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Engagement and Management of Adjunct Faculty Policy

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Section 1 - Introduction

Purpose

(1) This policy sets out the standards in relation to the recruitment, selection and management of persons working on Hibernia College programmes who are members of Adjunct Faculty. 

Scope

To whom does the policy apply?

(2) This policy applies to all members of Adjunct Faculty contracted by the College.

(3) This policy also applies to all Staff and Faculty members with a role in the selection, recruitment and ongoing management of Adjunct Faculty.

Who is responsible for implementing the policy?

(4) The Programme Director or nominee is responsible for setting the criteria and overseeing the recruitment, selection and management appraisal of Adjunct Faculty. 

(5) The Faculty Manager is responsible for the scheduling and engagement of identified Adjunct Faculty roles and the regular maintenance of the Adjunct Faculty database. The Faculty Manager is also responsible for the scheduling of Faculty in the delivery of course content to students.

(6) Any other person with responsibility for recruitment, selection and management of Adjunct Faculty as part of their role is responsible for the implementation of this policy.

(7) Members of Adjunct Faculty are required to engage with this policy in the fulfilment of their roles.

Definitions

(8) Adjunct Faculty

  1. Members of Adjunct Faculty are persons contracted to provide key academic services to Hibernia College in areas including, but not limited to, admissions interviewing, authoring, lecturing, tutoring, assessment, placement and research supervision.

(9) Faculty

  1. Members of Faculty are either part-time or full-time employees of Hibernia College whose primary role is to lead key academic activities along with other responsibilities. Faculty play a critical role in the coordination and support of Adjunct Faculty in their respective areas.

Context

Legal and Regulatory Context

Quality Assurance Guidelines

(10) This policy is designed with regard to the European Standards and Guidelines, QQI’s Core Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines and Sector Specific Independent/Private Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines all of which set out that providers will have suitable Quality Assurance procedures in place to support Staff recruitment management and development. This policy is also cognisant of Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines For Providers of Blended and Fully Online Learning Programmes. 

Professional Bodies

(11) Specific disciplines, or sub disciplines within programmes delivered by Hibernia College, may have professional body requirements.

Legislation

(12) This policy is designed with regard to the Employment Equality Act, 1998, as amended, and the Equal Status Act 2000, as amended.

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Section 2 - Policy Statements

Part A - Principles for Selection and Recruitment

Establishing Contracts

(13) For any contracted Adjunct Faculty role, the Programme Director or nominee establishes the minimum qualifications, previous work experience requirements and a role specification for the academic work required. This role specification normally includes student feedback arrangements, monitoring and review arrangements, and arrangements for participation in Programme Boards or in a Board of Examiners.

(14) The Faculty Manager is responsible for issuing contracts for services as directed by the Programme Director or nominee. 

(15) Appropriate fees are established by the College.

Selection of Adjunct Faculty

(16) Members of Adjunct Faculty have a direct impact on the teaching, learning and assessment environment for students on any Hibernia College programme. 

(17) The following principles apply to support the effective selection of Adjunct Faculty: 

  1. Members of Adjunct Faculty are recruited on a needs-led basis, as required.
  2. Adjunct Faculty must meet the established requirements for qualifications and work experience and be able to meet the requirements of the role specifications.
  3. All persons involved in the recruitment and selection of Adjunct Faculty are appropriately trained in line with College practice.
  4. A range of selection activities is used to establish an applicant's eligibility for a role including, but not limited to, interviews, presentations and written assessment. All such activities are agreed in advance and are appropriately linked to the role specification.  
  5. The Faculty Manager maintains a panel of eligible Adjunct Faculty to respond for demand for Adjunct Faculty as required and to ensure continuity of programme delivery. 

Equality of Opportunity

(18) In accordance with relevant legislation, the College is committed to creating an environment that promotes equality where all members of the College community are treated equally regardless of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, disability, race or membership of the travelling community. 

Part B - Principles for Induction, Support and Ongoing Review of Adjunct Faculty

Induction

(19) Members of Adjunct Faculty are required to complete a structured orientation programme that is tailored to the specific needs and requirements of the role and programme(s) with which they are associated. 

(20) It is the responsibility of the Programme Director or nominee to design, implement and regularly review an appropriate induction programme for the different roles involved in their programme. 

(21) Induction of Adjunct Faculty is facilitated by the Faculty Manager in liaison with the Programme Director, key academic managers and administrative staff, as required. 

