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New Faculty Information for Liberal Studies Department

Liberal Studies Department Handbook

College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral & Social Sciences (CHABSS)

August 2016; Revised January 2022

Developed by:

  • Ash Fogle, Lecturer, Communication Department
  • Janette Larson, Lecturer, Literature & Writing Studies Department
  • Marilyn Ribble, Lecturer, Communication Department

Department Chair, Dr. Jocelyn Ahlers

Dr. Jocelyn Ahlers is available to meet with you by appointment or during her office hours (posted on her office door). Her office is SBSB 4228. Please email her jahlers@csusm.edu if you have any questions, concerns, or issues of any sort regarding your class(es), students, or campus policies, and she will arrange a meeting time that suits your schedule.

Administrative Coordinator

Lorena Vivar is the Administrative Support Coordinator. Her daily schedule is Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 p.m. She can be reached at (760) 750-4104 or by e-mail at lvivar@csusm.edu. Her office is in SBSB 4222A.

The Liberal Studies (LBST) Department would like to welcome you to Cal State San Marcos.  Enclosed you will find some information that will be helpful in preparing for the coming term. 

The College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences (CHABSS). 

The College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences (CHABSS) is home to several core disciplines in the arts, humanities, and social and behavioral sciences, and many interdisciplinary programs. Nearly every CSUSM undergraduate takes courses in the College, either through its many degree programs or in General Education courses. CHABBS currently offers 17 Bachelor of Arts (BA), 5 Master of Arts (MA) and 28 minors. The College contributes richly to CSUSM’s General Education program, which serves all undergraduate students with coursework designed to develop broad basic knowledge and valuable skills.

CHABBS Mission Statement.

CHABSS Instructional Units

GETTING STARTED IN YOUR TEACHING APPOINTMENT IN CHABSS

Parking

Faculty must pay to park on campus. To obtain a faculty parking pass for the semester, faculty may order one online. In order to utilize the online process, faculty must have a PeopleSoft ID. If you select the online process, you will have the option to pick-up the permit or have it mailed to your residence. Online parking passes can be requested at Parking Request. The Parking Services’ Office hours are 8:00am-5:00pm, Monday through Friday (hours are subject to change, so check before you go, (760-750-7500).  

If you do not have a PeopleSoft ID yet, or you prefer to purchase your pass in-person, please visit the Parking and Commuter Services office located in the Public Safety Building #63 (PSB).  They are on the corner of LaMoree and Campus View Drive (next to the SPRINTER station).  Campus Map.

Faculty on a 12-month contract are eligible for a long-term parking permit that includes parking for the academic year. Faculty who select this option will have parking fees deducted via monthly payroll. If you would like to purchase this type of permit, please visit the Parking Services office.

For more information about parking permits and fees visit Parking Services

There are two parking lots that are close to SBSB.  One is the parking structure and the other is the adjacent open-air lot. There are no faculty specific spaces in the parking garage at this time. It is open to everyone. There are faculty spaces reserved in the open-air lot.

CSUSM Catalog

Many of the policies described below refer to the CSUSM Catalog

Lecturer Offices and Office Hours

You will be assigned to an office that may be shared with another professor or professors. This office will have a computer and a printer for your use. Office hours are usually coordinated to provide each professor individual time in the office.  Please contact Lorena Vivar for your office assignment.  Please give your regularly scheduled office hours to Lorena as soon as possible.  You are expected to hold a minimum of one office hour each week for each course that you teach. Office hours should be held from the first week of classes through the week of final exams. It is important to be present in your office during scheduled office hours. In the interest of practicality and safety, hold office hours on campus. 

Some good places on campus for you to work or relax, other than your office include:  the Technology Resource Center in KEL 2420 (if it is locked, your key card may allow you to enter), the SBSB Faculty and Staff Lounge and Patio located in SBSB 4123 (if it is locked, your office key should open door), and the small rooms on the upper floors of the library, where you may also meet outside of office hours with students.

Faculty Meetings

The Department faculty meeting will be held on Wednesdays from 1:30 to 2:20 pm in SBSB 4221.  All faculty are invited to attend and participate.  Attendance is required and expected for tenure-track faculty, for whom participation in Department business is compensated as part of their standard workload. Lecturers are invited and welcome, but participation is not a requirement, nor compensated. The chair will send an agenda ahead of time for each week. 

Phones

On campus, we do not have any type of phone for use on one's desk.  Instead, we use Teams phones. Guides and videos are available for setting up your voicemail, etc.

Keys

Lorena Vivar will submit a key request form for your office door. You will have a key that opens the door to our main suite, the office supply room, and our shared kitchen. The Lock Shop will email you when your key is ready for pick-up.  You must have photo ID with you to pick-up your key.  Keys are picked up at Facilities Services at 441 La Moree Road.

During regular weekday hours, campus buildings will be unlocked. If you anticipate being on campus after-hours or on weekends, contact Lorena.  She will request an access card for you. 

If your classroom is ever locked, try using your office key to open it, and if that does not work call the CSUM Police non-emergency number, 760-750-4567, and an officer will come and unlock the door for you.

