500 Instructional Policies

501. Absence of Instructor From Class

Classes (including final examinations) will meet at all times listed for them in the current Class Schedule (including the final examination schedule); if changes are necessary, the Registrar should be consulted. Whenever it becomes necessary to be absent from class, the instructor should inform the department head so that suitable arrangements can be made. The Office of the Dean of the College should always be informed of these arrangements.

502. Academic Evaluation, Grievance Procedures

Students have a right to expect that their professors are competent to render fair evaluations of student academic work, and that such evaluations will be free of prejudice and caprice. When students have cause to believe that these rights have been violated they may avail themselves of the following procedures:

502.1 Lack of information—Instructors are expected to make their grading practices, attendance policy and assignments clear to students. Where these matters are not sufficiently understood, students have responsibility to request clarification. If a student feels that his or her grade in a course is inconsistent with explicit standards then he or she should first make an effort to resolve the matter by registering a complaint with the instructor. In the event that this fails to produce a resolution the student may submit a formal petition to the department in question. This petition should express the grievance and give just cause for the department to intervene. Should the department support the actions of the instructor then the matter is closed with no further institutional recourse to the student. A department may wish to refer the issue to the Dean of the College for final resolution.

502.2 Competence—Students should be advised that to challenge the professional integrity of an instructor is a grave matter. Should a student feel that his or her academic evaluation has been unfairly rendered as a result of professional incompetence then he or she may formally request a departmental review of the evaluation. If the department endorses the original evaluation then the matter is closed with no further institutional recourse. Alternatively, a department may wish to refer the issue to the Dean of the College for further action.

502.3 Prejudice—Instructors are expected to render academic evaluations that are free of any considerations extraneous to those of an academic nature. Should a student feel that an evaluation is prejudicial he or she may formally request a departmental review of the evaluation. If the department endorses the original evaluation then the matter is closed with no further institutional recourse. Alternatively, a department may wish to refer the issue to the Dean of the College for further action.

503. Academic Leaves

503.1 Faculty members are expected to take leaves of absence regularly for further study and/or research. Leaves of absence are granted by the Board of Regents on the recommendation of the President.

503.2 Leaves may be for a semester, a year or longer, and may be with or without salary or fringe benefits. A faculty member receiving financial support from the college for a leave is expected to continue in the service of the college after the leave is over. If the faculty member does not return at all, he or she must repay the college in full with interest the stipend advanced. If he or she returns for only one year, he or she must repay one-half of the stipend advanced.

503.3 Leaves of a variety of types are available. Eligibility for a leave is dependent upon the type of leave being sought.

503.3.1 January Term Leaves: Faculty are normally eligible for a January Term leave in one out of every three January Terms.

503.3.2 Sabbatical Leaves: Sabbatical leaves may be for one semester (plus January Term) at full pay or for a year at 57 percent salary . Faculty are encouraged to apply for year-long sabbaticals. A faculty member becomes eligible to apply for such a leave when (1) he or she has tenure; (2) he or she has completed six academic years at Luther; and (3) he or she will be able to teach at least two years following return from leave. Eligibility toward this type of leave may be credited for teaching at another institution. Such an arrangement should be stated in writing as a part of the initial contract with Luther College.

Sabbaticals have high budget priority. During all periods of college financial stability, the administration will make every effort to fund all meritorious sabbaticals in the first year of application, even though total sabbatical costs may vary substantially from year to year.

If unusual financial constraints or unresolvable staffing complications require that a meritorious proposal not be funded in its first year, the application will be given very high priority in the following year. The Dean of the College will consult with the Faculty Interests Committee whenever a meritorious proposal is not funded in its first year of eligibility.

503.3.2.1 Sabbatical leaves for library professionals and/or faculty with cross-semester assignments such as coaches, conductors of musical organizations, etc., may be developed individually to meet specialized needs. Such individualized sabbatical leaves may, for example, be of shorter duration and/or greater in frequency, than the one-semester or full-year sabbaticals. The total time allowable in such individualized sabbatical leaves shall not exceed the established standard of one year at 57 percent salary or one-semester (plus January Term) at full salary. Details concerning length of leave, salary, and period of ineligibility for consideration of future sabbatical leave shall be developed and agreed upon by the faculty applicant and the Dean of the College. Application for an individualized sabbatical leave must follow format and procedures established for sabbatical leaves.

