Palomar College Biology Department Procedures Manual

Last updated on February 23, 2024

Important People        4

Professional Trust and Respect Standards         4

Communication        5

Departmental Meetings        5

Special Department Meetings        6

Policy Proposals and Changes        6

Department Chair        6

Email and Texting        7

Course Syllabus        7

Submitting the course syllabus        8

Printing and Copying        9

Department Website Info        9

Faculty WordPress Accounts        10

Credit By Examination        10

Directed Study Projects        11

Safety Procedures        11

Breakage of Departmental Equipment        12

Course Outlines of Record (See the CurricUNET User Guide for full details )        12

FAQ

Can I add students over and above the recommended class size?        14

How do students obtain a permission code to add a class?        14

What is the Census Certification Process        14

How do I submit my course grades?        15

What is the FW grade?        15

What is the DRC?        15

What’s the difference between the Information Services Department (IS) and Academic Technology?        15

What’s STEM?        16

What is Faculty eServices?        16

What is Canvas?        16

How do I operate the data projectors in NS classrooms?        17

If I’m new, when do I get a Palomar email account?        17

Do I need keys to the rooms where I teach?        17

Are adjuncts required to have a Palomar voicemail?        18

What restrictions are there for photocopying class materials?        18

Where to direct student misconduct?        18

Where to direct student complaints?        19

What about student privacy issues?        19

What procedures must I follow concerning field trips?        19

What is Professional Development?        19

How often are adjunct faculty evaluated?        20

Is there a page at Palomar.com that has links to college-wide forms?        20

Who can proctor make-up exams?        20

Can adjunct instructors attend Biology Department meetings?        21

How do I order equipment and supplies?        21

Do I need to order textbooks?        21

How do I report NS room problems (no AC, etc.)?        21

What should I do if I know I will miss class meetings?        22

Am I required to drop students who do not show up to class?        22

Who do I call in case of a medical emergency?        22

How do I obtain a Palomar parking permit?        23

How do I get an identification card?        23

Is there a part-time faculty workroom?        23

Are part-time faculty required to hold office hours?        23

What Library Resources are available?        24

What about the union?        24

Appendix 1: Example of Laboratory Safety Regulations        25

Appendix 2: Biology Department Breakage Fee Policy        30

Appendix 3: Crasher Policy        35

Appendix 4: Policy on Class Schedules and Faculty Assignments        36

Appendix 5: Overload Teaching Policy        39

Appendix 6: Summer School Policy        41

Appendix 7: Department Policy Statement on the Uniform Basic Core Laboratory Course Curriculum        43

Appendix 8: Wait-Lists        45

Appendix 9: Sample Job-Order Email Text for Comet Copy (courtesy of Jim Gilardi):        46

•   Important People

• Department Chair: Kim Velazquez, kvelazquez@palomar.edu 760-744-1150 X3698, Office: NS-212F

•  Academic Department Assistant (ADA): Yesenia Zermeno Gamble, NS 207-A, ext. 2275, 

• Instructional Support Assistants

• Steve King
• Margarita Vega
• Diep Vu
• Cricket Fuller (North Educational Center, Fallbrook)

• Instructors 

• Full-Time Faculty
• Adjunct Faculty Spring 2023

•   Professional Trust and Respect Standards

• Strive to trust, respect, and understand each member of the department, our ideas, and our differences.
• Respect each department member’s style.
• Remain positive about the department and campus.
• Aim for Constructive vs. Destructive conversation.
• Avoid trying to second guess your colleagues – question and discuss situations you are unsure of.
• Share ideas on what you have done to enhance student learning and success to promote a positive learning environment in our department.

•  Communication

• Everyone in the department is important.
• Every department member has permission to address their concerns directly and openly with the person or persons involved to resolve the situation effectively.

•  Focus on the concern at hand.
•  Avoid personality and emotional feelings.

• Discuss our situations with the department member(s) who is/are directly involved.

• Strive for direct communication to deal quickly and efficiently with situations causing discomfort to each other.
• All department members are encouraged to state their feelings freely.
• If you feel uncomfortable with confrontation, discuss your situation with the department chair for intervention.
• When a department member begins discussing their concerns with an uninvolved department member, gently remind them of this policy.

• Departmental Meetings

• The department chair shall call a department meeting at the beginning and end of each semester for orientation, schedule clarification, specification of deadlines for budgets, ordering, inventory preparations, syllabus review, etc.;
• Other meetings will be called as needed throughout the semester.
• A meeting agenda will be passed out to all department members, and anyone may add additional items with a written request.
• Attendance at this meeting and all other coordination meetings called by the chair will be expected of all department members.
• A quorum shall consist of a majority of department voting members (Full-time faculty are voting members).
• Department meetings are public.  Any interested faculty or staff member are invited to attend department meetings but are not eligible to vote.  
• Discussions related to personnel matters will be conducted in closed sessions with only voting members of the department in attendance.  Votes taken regarding such matters must be held during open session.

•  Special Department Meetings

• Any member of the department may call a special departmental meeting.
• A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of all voting members of the department, tenured and non-tenured.
• Those department members attending shall elect a temporary chair to preside in the absence of the chair.
• Twenty-four-hour notice shall be given for all special meetings when possible.
• Minutes of regular and special department meetings shall be taken, and actions recorded by the Academic Department Assistant. In the absence of an Academic Department Assistant, minutes and actions shall be recorded by a voting member selected by the body.

•   Policy Proposals and Changes

• Any department member can bring a policy proposal/change to the department for review.
• An Agenda item will be placed for discussion at the next department meeting.
• Policy statements should be written and distributed to department members after the initial or first proposal and debate.
• Further discussion on the item will be held at the next meeting.
• The item will be voted upon after a motion is made and seconded.
• A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of department-voting members.
• If a member cannot attend, a paper ballot can be requested.

•  Department Chair

• Department Chair responsibilities will follow the guidelines outlined in Article 12 of the District/PFF Agreement.
• Department Chair will rotate among full-time faculty in order of seniority, with people who have already served as chair at the bottom of the list. Please see this file for the current position.
• A new chair will be selected based on the previous list. If you are unable to serve during your scheduled turn due to personal issues, you can defer (but your position in the list will remain unchanged).
• Faculty who would like to serve as chair sooner than their position on the list may request moving up by discussing it with the person scheduled next to be chair.

• Email and Texting

• When communicating with students, we are to use our Palomar email address and the students’ Palomar email addresses; we are not to use other email accounts, either ours or our students. We are also not to communicate through texts. (The Chancellor's Office in Sacramento dictates these rules.)
• Here is a short video from August 2020 on redirecting emails sent to a Palomar email address (received in Outlook) to other email addresses.
• Responsiveness to communication from students, faculty and staff is an important part of your job.  All instructors must reply to emails from students, faculty and staff within one full business day. .