E-Mail

Every instructor at CSUSM receives a CSUSM email address.  You will receive instructions on how to change your temporary password to a permanent one.  From time to time during the academic year, the Chair of the Department and Lorena Vivar send announcements and information to instructors. We use your CSUSM email address to contact you. We do not call or send hard copies of Department emails to any faculty. It is your responsibility to check your CSUSM email account regularly.

If you have another email account that you prefer to use, please contact the Help Desk at (760) 750-4790 to configure your CSUSM email account so that all of your CSUSM email is automatically forwarded to your personal email account. This will allow us to use your CSUSM account not only this semester, but to reach you in the future if we need to. One phone call is all it takes to have your CSUSM email sent directly to your personal email account. We are not responsible for email you miss if you do not take this step.

Please check your email at least twice a week while you are an instructor in our department. Anytime the Department Chair needs to reach you, she will write to you via email.

Textbooks

CSUSM Bookstore - for most courses, you will need to place a textbook order directly with the campus bookstore. The easiest way to place an order is through the online adoptions link (you will need to create a separate login, as this system does not use your CSUSM login information. You may also email 1259txt@follett.com or phone (760) 750-4734. If you have not submitted your adoptions or book order to the bookstore, please do so as soon as possible.  Before you place an order, check to see if materials have already been ordered for your course. You can do this by visiting the CSUSM Bookstore link, scrolling to “Find my course materials”, and entering the course information for the appropriate term. If the materials are what you are planning to use, you are set. If they are not, then please contact the bookstore (1259txt@follett.com) and let them know to remove those materials from that particular course and then place your desired order.

For desk copies, please contact the publisher of your materials directly and follow their instructions.

The bookstore offers students a "price match guarantee" program on the purchase or rental of textbooks. If a student finds an identical in-stock textbook at Chegg, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble at a lower price, the Bookstore will match that price immediately at the register or within 7 days of the original transaction. 

Affordable Learning Materials - CSUSM faculty are encouraged to keep textbooks affordable through participation in CALM (the Cougars Affordable Learning initiative). Please see the CALM website for information and grant funding opportunities.

Some ways to CALM a course include OER and E-Reserves.

  • Open Education Resources (OER) directory. OERs are designed to be reused, remixed and shared, and are free-of-charge.
  • Library Materials and the library e-reserves are also available for use:
  • Millions of high quality digital journal articles and over 150,000 e-books within the digital library collection are free for students.
  • Put copies of your textbook on the library reserves. You can determine the checkout length.  See the faculty reserve guidelines.
  • Suggest materials for library purchase. Librarians have an annual budget to purchase materials for the Library collection to support your courses, as well as request trial databases.  Contact your librarian.

Audiovisual Materials

For media materials (videos) contact 750-4370 or visit the Media Library located on second floor of the Kellogg Library Building.  For more information visit the Media Library.

Library

The CSUSM Library Services staff invites you to tell them in advance what your library needs will be. The main number is 760-750-4340 and the circulation desk staff can be contacted at 760-750-4348.  

If you are interested in working with a librarian to provide specific Library support for your students, please contact the Library’s Information Literacy Program: (760) 750-4356. The CSUSM Librarians are very eager to provide course support, including hosting class sessions for your courses in the Library Classrooms where they teach students beginning and advanced research methods tailored to your course assignments.

FERPA Policy (Family Educational Rights to Privacy Acts)

California State University San Marcos has adopted a set of policies and procedures governing implementation of the statutes and the regulations of the FERPA Act. Copies of these policies and procedures may be obtained at the Office of the Executive Director of Enrollment Services.  Or for more information you can check the FERPA Site as well as the CSUSM General Catalog.

A very important facet of this policy is that faculty and staff are not allowed to share information about a student’s performance in your class with anyone else. For example, you are not allowed to hand student papers back by placing them in a pile at the front of the class or outside your office door and allowing students to search for their own work.  You must hand each student his/her own work.  Additionally, you are not allowed to give a student an absent classmate’s work for out-of-class distribution, even if the student claims there is verbal permission. The only manner of returning student work or providing student grades is for you to do so personally with each student. 

Final Exam Policy

University final exam policy states that final examinations will be given at times scheduled by the university. Once established, the final examination schedule may not be changed unless approved by the Dean of the College. The faculty member should proctor exams. See the section on “Final Examinations” in the CSUSM Catalog for more information.  The final exam schedule is posted on the CSUSM website.

Grading Policies

The official grading system used at CSU San Marcos is described in the section on ‘Grading Systems and Policies’ in the CSUSM Catalog.

Duplicating

For light copying (between 50-100 copies) you may use the photocopy machine located in the workroom on the 4th floor of SBSB (4220).  Intricate, time consuming copying should be done during non-peak hours. Carrie Dyal will provide you with an access number to use on the photocopy machine, but she is not responsible for making copies for faculty. However, for color copying orders, please contact Carrie. Please record your copier access number on your cell phone or elsewhere in case you forget it and Carrie is not available to look it up. 