503.3.2.2 Sabbatical eligibility after a leave: A person who has had a sabbatical leave becomes eligible again after the completion of another six academic years of teaching following the sabbatical year; one who has had a College Supplemental Leave (see Section 503.3.3) may count two academic years of teaching prior to the leave toward eligibility for a sabbatical (time spent in other categories of leaves does not count toward eligibility).

503.3.2.3 The Dean of the College prepares and maintains a list of eligible persons which is available on request to any member of the faculty.

503.3.2.3.1 The Dean’s Office notifies faculty members after the February Board of Regents' meeting of the year previous to which faculty become eligible to apply. A sabbatical application workshop is held in early spring to assist in the preparation of applications.

503.3.2.3.2 By May 1, eligible faculty members submit a letter of intent to apply for sabbatical leave to the Dean. This letter should include a brief preview of the anticipated leave activity for review by the Dean and for consultation with the Academic Grants Officer for possible sources of funding.

503.3.2.3.3 Prior to September 1, the applicant will arrange to meet with the department head to discuss the sabbatical leave proposal. The signature of the department head, indicating that he or she has reviewed the proposal, is required before the application is submitted to the Dean’s Office by September 15.

503.3.2.3.4 Completed sabbatical leave applications are due in the Dean's Office on September 15. Copies are forwarded to the Faculty Interests Committee within the week. The Faculty Interests Committee transmits its recommendations to the Dean by October 15.

503.3.2.3.5 For those faculty members with previous sabbaticals at Luther College, the Dean's Office will attach a copy of the most recent previous successful sabbatical application and of the report filed concerning it to the material forwarded to the Faculty Interests Committee for its review.

503.3.2.4 The Dean of the College and the Faculty Interests Committee encourage applicants to consider a range of meritorious sabbatical activities, including research and writing, creative projects, course innovation, and professional growth and development. The Faculty Interests Committee will evaluate sabbatical proposals and will recommend to the Dean of the College only those proposals that are meritorious.

503.3.2.5 Applications should be submitted on the Sabbatical Leave Application form which is found at this link: http://dean.luther.edu/facultyhandbook/sabbaticalapp.pdf

503.3.2.6 A faculty member may make application for preliminary endorsement of a proposal for sabbatical leave up to two years before eligibility if:

The faculty member’s sabbatical proposal is essential for receipt of an external grant for which the deadline is before the announcement of sabbatical leaves for his or her eligibility year, or there are other convincing reasons for a preliminary endorsement; and
The faculty member submits with the early application all materials relevant to the early application, including the formal grant proposal that will be submitted to the external granting agency; and
The faculty member accepts that because such endorsement, if granted, is preliminary, the sabbatical proposal must also go through final sabbatical evaluation together with other sabbatical proposals during the eligibility year.

503.3.2.7 After reviewing all proposals, the Dean of the College will, by December 15, inform applicants and their department heads whether their proposal has been judged meritorious and whether it will receive college funding. The Dean will consult with the Faculty Interests Committee whenever his or her final judgment of proposals differs from the committee's judgment.

503.3.2.8 The Faculty Interests Committee, the Dean of the College, and the Department Head will help faculty with inadequate proposals develop meritorious proposals in future years.

503.3.2.9 Faculty must submit a post-sabbatical report to the Dean of the College by September 1, of the year following their sabbatical (April 1 for a fall semester sabbatical). In order to give sabbaticals maximum impact and to emphasize faculty members' accountability for their leaves, the Faculty Interests Committee and the Dean of the College will encourage departmental, divisional, college-wide, and public presentations of sabbatical results.

503.3.2.10 Faculty Sabbatical Award: All candidates for sabbatical leave in a given year are eligible for this award. The recipient will be selected each year by the Dean of the College on the basis of the sabbatical applications submitted and the review of those applications as conducted by the Faculty Interests Committee. The funds for this award come from an endowment established for this purpose by President and Mrs. Anderson; the exact amount of the award from year to year is based on the amount of the endowment earnings.

