Who gets to judge, and why? Subject Matter Expertise, the Core Curriculum, and the Modern University Heather Hill-Vasquez (English); Matt Mio (Chemistry & Biochemistry); Beth Oljar (Philosophy); Prasad Venugopal (Physics)

Higher learning commission Determining Qualified Faculty Through HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation and Assumed Practices Guidelines for Institutions and Peer Reviewers Introduction The following information provides guidance to institutions and peer reviewers in determining and evaluating minimal faculty qualifications at institutions accredited by HLC. These guidelines explain the Criteria for Accreditation and Assumed Practices that speak to the importance of institutions employing qualified faculty for the varied and essential roles that faculty members perform. HLC’s requirements related to qualified faculty seek to ensure that students have access to faculty members who are experts in the subject matter they teach and who can communicate knowledge in that subject to their students. When an institution indicates that a faculty member is qualified by means of an offer of employment, it is asserting its confidence in the faculty member’s content expertise along with the ability of the faculty member to help position students for success not only in a particular class, but also in their academic program and their careers after they have completed their program. The following guidelines apply to all faculty members whose primary responsibility is teaching, including part-time, adjunct, dual credit, temporary and/or non-tenure-track faculty. An institution committed to effective teaching and learning should be able to demonstrate consistent procedures and careful consideration of qualifications for all instructional faculty. This demonstrates academic integrity and is verifiable through peer review processes. (page 1)

Assumed Practice B. Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support B.2. Faculty Roles and Qualifications a. Qualified faculty members are identified primarily by credentials, but other factors, including but not limited to equivalent experience, may be considered by the institution in determining whether a faculty member is qualified. Instructors (excluding for this requirement teaching assistants enrolled in a graduate program and supervised by faculty) possess an academic degree relevant to what they are teaching and at least one level above the level at which they teach, except in programs for terminal degrees or when equivalent experience is established. In terminal degree programs, faculty members possess the same level of degree. When faculty members are employed based on equivalent experience, the institution defines a minimum threshold of experience and an evaluation process that is used in the appointment process. Faculty teaching general education courses, or other non-occupational courses, hold a master’s degree or higher in the discipline or subfield. If a faculty member holds a master’s degree or higher in a discipline or subfield other than that in which he or she is teaching, that faculty member should have completed a minimum of 18 graduate credit hours in the discipline or subfield in which they teach. (page 3)

From Detroit mercy submission form for core curriculum course proposals 7. Instructor qualifications. Describe the academic qualifications for an instructor expected to teach sections of this course. Proposal author(s) should consult the Higher Learning Commission document “Determining Qualified Faculty Through HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation and Assumed Practices” with special attention to the highlighted portion on page 3. The qualifications here must be generic, and state the minimal qualifications required for ANY instructor of the course. (page 3)

Subject matter expertise general principles SME is how the modern university is organized. SME is the basis on which we hire both full-time and adjunct faculty. SME in a given area of knowledge is required to determine appropriate learning objectives in any area of knowledge. SME is what allows us to determine who is qualified to teach a course, or teach within a given program, or to a set of objectives.

Subject matter expertise general principles more specifically applied Detroit Mercy’s Transfer Team (in Registrar’s Office) sends courses from other universities and colleges to be evaluated to the appropriate Subject Matter Experts. (The chair of the appropriate department is contacted.) The hiring of all faculty begins with the faculty of the applicable department/program. Full-time faculty searches and decisions are almost entirely driven by faculty in the relevant department. Department chairs and program directors are responsible for hiring adjunct instructors in their disciplines. The hiring process is an initial form of peer review. It is the faculty in a particular discipline who review applications as potential professional peers. The same idea of peer review underlies the greater part of the academic world of scholarship. Peer review means review by one’s peers: that is, experts in the same area of expertise. This is why blind and peer-reviewed publications are the highest form of scholarship.

Subject matter expertise select references from Core curriculum founding documents “If a course is proposed for the core by a department not historically responsible for that knowledge area, the new Core Curriculum Committee should secure approval from the department historically responsible for it.” (Final Report of the Core Curriculum Task Force 3/14/11) “In order for a course to be considered for possible inclusion in the Core, it must meet . . . basic criteria: Faculty with the appropriate subject matter expertise must teach the course.” (Guidelines for Proposing a Course for Inclusion in the University Core Curriculum, Core Curriculum Implementation Committee 11/17/14) “In order for a course to be considered as addressing an Integrating Theme attribute . . . Faculty with the appropriate subject matter expertise must be involved in developing the course content related to the attribute.” (Guidelines for Proposing a Course for Inclusion in the University Core Curriculum, Core Curriculum Implementation Committee 11/17/14)

