, administrative faculty shall be offered three-year contracts renewable annually. Salary and benefits packages are considered annually.

Upon initial appointment, administrative faculty who do not already hold academic rank at Regent University may be awarded rank in a school upon recommendation of the dean of the school in which rank is to be awarded and upon the recommendation of the vice president for academic affairs and approval of the president.

Administrative faculty must be considered for promotion under the same procedures as those governing promotion in the school in which rank is held. In the evaluation process, it is appropriate that the dean, or vice president for academic affairs if the dean is the candidate, take into consideration the fact that administrative faculty cannot have performed the quantity of teaching, research and service that would be expected of a full-time member of the teaching faculty of the school. On the other hand, it should be expected that administrative faculty would hold credentials such that if they were being appointed initially to an administrative post, the dean would be willing to grant the rank to which promotion is proposed.

Tenure
No administrative faculty member holds tenure or other rights of continuance in an administrative post. Tenured faculty members who accept administrative posts retain tenure in their school. Administrative faculty may request tenure under the same procedures that govern promotion

Administrative faculty may be appointed to the rank of full professor with school designation and may be considered for tenure without a pretenure appointment period in accordance with university policy and procedures governing the appointment of full-time faculty members appointed to the rank of full professor.

Termination
Administrative faculty may be terminated at any time during their contract period provided the conditions of the contract are met. Administrative faculty who do not hold tenure and are on terminal notice may be reassigned to college or school as a teaching faculty member during their contract period. Administrative faculty who hold tenure shall return to a tenured teaching position of their school if they leave their administrative post for any reason. Dismissal from the university can only occur under the policies and procedures for dismissal of tenured faculty members.

Administrative faculty returning to a teaching position will receive their faculty salary plus the administrative stipend they had been receiving until the end of their administrative contract period after which time they will receive their faculty salary minus the administrative stipend. No administrator has the right of continuance in any specific administrative assignment and any persons holding an administrative assignment may be reassigned to different responsibilities at any time provided the conditions of the contract are met.

Developmental Leave
The need to retool and catch up with one's discipline is recognized by providing leave to the administrative faculty member who is returning to a teaching position. The leave is fully paid and may be for a period of one semester and not for more than one year. The Board of Trustees will determine the need for such leave and the duration. (Academic Council, Approved January 1996)

Nontenure-track Faculty

To be eligible for employment, all nontenure-track faculty-whether full-time, part-time or adjunct-must meet the same requirements for professional experience and scholarly preparation as tenure-track or tenured faculty employed in the same discipline.

Full-time faculty members are those employed full time for at least one academic year and are expected to assume and maintain a workload equal to that of a tenured or tenure-track full-time faculty member, who is on a pretenure or initial contract.

Part-time faculty members are those employed to function as faculty members for a percentage of a permanent full-time faculty member load (usually not to exceed 75%).

Adjunct faculty members are employed to teach one or more specific courses. They should be available a minimum of one hour per course per week outside of class time for course-related advising. Adjuncts should receive compensation for each course contingent upon achieving the target enrollment for that course. If fewer than the targeted number of students is enrolled, compensation may be prorated on the basis of a specific amount per student credit hour or the adjunct faculty member may choose to be relieved of her/his obligation to teach the course.

Both part-time faculty and adjunct faculty may be asked to teach courses, advise students, plan curriculum or perform other faculty-type responsibilities. Faculty credentials and/or qualifications for all teaching assignments must comply with the standards of the University and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Official transcripts must be on file for all faculty. Additionally:

For full-time faculty, the usual terminal degree for faculty status and advancement is the doctorate in the faculty member’s teaching discipline or the appropriately recognized professional degree of that discipline, or exceptionally, in some of the professional disciplines, distinguished professional experience and expertise.
As a minimum requirement, part-time faculty may be allowed to substitute the master’s degree for the doctorate in the teaching discipline (particularly in an undergraduate course). Part-time faculty ordinarily need to show as part of their master’s degree a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline, or a master’s degree in a related discipline with 18 graduate hours in the teaching discipline. In certain of the professional disciplines, distinguished professional experience and expertise may be considered an appropriate qualification, subject to the approval of Academic Affairs.
Full-time and part-time faculty, graduate or undergraduate, who possess professional qualifications in lieu of academic credentials, must comply with the standards of the University and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Terms of Employment for Full-time Faculty
Nontenured, full-time faculty members are normally employed for one or more of the following reasons:

They teach in a specialty such as a clinical or legal writing area that focuses on practical instruction, application and supervision which does not require the same degree of emphasis on producing research as does the normal tenure-track appointment.
They work in a professional academic support area such as the library and do not have primary teaching or research responsibilities.
They may be outstanding teachers or researchers and it meets the needs of the school and the mission of the university to allow them to put their efforts solely into one or more of those areas.

Full-time faculty members are ordinarily employed for one year (other contract terms, such as two or three years, may be considered) depending on their rank, experience, years of service and quality of performance. Initial appointment should be for a period of one year. Following the initial appointment, an annual contract, unless there is an exception, may be offered if performance is satisfactory. The length of a contract following the initial contract year is solely at the discretion of the dean in consultation with the vice president for academic affairs.

Each school that desires to employ nontenured, full-time faculty members will be expected to establish specific criteria to judge performance and to establish standards by which they will be given promotion. These criteria must be approved by the vice president for academic affairs and the president. The promotion process should follow the promotion timetable and review process found in the Tenure and Promotion policy.

Nontenured, full-time faculty members will be evaluated annually by the dean consistent with the Performance Planning, Review and Development policy, adapted as necessary to take into account the unique nature of the appointment or the special professional responsibilities of the faculty member's role.

Nontenured, full-time faculty members are subject to all applicable conditions of the Faculty and Academic Policy Handbook and may only be dismissed for cause during their contract period. However, the university reserves the right, at its discretion, to not renew the contract at the end of the contract period.

The following criteria will be used in moving a faculty member from a nontenured contract to a tenure-track contract:

Faculty who have nontenure status should apply to be placed on a tenured status in the last year of their nontenured contract.
The dean and vice president for academic affairs must approve the request to be placed on a tenure-track contract.
Prior to placing a faculty member on a tenure-track contract, the dean and vice president for academic affairs will jointly decide how much time the faculty member will have before s/he must apply for tenure, taking into consideration the length of the faculty members' previous service at the university. In no case should that timeframe exceed six years.
The tenure eligibility process will follow the same guidelines as those outlined in the Tenure and Promotion policy.

Rank
Nontenured, full-time faculty members may be given rank consistent with those faculty members on tenure or tenure-track contract if they have comparable training and experience. Others may receive designation in one of the following categories:

Lecturer
Lecturers are usually employed for one semester at a time depending on academic program requirements. They may teach one course for the entire semester or may teach as little as one meeting of a course. They will most often be employed as adjuncts and will generally meet the criteria cited in the Appointment and Promotion in Rank policy.

Professional-in-Residence
Professional-in-residence is a category of professionals appointed to instructional positions, with working titles such as Architect-in-Residence, Artist-in-Residence, Journalist-in-Residence, Writer-in-Residence, Scholar-in-Residence, Educator-in-Residence, etc. The professional may be in residence at irregular intervals. Tenure is not awarded to individuals holding this title. Appointment to this title may be annual, or limited, and may be full-time or part-time. This category allows the accommodation of persons of unusual accomplishment and distinction in their discipline who may be unavailable to the university for a tenure-track appointment. Such appointees may or may not meet the criteria governing the employment of tenured or tenure-track faculty members. Because of their demonstrated competence in a discipline, such faculty are expected to greatly enhance the educational program.

Visiting Professor
Visiting professor is the title for faculty members who are not eligible or not available for tenured employment, but who generally meet the criteria cited in the Appointment and Promotion in Rank policy. This employment classification accords honor to the nontenured faculty member who is well-qualified in her/his academic discipline or profession. A visiting professor may be employed for a year, a semester or even a day.

Distinguished Visiting Professor
Distinguished visiting professor is the title of distinction for faculty members who are not eligible or not available for tenured employment, but who generally meet the criteria cited in the Appointment and Promotion in Rank policy. This employment classification accords honor to the nontenured faculty member who has made a significant contribution in her/his academic discipline or profession. A distinguished visiting professor may be employed for a year, a semester or even a day.

Clinical Faculty
The title clinical is used for appointments that provide practical instruction and application of practical knowledge. The duties, terms of appointment and salary (if any) of such persons are specified in the letter of appointment. A variety of titles are used to designate such positions including: clinical instructor, clinical assistant professor, clinical associate professor and clinical professor.

Research Faculty
Research appointments are offered to scholars who are invited to work with university faculty members principally for the purpose of research. Persons holding such appointments are not eligible for tenure. All research titles-except for research fellow-are reserved for those researchers who are supported primarily by external grants and contracts. Research faculty are encouraged to give seminars and teach occasional courses in their specialty. Teaching responsibilities are at the discretion of the school or college. Categories of appointment are:

Research Assistant: For inexperienced or pre-doctoral researchers who are supported by university faculty research grants. This category requires only the dean's approval.

Research Associate: For experienced researchers typically with a doctoral degree. This appointment will usually be given to scholars at the beginning of their academic careers.

Senior Research Associate: For researchers who have three to five years of postdoctoral research experience.

Research Assistant Professor: For researchers with research qualifications equivalent to those of assistant professors hired in their discipline.

Research Associate Professor: For researchers with research qualifications equivalent to those of associate professors hired in their discipline.

Research Professor: For researchers with research qualifications equivalent to those of professors hired in their discipline.

Research Fellow: Academic units may propose research appointments for current full-time faculty in order to formalize a relationship between the faculty member and the program. Such internal, unfunded appointments should carry the title research fellow and should specify timeframes of appointment.

Procedure for Employment
The dean makes a recommendation to the vice president for academic affairs regarding the appointment and salary of the individual. The appointment category should depend heavily upon the number of graduate credit hours the individual has taken in the given field to be taught. To determine consistent and equitable compensation for nontenured faculty, individual differences in education and experience should be recognized. If possible, educational and experiential qualifications should be judged according to the rank they are assigned consistent with faculty on a tenure-track contract. Compensation for nontenured faculty who do not meet the academic rank criteria will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

The vice president for academic affairs approves the appointment and authorizes the dean to prepare the contract and provide the faculty member with a copy of the most recent Faculty and Academic Policy Handbook. Contracts should be issued at the beginning of the contracted period and include the terms and conditions of the appointment. Any special understandings or conditions incumbent on either party should be explicitly stated. Contracts for part-time or adjunct faculty members are signed by the dean, vice president for academic affairs and faculty member. Contracts for full-time faculty members are signed by the dean, faculty member and the president (or the vice president for academic affairs).

Part-time or adjunct faculty members are not eligible for promotion or tenure. However, they may be eligible for fringe benefits depending on the conditions of the contract. Nontenured, full-time faculty members are not eligible for tenure but they are eligible for promotion and the other benefits afforded to tenure-track faculty members.

Nontenured full-time faculty members may transfer to a tenure track with the approval of the dean and vice president for academic affairs. However, time as a nontenured faculty member may not necessarily count toward tenure. Part-time or adjunct faculty members should receive appropriate performance reviews from the dean. Nontenured, full-time faculty members should receive an annual performance review. All faculty are under the direct supervision of the dean and should receive appropriate in-service training. (Academic Council, Approved November 1998)

Scholar-at-Large

Persons of prominence and distinction in a particular field who are not available to be on campus, but who are able to make significant contributions to the university such as teaching a course or a seminar on the Internet, writing articles or books under Regent's imprimatur or other activities of significance, may receive the title of scholar-at-large. Such persons may be appointed for a year, a semester or less. They may or may not meet the criteria governing the employment of tenured or tenure-track members.

The designation scholar-in-residence is given to individuals of particular ability, who are associated with the school and who participate in its activities, but who are not necessarily members of the permanent faculty. In a practical sense, it is similar to the position of "of counsel" in a law firm, denoting a more than transient affiliation outside the regular faculty administrative structure. It goes further, however, in suggesting an active and continuous presence at the school; it is difficult to be "in-residence" where you have no connections, and doubly difficult to be a scholar-in-residence at more than one location.

A scholar-at-large would differ from a scholar-in-residence in not requiring an exclusive presence on campus. With this expansion in the concept of associated scholars, individuals could be shared with other schools and centers. This would have the dual advantage of increasing our resources and of spreading Regent's own values and outlook throughout the professional and academic communities.

The program would be particularly attractive, as it requires no monetary investment; the designation would be bestowed without remuneration although perhaps accompanied by an appropriate certificate. (A token award could always be added subsequently if and when finances warranted.) In return, those so designated would be available to be tapped by the university for assistance as their other commitments allowed, and would file an annual report with the dean, summarizing their scholarly endeavors and achievements. (These, in turn, could be included in publicity about the university and its activities.)

Regent would have the option to host an annual or biennial lunch or reception allowing scholars-at-large, who could be present, to meet each other, the faculty and school supporters and to interact with the student body. Designations will be made by the dean and be renewed annually. This designation, as approved by the vice president for academic affairs and the president, would enhance the university's ability to perform its mission by multiplying its resources and, at the same time, creating a fertile climate to influence other institutions.

The Recruitment policy should be followed when preparing to seek for a scholar-at-large position. (Academic Council, Approved May 1997)

Performance Planning, Review and Development

One of Regent University's goals is to develop and maintain a faculty of distinction. The three-part process of performance planning, performance review and performance development assures that end. It also provides an opportunity for faculty to receive full credit and reward for their contributions to the university and their discipline.

The dean is responsible for leading the faculty performance planning, review and development process. This is conducted according to the following timeframe:

April-August--The dean and faculty member conduct faculty performance planning and write a Faculty Performance Plan.
September-March--Deans conduct ongoing faculty performance reviews. Nontenured faculty who will not be considered for reappointment and who must be notified by March 15 of this decision, should have their performance review completed by March 1.
April-August--The dean and faculty member write a Faculty Development Plan.
August 15--The dean submits the Faculty Performance and Development Plans to the vice president for academic affairs for her/his review. Performance and Development Plans must be written annually for nontenured faculty. Performance and Development Plans for tenured faculty may be done every two years based on the discretion of the dean or director.

Tenured faculty receive a comprehensive, tenure review every five years, unless otherwise stipulated, to help them assess their accomplishments in relation to the expectations of their tenure and to help them set appropriate goals for the future. (See Tenure and Promotion policy.) Tenure-track faculty receive a comprehensive, in-depth performance review by their sixth year of service to determine whether tenure will be granted.

Faculty Performance Plan
Based on the mission and vision of the University and other planning documents, the dean shall establish specific duties and responsibilities for regular faculty members for the coming year. The dean, in consultation with the faculty of the school also shall formulate unit criteria and standards to be used in the faculty review process. These criteria should be clearly communicated to the faculty and be both qualitative and quantitative.

Workloads may vary among the schools, as well as among individuals and programs, as long as the needs of the school are being met. In determining workload, each school may choose to include concise adjustments (i.e., weighted credit hours per FTE course loads) for appropriate institutional activities such as: studio and performance courses; development of new instructional methods; development of new courses; clinical courses and services; special tutorial activities; supervision of master's theses and doctoral dissertations; training and supervision of teaching assistants; instructional teaming; doctoral programs; and internship supervision

For each school in the university, a workload can vary by length of work units-9 month or 12 month teaching load-or by the method of each school's calculations of work units. Each school must develop and publish clear standards for its faculty. A faculty workload is determined by the contract. The range in the University is 10 to 15 work units per contracted year, distributed among the three basic activity areas of: 1) teaching and mentoring, professional librarianship; 2) research, scholarship and/or creative works; 3) university administration and community and professional service. [For general purposes of determining faculty load, an acceptable measure for a work unit is equivalent to one three-semester hour, on-campus course with an enrollment consistent with the average class sizes of that discipline, taught by one instructor.]

Maximum workload may vary between programs and schools due to differences such as customary teaching loads in particular disciplines. However, each school should make explicit its own uniform maximum load to allow for an appropriate determination of faculty load expectations and for the equitable and systematic evaluation of faculty productivity within its programs. (Academic Council, Approved April 2008)

The dean, as approved by The Vice President for Academic Affairs, may exercise his or her professional judgment in determining when an overload situation exists, when extra pay is appropriate, or when a faculty member's workload in a semester should be adjusted downward in recognition of a previous semester in which there was a higher-than-normal workload. Overloads should not exceed 25% of the individual faculty member's contracted workload.

Between April and July, the dean and each faculty member shall agree upon, produce, and sign a Faculty Performance Plan. The Performance Plan formalizes the proportional workload distribution, provides for goal-setting and outcome planning and becomes the reference point for performance expectations for the year. During the year the dean is expected to discuss progress and development. In general terms, a contract year is July 01- June 30.

Following are guidelines for writing the Faculty Performance Plan:

The focus of each faculty member's workload is to be directed by the mission and vision of the University and the specific school.
The plan should take into account the workload requirements of the specified school and include workload distribution amongst the following three traditional activity areas for full-time teaching faculty and library faculty: Teaching and Mentoring, Professional Librarianship; Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works; and University Administration and Community and Professional Service. All regular faculty members are expected to devote time and energy in fulfilling duties in each of these three areas. It is expected that most faculty will seek to excel in at least one of these areas. Thus, workloads may not be equal across the three areas. However, none of these areas should be ignored.
The plan should be written in terms of outcomes and the measurements that will be used to evaluate performance.
The plan should show a commitment to and link between instructional quality, and productivity in the context of the mission of the university and the school.

(Academic Council, Approved February 2006)

Faculty Performance Review
Each college or school must establish standard criteria for faculty performance for each rank. These criteria should be explicit, permitting fair and consistent evaluation and must be approved by the vice president for academic affairs. While the dean holds primary responsibility for the performance review, s/he should utilize peers as part of the process. The school is also encouraged to include self-evaluation among the evaluation components.

The school criteria should cover three basic areas: 1) teaching and mentoring; 2) research, scholarship and/or creative works; and 3) university administration and community and professional service. It is expected that each performance review will include a general review of all areas as well as an in-depth evaluation of at least one of the three basic areas (see Appendix).

In addition-because of the unique mission of Regent University-it is expected that faculty members will exhibit spiritual vitality through their Christian witness, both personally and professionally. Collegiality is a hallmark of the ethos of Regent University. Aspects of collegiality include, but are not limited to: civility in public and private discourse, cooperation in accomplishing the mission of the university, and mutual respect in the sharing of ideas. This standard is expressed in the New Testament in terms of the character of Jesus Christ and the fruit of the Holy Spirit as described by the apostle Paul. Among these characteristics, which help describe collegiality, are: love, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23). These are the traits that, taken as a whole, should describe the words and deeds of faculty members of this university in their interactions with colleagues, administrators, staff members, students and others with whom they come into contact as representatives of Regent University. (Academic Council, Approved August 2005)

Teaching and Mentoring
The teaching process is at the heart of the university's mission. We expect all our professors to be excellent teachers. Since teaching and advising are multifaceted activities, both quality and quantity should be evaluated.

Teaching Materials

While the specifics may vary from discipline to discipline, all reviews must include: course content; course objectives; grading policies; course examinations; course organization; quality of student achievement; and innovative teaching methods or materials.

Classroom Visits from Evaluators

Before visiting a class, the evaluator(s) should gather the following information from the faculty member: course objectives and objectives for the day of the visit. During the visit to a class, the evaluator(s) should assess:

Structure and goals for the course: mode of presentation (lecture, discussion, etc.), visual aids, instructional technology, utilization of class time.
Presentation skills: eye contact, speaking rate and intensity, use of language, distracting mannerisms, etc.
Rapport with students: equitableness, student receptiveness, respectfulness.
Mastery of content: adequate, current, content sequencing, etc.
Strengths and weaknesses in teaching performance.
Proficiency in integrating faith and practice.
Achievement of day's objectives.

After visiting a class, the evaluator(s) must:

Meet with the faculty member to report on her/his observations.
Give the faculty member an opportunity to comment on the observations and other aspects of the visit that might reasonably have impacted the instruction that day.
Prepare a written report summarizing the observation in the context of the instructor's objectives, comments made at the meeting following the observation and any other relevant material.
Distribute copies of her/his report to the others participating in the peer review after they have conducted their classroom visit.

Student Evaluations of Instruction and Advising

Student comments are to be included as part of the student evaluation submitted. At least 75% of the students in each class must complete the form in order for it to be used. Student ratings over several semesters/years are used from a range of courses Performance in the area of advising is to be evaluated with respect to responsibilities such as demonstration of an exemplary Christian witness, timeliness, accuracy, availability, monitoring advisee's progress, reviewing academic interests with advisee, examining career interests with the advisee, etc.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works
Both the quality and quantity of a faculty member's achievement should be examined but quality will be primary. Quality is defined largely in terms of the work's importance in redefining or making progress in a field or discipline, establishing relationships among disciplines, improving practitioner performance or-in terms of creativity-of the thought and methods behind it. Original achievements in conceptual frameworks, conclusions, etc., should be regarded more highly than minor varieties in familiar themes.

There are many ways to demonstrate satisfaction consistent with the expectations of the professional rank. General categories of activity in this area are identified in this section. School guidelines must outline what types of activities are appropriate as well as the level of importance assigned to each type.

Research and Publication in the Faculty Member's Discipline

Items may include (but are not limited to): published articles and books, grant proposals and reports, monographs, musical scores, films, videos, interactive communication and other creative works. Projects may also include those that are accepted following a competitive peer review process, those that are not accepted following a competitive peer review process and those that are not submitted for competitive peer review.

Normally, projects that are accepted following a competitive peer review process should not require significant additional scrutiny from peers. Projects that are not accepted following a competitive peer review process warrant scrutiny from the faculty member's colleagues when they are submitted by the faculty member as part of the file. For the purpose of making a decision, a project that is rejected for funding should be judged on its merits (according to criteria agreed to by the school or college) and not simply on the fact that it was not accepted in the competitive process. Of course, critiques from reviewers shall also be available for examination by the peer reviewers.

Projects included in the materials presented by the faculty member that have not been submitted for peer review in a competitive process must be examined by the faculty member's colleagues, using the approved criteria, and be found to make a contribution to the field in order for them to be used as evidence contributing to a positive decision. In instances where colleagues believe they do not have the expertise to evaluate a faculty member's project, arrangements should be made to have colleagues from another school or college or institution conduct a review of the project while making clear the purpose of the review.

Professional Participation and Performance in the Faculty Member's Discipline

Present papers at professional meetings.
Serve as editor or referee of submitted articles/presentations.
Have a creative work included in a refereed show.
Serve as a referee of submitted creative work.
Serve as an invited site visitor for evaluating a professional program or service.
Have a public performance of a created work or an existing classical work in the field of performing arts.
Serve on a regional or national committee involved directly with the discipline (e.g., serve on a committee to set professional standards is professional participation).

As with the area of research and publication, professional participation and performance is refereed in some cases and not in others. Involvement in such refereed activities is evidence that normally contributes to a positive decision. It is the faculty member's non-refereed involvement in this area that requires critical review (according to the approved criteria) by the individual's peers. The purpose of that review is to assure that the activity makes a worthy contribution to the individual's discipline. It is reasonable to assume that the criteria for evaluating these non-refereed activities will be similar to those that are used by referees in the faculty member's discipline.

Education Attainment and Continuous Study in One's Field

Earn professionally appropriate credits.
Earn professionally appropriate continuing education units.
Attend professional meetings.
Participate in professional improvement workshops both on and off campus.
Give a report to colleagues after being a participant in professional improvement activities both on and off campus.
Provide evidence of how the information learned has been effective in one's professional growth.
Publish in refereed journals.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service

University Administration

University administration covers a wide range of activities, conducted in a collegial atmosphere. It should be evaluated by colleagues familiar with the faculty member's performance in the given activity over a period that normally spans at least one semester. Activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Serve on university committees. Special committee responsibilities such as serving as committee or subcommittee chair should be given added significance beyond committee membership.
Participate in student recruitment activities.
Serve in the Faculty Senate.
Conduct student Bible study/fellowship groups and regularly attend chapel.

Community Service

When possible, the faculty member's performance in this area should also be evaluated by those familiar with her/his performance. This area is normally evaluated by examining the faculty member's vita. Performance is displayed in a variety of ways including speaking to community groups and applying professional expertise to community concerns.

Professional Service

Faculty are expected to make their professional knowledge and skills broadly available to society. They should develop skillful, knowledgeable and practical applications and extensions of their academic fields and specialties, and then use these skills to make a positive impact on society. Public service should be grounded firmly in university programs.

Professional responsibilities outside the classroom may also include involvement in a professional organization within the faculty member's discipline in ways that are not directly related to the knowledge base of the discipline. Examples include: hold a major office or participate in a professional organization, chair or serve as a member of a committee, consult, etc. In order for activities like these to be considered in a personnel review, there must be some system for documenting performance. For retention, tenure and promotion considerations, the documentation of these activities may take a variety of forms including letters of recommendation from informed colleagues or a list of accomplishments while serving in a given capacity.

Faculty Development Plan
After the performance review, the dean and faculty member write a Faculty Development Plan for the next academic year, taking into account the past year's performance (see Appendix). The plan should identify areas for improvement and development and should include, but not be limited to, the following:

Specific actions and timelines to enhance and develop the faculty member's competence and remedy any areas of weakness. (Attend professional meetings; attend instructional seminars and workshops, both on and off campus; develop self-study programs approved by the dean; and/or participate in any activities that will enhance her/his professional expertise and bring the faculty member to the highest level of distinction possible.)
Specific actions and timelines to advance the school toward the achievement of its mission.
Matters related to collegiality should be addressed accordingly and herein.

Librarian Performance Review
Regent University Library faculty who hold rank as assistant librarian, associate librarian or full librarian will be considered for promotion and tenure consistent with the Tenure and Promotion policy. This policy provides for faculty to be judged on the basis of 1) professional librarianship; 2) research, scholarship and/or creative works; and 3) university administration and community and professional service. Librarianship replaces the teaching and advising criterion in the evaluation of library faculty as a more inclusive term of the unique responsibilities professional librarians have in the academic endeavor.

The performance review criteria for librarians are a modification of the criteria for faculty (see Appendix) and it reflects the Model Statement of Criteria and Procedures for Faculty Status adopted by the Association of College and Research Libraries of the American Library Association. In accordance with these national standards, the Library recognizes the master's degree in library science from a program accredited by the American Library Association as the terminal degree.

Regent University Library evaluates its faculty by the following criteria. In addition, because of the unique mission of the university and library, it is expected that librarians will exhibit spiritual vitality through their Christian witness, both personally and professionally.

Professional Librarianship
Librarianship is concerned with facilitating access to information to further university programs of instruction, research and service. Librarians are responsible for planning, implementing and evaluating programs for the acquisition, organization and retrieval of recorded information. In order to carry out these responsibilities, librarians must have knowledge of the structure and nature of scholarly information, of the means by which information is stored and retrieved and of the programs and priorities of Regent University.

Excellence in librarianship is expected of each library faculty member; it is the primary criterion. Excellence in research or service alone is not an acceptable substitute for excellence in librarianship as a performance requirement. Within the assigned areas of responsibility, the librarian develops her/his unique contribution to the library and the campus. Most responsibilities fall within the categories of collection development, management, teaching, information services, bibliographic organization and control and automated systems activities. One subject bibliographer is assigned as liaison to each school or college, working closely with its faculty in collection development and teaching library research skills to all new students Librarians who serve in an administrative role will be evaluated on their administrative effectiveness as part of the consideration for the granting of promotion and tenure.