503.3.2.11 PAIDEIA Endowment supplemental grants for sabbatical leaves. Current and prospective faculty participants in the PAIDEIA Program (either PAIDEIA I or PAIDEIA Capstone) who formulate a sabbatical leave proposal as an enrichment of the PAIDEIA Program may compete for a supplemental grant. The size and number of grants available in any given year will be determined by the Dean of the College on recommendation of the Board of the PAIDEIA Endowment. To be considered for such a grant, a faculty member must submit a sabbatical leave proposal which meets criteria based on the grant proposal to the National Endowment for the Humanities for the Challenge Grant leading to the PAIDEIA Endowment. This proposal must be submitted along with the proposal for a sabbatical leave. For further details contact the Director of the PAIDEIA Program.

503.3.3 College Supplemental Leaves: Faculty members are encouraged to apply to outside organizations for funds to support study and research leaves. When such funds are granted to faculty members, they should apply for a College Supplemental Leave to the Dean of the College. The procedures and terms of the outside funding should be discussed with the Dean and the College Comptroller as a part of the application process. If such a leave is approved by the College, the College will provide funds necessary to bring the leave salary and fringe benefits up to the equivalent of on-campus compensation plus a $500 “incentive award,” provided that the amount of external funding is at least the equivalent of 50% of total compensation. Normally a faculty member must teach four academic years following a College Supplemental Leave before he or she is eligible for a sabbatical or subsequent College Supplemental leave (see 503.3.2).

There are many possibilities for such outside funding through national, professional, and other agencies. Information about them can be obtained from the Academic Grants Officer who will assist faculty members in applying for them.

503.3.4 Study or Training Leave: A leave of absence without pay for a definite period may be arranged by agreement between the College and the individual faculty member.

During the leave the College will contribute contract insurance benefits (based on base salary). Should the leave extend beyond one year, the Office of Human Resources will determine the employee’s eligibility for continued insurance benefits. If an employee does not return from leave, he or she must repay the College the cost of contract insurance benefits during the leave. If he or she returns for only one year, he or she must repay one-half of the insurance benefits.

504. Academic Processions

504.1 It is customary at the College that the spring commencement exercises be a formal occasion. Other formal academic convocations are held from time to time. On all such occasions each faculty member and faculty associate is expected to march in the academic procession garbed in the formal attire appropriate to his school and degree of preparation. The Book Shop assists in rental or purchase of academic garb.

504.2 Order of March in Academic Processions

President, Regents, Dean of the College
Professors, in order of length of service in rank.
Associate Professors, in order of length of service in rank.
Assistant Professors, in order of length of service in rank.
Instructors, in order of length of service in rank.
The Administration designates each year an equivalent rank for the Faculty Associates. This provides the opportunity to give recognition to the length of service of those persons who are without rank.
By vote of the faculty at their November 2, 1994 meeting, eligibility for participating in academic processions will include anyone teaching curricular courses during the current academic year.

505. American Association of University Professors (AAUP)

The local chapter of the American Association of University Professors holds regular meetings.

506.0 Assessment of Student Learning

506.1 Purpose and Philosophy of Assessment at Luther College (adopted May 24, 1994)

The Luther College assessment program will be designed and used to (1) document student learning relative to carefully defined goals; (2) provide information on the impact of the overall Luther College experience; and (3) improve College programs. Because Luther is a residential college where all elements of the campus work together for the common well-being of students and because its goals for student learning are impacted by other aspects of the College's life, Luther's assessment program will involve many groups. While primary responsibility is given to the faculty to assess student learning, it is understood that staff members working in student life, alumni and development, and other offices have much to contribute and gain by participating in this effort with faculty.

506.2 Goals for Student Learning at Luther College (adopted February 20, 2007)

Graduates of Luther College should be individuals with disciplined and inquisitive minds, equipped to understand and confront a changing society, and committed to using their talents to serve the common good.

As a liberal arts college of the church, Luther College seeks to ensure that all students will grow in knowledge and abilities and mature in values during their undergraduate years and be motivated to continue this growth throughout their lives. The College expects students to pursue these goals in both independent and collaborative settings. It provides an environment in which students are active participants in shaping their intellectual and personal development.