•  Course Syllabus

• The syllabus you give students is an agreement that serves as a legal document.  A significant deviation in your course syllabus from the material specified in the official course outline of record is inadvisable due to the potential problems if challenged by students.
• California state law requires that all instructors give each student a copy of their course syllabus at the first class meeting.  State law also requires your syllabus to conform to the official course outline of record (available from department or division leadership).  Your syllabus must include essential course information, including:

• Prerequisites, co-requisites, or other requirements.
• Instructor contact information (including website address and email).
• Course content.
• How grades will be determined.
• Class policies.
• Class schedule, assignments' due dates, and exams' dates, including the final.
• Office hours (full-time faculty only).
• Student Learning Outcomes for the course, preferably near the top of the first page.
• Class policies, including but not limited to:

• Consequences of cheating.
• Attendance requirements for lecture and lab sections.
• Lecture and lab exam make-up policies.
• Plagiarism and its consequences.

• Textbook information including title, author, edition, and ISBN.
•  Student fees, if any.
•  Add/drop deadlines: All important dates are in your Faculty eServices.
• Holidays (Academic Calendars here)
• Final exam dates. Note: there is no “finals week.” The expectation is that finals will be given at the last class meeting of the semester.  How a final is implemented is the instructor’s prerogative as long as it is done by the last class meeting and a last class meeting is held on the appropriate day of the semester.
• Please add this paragraph to the syllabus: “Because of the loss of funding that occurs when students fail to add a class by the add deadline, the Biology Department requires the following statement to appear in all Biology course syllabi “Only students who are officially registered may participate in this class. If you are given a permission code to add this class, you must officially add the class prior to the next class meeting. If you have difficulty using the college's computerized enrollment system to add, please notify the instructor immediately. The deadline for adding any class or using a permission code to add is the end of the second week of classes or within 20% of class meetings. Under no circumstances will students be allowed to add this class after the add deadline.”

• Submitting the course syllabus

• According to department policy, a copy of the syllabus you give your students must be on file in the Biology Department office before classes begin.
• The ADA requests that you provide a digital copy of your syllabus for the Biology Office files. You may provide the digital copy as an email attachment.

• Canvas (Learning Management System)

• All full-time and part-time faculty are required to post course materials and grades on Canvas.
• Scores for all assignments must be entered in the “Grades” section of Canvas and must be updated frequently so students can determine their current grade in the course at all times.

• Printing and Copying

• You can make your copies in NS-144 (the far north end of the first-floor hallway in the NS building.)  

• All faculty are given a code to use the copy machine. The code can be used with additional copiers in A-25 and the Escondido education center. Comet Copy maintains all copiers.
• Remember your code! If you have forgotten your code, please contact the ADA she will arrange for you to receive it. If you do need a new code, contact the department chair.
• Student handouts, lecture outlines, PowerPoint notes, and study guides should NOT be duplicated and distributed to students.  For access, place these items on Canvas or your website so that students can print the material they want.
• All full-time and part-time faculty are responsible for making their own copies.  This is never the responsibility of the ADA or ISAs.
• You can submit your order through email to Comet Copy, cometcopy@palomar.edu. An example of such an email can be found in Appendix 9
• You can take your job directly to MD-118. There's a 24 hour turn-around and all print jobs must be pickled up by faculty, there is no delivery available.  

• Department Website Info

• Our website is here.
• Contact Beth Pearson if you have any questions about the site.

• Faculty WordPress Accounts

• All Palomar faculty are automatically given a WordPress account.
• Through WordPress you can create your own course web page if you wish to operate independently of Canvas, or use a site as a supplement to Canvas. In any event,  WordPress, as compared to Canvas, offers much more freedom to do your own thing.
• Log in here, using your Palomar credentials.
• Here is Palomar’s WordPress site with numerous links to tutorials.

•  Credit By Examination

• When a student requests credit-by-examination (available for lecture courses only) it is up to the  instructor to create a comprehensive examination.  There is no compensation available.

• Use your discretion in granting a student permission to take credit-by-examination.
• Refer students requesting credit-by-examination to the department chair if you are unsure.
•  Items to consider before making your decision:

Exam preparation

Grading

Course content

• Adjunct instructors may consult their mentor or the department chair when they are approached by a student requesting credit-by-examination.

• Students cannot be tested out of lab classes through credit-by-examination.

•  Directed Study Projects

• Directed Study Projects must be overseen by a contract faculty member.
• The department chair is listed in the schedule as the instructor for Directed Study Projects.
• Part-time faculty may not oversee a directed study project.
• Students must have their Directed Study Contract filled out and approved by the supervising instructor BEFORE they register for BIOL 295.
• Directed Study Contracts MUST be completed, approved, and turned in to the

Instruction Office within the first week of classes.

•  Safety Procedures

• Each Biology instructor is responsible for distributing, reviewing and discussing the safety rules for their laboratory course with each of their classes during the first class meeting.
• Testing on the safety rules is encouraged
• Each Biology instructor is responsible for the collection of the Safety Sign-Off Agreement from each student in their class.

• Make sure your students read and understand the Safety Agreement when they sign it and turn it in.
• Specific Safety Agreements will be drawn up for each laboratory course in the Biology Department.
• Make sure to keep the signed safety agreements for at least one year after they are signed by students.

• See Appendix 1 for an example of the safety instructions handed out to students
• Go here for the Department Safety Procedures and other safety-related documents
• For questions on Safety, please contact Steve King, Instructional Associate, or the Supervisor of Environmental Health & Safety.

• Breakage of Departmental Equipment

• Each instructor teaching a Biology course is required to include a breakage policy statement in the course materials handed out to each student at the beginning of the semester. The form’s purpose is to inform students they are to pay for any breakage over $5.00 (see Appendix 3). Students are required to sign. But note the next bullet-point.
• The Community College Chancellor’s Office has made it clear that students cannot be liable for any breakage, so the form seems now irrelevant. (See Appendix 2 for the exact statement).  Why the forms are still required is an issue that has yet to be addressed by the Department.
• Students must be given instructions on the proper use of all equipment so as to avoid damage.

• Course Outlines of Record (See the CurricUNET User Guidefor full details )

• Course Outlines of Record to be revised are distributed to the department chair each

        semester by the Division Dean/Instruction Office.

• The department chair ascertains who is responsible for the courses and distributes copies of the Course Outlines to be revised to those individuals.
• Instructors are encouraged to enter their revisions into CurricUNET as soon as possible following the course outline review process.

•  Once corrections are entered you will then need to click the Audit button.
•  If the proposal passes the Audit, the originator is instructed how to go to the  approval part of the system to pre-launch the proposal.
•  If the audit fails, error messages indicate to the originator what needs to be  corrected in order to pass the audit.
• The next step is to pre-launch your proposal.  Pre-launch sends the proposal to a group of people who review it to ensure all the information is accurate.
• During the pre-launch step the originator is able to make any changes to the proposal required by the group of people in the approval process (see list below)

Once the people who review the proposal in pre-launch are satisfied with the proposal, the originator is instructed to launch the proposal.

A proposal that has been launched cannot be modified by the originator.

Completed proposals will take effect the following fall.