Collection Development and Management

Librarians who develop the collections decide which books, journals and other materials should be made part of the library's collections, which should not, and which should be weeded. They design effective programs of acquisitions, and they carefully plan and monitor expenditure of the acquisition budget. They demonstrate competence in establishing and maintaining organization and control of library resources. They regularly evaluate the collections to ensure that the library has materials that support and further campus programs.

Teaching

Teaching information literacy has become a critical part of librarianship, particularly at the graduate level. Both the quality and quantity of the teaching process are evaluated.�� All reviews include course content and objectives, course organization and materials, teaching methods, classroom visits and student evaluations.

Information Services

Librarians providing information services mediate between individuals with information needs and the sources which can satisfy those needs. To do so they must understand the process of information seeking and user needs, interpret information requests, formulate appropriate search strategies and locate and evaluate information sources. They must determine when they should teach users strategies for independent information seeking or when they should directly provide information. They remain current in their knowledge of automated systems and resources and their use in supporting the principal activities and services of libraries.

Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works in Librarianship
Research in librarianship is scholarly investigation conducted to expand the knowledge base of library and information science. Areas subject to investigation include the study of library methods for the acquisition, control, retrieval and dissemination of information as well as the broader processes by which information is created, stored and communicated. Evidence of a coherent research design demonstrated by concentration on one aspect or related aspects of librarianship will be expected. Research and scholarly activities may include but are not limited to items on this list.

Publication, or acceptance for publication, of the following: articles, preferably in refereed journals; monographs or chapters in books; book reviews; and other publications (e.g., annotated bibliographies, bibliographic essays, indexes, technical reports, electronic databases, automated reference guides). Publications that are not disseminated beyond the campus are to be evaluated as components of librarianship.
Professional participation and performance in the library faculty member's areas of expertise: presenting papers at professional meetings; serving as referee of submitted articles/presentations; and serving on a regional or national committee involved directly with librarianship (e.g., serving on a committee to set professional standards is professional participation).
Education attainment and continuous study in one's field of librarianship. Examples include the following: earning professionally appropriate credits; earning professionally appropriate continuing education units; attending professional meetings.
Participating in professional improvement workshops both on and off campus; giving a report to colleagues after being a participant in professional improvement activities both on and off campus; and providing evidence of how the information learned has been effective in their professional growth.
Grant to support research, preferably as project director or principal investigator.
Peer recognition exemplified by awards or other honors.

University Administration and Community and Professional Service for Librarians
Service is collegial involvement in university, professional and community activities related to the mission and public services objectives of Regent University, the University Library and the library profession. Quality of performance and substance of contributions must be demonstrated and verifiable.

University Administration

This includes: Serve on library and university committees; serve on Faculty Senate; conduct student Bible study/fellowship groups and regularly attend chapel; conduct on-campus advisory or consulting activities; and conduct on-campus speaking engagements.

Community Service

When possible, the library faculty member's performance in this area should apply professional expertise to some community concern such as: membership, participation, office or committees in organizations; invited presentations; workshop or conference participation; and radio and television appearances.

Professional Service

Examples include: membership, participation, office or committees in relevant professional organizations; editorships; and consulting for libraries and organizations.

This policy shall not be read to abridge the requirements of a school's accrediting agency guidelines. (Academic Council, Revision Approved August 2005)

Tenure and Promotion

The Board of Trustees, in approving this statement of tenure policy, does so in good faith with the intent to comply fully with it. It must, however, reserve the right to deviate from these terms if conditions beyond its control-such as abrupt declines in enrollment, drastic loss of income or conditions that result in drastic curtailment or abandonment of programs or activities-make it necessary to do so.

The purpose of tenure is to assure the university staff academic freedom and security and to protect the best interests of the university. Tenure shall not be considered to protect any person from the loss of her/his position as a result of gross misconduct such as: violation of professional ethics, insubordination, refusal to perform reasonable assigned duties, immoral behavior contrary to biblical standards, incompetence or failure to perform at a level commensurate with the rank held as specified in school standards or actions that are inimical to the best interests of the university, as determined by the governing board of the university.

Therefore, tenure is awarded only after a suitable tenure-track period. The decision to award tenure is based on the merit of the individual faculty member and the long-term needs and mission of the school and the university. The university reserves the significant majority of tenure slots for those professors who are or can be expected to be truly nationally distinguished scholars and teachers. Tenure shall be selectively considered for professors who are superior teachers and are considered by the university to be instructional leaders and excellent scholars, also for others who are nationally distinguished and considered excellent teachers. Those professors who have valuable skills and talents essential to the university, but who would not meet the criteria of being nationally distinguished or excellent teachers, may be considered for multiyear nontenured contracts.

Tenure Eligibility
Faculty holding a tenure-track appointment-including those with prior service at other institutions of higher education-will be considered for tenure no later than their sixth year of service at Regent University.

By mutual agreement among the faculty member, the dean and the vice president for academic affairs, a faculty member may be given a tenure review earlier than in the sixth year if s/he has prior full-time service at Regent or at other institutions of higher education or if the faculty member has demonstrated unusual excellence and productivity.

Only faculty members who hold the rank of assistant professor, associate professor or full professor are eligible to be considered for tenure. Assistant professors may be considered for tenure only if they are simultaneously being considered for promotion to the rank of associate professor. Since tenure is granted to faculty members in an academic program, the award of tenure does not imply continuation in any full-time or part-time administrative position nor does it imply continuation of any specific work assignment within or outside the school in which tenure is granted. If tenure is not awarded following a tenure review, the faculty member will be appointed to a terminal year, unless there are extenuating circumstances that provide a compelling case for a one-year probationary extension or transfer to a nontenure contract as approved by the president. Ordinarily only those semesters spent in full-time service to the university will be counted toward the date for mandatory tenure service.

Removal from Tenure-track
At any time, upon a finding by the dean that there is not a reasonable likelihood that a faculty member holding a tenure-track appointment will meet the criteria for an award of tenure in her/his sixth year of service, the dean may, in consultation with the vice president for academic affairs, grant that faculty member a nontenure contract. The purpose for such a contract is to give the faculty member additional time and/or opportunity to meet the criteria for tenure, and not for disciplinary or punitive purposes. Upon such appointment, the dean and the faculty member meet and create a faculty development plan. The plan must specify expectations, performance goals and timelines for the faculty member, upon satisfaction of which the faculty member will qualify for reappointment to a tenure-track contract. Upon reappointment to a tenure-track contract, the faculty member may, at the discretion of the dean and vice president for academic affairs, be granted additional years (beyond the sixth year of service) before the faculty member must be considered for tenure. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to limit the university's ability to employ nontenured-track faculty (see Nontenured-track Faculty policy) or to not reappoint a faculty member with a tenure-track annual contract (see Contract policy).

Criteria for Granting Tenure
Each school must establish specific written criteria it will employ in recommending tenure. These criteria must be approved by the president and vice president for academic affairs and must conform to the guidelines found in this policy. The school criteria should clearly state the expected standards of performance, proficiency and collegiality for each rank and should be designed to achieve and maintain a university of distinction.

These criteria shall assure that the granting of tenure and promotion is based on convincing evidence of: 1) teaching excellence; 2) an exemplary or potentially exemplary record of research and publication and/or other appropriate professional creativity; and 3) continued meaningful service to the university, the community and to the faculty member's profession. Implicit in each of these three criteria is an ongoing demonstration of the faculty member's Christian witness and excellence in the integration of faith and practice.

Tenure or Promotion Review Timetable and Process

In the case of an ordinary tenure or promotion review, the general timetable is as follows:

1. By the beginning of the semester preceding the academic year in which the faculty member is to be reviewed for tenure or promotion, the dean will give the faculty member guidelines for compiling her/his section of the dossier and a complete timetable for the review process.

2. By November 1, the tenure candidate submits her/his dossier to the dean.

3. The tenured faculty of the school shall select a tenure review committee. The committee:

a. Examines the candidate's dossier.
b. Meets to discuss the candidate's qualifications and contributions in relation to the mission of the school.
c. Determines whether the candidate demonstrates the level of distinction and potential expected by the university.
d. May solicit additional evaluations from individuals outside the university who are acknowledged authorities in the field relevant to the candidate's academic specialty.
e. By December 15, makes a recommendation to the dean on whether or not to award tenure or promotion. The recommendation contains the substance of their discussions and the reasons for the recommendation.

4. In the case of tenure (not promotion), the dean reviews the recommendation based on the candidate's merit and the long-term needs of the school. This includes:

a. The long-term enrollment
b. The need for an additional specialist in the faculty member's area of specialization, particularly in light of the school's mission.
c. The tenure structure of the school. (While no maximum percentage of faculty is established, the dean must take into account the need for flexibility in course offerings and the desirability of a tenure structure that will allow openings for new tenured faculty in the ensuing decades so that new areas of specialization and new needs can be met.)

5. By February 1, the dean makes a recommendation to the vice president for academic affairs regarding the award of tenure or promotion, including a summary report of her/his deliberations and the reasons for the recommendations, as well as the recommendation of the Tenure Review Committee.

6. By February 15, the vice president for academic affairs reviews the recommendations of the dean and the Tenure Review Committee and makes a recommendation to the president regarding the award of tenure or promotion.

7. By March 1, the president notifies the candidate of her/his recommendation. If the recommendation is positive, it is forwarded to the Board of Trustees. If the recommendation is negative, the reasons must be stated in a written letter to the candidate. The candidate may request a meeting with the president to review her/his decision to not recommend tenure.

8. Generally by April 30, the Board of Trustees makes a decision on the matter at their spring meeting. Their decision is final.

The candidate may withdraw her/his tenure or promotion application at any stage of the process.

Unusual Circumstances
On occasion, the university may wish to attract an eminent individual from outside the university who will only accept an appointment to the faculty with immediate tenure, or there may be extraordinary circumstances in which the university deems it necessary to accelerate the tenure process. In such circumstances, the vice president for academic affairs may make a tenure recommendation to the president after consultation with the dean. The president may then determine to make a recommendation to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees for an early tenure decision.

Tenured Faculty Review and Faculty Development Procedure

1. Periodically, as specified in the faculty member's contract, each tenured faculty member will be evaluated for the purpose of general review, development, recognition and merit, and for continuation of tenure. This will include evaluating how past individual-based and school-based performance objectives have been met, as well as how the faculty member has maintained a level of overall performance commensurate with the level and proficiency required for the rank that faculty member holds. (Academic Council, Revision Approved February 2008)

2. The tenured faculty of the school shall select a Review Committee.

3. The Review Committee shall conduct a review and give a written recommendation to the dean. The recommendation shall:

a. Describe the faculty member's strengths and weaknesses.
b. Assess the faculty member's performance over the term of the tenure in relation to the rank(s) held.
c. State whether or not the faculty member performed at a level commensurate with her/his rank.
d. Include suggestions for improvement as appropriate.

4. The dean reviews the recommendation of the Review Committee and makes her/his own assessment. The dean meets with the faculty member to discuss the findings. Unless the faculty member is found not to have maintained a level of overall performance commensurate with the level and proficiency required for the rank that faculty member holds, the dean will recommend that the faculty member be given a new tenure contract with a review period of five academic years. If the dean determines that the faculty member has not maintained a level of overall performance commensurate with the level and proficiency required for the faculty member's rank, one of the following actions will be recommended:

a. That the faculty member be given a new tenure contract with a review period of no more than three years. [This action normally includes a faculty development plan covering the same number of years.] The dean and the faculty member will create a proposed faculty development plan. The faculty development plan should include specific action plans and timelines consistent with plans required in the Performance Planning, Review and Development policy.
b. If the dean determines that there is not a reasonable likelihood that the faculty member could, in conjunction with a faculty development plan, achieve a level of overall performance commensurate with the level and proficiency required for the rank that faculty member holds, the dean will recommend that the faculty member's tenure be terminated, and that the faculty member be appointed to a terminal year.
c. Under extenuating circumstances, as an alternative to the appointing of a faculty member to a terminal year upon termination of tenure, the dean may recommend that the faculty member be given a nontenure contract.

5. The dean shall provide her/his recommendation and, if appropriate, the faculty development plan to the vice president for academic affairs for final approval. Termination of tenure, or appointment to a nontenure contract, shall require consultation with and approval by the president. (Academic Council, Approved November 1999)

Outline for Faculty Tenure and Promotion Dossier

When applying for tenure, tenure review or promotion, complete your dossier using the outline below. This outline is based on the Performance Planning, Review and Development policy, which explains the three areas of: Teaching and Mentoring, Professional Librarianship; Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works; and University Administration and Community and Professional Services. Supplementary material may be included as it relates to meeting university and college/school-specific criteria.

1. Introduction

a. Current vita.
b. Copy of university criteria for tenure review.
c. Copy of college/school-specific criteria for tenure review.
d. Committee's recommendation.
e. Dean's recommendation.

2. Teaching and Mentoring, Professional Librarianship

a. Summary of performance--courses taught, programs or courses developed, student advising, dean's evaluation, peer reviews, summary of course evaluations for previous two years, summary of subsequent course modifications, etc.).
b. Significant evidence that courses are presented from biblical perspectives.
Summary of ongoing professional development activities, which have led to direct improvement of scholarship and teaching and other evidence of professional development.

For Librarians
a. Collection development and management.
b. Teaching
c. Information services.

3. Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works, Summary of:

a. Research and publication in the individual's discipline.
b. Professional participation and performance in the individual's discipline.
c. Education attainment and continuous study in the individual's field.
d. Grant to support research, preferably as project director or principal investigator.
e. Peer recognition exemplified by awards or other honors.

4. University Administration and Community and Professional Service, Summary of:

a. University administration.
b. Community service.
c. Professional service.
d. Consulting activities.
e. Commendations by colleagues and other appropriate individuals.

5. Conclusion

a. A two to three page statement describing your philosophy and practice in creating a unity of faith and learning.
b. Summary of Christian activities/spiritual vitality, which includes such things as frequency of chapel attendance, participation in staff devotions, home Bible studies, church activity and other involvement in areas demonstrating spiritual vitality.
c. A description of activities or events demonstrating a significant degree of leadership including moral leadership and activities where there was substantive initiative shown.

Total dossier length:

Tenure Renewal: 10-30 pages

(Primary focus should be placed on #3 above, but not to the exclusion of the

other elements)

Tenure; Promotion: One 2-4 inch volume maximum

(Revised by Academic Council, 14-April-2009).

Sabbatical Leave

Sabbatical leave is available for full-time faculty and administrators holding faculty rank. A sabbatical is for research, study, writing or other creative work contributing to the upgrading of degree status, or to the professional development and effectiveness of the recipient. Sabbaticals are not for reasons of health, rest or general travel, except as these may serve the main purpose.

A sabbatical shall not be granted primarily for the purpose of augmenting income. Ordinarily, the faculty member or administrator may not accept a salaried position while on sabbatical. However, approval of a salaried position may be granted if such an experience is expected to contribute significantly to professional growth and development.

The university's guideline for granting sabbaticals is one candidate per school in an academic year. Multiple sabbaticals in one school will be considered only if other schools do not have requests There will ordinarily be no more than seven to eight sabbaticals granted in any one year (in other words, one per school).

Eligibility and Approval
Any leave of absence with pay, including a sabbatical, is considered a privilege. To be eligible for a sabbatical, a faculty member or administrator must meet the following requirements:

A minimum of six full year's service as a faculty member and/or administrator of Regent University for each leave requested; however, the six years need not be consecutive.
If the administration formally requests a faculty member or administrator to postpone a sabbatical, the accrual of time toward the next leave shall follow the same schedule as if the faculty member had taken leave when eligible.
If a faculty member or administrator formally elects to postpone a sabbatical for personal reasons, the accrual of time toward the next leave shall begin with the faculty member's return from the leave.
The faculty applicant must submit the completed Sabbatical Request Form (see Appendix) to the dean by February 1 of the year preceding the academic year for which the leave is requested, stipulating how the leave will be used. The request is approved by the dean, the vice president for academic affairs and the president.
The administrator submits his/her request to the dean, when appropriate, by February 1 of the year preceding the academic year for which the leave is requested (whether fall term, spring term, or the entire year). The request stipulates both how the leave will be used and how responsibilities will be met during the administrator's absence. The request is approved by the dean, when applicable, the vice president for academic affairs and the president.

Compensation
Compensation for a sabbatical is not delayed salary for services already rendered, but is an investment in the future improvement of the university. A faculty member who is granted leave shall receive one of the following salary arrangements:

For one semester of leave, the salary will be 100% of the contractual salary.
For two semesters of leave, the salary will be 50% to 100% of the full contractual salary.

For a two semester faculty sabbatical, the determination of percent of salary (50%-100%) will follow these guidelines:

A faculty member will receive full salary if the faculty member provides evidence in the proposal that s/he and the university will receive maximum benefits from the outcomes of the experience. Outcomes could include reasonable promise of receiving grants, publishing books and articles, or major presentations. The greater the benefit of these outcomes to all concerned, the greater the salary percentage.
The vice president for academic affairs must approve the salary decision.

Sabbatical compensation for administrators will be individually negotiated and paid at a level commensurate with the amount of leave. During a sabbatical, the university and the employee shall continue their portions of payments toward insurance and retirement. Health and life insurance coverage shall remain at a level based on the salary of the faculty member's contractual term and the full yearly salary for administrator.

When leave is granted, it is expected that the university will be benefited; therefore, the faculty member or administrator is expected to return to the university for one regular academic year following the sabbatical. Failure to do so obligates the employee to refund the portion of the compensation received from the university while on leave, unless otherwise provided.

Reporting
A faculty member returning from a sabbatical shall submit a full written report of the sabbatical activities to the dean and to the vice president for academic affairs within 30 days of completing the sabbatical period. An administrator returning from a sabbatical shall submit a full written report of sabbatical activities to the dean where applicable, and to the vice president for academic affairs and the president within 30 days of completing the sabbatical period.

The sabbatical report should include both a summary and evidence of the leave accomplishments in relation to the sabbatical application. The appropriate administrator shall review the report as part of the prescribed evaluation process. The summary report and administrative assessment shall be placed in the school or college's file and shall be used as an evaluation tool for promotion and sabbatical request leaves in the future. (Academic Council, Approved December 1993, amended January 2006)

Sabbatical Request Form (Also available on the Academic & Faculty Resources web page)

Salary Increases

Criteria
Salary increments for faculty members are determined primarily by the individual criteria established for the evaluation of performance in teaching, research and service and to maintain a competitive salary level with comparable institutions. The dean or director of each academic unit determines, subject to the final approval of the president, the salary for each faculty member in the unit within the total salary budget assigned to the unit by the university administration.

Ordinarily a promotion in faculty rank results in a salary increase The granting of tenure or tenure renewal does not necessarily result in a salary increase.

Procedure
Based on the operating budget of the university, the president allocates funds for returning faculty salaries. The president allocates a specific dollar amount and/or percentage to each dean/director for salary increments within their academic unit.

The dean/director, on the basis of faculty evaluations, allocates specific dollar amounts for each faculty member in the unit. In this allocation, the dean/director should consider not only the percentage increment being granted, but also the correction of inequities. The dean/director forwards to the president a list of all returning faculty members in their unit with their recommended salaries for the coming year. The president approves the raises and the dean/director develops the contracts for all the returning faculty members specifying the approved salary.

A faculty member may request, through the dean and vice president for academic affairs, no later than 14 working days after the issuing of the faculty contract, that her/his salary decision be reviewed by the president. The president's decision is final. (Academic Council, Approved May 1998)

Releasing Faculty from Contract

The obligation to give due notice of termination of employment is reciprocal. Faculty members, as part of their responsibility to the university and their profession, should make every effort to give the administration adequate time to find a replacement if and when they desire to leave Regent University.

Faculty contracts are to be regarded as mutually binding and the signed acceptance of such contracts by the members of the faculty is always to be done in good faith. This implies that the individual faculty member will promptly terminate any other contract negotiations, which may be in progress, and will not initiate any new negotiations for the coming year.

Release from a signed contract will be granted by the university only in exceptional cases, normally involving circumstances beyond the individual's control. In the case of faculty members who have signed their reappointment contract, release from contract to take another position will be considered if:

The offer of or the invitation to apply for another position did not come as a result of any solicitation or encouragement by the faculty member, or
The position in question represents an opportunity for significant professional advancement.

Final judgment as to whether the foregoing conditions have been met is to be made by the dean of the college or school. (Academic Council, Approved February 2000)

Contract Termination

Definition of Dismissal
Dismissal, as used in this policy, means the termination of a tenured faculty member or the termination of a nontenured faculty member prior to the end of a term appointment to which that faculty member would otherwise be entitled, based on the policies of the university, but does not include the termination of faculty member due to university wide financial exigency or extensive curtailment in or discontinuance of a program of study or department of instruction. Only the president, operating under the authority of the Board of Trustees, has the authority to dismiss a faculty member.

Predismissal
Normally, dismissal should only be instigated as a last resort-after all appropriate measures for reconciliation and/or correction have been attempted. When a reason arises to consider dismissal of a faculty member, the dean of the area in which that faculty member is assigned shall arrange a personal conference or conferences. The dean will invite the faculty member and any other appropriate individuals to discuss the reason(s) for considering the dismissal of the faculty member. At this point, the matter may be resolved by mutual consent. The university may propose the use of mediation as one means of achieving reconciliation if both parties are agreeable. Mediation will be conducted in accordance with the university's Mediation Agreement see Appendix).

Reasons for Dismissal
The dismissal of a faculty member shall only be for just cause. Such cause must be related to the faculty member's performance of professional duties or responsibilities. Just cause means gross misconduct such as: violation of professional ethics, insubordination, refusal to perform reasonable assigned duties, immoral behavior contrary to biblical standards, incompetence, failure to perform at a level commensurate with the rank held as specified in the school or college standards or actions inimical to the best interests of the university as determined by the university governing board. Dismissal shall not be used to restrain faculty members in the exercise of academic freedom.

Procedure

1. The dean shall consult with the vice president for academic affairs to determine those cases in which proceedings to dismiss a faculty member might be appropriate. In deciding whether to initiate such proceedings, the vice president for academic affairs may act upon the recommendation of the dean or upon her/his own initiative.

2. The faculty member may be immediately relieved from any and all academic duties at the discretion of the vice president for academic affairs when reason arises to consider dismissal of the faculty member. Such suspension of duties shall be without loss of compensation.

3. If the matter has not been resolved after the predismissal conference(s) with the faculty member, the dean may recommend to the vice president for academic affairs that formal proceedings to dismiss be initiated by giving the vice president for academic affairs a written statement about the faculty member. This statement shall contain:

a. The reason for dismissal.
b. The names of witnesses-if known-who will testify in support of the specific reasons stated.
c. The nature of the testimony likely to be presented by each of the witnesses.

4. A copy of this statement shall be given the faculty member in person or sent by certified mail to the faculty member's address of record.

5. The faculty member may submit to the vice president for academic affairs an answer to the statement within 15 calendar days. If the faculty member fails to answer within 15 calendar days of receipt of the statement, the vice president for academic affairs may recommend to the president that the faculty member be dismissed. Any such dismissal by the president shall be final.

6. If the faculty member answers the vice president for academic affairs in 15 calendar days disagreeing with the statement, and the vice president for academic affairs decides to proceed with dismissal, the vice president for academic affairs or the vice president for academic affairs' designee shall so notify the faculty member in writing within 15 calendar days and shall have such notice given to the faculty member in person or sent by certified mail. Such notice shall inform the faculty member of the reasons for dismissal and afford her/him opportunity to be heard by the Hearing Committee.

7. Within 15 calendar days of receipt of notification from the vice president for academic affairs, the faculty member shall notify the vice president for academic affairs of her/his decision to have a hearing. If the faculty member fails to respond within 15 calendar days of receipt of notification, the vice president for academic affairs may recommend to the president that the faculty member be dismissed. Any such dismissal by the president shall be final.

8. Within 30 days, if the faculty member has, in a timely manner, requested a hearing, the standing Hearing Committee shall proceed as follows:

a. The Hearing Committee shall consist of five members Three members shall be selected from tenured faculty members by the vice president for academic affairs in consultation with the Faculty Senate chairman ordinarily at the beginning of each academic year. Two members shall be selected from the President's Cabinet who hold faculty rank. The Hearing Committee shall elect the chairperson from its membership by majority vote.
b. The vice president for academic affairs or her/his designee shall inquire of each of the selected Hearing Committee members whether there is any reason s/he would be unable to hear the case fairly and impartially and render a fair and impartial decision.

9. From this point, the Hearing Committee shall be in charge of all subsequent stages in the hearing process until the Hearing Committee has forwarded its report and recommendations to the president.

10. The Hearing Committee chairperson shall set a time and place for the hearing and shall notify the other committee members and the faculty member. The chairperson shall be in full charge of the hearing, which shall be conducted according to established procedures and include representation, examination and cross-examination of witnesses and timeliness of process. The hearing shall be closed. At the request of the faculty member, a stenographic record of the proceedings will be made at the expense of the university.

11. The Hearing Committee chairperson shall submit a final report that shall contain findings of fact and recommendations to the president. The final report shall be submitted to the president within 15 calendar days of the conclusion of the hearing and a copy delivered to the faculty member. Additionally, members of the committee may submit individual reports to the president and send a copy to the faculty member.

12. Upon consideration of the committee's report(s), the decision concerning dismissal shall be at the sole discretion of the institution as represented by the trustees acting through the president, which decision shall be final. (Academic Council, Revision Approved January 2000)

Temporary Workload Reduction
For Tenure-track and Tenured Faculty Members

The Dean may, under appropriate circumstances, and in consultation with the faculty member, and if approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, grant an annual contract to a tenure-track or tenured faculty member that provides for a reduction in the normal faculty workload. This reduction may be in terms of the number of courses assigned and taught, or by other appropriate adjustment.

The purpose for such a reduction is to recognize temporary circumstances of the faculty member that will require additional personal time and attention, such as personal illness or injury, family illness or emergency, personal or spousal birth or adoption, or a temporary need to spend extra time caring for extended family members (e.g., elderly parents). The adjustment may amount to a reduction by as much as one-half of the normal faculty workload.

At the Dean's discretion, subject to the approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs the contract providing for the reduction may reflect a salary adjustment in proportion to the workload reduction. A reduced workload for a tenure-track or tenured faculty member will not normally continue for more than two contract years, nor should more than two years of a faculty member's time in service before being reviewed for tenure (if tenure-track) or for post-tenure review (if tenured) normally be spent in a reduced-workload status.

The time within which a tenure-track faculty member must normally be considered for tenure (i.e., in the sixth year of service, as provided above), or the post-tenure review period for a tenured faculty member (usually, five years) will be extended (more or less proportionally) to reflect the year or years spent with a reduced workload. For example, a tenure-track faculty member who is granted one-year reduced workload contracts, at one-half a normal workload, for two successive years, would be considered for tenure in the seventh year of service, instead of the sixth; a tenured faculty member who is granted such contracts would have a six-year post-tenure review period, instead of five.