We have caps on the number of copies that instructors can make at Liberal Studies’ expense. We get a very small  operating and expenses budget that we have to manage very carefully if it is to last us all year. The system works as follows:

  • There will be a default 1125 copy cap per course per instructor, based on 45 students per section – i.e. the Liberal Studies Department will automatically cover the cost of up to 1125 copies per course per 45 students taught for our department each semester.
  • This equals 25 copies per student, based on 45 students per course. Your duplication cap will be adjusted after Census to reflect actual enrollment in your courses.  (More than 45 students, your cap increases; fewer than 45 students, your cap decreases).
  • Example: If you have a 4-page syllabus, a 4-page mid-term, and a 4-page final, you will still have 13 additional copies left per student for miscellaneous handouts.
  • Double-sided duplicating costs the same as single-sided duplicating (in other words, we pay for each side).
  • If your course(s) is designed in such a way that you must make additional copies, please explain the situation to Carrie and she will ask the Department Chair if a higher cap is possible. Before authorizing a higher cap, she will help you evaluate alternatives to duplication.
  • We encourage you to make use of the Web wherever possible as a way to save on duplication. Recycling handouts where possible, using smaller font size on your syllabus, and other creative ways to lighten your duplication load are encouraged.
  • The campus also makes Cougar Course containers available for each course. If you are interested in putting more of your course materials “on-line” please contact IITS.

 Be aware that use of the copiers during the first week of classes is often busy.

Supplies

Common-use supplies such as whiteboard markers, erasers, chalk, pens, pencils, folders, and note pads will be available through Lorena. 

Mailboxes

Your department mailbox is located in the workroom within the Liberal Studies department suite, check with Lorena for location. Please check it regularly. 

Faculty ID

The Media Library, located in Kellogg Library, Room 2100 issues all campus IDs until 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The Media Library can also assist you with all of your Audio/Visual equipment requests.  Their phone number is (760) 750-4370.  The University ID is required for all Library use.

Payday & Pay Warrants

For information on when pay warrants will be issued, please consult the payroll calendar. Direct deposit posting dates are listed on the payroll calendar.  If you do not want to enroll in direct deposit, then your paycheck will be mailed to you. If you have direct deposit, you will not receive a paystub. Paystubs and W-2 information.

Academic Calendar

For important dates related to semester start/end, holidays, add/drop deadlines, final grade submission, and finals week, please visit the academic calendar page.  

Campus Map 

PREPARING FOR CLASS

MyCSUSM

The PeopleSoft Faculty Center, known as myCSUSM, is the central online location for accessing course management information and the place where all of your HR information is stored. Login at MyCSUSM using your email user ID and password.

Once logged in, you can access a variety of HR-related information and resources or click on the Faculty Self-Service to access the myCSUSM Faculty Center.

The Faculty Self-Service website is comprised of three sections:

  • Faculty Center
  • Advisor Center
  • Search

Faculty Center

The Faculty Center is the default page of the Faculty Self-Service section. From the Faculty Center you can:

  • View your teaching schedule
  • View/print class rosters (see detailed instructions below)
  • Retrieve class permission numbers (see detailed instructions below)

Advisor Center

The Advisor Center allows you to access information about your students, including

  • student academic information
  • enrollment appointments
  • unofficial transcripts
  • degree progress
  • transfer credit reports
  • student address
  • student emergency contacts

Search

From the Search section you can:

  • search the schedule of classes
  • search for information about faculty

Rosters   

You can obtain a roster for each of your classes via the myCSUSM Faculty Center web page. From the “My schedule” page, you can click on the class roster icon next to each of your classes OR click on the class roster tab at the top of the page. In addition to listing the name, ID number, year in school, and major for each student enrolled in your class, the roster page allows you to email all or a portion of your class.

The class roster page is also where you can find the names of students who are waitlisted for your course. Next to “enrollment status,” select “waiting” from the drop down menu to access your course waitlist.

Waitlist and Crashers

If your class has a waitlist, you will be able to see the list on PeopleSoft on the course roster page, by changing the “enrollment” menu from “enrolled” to “waiting”.  Carrie will show you how to access that. Please be sure to check the waitlist for all your sections before the first day of class. You are likely to have crashers during the ‘add/drop’ period at the start of the semester. Please make sure that you add students from the waitlist before you add crashers who are not on the waitlist using these guidelines:

  • First add students who are graduating seniors graduating in the current semester
  • Adding students past your enrollment cap is completely at your discretion. As far as our department is concerned, we just ask that you accept students up to your enrollment capacity, and that’s it.
  • Your enrollment cap may be lower than the fire marshal’s seat capacity for your assigned classroom. Thus, if there are seats available in the classroom that does not mean you can accept more students.
  • You may hear from students with visa issues, students with financial aid issues, athletes, graduating seniors, and veterans, all saying they have special needs. While it is true that these students could be given special consideration, it’s still up to the instructor to decide. You have the discretion to say yes or no, whatever their needs are.
  • If you do get students citing special needs (visas, financial aid, etc), you may ask for corroborating documentation only if you do so in private with each student individually. It is a violation of FERPA rules to ask them for any information in public or in front of anyone else.
  • Under all circumstances, you must adhere to the maximum seat number posted in each classroom by the fire marshal. This means that if your assigned enrollment cap coincides with the fire marshal’s seating cap for a given classroom, under no circumstances may you add crashers.
  • Lastly, if crashers see that all seats are taken and offer to sit on the floor or bring their own chair, that’s a NO.