• Once pre-launched, a proposal will be reviewed by various individuals in the approval process.  The following describes which pages the individuals in the pre-launch and launch process are expected to evaluate and to provide input:

• Articulation Officer – Course number, general education, transferability
• Discipline content specialists (where applicable) –  Course content, outline, objectives, methods of instruction, textbooks/resources
• Chairs/Directors -  Course content, outline, objectives, methods of instruction, textbooks/resources, open entry/open exit, potential overlap
• Deans -  Repeatability, hours/units, grading basis, potential overlap, TOP codes, and other MIS codes
• Librarian –Verifies that the originator of a new course has informed the Librarians whether adequate library resources are available or, if not, what additional resources are needed.

  ---

FAQs

Can I add students over and above the recommended class size?

Class sizes are set according to recommended practices and established by the department and the dean. Class limits in the Natural Science Building are 60 for lecture rooms and 30 for laboratory rooms. Remember that if students are no-shows on the first class session, please drop them to make room for wait-listed students or others trying to add the class.  You may add additional students at any of the satellite centers at your discretion as long as seats are available.

How do students obtain a permission code to add a class?

If your class is full and you want to add wait-listed or other students, you must enter the student’s name and student ID number to your Permission Roster on MyPalomar.  Students can enroll online without a permission code if a class is not full.

What is the Census Certification Process

Census Certification is a Title 5 requirement.  Regulations require the class roster to be cleared of no-shows students.  Therefore, Faculty ARE to drop students who have not been present in their classes before Census Date.  ALL no-shows are to be dropped by the faculty member per Title 5 (5 CCR §58004).  Your drop policy after Census Date must clearly be stated on your syllabus.

The Census Certification process is a “one-time” process to be completed at or as near to Census Date as possible.  Faculty can see the Census Certification status for their sections in the Faculty Center under “Census Roster.”

How do I submit my course grades?

Final grades must be submitted online through MyPalomar. Be sure to print or save a copy of each completed grade roster to the cloud for your records.  Grade postings must be submitted to the Records Office before the last day of the semester or within 48 hours after the last final examination.

What is the FW grade?

According to board policy, the FW grade is for unofficial withdrawals from a course. It is for a student who has ceased participating in a course after the last day to officially drop or withdraw without achieving a passing grade. The “FW” grade shall be used in determining academic standing.” Students can petition to have an “FW” grade changed to a “W,” but they cannot petition to have a “D” or “F” changed to a “W.” Use of the “FW” grade is up to the individual instructor.

What is the DRC?

The DRC is the Disability Resource Center. Staff in the DRC are available to help provide services for students with disabilities, including physical, visual, auditory, communication, learning, and psychological disabilities. The most common request DRC students have for instructors is to take an exam in a quiet room that the DRC provides. You’ll be given a blue envelope for the exam, and the responsibility of delivering the exam by the scheduled exam date is the instructor’s.

Early in the term, DRC students will usually give you a form to sign requesting permission to use some DRC services, such as exam-taking in their facilities. You are not obligated to sign the form. For more info, check out the DRC website.

What’s the difference between the Information Services Department (IS) and Academic Technology?

 IS supports Palomar email and MyPalomar (formerly eServices). They also service office desktop computers, classroom workstations, and classroom projectors. You can reach the Information Services help desk by emailing helpdesk@palomar.edu or by phoning X2140, and there is a night tech available from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm Monday through Thursday. If you receive a voicemail during this time, just leave a message with what the problem is and what room.  Someone will contact you.

 Academic Technology supports Blackboard/Canvas and WordPress, and they run the Academic Technology Resource Center (ATRC) in the library. The ATRC  has, among other things, two classroom computer labs that can be reserved for classes to use. Academic Technology also runs numerous tech workshops throughout the year and has many online training videos, equipment to check out, and many other services. Browsing their website is highly recommended. You can reach Academic Technology by visiting the ATRC help desk, by emailing atrc@palomar.edu, or by phoning X2862 (Note: make sure you have your Palomar email address in the “From” box of any mail you send to AT; other email addresses will be ignored.)

What’s STEM?

Here’s everything you need to know.  Be sure to visit the STEM Center in NS-312!

What is Faculty MyPalomar (formerly eServices)?

MyPalomar is an online resource that accesses Palomar’s PeopleSoft enrollment database. It allows instructors to view and print class rosters (including student contact information), wait-list rosters, drop rosters, and permission codes. You must also submit final grades through MyPalomar. To enter the system, you’ll need your employee ID number and a password (follow directions at the Faculty eServices Website). Note that this system now uses PeopleSoft 9 and includes several improvements over previous services.  

What is Canvas?

Canvas is the online Learning Management System used by Palomar College. All full-time and part-time faculty are required to use this system for posting course materials and grades.

Without exception, all scores for course assignments and assessments must be promptly posted on Canvas to allow students to see their scores and overall average in the class at all times.

Additional Canvas resources:

• ATRC help desk
• Canvas Instructor Orientation

How do I operate the data projectors in NS classrooms?

Instructions on operating the new data projectors can be obtained from any contract Biology Department instructor or the Information Services website.

If I’m new, when do I get a Palomar email account?

When your information becomes officially entered into our system through Human Resources, the department’s academic assistant will contact you to establish your Palomar email account. Once set, you can use your username and password to access all network-related services at Palomar (e.g., WordPress, Canvas, etc.) except for MyPalomar, for which you will use your employee ID number as the password.

The administration requests that all adjunct faculty have a Palomar College email account. Please check your Palomar email regularly for any campus-wide messages, etc.  You can access your Palomar email here.

Your Palomar address is listed in the campus-wide directory. Your preferred email address can be listed in the faculty directory on the Biology Department website, but only if you do this yourself or contact Carey Carpenter and have him do it for you (he doesn’t mind doing this for some reason.) For more information on the department website, see below.

Do I need keys to the rooms where I teach?

The department intends to restrict key distribution to the Natural Science building on the San Marcos Campus for security reasons.  Please let the ADA know if you need help with a locked room when you arrive.

At the centers faculty will receive key cards at the beginning of each semester to access their lecture and lab classrooms.

Are adjuncts required to have a Palomar voicemail?

No, although a campus voicemail is available each semester you teach at Palomar College. If you wish to utilize the voicemail services, contact the ADA before classes begin to arrange a phone extension. You must request it to receive one. Also, note that your campus voicemail must be reactivated each semester. 

What restrictions are there for photocopying class materials?

Because there is a minimal photocopy budget, please photocopy only what is necessary and directly related to your course.

Photocopying can be done at the walk-up copy centers on campus or by submitting a job request to the ADA at least 48 hours before you need it. You can also submit copy jobs as email attachments to Comet Copy (see Appendix 9 for an example of such an email) or you can email your photocopy job to the ADA if you give her an extra 24 hours lead time. Allow at least an additional 24 hours if the photocopy job is to be sent off campus. Please remember to use the proper account code for your duplication needs.

Please follow department guidelines when copying materials.  As mentioned under “Printing and Copying” on page 5, student handouts, lecture outlines, PowerPoint notes and study guides should NOT be duplicated and distributed to students.  Place these items on your website or on the Blackboard for student access so that they are responsible for copying the material that they desire.  If you have lost or forgotten your code contact the department chair or the ADA directly via email or in person.

Where to direct student misconduct?