The hlc confirms that the evaluation of instructor qualifications is an essential element in demonstrating an institutional commitment to academic excellence From Determining Qualified Faculty Through HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation and Assumed Practices Guidelines for Institutions and Peer Reviewers The following guidelines apply to all faculty members whose primary responsibility is teaching, including part-time, adjunct, dual credit, temporary and/or non-tenure-track faculty. An institution committed to effective teaching and learning should be able to demonstrate consistent procedures and careful consideration of qualifications for all instructional faculty. This demonstrates academic integrity and is verifiable through peer review processes. (page 1)

Who gets to judge? In Addition to the Course Proposal, the Subject Matter Experts Evaluate and Judge: Instructor Qualifications Pedagogical Methods – How and in what way will the subject matter be taught? E.g., can the subject matter be taught as part of a series of courses? How might team teaching work? Are alternative delivery formats appropriate to the subject matter?

Who gets to judge? If the course is to fulfill a Core requirement, the SMEs for that requirement evaluate and judge it and its required instructor(s) qualifications regardless of the course’s prefix. CHM course fulfills CHM requirement = CHM Department judges course and required qualifications of instructor ENL course fulfills ENL requirement = ENL Department judges course and required qualifications of instructor CHM course fulfills CHM requirement and fulfills ENL Core requirement = CHM Department and ENL Department judges course and required qualifications of instructor ENL course fulfills ENL requirement and fulfills CHM requirement for Physical Science Core requirement = ENL Department and CHM Department judges course and required qualifications of instructor

Detroit Mercy’s Core curriculum and Subject matter experts KNOWLEDGE AREA AND SKILLS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS A. COMMUNICATION SKILLS A1. ORAL COMMUNICATION CST 1010 COMMUNICATION STUDIES DEPT A2. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION ENL 1310 ENGLISH DEPT B. MATHEMATICS/STATISTICAL KNOWLEDGE B1. QUANTITATIVE/SYMBOLIC REASONING MATHEMATICS DEPT B2. STATISTICAL/PROBABLISTIC REASONING C. SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE C1. PHYSICAL SCIENCE CES PHYSICAL SCIENCE DEPTS C2. SOCIAL SCIENCE CLAE SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPTS

Detroit Mercy’s Core curriculum and Subject matter experts KNOWLEDGE AREA AND SKILLS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS D. RELIGIOUS & PHILOSOPHICAL KNOWLEDGE D1. PHL 1000 PHILOSOPHY DEPT D2. ONE 2000-LEVEL RELS COURSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES DEPT D3. PHL/RELS ELECTIVE PHILOSOPHY OR RELIGIOUS STUDIES DEPT E. ESSENTIAL HUMANITIES E1. HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE HISTORY DEPT E2. LITERARY EXPERIENCE ENGLISH DEPT E3. AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS DEPT F. ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY F1. ETHICS

Detroit Mercy’s Core curriculum and Subject matter experts INTEGRATING THEMES SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IT1: READING, WRITING AND RESEARCH ACROSS THE CURRICULUM ENGLISH DEPT IT2: CRITICAL THINKING IT2 COMMITTEE IT3: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IT3-4 COMMITTEE IT4: HUMAN DIFFERENCE IT5: PERSONAL SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT IT5-6 COMMITTEE IT6: SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Hlc’s commitment to the Importance of qualified faculty From Determining Qualified Faculty Through HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation and Assumed Practices Guidelines for Institutions and Peer Reviewers Core Component 3.C. refers to “the faculty and staff needed for effective, high-quality programs and student services,” which entails, in part, a faculty member’s ability to understand and convey the essentials of a specific discipline in a collegiate environment. Minimally qualified faculty should be able to engage professionally with colleagues regarding the learning objectives for program graduates, as well as possess the knowledge, skills and dispositions appropriate to the credential awarded. HLC expects that through the curricula and learning contexts that faculty develop, the exercise of intellectual inquiry and the acquisition, application and integration of broad learning and skills are integral to an institution’s educational programs. Qualified faculty should also be aware of student learning through the ongoing collection and analysis of appropriate data, because an institution should be able to demonstrate its commitment to educational achievement and improvement through ongoing assessment of student learning. It is important to note that none of these abilities are intended to substitute for content expertise or tested experience, as described below.

Detroit mercy core curriculum contact information Dave Koukal, Chair, Core Curriculum Committee koukaldr@udmercy.edu Pamela Zarkowski, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs pamela.zarkowski@udmercy.edu Heather Hill-Vasquez, President, McNichols Faculty Assembly hillvahe@udmercy.edu Core Curriculum Committee Website https://udmercy.edu/governance/committees/core-curriculum/index.htm