(22) During induction, members of Adjunct Faculty are, normally, at a minimum: 

  1. Introduced to the key aspects of their role and any associated documentation, databases and systems, as appropriate
  2. Given sufficient time to familiarise themselves with relevant Quality Assurance policies, procedures, working practices and role requirements
  3. Appraised of requirements, roles, responsibilities and obligations
  4. Enrolled on the College’s ‘Faculty Hub’ in the virtual learning environment where they review all aspects of the relevant programme, including the overview of the programme, student calendars and a full suite of role training materials and student content

Training and Support

(23) In recognition of the value and importance of professional development, members of Adjunct Faculty are required to complete any training as prescribed by Hibernia College from time to time. It is the responsibility of the Programme Director or nominee to implement this and monitor participation and engagement. 

(24) To support Adjunct Faculty in achieving and maintaining the required standard, the College provides Adjunct Faculty with supports appropriate to their role, which may include: 

  1. An induction programme
  2. Training in teaching through an online or blended learning medium
  3. Guidance documentation detailing component parts of face-to-face days or online days
  4. Assessment training
  5. Technical training and ongoing support
  6. Library support
  7. Face-to-face days or online training days delivered by the Programme Director or nominees and subject experts
  8. Regular virtual meetings and development sessions with the Programme Director or nominee and Lead Tutors

Feedback Mechanisms

(25) Feedback on programmes is gathered from a variety of stakeholders in line with the College’s Ongoing Monitoring of Online or Blended Learning Programmes Policy. The findings and analysis of feedback processes may result in amendments to the role of Adjunct Faculty. If this occurs, additional support and/or training will be provided by the College, as required.

(26) Members of Adjunct Faculty are expected to participate in feedback processes as required for internal or external Quality Assurance processes, e.g. participation in Programme Boards or programme review processes.

Performance Review

(27) Hibernia College promotes high professional standards from Adjunct Faculty in line with College policies and procedures. 

(28) The College requires all Programme Directors to continually monitor the performance of Adjunct Faculty members, provide feedback as appropriate and take any necessary action to address areas of concern and/or promote areas of excellent practice. 

(29) Every Adjunct Faculty member is provided with specific, personal deliverables within their contract based on the specific requirements of their role as set out in the role specification. Fulfilment of these deliverables is monitored by the Programme Director informed by the Module Lead, Lead Tutors and other Faculty/Adjunct Faculty.

(30) Deliverables may include the role requirements and obligations, communication, record-keeping protocols, details of timeframes and deadlines, attendance requirements and other commitment requirements. 

(31) Mechanisms for monitoring Adjunct Faculty performance may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Applicants, students, mentor and placement survey feedback
  2. Peer observation
  3. Assessment data analysis
  4. Systems and procedure reviews
  5. Contract deliverables monitoring
  6. Formal and informal focus groups, programme committees and discussion forums

Identifying Opportunities to Improve Performance of Adjunct Faculty

(32) In the event of concerns arising in relation to the performance of a member of Adjunct Faculty, the Programme Director or nominee may draw the concerns to the attention of the Adjunct Faculty member concerned in the first instance. In such instances, this would include identifying the required standard of improvement and a timeframe in which this must be achieved. 

(33) Additional support measures may also be implemented as appropriate, including revisiting training materials provided for Adjunct Faculty, provision of a mentor or direction to appropriate training. 

(34) While the College will endeavour to support members of Adjunct Faculty in enhancing teaching and learning and achieving and maintaining the professional standard expected of them, it reserves the right to summarily terminate a member of Adjunct Faculty if they do not deliver upon their contracted activities reasonably and properly.

Engaging and Managing Faculty for Collaborative Provision

(35) Where the recruitment, selection and management of Adjunct Faculty are required for collaborative programmes, mutual responsibilities of the College and any collaborating partner will be formally set out in a contract between the partners.

(36) The responsibilities of each collaborating partner and their Staff will be negotiated in the initial collaboration discussions, and appropriate procedures, mechanisms for addressing concerns and disseminating best practice will be agreed. 

(37) Where the collaborating partner does not have prescribed or formal procedures and where there is no evidence of legal requirements to demonstrate a commitment to equality of opportunity in recruitment and selection, Hibernia College will require collaborating partners to apply the practices outlined in Hibernia College policies or agree an equivalent that satisfies the same minimum standards.