Students exhibiting disruptive or threatening behavior violate the Student Code of Conduct and are handled through the Office of Student Affairs.  Depending on the nature of the behavior, it may be appropriate to give a verbal warning or to temporarily remove the student from class and notify the department chair and the Director of Student Affairs, who may ultimately suspend or terminate the student from the college. Keeping the department chair aware of student issues in your classes as they arise and before they escalate is always a good idea. Send the chair a quick email as a ‘heads-up’ with the essential information to protect yourself should you need it in the future. For more information on the Student Code of Conduct, please contact Sherry Titus, the Director of Student Affairs, at X2596 or go to this page at the Student Affairs website.

Where to direct student complaints?

If a student has a problem with an instructor, they should first speak to the instructor, then the department chair, and then the division dean, if necessary, to resolve the issue.  The dean will refer the student to the Director of Student Affairs if appropriate.  The same procedure will be followed for grade disputes.

What about student privacy issues?

Legally, students may not have access to other students’ confidential information, such as social security numbers, ID numbers, telephone numbers, and email addresses. Class rosters and some other documents may contain this information. As a reminder, keep these records confidential and never pass around a class roster with ID numbers for attendance purposes. Also, do not post anything that contains student information (such as grade rosters). Please shred any confidential student information after you are finished with it.

What procedures must I follow concerning field trips?

The Biology Department encourages instructors to take their classes on appropriate field trips. However, check with the lead instructor in your discipline about the feasibility of a particular field trip and to see if it overlaps with another field trip in a similar course (such as the lab). If you plan to take a required (or optional) field trip during the semester, you must complete a field trip request form at least 3 weeks prior to the field trip.  For more information about field trips see the ADA, or the other instructors in your discipline.

What is Professional Development?

Everything you need to know, right here.

How often are adjunct faculty evaluated?

Adjunct faculty will be evaluated using guidelines in the District/Palomar Faculty Federation (PFF) Agreement, Article 17. To view evaluation forms and guidelines please go to: http://www.palomar.edu/tenureandevaluations/ 

1. In accordance with Education Code §87663, an adjunct faculty member will be evaluated (including a classroom observation and written student evaluations) during the first year of employment with the District, and at least once in every six (6) subsequent semesters.
2. Classroom evaluations will be conducted by the department chair or a discipline-specific instructor in the Biology Department the first semester and on a case-by case basis for subsequent semesters as directed by the current contract language.
3. Classroom evaluations may also be conducted by the Dean.
4. All evaluations will be arranged ahead of time. The evaluation date and time can be chosen by the adjunct faculty.
5. Sometime after the observation, a meeting will be set up by the evaluator to discuss the findings; at this time the evaluee will be given the Evaluation Report. The report will include the tabulated results of the student evaluations. However, a copy of the written comments from the student evaluations will be provided only after grades have been posted.
6. The evaluator should make every effort to schedule this meeting before the end of the term during which the evaluation was conducted.

The Biology department recognizes that these performance standards are vague. For transparency, the Biology department shares the following department-specific performance standards that your evaluator will also include in their assessment.

Biology Department Teaching Standards

[Original document can be found in the Biology Teams folder]

As a full- or part-time (adjunct) faculty member teaching in the Biology Department at Palomar College, you will be evaluated by one of our full-time faculty (the evaluator).  

The following materials are considered in your evaluation: (1) anonymous student evaluations for the class you are teaching, (2) a classroom observation by the evaluator, (3) course materials (including your syllabus, a copy of one of your exams, and any other course materials that your evaluator has requested, and (4) the Biology Chair’s form. Visit the Tenure and Evaluations page for more details.

During the semester that you are to be evaluated, the assigned evaluator will contact you to set up a time to observe one class session and administer student evaluations to your students. Your comprehensive report will evaluate you on the following standards of performance.  The standards listed in bold are consistent across campus and part of your evaluation report. Additionally, the Biology department expects the following department-specific performance standards to be met, and your evaluator will consider these expectations in writing your evaluation report.  

1. The instructor meets classes as required, teaches according to the Course Outline of Record, and is well prepared. 

Biology Department Standards: 

• Consistently start your classes on time.
• Be prepared for your classes (e.g. have lectures prepared in advance).
• Use all scheduled class time. If you need help with ideas on how to utilize your time, talk with your lead instructor.
• You cannot cancel class meetings without reporting your absence to the Department Chair and Academic Department Assistant in a timely manner.  
• Adhere to the Course Outline of Record when teaching the course content.

2. The instructor treats students with respect and tolerance, demonstrates patience and a willingness to help when needed, and encourages student participation and questions.

Biology Department Standards: 

• Reply to student emails in a timely manner (within 1 business day Monday-Friday).
• Attempt to engage the students through various active learning activities (e.g. clickers, Socratic method, worksheets, problem solving).  We recognize that not every activity will be successful, but you should at least be attempting to stimulate students other than just lecturing to them.
• You should treat all students with respect and fairness.
• You should not recommend that students drop or withdraw from the class if they are doing poorly or failing. Instead, you should work with students to identify strategies to improve their grade, including (but not limited to) attending the Tutoring Centers, changing study strategies, improving attendance and participation, advance preparation before coming to class.  

• You should be open and available for student questions. You should never respond to questions with belittling comments or otherwise actively discourage participation and student’s willingness to ask for help. Feedback can also be solicited anonymously using regular surveys or muddiest point / exit ticket activities.
• You must review and acknowledge receiving all student accommodations on the MyDRC Instructor portal in a timely manner, no later than the first week of classes.
• You must provide students with their required DRC accommodations, and you should ask questions if you are unsure about how to comply with a specific accommodation.

3. The instructor demonstrates effective communication skills in the classroom or online environment, presenting course material in an interesting and engaging manner. 

Biology Department Standards: 

• Include whiteboard work (or something similar) in your lectures (e.g. not simply reading off PowerPoint slides for the entire lecture).
• Provide your evaluator with evidence that you require critical thinking (versus rote memorization of terminology or facts) in your classroom.
• Provide your evaluator with evidence that demonstrates that written work is required and assessed in your class (via homework, quizzes, exams and/or research projects, etc.). Exams cannot be entirely multiple choice and true/false questions.  
• Special notes for those using “Flipped Classrooms.” Using a flipped classroom is an acceptable pedagogical style, but only if implemented correctly. According to the Biology Department, this means that time normally scheduled for lectures will instead be used for active instructor-led discussion, activities (e.g., worksheets or problem sets), or lectures on conceptually difficult topics. Using a flipped classroom approach does not allow you to have very short or no lectures at all. You are still required to meet for the entirety of your scheduled lecture time.  
• You must provide verbal instructions before each laboratory. Students should not be expected to complete labs independently with no guidance or information from faculty.

4. The instructor maintains fair and clearly stated grading policies and provides fair and reasonably prompt evaluation of student work. 

Biology Department Standards: 

• Ensure proper rigor in your assessments. If you are unsure of the appropriate level of rigor, please contact the faculty lead for that course.
• Provide consistent feedback to the students via multiple low- and high-stake assessments (e.g., quizzes, homework, essays, worksheets). Your assessments must include more than just exams, and you must give more than two exams.
• Exams must be given in-person for face-to-face classes, no exceptions. Exams must be given during the scheduled class meeting time.
• Continually provide students with their grades on assessments (e.g. posting grades in Canvas) in a timely manner.  Assessments should be graded and recorded within two weeks.  