Note: Reduction in workload below 75% will normally result in a loss of employee health benefits. However, if a reduction below 75% qualifies as a "leave taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule" under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, health benefits may be maintained. The university's Human Resources office should be consulted before any contract is entered into providing for a workload reduction below 75%. Academic Council, Approved April 2006)

Retirement

The Bible teaches that a person is to keep active in the service of the Lord as long as health and mental capacity continue. Therefore, retirement must not be considered a cessation of activity, but an opportunity to cultivate more fully divinely bestowed gifts, which other obligations may have hindered previously. Unfortunately, in our society the biblical view of the aging process has given way to the acceptance of retirement as a social expectation or an economic necessity. With that acceptance, retirement becomes a forced option rather than a voluntary action, and chronological age rather than competency becomes the determining factor in retirement. Such a worldly view must not dictate the retirement policy of Regent University. While faculty members who perform at a sub-standard level should be dismissed, an age ceiling should not be a factor.

Therefore, in accord with biblical principles concerning work, the university encourages faculty members to continue in their positions as long as they are able to perform their responsibilities satisfactorily. However, recognizing that certain benefits become available at age 65, the university grants the following options to faculty members upon and after reaching that age:

Continuance as a full-time faculty member under contract, with the continuance of the same benefits previously received.
Continuance in a limited role. The teaching load, salary, medical benefits and responsibilities such as student advising and committee work will be negotiable and defined in an annual contract.
Full retirement. Retired faculty will receive library privileges. They are invited, indeed encouraged, to continue to participate in the life of the university community.
Phased retirement. Participation in the Phased Retirement Program is open to all regular, full-time faculty members in good standing who are at least 60 years of age and have at least 10 years of full-time service with the University. For a complete description of eligibility, terms and procedures, refer to the "Phased Retirement Program for Faculty" in the Regent University Employee Handbook (http://www.regent.edu/admin/hr/policies/handbook_employment.cfm). [Approved on December 19, 2005 by M. G. Robertson, Chancellor and President]

When a faculty member determines her/his personal retirement plans, s/he should consult with her/is dean who will notify the vice president for academic affairs. (Academic Council, Revised January 2006)

Emeritus Status

Policy
Faculty members may be granted emeritus status by action of the president and by ratification of the Board of Trustees. The title "emeritus" may be conferred upon persons who have honorably served Regent University until normal retirement age of 65 and have held faculty and/or administrative rank status for a minimum of 10 years. The title conferred shall be that of the highest position and/or rank plus the term "emeritus," which the person held for at least 10 consecutive years. The title may be conferred while the person is employed if the person is holding a different position from the one that will reflect the emeritus designation.

Persons accepting this title are indicating their concern for and their commitment to Regent University. In addition to the privileges set forth in Article 8 of the Bylaws of the university, Regent University would grant the following privileges to these faculty members: library privileges; office and laboratory facilities as space permits; secretarial service as personnel is available; participation in convocations and academic processions; and listing in the Catalog.

Procedure

The immediate supervisor of a faculty member, or the president in the case of an administrative member of the President's Cabinet, approaching retirement is responsible for reviewing the individual for possible emeritus status and making a recommendation.
The supervisor makes a written recommendation to the next higher level of supervision and shall submit it concurrently to the vice president for academic affairs and the vice president for finance and administration (or chief financial officer of the university). Recommendations shall include rationale that explains the expected benefits to the university of granting emeritus status.
The vice president for finance and administration (or chief financial officer of the university) shall forward her/his comments and recommendation for approval/disapproval to the vice president for academic affairs.
The vice president for academic affairs shall forward her/his comments and recommendation, together with those from the vice president for finance and administration (or chief financial officer of the university), to the president for approval/disapproval.
The president shall submit recommended approvals to the Board of Trustees for ratification.

Upon ratification by the Board, the vice president for finance and administration (or chief financial officer of the university) shall notify the individual in writing that emeritus status has been conferred by the university and shall notify the individual of the privileges associated with emeritus status. (Academic Council, Revision Approved February 2000)

FACULTY PROCEDURES

Center for Teaching and Learning

Regent University's goal is to equip faculty with the knowledge, skills and faith integration perspectives necessary to train leaders who will influence their world from a Christian belief system. As part of our commitment to instructional excellence, the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) was created in 1997.

Faculty development and curriculum design/development are the two primary functions of the CTL. These functions are described below.

Faculty Development
Effective faculty development promotes academic achievement as well as faith-related goals. An in-depth review of pertinent literature identified specific characteristics of well-planned faculty development programs, which the Center's plan incorporates. These elements include:

Opportunities for instructional and personal development aligned with the organization's mission and purpose (quality instruction to train leaders, integrating faith perspectives into course content, etc.).
Necessary institutional supports and incentives for improvement.
Faculty involvement in planning and assessing programs.
Institutional support to encourage instructional collaboration.
An array of activities linked to stages of faculty careers.

Based on the above information, the Center conducts the following activities:

1. Faculty Workshops and Other Training Opportunities: The Center offers a full array of support services tailored to the needs of individual schools and faculty members. These include distance education and technology-oriented training sessions to assist instructional staff in developing necessary skills for use in face-to-face and online courses.

2. New Full-time Faculty:

a. Orientation--Under the direction of the vice president for academic affairs, the Center provides an orientation program for all new full-time faculty members. This program offers a daylong introduction to the various support departments, library resources and some hands-on experience with Regent's email and Internet resources.
b. Mentoring Resources--At the request of the dean, a new faculty member may team with a mentor (certified by the Master Instructor Program) to complete a series of interviews and observations centered on the application of key skills, reflect on personal teaching styles and collaboration to improve instructional expertise. Training sessions in the collaborative coaching model will be offered prior to beginning the process, and participant assessments of the total orientation experience will complete the yearlong program.
c. Online Faculty Development Resources--All faculty will be introduced to and encouraged to take advantage of the Center's online training module for faculty development theories and resources. Each new faculty member is also encouraged to participate in the school-specific faculty training sessions developed by the Center.

3. Adjuncts and Teaching Assistants (TAs): Deans are responsible for providing appropriate orientation and training opportunities for all adjuncts and teaching assistants employed by their schools. Adjuncts and TAs may participate in the Center's activities and the Center will develop specific training activities for instructional staff, at the request of the dean.

4. Master Instructor Program (MIP): The MIP is an instructional mentor-training course. Deans recommend faculty from their respective schools to participate in the yearlong program. Necessary qualifications include:

a. Demonstrated instructional effectiveness.
b. At least three years of prior instructional experience at the university level.
c. An expressed desire to assist colleagues in the instructional improvement process.
d. A commitment to participate in two 2-hour training sessions per month during the academic year.

Master Instruction Program participants receive training in the areas of collaborative coaching, instructional design, adult learning theories, instructional technology and faith and learning integration. A stipend of $500 is awarded to those who participate in the course and successfully complete the certification process. Certified faculty will serve as instructional mentors and/or trainers, and will receive stipends for participation in these activities. Periodic recertification will be required for ongoing development of the faculty mentor. The number of MIP training positions may vary from year to year, and participation is limited to available openings.

A certified mentor may be asked by the CTL Center executive director to coach a faculty member who volunteers or needs to go through at least one cycle of collaborative coaching. Under these circumstances, results of the process between the faculty prot��g�� and the mentor shall be confidential. The dean should not request information relating to the coaching relationship from the mentor or the CTL Center executive director. However, faculty prot��g�� may elect to disclose any information about their experiences in the program to their deans.

The MIP process is subject to ongoing evaluation and refinement-based on faculty and administrative input-to ensure alignment of program goals with the university's mission and purpose. Assessment data may be collected through surveys, focus groups, one-on-one interviews and other appropriate measures. Documentation of evaluation activities and improvement plans will be kept as evidence for the strategic planning and assessment process.

Curriculum Development/Design
The CTL devotes time to curriculum development and design in an effort to meet the university's objective to have an improved average faculty instructional quality. The Center's curriculum development and design function consists of the following activities:

School and Faculty Consultations: The Center meets regularly with faculty and instructional team members to review course design and assist with curriculum development. The Center staff also works with the deans to provide specific curriculum and instruction services tailored to the needs of the school's faculty.
Faculty Workshops and MIP: The faculty development workshops and the MIP provide knowledge and experience with curriculum development and instructional activities.
Course Review Process: In cooperation with the Office of Distance Education (ordinarily within each school), the Center manages a review process for the effective design and delivery of all distance education courses. (Academic Council, Revision Approved April 2000)

Office Hours

The primary objective of Regent University is to teach students-II Timothy 2:2. Therefore, each faculty member shall make it her/his highest priority to be available to students for instructional, counseling and related purposes. Each faculty member, whether full- or part-time, shall maintain sufficient office hours to provide ample opportunity for contact with students. A minimum of six hours per week shall be required for full-time faculty, except as approved by the dean. Each dean shall review and approve faculty member office hours each academic term.

Faculty office hours shall be posted outside the faculty member's office for all full- or part-time faculty. Each faculty member shall, by the end of the second week of each term or first week of each summer session, post her/his office hours schedule. Every reasonable effort shall be made to maintain the published office hours schedule. Each faculty member shall inform the appropriate secretary when the posted office hour schedule cannot be met and shall make every effort to provide an alternate time to meet the six-hour minimum office hour requirement. (Academic Council, Approved May 1984)

Consulting and External Work

Regent University encourages faculty to be involved in off-campus projects. This enhances the reputation of the university, promotes good public relations, contributes to professional development and provides a service to external publics.

Any faculty doing consulting or other external work for remuneration must complete the Consulting or External Work Request Form (see Appendix) and obtain the dean's approval. The external work should not exceed an average of more than one day a week nor more than 15 days per semester during the academic year. Should a faculty member have a need to exceed the number of days allowed, it will be necessary to take any additional time as an unpaid leave of absence unless otherwise approved by the dean.

The dean will maintain a log of consulting, external work approvals and will review these with the vice president for academic affairs periodically to insure consistency of application throughout the university.

Consulting or external work should not interfere with a faculty member's teaching schedule or other university responsibilities which are the primary role of a professor. It is important that outside consulting/work activities should not place an unusual burden or expectation on other staff. Consulting also should not hinder or replace a faculty's responsibility to produce scholarship. No financial or secretarial support is provided for these outside activities unless the dean determines there is a legitimate reason for the university to cover such support because of unusual benefit to the university. (Academic Council, Approved December 1992)

Gifts from Students and Others

With regard to all employees and faculty Regent University strives to be above reproach in all matters. This includes perceptions of fairness and objectivity. Faculty members in particular must not use their position, authority, or relationship with students to obtain uncompensated labor for their own personal or economic gain. They may not ask students to perform services unrelated to legitimate academic activities unless the student is adequately compensated for such services. Faculty members must not solicit gifts or favors from students. They must not accept gifts or favors where they have reason to believe that such gift or favor is motivated by a desire to secure some academic advantage.

Therefore, University employees, including faculty, must not accept personal gifts beyond the small token of appreciation from students. Neither should gifts beyond the token of appreciation be accepted from firms with which the University does business. In every circumstance, faculty members should avoid accepting even token gifts from students prior to submission of final grades for those students, or completion of supervision. (Academic Council, Approved February 2006)

Curriculum Development

The curricula at Regent University are shaped by full-time faculty in conjunction with the deans of the individual schools. In course design, intellectual resources of full-time faculty and deans combine with instructional designers to achieve the best course design and to institute continuous improvement practices. Course curriculum is mapped to learning outcomes that ensure appropriate levels of competency and a consistent delivery of quality instruction. Adjunct faculty are required to follow established curricular guidelines that produce uniformity in outcomes for all courses. While adjunct faculty offer feedback and suggestions for course improvement, any changes must be approved by the appropriate supervisor prior to modifications. In addition, adjunct faculty are required to follow the same academic policies and procedures as full-time faculty. This faculty handbook is provided to both part-time and full-time faculty and both are required to adhere to the guidelines herein.

The president is responsible to the Board of Trustees for the curricular affairs of the university. At the president's request, the vice president for academic affairs may represent the university in curricular matters that come before the Board of Trustees or its Educational Policy Committee. The dean and faculty of each school shall formulate curricular policy and develop, implement, review and revise the school's curriculum. This process takes place within a formalized committee structure with a faculty member other than the dean chairing a faculty curriculum committee. This committee within each school should have the primary responsibility for recommending to the dean; curricular policy, planning, evaluation and major changes.

Students shall have the opportunity to propose review of the curriculum, course changes and other instructional content matters to the dean or to the faculty curriculum committee.

The dean (or the dean's designee) submits these changes to the vice president for academic affairs via the university Curriculum and Instructional Review Committee (CIRC).

Curricular changes will not be implemented without the approval of the vice president for academic affairs. Examples of curricular changes include creation and deletion of emphasis areas, policies or changes as defined in the section "Degree Program Changes" below. All curriculum changes will be fully documented and will be submitted to the vice president for academic affairs (or CIRC) by the dean of each school (or the dean's designee). At a minimum, the documentation will include a full description of the change rationale and implementation process, which will include a plan for notification of students and a timetable. Changes will be effective ordinarily at the beginning of the next academic year. All changes made in preparation for a new annual Catalog publication must be made prior to the time of the school final Catalog submission date (as established by the vice president for academic affairs or CIRC). No further revisions will be permitted past the established deadline.

Curriculum and Instructional Review Committee (CIRC)
The Curriculum and Instructional Review Committee (CIRC) is a standing university committee under the direct supervision of the vice president for academic affairs (or his/her designee). CIRC shall be composed of a full-time faculty member (or the chief academic officer, program chair, or other designee by the school dean) from each of the Regent schools and the University library (the "voting" members of CIRC), along with the university registrar, the SACS liaison, and the associate vice president for academic affairs (or another designee from academic affairs). The members of CIRC do not have a formal length of service. As the purpose of CIRC is to provide a competent curricular and instructional resource team for the review of curricular matters as submitted by the various university schools and described above, it would be anticipated that CIRC members would remain on the committee for sufficient length to enhance competence and effectiveness in the committee's primary functions. CIRC has a chairperson who need not be a faculty member of the committee, and a vice chairperson who is a faculty member of the committee and, who serves as assistant to the chair. If the CIRC chairperson is not a faculty member of the committee (i.e., a nonvoting member), he or she can vote to break ties. The time and place of the meeting shall be at the discretion of the chair. Attendance of a majority of the appointed voting members shall constitute a quorum for the conducting of any official business.

CIRC would normally meet monthly, with perhaps exception during the summer months. Curricular changes from the various schools which would involve notification to SACS must be submitted to CIRC no later than the September meeting of CIRC in order to be submitted for approval to the Board of Trustees in their annual fall meeting. These types of curricular changes will appear in the next published university catalog (undergraduate or graduate).

Ordinarily, faculty members of CIRC are entitled to suitable workload units credit for administration / community service in their contracts as negotiated with the dean of the school. (Revised, Academic Council, March 2009)

Curricula Review
Each school's curricula shall be congruent with the mission of the school and of the university as stated in each of their mission statements. Schools shall conduct regular, ongoing evaluation of their curricula.

The faculty curriculum committee and the dean shall review all courses in the current Catalog in preparation for publishing the next Catalog or an addendum to the Catalog. Schools shall coordinate their work with the Curriculum and Instruction Review Committee (CIRC) and the Office of Institutional Research in order to show evidence of planning and use of evaluations to improve educational results, student outcomes, stated goals and objectives. The reason for course changes must be documented and approved by the vice president for academic affairs or CIRC as required.

Courses that remain in the Catalog, but are offered less frequently than annually, should be so designated in the Catalog. Any course not offered within a period of three consecutive academic years should be removed from the Catalog. (See "Automatic Course Deletions" below.)

Curricula review reports shall be submitted by the dean of each school (or the dean's representative) to the vice president for academic affairs on a three year rolling schedule. That is, each school must make its report every three years. The schedule of report submission will be determined by the vice president for academic affairs in consultation with the deans of the schools. The report should include data and information (including faculty and student evaluation of courses and programs) necessary to assess the curricula in relation to university standards: university mission, goals and objectives; school mission, goals and objectives; student outcomes; and support by financial and instructional resources.

The vice president for academic affairs shall submit (or require the schools to submit) the reports to Academic Council. Academic Council shall review the reports to determine if the policies, courses, and programs meet the university curricula standards.

Degree Program Changes
The following Degree Program Changes which are not mandated to be submitted to the Curriculum and Instruction Committee (CIRC) must be approved by the dean and the faculty curriculum committee of the respective school:

Course name (title) changes
Course level renumbering (100, 400, 500, 600 etc. ..) Final numbering will be determined by the Registrar's Office to ensure that the number is available to use.
Course catalog descriptions, unless such changes are indicative of significant course content change (which would then be submitted to the CIRC)

Should any of the above Degree Program Changes affect courses or programs offered by schools other than the school making the change, these changes must be communicated to those schools for review by their respective faculty curriculum committees prior to submitting them to the CIRC and/or the vice president of academic affairs.

All of the above Degree Program Changes, upon approval by the dean and the faculty curriculum committee of the respective school, must then be communicated in writing to the vice president for academic affairs via the CIRC, who will then authorize the changes to the university Catalog, the Registrar's Office and any other department or office deemed necessary.

The following Degree Program Changes must be approved by the dean and the faculty curriculum committee of the respective school, the university CIRC and the vice president for academic affairs:

Course credit hour changes
Significant course content change
Course catalog descriptions, when indicative of significant course content change
Course additions (other than one time offerings of 575 or 585 courses)
Course deletions
New degrees (this will also require Board of Trustee approval and SACS notification)
New majors or concentrations in existing degrees
Termination or other discontinuance of degrees, programs, majors or concentrations.

The CIRC will review all such proposed changes in order to prevent duplication with the courses or programs of other schools, help ensure consistency with the university mission and overall curriculum, evaluate impact on individual schools and the university as a whole, evaluate impact on university support services, and generally provide additional input as to the effects of the proposed changes.

The CIRC will then forward its comments and recommendations to the vice president for academic affairs, who will review and make a final determination regarding the proposed changes. The vice president for academic affairs will then authorize the changes to the university Catalog, the Registrar's Office and any other department or office deemed necessary.

Submissions of any type of proposed Degree Program Changes must be made to the CIRC according to announced deadlines. Any submissions after that date will be continued to the subsequent catalog period.

Automatic Course Deletions
Any course listed in the university catalog which is not offered during any term of three consecutive academic years may be removed from the catalog at the discretion of the vice president for academic affairs (or her/his designee), upon notice to the dean of the respective school and absent justification to the satisfaction of the vice president for academic affairs for the retention of the course.

Each school is strongly urged, as part of its ongoing curriculum review process, to give serious consideration to voluntary deletion from the university catalog of any course that is not offered during any term of two consecutive academic years.

Special Degree Programs
Graduate schools may implement a nondegree program for the period of one year upon approval by the vice president for academic affairs. Continuation of such programs beyond one year require approval by the Academic Council.

Unlisted Course Additions
Schools may offer a course not listed in the current Catalog by submitting a description of the course in writing to the Registrar's Office as part of the school's semester course schedule. The new course shall be approved by the dean and may be offered as a seminar (585) or special topic course (575). If the new course is to be offered for more than one semester it may be submitted to the CIRC in order to be added as a permanent course listing in the next published Catalog and will be assigned a regular course number in collaboration with the Registrar's Office.

Non-English Programs
Academic units desiring to offer programs in languages other than English must adhere to the following procedures and receive final approval from the vice president for academic affairs and president.

Confer with the Center for Teaching and Learning [CTL] as to the expected course/program competencies and the method of evaluation expected to be used to measure such competencies. The CTL must approve the unit's proposal as being consistent with university standards, SACS Criteria and the appropriate contextual content.
Upon the CTL's approval, the course/program must be offered at least once in the cultural context so that the reliability of the competencies and method of evaluation may be confirmed, as well as the fidelity of the course content and translation. This confirmation would be submitted in writing to the unit and Office of Academic Affairs.
Sufficient quality control language specialists must be engaged for each language to insure that the programs are delivered and understood at a comparable level.
Programs offered in a foreign language will be evaluated in the same manner as courses offered in English and must maintain comparability with on-campus courses.
The Office of Institutional Research will conduct program evaluation of non-English speaking programs on an annual basis.

Concentrated or Abbreviated Course
All courses offered in a concentrated or abbreviated format must be structured to insure that competencies and outcomes are comparable with on-campus full-time programs. The Center for Teaching and Learning will assist schools in the design for such programs and the Office of Institutional Research will assist schools in determining the comparability and effectiveness of such programs. Curriculum evaluation should adhere to timelines described in the curriculum review section of this policy. (Academic Council, Revised March 1999)

Outline for Proposals for New Programs

Executive Summary
Write a brief, one- to two-page program description that answers the following questions: What are the distinctive characteristics of the program? What aspects of the program will be particularly attractive to students? What delivery systems will be used? What will be the end result of the program?

Strategic Plan Compatibility

How does this program further the mission of the school/college and the university?
How does the school/college Strategic Plan justify pursuit of the proposed program?
Is there anything in the Strategic Plan that will be a barrier to the program in terms of start-up or implementation?
What specific results are you hoping to achieve with this program and in what period of time?
What kinds of program outcomes will be used to measure success of the program? (Use the list of outcomes found in the Institutional Effectiveness Audit.)
What opportunity does the proposed program provide for building strategic alliances? If you plan to enter into any alliances describe them in detail.

Market Analysis

Who is the target market? How have you validated the need? Profile the learners in terms of demographics, psychographics, socio-economic characteristics and geographical locations.
What are realistic enrollment projections for the next three years. How did you arrive at this projection? What formula or marketing expertise did you use?
What trends are discernible in the market? Is it growing? At what rate?
Is the learner market relatively stable? Will it be viable 5, 10, 15 years from now?
What kinds of jobs will be available to our graduates?
Where (geographic location, target market, positioning with respect to competition) should we focus our efforts during the initial start-up?
Is there an attractive price (tuition) to value relationship?
Who is the competition? What schools are already established in this market and already are delivering a comparable program? How successful have they been?
What other institutions are or will likely be competing in this market?
Do we have the necessary capabilities to compete in this market?
What are the key strategies that will keep us competitive in this market and what are the key factors which determine success in this type of program?
Present a brief layout of a marketing plan that will achieve your enrollment projections and include price, promotion activities, timelines, etc.
How will this new program affect the enrollment in other programs which we already offer?
Is there any other reasonable way to meet the market need without starting a completely new and separate program?
Are there specific characteristics of this new program which would improve our current program offerings?

Internal Analysis and Assessment

1. Program Management and Staffing

a. Identify the key individuals upon whom the success of this program depends, including the responsible executive (chief executive officer of the program), the chief operating person and any professional people (faculty) and technical staff (computer experts).
b. What are the critical tasks these people will accomplish?
c. What specific credentials and/or track record will they require for employment?
d. If these individuals currently work in your unit, how will their new assignment affect the work they are currently accomplishing?
e. If the key individuals do not work in your school, how will you find them and employ them?
f. Has Human Resources been involved in helping craft positions, determine salaries and meet all employment requirements?
g. Provide an organizational chart that shows structure of people supporting the new program or functions.

2. Physical Resources

What physical resources (offices, classrooms, library materials, computers, etc.) does the program require for start-up and in each of the following three to five years?

3. Support Services

a. What support services (instructional design, marketing advice, graphic design, Information Technology, administrative services, student services, etc.) will you need from other departments to launch and successfully run the program?
b. Attach an impact statement from each support department that will be affected detailing what they will need in order to support the program or project in terms of staff, facilities, equipment, etc.

4. Finances and Timeline

a. Prepare a line item budget for the first three years of the program's operation. Include all incremental revenues and expenditures associated with the program, whether it occurs within your unit or in a support department. Include details and annotations showing what people or fractions of a person's time are allocated to the program. State clearly the assumptions in the financial projection footnotes.
b. Prepare a cash flow projection for the next three years.
c. Provide a timeline with milestones, indicating any further study, program launch and program growth. Indicate major decision points and the criteria for making the decision.
d. How will you measure the success of the program at various points on your timeline?
e. If the program does not meet its goals, what will you do?

Hybrid Course Definition

Courses that are taught in a combination of online and face-to-face formats may be designated as hybrid courses, if they meet the following criteria:

More than 50% of the course content must be delivered face-to-face. Face-to-face instruction may include formal class meeting times and/or meetings scheduled individually between instructor and student.
The academic department must be able to demonstrate, through the scheduled meeting times and as specified in the course syllabus, that the course is not delivered primarily online.

Any course meeting the official definition of hybrid may be designated as on campus (MAT campus code) and will have the hybrid instructional method designation entered in Banner by the Registrar's Office. Such courses will satisfy the residency requirement for international students holding F-1 of J-1 visa status. (Academic Council Approved, April 2009)

Grievance

This policy supplements the administrative and academic procedures of Regent University and provides a grievance procedure that ensures academic due process and fair treatment for full-time faculty. This policy does not apply to adjuncts. It is expected that the grievance procedure will only be initiated if a dispute cannot be resolved through the normal process of reasoned discussion consistent with the principles of Scripture.

We believe that God is a God of reconciliation who desires that people be reconciled both with God (2 Cor 5:16-21) and with each other (Eph 2:14-18) in an atmosphere of peace and reconciliation. It is within this spirit of peace and reconciliation that we structure the current grievance procedures. We are guided by the biblical principle that reconciliation be sought at the lowest possible level of conflict, involving the fewest number of people.

As used in this policy, a grievance is any material dispute between a faculty member and a dean, associate dean, institute director or program director (referred to collectively as administrator), which cannot be resolved by the parties. This policy may not be used to grieve any action-such as termination, sexual harassment or other action-covered by another policy containing a due process procedure.

Mediation
One opportunity for mediation shall be available at any stage of this process in lieu of any further proceedings herein. There shall be two mediators, both experienced and competent in mediation, selected from persons employed by Regent University.

The mediators shall not charge for their services. The mediation procedure shall be governed by the code of ethics and standard of practice of the Society for Professionals in Dispute Resolution (SPIDR). Legal counsel shall not be admitted to any of the mediation meetings that occur as part of this process of grievance resolution.

If both parties elect mediation, then mediation will proceed for up to a period of 30 days. If agreement is reached within that time, then the hearing process is stayed. If agreement is not reached then the hearing process is resumed.

Procedure
When a faculty member has a grievance that is not covered in another policy regarding a decision that s/he believes adversely affects her/his academic career at Regent University, the faculty member should arrange a meeting with the individual(s) responsible for the decision. At that meeting, the faculty member should bring a written Statement of Grievance, which includes:

A description of events leading to the action which the faculty member is grieving.
A description of the grievance.
The grounds upon which the faculty member is grieving the action and any applicable policies or procedures if any.
A statement of the remedy sought by the faculty member.
Other supporting documents.

The administrator must respond in writing to the faculty member within 21 calendar days. If the matter is not satisfied, then the faculty member may appeal to the vice president for academic affairs, submitting the original Statement of Grievance, supporting documents, if any, and the administrator's written response. The vice president for academic affairs shall review the appeal within 15 calendar days. If the vice president for academic affairs determines that the appeal warrants review, it will be referred to the standing Hearing Committee.

Review by Standing Hearing Committee
The vice president for academic affairs shall arrange for the standing Hearing Committee to hold a hearing on the faculty member's grievance within 30 days of its receipt by the vice president for academic affairs. The Hearing Committee shall proceed as follows:

The Hearing Committee shall consist of five members and two alternates. At the beginning of each academic year, the vice president for academic affairs shall select, in consultation with the Faculty Senate chairman, three members from the tenured faculty and two members from the President's Cabinet who hold faculty rank. The Hearing Committee shall elect the chairperson from its membership by majority vote.
The vice president for academic affairs or her/his designee shall inquire of each of the selected Hearing Committee members whether there is any reason s/he would be unable to hear the case fairly and impartially and render a fair and impartial decision. If any member of the committee cannot serve, then an alternate shall be appointed to serve.
If the chairperson cannot impartially serve on a particular hearing, then an alternate should be appointed and the group shall elect a chairperson for the particular hearing.