Faculty have the option of dropping students who do not attend the first day of class.  For an Administrative Course Drop to occur, instructors must send the request to the Office of the Registrar. Faculty wishing to exercise the Administrative Course Drop option should:

  1. Email from your University Email account and send to registrar@csusm.edu the administrative drop request.
  2. Specify in the subject line:   Administrative Course Drop and Course Title
    Example – Administrative Course Drop - THE STDT, UNIV, COMMUNITY
  3. In the body of the email include subject/catalog number, class number, student name, student ID, and reason for the course drop (Attendance or Enrollment Requirement).
    Example – GEL 101, 43576, Robert Puma, 999999999, Enrollment Requirement
  4. Note: Administrative Course Drop requests received by 5:00pm will be processed by 12:00pm the next day during the add/drop period.

Adds/Drops

Please see the AY Academic Calendar for add/drop dates.

Permission numbers

To add students, you will give them a permission number; Lorena can show you how to find the Permission Numbers for your classes using PeopleSoft.  From the myCSUSM Faculty Center “my schedule” page, click on the “class permissions” icon (looks like a puzzle piece) next to your course. You can provide students with a six-digit code from the list to allow them to add the course. Be sure to keep a record of which numbers you have given out.

Lorena can give you a one-on-one tutorial on how to use PeopleSoft to access all your course information. After your tutorial, if you have questions or problems, please contact our Faculty/Staff Help Desk at 760-750-4790. CSUSM has a really competent Tech Help Staff. 

Mid-semester review

Mid-Semester Evaluations are a tool to monitor student progress and are part of proactive retention strategies for students who participate in specialized retention and advising services through American Indian / Alaska Native (AIAN), Athletics, Disabled Student Services (DSS), TRiO Student Support Services (SSS), Office for Training, Research and Education in the Sciences (OTRES), and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). The goal is to identify those students who may be having academic or other difficulties and make the appropriate intervention before it is too late in the semester.

Log in to myCSUSM and select “Mid-Semester Evaluations” under the Faculty Self Service heading.

Final Grades

Near the end of each semester, you will be able to access your grade roster(s) from the myCSUSM Faculty Center page. Click on the grade roster icon next to each course, or the grade roster tab at the top of the page.

Select a letter grade for each student from the drop-down menu next to their name. When you have finished, change the approval status from “not reviewed” to "approved” and click the save button to submit your grades. If you need to change a grade on your Grade Roster before it has been posted, you can change the approval status back to “not reviewed” and make your changes. Then change the status to “approved.”

Please pay close attention to the information sent by the Registrar each semester about deadlines for submitting course grades. For more information on grading and administrative symbols, see the sections below.

Entering Student Grades at the End of the Semester
  • CSUSM requires that all instructors use the electronic method of grade submission. Every semester this catches some instructors unaware, no matter how often the campus sends out information regarding the process.
  • We want to be sure you fully understand that you must submit your grades electronically.  This can now be done from any computer with Internet access.
  • Check the AY Academic Calendar (link provided above) for the submission deadline for final grades. This deadline is not flexible. If you miss this deadline you will have to come to campus and fill out a separate form for each student in your class by hand, and you will have to do this during the regular business hours for Registration and Records.
  • To enter grades electronically, you need to access PeopleSoft, go to your class roster, and click on the button labeled “Grade Submittal.” If you have questions, please ask Lorena for guidance.
  • Do not forget to confirm your grade entries at the end of the electronic submission process. Please note that PeopleSoft does not currently generate an email confirmation showing that you have successfully completed the grade submission.
  • To repeat: If you do not successfully enter grades via PeopleSoft by the established deadline, your only recourse is to come back to campus and fill out grade change forms by hand for each and every one of the students in your classes.
Grade Change Forms

Grade change forms are required to change a grade or assign a grade to a student in your course(s) after the grade submission deadline has passed. If it is within 60 days of the deadline, faculty can submit the form directly to Cougar Central (adm 3700). If it is after 60 days past the deadline, the grade change form must be submitted to the Dean’s Office for review and signature. Grade change forms are not found online or in your MyCSUSM Faculty Center.  Grade change forms can be obtained from your department staff, department chair, or the Dean’s Office.

Cougar Courses (aka Moodle)

Cougar Courses (aka Moodle) is an online, web-based container or “shell” that is available for each course. Cougar Courses includes tools for displaying content, interacting with students, and assessing students’ work. Cougar Courses access is available at https://cc.csusm.edu/

The username and password are the same as the ones used for MyCSUSM. 

Typically, instructors post syllabi, course readings, handouts, and assignments into the specific course space. Instructors also can post grades into Cougar Courses. The following media can be included in your course shell:

  • Audio and video (i.e. YouTube videos)
  • Discussion boards & journaling tools
  • Document submissions & Turnitin (plagiarism detection software) / Grademark

Please consider accessibility as you build your Cougar Courses materials. If there’s a choice between making the site attractive and making it accessible, please include all your students by choosing access over beauty. Ideally, all content posted after 2012 should be compliant with campus policies on accessibility. For more information, see Faculty & Staff Accessibility

Cougar Courses workshops are offered just before the start of each semester through the Instructional Development Services (IDS) department. Email cchelp@csusm.edu for information on training and drop-in support hours. For tutorials and other information Cougar Courses, click on the Faculty Help tab in Cougar Courses.