Knowledge

Breadth of knowledge.
Students who demonstrate breadth of knowledge are able to:
-Understand the significance of major intellectual, artistic, and social landmarks of human history.
-Recognize and understand the diversity of people and societies, both historically and cross-culturally.
-Use methodologies from different disciplines with competence and creativity.
-Explore where disciplines intersect, including tensions, differing perspectives, and possibilities for dialogue.

Depth of knowledge in the major.
Students who demonstrate depth of knowledge are able to:
-Exhibit proficiency in a core area of knowledge.
-Acquire and develop relevant skills.
-Use appropriate methods to acquire, evaluate and apply knowledge.
-Identify, analyze, assess, and respond to ethical issues arising within fields of inquiry.
Abilities

Inquiry.
Students who demonstrate the ability to engage in inquiry are able to:
-Identify, gather, and use relevant information in an ethical and legal manner.
-Analyze sources critically and synthesize information.
-Devise appropriate methods to investigate a problem or issue and provide creative solutions.
-Use appropriate technologies to investigate a problem, analyze information, and communicate results.
-Identify the limitations of findings and develop questions for further inquiry.

Reasoning.
Students who demonstrate the ability to reason are able to:
-Critique and construct arguments while making rational judgments about their accuracy and usefulness.
-Construct, interpret, and evaluate mathematical models, including various modes of data and information presentation.
-Solve problems by identifying and applying appropriate strategies.

Communication.
Students who demonstrate the ability to communicate are able to:
-Write with fluency, clarity, and coherence.
-Read, comprehend, and appreciate various types of literature.
-Speak confidently and coherently in both formal and informal settings.
-Listen with objectivity and empathy.
-Work productively in a collaborative environment.
Values

Students who demonstrate growth in the following values are able to:
-Engage critically in the ongoing dialogue between faith and learning.
-Better understand Christianity and other religious traditions.
-Respond individually and collectively to ethical challenges confronting the world, especially issues related to justice, peace, and the environment.
-Develop a sense of vocation, connecting life's work with service.
-Cultivate healthy lifestyles, aesthetic sensitivity, and intellectual curiosity.

506.3 Responsibility for Assessing All-College Goals (revised under new governance structure, approved by the faculty May, 1997)

506.3.1 Continuing responsibility for assessment of all-college goals (as distinct from department goals) will be lodged in the Assessment Committee of the faculty.

506.3.2 The Assessment Committee works with the Dean of the College on the following responsibilities in the area of assessment:

Identifying the methods to be introduced and/or continued for the purpose of assessing progress toward meeting all-college goals for student learning (as specified in Section 506.2).
Arranging for implementation of these methods, including organizing the faculty, administrative, and student resources needed to carry them out.
Gathering and evaluating the information yielded by assessment methods and using the evaluation (i) to make recommendations to the faculty and administration for improving student learning and/or revising the goals for it, and (ii) to stimulate on-going discussion in the entire community of the assessment process and its findings, along with implications of those findings for college programs.
Working with the Dean's Office on the assessment portion of reports required by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA).
Reviewing assessment goals, methods, policies, and procedures, and making recommendations for appropriate changes.
Report on assessment of student learning with respect to all-college goals no less than annually to the Academic Planning Committee.

506.4 Responsibility for Assessment within the Major (adopted May 24, 1994)

506.4.1 Academic department heads are responsible for coordinating departmental assessment of student academic outcomes for their majors and for submitting an annual report to the Dean’s Office (see Faculty Handbook 203.8.1.1 and 203.8.1.2). As a group, department heads participate in an annual review of departmental assessment activities.

506.4.2 The following procedures will be used by departments to assess student learning within the major:

In order to assess the quality of its major(s) (i.e. the adequacy of curricular offerings and requirements and the cumulative learning of students who complete the requirements), each academic department will develop an assessment plan that fits its needs and summarize its work annually in a short report.
The report will include (i) a copy of department's goals for its majors, (ii) a description of any changes in goals, (iii) goals on which current assessment efforts and questions are focused, (iv) measures and methods used to assess achievement of these goals and answer questions about them, (v) general statements about findings, (vi) actions being taken or under consideration to improve learning, (vii) an evaluation of the current assessment approach, and (viii) assessment efforts planned for the following year.
Copies of the annual report will be distributed by June of each year to all department members and the Dean's Office. These reports will constitute one part of the evidence used by the College to demonstrate the degree to which it is accomplishing its educational goals for students and as such are mandated by NCA.
The Dean’s Office is responsible for review and evaluation of the reports, for departmental compliance with the procedures, and for providing ongoing access to training and consultation on assessment. The Dean of the College is responsible for working with department heads as a group to discuss departmental assessment plans.