From this point, the Hearing Committee shall be in charge of all subsequent stages in the hearing process until the Hearing Committee has forwarded its report and recommendations to the president.

The Hearing Committee chairperson shall set a time and place for the hearing and shall notify the other committee members and the faculty member. The chairperson shall be in full charge of the hearing which shall be conducted according to procedures as established and may include representation. The hearing shall be closed to all except the persons who have the advance approval of the vice president for academic affairs.

The Hearing Committee chairperson shall conduct the hearing and prepare a final report that shall contain findings of fact and recommendations to the president of the university. The final report shall be submitted to the president within 21 calendar days of the conclusion of the hearing and a copy delivered to the faculty member. Additionally, members of the committee may submit individual reports to the president and send a copy to the faculty member. Upon consideration of the committee's report(s), the decision concerning the grievance shall be at the sole discretion of the institution as represented by the trustees acting through the president, which decision shall be final (Academic Council, Approved December 1996)

Sponsored Faculty Research

Regent recognizes the importance of sponsored research in developing the faculty academically and in training graduate students. Sponsored research is any research conducted under the auspices of Regent University, which is funded wholly or in part by an external agency or organization.
The vice president for academic affairs is the university's principal research officer. The president is the official university signatory for all research and sponsored programs. The vice president for advancement oversees the submission and acceptance of grants, and the establishment and enforcement of administrative procedures necessary to assure compliance with regulations of funding agencies for the operation of sponsored projects.

Since the guidelines are intended to facilitate the research endeavors of the faculty, while protecting the interests of both the faculty and the institution, exceptions to the procedures should be rare and must have the vice president for academic affairs' written approval.

Guidelines
The university supports the right of and encourages faculty members to engage in any sponsored research, as long as that research does not compromise the instructional and educational objectives established by the academic unit and the institution. The president, vice president for academic affairs, vice president for advancement, dean and/or director review each proposal to determine its appropriateness and weigh its cost against benefit. Emphasis is given to research that supports the university's mission.

Normally, sponsored research is not accepted when the terms restrict: disclosure of the sponsor or the existence of the contract, adequate review of suitability to the academic program of the university or a faculty member's academic freedom.

In cooperation with the principal investigator and her/his academic unit, the university pledges to minimize publication restrictions imposed by accepted research contracts. Except under special circumstances, all research grants and contracts are submitted through, and administered by, Regent University. Sponsored programs that require matching funds by the university (i.e., equipment) will normally be submitted by the university and fiscally administered by the Business Office.

Academic-year salary supplements, summer salaries and consultation service fees to faculty paid from grants and contract funds will be negotiated with the appropriate deans and approved by the vice president for academic affairs and vice president for finance and administration (or chief financial officer of the university). All grants and projects should provide for appropriate university overhead expenses.

Procedure
We encourage preliminary discussions between faculty members and potential sponsors. These often precede the preparation of a formal proposal. The vice president for advancement and her/his designee are available for discussion at any stage in the preparation of proposals.

The faculty member interested in submitting a proposal should consult with the dean to determine whether or not the proposed project is desirable to the goals of the unit.
The faculty member should consult with the vice president for advancement or her/his designee regarding application and proposal development guidelines.
The faculty member submits a proposal to the vice president for advancement.
The vice president for advancement submits the proposal to the vice president for academic affairs, the vice president for finance, and the vice president and general counsel, for review and approval based on university priorities and any specific requirements or conditions existing at that time.
The vice president for advancement obtains the president's signature on the final copy.
If a proposal is not approved for submission, the faculty member may appeal the decision to the president for reconsideration and decision. The president's decision is final.
If the proposed project involves special requirements (i.e., human subjects), the principal investigator is responsible for notifying the appropriate review board and providing all required justification for university and sponsor approval.
All financial reports and statements, property and equipment reports, inventions reports, interim and final technical reports and close-out reports should be submitted through the Business Office, where copies are filed in accordance with grant or contract requirements.

Research Time
Research, publication and other scholarly activities are basic to the objectives and responsibilities of the university and its faculty. Recognizing this, the university is committed to the concept of research time for faculty to pursue individual intellectual inquiry, to publish and to engage in creative activities designed to improve the educational experience of students.

The awarding of time for research is not a routine matter. It is based on an assessment of the benefit of significant intellectual activities to the university and the academic unit and provides for regular and periodic review of accomplishments.

Purchased and contributed faculty time for funded research--Wherever possible, the cost of faculty time during the contract year should be reimbursed to the university from grant or contract funds. When required, faculty time may be contributed, especially when the funded research has provision for financial support of graduate students or equipment. When such cost-sharing of faculty time is agreed to by the university, the contributed time will be planned in the schedule of the faculty member.
Faculty time for non-funded research (school research)--External funding is not always available to support the research activities of the faculty. To encourage creative activities, particularly in certain disciplines, time for academic research is provided by the academic unit's budget. This time is awarded on the basis of a well-developed activity that has the dean's approval. It is essential that such time be based on an activity that is both scholarly and of benefit to the university, the unit and the faculty member.
Faculty may engage in externally funded research not subject to university review and administrative control during periods of time when they are not covered by contract or as part of their consulting or external relationships described in the Consulting and External Work policy.

It is essential to demonstrate, through regular and periodic evaluation of the benefits derived from research, that this money is being spent wisely. It is recognized that, while in certain areas the results of scholarly activities come to fruition only after a period of two or more years, more frequent evaluation of research time is necessary. Publication in a scholarly journal is certainly clear evidence, although not the only evidence, that the research is producing desirable results. Research in teaching and curriculum development may be more difficult to evaluate, but it is essential that an assessment be made. In extraordinary cases, outside expert review may be solicited in order to properly evaluate the research. (Academic Council, Revision Approved January 2000)

Syllabi

There shall be on file in the office of the dean of each school or college (or on the web or other electronic media) a syllabus of each course taught for each time the course is taught. The syllabi shall follow the format established by each school and shall reflect the format guidelines which may from time to time be issued by the Office of Academic Affairs.

The syllabi shall include but not be limited to:

Area for the student to initial indicating familiarity and understanding of the requirements outlined in the syllabus.
Contact information of the instructor.
Instructor's office hours, location and phone number, as well as preferred times and methods for being contacted by the students.
Personal greeting from the instructor.
A brief description of the instructor's qualifications/credentials to teach the course.
Course description from the catalog.
Description of how faith and learning will be integrated in the course.
Course objectives and learning outcomes.
School and program, demonstrating alignment of school goals, program goals, and course objectives/learning outcomes, as appropriate
Course procedures (a summary statement of the means of accomplishing course objectives).
Course policies (i.e., cell phone usage, attendance, Blackboard requirements, late assignments, late assignment penalties, class participation, withdrawal, incomplete grades, academic honesty and reference to the University Academic Integrity policy, etc.)
Method of evaluating student performance indicating weights of the various required course activities and the grading scale/criteria for grading.[NOTE: the need to align each summative assessment to specific course objectives/learning outcomes]
The required texts.
Any recommended texts.
A schedule of course assignments (e.g., papers, exercises, reports, examinations, etc.), activities, readings, etc., with required due dates. [NOTE: the need to align each summative assessment to specific course objectives/learning outcomes]
An indication of the methods by which instruction in the course will be evaluated.
A statement that the studen evaluations (SET) are both required and confidential.

For the University Syllabus Template, refer to the Forms on the Academic & Faculty Resources webpage. (NOTE: the template contains the grading scale for undergraduate courses and will need to be modified for graduate courses.)

Syllabi, in electronic and/or hard-copy form, shall be developed according to acceptable and approved templates and submitted to the respective dean's office (and/or in Blackboard) on or before the first day of registration for the semester in which the course is offered (it is preferred that syllabi be submitted on or near the time of open registration for the respective term). A course syllabus shall be provided to each student on or before the first scheduled meeting of the class (preferably at the beginning of open registration). The syllabus should not be altered after the first class period. If a professor wishes to alter it, s/he should consult the dean and obtain her/his approval. (Academic Council, Approved May 1995; amended July 2009)

Protection of Human Subjects in Research

From the beginning, mankind has been uniquely created as the image-bearer of God (Genesis 2:27). The Old Testament is very explicit on the requirement to respect and protect man as God's image-bearer. Penalties for violations were usually severe and exacting. The New Testament tells us that we are to love one another as ourselves (Matthew 22:39), and even secretly held anger against one another is a sin against God (Matthew 5:22). Biblical admonitions such as these tell us that biblical wisdom is needed when involving humans as objects of study.

Since the National Research Act (P.L. 93-348) became law in July 1974, the Department of Health and Human Services (formerly DHEW) has issued and revised guidelines for the use of human subjects in research. Current guidelines are published in the Code of Federal Regulations (45CFR46, 8 March 1983) and specify the ethical principles that must be followed to ensure that research subjects are treated humanely, that their dignity is maintained and that their rights are preserved.

Ultimately, research efforts must be guided by three sources of criteria: the Holy Bible, civil laws and statutes and the mission of Regent University. The aim of this policy is to establish ethical procedures, communication and standards that will ensure adequate safeguards in the conduct of research to protect the rights and well-being of the subjects of that research.

Definitions
Institutional Review Board (IRB)--A committee composed of representatives of the faculties of each school set up by the University to enforce this policy and review all human subjects research. (Academic Council, Approved March 2007)

School or College Review Board (SRB or CRB)--A committee set up by each school or college to enforce this policy and review all human subjects research.

Principal Investigator--The person who has responsibility for such research will henceforth be called the principal investigator. For student-conducted research, the supervising faculty member is the principal investigator.

Research--In this document the term research means the purposeful investigation of human behavior.
Subject--An individual living person about whom a researcher obtains data, either directly through interaction or indirectly through observation.

Jurisdiction
The policies and practices contained herein apply to all research on human subjects conducted by personnel attending or employed by Regent University. Each School or College Review Board will have responsibility to assure adherence to these regulations.

School or College Review Board
Each School or College Review Board is composed of a minimum of three faculty members. Each member must have the qualifications necessary to conduct an adequate and complete review of the research activities typically conducted at the university. The chairman is elected by the committee. The appointment and duration of membership shall be determined by the school or college with the proviso that membership should be overlapping. The Office of Academic Affairs will make available to each college a consultant who will:

Advise the school or college on current issues in the field of human subjects research.
Provide, upon request of dean or Review Board, or at the direction of the vice president for academic affairs, oversight review for proposals, particularly those that are potentially controversial.
Provide expertise as needed in regard to specific proposals.

The Review Board has the authority to review, approve, require modifications and disapprove all aspects of human subject research (as defined earlier) of the college that relate to the use of human subjects in research. Approval by a majority of the members is required for all official actions. Initial research proposals must be approved by the Review Board before the research may begin. Research projects lasting more than 12 months must be reviewed annually by the Review Board during the anniversary month.

Review Board records should include:

Copies of all proposals reviewed with decision status.
Minutes of Review Board meetings.
Review Board membership list.

Records must be maintained by the school or college for at least three years after the final action of a research project.

Research Exempt from this Policy
The Review Board determines exemption status. The following research is exempt from this policy:

1. Studies conducted in established educational settings involving research on regular and ongoing instructional events.

2. Studies where the focus is on using educational tests and where the subject is unidentified.

3. The research is a survey or observation of human behavior except:

a. If responses are recorded in a way that subjects can be identified.
b. If responses would place subject at risk of criminal liability or damage to finances, employability or dignity.
c. If research deals with "nonpublic" behavior.

4. Research involving existing public data.

Overview of Review Board Approval Process
The principal investigator bears primary responsibility to determine if her/his research is subject to the human subjects policy and to submit that research to the Review Board approval process. When an investigator's research qualifies for exemption according to the criteria above, only a summary statement of the research intention and exemption reason is forwarded to the Review Board for review prior to actually beginning the research. The Review Board has the final determination as to whether the research is exempted. The exempted research investigator still may request a full review of the research to document that adequate safeguards are in place.

All persons conducting research on human subjects should avail themselves of the general ethical responsibilities delineated in relevant legal documents. There are discipline-related codes governing the conduct of research. The individual researcher should avail himself of the counsel and guidance of the codes which apply to her/his disciplinary area. The researcher must initiate or coordinate the compilation of a research proposal as outlined in the format attached to this policy.

The Review Board conducts the primary review of proposals according to the published criteria. The chairman is responsible for returning to the principal investigator information either on needed changes in the project, approval or disapproval.

When another individual within another institution is assuming responsibility for functioning as principal investigator over a project, the project has gone through its human subjects review board and the institution has final responsibility for ensuring the rights of the subjects, the research proposal does not have to go through Regent University's School or College Review Board. In these cases, informed consent form modifications will be made in conjunction with Regent University's policies on a case-by-case basis to help clarify project responsibility and liability.

Criteria for Review Board Approval of Research
For research approval, the following requirements must be satisfied:

Involvement of subjects in the research project is consistent with biblical principles.
Risks to subjects should be minimized. Minimal risk exists when the risks of harm anticipated in the proposed research are not greater, considering probability and magnitude, than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests.
Description of the process for selection of subjects.
Informed consent is necessary and should be appropriately documented.
Provision is made for monitoring the research process to insure safety of subjects.
Safeguards are used to protect the privacy of the subjects and to maintain confidentiality of data.

General Requirement for Informed Consent
Following are the basic elements of informed consent:

Statements of: research procedures; general purposes; and expected duration of subject's participation.
Description of any foreseeable risks or discomforts.
Description of any potential benefits to subjects or others.
Statement of extent of confidentiality of records.
If more than minimal risk, an explanation of whether compensation or medical help will be made available.
Explanation of who to contact for questions of research or injuries.
Provision at any time for participant to withdraw immediately from study.
When appropriate, statement that procedure may involve unforeseeable risks.
Because of unforeseen circumstances, subject's participation may be terminated without regard to subject's consent.
Any financial additional costs to subject that may result from participation in the research.
Consequences and procedures of subject's decision to withdraw from research.
Where appropriate, statement of where results of research are to be published or where available for viewing.
The approximate number of subjects involved in the study.

The Review Board may approve proposals which do not include or alter some or all elements of those mentioned above or waive the requirements because:

The research involves no risk to subjects or the institution.
Waiver or alteration will not adversely affect rights of subjects.
Research could not be practically done without waiver or alteration.

Human Subjects Review Board Research Proposal Format
Each proposal must be preceded by a one-page abstract and should contain at least the following information.

Name of principal investigator.
Purpose of study.
Methodology.
Nature of human subjects.
Duration of project (with inclusive dates).
Statement of any possible risk to subjects.
Whether study should be exempt from full review by the Review Board.
Expected outcome of study.
Funding source(s).

Attach the Human Subjects Review Board Proposal Approval Form (see Appendix) to the front of the proposal. (Academic Council, Revision Approved September 1999)

Telecommuting Faculty

Regent University recognizes the growing availability of technology and the opportunities it provides for new and exciting instructional delivery models. Part of the new opportunities is the ability of professors to work from sites other than the main campus.

Regent desires to allow selected professors to telecommute-teach from sites other than the main campus. Telecommuting is defined as a work agreement between a professor and Regent University, enacted through the dean of an academic unit, that allows professors to perform part or all of the assigned duties from a work site other than the Regent campus in Virginia Beach or a satellite location.

Telecommuting is an optional work arrangement determined by the university and is not an employee right or benefit. Work conditions must conform to all appropriate state and federal regulations regarding employment.

Deans must insure that on-campus programs remain viable and that critical academic on-campus operations are fully supported by the necessary faculty. Generally, no more than 15% of full-time faculty should be telecommuters. The dean and vice president for academic affairs make the final decision on ratios based on the unique requirements of each academic unit.

Eligibility
The dean determines if a faculty member is ready to telecommute. The dean should be comfortable with the faculty member's ability to function well in a telecommuting environment. This may require that an individual teach on campus for several years prior to being allowed to telecommute. Faculty being considered for telecommuting should: be able to work independently with minimal supervision; demonstrate the initiative to contact people when information is needed; possess good organizational skills; be able to maintain performance without close oversight; have a strong sense of Regent's mission and vision; and have good collaboration skills.

Responsibilities
Telecommuting faculty should have comparable responsibilities to on-campus faculty and be expected to participate in the three areas of emphasis required of faculty: 1) teaching; 2) research and writing; and 3) community service. Telecommuters should, as part of their community service, be expected to represent Regent at any regional event near their residence.

Telecommuting faculty should participate in faculty meetings via electronic means-either live or delayed, depending on time zone differences. They should be on campus for: 1) commencement; 2) annual faculty retreat; 3) required residencies/seminars; and 4) other meetings as required by the dean. The academic unit will pay for these trips, to include travel, lodging and meals. Any trips the faculty member makes that are not authorized by the dean will be made at the faculty member's expense.

Equipment
Telecommuting professors will be allowed to purchase and maintain, at the academic unit's expense, the equipment and software approved by their dean and specified by Information Technology that allows for the most seamless interaction, effectiveness and efficiency. Equipment may include, but is not limited to: computers, faxes and telephone lines. Regent University will not maintain or repair personal computers or other electronic equipment. Personal computers and equipment used in lieu of university equipment may be purchased at the discretion of the dean and maintained by the university by special agreement. (Academic Council, Approved June 2000)

STUDENT PROCEDURES

Information pertaining to student admissions and registration is located in the current on-line university catalog. The Faculty and Academic Policy Handbook will continue to contain the policies and procedures that directly relate to the faculty or policies related to current students such as appeals. The University Catalog will continue to describe the operation of the university with respect to prospective students, applicants, current students, grading scales and specific curriculum and program requirements.

Admission Criteria and Procedures

Deans are responsible for ensuring that all faculty and staff involved with admissions are informed of our admissions policy and position, understand it and agree to abide by it. Please refer to the current on-line university catalog for details by school.

Admission for International Students

The schools do not admit international applicants until that school has offered its programs for a minimum of two academic years. Initial enrollment should occur during the fall term whenever possible. The school's director of admissions is responsible for obtaining necessary approvals for exceptions to this policy. Faculty and staff should advise international applicants to apply at least four months before the start of the term in which they wish to enroll, due to the on-going changes to the federal visa process. Please refer to the current on-line university catalog for details about the International Admission process and obtaining a visa.

Enrollment Status Classification

Regular (Degree-seeking) Students
Applicants who intend to obtain a degree from Regent University are defined as regular degree-seeking students. All regular degree-seeking students are eligible for all forms of financial aid, unless otherwise specified in the catalog, and contingent upon successfully meeting other eligibility criteria of the individual financial aid programs. Upon acceptance, some students may be classified as provisional or conditional, if they have not met all admission requirements. Please refer to the current on-line university catalog for details about provisional and conditional enrollment status classification and their limitations or requirements.

Nondegree Students
Applicants desiring to enroll in courses who do not intend to obtain a degree may be accepted on non-degree status. (Academic Council, Approved March 1998)

Graduate Full-Time Classification

To be classified as full time for enrollment certification purposes, a graduate student must satisfy one of the following conditions:

Be enrolled for a minimum of nine (9) credit hours (masters level), ten (10) credit hours (law), and six (6) credit hours (doctoral) per regular academic semester or six (6) credit hours during the summer session(s). This definition will be used for enrollment reporting purposes.
Be enrolled for at least one credit hour per semester in one of the following culminating academic experiences: dissertation, thesis, portfolio, internship or any other equivalent. The student's advisor may be required to certify in writing to the Registrar's Office that the student is working full time on the culminating experience. With the exception of doctoral students working on dissertations, a student shall not be classified as full time for more than two semesters while working exclusively on a culminating experience except as approved by the dean of the school or college.
Be enrolled for at least one (1) credit hour in the last semester of enrollment necessary for completing the degree. It is the student's responsibility to notify the Registrar's Office in writing, via Academic Petition, at the beginning of the applicable term.
If program design does not allow for at least nine (9) credit hours per session, full time classification will be considered the maximum number of credit hours offered per session in that program. It is the student's responsibility to notify the Registrar's Office in writing, via Academic Petition, at the beginning of each applicable term. (Academic Council, Approved December 1998)

Undergraduate Full-Time Classification

To be classified as full time for enrollment certification purposes, an undergraduate student must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Independent Study

An independent study is a learning experience that allows a student to research and evaluate subject matter or to conduct other comparable academic activities with minimum faculty guidance. Independent studies are available to students as faculty expertise, time and resources permit. An independent study may be chosen for one of the following reasons:

The subject matter or academic activity is not included in regular course offerings and is pertinent to student's degree interests.
The subject matter or academic activity is significantly beyond the scope of scheduled course offerings. An independent study shall constitute a contract between student and teacher and, as such, shall contain specific goals, expectations and evaluation criteria in written form. The quality and effort of the study shall be equivalent to that expected in the classroom.

An independent study course shall be subject to the same academic policies as a regular course except that incomplete work shall be subject to the In Progress (IP) grade policy. The value of the independent study shall vary from one to four term hours. Each school may establish limits to the total number of independent study credits that may be applied toward degree requirements.

The student and advisor shall assess the need for an independent study by reviewing the student's academic goals, the content of regular course offerings and the student's progress toward degree requirements.
The student shall complete an Individual Study form and obtain the approval signatures of the advisor and the independent study director.
The student shall submit the approved Individual Study form to the school registration representative and register for the independent study during the registration period for the term in which the student intends to begin the study.
The school shall distribute a copy of the Individual Study form to the dean, advisor, independent study director and the student.
The student and director shall make periodic contact during the course of study with a system of mutual accountability established.
The study director shall perform the final evaluation and shall assign a final letter grade. (Academic Council, Approved April 1996)

Internship

An internship provides an opportunity for a student to apply classroom learning to actual work situations in the student's major academic area of concentration. It shall be a new and educationally rewarding experience for the student rather than a repeat of previous work experience.

The internship shall be supervised by a faculty director and by a professional practitioner in the student's field of concentration. A student may receive compensation for an internship subject to approval by her/his advisor and dean. Internship credit shall be variable with 90 hours of experience generally equaling one credit. Grading policies for the internship shall be established by each school. An internship is normally pursued near the completion of a student's degree program. To be eligible to register for an internship, a student shall have completed one-third of the total number of hours required in her/his degree program. Each school may establish other guidelines for the pursuit of internship credit.

Each dean's office shall provide the student with a suggested internship agreement format and detailed directions for obtaining an internship agreement contract.
The student shall, in cooperation with her/his advisor and internship director, obtain an internship agreement.
The student shall then complete an Individual Study form and obtain the approval signature of the faculty internship director.
The student shall submit the approved Individual Study form to the school registration representative and register for the internship during the registration period for the term in which the student intends to begin the internship.
The school shall distribute a copy of the approved form to the advisor, faculty internship director and student.
The faculty internship director shall determine the form and frequency of student contact and reporting during the internship.
The student shall request a formal performance evaluation letter from her/his professional supervisor to be sent to her/his faculty internship director.
The faculty internship director shall perform the final evaluation and shall assign a final grade. (Academic Council, Approved April 1996)

Joint Degrees Programs (Graduate Students Only)

Regent University offers joint degrees between graduate schools within the university in which the student may earn two graduate degrees. For reasons such as content duplication, the total credit hour requirement may be reduced up to 20% from the requirements of the two degrees if earned separately. A joint degree will normally require a minimum of two-and-one-half to three years of full-time study (four years for the J.D. or M. Div.). Each joint degrees program requires completion of core courses, some electives and method courses, and in most cases an internship, thesis or their equivalent. The internship or thesis focuses on a topic involving interaction between both fields represented by the degrees being sought. Specific details about joint degrees programs may be obtained by contacting the Admissions Office or the dean's office of the individual schools.

Guidelines

Ordinarily, students should seek admission to a joint degrees program before the completion of one-third of any single degree program. This should coincide with the completion of the student's Approved Degree Plan (ADP).
Upon admission to two schools, the student will be assigned two advisors, one from each school. The student must obtain approval from both advisors in the registration process each term.
The student must obtain approval of the completed ADP from both advisors. Ordinarily this will require a joint meeting with both advisors and the student.
The culminating experience will be supervised and evaluated by a committee with members from both schools.
In consultation with both advisors, the student is responsible for planning and executing the joint degrees, taking into account course sequencing of core courses, major courses and electives in both schools.
The student is responsible for fulfilling the specific requirements of individual schools and colleges, such as prerequisites and residency.

Financial Aid
If two schools agree on the total percentage of award for the year, then the schools may choose to utilize that specific percentage as the maximum between the schools during the year. Example: Both schools agree that the student can receive a maximum of 40% scholarship or grant award for the award year. Either one of the schools will award the full 40%, or they can agree that the two schools can give awards equal to 20% each, or some other combination to equal not more than 40% of tuition charges. In such a case, either one or two award codes may be used as long as the maximum percentage agreed upon by the schools for the student for the award year is not exceeded.

If both schools do not agree on the maximum percentage award for the award year, each of the two schools must utilize two separate award codes, and also utilize "hard dollar" amounts in awarding the student rather than a specific percentage award.

If a student takes fall and spring courses totally in one school, the school can utilize percentage or hard dollar awarding. If the student enrolls in the summer in courses totally in the second school, the second school can make awards as percentage or hard dollar awards.

In all cases, prior to awarding a joint degrees student, a Joint Degree Financial Aid Award and Advisement Form must be completed by both schools and the student. The Form must include:

1. A projected enrollment breakdown, by school of enrollment, for the entire award year-fall, spring and summer.

2. The award type (name and code).

3. The amount of award if it is a hard dollar award.

4. The percentage of tuition charges, if it is a percentage-based award.

5. A notification/disclaimer that the awards listed are based upon the enrollment as projected on the form, or the aid is subject to change.

6. Appropriate authorized signatures from the:

a. Student.
b. Academic advisor from school "one"
c. Academic advisor from school "two."
d. Financial aid representative from school "one."
e. Financial aid representative from school "two."

7. Provision for routing to the following:

a. Signatories indicated above.
b. Central Financial Aid Office.

(Academic Council, Approved March 2000)

Practicum

A practicum is a field-based project that provides an opportunity for a student to gain practical experience in a particular field of study. Approval for a practicum shall only be given if there is evidence of significant learning opportunities related to the student's major area of study. A practicum shall constitute a contract between student and teacher and, as such, shall contain specific goals, expectations and evaluation criteria in written form. The quality and effort of the practicum shall be equivalent to that expected in the classroom.

Practicum credit shall be variable with 90 hours of experience equal to one credit. Grading policies for the practicum shall be established by each school. Each school may establish limits to the total number of practicum credits that may be applied toward degree requirements. To be eligible to register for a practicum, a student shall have completed 12 credit hours, shall have a 3.00 cumulative GPA and shall have obtained approval from the faculty practicum director.