For specific issues related to your course, contact Barbara Taylor at btaylor@csusm.edu or visit IDS in Kellogg Library 2414 - Technology Resource Center.

Student Problems and Complaints

The first place to attempt to resolve classroom problems is at the student-instructor level. An FYI to the chair so that s/he is informed is usually a good idea. If a resolution can’t be found, the department chair will assume responsibility; if a problem can’t be resolved at the chair level, it will go to the Associate Dean for Instruction and Academic Programs. The Dean’s Office is available as a resource at any time to support students, instructors, and chairs.  Contact us if you are unsure if a student problem is academic or student conduct related, or to ask for guidance if you are concerned that a student may be entering a complaint about you.  Safety issues are a clear exception to this guideline: contact University Police immediately at 760-750-4567 or, in an emergency, call 911.

Syllabus

CSUSM has a comprehensive course syllabi policy, which lists the requirements for your syllabus.  It is available at syllabi requirements. 

Among other required items, if the class is General Education (GE) certified, you must list the applicable General Education Program Student Learning Outcomes (GEPSLOs).  Follow this procedure to find out what to list on your syllabus:

  1. Identify whether or not your class is a GE class by looking at pp. 109-114 of the CSUSM Catalog
  2. If your class is GE certified, use this link to a matrix which identifies which of the SLOs match your class’ GE designation: SLO Matrix.
  3. List these GEPSLOs on your syllabus.  The GEPSLOs listed on the matrix are shortened; if you want to include the full wording of the GEPSLO, see: 

The syllabus policy also requires a list of applicable Programmatic SLOs.  LBST’s PSLOs and course specific matrix can be found at community.csusm.edu under “Liberal Studies Department.”  Please let the chair know if, after you log into the site, you are not able to see “Liberal Studies Department.”  Please also contact the chair if you do not see your class on the matrix. 

In addition, Lorena can provide you with sample syllabi from other faculty in the department; please note that the requirement to include GEPSLOs and LBST PLSLOs is new to the university and therefore might not yet be reflected in sample syllabi.

The College will need an official copy of your syllabus no later than the first week of classes; please send an electronic copy to Carrie as soon as possible. 

Student Workload

For each hour spent in class, students are expected to spend a minimum of two hours outside of the classroom each week for each unit of credit engaged in learning (studying, writing papers, etc.). For a 3-hour lecture class, there should be 6-9 hours per week of work completed outside of class. Courses that are entirely online must describe the activities that the student will be required to complete as part of the course and indicate the expected minimum time (at least 45 hours for each unit of credit) that students will need to devote to the course. Hybrid courses must describe how the combination of face-to-face time, out-of-class time associated with the face-to-face sessions, and online work will total at least 45 hours per unit of credit.

Writing Requirement

Every class in the university must require at least 2500 words (approximately 10 pages) of writing.  It is up to you how this requirement is met in your class(es).  Possibilities include essay exams, a research paper, short papers, a journal, or some combination of written assignments. See the section titled “Writing Requirement” in the current CSUSM catalog

Grading

California State University San Marcos requires that every student in every course will have all work evaluated and reported by the faculty using letter grades or administrative symbols.

Plus/minus grading may be used at the discretion of the individual instructor. However, grades of A+, F+, and F- are not issued. When a student does not complete a particular course, or withdraws, the faculty member may assign one of the administrative symbols listed/defined below.

It is University policy that once a final course grade has been assigned, it may not be changed unless a clerical error was made (see the General Catalog). In other words, you may not allow a student to complete additional work after the course has ended in order to improve a final course grade.

Administrative Symbols

I (Incomplete): An incomplete signifies that a portion of required course work has not been completed and evaluated in the prescribed period due to unforeseen, but fully justified, reasons and that there is still a possibility of earning credit. It is the responsibility of the student to request an incomplete and bring the pertinent information to the instructor. A final grade is assigned when the work agreed upon has been completed and evaluated. Typically, students should complete at least 60% of course work in order to qualify for an Incomplete. However, individual cases may vary.

Note: It is very important that you complete a written contract with the student, being careful to note the work that should be completed with specific deadlines. A contract form may be obtained from the enrollment services website. After the conditions have been satisfied, you need to take the form to the Registrar to have the grade changed. You should keep a copy of the incomplete contract and also provide a copy to your department chair for future reference.

RP (Report in Progress): This is used when courses extend beyond one academic term. It indicates that work is in progress but that assignment of a final grade must await completion of additional work.

WU (Unauthorized Withdrawal): A WU indicates that an enrolled student did not officially withdraw from the course but failed to complete course requirements. It is used when the student failed to complete at least 60% of the course (e.g., stopped attending prior to the end of week 9 of the term, but did not officially drop the class).

RD (Report Delayed): The RD symbol is assigned when the instructor has not reported a grade. It is replaced when the instructor assigns the grade. This symbol may only be assigned by the Office of Registration and Records.

W (Withdrawal): This symbol is used to indicate that a student dropped the course after the second week of instruction. This symbol may only be assigned by the Office of Registration and Records.  Please see the Withdrawal Webpage for the university withdrawal policy.