• Maintain a fair and consistent grading policy that is transparent to the students. A good place for a detailed grading policy is in the syllabus.
• Your course must use a Canvas LMS page. You must keep a record of all grades on Canvas, and ensure your page includes updated information about assignments, exams, and other course policies.  

5. The instructor demonstrates depth of academic preparation and subject area competency. 

Biology Department Standards: 

• Create your own assessments that correlate closely with your curriculum rather than using “canned” publisher materials such as exams. For those using “Flipped Classrooms,” this means the videos that you use in place of your lectures must be ones that you personally have made, not videos from other sources.
• Be knowledgeable about the material you are teaching and extend the topic beyond what is in the course textbook (e.g., local or interesting examples).
• Teach evolution (and not creationism or other faith-based topics) if specified by the COR. If this is not clear, please talk with the Biology Department Chair.

6. The class syllabus clearly states course requirements and Student Learning Outcomes, as determined and identified by the department.  

Biology Department Standards: 

• You are expected to provide students with a detailed, transparent, and fair syllabus that includes all the items required by the Biology Department (see Departmental Procedures Manual).  
• Due dates for all assignments must be included in your syllabus.
• All exam dates must be clearly stated in the syllabus and cannot change once the syllabus has been given to students. If you fall behind in your lecture, you will test students on the scheduled exam date on whatever material you have covered up until that point. Students must know exam dates at the beginning of the semester so they can plan accordingly.  

7. The instructor adheres to department guidelines and is responsive to communications from the department. 

Biology Department Standards: 

• Promptly reply to faculty email requests from the Department Chair, ADA, ISA (lab support staff) and other department colleagues.
• Maintain laboratory collegiality. If you are teaching a laboratory course (or a course with a laboratory component), you are expected to:  

• Adhere to the prescribed lab schedule.
• Not make extraneous demands of the lab support staff (ISA) for supplemental materials or set-up without prior consent of the department chairperson, the lab support staff person in charge of the course, and/or the lead faculty member.
• Not allow students to work unsupervised.
• Not allow students to use equipment and materials that are intended for other classes.
• Leave the lab clean and ready for the next instructor.  For safety purposes, you should require that your students clean the lab before leaving each day (and if they don’t then you should clean the lab).
• Ensure that microscopes are cleaned and stored properly after use.
• For safety reasons inform the department chairperson, lead faculty member, and lab support staff (ISA) if you plan to bring a new chemical, microorganism or any potentially dangerous item into the lab.
• Teach all laboratories scheduled for the class, and have students work in the prescribed group sizes. You should not be skipping labs and/or having the students work in very large groups. This is a waste of ISA preparation time and supplies.  

Is there a page at Palomar.com that has links to college-wide forms?

Yes.

Who can proctor make-up exams?

State law requires that a credentialed instructor who is certified for that subject matter be present when exams or make-up exams are given. Thus, only qualified faculty (and not our lab staff) may proctor exams.

Can adjunct instructors attend Biology Department meetings?

Absolutely. The Biology contract faculty meets on an occasional basis during the semester and all adjunct instructors are welcome to attend the meetings. An announcement will be sent out via email informing everyone when department meetings will occur. Most department meetings will be scheduled several days in advance.

How do I order equipment and supplies?

Contract instructors can order equipment and supplies by checking with the department chair and/or lab tech and then indicating what they want to order. We can order most things with an Open Purchase Order. We may order perishable supplies by using the division Cal-Card. Part-time instructors should recommend equipment and supply purchases to the lead instructor in their discipline and/or the lab tech. If the item is necessary and within the discipline’s budget, it is likely that it will be ordered.

Do I need to order textbooks?

Textbooks in the Biology Dept. are ordered by the full-time faculty member in each discipline.  If you are an adjunct faculty member your textbooks will be ordered for you.  Please see your discipline specific faculty member in regards to questions about the textbook/s being used.  Textbooks are ordered through the campus bookstore several months in advance of the semester.  If you are using a low cost/zero cost text please submit your order through the CALM order form. If you require a desk copy please see the ADA for publisher contact information.

How do I report NS room problems (no AC, etc.)?

If your problem is with the classroom temperature, please contact Facilities at ext. 2629, or send them an email at FacilitiesRemedy@palomar.edu.

If you have other concerns about your room, please send the department chair an email with specifics. The chair will have one of our instructional assistants, if possible, resolve the issue. The department will process any required requests and paperwork.

If you are experiencing problems with the computer or AV equipment please contact the Information Services help desk at ext. 2140 or at helpdesk@palomar.edu. If your problem occurs during the evening, please leave a message with your name, room number, and the issue you are having and the night-time person on call will be dispatched.

What should I do if I know I am going to miss class meetings?

If you know that you will be unable to attend some class meetings (including the final exam), please notify your discipline-specific instructor(s) as soon as possible (the earlier, the better) so that they can arrange coverage for your class(es), if possible. The department chair can help with this issue, but it is preferred that you handle it within the subject discipline.  Please notify the chair of the arrangements that you have made for the department records.  If you are an adjunct instructor, you may or may not be paid for these missed class hours. If you have an absence because you are ill, notify the ADA and the Department Chair as soon as possible so they can notify the administration and post your classes. If you are an adjunct instructor, you may get paid for these hours if you have sick time accrued. There is money available to pay the substitute instructor.

If you teach at the Escondido Center and will be out ill please notify Nicole Puccio at ext. 8165 and she will post your class.  If your class starts after 5:00 p.m. please contact Pam Dratler at ext. 8164.

Am I required to drop students who do not show to class?

Yes! You are required to drop students who have never shown up to your class by Census date (second Friday). You may also drop students at a later date for excessive absence, or failure to complete assignments. Your policy on attendance must be clearly stated on your syllabus.

Who do I call in case of a medical emergency?

You call Health Services at ext. 2380, Campus Police either at ext. 2289 or direct at 760-891-7273.

How do I obtain a Palomar parking permit?

The campus uses a digital parking permit system, eliminating the need for a physical permit to be displayed in the vehicle. The license plate number will act as the parking permit and the system allows for up to 5 vehicles to be registered to one instructor or student.  However, you are only allowed to have one vehicle registered parked on campus at any time.

https://www.credentialsops.com/CGI-BIN/gacgiord.pgm?ALUMPPS01260 

How do I get an identification card?

You may get an employee picture identification card (PIC), (which will at least get you discounted coffee and soda drinks on campus) by going to SU-202 (above the cafeteria) with your employee ID#.  Hours: M-TH: 8-2:30, Fri. 8-1:00, ext. 2796.

Is there a part-time faculty workroom?

Yes, it is located on the first floor of the Natural Science Building in NS-153.  It has computers, printers, Scantron machine and small conference rooms available for your use.  Hours are M-Th: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm and Fri. 8:00 -  11:00 am.  For more information contact Terri Wallace at 3987 or go to http://www.palomar.edu/instruction/other/part-time-workroom.pdf

Are part-time faculty required to hold office hours?