The student and advisor shall assess the need for the practicum by reviewing the student's progress toward degree requirements and determine how the practicum will meet the student's educational goals.
The student shall complete an Individual Study form and obtain the approval signatures of the faculty practicum director.
The student shall submit the approved Individual Study form to the school registration representative and register for the practicum during the registration period for the term in which the student intends to begin the study.
The school shall distribute a copy of the approved Individual Study form to the dean, the advisor, the practicum director and the student.
The student and faculty director shall make periodic contact during the course of study with a system of mutual accountability established.
The faculty practicum director shall perform the final evaluation and shall assign a final grade. (Academic Council, Approved April 1996)

Registration and Payment

Only students who have formally applied and have been officially accepted to enroll at Regent University may register for courses. Please refer to the current on-line university catalog for specific information about course registration and payment deadlines.

Repeating a Course

Please refer to the current on-line university catalog for details about repeating a course. Repeat rules may be different by school.

Withdrawal from the University

Students who wish to withdraw voluntarily from the university during a term shall meet with the dean of the school and secure the dean's signature on the withdrawal form. Students must satisfy all financial obligations before leaving campus or they will not receive transcripts or be allowed to re-enroll. Please refer to the current on-line university catalog for details about withdrawing from the university.

Academic Honor Code and Disciplinary Policy
The Dean may, at his/her discretion, delegate any or all of his/her responsibilities under this Policy to an administrator or faculty member in his/her School. When used hereafter, "Dean" means either the Dean or his/her designee.

Foundation and Student Responsibility
Regent University affirms the biblical truth that God made men and women in His own image. Part of God's essence is His social nature, reflected best in the perfect society of the Trinity. God seeks community with men and women, and because of God's concern with community among men and women, He has provided them with laws to govern community. One such law prohibits a person from stealing the property of another. That is, God in His divine wisdom has chosen to protect private property by prohibiting its theft by others. Part of a person's property is the product of his/her intellect and creativity. Yet another law of God to guide people in community is honesty, which prohibits deceit, fraud, or dishonesty. Both of these laws are a reflection of God's love, and we reflect love to both God and our fellow men and women by following these laws. Both of these laws are the foundation for this Academic Integrity Policy.

Students are responsible for knowing what constitutes plagiarism, how to avoid it, and what constitutes dishonesty. Students are also responsible for understanding that if they allow a fellow student to cheat or plagiarize, or if they complete an assignment for a fellow student, they are accomplices to academic dishonesty and are subject to the same penalty.

This policy is purposely found in the Student Handbook, and it is referenced in the catalog and the Faculty & Academic Policy Handbook. A student's failure to know this policy is not a defense. Moreover, a lack of understanding of what constitutes dishonesty, plagiarism, and/or a lack of intent (e.g., that the student did not intend to copy the material into his/her paper) is not a defense. Finally, failure to follow the procedural deadlines in the appeals section will result in the dismissal of the appeal.

Definition: Conduct that violates the Academic Honor Code includes the following:

1. Dishonesty: This lack of integrity is exhibited through lying, cheating, defrauding, or deceiving. Examples of dishonesty include copying from the examination paper of another, allowing one's own examination paper to be copied, reading without the instructor's consent a copy of the examination prior to the date it is given; giving or receiving unauthorized aids; submitting the same work product in more than one course without the express permission of the instructor(s); or disclosing or accepting information about test questions or answers if one takes a test at a different time than other students in the same course.

2. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is using the intellectual property (e.g., books, articles, artwork, movies, drawings, ideas, and photos) of others without proper citation thereby giving the impression that it is the student's own work. Plagiarism ranges from a failure to acknowledge one's indebtedness to another for an idea in a formal written or oral statement to using verbatim words, sentences, passages, or audiovisual material from the work of others without quotation marks and proper citation (a rule of thumb is to use quotation protocol for five or more words taken directly from another source). Other examples of plagiarism include having someone else (e.g., colleague, friend, relative, or writing service) write a paper that is then submitted by the student for class credit and purchasing and submitting a paper from an online source. Gibaldi (1998) defines plagiarism well:

Whenever you draw on another's work, you must specify what you borrowed whether facts, opinions, or quotations and where you borrowed it from. Using another person's ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source constitutes plagiarism... In short, to plagiarize is to give the impression that you wrote or thought something that you in fact borrowed from someone, and to do so is a violation of professional ethics. (p. 151)

Plagiarism is a pervasive threat to academic integrity because of the emergence and expansion of the Internet. Any time a student downloads content from the Internet or any electronic document, the student risks committing plagiarism. The student must summarize or paraphrase the material first (with, of course, proper citation) rather than simply cutting and pasting blocks of downloaded text in his/her paper without using quotation marks.

Because of the importance of ensuring academic integrity, the University subscribes to SafeAssign® offered through Blackboard's HELP tab and listed under Blackboard Basics. The University has asked its instructors to submit student papers to the scrutiny of the SafeAssign software (or other academic integrity software at their discretion) including when they suspect the presence of plagiarism in a student's paper. Note that these submissions of assignments to SafeAssign or other software do not necessarily constitute an accusation or suspicion of plagiarism.

Levels of Plagiarism
Because of the wide range of acts which constitute plagiarism, the following levels of plagiarism are provided to give guidance to instructors. If the particular act of plagiarism is not provided below (especially with respect to plagiarized artwork including films, plays, and other visual or audio arts), the instructor should use his/her best judgment in light of the circumstances or should consult with his/her Dean.

Minor Plagiarism means doing any of the following without attributing it to a source:

Using the source's idea or logic;
Inserting verbatim phrases of five or more words (but less than two sentences) without quotation marks or using minimal content from an audiovisual source;
Revising the source's work by inserting a few synonyms in one original sentence;
Revising the sentence by reordering the phrases but not changing any words.

Major Plagiarism means doing any of the following without attributing it to a source:

Repeatedly committing minor plagiarism in one or more papers in one or more courses;
Using verbatim two or more sentences from a source without quotation marks or using substantial content from an audiovisual work;
Revising the source's work by inserting a few synonyms, and/or minimal paraphrasing, in one or more paragraphs.

Complete Plagiarism means doing any of the following:

Submitting a paper or other work obtained from a Website or other source;
Submitting another person's work for an assignment;
Obtaining a score of 70 or more on a Turnitin.com assessment after the removal of quoted material.

Penalties for Violations of the Academic Honor Code

Penalty for Minor Plagiarism
The faculty member shall give the student a verbal warning and shall counsel the student about academic integrity and the serious consequences resulting from the breach of integrity. In addition, the faculty member may, at his/her discretion, do one or more of the following:

Give the student a written warning using the Academic Dishonesty Notice (see Appendix in this Handbook);
Give the student an assignment grade penalty;
Require the student to reformulate and resubmit the assignment (with or without grade penalties).

Penalty for Major Plagiarism
The faculty member may, at his/her discretion, do the following for the first two offenses:

First offense--Normally, give a zero (or a failing grade if the School does not use a numerical grading scale) for the assignment for which the student submitted the plagiarized work or post and no opportunity to resubmit the assignment;
Second offense (in the same or more courses)--Normally, give a failing grade in the course for which the student submitted the plagiarized assignment.

The Dean may, at his/her discretion, do the following:

Third offense (in the same or more courses) - Normally, dismiss the student from the University.

Penalty for Complete Plagiarism/Cheating
The faculty member may, at his/her discretion, do the following for the first offense:

Normally, give a failing grade in the course for which the student submitted the plagiarized assignment.

The Dean may, at his/her discretion, do the following for the second offense (in the same or in multiple courses):

Normally, dismiss the student from the University.

Penalty for Dishonesty Other Than Plagiarism
Because of the varied nature and severity of other types of academic dishonesty (e.g., lying, cheating, defrauding, or deceiving), the Dean of each School, in conjunction with the charging faculty member (6), has discretion to exercise his/her judgment about the propriety of sanctions in light of the circumstances presented (including the fact that the student may have been guilty of other Honor Code provisions).

Procedure for Faculty to Follow When Suspecting Violations of the Academic Honor Code

1. Gather and Examine the Evidence.
Because of the widespread and growing problem of academic dishonesty as reported in the literature, the Regent University administration strongly encourages the faculty to explore any suspicions of academic dishonesty. The first step in this process is to gather and examine any evidence of academic dishonesty. Examples of this step are using Turnitin.com for any suspected plagiarism, finding the original work suspected of being plagiarized, or talking to other students if cheating or lying is suspected.

2. Reach a Preliminary Conclusion After Reviewing the Evidence.
After reviewing the gathered evidence, the faculty member should reach a preliminary conclusion as to whether the suspected student has committed any academic dishonesty. If the faculty member concludes that the student has not committed any academic dishonesty, then no further action is required. If, on the other hand, the faculty member concludes that academic dishonesty has occurred, the faculty member should preliminarily determine whether the incident is minor, major, or complete plagiarism, or another act of academic dishonesty.

3. Communicate with the Student.
After reaching a preliminary conclusion, the charging faculty member should meet with the student either in person or telephonically and share the evidence that led the charging faculty member to conclude preliminarily the student committed academic dishonesty. At this meeting, the student may refute the charge and, if the faculty member is satisfied no academic dishonesty has occurred, no further action is necessary. If the faculty member is not satisfied and remains convinced the student committed an act of academic dishonesty, the faculty member should complete the Academic Dishonesty Notice (see Appendix in this Handbook). In completing this form, the faculty member must note the sanction he/she recommends and when he/she spoke with the student. The faculty member must keep a copy of the Academic Dishonesty Notice (see Appendix in this Handbook) and a copy of the evidence of dishonesty and forward the original copy of the Academic Dishonesty Notice (see Appendix in this Handbook) with the original copy of the evidence of dishonesty to his/her Dean.

During this process, faculty should consider instances of academic dishonesty as a spiritual and educational learning opportunity for the student. Part of the educational component for this process is re-emphasizing instruction on how to avoid plagiarism. The faculty member should also stress the spiritual dimensions of plagiarism and should note repeated instances of minor plagiarism result in major plagiarism.

4. Dean's Action Upon Receipt of the Academic Dishonesty Notice and the Evidence of Dishonesty

Upon receipt of the Academic Dishonesty Notice (see Appendix in this Handbook) and the evidence of dishonesty, the Dean will (a) review the documentation and the case, (b) review the student's file to determine whether or not the student has committed other acts of academic dishonesty, and (c) evaluate whether or not the sanction imposed by the faculty member is appropriate. If the penalty imposed by the faculty member is inconsistent with similar infractions or the student has committed other acts of academic dishonesty which warrant a more substantial penalty than the one recommended by the faculty member, the Dean must consult with the faculty member about changing the penalty for the student. After reviewing the Academic Dishonesty Notice and meeting (if needed) with the charging faculty member, the Dean should determine the appropriate sanction and then complete the lower portion of the Academic Dishonesty Notice (see Appendix in this Handbook) and mail a copy of the form and evidence to the student.

(6) The faculty member who initiates the academic dishonesty process is sometimes called "the charging faculty member."

Documentation of the incident will be retained in the student's permanent file.

Procedure for the Student to Follow in Appealing the Academic Dishonesty Decision

1. Student's Request for Dean to Reconsider

If the student wants to appeal the sanction imposed by the Dean, the student must first ask the Dean to reconsider his/her decision. In seeking this reconsideration, the student must send to the Dean an e-mail with a return receipt requested or a letter by certified mail or overnight courier (with a copy to the charging faculty member) within 14 days of the date the Dean mailed the Academic Dishonesty Notice (see Appendix in this Handbook) to the student. In this e-mail or letter, the student must state in detail his/her grounds for the request to reconsider (i.e., why he/she disagrees with the Dean's decision). The Dean may, at his/her discretion, either limit his/her review of the matter to the new information provided by the student, meet either in person or telephonically with the student, or both. Thereafter, the Dean must notify the student in writing of the Dean's decision with respect to the student's request for reconsideration.

2. Student's Appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs

Within 7 days of the Dean's transmittal electronically or by mail of his/her reconsidered decision to the student, the student may appeal the Dean's decision by sending a letter by certified mail or overnight courier or e-mail with a return receipt requested to the Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designee (hereafter "VPAA") with a copy to the Dean. In this letter or e-mail of appeal, the student shall state in detail why the decision by the Dean lacks substantial evidence. The VPAA may, at his/her discretion, limit his/her review to the written record provided or may appoint a panel of three members of the faculty/administration to hear the appeal. If the VPAA appoints a panel, the panel will conduct a hearing and recommend a decision to the VPAA within 30 days after appointment. The VPAA and the panel shall affirm the decision of the Dean unless the VPAA and the panel determine that the Dean's decision is arbitrary and capricious (i.e., the Dean's decision lacks substantial evidence) or the Dean has failed to follow the proper procedure, in which case the VPAA may remand the matter to the Dean with instructions. The decision of the VPAA shall be final.

References
Bloomfield, L. (2006). The plagiarism resource site: Charlottesville, Virginia. Retrieved July
               15, 2006, from http://plagiarism.phys.virginia.edu/ Calvin College. (n.d.).
               English 101 at Calvin College. Retrieved July 15, 2006, from
             http://www.calvin.edu/academic/engl/writing/plagiar.htm
Gibaldi, J. (1998). MLA style manual and guide to scholarly publishing (2nd ed.). New
               York: MLA.
McKeon, D. (2000). Avoiding plagiarism: A guide for graduate students at
               Virginia Tech. Retrieved July 15, 2006, from
               http://ghs.grads.vt.edu/student/avoiding.html
Regent University. (2006). Catalog 2006-2007. Retrieved August 2, 2006, from
              http://www.regent.edu/general/catalog/#graduate
Regent University. (n.d.). Policy guidelines and procedures concerning plagiarism in
             written work for the School of Education. Retrieved August 1, 2006, from
              www.regent.edu/acad/schedu/pdfs/SOE_Plagiarism_Policy_Guidelines.pdf
Regent University. (2005). Student handbook. Retrieved July 29, 2006, from
             http://www.regent.edu/admin/stusrv/student/Student_Handbook.pdf
Westmont College. (2002). Westmont College plagiarism policy. Retrieved July 16, 2006,
             from http://www.westmont.edu/_academics/pages/provost/curriculum/plagiarism/
             Wheaton College. (1985). Plagiarism policy. Retrieved July 16, 2006, from
              http://www.wheaton.edu/polsci/handbook/plagiarism.html

(Academic Council, Approved February 2007)

Academic Probation and Dismissal

Students must maintain an acceptable cumulative grade point average, for courses taken at Regent University. [Joint degree students must maintain an acceptable grade point average in each separate degree.] A student's academic status will be determined at the end of each term by the Registrar's Office. Please refer to the university catalog for details by school.

Academic Probation
When a student's cumulative grade point average (for joint degree students, the grade point average is determined in each separate degree) falls below the minimal acceptable level (probationary GPA may be different by degree level or program; please refer to the current on-line catalog for details), the student shall be placed on academic probation for the next term of enrollment. Students on academic probation should consult with their advisors to improve their academic performance. Academic probation status is recorded in the student's academic record. When a student is placed on academic probation the dean shall notify the student in writing of any specific instructions for improving academic performance. A student will be removed from academic probation when the cumulative grade point average is greater than or equal to the minimal acceptable GPA for his/her program.

Academic Dismissal
Students on academic probation whose cumulative grade point average (for joint degree students, the grade point average is determined in each separate degree) is below the minimal acceptable GPA for their program at the end of the probationary term shall be subject to dismissal. (In other words, the student has one term to bring the low GPA back to the acceptable GPA.) (In the School of Law, a student may be dismissed without first having been placed on academic probation.) The dean will notify the student, in writing, of the dismissal.

Petitioning for Reinstatement
Students who have been dismissed may petition for reinstatement through the school, after one academic year, unless other criteria for possible reinstatement were contained in the dismissal letter. All petitions for reinstatement will be considered on an individual basis. Reinstatement will be granted only on a petition demonstrating that there is a strong likelihood that the student possesses motivation and capacity to successfully complete the academic requirements. The dean shall notify the student in writing of the school's decision regarding reinstatement. Students who are reinstated shall be required to comply with any conditions set forth in the letter of reinstatement.

The school sends a copy of the reinstatement form and all letters regarding academic status to the Registrar's Office to be placed in the student's university file. (Academic Council, Approved March 2000)

Advising

Schools/programs assign an advisor to students to help them plan degree programs and to give career and personal guidance during their graduate or undergraduate program. It is the students' responsibility to meet the requirements of the degree as established by the faculty, administration and Board of Trustees and as defined in the student's approved degree program and in the university catalog.

Advisors assist students during the registration process and throughout the year. Advising students shall be regarded as a central and integral part of the instructional responsibility of faculty members. To the degree possible, advisors shall be matched with the areas of the student's specific interests.

Procedures

At the time of formal admission, the school informs new students in writing of the name of their assigned advisor and enters the advisor assignment in each student's record.
At the beginning of each academic term, the school provides each professor a list of all advisees who are enrolled for that term.
Students are responsible for taking the initiative to obtain advisement.
Faculty, students or deans may request a change of advisors through the dean's office. The dean approves all advisor changes.
Advisors approve the schedule and course load of all advisees for each academic term and meet with advisees each term as appropriate.
Students obtain their advisor's written approval on the Add/Drop Request form to drop or add a course during the authorized add/drop period. Courses may be dropped after the authorized date only for unusual reasons and with the dean's approval.
Students wishing to enroll in a class offered by a school other than the school in which they were admitted need approval from the following: advisor; dean of the school in which they are enrolled; instructor of the course; and dean of the school or college in which the course is taught.
Students need the approval of their advisor and dean on the Individual Study form for the following academic experiences: practicum; independent study; internship; professional portfolio/project; thesis; and tutorial.
Students may request a printout of their approved degree program from their school. Changes to the approved degree programs require approval on an Academic Petition form, which is available in the dean's office.
Students voluntarily withdrawing from the university during a term must complete a Withdrawal form and get approval from the appropriate advisor and dean.

Joint Degrees Advising

As a general principle, students should seek admission to a joint degrees program before the completion of one-third of any single degree program. This should coincide with the completion of the student's approved degree program.
Upon admission to two schools, the student will be assigned two advisors, one from each school.
The student must get approval of the joint degrees program from both advisors in the registration process each term. Ordinarily, this will require a joint meeting with both advisors and the student.
The cumulating experience will be supervised and evaluated by a committee with members from both schools.
In consultation with both advisors, the student is responsible for planning and executing the joint degrees, taking into account sequencing of core courses, major courses and electives in both schools.
The student is responsible for fulfilling the specific requirements of individual schools and colleges, such as prerequisites and residency (Academic Council, Approved March 1996)

Attendance and Participation

Graduate Courses--Class attendance is essential for satisfactory academic achievement. Students are responsible for knowing and meeting all course requirements including tests, assignments and class participation. Regular attendance at classes and laboratories is expected and for Law School is mandatory. It is left to the individual faculty member to evaluate each student's record of attendance in arriving at a final grade.

Undergraduate Courses

Regent University recognizes the importance of class attendance and participation for students�� learning. While attendance alone does not guarantee learning, engagement with the class through regular attendance and participation is essential to learning, both to the individual student and to the class itself as all benefit by others�� contributions. At Regent University, class attendance, understood as the act of being present, is considered to be separate from participating in the class, understood as active engagement through discussion and other forms of interaction. Both are valuable to student learning.

Like other institutions of higher education, Regent University is required to maintain accurate attendance records by the U.S. Department of Education. Instructors are responsible to maintain accurate records regarding attendance and to follow course policies for grading student work, including students�� participation. Students are responsible to attend and participate in class and to follow campus policies. The instructor (not the student) is responsible to establish and make decisions about applying the class attendance policy.

Normally, expectations for participation��such as those for quality work in the group discussions (including those in Blackboard)--differ from the minimal requirements for attendance. Thus, at the instructor's discretion, a student who is merely present or absent might lose participation points. Instructors determine whether students may gain back lost participation points (for example, through additional work). Students should be aware that work turned in late (papers, discussion board posts, etc.) could result in the loss of participation points or other components of the final course grade, as instructors follow their posted policy for receiving late work from students.

Attendance is tracked weekly. For any week (7 days) in which a student does not attend class or, for online courses, log into the course in Blackboard, the student will be marked absent in the Blackboard grade book. The standard by which a final date of attendance in the class is measured will be the last date on which the online student logs into the course in Blackboard or the on-campus student attends the on-campus class for a course, whichever is more recent. Students should be aware that this date could affect their financial aid and financial obligations.
In all classes, it is the student��s responsibility to contact his/her instructor(s) to notify them of illness when the illness prevents the student from meeting academic requirements, such as attending class or meeting stated deadlines. In the case of illness which prevents students from attending a campus class, students are normally expected to notify the professor either prior to the scheduled class or at least within 24 hours after the absence. In all cases, the instructor may request of the student a medical excuse from a health professional or other appropriate person (such as a resident director).

Students who are excused from a campus class (or from meeting an academic deadline) due to an illness or authorized activity (see below) maintain the responsibility to meet course requirements; the absence does not remove the responsibility for the student to complete required work. Students are advised to seek communication with the instructor as soon as possible regarding how they may make up missed work. Conversely, a student who has unauthorized absences normally may not make up missed work. In all cases, communication with the instructor about how to meet the academic requirements of the course is critically important since the instructor establishes these requirements.

Students are responsible for notifying and seeking approval from the instructor whose classes will be missed due to an academic activity authorized by the administration, such as a theatre production or similar, planned event approved by the university. . A student��s absence due to an approved out-of-course activity shall not be considered authorized unless 1) the absence is in fact a result of participation in the approved out-of-course activity; 2) the student has notified the faculty member whose class will be missed before the date of the anticipated absence and has arranged to make up any missed work; 3) the student is absent only for the dates originally approved. Additional absences shall not be considered acceptable. The student must notify the instructor in writing before the class occurs and, when approved by the instructor, make arrangements to make up the missed work. Such arrangements may include additional assignments in lieu of class attendance. When, in the judgment of the instructor, the student is performing so poorly in class or the nature of the class session is such that the student will be put at risk by the absence, the instructor will notify both the student and the other faculty member about the risks, with the intention of working out a mutually agreeable solution. The final decision for administering the class attendance policy resides with the faculty member whose class is missed.

Degree Program Audit

In order to graduate, students must complete all the degree requirements published in the Catalog for the degree program in which they are enrolled. Requirements will be maintained in the degree audit module of the university's database system. Students may obtain from the school an Academic Evaluation Report (Approved Degree Plan, ADP) which gives a detailed account of their progress toward degree requirements and the requirements that remain for degree completion.

Students enrolled in degree plans that vary significantly from the published requirements for the school in which they are enrolled should consult with their school to determine how their degree requirements can be defined in the degree audit module so that an accurate Academic Evaluation Report (ADP) is available. (Academic Council, Approved March 1996)

Financial Holds on Academic Records

Please refer to the current university catalog for details about financial holds on academic records.

Grading System including Withdrawal and Incomplete courses

The instructor determines all grades. The basis for evaluation and grade calculation shall be published in the course syllabus available at the first formal class meeting. Formative grade assessment may utilize systems different than the required system for final grading, as long as the system allows for equitable conversion Please refer to the current on-line university catalog for details about the various grading scales.

Graduation Requirements and Commencement

Please refer to the current on-line university catalog for details about graduation requirements, commencement and program curriculum.

Information Research and Resources Course

Please refer to the current on-line university catalog for details about these non credit courses.

Student Appeals

An appeal is defined as a request to a higher authority to change a decision that was made, typically a decision that the student believes adversely affects her/his academic career.

Procedure for Grade Appeals

1. When a student wants to appeal a course grade, s/he must schedule a meeting with the instructor of the course within 90 days (60 days for the Law School) from the end of the semester for which the grade was assigned.

2. The instructor will explain the reason for the grade and, if warranted, raise the grade, lower the grade or leave the grade unchanged.

3. If the instructor is unavailable during the 90-day period (e.g., summer), the student must notify the dean of the school in writing of her/his desire to appeal the grade to the instructor. If no appeal is filed within the 90-day period, the grade will be considered final.

4. If the student believes s/he has not received a satisfactory resolution from the instructor, the student may appeal to the dean of the school for resolution. The appeal to the dean must occur within 30 days from the instructor's decision; or within 60 days from the submission of the matter to the instructor, if no decision is issued by the instructor. The student should submit a written appeal to the dean that includes:

Student's full name
Regent University student identification number
Semester and year enrolled
Course number and name
Name of instructor
Grade received
Reason for appeal
Supporting documents

5. The dean responds in writing within 30 days of the date of the meeting or appeal.

6. Any appeal regarding the dean's decision is governed by the Procedure for Student Appeals to a University Vice President policy, contained in this Handbook. (Academic Council, August 2008)

Procedure for Student Appeals to a University Vice President

If a student believes that a matter has not been resolved appropriately in a school, or by the Dean of a school, the student may appeal the decision to the appropriate Vice President’s office, but only if (1) all procedures for review within the school have been exhausted, and (2) the matter is one for which an appeal to a Vice President is permitted by the underlying substantive policy contained in the Student Handbook. Appeals pertaining to disciplinary decisions not related directly to academics (including, without limitation, use of alcohol on university premises, threats of violence, or violation of housing rules) should be addressed to the Vice President for Student Services. Appeals pertaining to academic matters (including, without limitation, academic dishonesty and grades) should be addressed to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. If a Vice President receives an appeal that more properly should be considered by another Vice President, the Vice President may transfer the appeal to the other Vice President for further consideration.

All appeals must be in writing, setting forth the specific grounds upon which the student believes the decision should be reversed. The student may attach or include previous written materials utilized in previous review and proceedings. No materials submitted by the student will be considered in the appeal process except those submitted at the time the student initially presents his/her appeal to the office of the Vice President. Appeals must be received by the Vice President’s office no later than 5:00 p.m. on the fifteenth (15th) day following the date upon which the student was notified of the decision being appealed (counting the first day after receipt of the decision as the first day). An extension of that time may be granted, for good cause shown, by the Vice President or by the Dean of the school involved. If there is no extension, no appeal received after that date and time will be considered, with the result that the original decision will be final.

If the student so requests in writing, with the appeal, that the decision being appealed not be enforced until after consideration through this appeal process, the Vice President may stay the enforcement of the decision until the appeal process is concluded. The granting or denial of such a request is solely in the discretion of the Vice President, and there is no appeal from a denial of the request.

After the appeal is received by the Vice President, the Vice President will provide a copy of the appeal to the Dean of the student’s school, and/or, if applicable, to any other appropriate University employee who was involved in the decision (such as a Professor, Department/Program Chair, or the Director of Student Life), and give that person or persons an opportunity to respond to the appeal. Any such response should be addressed to the Vice President, and must be made within 21 days after the copy of the appeal was provided to the Dean or other University employee.

Thereafter, the Vice President may:

1. Grant the appeal, after consultation with the Dean of the school involved in the appeal, but only if the Vice President determines that the decision being appealed was arbitrary and capricious;

2. Deny the appeal, if the Vice President determines, in his/her sole discretion, that it presents no substantial issue that merits further consideration; or

3. Appoint an Appeal Committee to consider the appeal. The Appeal Committee will consist of three full-time employees of the University who are either faculty members or professional staff members. The Vice President shall designate one of the members of the Appeals Committee to serve as Chair. The Vice President shall circulate the appeal and any materials in response thereto to the members of the Appeals Committee. The only issue to be considered by the Appeals Committee is whether the decision being appealed was arbitrary and capricious. The Appeals Committee, in its sole discretion, (a) may agree to consider the matter without a hearing, or (b) may schedule a time for a hearing. There is no appeal from a Committee decision to consider the matter without holding a hearing. The appellant has no inherent right to an oral hearing before the Appeals Committee. If the Appeals Committee schedules a hearing, the student appealing, the University personnel involved in the decision, and other persons in the sole discretion of the Committee may appear and speak before the Committee. In either case, the Appeals Committee will make a recommendation to the Vice President. The Vice President will then decide the matter.