Questions on grading may be directed to Admissions & Records at (760) 750-4800.

Student Course Evaluations

Student evaluations are administered in every course, every semester. Instructors will receive an evaluation packet with instructions towards the end of each semester and are required to administer them before finals week. The packets contain an instruction sheet. If the process is not clear to you, please do not hesitate to contact the department chair for help. Please note that the process involves selecting two students to implement the evaluation.  

It is important that you leave the classroom while students fill out the questionnaires.  It is obligatory to carry out student evaluations in all your classes every semester. The evaluations will be available for you to see after grades are turned in at the end of the semester.  After each semester ends, instructors will receive two reports. One report contains copies of the student evaluations. The other report compares the individual instructor’s scores compared to the department averages.

In addition, to paper course evaluations the University also offers online course evaluations. This entirely voluntary (but encouraged) option can be requested through the Dean’s Office. Online evaluations are administered electronically with a unique invitation and code for each student along with instructions via email. Students can also access the online evaluations directly using Cougar Courses. The online evaluations use the same questions as paper evaluations and faculty will be sent the same reports at the end of the semester. To learn more visit online course evaluations.

If an instructor chooses, he or she may have another instructor proctor his or her evaluations.

The results of Student Evaluations are included in, and considered as part of, a faculty member’s Working Personnel Action File (WPAF).

Absence/Leave from Class

Under the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, faculty are provided various types of leaves, e.g. sick leave, emergency leave, medical leaves, as well as time away from classes to engage in professional development activities. Absence from class for reasons other than illness or emergency requires prior permission from the chair/dean. Every effort should be made to provide appropriate coverage for all classes through alternative assignments, activities, and/or a substitute instructor. Informal voluntary substitution by a University colleague is permissible. However, the chair/dean should be notified in advance. Faculty members must report any absence from class (other than illness or emergency) on the Notice of Absence from Class/Class Accommodation form.

Professional Responsibilities: Missing Class Sessions

Please notify  Lorena  if you are unable for any reason to meet your professional responsibilities to your students.  In cases of extended absences, please talk to the Department Chair to discuss the best way to ensure that student needs are met.

Mandated Child Abuse Reporting

Executive Order 1083 provides systemwide direction to the CSU campuses on implementing the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA). Executive Order 1083 identifies all CSU employees as mandated reporters of child abuse or neglect. As a designated mandated reporter, whenever an employee, in his/her professional capacity or within the course of his/her employment, has knowledge of or reasonably suspects child abuse or neglect has occurred, the employee must report the incident. For further information please visit compliance.

Evaluation of Lecturer Faculty

In accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the College has implemented a Policy for the Evaluation of Temporary Faculty Unit 3 Employees (eg. part-time, adjunct, or temporary faculty, including you). The Dean’s office will provide you with a copy of this policy within 14 days of the beginning of the semester.

The policy lays out the procedures for the evaluation of all temporary faculty including newly hired temporary faculty, returning temporary faculty, temporary faculty with three-year contracts, temporary faculty with full-time appointments, and so on. Please read this policy carefully paying close attention to the procedures that fit your particular status. It is your responsibility to be familiar with this policy.

We want to bring to your attention two components of the evaluation process

  • Classroom observation: you can expect a classroom observation of your teaching by one of the tenure track faculty members in Liberal Studies per the following schedule:
    • Newly hired temporary faculty: will be observed during their first semester. At the department chair’s discretion, the classroom observation may take place in just one class or once for each discrete course number that they teach during that first semester.  If any issues are noted, a repeat observation may take place the next time the instructor teaches for our Department (if rehired), at the discretion of the Department Chair.
    • Returning temporary faculty (excluding those with three-year contracts): will be observed in alternate years. At the department chair’s discretion, the classroom observation may take place in just one class or once for each discrete course number that they teach during the year that observations take place. If any issues are noted, a repeat observation may take place the next time the instructor teaches for our Department, at the discretion of the Department Chair.
    • Returning temporary faculty with three-year contracts: will be observed in the first year of their three-year contract, once per each discrete course number that they teach. At the department chair’s discretion, the classroom observation may take place in just one class or once for each discrete course number that they teach during the year that observations take place. If any issues are noted, a repeat observation may take place in year two of the contract (or the next year that they teach for our Department), at the discretion of the Department Chair.
  • The Working Personnel Action File (WPAF): all temporary faculty members are required to submit a WPAF in accordance with the Lecturer Evaluation Policy

The policy spells out the timeline for each step of the evaluation process and provides templates for all forms used in the process. 

Evaluation of Tenure Track Faculty

See:

  • University Policy for Retention, Tenure & Promotion 
  • CHABSS policy 
  • Consult with the Department Chair for further guidance and a copy of the departmental RTP policy.

What do I do now?

All new instructors must sign in at Human Resources as soon as possible. The Human Resources Dept. is located on the first floor of Administrative Building.  Contact Carrie if you need assistance.

