Section B - Faculty Credentialing Criteria
Introduction
This manual lists the credentialing guidelines that are used by Palm Beach State College in selecting and hiring full-time and adjunct faculty. These criteria are based on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) guidelines on faculty credentials and Palm Beach State College policy on faculty credentialing.
To ensure the highest quality teaching faculty, the College’s standard for all credit classes is that full-time and adjunct faculty must possess a master’s degree. There are exceptions in some disciplines, but all exceptions must be approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA). All degrees and coursework must be earned from a regionally accredited college or university. Accreditation status of an institution can be checked at the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) website at www.chea.org.
Faculty
The institution employs competent faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission and goals of the institution, www.palmbeachstate.edu/ire/StrategicPlanning/default.aspx. When determining acceptable qualifications of its faculty, an institution gives primary consideration to the highest earned degree in the discipline in accordance with the guidelines. The institution also considers competence, effectiveness, and capacity, including, as appropriate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications, honors and awards, continuous documented excellence in teaching, or other demonstrated competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching and student learning outcomes. For all cases, the institution is responsible for justifying and documenting the qualifications of its entire faculty.