All decisions of the Vice President are final, and no further appeals are permitted.

(Academic Affairs, August 2008)

Procedure for Student Grievances and Other Appeals

A grievance is defined as a complaint or concern of a student regarding a faculty or staff member at the university that the student believes adversely affects her/his academic career or personal well-being. (This procedure should be used in all appeals other than grade appeals or appeals from disciplinary decisions.)

1. The student should discuss the circumstance with the individual(s) involved to seek a resolution. This should first be done in the context of Matthew 18:15-17.

2. If a student is fearful for her/is/her safety or otherwise uncomfortable approaching the individual, the student should involve a faculty or staff advisor. If a faculty or staff advisor is not willing or available the student should proceed to #3.

3. If there is no resolution of the issue, the student may submit a letter regarding the matter to the dean of the school in which the individual is employed. The letter must be submitted within 30 days of the date of the actual or supposed circumstance and must include the following information:

a. Student's full name
b. Regent University student identification number
c. The school the student is enrolled in
d. Explanation of the grievance and supporting documents

4. Upon receiving the student's letter, the dean or director of student life may suggest mediation as an alternative to the grievance process. If mediation is agreed upon, the dean or director of student life will schedule mediation to work out an agreement based on the university's Mediation Agreement (see Appendix).

5. If mediation is not chosen or it was not successful, the dean or director of student life must respond in writing to the student within two weeks of receiving the student's letter stating her/his decision and the reason for such decision.

6. If the student is not satisfied with the dean's or director's decision, the student may submit a written appeal of the dean's or director's decision to the vice president for academic affairs (if it is an academic matter) or to the vice president for student services (if it is a nonacademic matter) within 48 hours of receiving the dean's or director's decision. The appeal must include the materials described above and the dean's or director's response.

[NOTE: Faculty Grievance against a Student Policy in the Student Operations section] (Academic Council, Approved January 2003; amended August 2008)

Course Evaluations

Course evaluations offer students a means to provide input for assessing and improving course design and teaching performance. End-of-course computerized evaluations (http://eval.regent.edu/regent/survey/students.cfm) are the University's standard confidential course evaluation method. Each school may add additional questions to the University computerized evaluation system.

Students assess their instructors and courses in: course competencies; content and instructional methodology; faculty mentoring; and biblical perspectives and advisement. Students are also encouraged at any point during the semester to offer comments that may be helpful to the improvement or refinement of the course (Eph 5: 21). The final computerized course evaluation is an essential element for continued course improvement.

These course evaluations will first be reviewed by the dean(s) and then made available to the professor after grades for the course have been submitted. The professor uses the course evaluations as part of a course improvement process. The instructor should consider these evaluations for revising the course syllabus, when appropriate. Summaries of the information from student course feedback forms may be used for accreditation and statistical purposes as long as the information does not reveal the identity of the individual faculty member.

These evaluations shall be taken into account by the persons or groups charged with making or advising on personnel decisions and annual faculty reviews.
(Academic Council, Approved January 1994; amended September 2003; January 2006)

Student Discipline

Policy
Enrolled students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the Honor Code and the Standard of Personal Conduct. Students are disciplined for actions that violate these policies. Such actions include, but are not limited to, theft or misuse of property, threats to the health and safety of others, abuse or intimidation, sexual misconduct, violation of housing rules or regulations, or conduct deemed unlawful. (Violations involving academic dishonesty or plagiarism are governed by a separate policy contained in this Handbook.) (Academic Council, Revision Approved February 2008)

If a violation relates to academics, it should be referred to the dean of the school in which the student is enrolled. If the violation does not relate to academics, it should be referred to the vice president for student services who will resolve the problem in concert with the dean of the school in which the student is enrolled.

Throughout the discipline process, the student has the right to and should seek counsel. The student also has the right to confront her/his accusers.

Procedure

1. The dean of the school or the vice president for student services must report all instances of student discipline to the vice president for academic affairs immediately.

2. The administrator(s) meets with the student to discuss the suspected violation and come to an agreement or decision. The administrator(s) may, if appropriate, include the advisor and/or a committee of faculty and a Council of Graduate Schools (COGS) representative to consider the matter and offer suggestions to the administrator. The administrator or other interested parties may propose mediation prior to a decision. Mediation is conducted in accordance with the university's Mediation Agreement (see Appendix).

3. If mediation is not pursued or if mediation is not successful, the administrator advises the student, either orally or in writing, regarding the decision, which would be one of the following:

Resolution--The issue is dropped or resolved with no further action taken.
Warning--A written warning, specifying the unacceptable behavior and indicating what is expected, is placed in the student's permanent file as maintained in the dean's office. If an agreement is reached, the student will be asked to agree in writing to live within the framework of the agreement.
Suspension--The student may be suspended from the institution for a specified period of time. Suspension may begin at any time. Absence from class will not be excused, but the student may have the privilege of taking examinations and submitting major papers. The suspension will be noted in the student's permanent file as maintained in the dean's office. The student will be allowed to return if the dean so recommends and the vice president for academic affairs approves.
Dismissal--In severe situations, the student may be immediately dismissed from the university. The student forfeits all university privileges. Refunds are made in accordance with the refund policy and a grade of W is recorded on the transcript for classes in which the student is enrolled. The student may reapply for readmission after one full academic year from the date of dismissal and may be readmitted if the dean so recommends and the vice president for academic affairs approves.

4. Any appeal from any action undertaken pursuant to this policy is governed by the Procedure for Student Appeals to a University Vice President policy, contained in this Handbook.

(Academic Council, Revision Approved April 2000; amended August 2008)

This Student Discipline policy applies to all Regent University schools other than the School of Law, which has its own policies and procedures with respect to discipline of law students.

Accommodation for Disabilities

Students may request reasonable accommodations for disabilities through the university Office of Student Services. The application process is described at the following website:
http://www.regent.edu/admin/stusrv/student_life/disabilities.cfm

Evaluation of Student Academic Performance

Each school or college determines the evaluation policies governing student performances necessary to complete any course in the school's curriculum and to complete the school's degree program. The method for evaluating student performance in each course is stated in the syllabus. Degree completion requirements are stated in the Catalog.

All examinations are taken at the time announced by the instructor. If students miss any examination, it is their responsibility to make arrangements with the instructor to take a make-up examination.
Alternatives such as a written paper or creative project may be adopted in lieu of final examinations at the discretion of the individual instructor.
Faculty submit term grades by the date set by the Registrar's Office so that grades can be provided to students in a timely manner. (Academic Council, Approved November 1993)

Student Grievances

Policy
A grievance is defined as an actual or supposed circumstance regarded as just cause for complaint or protest or a circumstance that the student believes adversely affects her/his academic career or personal well-being. When a student has a grievance, s/he may seek resolution to the matter.

Procedure

1. The student should discuss the circumstance with the individual(s) involved to seek a resolution.

2. If there is no resolution of the issue, the student may submit a letter regarding the matter to the dean of the college or school in which s/he is enrolled (if it is an academic matter) or the vice president for student services (if it is a non-academic matter). The letter must be submitted within 30 days of the date of the actual or supposed circumstance and must include the following information:

a. Student's full name
b. Student's social security number
c. The school the student is enrolled in
d. Explanation of the grievance and supporting documents

3. Within 15 days of receiving the student's letter, the dean or director or other interested parties may suggest mediation as an alternative to the grievance process. If mediation is agreed upon, the dean or director will schedule mediation to work out an agreement based on the university's Mediation Agreement (see Appendix).

4. If mediation is not chosen or it was not successful, the dean or director must respond in writing to the student within 30 days of receiving the student's letter stating her/his decision and the reason for such decision.

5. All appeals from a dean's or director's decision is governed by the Procedure for Student Appeals to a University Vice President policy, contained in this Handbook.

(Academic Council, Approved February 2000; amended August 2008)

Faculty Grievance Against a Student

At Regent University, all students, faculty, and staff are expected to conduct themselves in a Christ-like and professional manner, as described in the honor code and the statement of personal conduct (both found in the Student Handbook). As these statements describe, all members of the academic community are expected to work to uphold an atmosphere of trust and respect that glorifies God and assures openness in the community. As further detailed in the honor code, the university reserves the right to discipline any student who refuses to comply with reasonable requests by staff and faculty, who violates university regulations, or who violates state or federal laws or local ordinances, whether on or off campus. A faculty member wishing to make a formal complaint against a student should file it with the Vice President for Student Services, with notification to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. (Academic Affairs, Approved February 2006)

Student Records Confidentiality

Regent University protects the confidentiality of the education records of current and former students. This policy is in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended. FERPA rights apply once a student is considered "in attendance" by the institution. Regent defines "in attendance" as being registered for at least one class at 12:01 a.m. on the first day of the student's first term, as determined by the official university academic calendar. At its discretion, the institution may provide directory information to include: student name, address, email address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, photograph and participation in officially recognized activities. Students may withhold directory information by notifying the Registrar's Office, in writing, within two weeks of the posting of the annual fall notice that advises students of their rights.

Access to Student Educational Records by Others

1. Directory Information:

At the end of the fall add/drop period the Registrar's Office will send to students a notice of the students' right not to have student directory information released. Students may, at any time, request that directory information not be released by writing to the Registrar's Office. Information already published will not be affected by this request. Without such written request, the university may release directory information to outside parties if considered appropriate. Students may request in writing that future releases of directory information not be made.

Directory information includes: name, address, email address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, photograph and participation in officially recognized activities. Only the Registrar's Office should disseminate directory information. All inquiries for such information should be forwarded to the Registrar's Office.

Student Services may distribute in-school directories to students if this policy is followed. If additional information is added, the Registrar's Office must receive signed waivers from students whose names and other information will appear in the directory. Names or lists must not be released to outside parties.

2. Non-directory Information:

The university will maintain the confidentiality of student educational records and such non-directory information may be released only with the student's written request. However, information may be released to the following:

Officials of other institutions in which students seek to enroll;

Persons or organizations providing students financial aid;

Accrediting agencies carrying out their accreditation function;

Persons in compliance with a judicial order;

Persons in an emergency in order to protect the health or safety of students or other persons;

As otherwise legally required as the university deems appropriate.

School officials with "legitimate educational interests." A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the information aids the official in fulfilling his or her professional functions. Regent University identifies the following as "school officials," depending on their duties and only within the context of those duties:

University faculty and staff, agents of the University;

Students employed by the University or serving on official University committees; and

Representatives of agencies under contract with the University, including but not limited to the CBN/Regent University Police Department.

Health and counseling records may be provided to physicians and licensed psychologists of the student's choosing. Students may have access to appropriate information as designated by the dean or department head. If a breach of confidentiality occurs, appropriate formal disciplinary action will be taken up to and including dismissal from employment.

3. Parental Access:

The definition of "student" under FERPA refers to a person who either has reached the age of 18 or who is attending an institution of post-secondary education. At the post-secondary level parents have no inherent rights to inspect student records; this right is limited solely to the student. It is the University's policy to release academic or financial information to parents and/or guardians of students (whether or not the student has reached the age of 18) only upon the student's written authorization. The student may complete a "Student Information Release" (FERPA waiver), available in the Registrar's Office or online at http://www.regent.edu/admin/registrar/studentforms.cfm, to grant this authorization. (Academic Council, Revision Approved January 2001; amended October 2009)

Thesis and Dissertation Writing Guidelines

Theses, portfolios, dissertations and other final projects should be prepared as carefully as a manuscript for publication. Each school shall publish a writing style guideline. These guidelines shall be distributed to students and to the University Library.
The following university guidelines should be observed when preparing theses, portfolios, dissertations and other final projects (unless there is a school-specific guideline):

1. Choose a title that provides a meaningful description of the contents. Retrieval systems use the key words in the title to locate the document.

2. Abstracts for final projects, portfolios and theses in the master's program should be a maximum length of 150 words. Abstracts for dissertations in the doctoral program should be a maximum length of 350 words. The abstract is not counted in the numbering of the document and does not receive a page number. Abstracts prepared for a master's-level document will appear in Master's Abstracts International.

3. Use lowercase Roman numerals centered at the bottom for the preliminary pages. Use Arabic numerals centered at the bottom beginning with the body of the paper text through to the end, including the appendices.

4. Use the following order for document sections:

Title page (page i, number does not appear on the page)
Approval page
Copyright notice
Dedication (optional)
Table of Contents
List of tables
Acknowledgement page
Abstract
Body of the paper (page 1, number does not appear on the first page)
References
Appendix

5. Use Times New Roman type style and 12 point size.

6. Make the margin one inch on all sides except the left side, which should be 1-1/2" to allow for binding.

7. Double-space the entire document and single-space all blocked quotations, footnotes and references, unless your stylebook directs otherwise.

8. Laser print the manuscript on white acid-free paper, minimum 20-pound weight and 8 1/2" x 11" in size.

9. All theses are submitted to UMI (University Microfilms International) for electronic publication in their Dissertation Information Service. If copyright registration is desired, request UMI to apply for it at the same time the thesis agreement is signed at the University Library or submit an application directly to the U.S. Copyright Office. (Academic Council, Revised February 1999)

Thesis/Professional Portfolio

The thesis is one of several options that master's students may choose to receive a master's degree. Where authorized, students may choose a professional portfolio option in place of the thesis. The thesis is a document incorporating research (historical, critical and/or empirical), analysis and conclusions on an issue or topic in a discipline of the master's degree. The professional portfolio is a document incorporating research and the producing of a final work that demonstrates professional competence and creativity in a discipline of the master's degree.

Each school or college establishes specific guidelines for the thesis/portfolio proposal, as well as for the thesis/portfolio itself and provides those guidelines to students. Specific guidelines by school may include external costs that are typically associated with publishing and professional editing. Students register for the thesis/portfolio credits during a regular registration period. The student receives an In Progress (IP) grade at the end of the semester unless all thesis/portfolio requirements-including payment of library binding charges-have been met and verified by the Registrar's Office.

In conjunction with the advisor, the student selects a thesis/portfolio topic and secure a faculty member to serve as chairman of the thesis/portfolio committee.
The student and the chairman secure other faculty members to serve on the thesis/portfolio committee. Schools may permit one specialist in the discipline from outside the university to serve on the committee in place of a faculty member.
Schools provide students with forms, guidelines and deadlines for its thesis/portfolio requirements.
Students prepare and receive approval for the thesis/portfolio proposal from the committee before beginning the actual work. Each committee member signs an approved proposal on the title page. Students submit a copy of the signed proposal to the dean's office before the end of the semester preceding the expected semester of graduation. Schools may require students to enroll in thesis or portfolio proposal credit (in addition to the regular thesis credits) prior to engaging a faculty member or committee in developing a thesis/portfolio proposal.
Students complete an Individual Study form and obtain approval from the thesis committee chairman.
Students submit the approved Individual Study form to the school registration representative and register for the thesis/portfolio credit during the registration period for the semester in which the student intends to begin the study.
The school distributes a copy of the Individual Study form to the dean, the advisor, the thesis/portfolio committee chairman and the student.
Students conduct the thesis/portfolio activity with periodic consultation with the committee chairman.
Students submit a copy of the completed thesis/portfolio to each member of the committee for final evaluation.
For those schools that require an oral defense, the student shall then defend the thesis/portfolio to the committee. The oral defense may be public, at the option of the school.
The thesis/portfolio committee performs the final evaluation. The committee continues to work with the student until all revisions and corrections have been made.
When all revisions and corrections have been verified, the student submits a Thesis/Portfolio form and the revised manuscript on archival paper to each committee member-and the dean if the school requires it-for signature approval.
Students provide one copy for the committee chairman and two copies for the library. The school may require additional copies.
Upon receipt of the Thesis/Portfolio Approval form from the library, the Registrar's Office posts a passing grade for the thesis/portfolio.
The student pays all fees incurred for the thesis/portfolio. A diploma and transcript will not be released until all fees and encumbrances have been paid.
According to the Grading System policy, if a student does not complete the thesis/portfolio by the end of the two semesters allotted, a No Pass (NP) grade shall be posted and the student desiring to complete work on the thesis/portfolio shall be required to re-register and pay for the thesis/portfolio credits. (Academic Council, Approved April 1996)

Transcripts
The Registrar's Office maintains a permanent, complete record of each student's educational progress. Printed transcripts include the following information:

Name and address of the institution.
Name and ID number of student.
Regent University school in which student is enrolled.
Major area of concentration.
Dates of attendance.
Course identification and credit hours.
Grades and grade points.
Statement of credits by advanced standing and transfer where applicable.
Statement of academic probation and dismissal where applicable.
Identification of degree and date granted.
Identification of calendar system.
Explanation of grading system.
Applicable accreditations.
Transcripts of degree programs conducted and assessed in a language other than English will include the following statement: "Degree requirements completed in the ______ language."

Authentication of transcripts include the university's official seal, the date of release and the signature and title of the certifying officer. Transcripts issued directly to the student are conspicuously marked "Issued to Student."

All requests for transcripts must be made in writing to the Registrar's Office. Transcript copies are subject to a handling fee. Transcripts will not be released for current or former students who have not paid their financial debts to the university (i.e., bursar hold, parking fine or library hold). Current students and alumni will be charged a fee for transcript orders of two or more per term.

Transcript Security
Regent University faculty and administration protect the confidentiality of each student's academic record. Only those Regent officials with authority to act in the students' academic interest are allowed access to student academic records. All official and unofficial copies of the permanent transcript are provided by the Registrar's Office, although schools may print unofficial copies for advising purposes. These copies should be kept in a limited access area in the dean's/advisor's office. All other offices are prohibited from reproducing copies. (Academic Council, Revised March 1999)

Credit by Advanced Standing and Transfer

Graduate Program
Regent University limits the number of graduate credits accepted by advanced standing and transfer to a maximum of 25% of the appropriate Regent degree program, except for the School of Law programs and for programs that have articulation agreements with other colleges and universities. Based on Regent's regional accreditation, articulation agreements may authorize transfer credit for up to 49% of the degree to be earned.

Advanced standing is credit granted towards a degree program for study already undertaken but not ordinarily available for transfer. By giving recognition to prior learning, advanced standing prevents the unnecessary duplication of study and may save time and money. The availability of advanced standing does not guarantee entry into a particular course of study. In some cases there are high levels of competition for places and in other cases applicants may need to have fulfilled other requirements to gain entry. The granting of advanced standing credit may not necessarily result in the reduction of credits required toward a particular degree. Advanced standing credit in a course may only permit that a required course in a Regent degree program could be "waived" or replaced with another relevant course approved by the individual school.

Criteria guiding the acceptability of credit by advanced standing and transfer include:

Currency of qualifications--Units undertaken more than a decade previous to the application normally may not be recognized for advanced standing or transfer.
Relevance of the credit/s--When a student can demonstrate that coursework completed at another institution reflects the curriculum, course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in Regent's own graduate degree programs and assessment criteria of Regent University, the student may be granted exemption and/or credit for the relevant Regent credit/s.
Accredited work--to be approved for advanced standing or transfer, credits must have been taken from a regionally accredited institution or one approved by the Regent school in which the student is enrolled (ordinarily an institution accredited via approved, Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) listed accrediting bodies, such as ABA, APA, ATS, CACREP, or TEAC ).
Availability of work--Credits accepted for transfer ordinarily cannot have been counted on a previously completed degree program at Regent or any other institution.
Course grades--Courses with grades of B- and below (C- and below for the J.D., M.Div., M.A. in Practical Theology and M.A. in Missiology programs) will not be accepted for transfer.

When transfer courses are approved, the course title and credit hours, as well as the name of the institution where the credits were earned, are entered on the Regent University transcript. However, the grades are not entered on the transcript and are not used in the calculation of the Regent University cumulative grade point average.

Students who want to transfer graduate credits to a Regent University degree program shall initiate an official request for transfer credit through the dean's office or the student's academic advisor.
Students submit an official transcript for each proposed transfer course.
Schools may establish other requirements or documentation for evaluating the transfer credit, such as a copy of the course syllabus or a copy of the course description from the institution's Catalog. Schools make their specific transfer credit evaluation procedure available to students.
When the evaluation process is complete and courses are approved for transfer, the dean's office forwards a copy of the official transcript(s) and Transfer Credit Evaluation form to the Registrar's Office for entry of the transfer courses and credits on the student's academic transcript and degree program audit.
Students who transfer from one Regent degree program to another may be required to complete the transfer of credit procedure for all courses taken in the previous degree program that they desire to apply to the new degree program.

Undergraduate Programs

Policy
The OLM Transfer of Credit Policy is intended to provide guidance in the evaluation and transfer of credits from other educational institutions. The Transfer of Credit Policy is built upon SCHEV/VCCS guidelines that include a coherent set of courses that forms the foundation of a solid liberal education for college students.

Part I: Summary of Credit Requirements leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership and Management at Regent University

Category of Credits	Number of Credits
1) Lower-Division Requirements: General Education Credits Additional General Education/Elective Credits	30 30
2) Upper-Division Requirements: Organizational Leadership & Management Credits Elective Credits	45 15
Total	120

Definitions:

a. General Education Credits _ General Education courses form the foundation of a solid liberal education. The credit hours must be drawn from and include at least one course from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural sciences/mathematics. The courses must be designed to ensure breadth of knowledge and must not be narrowly focuses on those skill, techniques and procedures peculiar to a particular occupation or profession. Regent University adheres to State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) Guidelines for the transfer of general educational courses as listed under State Council of Higher Education and the Virginia Community College System--Transfer Module. For institutions outside the Commonwealth of Virginia, general education courses are reviewed for VCCS equivalency. A minimum of 30 general education credits are required for admission to the OLM program with at least three credits each being in the areas identified above.

b. Lower-Division Elective Credits--Consists of additional general education courses, major field courses (i.e., program requirements), or electives at the 100 or 200 level. See limitations on the transfer of occupational/technical courses as noted in Part II (4) below. No more than 60 credit hours at the lower-division will be accepted toward graduation at Regent University.

c. Organizational Leadership & Management Credits--Consist of 45 credits that comprise the courses of the Organizational Leadership and Management program.

d. Upper-Division Elective Credits--Consists of 15 credits of elective courses at the 300 or 400 level. At this time, credits must be earned and transferred from an upper-division regionally accredited institution or earned through the Prior Learning Assessment process (see Prior Learning Assessment: Policies and Procedures).

Part II: Policies

1. Credits transferred from Colleges and Universities

Official evaluation of transfer credits is the responsibility of the Director, Degree Completion Program, assisted by the Program's Assessment Counselor, and conducted in accordance with policies and procedures established by the faculty.
Regent University welcomes and accepts college-level work completed at other regionally accredited colleges and universities, credit earned through approved entrance level examinations (i.e., CLEP/DANTES), military credit,�� and credits from other institutions of higher learning that meet Regent University standards or with whom Regent has an articulation agreement, including institutions accredited via approved, CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation) listed accrediting bodies, such as TRACS, DETC, ACICS, and ACE. The total transfer credits to complete the degree may not exceed ninety (90), and students must complete at least thirty (30) credits at Regent in order to earn a baccalaureate degree. At least twenty-four (24) semester hours must be completed in the major field of study at Regent University. Regent University reserves the exclusive right to determine the acceptability and applicability of all transfer credits The university reserves the right to deny credit for coursework taken by the student prior to admission if it is identified and presented after transfer.
Courses in which a grade of "P" has been received are acceptable for transfer only if "Pass" represents a grade of "C" or higher, as reflected on the student's official transcript or in other official documentation received from the credit-granting institution.
Upper-division elective credits that are applicable to the OLM Program will be accepted for transfer from regionally accredited institutions or institutions accredited via approved, Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) listed accrediting bodies, such as ABA, APA, ATS, CACREP, or TEAC (these are ordinarily the same for "advanced standing").
Credit may not be transferred for courses that duplicate credit already awarded or remaining in the program.
Courses and hours are transferred, but previous grade-point average is not recorded on the student's transcript. A student's grade-point average is calculated only from courses taken at Regent University.
Courses that are considered developmental/remedial are not transferable.
Transfers of credit require official transcripts bearing the registrar's signature, institution seal, and date of issue. Documentation must be sent directly from the issuing institution to the Admissions Office at Regent University.
Students must recognize that academic advising is unofficial until an official transcript evaluation form and official degree plan have been approved. Students will be notified of the amount of credit that will transfer no later than the end of the first term of enrollment.

2. Credit transferred from non-collegiate sponsored instruction and training

CLEP/DANTES--A maximum of 30 credit hours may be earned through CLEP and DANTES. Credit will be transferred as "pass/fail" and will not be computed in the student's quality point ratio. The student must earn the minimum recommended score specified by the American Council on Education (ACE) to be awarded credit.��
Advanced Placement--Credit may be granted to students who receive a grade of three or above on the Advanced Placement Examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board. A maximum of three credits per course will be granted.��
Military Credit--Students may receive credit for documented military training and military occupational specialties that have been evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE) as specified in The Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services. All military training must be documented on official military transcripts (sent directly to the university). If one is not available, a DD214 may be substituted. The amount of credit granted for military training is evaluated on an individual basis.
ACE/PONSI--The university accepts credit from non-collegiate sponsored instruction and training programs that have been evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE) as specified in The National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs or College Recommendations: The Directory of the National Programs on Non-collegiate Sponsored Instruction.

3. Credits from International Institutions

International transcripts will be evaluated by an agency approved by Regent University that specializes in translating foreign credits into the American semester-hour system.

4. Transfer of Credit Summary

A maximum of 60 credits can be transferred from all accredited, two-year colleges.
A maximum of 30 credits can be earned through CLEP/DANTES examinations.
A maximum of 45 credits can be transferred from any combination of military credit and ACE/PONSI.
A maximum of 21 hours of occupational/technical credit from regionally accredited institutions (including community/junior colleges) will be accepted for transfer.
The total number of credits (lower- and upper-division combined) that can be transferred from all sources is 75.
The following credits are unacceptable for transfer:
- Credits for duplicate/equivalent courses
- Credits for remedial courses
- Continuing Education Units

5. Appeal

Students may appeal decisions concerning the transfer of credits. Appeals should be directed to the Director, OLM Program and must be made in writing.

Virginia Tidewater Consortium Exchange Program

Cross-registration through the Virginia Tidewater Consortium (VTC) provides students the opportunity for enriching their program by permitting students enrolled at any of the VTC institutions participating in the program to take courses at any other VTC institution. This policy applies only to regular on-campus credit courses of VTC institutions. Distance education students are not allowed to participate in this program.