CAMPUS SERVICES

Faculty/Staff webpage

Lecturer Resources

California Faculty Association

CFA represents all faculty in the CSU, including lecturers. The CFA’s relationship with the CSU administration is governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. For more information, visit: California Faculty Association

Faculty Center

The Faculty Center is located on the second floor of the library and offers programs and activities designed to support the professional development of faculty in teaching and learning, research, and service. The FC will periodically send emails on professional development opportunities. The FC also offers a quiet place to work, a pedagogical library, and the opportunity to meet colleagues informally. All emails you receive about CSUSM Faculty Center events apply to lecturers; the workshops and other events the Faculty Center sponsors are not just for TT faculty, but also for lecturer faculty.

(760) 750-4019 
Email: facctr@csusm.edu 
Faculty Center site

Faculty Affairs

Faculty Affairs is a resource for information about lecturer hiring, lecturer evaluation procedures, leaves of absence, and other faculty policies. They are located in Administrative Building 5210.

(760) 750-4052 
Faculty Affairs site

Faculty Help Desk & Technology Resource Center

For questions related to your faculty email or setting-up your technological devices to receive your faculty email, contact the IITS Faculty Help Desk.

(760) 750-4790
helpdesk@csusm.edu    

For questions related to classroom technology (for example, if your classroom projector isn’t working), contact IITS at x.4790. Most campus classrooms have a phone with a “Help Desk” button.

The Technology Resource Center is on the 2nd floor of Kellogg Library, Room 2414 and is available to all instructors from 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday. The door automatically locks at 5pm. However, faculty may be able to enter any time the library is open by using your key card. The TRC has Windows and Mac computers, printers, as well as digital video and audio editing stations. There are also Document Scanners, Scantron, ParScore, and ScanMark equipment in the TRC. While primarily self-serve, you can take advantage of the staffed open TRC labs on Tuesdays from 10-noon and Wednesdays 2-4pm.

For more information, see the Instruction Development Services 

Faculty Mentoring Program

The Faculty Mentoring Program serves to enhance the retention and graduation rates of first-generation and economically-disadvantaged college students. Faculty members volunteer to serve as mentors for students and the commitment is for one year, or may also be for consecutive years. Serving as a faculty mentor can be seen either as service or as an extracurricular activity, but the focus is always fostering student success.

For more information you may contact the FMP Faculty Fellow at: (760) 750-8006 or visit FMP Faculty

CAMPUS RESOURCES AND DEPARTMENTS

Cougar Care Network

CCN serves as a safety “net” to assist students who may be experiencing challenges inside or outside of the classroom. Faculty should fill out a CCN referral when they have concerns about:

Poor academic performance (e.g. disruptive behavior, stopped attending class, etc.)

Personal challenges or concerning behavior (e.g. family crisis, death in the family, significant life changes, etc.)

Students will be notified via phone or email that they have been referred to CCN and faculty will receive an  acknowledgement of their referral and the resources offered to the student.

(760) 750-SOAR (7627)
CCN Site

Dean of Students

The Office of the Dean of Students provides information on campus policies, procedures, and regulations. This office handles grade appeals, student grievances, and student conduct issues, including violations of academic dishonesty. Visit Student Conduct for information

Academic dishonesty (plagiarism, cheating, etc.) is a very serious offense and all instructors are urged to report every instance of academic dishonesty to the Office of the Dean of Students. Reporting every instance (rather than handling the situation yourself) is the only way the university is able to maintain an accurate database of students who commit such offenses, and will underscore the severity of this offense. Include information on your syllabus regarding your policy on academic dishonesty. Please refer to the university’s academic dishonesty policy

DOS is located in the University Student Union, Suite 3500

(760) 750-4935
dos@csusm.edu

Disability Support Services

Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) has been designated to provide services and accommodations to students with disabilities to ensure that they have both equal opportunity and access in their educational pursuits.  At the start of the semester, students with documented disabilities should provide you with a form from DSS detailing their accommodations. Accommodations may include test proctoring in the DSS office, extra time to complete work, or a notetaker. Please see Syllabus section of this handbook for information on the required statement regarding DSS (#19 ADA Statement) that should appear in all syllabi.

For further details, you could also consult the DSS Faculty Handbook. DSS will contact you if students need course texts in alternate formats.

The DSS office is located in Administrative Building 4200.

(760) 750-7905 
dss@csusm.edu

Library

The Kellogg Library offers numerous services including an in-house print collection, book requests through Circuit (USD, UCSD, SDSU, San Diego County), interlibrary loan, and a reserves collection of library material required by instructors (print & electronic). For general information contact Library Access Services (760) 750-4348. To schedule an in-class information literacy instruction session, contact the Information Literacy Program (760) 750-4345. Visit the Reference desk to check-out resources. To put textbooks on course reserve you can utilize the Media Library Request Form or visit the Reference desk.

The Office of Global Education

Representatives from Global Education will come to your class to present on Study Abroad opportunities. Online request form 

Student Health and Counseling Services

The Health and Counseling Center is located directly across from the University Student Union. Counseling services are free-of-charge to students. In addition to providing a range of medical and psychological services to students, Student Health offers flu shots at low-cost for faculty on a seasonal basis. Faculty may also request a classroom presentation from SHCS on various health topics.

Centers for Learning and Academic Student Success (CLASS)

  •  Housed in the Office of Undergraduate Studies.
  • Integral to the undergraduate learning experience at CSUSM.
  • Student academic programs that enhance learning and strengthen campus retention and graduation rates.