507.0 Attendance Policy

Each instructor determines the attendance policy for assigned classes. It is the instructor's responsibility to explain this policy at the beginning of the semester. Departments may set a uniform policy for multi-sectional programs. When a student’s absenteeism surpasses stated policies or reasonable expectations, instructors are advised to report students via Luther's Continuous Reporting System (see 509.0).

508.0 Book Shop Policies

508.1 The Luther Book Shop stocks books and supplies for faculty members and students. Instructors should place orders for textbooks and supplies on order forms supplied by the Book Shop or by e-mail. The Book Shop checks its stock against orders and considers such factors as the number of books on hand and the number of used books in the hands of students. All unsold books are returned four weeks after classes begin unless written notice is received from the instructor that the same book will be required the next semester. Please turn your textbook orders in to the Book Shop before or on the due date. Promptness helps the store and the students.

508.2 Used texts are purchased from students at buy back and stocked when it is known that the text will be used again. Students are our best resource for used textbooks. It is important for the College and the students that we receive faculty text requests before buyback.

508.3 Instructors should inform the Book Shop of books which will be recommended for supplementary reading during the year. These books will be stocked.

508.4 Instructors should request desk copies from the publisher. Publisher's policies do not allow the Book Shop to order desk copies for instructors. Desk copy requests should be placed with the publisher as soon as possible.

If the instructor does not receive the desk copy from the publisher by the time it is needed, the instructor may purchase a desk copy by charging it to the department. The instructor should return to the Book Shop the desk copy which is furnished by the publisher. When the desk copy is returned to the Book Shop, the Book Shop will credit the department's account for the desk copy. The desk copy must be in resalable condition.

The Book Shop has a supply of blank forms for use by instructors in securing desk copies of texts from publishers.

508.5 Special orders will be placed for any desired book which is not in stock. These orders will be held thirty days for pick up and then returned to vendor. A charge of 10% of book price will be made on all returns.

508.6 Cash purchases by college employees in the Book Shop will receive a 10% discount if the total of the purchase is at least one dollar. Charge purchases will also be given 10% discount. An application must be filled out for the charge privilege. All charges shall be billed on the first working day of each month. All appropriate discounts will be given. The charges will be given to the Office for Financial Services where they will be deducted from the individual's paycheck. This procedure shall be followed throughout the fiscal year. NOTE: the discount privilege is a fringe benefit for faculty, administrative staff and support staff and is for their use only.

508.7 The Book Shop stocks office supplies for the administrative offices and for departmental usage. Items purchased for use by the department and offices are afforded a 25% discount from the retail price if the total sale is greater than $1.00. The Book Shop happily takes orders for items not in stock. Special orders are generally received the next day.

509.0 Continuous Reporting System

The Continuous Reporting System is a way for faculty to alert the Student Academic Support Center (SASC) when students are in academic or personal difficulty so that SASC staff may intervene. Instructors are advised to report as soon as an academic or personal issue arises.

Students may be reported in person at Preus 108, by phone (1270), e-mail (sasc@luther.edu) or http://sasc.luther.edu/crs/form/index.html. A paper form is also available (call SASC for a supply). Please refer to "reasons for concern" menu on the web or paper form when calling in or e-mailing reports to SASC.

Upon receipt of the CRS, an e-mail message is sent to the student about the report and about services available at SASC. Simultaneously, an e-mail message is sent to the academic advisor and coach/director that includes the name of the student and specific report information.