Students enrolled at any VTC institution may register on a credit or audit basis for courses offered by other VTC institutions with the approval of the "home" institution. Regent University students who are enrolled full time and have an acceptable cumulative grade point average may take courses at any of the Hampton Roads campuses that are certified under the VTC Exchange Program.
When a student enrolls at one VTC "home" institution and cross-registers at a VTC "host" school, the credit earned at the "home" institution is posted on the transcript as resident credit. A VTC institution will not issue a transcript to a cross-registered student who it hosts.
The "host" institution must use the grading system of the "home" institution.
Tuition is charged by the "home" institution for a cross-registered course and tuition must be paid at that institution.
Normally, the desired course must not be currently available at the student's "home" institution. Regent students may take only up to nine hours through the VTC. Any exceptions must be made by the dean.
Students are governed by the administrative rules and regulations of the "host" institution while in attendance there.
A VTC Cross-Registration Form must be completed and signed by the appropriate people at the "home" and "host" institutions. Regent students registering for courses at any of the VTC institutions must contact Regent's Registrar's Office for the necessary paperwork.
Each "host" institution will establish its own dates for cross-registration.
The FTE credit will go to the "host" institution.
Grades are processed and released upon receipt of grades from the "host" institution.
Students enrolled in a Regent degree program may only apply VTC credits to their Regent degree program if Regent is listed as the "home" institution. (Academic Council, Approved May 1998)

Writing Skills

Effective writing skills are vital for successful academic and professional performance. Students entering Regent University must demonstrate the basic writing skills essential to build the professional writing skills expected of scholars and/or leaders in the field. Students graduating from Regent University must demonstrate the writing skills necessary to be successful scholars and/or leaders.

Initial Assessment
As a component of the admissions process, every school shall assess the writing skills of prospective students. Included in this policy is the Assessing Writing Samples Score Sheet and Rubric provided by the Center for Academic Support Services (CASS). The school may choose another means of assessment.

Correction
If the applicant is admitted into the school and demonstrates the competencies assessed by the writing skills assessment instrument, no correction of basic skills is necessary. If the applicant is admitted but did not demonstrate competencies in one or more areas of the assessment, corrective training must be provided by referring the student to CASS or to services provided by the respective school. The corrective services should be provided during the student's first semester of enrollment, or as early as is practicable.

Follow-up Assessment
Every school shall also assess writing skills necessary for graduates to be successful in their chosen fields upon graduation. If students do not possess the necessary professional writing skills, they will be referred to the CASS or to services provided by the respective school. The assessment instrument could be the one included in this policy or the school may choose another means of assessment.

Certification
Before a student's Graduation Application is approved and before the student is permitted to graduate, every school shall certify to vice president for academic affairs that the student has a verification of professional writing competency. (Academic Council, Approved March 2001) The following are forms used in the assessment and verification of students' writing competencies.

Center for Academic Support Services

Assessing Writing Samples--Master's Level Score Sheet

Applicant / Student Name ____________________________________
Date(s) of Evaluation:       __________ Admission Writing Sample
                                       __________ Course/Mid-program Writing Sample
                                       __________ Exit Writing Sample
Sample Type:                  __________ Response to Article
                                       __________ Goal Statement
                                       __________ Other

I. Paragraph Development*

Structure	6	5	4	3	2	1
Connections	6	5	4	3	2	1
Language	6	5	4	3	2	1

______________ Average Score for Part I
______________ Scorer(s) Initial(s) and Date(s)

II. Mechanics*

Clarity	6	5	4	3	2	1
Grammar	6	5	4	3	2	1
Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization	6	5	4	3	2	1

______________ Average Score for Mechanics
______________ Scorer(s) Initial(s) and Date(s)

III. Thesis Development and Critical Thinking*

Thesis	6	5	4	3	2	1
Argument	6	5	4	3	2	1
Analysis	6	5	4	3	2	1

______________ Average Score for Thesis Development and Critical Thinking
______________ Scorer(s) Initial(s) and Date(s)

IV. Organization*

Structure	6	5	4	3	2	1	0
Transitions	6	5	4	3	2	1	0

______________ Average Score for Organization
______________ Scorer(s) Initial(s) and Date(s)

Fill in scores for each area:
I. Paragraph Development          __________
II. Mechanics                             __________
III. Thesis and Critical Thinking __________
IV. Organization                        __________

Total Score: __________

* See Rubric for Assessing Writing Samples

Rubric for Assessing Writing Samples--Master's Level
Scarlato & Darling, 2000

I. Paragraph Development (Structure of each paragraph within the outline)

	6		4		2
Structure		Each paragraph has a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a summary/ transition sentence Each paragraph develops and sticks to one idea Paragraphs include compound-complex sentences		Most paragraphs have a topic sentence with supporting details in subsequent sentences Most paragraphs develop and stick to one idea Paragraphs include some complex sentences		Paragraphs lack a topic sentence or have few supporting details Paragraphs lack focus Paragraphs include no complex sentences
Connections		Sentences in each paragraph have a logical order with clear connectors to neighboring sentences		Most sentences in each paragraph have a logical order with clear connectors to neighboring sentences		Some sentences in each paragraph have a logical order with clear connectors to neighboring sentences
Language		Sentences are concise, contain vocabulary of the field, and use precise wording		Some sentences are concise, contain vocabulary of the field, and use precise wording		Sentences are wordy, don't contain vocabulary of the field, and/or use imprecise wording

II. Mechanics (Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization)

	6		4		2
Clarity		Uses complete, clear sentences and standard English throughout the paper		Uses complete, clear sentences and standard English throughout the paper		Uses incomplete and/or unclear sentences or non-standard English
Grammar		Grammar correct through extended stretches		Grammar essentially correct but with occasional stumbles		Grammar is not under control and interferes with sense
Spelling, Punctuation, Capitalization		Few, if any, spelling, punctuation, capitalization errors Consistent formatting throughout the paper		Some spelling, punctuation, or capitalization errors (generally no more than 1-2 per word-processed page) Consistent formatting throughout most of the paper		Many spelling, punctuation, or capitalization errors (3 or more per word-processed page) Careless formatting throughout the paper

III. Thesis Development and Critical Thinking (Thesis Development: The development and presentation of a proposition [plan or scheme] supported by argument; Critical Thinking: The act of examining, analyzing, and evaluating information followed by the drawing of accurate conclusions)

	6		4		2
Thesis		Thesis is relevant to the assigned article Expressed ideas are relevant to the central thesis		Thesis is relevant to the assigned article but could be more clearly stated Most of the ideas expressed are relevant		Unclear or absent thesis or not relevant to the assigned article Most of the essential ideas are omitted
Argument		Logical argument is present; steps in the argument are linked and coherent Writer explains sufficient background to the reader Writer builds a case and supports it with facts and examples Writer summarizes thoroughly		Logical argument is present but steps in the argument are not always linked Writer builds a case and supports it with some facts and examples but more could have been expressed Accurate summary of information is present		Argument is illogical or difficult to follow Argument is not sufficiently supported by facts and examples Summary content is not thorough or is inaccurate
Analysis		Writer draws logical conclusions Evidence of creative and original thought is present		Writer draws logical conclusions Adequate, sometimes original information is given, suggesting an understanding of the content		Writer draws illogical or inaccurate conclusions Little or no attempt to analyze the subject

IV. Organization (Structure of each paragraph within the outline)

Structure

Writer sticks to the point and links to previous points or arguments
Paper is effectively organized
Paper has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion

Most of the time the writer sticks to the point

Paper is organized

Paper has a clear beginning, middle, and end

Statements made do not connect back to thesis

Organizational structure is unclear or absent

Paper lacks a clear beginning, middle, and end

Transitions

Transitions between paragraphs and sections are present

Transitions between paragraphs and sections are usually present

Transitions between paragraphs or sections are usually absent

GENERAL ACADEMIC AND UNIVERSITY POLICIES

Academic Regalia

1. Proper Usage

The use of academic regalia is a time-honored tradition that can be traced back to the twelfth century when universities were beginning to form in Europe. By the late nineteenth century, standards for academic dress in American universities began to emerge. The policy of Regent University is to conform to the standards of academic dress detailed in the An Academic Costume Code and An Academic Ceremony Guide (1986) most recently updated and published by the American Council on Education (ACE). A copy of these guidelines is available online at http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=10625 .

As a general rule, members of the faculty and administration participating in ceremonies in which regalia may be worn should wear the appropriate academic attire according to their highest academic degree attained. However, one notable exception in the ACE guidelines concerns regalia worn by members of an institution's governing board. Members of the board may wear doctor's gowns but their hoods must reflect the degrees actually held by the wearer. Additionally, members of the faculty or administration who have received honorary degrees may wear the regalia appropriate for that degree.

2. Purchase or rental assistance

The university will assist at a rate of 75 percent up to a maximum of $250 (one-time only) toward the cost of robes, hoods, and caps for faculty and professional staff members. Individuals wishing to purchase academic regalia should contact the Registrar's Office for information on how to order. The employee will pay for the regalia and then submit an expense report for reimbursement up to $250 to the Business Office. Other items such as velvet tam caps, wardrobe bags, and extra tassels are available if the employee wishes to purchase without university assistance

At the discretion of the dean of the school (or department head), regalia may also be rented (in lieu of purchase) by faculty and provided for by the individual school/department of the faculty/professional staff member.

Archives

The university Archives serve as a repository of official records and other university related materials. The Archives are housed in the University Library and directed by the special collections librarian under the supervision of the dean of library.

The standing Library Advisory Committee includes Archives as one of the library functions about which it will offer advice. The special collections librarian will be invited to committee meetings whenever archives will be an agenda item. Advice is given regarding identification, retention, preservation and use of archival records and manuscripts.

The university administration, including deans and department heads, aid in identification and collection of the official university records that should be retained and preserved in the Archives and shall follow the procedure outlined below:

Collect and preserve historical and current publications and reports of the university.
Assess space needs for retention and preservation of university records.
Use a classification system most suitable to the access of university archival materials.
Establish guidelines for university staff maintaining files to determine the length of record retention, and those to be either destroyed, transferred to intermediate storage or to the archives.
Provide preservation, conservation and repair of records when necessary to insure their longevity and future use.
Publicize the collection and provide reference service to university students and staff, as well as other researchers.
Develop communication with other Christian archival collections. (Academic Council, Approved December 1990)

Certificates

Regent University defines a certificate as a document that is issued for seminars, workshops or courses not leading to a diploma (with the exception of the Certificate of Advance Graduate Study approved by the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia). There are several types of certificates that are defined below.

Certificate of attendance is issued at the close of a seminar or workshop. Usually, no specific requirements need to be met.
Certificate of continuing education (noncredit) is issued upon completion of a course or sequence of courses designed to provide a continuing education experience, often in a specific profession or vocation. The requirements for continuing education units (CEUs) are in the Conferences, Seminars and Workshops policy.

Certificate in a field of study (credit) is issued upon completion of a coherent sequence of courses that represents at least nine credit hours of content with a satisfactory grade point average consistent with university requirements. Prior approval for the establishment of any such certificate program must be given by the Office of Academic Affairs. (Academic Council, Approved February 2000)

Commencement Participation of Staff

All exempt employees are eligible to participate in the commencement procession. However, exempt employees other than full-time members of the teaching faculty and senior administration staff may choose not to participate in the procession. If exempt employees wish to participate, it is their responsibility to notify the Registrar's Office of their desire to do so.

The official commencement procession includes the following: chancellor, president, vice presidents, full-time teaching and professional library faculty, adjunct faculty (as determined by the schools) and full-time exempt employees choosing to participate. The president determines the procession for the platform. (Academic Council, Approved March 1996)

Conferences, Seminars and Workshops

Seminars and workshops offered by Regent University, both of which can be taken for variable credit, are offered to students as an enhancement to their education experience.

Seminars (585) offer an opportunity for in-depth study and discussion of various specific topics related to each school. The format may include faculty and/or student presentations, guest speakers or a combination of these.

Workshops (589) provide an opportunity for students to gain "hands-on" experience where theory and knowledge of a particular area are combined with practical applications, all within a classroom environment.

All seminars and workshops offered for credit are coordinated with the Registrar's Office and should be listed in the published course schedule for the applicable term. Instructors who want to offer a seminar or workshop for credit must:

Obtain the dean's approval prior to the event.
Submit all seminars or workshops to the Registrar's Office with the other courses to be offered that term for publication in the semester course schedule listing.
Submit grades to the dean's office at the end of the term when other grades are due.

If a specific seminar or workshop becomes a regularly scheduled course, it shall be assigned a regular course number.

Not for Graduate Credit

Following is the procedure for planning conferences, seminars or workshops not for graduate credit:

At least two months in advance, the instructor shall submit the following to the dean for her/his approval: a syllabus, a proposed schedule, contact hours, estimated attendance and a CEU approval petition.
The dean considers the content of the event, determines its consistency with the mission of the school and the university, the financial arrangements and the event's cost effectiveness.
The dean forwards the material to the vice president for academic affairs for approval.
If approved, the vice president for academic affairs forwards the material to the Registrar's Office for scheduling.
If the event is on campus, the Registrar's Office schedules a classroom and notifies the instructor of classroom location within one week after receiving the approved request, unless course schedules have not been established for the coinciding term. If a conflict arises with a regularly scheduled class, attempts will be made to resolve the conflict but priority will be given to the regular class. If no other rooms are available, an alternate time and/or day will be selected for the requested workshop or seminar.
Continuing education units (CEUs) may be offered for the event. If the event is for CEU, the Registrar's Office provides CEU criteria to the instructor. One CEU will be awarded for 10 contact hours of participation.
Before publishing brochures or advertising for the event, the instructor must obtain approval for the event, submit assurance that CEU criteria is being met and necessary facilities are scheduled.
Registration is the responsibility of the school. The Registrar's Office provides the instructor with registration forms at least 30 days before the first session. The school administers registration, collects fees and forwards fees and accounting sheet to the Business Office. The cost of the event should not exceed the registration income.
If CEU's are awarded, the Registrar's Office provides participant forms, a class form and a course/activity form to the instructor five days in advance of the first session.
Upon completion of the session, the instructor obtains a participant form from each student, completes class form and submits all forms to the Registrar's Office.
The Registrar's Office reviews all participant forms and the class form for completeness, sends forms to the Business Office and the Business Office submits forms and check to the American Council on Education Registries. Participants may request a transcript of their continuing education units at any time from the American Council on Education Registries, 1 Dupont Circle, Suite 250, Washington, DC 20036.
The Registrar's Office prepares a CEU certificate for each eligible participant, obtains signature of the instructor and distributes certificates to participants.
The Registrar's Office provides a copy of the record verification/feedback to the appropriate dean's office. (Academic Council, Approved March 1998)

Intellectual Property Rights

University employees retain all intellectual property rights that would otherwise exist in their favor for any work of any kind produced during their term of employment, except as specified below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the University shall have the right to use any "Institutional work" of any kind produced by a University employee, without the payment of royalties or other additional compensation pursuant to section 2 below.
For purposes of this policy, an "Institutional Work" is a work created at the oral or written instigation of the University, under the specific direction of the University, or for the University's use, including any materials, course-related or otherwise, distributed to students; or any work that is specified to be an "Institutional Work" in a written agreement between the University and an employee. In the event that the University provides Support in the creation of the work, the work shall fall within the definition of an "Institutional Work" and the University shall have the right to use the work in perpetuity, without the requirement of paying additional compensation to the employee. For purposes hereof, "Support" shall mean any aid or assistance, whether monetary or not, and including without limitation clerical or research support, offices, supplies, or if the work is created while the employee is receiving compensation from the University.
For any "Institutional Work," the ownership of intellectual property rights shall be allocated in a written agreement between the University and the employee who created the work. Failure to do so will result in the employee's retaining all intellectual property rights in the work, subject to the University's right of use granted in paragraph 2 above.
The following works are considered to be Institutional Works, and all intellectual property rights in these specified works are vested solely in the University: those constituent parts of a course necessary for the continuation of its teaching, including syllabi, websites, electronic or written media, and Blackboard applications.

Sale of Teaching Materials Produced by Faculty Members

Faculty members may include material that they have written in "coursepacks" which are reproduced by Copy Services and sold for the price of reproduction at the University Bookstore, and they may prepare their own materials for sale in the University Bookstore. These materials must be approved for sale by the department chair or associate/assistant dean of academics in each school. Because of the issues of possible conflict of interest, faculty members, departments and schools are not permitted to charge or receive royalties for course materials, either print or electronic, they have written or developed themselves except as provided below for commercially produced books and other media. Course materials sold by other vendors other than the University Bookstore must also be approved by the department chair or associate/assistant dean of academics in each school, and faculty members and schools are also not permitted to charge royalties for these materials.
A faculty member who believes that there is a justification for receiving royalty fees for materials s/he has generated must write to his/her chair or associate/assistant dean of academics, explaining how much royalty is to be charged, who will receive it, and what the justification for the royalty is. The chair/or associate/assistant dean of academics reviews the request and, if approval is given, sends the request on to the dean. If approval (which is only given in extraordinary cases) is given by both the chair/or associate/assistant dean of academics and the dean, the faculty member may receive royalties for the sale of these materials. As a general rule, a faculty member should not receive royalties or other compensation for materials that they author which are used in a course. If royalties are to be paid to a faculty member, it shall require the prior approval of the dean and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. This policy also covers faculty members who self-publish their own textbooks or electronic media. The University Bookstore is not permitted to pay royalties to a faculty member without receiving copies of the approval from the chair/or associate/assistant dean of academics and the dean.
This policy also applies to course materials sold at vendors other than the University Bookstore.
If departments seek royalties on materials, they must seek approval from the dean.
If schools seek royalties on materials, they must seek approval from the Office of Academic Affairs.
The policy described above does not cover commercially published textbooks or other media written or produced by Regent faculty members. Those texts and media are handled by the normal process of textbook orders and are sold through the University Bookstore in the normal way and the publishers may pay royalties to the authors without the university's approval. Used published materials produced by faculty members should be sold in the University Bookstore in exactly the same way that used texts or media of non-faculty members are handled. Ordinarily no royalties are paid to faculty members for the sale of used texts.

Most importantly, faculty members, departments and schools have an ethical obligation to choose materials for student use solely on the basis of educational criteria without regard to financial gain or other incentives, personal or collective. Cf., "On Professors Assigning Their Own Texts to Students" (American Association of University Professors http://www.aaup.org/aaup/pubsres/policydocs/) (Academic Council, Approved January 2006)

Course and Classroom Scheduling

The dean determines the courses to be offered in each school for each academic term and makes the necessary teaching assignments for each course. In accordance with the procedures of the Registrar's Office, the dean recommends to the Registrar's Office the appropriate time and place for each course. The assignment of class time and classroom is made by the Registrar's Office consistent with each dean's recommendations whenever possible and as required by appropriate accrediting agencies. Once the course schedule is submitted to the Registrar's Office, any changes in teaching assignments, courses offered and time offered must be authorized by the dean. Any changes in classroom assignment, including class times, must be authorized by the Registrar's Office. Changes made after the first week of classes should be avoided.

Campus rooms for classroom instruction are scheduled at the beginning of each semester. These rooms should not be scheduled for any other events or classes during the semester unless such a change has been approved by the registrar and the vice president for finance and administration. (Academic Council, Approved May 1998)

Degree Programs

Degree programs offered by Regent University must be approved by the university's Board of Trustees. The university academic structure consists of the School of Communication and the Arts, the School of Divinity, the School of Education, School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship, the Robertson School of Government, the School of Law, the School of Psychology and Counseling, the School of Undergraduate Studies. Each unit is administered by a dean or director who is responsible for the unit's overall program. Following are the units and authorized degree programs among the schools:

Communication and the Arts (COM)

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Animation
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Cinema-Television
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Theatre
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Journalism
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Theatre
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Acting
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Communication

Divinity (DIV)

Master of Arts (M.A.) Biblical Studies
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Missiology
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Practical Theology
Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Renewal Studies

Education (EDU)

Master of Education (M.Ed.)
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS)
Career Switcher Certificate (CS)
Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S.)
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Education

Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship (GLE)

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Management
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Organizational Leadership (MOL)
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Strategic Foresight
Certificate of Graduate Studies in Leadership (CGS)
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Organizational Leadership
Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL)

Government (RSG)

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Government
Graduate Certificate Program

Law (LAW)

Juris Doctor (J.D.)
Masters of Laws (LL.M.) in American Legal Studies

Psychology & Counseling (SPC)

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Counseling
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Human Services Counseling (non-clinical)
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS)
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Counselor Education & Supervision

Undergraduate Studies (RSU)

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biblical and Theological Studies*
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Christian Ministry*
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Communication
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Government
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History*
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Religious Studies

-

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Business
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Criminal Justice*
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Information Systems Technology*
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Interdisciplinary Studies
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mathematics*
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Organizational Leadership and Management
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology

-

Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Accounting
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Business
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Christian Studies
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Criminal Justice*
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in General Studies
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in History*
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Human Resource Management
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in International Business
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Information Systems*
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Leadership
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Marketing
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Production/Quality
Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Psychology

*Pending SACS approval. [Updated 1 June 2009]

Graduate Assistantships

Description
The graduate assistantship is intended to be an integral and valuable part of the graduate student's education. It should be viewed as an apprenticeship in teaching, research or administrative service. It should be a learning experience for the graduate student, facilitate completing degree requirements, help prepare for a professional career and support the university's teaching, research and administrative needs.

Categories of Graduate Assistants

Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA): The appointee is expected to directly participate in teaching activities-such as teaching a course or holding responsibility for a laboratory section-or be assigned to activities related to instructional support. GTAs should be given a written job description.
Graduate Research Assistant (GRA): The appointee is expected to directly participate in research-support activities conducted by faculty members or administrators. When possible, GRAs should be given a written job description.
Special Doctoral Research Assistant (SDRA): The appointee shall be a doctoral student who directly participates in research and maintains full-time graduate enrollment status.
Graduate Assistant (GA): The appointee is expected to provide administrative, clerical or service-related activities that support academic or administrative units.

Eligibility

Only students admitted to degree programs on regular or provisional status, on the basis of complete and fully evaluated credentials and in good academic standing as determined by the academic unit, are eligible for appointment as graduate assistants.
Applicants for GTA appointments must demonstrate written and oral fluency in the English language. For international students, a good command of written English will be evidenced by acceptable TOEFL scores and required entrance essays. Nondegree graduate students are not eligible for appointment.
GTAs may teach master's-level courses if they possess a master's degree appropriate to the area being taught. GTAs for doctoral-level programs-who will have significant responsibility for teaching a course for credit, conducting discussion groups and/or assigning final grades-must be under the direct supervision of a regular faculty member experienced in the teaching field, receive regular in-service training, be regularly evaluated and have earned at least 18 graduate semester hours toward her/his doctorate. These requirements do not apply to GTAs who are assigned responsibilities such as attending or helping to prepare lectures, grading papers and keeping class records.
All graduate assistants are required to verify their identity and employment eligibility and conform to the requirements issued by the Office of Human Resources.
All graduate assistants are required to be enrolled each semester of their appointment and must be making reasonable progress toward completion of this degree.

Application
Application forms for graduate assistants are available in the school dean's office. The student completes the form, writes a brief essay discussing academic interests and career goals and submits it to the appropriate individual or office. Applications for GRA positions funded through grants are made through the faculty member who is the principal investigator, or dean of the school, college or center in which the grant resides. Applications should be received no later than 30 days before the semester of employment in order to assure adequate time for processing. Regent University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.

Appointment
Graduate assistant appointments are generally made for a period of one academic year with a nine-month performance period. Graduate assistants funded through a grant or contract may be appointed for shorter periods if required by the conditions of the grant or contract. Appointments may be divided between teaching and research duties with the approval of the dean. Such an appointment should not normally exceed the equivalent of a half-time assistantship. An appointment may be renewed upon nomination, review of qualifications and satisfactory previous performance. Prior to or upon appointment, a written job description should be given to the graduate assistant. Graduate assistants shall be assigned responsibilities appropriate to their job title. For a GTA, the workload should include no more than six credit hours of classroom teaching, plus normal preparation time.

Training
Schools are encouraged to develop their own follow-up programs for training GTAs. Such programs should be tailored to the specific needs of the discipline and department policies. The Center for Teaching and Learning(CTL) is available to assist in the development of these programs, at the request of the deans. Adjuncts and GTAs will also be introduced and encouraged to take advantage of the CTL's online faculty development resources and may participate in the CTL's faculty development activities, upon the approval of their dean.

Evaluation and Monitoring
Performance is evaluated at least once during the period of the award by the faculty member or administrator to whom the graduate assistant is assigned, preferably before the end of the first semester of service is completed. The evaluation is discussed with the assistant and a copy forwarded to the appropriate dean or director. A faculty mentor certified through the Master Instructor Program (MIP) could coach a GTA to increased levels of instructional proficiency as the evaluations warrant. This applies to nontraditional and traditional teaching situations.

Departments using GTAs are required to conduct the following evaluations during the initial semester of appointment, and at least once a year thereafter.

Initial Class Visit: The department chair or her/his designee (preferably a certified MIP teacher who could be assigned an appropriate teaching load based on this activity) will attend representative recitation, laboratory or lecture class at the earliest possible time.
Evaluation of Instructional Quality: The evaluator will conduct an oral evaluation of the GTA's presentation, indicating strengths and weaknesses.
Preliminary Written Evaluation: At the time of the oral evaluation, the evaluator will give a brief written evaluation to the GTA and forward it to the academic unit. The evaluation should include subject content, communication skills, overall teaching effectiveness and suggestions for improvement.
Evaluation: At some point after mid-term, the evaluator may want to make a follow-up visit to the GTA's class. A follow-up visit should be made for GTAs who were evaluated as performing poorly on the first visit or for further evaluations of GTAs being considered for a teaching award. After this visit, the evaluator will make a written evaluation of teaching effectiveness, forwarding that evaluation to the dean or director. The evaluation will state whether overall teaching effectiveness was judged to: be exceptional, meet expectations or need improvement, with explanations to justify the evaluation in all of the categories.

Funding
All categories of graduate assistants may be funded through the regular university budget process. However, funding may also be obtained through grants, contracts and local sources to provide salary stipends for graduate assistants.

Salary
The university establishes salaries. Some graduate assistants are compensated via assistantship awards rather than by hourly rates. Awards are only given for research and academic-related projects. These awards may vary in amounts depending on the conditions of the award.

Termination
A graduate assistantship normally ends when the period of appointment is concluded and the terms of the assistantship agreement are fulfilled. Otherwise, a graduate assistant may be terminated for the following reasons:

Student resigns: Resignation shall be in writing to the supervisor with a copy to the appropriate department chair, program director and associate/assistant dean of academics or equivalent administrator.
Student fails to adequately perform assigned duties: Termination must be recommended by the student's supervisor and approved by the department chair, graduate program director and the appropriate associate/assistant dean of academics or equivalent administrator.
Student fails to remain in good academic standing in accordance with graduate study continuance regulations.
Grant or contract funding position expires.

Any overpayment must be reimbursed to the university by the student as soon as possible after termination. Failure to repay the amount owed may result in legal action against the student for recovery.

If a student resigns from an assistantship or is terminated for reasons other than the completion of the appointment or expiration of the funding contract, the program director notifies the appropriate dean or administrator as soon as possible and nominate a replacement if necessary.

Oversight
Academic Council has administrative responsibility over the schools as it relates to this policy. As such, any information, forms, training materials and other documents developed and used by the schools, as required by this policy, should be sent to the vice president for academic affairs for her/his and/or Academic Council's review and approval. Schools submit an annual report in June to Academic Council, through the vice president for academic affairs, that includes an executive summary of the school's use of GTAs and recommendations for improvement to procedure or policy. Academic Council's role is to ensure university conformity to the policy and procedures. (Academic Council, Revision Approved April 2000)

Honorary Degrees

Regent University confers honorary degrees for the purpose of recognizing selected individuals whose life and work have exemplified, in outstanding fashion, the values and ideals that the community espouses. Recognition of outstanding scholars, authors, artists and leaders-national and international-should be primarily considered. Individuals whose contributions are principally local or regional are generally not considered. When such an individual is recommended, we encourage the nominator to seek appropriate recognition or honor from institutions operating in the geographic area in which the one nominated has made her/his greatest contribution.