Academic Success Center (ASC) 

  •  Learn to ask; ASC to learn! 

Academic English Language Specialist

  • One-on-one tutoring and workshops that develop Academic English writing, speaking, reading, and listening.
  • Professional tutor works with both monolingual and multilingual students.
  • Writing assistance occurs in the Writing Center; other assistance occurs in the Language Learning Center.

Language Learning Center (LLC), Kell 1107

  •  One-on-one tutoring appointments and academic resources that strengthen foreign-language skills in Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Mandarin, ASL, Vietnamese, Farsi, Dari, Russian, and Tagalog.
  • Tutoring appointments and workshops that develop academic English oral, listening, and reading skills.
  • Language Other Than English Requirement (LOTER) and Spanish Placement Advising and Testing.

Math Lab, Kell 1109, 

  •  Drop-in peer tutoring to work on problem-solving skills for Math 10, 20, 30, 100, 115, 125, 132, 160, 162, 200, 210, 212, 303, 311, Standard Test Prep, ELM Prep, and Early Start Math.
  • Workshops that solidify prerequisite material and strengthen foundational concepts.
  • Various resources for instructors, including a dedicated space for holding office hours.

STEM Center, ACD 202

  • Drop-in peer tutoring for selected science and math courses such as: Bio 201, 211, 215,  Chem 150, 160, 201, 202, 250, CS 111, 211, 231, Math 260, 270, 350, 374, and Physics 201, 202, 203, 205, 206.
  • Dedicated study space for science and math majors.
  • Hub for other STEM-related education programs, including K-12 outreach and Learning Assistants.

Supplemental Instruction (SI)

  • Peer-led reviews outside of class for historically challenging courses such as (but not limited to):
    Bio 210, 215, 352, Chem 160, 201, 202, Math 350 and Psych 360.
  • Peer leaders attend class and then guide students in learning strategies that are endorsed by instructor.
  • An internationally recognized model of academic assistance in which students help other students.

Writing Center, Kell 1103

  • One-on-one tutoring appointments that develop higher-order academic English writing skills for: all courses, all departments; multilingual students; cover letters, applications, and personal statements.
  • Focus on: brainstorming, creating a thesis statement, drafting an outline, and organizing ideas.
  • Custom workshops and class presentations upon request of any instructor.

Safety: Campus Police

CSUSM has an extremely low crime rate, with an environment conducive to teaching and learning. 3111 is the extension to dial in case of emergencies on campus. For non-emergencies, their phone number is (760) 750-4567. If you are uncertain whether or not to report an incident, please err on the side of safety.

We encourage you to take advantage of the escort service provided from dusk to dawn by Campus Police. A Community Service Officer will escort you either by auto, bicycle, or on foot, from a campus building to your vehicle or the parking lot. Call 760-750-4567 to make arrangements for this service.

CAMPUS COMMUNITY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Arts & Lectures

The College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences produces the Arts and Lectures Series, a wide-range of curriculum-linked events.

Each year, Arts & Lectures engages the support and advice of CSUSM faculty, staff, students and the community in developing a series of events including lectures across various fields, film/video screenings, visual art talks, dance and theatre performances, music concerts, scientific discussions, book readings and more. Lecturers may propose events by submitting a proposal

(760) 750-8272

Common Read

CSUSM participates in a yearly campus common read. Sponsored by the library, the Common Read program provides a shared experience of intellectual and community engagement by bringing the campus community together to read and discuss one book and its themes.

(760) 750-4378
commonread@csusm.edu

Community and World Literary Series

The CSUSM Community and World Literary Series hosts on-campus literary readings several times a semester. Visiting authors give readings of their original contemporary poetry, fiction, drama and performance art. Some of these writers are local to southern California, while others come from elsewhere in the country and the world. Students, faculty, staff and members of the public are invited to these readings.

Library Exhibitions

The CSUSM Library hosts a rotating collection of art called the Context Library Series. Context is an instructionally-related library series supporting student learning and research through art. To schedule a class visit of the exhibition or for guided tours, contact context@csusm.edu or (760) 750-4378.

CHABSS College-Wide Strategic Initiatives

We also encourage you to join the CHABSS community in the following initiatives supported by the CHABSS Dean’s Office:

Career Readiness Initiative (CRI): The goal of this initiative is to significantly increase the career readiness of the graduates of the College. We seek to expand the range of career options for graduates, improve the connection between the college and community members, and encourage faculty to be leaders in pedagogy and curriculum regarding career readiness in the liberal arts. 

Global Commitment Initiative (GCI): The College is committed to encouraging curriculum development and activities that promote global awareness, underrepresented languages, multicultural understanding, and global citizenship. To put ideal into practice, the GCI is designed to educate and engage the College, campus, and the broader community in a discussion about global issues, trends, and events. 

College Diversity Working Group (CDWG): Pursing the CHABSS Strategic Goals and in close coordination with university diversity effort, the CDWG will promote diversity in the classroom, in the curriculum, in hiring and retention of faculty and staff, and in our college community. 

Emergencies (3111)
3111 is the extension to dial in case of emergencies on campus.