41-23 Return to Workplace

Procedure Description

PURPOSE

The purpose of the program is to provide, on a short-term, cost-effective basis, opportunities for faculty to enter the business, industry, or clinical site to gain awareness of current technical trends, changes, and work skill requirements related to the courses they teach. Only permanent faculty employees may participate in the Return to Business/Industry/Clinical Opportunity.

PROCEDURE

I. Implementation

The Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) or designee, in cooperation with the Department Chairs, will manage the program. It will be the responsibility of the VPAA or designee and the department chairs to monitor all activities associated with this program and to take necessary action to ensure high quality. The instructors selected for business or industry placement will be assigned to work in local businesses, industries, or clinical sites for a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of a full academic term. The assignment may be made to a single employer for the period or to multiple employers. The selected employer will be in the specific field of the content/skills the instructor needs to learn. Prior to each assignment, the respective Department Chair, together with the instructor, will develop a specific set of objectives for accomplishment during the placement, based on the requirements outlined in the Return to Business/Industry/Clinical Opportunity Manual.

Each instructor will be paid his/her full salary during the work period. Ideally, each instructor will be released each day of their internship with the Return to Business/Industry/Clincial program. However, in cases where the Department Chair deems it essential, instructors may spend as much as half of each day at the College. Routine administrative duties may be assigned, upon approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs to another member of the department during the return to business/industry. Replacement instructors will be hired by Department Chairs according to college policy.

Since the instructors in the Return to Business/Industry/Clinical program will be in a learning role, it may not be realistic to expect the participating business or industry to pay even partial salary. Therefore, four options are provided:

1. The business/industry will reimburse the College for the total compensation of the instructor.

2. The business/industry will reimburse the College for the cost of the part-time instructor employed during the period of the contract.

3. The business/industry will reimburse the College for part of the cost of the instructor.

4. The College will assume the total cost of the Return to Business/Industry.

The College and business/industry will negotiate the most appropriate option.

Participating companies, with whom instructors will be placed for their assignments, will be chosen and arranged by the Instructor and Department Chair in collaboration with the VPAA or their designee. Assistance of the curriculum advisory committees may also be used.

II. A Return to Business/Industry/Clinical Opportunity Manual will include the following sections based on the purpose and the details of Section I Implementation as stated above. This Manual will be comprehensively reviewed every three years and updated as needed.

III. Faculty Selection

IV. Evaluation

V. Compensation of Faculty

VI. Expectations of Participants

VII. Request and Proposal

VIII. Post-evaluation of the Return to the Workplace

The Manual will guide each faculty member and placement, allowing flexibility to change requirements and guidelines as the program evolves. The Manual will serve to catalog the standard operating practices for the program. Details for each primary process will be recorded and updated based on the findings from the post-evaluation.