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Regulations and Policies

Regulations & Policies

Academic Affairs - Faculty


I. OBJECTIVE & PURPOSE

To establish an orderly, consistent, and centralized process for the recruitment and appointment of full and part-time faculty and to ensure that all individuals appointed meet the minimum qualifications required of instructional faculty.

II. STATEMENT OF POLICY

Final approval for all faculty appointments, full-time and part-time, resides in the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Full and Part-Time Faculty Recruitment and Appointment

There are four main objectives central to the University's faculty recruitment and appointment policy:

  1. to recruit and appoint the best qualified persons in a nondiscriminatory manner with respect to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, veteran's status, sexual orientation, and/or disability;
  2. to ensure that the criteria used for hiring instructional faculty are job related and meet accreditation requirements regarding faculty credentials;
  3. to ensure that documentation is on file demonstrating the required qualifications regarding individual faculty criteria; and
  4. to ensure diversity in areas where under-utilization of women and minorities is found.

Background Check

In accordance with UNF regulation 4.0080R Pre-Employment Requirements, a pre-employment background check must be completed prior to employment. For Dual Enrollment programs, high school faculty teaching a UNF course at the high school may submit an affidavit of previous screening.

Faculty Credential Requirements

Primary consideration is given to the highest earned degree in the discipline. Consideration is also given to an individual's 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. The following credential guidelines serve to guide the appointment of faculty:

  1. Faculty teaching baccalaureate courses: a doctorate or master's degree in the teaching discipline or master's degree with a concentration in the teaching discipline (minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline).
  2. Faculty teaching graduate and post-baccalaureate course work: an earned doctorate/terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline.
  3. Library faculty: an earned master's degree in Library and Information Management from a program accredited by the American Library Association.

In cases where a faculty candidate does not possess the traditional academic preparation outlined above, it is the responsibility of the hiring official to justify the exception. Note, only in exceptional cases will a Faculty Credential Exception request be approved by Academic Affairs.

Required Faculty Documentation

A permanent file for each faculty member will be vetted by and housed in Academic Affairs. At a minimum, the file will contain the following documents:

  • Faculty Documentation Checklist;
  • Current curriculum vitae;
  • Official Transcript(s): are required from all institutions used to substantiate formal academic preparation in the teaching discipline;
  • Three professional letters of recommendation from persons who can attest to the candidates qualifications to perform instruction in the assigned field of study; and
  • If applicable, a Faculty Credential Exception Request.

III. PROCEDURES

Recruitment Process

Faculty recruitment guidelines are maintained by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity. 

New Hire Process for Faculty 

Information, forms, and templates are available on the: https://www.unf.edu/asa/asa-faculty-administration.html website. 

Pre-Employment Background Check

The Office of Human Reosurces governs the pre-employment background check process. Information can be found at: https://www.unf.edu/hr/employment/background-checks.html.

Required Faculty Documentation 

Information, forms, and templated are available on the wed site: https://www.unf.edu/asa/asa-faculty-administration.html under General Information and Forms. Full-time Retired Faculty returning to teach as Part-time Faculty do not require Letters of Recommendation nor Official Transcripts.

  • Letters of Recommendation
    • With the exception of a GTA Instructor of Record, a letter from the dean, associate/assistant dean, department chair, program leaders, or hiring officer is not acceptable.
    • Electronic signatures (e.g., PDF versions of signed letter) will be accepted with the understanding that a signed letter will be submitted.
  • Official Transcripts. In accordance with UNF policy 2.0770P Transmittal and Receipt of PDF Transcripts, UNF will accept electronic PDF transcripts provided by an approved vendor. A list of approved vendors is available on the https://www.unf.edu/asa/budget.html web page under Faculty Employment and Credentialing site.
Transcript preparation includes: 
  • Highlight the highest degree and any other degrees used to substantiate preparation;
  • In the case where specific course work is used to substantiate preparation – highlight the specific courses;
  • International transcripts must be (a) translated into English and (b) evaluated course by course by a NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services). A list of acceptable evaluators can be found at: http://www.naces.org/members.html

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