Qualities of the Nominee

The nominee should have achieved some distinction that can command widespread admiration. Most nominations go to individuals who have achieved extraordinary levels of success and visibility, and through these accomplishments have contributed to the assembling of God's kingdom.
The candidate's life and qualities should exemplify the spiritual and intellectual goals of the institution.
The candidate should be clearly outstanding, distinguished and recognized by the discipline and university community for accomplishments and service in the public good. Formal academic achievement is a desired, but not a necessary qualification.
The accomplishments for which an individual is awarded an honorary degree may be in any of several dimensions, but they should exemplify one or more of the university's values.

Policy

Candidates should be nominated by the university chancellor, the president, a member of the Board of Trustees or a faculty member. Students and those outside the university community may suggest candidates to a faculty member. Honorary degrees should not be considered for a current faculty member, current student, employee of the university or any person on active duty in the university.
Candidates nominated by the chancellor or a member of the Board of Trustees will be automatically considered by the Board of Trustees for final decision.
A candidate nominated by someone other than the chancellor, the president, or a member of the Board of Trustees should be evaluated by the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate will make a recommendation to the president. The president will evaluate the candidate and offer a recommendation to the Board of Trustees.
The nominator should provide supporting documentation to the Faculty Senate, who will evaluate the candidate and offer a recommendation to the president, who will then determine whether to submit the recommendation to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
Ordinarily, no more than one honorary degree should be granted in any one academic year.
The honorary degree to be awarded any candidate will be entitled the Doctor of Arts, Doctor of Science, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Divinity, Doctor of Humane Letters or Doctor of Humanities.

Procedure

1. Nominations can be submitted at any time during the year and should be sent to the chairperson of the Faculty Senate. Ordinarily, all names should be submitted to the chairperson one month prior to the fall meeting of the Board of Trustees for degrees that are to be awarded at the subsequent spring graduation.

2. The nominator should submit the following supporting documentation:

A letter of nomination from the president, a Board of Trustees member or a member of the faculty. This letter should address those specific contributions that distinguish the candidate as an individual worthy of an honorary degree.
Curriculum vitae, including the candidate's educational background, a list of publications or creative efforts, a list of positions held, honors received, etc.
A short (one-page maximum) narrative that includes an abbreviated version of the material requested in a. and b. above, which will be submitted to the Faculty Senate for review.
Two letters of recommendation or support from within the university from senior professors, distinguished scholars and/or administrators, who have knowledge of the individual or who have reviewed the candidate's record and have determined if the candidate's achievements are consistent with the university mission and are worthy of consideration for an honorary doctorate.
Two letters of recommendation from distinguished scholars, artists or leaders from outside the university who can speak to the significance of the candidate's work or contribution.
Any other materials that the nominator would like to bring to the attention of the Faculty Senate. Note: It is important for all involved that strict confidentiality be observed at each step to avoid embarrassment until the entire process is completed and the nominee has formally agreed to accept the honor.

3. The Faculty Senate will then conduct a formal evaluation of the documentation and submit findings to the president who will determine whether to make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees.

4. Upon approval of the Board of Trustees, the nominee becomes an official candidate for an honorary degree. After approval, the president will contact the candidate to offer the honorary doctorate.

5. If the candidate accepts, the doctorate will be conferred, in person, at the time of commencement ceremony, or in a rare instance, at another special occasion, within two years following approval by the trustees. No honorary degrees will be awarded in absentia. (Academic Council, Approved November 1997; revised 11-Sep-07)

Sexual Harassment

Policy
It is Regent University's policy to provide students and employees with an environment for learning and working that is free of sexual harassment whether by members of the same sex or opposite sex. University administrators and supervisors are responsible for assuring that effective measures are taken to implement this policy's procedures.

It is a violation of this policy for any member of the university community to seek gain, advancement or consideration in return for sexual favors, or to make an intentionally false accusation of sexual harassment. It is a violation of this policy for any member of the university to engage in verbal or physical sexual harassment.

Any person who feels offended by the behavior of any other person in the Regent community is encouraged to resolve the problem informally prior to filing a complaint according to the enforcement procedures below.

Any person who has been accused of sexual harassment pursuant to the terms of this policy, who retaliates against her/his accuser in any manner, shall be charged with violating this policy. Any member of this university community who is found in violation of this policy will be subject to appropriate sanctions, which may include discharge, expulsion or probation.

Definitions
"Work," for the purposes of this policy, means employment-related activities carried out by university employees and university-sponsored activities carried out by volunteers.

"Member of the university community," means student or employee, or an alumnus or volunteer involved in any university-sponsored activity.
"Sexual harassment" is defined as unwelcomed and unsolicited conduct of a sexual nature, physical or verbal, by a member of the university community of the opposite sex or same sex.

Procedure

1. Any member of the university community who believes that s/he has experienced sexual harassment as defined in this policy should immediately notify her/his immediate supervisor, dean or department head, the vice president for student services or the director of human resources.

2. Complaints of sexual harassment must be filed with the vice president for student services or the director of human resources within 180 days from the date the alleged harassment occurred. The complainant shall explain, in writing, the nature of the harassment and indicate what remedy s/he seeks.

3. The dean/director shall forward a copy of the complaint and a copy of this policy to the accused member of the university community and the appropriate supervisor/administrator advising them that an investigation of charges will be conducted.

4. If the supervisor/administrator is involved in the charge, the vice president for student services/director of human resources should choose another appropriate supervisor/administrator.

5. The supervisor/administrator, working with the dean/director, shall promptly and confidentially investigate the complaint. In determining whether the alleged conduct constitutes sexual harassment, the supervisor/administrator will look at the record as a whole and at the totality of the circumstances, such as the nature of the sexual conduct, the context in which the conduct occurred and the history of the relationship between the parties.

6. During the investigation, the individual accused of sexual harassment must be given an opportunity to respond, either orally or in writing, to the complaint.

7. After the investigation of the complaint, the supervisor/administrator may propose mediation in order to secure a written agreement that satisfies all parties to the complaint. (See Mediation Agreement in the Appendix.) A resolution by agreement of the parties may include the imposition of a sanction upon the accused individual, which the accused individual agrees to accept as a sanction.

8. If such an agreement is reached, a copy of the agreement shall be provided to each of the parties involved and the vice president for student services or director of human resources.

9. If, within 30 days of the supervisor/administrator's receipt of a complaint, the complaint is not resolved, the vice president for student services or director of human resources shall notify the parties, in writing, that the matter cannot be resolved and shall advise the complainant of her/his right to proceed with the charge.

10. If the complainant desires to proceed with the charge, the record of the complaint shall be provided to a committee appointed by the vice president for academic affairs in consultation with the director of human resources. The committee will be composed of two deans and three representatives from the university community of faculty, staff or students, depending on the individuals involved.

11. The committee shall hear testimony and evidence from both parties and shall make a finding regarding the truthfulness of the charge(s).

a. If the charge is proven true, the committee shall make a recommendation regarding sanctions, if appropriate. The imposition of sanctions shall occur in accordance with applicable university disciplinary and sanction procedures. The sanctions that may be imposed by the committee shall include, but not be limited to: censure/reprimand, demotion, suspension without pay or recommendation for termination.
b. If the charge is proven false, all references to the charge shall be expunged from the records of the accused.
c. If the charge is found to be false and malicious, the matter should be referred to the vice president for academic affairs for further action.

12. The final decision rests with the president acting on behalf of the Board of Trustees. (Academic Council, Revision Approved January 2000)

Faculty/Staff-Student Relationships

It is misconduct for faculty-(whether regular, part-time or adjunct), or academic staff members to have an amorous relationship, whether face to face, or by written, or by any electronic means, with students in any instance. For purposes of this policy, academic staff members are those in a position to have oversight and/or power over students within an academic context, such as deans, associate/assistant deans, as well as the staff of Academic Affairs, Academic Services, the Business Office, and certain Student Services staff (e.g. International Student Director). Students, faculty, and academic staff members are to avoid dual relationships that compromise the instruction, advising, evaluation, supervision, and administration processes.

In addition, Regent University discourages amorous (romantic or sexual) relationships between students and other staff. When one of the individuals involved has direct professional influence or direct authority over the other, or otherwise a conflict of interest exists, both the University and the person in the position of influence and power are vulnerable to charges of sexual harassment from the person in the position of lesser power and/or by third parties. In situations of a conflict of interest, amorous relations are also prohibited. Codes of ethics for most professional associations forbid professional-client sexual relationships and the relationships enumerated above should be viewed in this context.

In the case of instructor and student, for example, the respect and trust accorded the instructor by the student, as well as the power exercised by the instructor in giving grades, advice, evaluations, and recommendations for further study and future employment, may greatly diminish the student's actual freedom of choice concerning a romantic or sexual relationship. The integrity of the faculty-student relationship is the foundation of the University's educational mission. This relationship vests considerable trust in the faculty member, who, in turn, bears authority and accountability as mentor, educator, and evaluator. The unequal institutional power inherent in this relationship heightens the vulnerability of the student and the potential for coercion. The pedagogical relationship between faculty member and student must be protected from influences or activities that can interfere with learning consistent with the goals and ideals of the University. Whenever a faculty member is responsible for academic supervision of a student, a personal relationship between them of a romantic or sexual nature, even if consensual, is inappropriate. Any such relationship jeopardizes the integrity of the educational process.

Faculty and staff members should avoid such liaisons, which can harm affected students, and damage the spiritual and academic integrity of the institution. An amorous relationship exists when, without the benefit of marriage, two persons as consenting partners (a) have a sexual union or (b) engage in romantic partnering or courtship that may or may not have been consummated sexually.

It is misconduct subject to disciplinary action for the above stated behavior(s) to occur. It is also misconduct subject to disciplinary action to make a charge of violation of this policy, which has no reasonable basis in fact.

While it is impossible to enumerate situations in which professionalism may be compromised, faculty and staff members, as well as students, are required to refrain from any conduct that may create a semblance of impropriety. Students should report improper relationships to their Program Director and/or to the Dean. It is not a defense to a charge of misconduct that the conduct was consensual or instigated by the other party. [NOTE: Faculty Grievance against a Student Policy in the Student Operations section] (Academic Council, Approved January 2006; amended February 2006)

Speakers on Campus

Policy
Regent University is a private Christian university that values the sharing of knowledge, the search for truth and the social intellectual and spiritual development of students. Free inquiry and free expression are essential to learning. An atmosphere in which one can ask questions and evaluate divergent points of view is promoted. The university is committed to an open expression of views that challenge us to more effectively fulfill our Christian responsibilities in society.

The university reserves the right to authorize to speak on campus only those speakers who, in some way, will contribute to the mission and vision of the university, and who agree in advance to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with traditional Christian values. This includes avoiding profane language, potentially slanderous statements, advocacy of violent change or overthrow of the government.

Procedure

Any university-recognized group may invite and sponsor speakers to appear before its group with the approval of the advisor. Recognized student organizations are not authorized to present programs to all-university audiences unless they receive specific approval from the vice president for student services. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the vice president for student services.
The vice president for student services may prescribe conditions for the conduct of a speaker if there is reason to believe that such person or persons may behave in a manner inconsistent with the Christian tenets of the institution.
An event open to an all-university audience shall generally be defined as one that is promoted as being open to persons who are not members of the sponsoring organizations.
The vice president for student services should be contacted if there are questions about the advisability of inviting a speaker to campus.
The arrangements for a speaker, the conduct of the speaker on campus and the appropriateness of the activity are the concern of both the inviting group and the university. The privilege to invite speakers carries with it important responsibilities to ensure that the proper objectives of the university are not compromised.
The university reserves the right to cancel any event it deems likely to cause an interruption in the university's orderly activities. The president or her/his duly authorized representative may order an event to be terminated on grounds that it constitutes a disruptive activity. Any member of the faculty or staff or any student who resists such an order shall be subject to disciplinary action.
A recognized student organization that sponsors a speaker at an off-campus site may not use the Regent University name or logo nor may they infer directly or indirectly that it is a university sponsored event without the approval of the vice president for student services.
Approval of speakers to speak on campus does not necessarily imply approval or sponsorship of their views by the university or by the organization inviting them. (Academic Council, Approved November 1995)

Student Records Retention
This policy provides guidelines for the retention and disposal of student records and to ensure the physical security of those records.

Student Records Committee

1. The Student Records Committee is a standing committee whose members include the registrar, vice president for student services, vice president of information technology, vice president for finance and administration, bursar and archivist. The registrar serves as chairman of the committee.

2. Duties include:

For various departments: supervise the initial records inventory; review and update records inventory forms annually; and determine the academic, administrative, fiscal, legal and historical research value of maintained student data/documents.
Develop and publish a retention and disposal schedule that is in compliance with local, state and federal laws and consistent with fair information practices.
          1) Review the schedule periodically; recommend appropriate changes to
           Academic Council for approval.
          2) Ensure that all departments adhere to the schedule.
Ensure that valuable records and documents are adequately protected and maintained; recommend a back-up system for records maintained for five or more years.
Designate a committee member(s) to monitor the legislative impact of records retention and record keeping practices.

Records Security Procedure

1. Confidential records must be stored to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access. This includes both hard copy and computer-generated records.

2. Back-up files (microfiche) of student records should be made.

New Student Files (registered students)
Each school must send their new student hard copy files for each term, sometime during that term, to the Registrar's Office for microfiching by the following dates:
Fall               November 1
Spring           March 1
Summer        July 1
The Registrar's Office contacts the school registration representatives to remind them to send a list of all registered students for that term to their admissions office. The school's admissions office sends the hard copy file to the Registrar's Office for microfiching. All documents in the files are microfiched and returned to the schools within 30 days. For joint degree students, the original transcripts from other institutions are returned to the school to which the student originally applied.

Other original documents sent to the Registrar's Office for microfiching include:

Academic petitions
Academic probation/dismissal and disciplinary letters (copies)
Add/drop forms (only when a student has withdrawn from the university)
Advanced standing/transfer of credit forms
Degree clearance forms
Grade change and grade extension forms
Joint degree forms
Letters requesting student information
Right of access letters
Transcripts from other schools/universities
Any other documents deemed important to the student's file

3. Back-up files (such as microfilms or electronic magnetic tape) should be retained for five or more years and stored in a separate location from the original.

4. Confidentiality of confidential records should be maintained until the records are destroyed.

5. If the university ceases to operate or approval to operate in Virginia is revoked, the university would consider a number of options for the preservation of student transcripts by another institution or agency and make a decision that would be in the best interests of its former students.

Retention Schedule
Following is a list of documents with the retention period for file hard copies. Microfilm records are retained permanently by the Registrar's Office.

Admissions Data/Documents for Applicants Who Do Not Enter

Acceptance Letters	3 yrs after application term
Applicant Data Form (green sheet)	"
Application for Admission	"
Correspondence, Relevant	"
Entrance Test Scores	"
Interview Forms	"
Letters of Recommendation	"
Personal Goals Statement	"
Transcripts--other colleges	"

Admissions Data/Documents for Applicants Who Enter

Acceptance Letters	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Applicant Data Form (green sheet)	"
Applications for Admission	"

Correspondence, Relevant	"
Entrance Test Scores (GRE, LSAT, etc.)	"
Interview Forms	"

Letters of Recommendation	"

Personal Goals Statement	"

Transcripts--other colleges	"

Registration and Records Data/Documents

Academic action authorizations (dismissal, etc.)	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Degree clearance authorization forms	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Applications for readmission	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Audit authorization	1 yr after date submitted
Change of advisor forms	1 yr after date submitted
Change of course (add/drop)	5 yrs after date submitted
Change of grade forms (update documents)	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Course rosters (original grade sheets)	5 yrs after date submitted
Correspondence, Relevant	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Curriculum change (Academic Petition, change of schools, etc.)	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Degree audit records (ADP)	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Disciplinary action documents (Maintained by Student Services	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Financial aid documents	3 years after date of last attendance
Foreign student forms (I-20, etc.) (Maintained by Student Services)	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Graduation lists	Computer reports available anytime
Hold or encumbrance authorizations	Until released
Name change authorizations	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Personal data information forms	1 yr after date submitted
Registration forms (course in other school)	1 yr after date submitted
Individual Study Forms	3 yrs after date submitted
Transcript requests (student)	1 yr after date submitted
Transcripts (including notice of academic probation, dismissal)	1 semester (computer updates available anytime)
Transfer credit evaluations	5 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance
Tuition and fee charges	5 yrs after date submitted
Tuition deferment requests	2 yrs after date submitted
Withdrawal authorizations	5 yrs after date submitted

Certification Data/Documents

Enrollment verifications	1 yr after verification
Veterans Administration certifications	3 yrs after graduation or date of last attendance

Publications, Statistical Data/Documents, and Institutional Reports

Catalogs	Permanent Archives
Commencement program	Permanent Archives
Degree statistics	Permanent
Enrollment statistics	10 yrs
Grade statistics	Permanent
Recruitment brochures/materials	3 yrs from date of publication
Schedule of classes (institutional)	10 yrs

Documents Pertaining to the Confidentiality of Student Records

Hearing panels' written decisions	Life of affected record
Requests for formal hearings	Life of affected record
Requests and disclosures of personally identifiable information	Life of affected record
Student requests for nondisclosure of directory information	1 yr after date submitted
Student statements on content of records regarding hearing panel decisions	Life of affected record
Student's written consent for records disclosure	Until terminated by student or life of affected record
Waivers for rights of access	Life of affected record

(Academic Council, Approved March 1998)

Textbook Ordering

Faculty members select required and recommended textbooks for courses for which they are responsible. They determine the number of required textbooks based on the needs of the course and what is a reasonable financial burden for the students.

Textbooks for Students
At the beginning of each semester, the Regent Bookstore textbook manager sends Textbook Adoption forms to faculty with a memo requesting textbook orders for the following semester. Faculty return the completed Adoption form to the Bookstore by the deadline (even if no text is required). If initial Adoption forms are submitted late, postage for these books is charged to the faculty member's department. If the order is to be modified more than 10%, the textbook manager consults with the faculty member.

The textbook manager determines final quantities and places orders for all textbooks. Latest editions and paperbacks (if available) will always be ordered, unless specified differently on the order form. If a textbook is unavailable or will be received later, the textbook manager notifies the appropriate faculty member immediately.

Textbooks for Faculty Use
Whenever possible, each faculty member obtains desk copies of all textbooks required and recommended for the course. The Bookstore sends Desk Copy Request forms to the faculty. Faculty return the completed form with the Textbook Adoption form by the specified deadline.

If Desk Copy Requests are not returned by the deadline, the Bookstore will not be able to offer the service of sending the request to the publisher, and it becomes the school's responsibility to obtain a desk copy. If desk copies are not available, faculty may, upon the dean's approval, obtain copies of required textbooks at university expense. If so acquired, such texts must be ordered through the library and become the university's property.

Faculty desiring complimentary textbooks to review for consideration for adoption in the future should contact the publisher directly on departmental stationery. Recommended and supplemental textbooks for courses, if not available on a complimentary basis, may be obtained only at the faculty member's personal expense. (Academic Council, Approved April 1994)

Internet/Web Publishing and Access

Regent University owns and maintains a web server to publish the Regent University website--www.regent.edu. The Information Technology server/network administrator maintains the web server and upgrades the server, meeting normal demands for drive space and system performance.

General Guidelines (http://www.regent.edu/it/web/policies.cfm):

Every school/department is responsible for having at least one web publisher, a person trained in creating and updating web pages. That person may be an existing staff/faculty member or a GA.
All staff responsible for updating web pages are encouraged to utilize the training CD-ROMs offered by IT. These CD-ROMs are designed to train and empower web publishers in various web authoring and graphic design software.
Each school/department appoints a "web supervisor" responsible for the overall content of their website. He or she oversees the work of the web publishers. A web supervisor may not be a GA.
Web publishing access should be limited to those people who require access and who are qualified to make changes to the website. Requests for web publishing access need to be justified and submitted to Web Development via the "R" Drive Access Request Form.

APPENDICES

Introduction
The following forms are to be utilized as referenced above.

[For a different format of the following forms, cf., "Forms" available on the Faculty Resources of the Academic Affairs web page]

Guide for Writing the Faculty Performance Review and Development Plan
[Academic Year of Review]

PREFACE

Introduction

The faculty performance planning, review and development policy (see the Faculty and Academic Policy Handbook) is an integrated process to facilitate improvement in the three areas of teaching, scholarship and service, which occur in a collegial context. The policy requires each faculty member, as part of the performance review process, to develop a: 1) Performance Review, 2) Performance Plan and 3) Development Plan (as necessary). This guide is designed to help deans and faculty prepare these documents. The forms that follow are only examples, and may be modified by the Deans as necessary, in consultation with the Office of Academic Affairs.

Faculty Performance Review

The Performance Review is written at the end of the contract year. Its purpose is to review, within the atmosphere of collegiality, the faculty member's performance of the past year in the three areas mentioned above and then to create a Development Plan based on the dean's review of that performance.

1. Faculty members write a self-assessment of their performance based on the Performance Plan that was written at the beginning of the contract year. Demonstrate how goals, objectives and workload expectations were met. Attach supporting evidence.

a. Teaching and Mentoring or Professional Librarianship
b. Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works
c. University Administration and Community/Professional Service

2. Faculty member submits the self-assessment to the dean for review.

3. The dean writes an assessment of the faculty member's performance. The assessment must include answers to the following questions:

a. Is the performance of the faculty member in the area of scholarship commensurate with the level of performance, proficiency and collegiality required for the rank that the faculty member holds?
b. Is the performance of the faculty member in the area of service commensurate with the level of performance, proficiency and collegiality required for the rank that the faculty member holds?
c. Is the performance of the faculty member in the area of teaching commensurate with the level of performance, proficiency and collegiality required for the rank that the faculty member holds?
d. If the individual is not already a full professor, is s/he developing an exemplary or potentially exemplary record that would likely place her/him under consideration for promotion?
e. If the individual is not already a full professor, is s/he developing an exemplary or potentially exemplary record that would likely place her/him under consideration for tenure?
f. If this faculty member continues at her/his present level or performance, is it likely that s/he would be under consideration for another tenure-track or nontenure contract this coming year?

If the dean has answered no to any of these questions, include appropriate recommendations, a plan of action and specific timelines in the Faculty Development Plan.

4. The dean and faculty member discuss the faculty member's self-assessment in conjunction with the dean's assessment. The dean and faculty member sign the dean's assessment. Signing the assessment does not necessarily constitute agreement-only that it has been reviewed by the faculty member. The faculty member is free to comment on the dean's assessment.

Faculty Performance Plan

At the beginning of the contract year, the faculty member, in conjunction with the dean, writes a Performance Plan. It should consider the faculty member's role, both academically and personally, as well as the needs of the school. It should include the faculty load, goals and objectives for the coming year in the following three areas:

1. Teaching and Mentoring or Professional Librarianship
2. Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works
3. University Administration and Community/Professional Service

Faculty Development Plan
[DO NOT INCLUDE THIS PAGE IN YOUR SUBMISSION.]

At the beginning of the contract year, the dean, in conjunction with the faculty member, writes a Performance Plan. The Development Plan is based on the Performance Review. It should list specific things the faculty member should do to improve and develop performance (i.e., attend CTL workshops or other faculty development opportunities, be mentored by a qualified/approved faculty member, etc.)-anything that will promote and enhance the faculty members' skills, talents and collegiality.

NOTE:

1. Include in the Faculty Review section ALL courses, whether normal or overload.

2. This entire Faculty Performance document, along with any attachments, must be submitted to the associate/assistant dean of academics or Program Director prior to your Annual Review meeting with the Deans.

3. Faculty load is measured in "units."

a. A masters-level "unit" is normally the equivalent of a 3 credit hour course containing 20 students (i.e. 60 student credit hours); a doctoral-level "unit" is normally 3 credit hours containing 10 students (i.e. 30 student credit hours). Please use this measure to quantify load. To calculate, multiple credit hours of the course by the number of students in the course and then divide by either 60 (masters) or 30 (doctoral).
b. If load is measured in hours per month (e.g. University/School committees), the school should have a manner of calculating same.
c. Masters theses and doctoral dissertations are determined within each school

4. Schools may/should add additional criteria as necessary.

I. Faculty Performance Review

[Name of Faculty Member]:
[Regent School]
[Academic Year]

Teaching Load
Semester	Course Name/ Activity	Course #	# Credits	# Students	New Prep	Unit*
					Yes/No
					Yes/No
					Yes/No
					Yes/No
					Yes/No
					Yes/No
					Yes/No
Total Teaching Units

Mentoring New Faculty/Adjuncts/Teaching Assistants
Semester	Name of Faculty/Adjunct Name	Hrs/Month	Comments	Unit*
FA/SP/SU
FA/SP/SU
Semester	Other			Unit*
FA/SP/SU
Total Mentoring Units

Research/Scholarship/Creative Works
Date Submitted	Publishing-Title	Book/ Chapters/ Article	Submitted To	Date Published	In-Progress	Unit*




Date Due	Research- Title of Project	Brief Description	Outcome Goal	Date Completed	In-Progress	Unit*
					Yes/No
					Yes/No
Date	Presen- tations- Title	Presented Where	Local/State/ National	Juried	In-Progress	Unit*
				Yes/No	Yes/No
				Yes/No	Yes/No
Date	Other	Presented Where	Local/State/ National	Juried	In-Progress	Unit*
				Yes/No	Yes/No
				Yes/No	Yes/No
Total Research/Writing Units

*For calculation of units, see p. 2 of this document. You may add or delete rows in the tables above and below as needed.

University Administration/Community/Professional Service
Semester	University Committees- Name	Position	Hours Per Month	Unit*


	School Committees		Hours Per Month	Unit*


	Professional Memberships- Organization Name		Hours Per Month	Unit*


Date	Professional Seminars Attended	Part of Which Conference		Unit*


Date	Conferences	Location		Unit*


Date	Community Service	Details		Unit*


Total Service Units

Total Faculty Load Units

__________________________________ ____________________________
(Faculty Member Name) Date (Dean's Name) Date

II. Faculty Performance Planning
2006-2007

Summary Overview
The dean and faculty member prepare and agree upon a performance plan containing clear objectives and performance expectations in the three areas of: teaching and mentoring or professional librarianship; research, scholarship and/or creative works; and university administration and community and professional service. The plan is used as the basis for expectations of performance and attainment as appropriate.

Summarize below, in work units and in narrative form, your workload for the academic year for each of the three areas of faculty workload:

		Units
1	Teaching and Mentoring or Professional Librarianship
2	Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works
3	University Administration and Community and Professional
	TOTAL

Please add additional sheets as necessary in support of the following areas:

Contribution to Teaching and Mentoring or Professional Librarianship (Objectives and Specific Expectations)
Contribution to Research, Scholarship and/or Creative Works
Contribution to University Administration and Community and Professional Service

__________________________________ ____________________________
Faculty Member Date Dean's Name Date

Faculty Performance Plan

[Name of Faculty]
[Regent School]
[Academic Year]

Teaching Load
Semester	Course Name/Activity	Course #	# Credits	# Students	New Prep	Unit*
					Yes/No
					Yes/No
					Yes/No
					Yes/No
					Yes/No

Regent University - Christian Leadership to Change the World

Faculty and Academic Policy Handbook

Faculty Performance Review

Faculty Performance Plan