Although adjunct instructors are not required to hold office hours, they will be compensated at the following rates:

For due dates and to download the Office Hours Verification Form go to:  http://www.palomar.edu/HR/forms/PTFacOfcHrs.pdf  .

What Library Resources are available?

Library - You can order videos from the County Consortium, place books or articles on reserve, or arrange a customized library instruction session for your class.  Please go to: http://www.palomar.edu/library/facultyservices.htm for more information.

How does an adjunct faculty receive re-employment preference?

Part-time faculty gain re-employment preference using guidelines in the District/Palomar Faculty Federation (PFF) Agreement, Article 20.10.  

Part-time faculty members who meet professional standards of performance and demonstrate a continuing commitment to the educational programs of Palomar College shall receive preferential consideration for continuing adjunct assignments.  This preferential consideration shall be based upon evaluation procedures and the accumulation of assignment credits as outlined in the article.

What about the union?

The Palomar Faculty Federation (PFF) is the union for all faculty, full-time or adjunct. Check out their website and it’s always advisable to read the current contract,

Appendix 1: Example of Laboratory Safety Regulations

Safety is always an important component of a laboratory experience and you will be expected to learn and carefully follow all safety procedures. In Biology 200 your laboratory exercises will cover a broad range of topics.  Any laboratory material may pose a threat to your health or safety if misused.  You will handle and be exposed to chemicals and bacterial cultures, as well as exposure to UV radiation. Although the majority of the materials used in the Biology 200 laboratory are relatively harmless, the procedures for safe handling of these laboratory materials and the habits you develop during this course will be useful to you in the future, especially if you take other laboratory courses.  If you are allergic to any chemicals or if you are pregnant please talk with your instructor.

1. Advanced preparation

Keep in mind that any laboratory material may pose a significant threat to your health or safety if misused.  One of the most important aspects of lab safety is advance preparation.  Be sure to read the laboratory exercise thoroughly prior to your lab period. As in driving, a person must be "defensive" in the laboratory. Pay attention at all times during lab, to the activities of your fellow students as well as to your own work.

2.        No eating or drinking the lab

Plan ahead for breakfast/lunch/dinner and snacks before coming to la After the lab or during a lab break wash your hands before eating or drinking outside the lab room.  Under no circumstance are you to eat or drink in the lab.

3.        Protect yourself from unnecessary exposure to harmful substances

When you arrive in lab it is recommended that you immediately wipe down your  table area where you sit.  You have no idea what other students have placed on the table surface prior to your arrival.  During lab it is recommended that you wash your hands frequently and keep your hands out of your mouth, nose and eyes.

4.        Keep all lab areas clean

Be certain that before you leave the lab for the day (evening) that your work area is clean, that all the materials you used are put back where they were found when you started lab and  that all counter workspaces are clean.   Failure to follow these guidelines is unacceptable and can result in your being dropped from this class.

5.        Shoes in the lab

Shoes must be worn at all times in a laboratory. Open-toed shoes may not be worn in the lab because they may result in cuts from broken glass or burns from spilled chemicals.

6.        Exposed body fluids

The potential for exposure to harmful pathogens such as HIV and Hepatitis viruses requires that everyone take precautions to protect themselves from contact with blood and other body fluids.  Exposure can occur via open wounds, sores, or any break in the skin including those caused by such things as chapping and dermatitis. In the event of a minor bleeding injury in the laboratory, give absorbent material (paper towel) to the victim and instruct the victim to apply pressure to the wound.  Do not offer DIRECT assistance to the victim unless you are properly protected with disposable latex gloves.   Likewise, if someone becomes ill (vomits) in a classroom setting, offer only INDIRECT assistance.  Contact your instructor immediately for assistance should injury or sickness occur in class.  Contact your instructor to arrange for cleanup of body fluids, as special supplies are needed in order to perform the cleanup and disposal safely.

7.        Fire

Cuts and burns are the most common injuries that occur in the laboratory In case of a fire, never put yourself in danger of being burned.  Warn others, clear the area immediately, and help other students who may require assistance.  If your clothing (or the clothing of others) catches fire, smother the flames by rolling on the floor.  Do not wrap a person who is standing in a fire blanket as it can increase the severity of a burn injury by creating a chimney effect.  Loose clothing and unrestrained hair are a fire hazard.

8.        Safety when working with bacteria and chemicals

1. If you have open wounds or cuts on your hand, cover them with a bandage or wear latex gloves.  
2. Disinfect lab bench tops before and after handling bacterial cultures. Spray a disinfectant (e.g. Sanisol), let it stand for 10 minutes and wipe up with paper towels.
3. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.
4. Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap after handing bacteria.e.        
5. If a bacterial culture is spilled, cover the spill area with paper towels, flood the paper towels with disinfectant (e.g. Sanisol), wait 20 minutes, wipe up the spill with more paper towels, and dispose of the paper towels in a red biohazard bag.
6. If a hazardous chemical contacts your skin, wash immediately with water for at least 5 minutes. If a hazardous chemical contacts your eyes, use the yellow eye wash device to flush your eyes for at least 20 minutes.                                                                                
7. In case of a chemical spill, notify your instructor and he or she will arrange for proper clean up based on the size and nature of the spill.

9.        Proper disposal of laboratory waste

Improper disposal of laboratory waste has both legal and financial consequences. Look for the five types of disposal containers listed below. If you are unsure as to how to dispose of solid or liquid waste ask your instructor.  There is a poster on the wall in the laboratory which contains the following information.

        a.        Wastebasket

The wastebasket is for paper towels from hand washing and non-laboratory, non-contaminated waste that is free from harmful materials like bacteria, body fluids and hazardous chemicals.  Soda cans, water bottles, and other recyclables should be placed in recycle containers located on campus outside the classroom.

        b.        Cardboard box lined with plastic

The blue-white cardboard box is for disposal of broken laboratory glass that is non-contaminated. Your instructor will arrange for the disposal of broken contaminated glassware.

                Red biohazard bag placed in covered trash cans.

This bag is for non-sharp contaminated items that must be autoclaved (sterilized) prior to disposal, such as used Petri plates or soft materials containing bacteria or body fluids.

        d.        Red plastic "Sharps Container"

This puncture-proof red plastic container is for items that are sharp (would puncture a biohazard plastic bag) and require autoclaving prior to disposal. Examples of items for the "sharps container" include syringes with needles, cotton swabs, contaminated microscope slides, and disposable pipettes used with microorganisms. Do not put glassware with hazardous chemicals into a sharps container. Your instructor will arrange for proper disposal of glassware contaminated with hazardous chemicals.

e.        Chemical disposal jugs

Disposal of liquid wastes is of special consideration because Palomar College is part of a water  reclamation district. Regulations governing what we can pour down our sinks are stringent.  Among substances that we cannot pour into our sinks are: flammables (such as alcohol), solvents (like acetone), strong acids or bases, toxics, and grease or motor oil. In laboratories involving these substances, either lab personnel will dispose of the waste for you OR your class will be provided with chemical disposal jugs into which waste will be poured. Be careful not to mix types of waste in the jug.  The chemical disposal jugs are for liquid chemicals that may NOT be poured down sinks including flammables (such as alcohol), solvents (like acetone), strong acids or bases, toxics, and grease or motor oil.