510.0 Disabled Students

Luther College is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, in accordance with state and federal law and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. To ensure equality of access for students with disabilities, Luther College provides reasonable accommodations, including auxiliary aids and modifications to courses, programs, services, activities or facilities. Exceptions will be made in those situations where accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of a program, cause undue hardship on the college, or jeopardize the health or safety of others. Classroom or program accommodations are not special advantages nor are they remedial in nature, rather they represent measures taken to assist students to fulfill course and/or program requirements by limiting the effects of their disabilities on their performance.

The Student Academic Support Center (SASC) assists students who are eligible for disability services. Eligibility for individualized services is based on professional verification that an individual has a disability that substantially impairs his or her functioning to the degree that accommodations are necessary to ensure equal access and educational opportunity. Before accommodations are implemented, students must register with Disability Services at SASC. All inquiries, medical/testing reports, and requests for accommodations should be forwarded to Disability Coordinator, SASC, Preus Library, Extension 1270.

Once registered, students may begin using services after the intake interview. Once the student and SASC staff have agreed upon an appropriate plan, most services can be implemented quickly. However, both Luther College policy and federal disability law emphasize that students are responsible for making timely and reasonable requests for accommodations and services.

511.0 Faculty Development and Aid for Research

511.1 The faculty development program is administered by the Dean’s Office in consultation with the Faculty Interests Committee (see Section 306.4). Current opportunities include the following (contact the Dean’s Office for information, unless otherwise noted):

511.1.a On-campus opportunities and information

Visiting speakers, faculty seminars, and workshops (sometimes in coordination with departments or programs, including the Paideia Endowment Board)
Promotion of grant opportunities (sometimes in coordination with the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations)
Promotion of upcoming conferences, workshops, seminars, or institutes
Academic and Research Uses of Computer (Executive Director of Library and Information Services)
First-Year Faculty Program, and other teaching groups

511.1.b Funding opportunities

511.1.b.1 Faculty Travel

Faculty Travel (see Section 513 for guidelines)
Supplemental Travel Fund

511.1.b.2 Faculty Development and Research
Luther College allocates annually funds for faculty members to engage in faculty development projects and to conduct disciplinary research. Faculty members should submit an application to the Dean’s Office on the standard form. Applications are acted upon in the order of their submission. Typically the amount awarded will not exceed $600 per faculty member per project. A report on expenditures should be submitted at the completion of the project or at the end of the school year, whichever comes first. Reports must be submitted before further funding is possible. The Endowed awards for summer projects have their own application form and procedures.

Faculty Development Fund
Faculty Research Fund
Dean’s Office Faculty Research and Development Fund
Endowed awards for summer projects (Anderson for junior faculty; Berg for study concerning Scandinavia; Ylvisaker for tenured faculty)

511.1.b.3 Outside funding coordinated by Luther College

Honoraria for graduate study at Iowa Regents Institutions (open to permanent faculty completing the doctoral degree, administered by the Dean’s Office)
ELCA Study Grants (for sabbatical or summer study, administered by the President’s Office)

511.1.b.4 Student funding opportunities, some of which include faculty involvement (administered by the Director of Undergraduate Research in consultation with the Honors Advisory Committee)

Student Honors Projects
Undergraduate Research
National Council on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)
Student/Faculty Collaborative Summer Research Program
Academic Administrative Assistantships (AAA; administered by the Dean’s Office)

511.1.c Opportunities through College memberships

In addition to memberships maintained by individual departments and programs, Luther College maintains membership in a range of associations which provide faculty development and funding opportunities.

American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU)
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
Association of Lutheran College Faculties (ALCF)
American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)
ASIANetwork
Council of Independent Colleges (CIC)
Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CCAS)
Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR)
ELCA Division for Higher Education and Schools
Fulbright Association
Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (IAICU)
Iowa College Foundation (ICF)
Lutheran Education Conference of North America (LECNA)
Lilly Fellows Program in Humanities and the Arts (Valparaiso University)
Midwest Faculty Seminars (MFS, University of Chicago)
National Collegiate Honors Council
PEW Midstates Science and Mathematics Consortium
Professional & Organizational Development Network (POD)

512.0 Faculty Grants

Faculty members are encouraged to submit proposals to outside agencies for funding. Any proposal submitted by a faculty or staff member must be approved by the Advancement Grants Office (for proposals to private funding agencies) or the Office of the Dean of the College (for proposals to public agencies) prior to submission to an outside agency. Internal budget forms are required for proposals to public agencies even if there are no matching or college funds requested. See also Section 503.3.3, “College Supplemental Leaves.”

