University Services and Support

Fayetteville State University offers development programs, services and support to faculty members, including individual, group or departmental training, and online training materials and resources. The programs, services and support provided to faculty include the following:

Section I. Faculty Development Training Opportunities

• Faculty Development Training Opportunities: The Office of Faculty Development maintains a Canvas site that contains past webinar recordings and hand-outs, along with other teaching and learning resources, allowing faculty members to view them at their convenience and pace.
• Online Instructor Certification: The certification process allows instructors to demonstrate appropriate levels of competency in developing and teaching online courses. After the development and successful review of the required coursework, the instructor receives a certificate of completion and is considered a certified online instructor.
• Hybrid Instructor Certification: Hybrid Instructor Certification Training is designed to introduce faculty members to the best practices in hybrid course design and teaching by providing faculty with the information and tools needed to be successful in this environment. Check the OFD programming schedule for available training dates.
• New Faculty Orientation: Each August, the Office of Human Resources, in partnership with the Provost’s Office conducts an orientation for newly hired faculty members. Additional orientation sessions are scheduled at other times if necessary.

Section II.  Faculty Support Services

• Quality Assurance: To ensure quality and integrity in new and existing online courses, the Office of Faculty Development utilizes two rubrics based on industry standards for best practices in hybrid and online course development and teaching. The Quality Matters rubric is used in the development of new online or hybrid courses. Deans, Department Chairs, School Associate Deans, and individual faculty members may contact The Office of Faculty Development to request a Quality Assurance Evaluation completed.

• Exam Proctoring: The UNC Online Proctoring Network is a web-based centralized database of approved proctors who facilitate the distribution and collection of exam materials for proctored exams for online courses.

• Student Orientation to the Online Environment: This is a self-paced course covering the basics of Canvas and skills that lead to online learning success.

Section III.  Curricular and Instructional Development

Curriculum Development: Substantive and Nonsubstantive Changes

Fayetteville State University (University) is required to comply with standards established by its accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).  SACSCOC requires the University to have a policy and procedures in place to ensure that all substantive changes (Substantive Change) are reported to SACSCOC in a timely manner. To comply with SACSCOC, the University has established this Substantive Change policy (Policy) which establishes the requirements, procedures, and processes necessary to ensure timely coordination and notification of Substantive Changes to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Research, and Planning. The SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison shall be responsible for notifying the Commission of any Substantive Changes in accordance with the University’s Substantive Change Compliance Procedures. Non-substantive curriculum and academic related  changes also have a university review process that is not as extensive as the substantive change process and procedures.

SACSCOC defines a Substantive Change as a significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of an accredited institution. Substantive Changes include high-impact, high-risk changes and changes that can impact the quality of educational programs and services. Employees are expected to adhere to the procedures outlined in the Substantive Change SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy and Procedures. The procedures will ensure timely coordination and notification of Substantive Changes through the University’s process and SACSCOC.

The following outlines the duties and responsibilities of University officials related to substantive changes.

Academic Unit Program Coordinators

The Academic Unit Program Coordinator shall be responsible for the following:

1. Submitting a substantive or non-substantive proposal(s) to the departmental curriculum committee.
2. Ensuring and verifying the appropriate Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) Codes.

Department or School Curriculum Committee Chairs

The Departmental or School Curriculum Committee Chair shall be responsible for the following:

1. Supervising the proposal review process.
2. Ensuring and verifying the appropriate Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Codes.
3. Submitting the proposal and vote tally to the Academic Unit Program Coordinator.

Academic Department Chairs or School Associate Deans

Academic Department Chairs or School Associate Deans shall be responsible for the following:

1. Reviewing proposals and determining whether to approve or not approve. 
2. Ensuring employees under their supervision are knowledgeable of current Substantive Change policies and procedures.
3. Ensuring employees under their supervision receive appropriate training in identifying and reporting Substantive Changes.
4. Consulting with the SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison when a proposal under consideration may be defined as a Substantive Change.

Deans

Deans shall be responsible for the following:

1. Reviewing their respective College proposals to determine whether to approve.
2. Ensuring employees under their supervision are knowledgeable of current Substantive Change policies and procedures.
3. Ensuring employees under their supervision receive appropriate training in identifying and reporting Substantive Changes.
4. Consulting with the SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison when a proposal under consideration may be defined as a Substantive Change.

SACSCOC Liaison

The SACSCOC Liaison shall be responsible for the following:

1. Reviewing to determine approval for all substantive changes
2. Serving as the University’s point of contact with SACSCOC for Substantive Changes.
3. Ensuring that University employees are aware of and abide by this Policy.
4. Ensuring that University planning related to modifications or expansions of programs and services is consistent with this Policy.
5. Assisting employees with proposals that may result in a Substantive Change.
6. Maintaining a database of Substantive Changes that will be or have been reported to SACSCOC.

Provost

The Provost shall be responsible for reviewing and approving all Substantive and Non-Substantive changes.

Chancellor

Upon the University’s approval of a Substantive Change, the Chancellor can notify the President of SACSCOC of the proposed Substantive Change.

Course Design/Redesign

The goal of the Office of Faculty Development is to support faculty in face-to-face, web-enhanced, hybrid and online course design; develop appropriate goals and objectives; identify student characteristics; select the appropriate instructional strategies, media and technology, and the use of relevant assessment strategies. This is done to meet the needs of individual faculty members within the context of the courses and with the needs of the students in mind.

The course design support takes different forms including consultations, workshops, and provision of resources that will guide faculty at the different stages of design, development, revision, and teaching, including either an entire course or a component of a course. Some specific areas of consultations include:

• Providing guidance in creating or revising course goals and objectives to meet accreditation requirements
• Providing support in exploring and using innovative teaching strategies that engage students in the learning process
• Guiding faculty in the selection of appropriate media and technology for the course
• Guiding faculty in the selection and use of appropriate assessment and evaluation Strategies
• Guiding faculty in developing web enhanced, hybrid or fully online courses and reviewing completed courses
• Helping faculty in developing learning-focused syllabi

Section IV.  Instructional Technology

The development of courses often involves the inclusion of technology or relevant media. The selection and use of any technology in a course is guided by the learning objectives set by the instructor and the availability of the technology. The technology used in the course serves as a tool to facilitate student learning.

Support provided by the Office of Faculty Development in the selection and use of instructional technologies includes design, development, and management of face to face, web-enhanced, hybrid or online courses, creating and embedding video or audio files, interactive PowerPoint presentations, use of Adobe Connect, Respondus, Captivate, Articulate, Camtasia, and others.

Section V.  Assessment and Evaluation

The Office of Faculty Development sees assessment as a very important part of the instructional process. Work in this area includes, but is not limited to, support in developing formative and summative evaluations, creating quizzes, developing rubrics, and the selection and use of electronic portfolios. In addition, the Office of Faculty Development staff can assist faculty in developing surveys to collect data that can help enhance students’ learning experiences.