10.        Report all accidents or injuries to your instructor.

        Student Health Services must evaluate each student who is injured in the laboratory.    

11.        If you ever notice a fellow student acting in an unhealthy or dangerous manner in the laboratory please notify your instructor immediately.

Appendix 2: Biology Department Breakage Fee Policy

1. In the event of damage or breakage of supplies and equipment by students of the department the following policy shall apply:

2. This policy will NOT determine whether the breakage was from neglect or by accident.  It will apply equally in all cases.

3. This policy will be enforced on all breakage over $5.00 cost of replacement.

4. All Instructors will discuss this policy and information with their students at the beginning of the semester.  A sign-off sheet is required as well.

5. When damage or breakage occurs, the Instructor must be notified.  At that time the breakage form will be filled out by both the Instructor and the student.

6. The Instructor will submit the top half of the form to the Department Secretary or an Instructional Assistant, to be forwarded to the CASHIER'S OFFICE.

7. The bottom half of the form is given to the student.  It is the student's responsibility to pay the appropriate amount to the cashier.  The Instructor and the department will not remind the student to pay the damage fee.

8. When notified by the department (by receipt of the top half of the breakage form), the CASHIER'S OFFICE will note the student's file with a 'monetary hold - fees due'.  At this point, the student owes the college money and cannot register for the next semester nor request transcripts until the debt is paid.
9. When the student pays the cashier the proper amount, the 'monetary hold' on the student's file is removed.

* Department Copy *

To:        Palomar Community College - Cashier's Office                

From:        Biology Department

Re:        EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY BREAKAGE FEE

Date:        _____________

Student:___________________________________

I.D.#:_____________________________________

Amount Due: $______________________________                         

Description of Items: _________________________

The student identified above has damaged or broken the items listed above. The cost is listed as well.  The student will pay this amount directly to the cashier.

Please place a 'monetary hold - fees' due into the students record.

Instructor_________________________________ Date__________________________

Student___________________________________Date___________________________

• Student Copy •

To:        Palomar Community College - Cashier's Office                         

From:        Biology Department

Re:        EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY BREAKAGE FEE

Date:        _____________

Student Name:_____________________________________

 I.#:____________________________________________

Amount Due: $_____________   Description of items_____________________________________________

The student identified above has damaged or broken the items listed above. The cost is listed as well.
The student will pay this amount directly to the cashier.

Please place a 'monetary hold - fees' due into the students record.

Instructor____________________________________ __ Date__________________________

Student________________________________________Date___________________________

PALOMAR COLLEGE

Biology Department
SAFETY AGREEMENT
and
BREAKAGE FEE AGREEMENT

Students are expected to understand and follow the Health and Safety regulations that are presented in this course.  Failure to comply with these regulations may result in dismissal from the course.

I have read the Laboratory safety rules for this Biology course.  I both understand and agree to abide by these rules in the classroom and laboratory at Palomar College.

_________________________________                ___________________

Signature                                         Date

Rules for the disposal of Medical Waste and other laboratory waste are included in my copy of Laboratory Safety Instructions.  I both understand and agree to abide by these rules in the laboratory at Palomar College.

_________________________________                ___________________

Signature                                         Date

I have read the Breakage Fee Policy for the Biology Department.   I both understand and agree to abide by the Biology Department Breakage Fee Policy.

_________________________________                ___________________

Signature                                                         Date

_________________________________                ___________________

Student Name (PRINT)                                Course

_________________________________                ___________________

Instructor                                        Day and Time of Class

Appendix 3: Crasher Policy

The following is a suggested crasher policy based on “fairness" that pertains especially to Microbiology, Physiology, and Anatomy, but also to any other impacted.

1. Highest priority will be given to students who need the course to complete the prerequisites for a program they are planning to enter (e.g. for pre-nursing students wishing to crash anatomy, priority will be given to those who have successfully completed physiology and microbiology) or to those students who need the course to complete undergraduate requirements for their major. Transcript evidence should be required.
2. If, in the judgment of the instructor, there are still too many in the pool of people who meet step #1, priority will be given to the students who have the highest GPA in the prerequisite courses that have been taken.
3. If step #2 still leaves too many crashers, a lottery will be conducted. 

Appendix 4: Policy on Class Schedules and Faculty Assignments

As stipulated in the Faculty manual it is the task of the department chair to develop and complete the schedule of classes for each department.  This task requires considerable input and advice from all faculty in the department to ensure that student needs are met by providing an adequate section count for all of our courses and by providing a variety of courses at times suitable for our student population.

Besides the schedule of classes, it is also the chair that is responsible for the teaching assignments of the faculty within the department. While full-time faculty have their usual and typical assignments that are long standing, our adjunct instructors form an integral part of our department as well. Their teaching assignments are more fluid within the department in order to meet our student’s requirements and maintain the department course curriculum.

Development of the course offerings schedule requires a long lead time imposed by the Office of Instruction.  While the specific dates change with each term the general timeline is below:

1.        Receive materials to start building the schedule

2.        Department chair requests input from full-time faculty.  Later input from adjunct faculty is requested

3.        Schedule discussion and finalization by department for conflict resolution, alterations etc.

4.        Class schedule inputting occurs by ADA

5.        Schedule review by the department chair – conflict resolution

6.        Work with dean to address any corrections or alterations

7.        ADA’s access turned off – no departmental access

8.        No additions or changes that affect dates, times or rooms

9.        Goes to print

10.        Class schedules mailed out

11.        Registration begins

12.            Term begins

13.        Instructor payroll forms finalized

In order to accomplish such a time consuming task in the most efficient manner for all involved the following steps will be instituted:

1.        Notification and requests for schedule proposal sent to each full-time instructor.

2.        Previous term schedule rolls over and then modified to meet student demands, course additions and deletions, room and time allocations and faculty requests.

3.        Scheduling historically has not been and will continue not to be based on instructor’s seniority.  Classes will be scheduled to meet the needs of our student population.  

4.        Consultation within each teaching group to assure validity of offerings.

5.        Full-time teaching assignments are determined and allocated.

6.        Full-time faculty to be notified if requested assignment cannot be met.

7.        Consultation between full-time faculty and the department chair in regards to the adjunct faculty teaching within each discipline to determine teaching assignments.

8.        Notification and requests for schedule proposal sent to each adjunct instructor. Tentative assignments made for returning adjunct faculty working with their requested schedule and their course assignment history within the department.

9.        Advertise for and interview potential adjunct faculty needed to fill open teaching assignments.  Consult with and involve the full-time faculty within each discipline during this selection process.

10.        Part-time teaching assignments determined and confirmed. Notices of hourly employment completed and mailed to each instructor.

11.        Last minute changes due to instructor attrition are remedied.

After each of these steps has been completed faculty wanting to alter their assignment will be discouraged.  The further along in the process the less likely those requested changes will be implemented. Small alterations such as room changes and minor time changes will be granted, when possible, if those changes impact no other faculty. Room allocations need to be confirmed with the Office of Instruction as other departments may have courses scheduled in some of our lecture rooms. Larger changes that impact other faculty, will need consensus and agreement from all impacted faculty and can only be granted early in the schedule building process. It is the responsibility of the requesting instructor to seek this consensus and work out the details BEFORE presenting the request to the department chair.

Full-time faculty are free to alter their preferred schedule for each term, but once set any alteration is discouraged and those changes will be implemented as described above.  Full-time faculty have assignment preference over the adjunct faculty but lose that preference once the schedule is determined and assignment notification has occurred.  Again, any late requests for schedule alteration will be implemented as described above.

Full-time faculty members that do not meet the timeline requested by the department chair as this process is implemented, will have low priority during the schedule building process.  The department chair will try to maintain their schedule similar to previous semesters. However, without their input this process may not provide their exact wishes, but their wishes were unknown because they missed the deadlines.  The further past the deadlines instructors are the lower in priority their schedule requests become and the less likely schedule changes will occur.

Without the timely requested input from full-time faculty the department chair will complete the class schedule and teaching assignments to meet the demands of our students by providing an adequate section count for all of our courses and by providing a variety of courses at times suitable for our student population. This may result in teaching assignments that are different than those requested by the full-time faculty.

Appendix 5: Overload Teaching Policy

Intent:        The intent of this policy is to facilitate overload teaching assignments in an equitable and consistent manner.  This policy will be enforced only when there are more instructors wanting overload assignments than actual assignments available.

Discussion:        Over the last several semesters the teaching of overload assignments has become common practice.  This practice has its roots in extended day hourly teaching historically held by adjunct faculty.  When our course offering and class schedule are produced we have always assured that contract faculty have priority over the adjunct.

Now that a number of contract faculty are regularly teaching daytime overloads we must clarify our scheduling process.  It is suggested  that daytime overload teaching assignments must be allocated after all contract instructor schedules are determined.  

The next priority should be given to contract faculty overload assignments and then adjunct faculty assignments.

Policy:        Prior to any overload teaching assignments the full-time contract assignments for all instructors shall be determined.  Overload assignments come after the basic department schedule is determined.

Each member will be given priority to select an overload teaching assignment on a rotating basis.  

The department member with priority can select any overload assignment they desire.  They may teach any course they desire at any time available and within the “Room Allocation Policy” in any room available.  Departmental budget, instructional associate availability, equipment resources and other factors can limit the specific course the instructor may select. This is not written in stone however; negotiation between faculty members is acceptable.

They may select a maximum of 1 lecture section and if the course has a laboratory 1 laboratory section as well.  If the course is cancelled due to low enrollment there will be no recourse.

Each instructor may in turn select an overload assignment following the policy above.

The department chair shall schedule a meeting to determine the departmental course offerings and class schedule.  All instructors should attend and work together towards this goal.  Instructors not in attendance should put their desired assignment in writing for consideration at this time.

If the instructor does not plan to teach an overload assignment their turn is lost.  Once schedules are determined at the department meeting you cannot change your mind and enforce your forfeited priority.

Appendix 6: Summer School Policy

Intent:        The intent of this policy is to facilitate summer school teaching assignments in an equitable and consistent manner.  This policy will be enforced only when there are more instructors wanting summer assignments than actual assignments available.

Discussion:        Over the years we have addressed the issue of summer teaching assignments several times.  My position is that summer teaching assignments should be available for all members of the department.  These assignments allow each of us to earn extra money, try new courses, try team teaching or meet any other need that we may have.

Due to funding constraints not all of us can teach, nor do we all desire to teach each summer.  We also need to offer courses that students need.  So that each of us can best decide our summer schedules the policy described below is followed.

Policy:        The department member with priority can select any teaching assignment they desire.  They may teach any course they desire, at any time they desire within the “Room Allocation Policy” in any room they desire. [As in the overload policy above, this is not written in stone either and negotiation is acceptable.

Members may select a maximum of 1 lecture section and if the course has a laboratory 1 laboratory section as well.  If the course is canceled due to low enrollment the only recourse is to bump an adjunct faculty member.  Bumping an adjunct instructor should only be considered as a last resort.

Course splitting, team teaching and any other ‘side agreements’ are at the discretion of the instructor with priority.  Just because we have always done it a particular way doesn’t mean we must continue.

Each instructor will in turn select their teaching assignment following the policy.

The department chair shall schedule a meeting to determine the summer offerings.  All interested instructors should attend and work together towards this goal.  Instructors not in attendance should put their desired assignment in writing for consideration at this time.

Once schedules are determined at the department meeting you cannot change your mind and play your forfeited priority.

Appendix 7: Department Policy Statement on the Uniform Basic Core Laboratory Course Curriculum

It is the intent of the Biology Department to provide the very best laboratory experiences for our students.  In order to accomplish this mandate under the circumstances of limited funds and laboratory technician hours the following policy will be used to guide the curriculum plan for courses that offer more than one laboratory section whether offered by full-time or adjunct instructors.

Laboratory schedules will be developed to provide a uniform basic core laboratory experience for all students within the course offerings.  By uniform we mean that the basic schedule of labs should be the same for all the sections.  Each instructor is encouraged to add to this basic schedule any additional exercises that they feel would be appropriate for their course.  These additional exercises will not be instead of the scheduled exercises but to augment the basic core laboratory schedule.

Full-time instructors within each course are primarily responsible for the laboratory schedule with consultation and input from the adjunct faculty that teach in the course.  If several full-time instructors teach in the same course they will work towards a mutually agreeable laboratory schedule for all to follow.

One purpose of this policy is to make our budget purchases, and our laboratory technician and assistant hours more efficient.  A more uniform basic core to our labs will allow for better planning for purchases, less waste and overlap of supplies, and better time management for our laboratory workers.

All instructors are encouraged to enrich the basic core laboratory schedule to suit their individual course objectives.  This will lead to our second purpose which is to provide a uniform basic core laboratory experience that meets the needs of all of our students yet allow each instructor the freedom to augment this core as they desire.

In order to minimize the time impact on the department laboratory technicians and assistants, instructors are responsible for the additional instructional preparation they desire to enrich their laboratory sessions.  Department funding and manpower resources can be used when available and without negative impact throughout the department.

If you request a differential to a lab set-up it needs to be in writing and given to the appropriate lab technician at least one week in advance or longer depending on material availability.  The lab technician will make the decision if they are able to accommodate the request without hindering the rest of their schedule.  If your request cannot be accommodated lab tech will notify you in a timely manner to allow you to make alternate plans.

Appendix 8: Wait-Lists

Our Department wait-list policy matches the Palomar College Board Policy 402.1:

1. The department chair and the dean will establish the wait-list size. The practice of establishing an unlimited wait-list as a measure of demand for a course is to be minimized.
2. A student will not be allowed to register in another section of a course while on a waitlist for the same course.
3. All instructors should follow the wait-list system. However, if an instructor will not follow the  system, no wait-list will be established for those sections taught by that instructor. In the event an instructor has made an "informal" arrangement to allow a student into a class, the decision should not penalize wait-list students.
4. Admittance into a closed class will occur only with permission of the instructor.
   

Appendix 9: Sample Job-Order Email Text for Comet Copy (courtesy of Jim Gilardi):