513.0 Faculty Travel

513.1 The College expects faculty members to remain active within their disciplines. To each full-time faculty member there will be allocated annually a sum of money ($500 in 2007-08) to defray expenses incurred through attendance at meetings appropriate to the discipline, such as professional and learned societies, or equivalent meetings in specific disciplines as agreed upon in advance between the Dean of the College and the departments concerned.

513.2 Unless approved by the Dean’s Office these funds are not available in the first year of employment for temporary faculty. Faculty employed at less than 100% but more than 50% are entitled to the allowance on a pro-rata basis. In the case of Joint Appointments the amount will be divided in the same proportions as the annual teaching load is divided between the persons sharing the joint appointment.

513.3 Requests for reimbursement of travel expenses are made by submitting a Travel Expense Voucher which must be signed by Dean’s Office staff and must have the necessary original receipts attached to it. Guidelines for expenses are as follows:

513.3.1 Reasonable expenditures for inter-city travel, taxi, tips, lodging, registration fees and food costs (alcoholic beverages excluded) will be reimbursed.

a. Travel by plane, bus or train should be arranged through a travel agency and tax-exempt forms should be utilized. Original receipts must be attached to the Travel Expense Voucher.
The College prefers that car travel be done using a college fleet vehicle, which can be checked out of the Office of Campus Services. If a fleet vehicle is not available, travel by personal car will be reimbursed at the rate of $.32 per mile for round trips not exceeding 600 miles of travel. Additional expense should be cleared in advance with Dean’s Office staff. (See also 604.3.2.1)
All drivers must have a valid driver’s license, adequate insurance, and are liable in the event of any injury, loss or damage to passengers and/or the vehicle. Operators are expected to have $100,000 per person bodily injury, $300,000 per accident bodily injury, and $50,000 property damage liability, or, a combined single limit of $300,000. A proof of insurance must be in the vehicle at all times.
Lodging costs will be reimbursed as follows: full cost of a reasonably priced single room, half the cost of a double room, one-third the cost of a triple room, etc.
Original detailed receipts (not just a credit card summary receipt) must be attached for each expense.

513.3.2 Advances for travel purposes may be obtained, if necessary from the Office for Financial Services with the approval of Dean’s Office staff. Such travel advances must be accounted for with a Travel Expense Voucher. Advances not accounted for within ninety days will be deducted from the recipient's paycheck.

513.4 When a faculty member presents at a professional meeting whose costs are beyond the limit of travel allowance, the faculty member may request supplemental expenses from the Dean’s Office. Such requests are evaluated in terms of the faculty member's previous use of the travel allowance, the value of the trip to the College, and the availability of funds. The Dean’s Office will publicize a more detailed policy regarding the distribution of the Dean’s supplemental travel funds in DeaNotes at the beginning of each new academic year.

513.5 Luther College has a corporate credit card program which is intended for those who travel frequently. Credit cards are issued to those employees who have been approved by their representative vice-president to receive a card. Credit cards are issued only to individuals, not to departments. Cardholders are held responsible for all charges to their card, and are expected to obtain the proper authorization prior to making purchases. (In the case of faculty travel, a faculty member must request approval from the Dean’s Office prior to using a credit card for registration fees, airfare, accommodations, etc. A faculty travel voucher is also required when credit card payment is due.) Also, college credit cards are to be used only for authorized college business; use of a college credit card for personal purchases is not permitted. A completed Credit Card Report is to be submitted to the Office for Financial Services two weeks following the receipt of a credit card statement. All receipts must be attached to this report as well as two signatures: cardholder's signature and/or the Budget Director's signature. Contact the Dean’s Office or the Office for Financial Services for additional information.

513.6 Luther employees traveling on college business may obtain a travel card from the Office for Financial Services for the duration of the trip. Travel cards may be used to withdraw cash from ATMs and may be used as a debit card to pay for purchases. Generally, travel cards are used to obtain local currency from ATMs when traveling abroad, and as a substitute for traveler’s checks. Receipts for all purchases must be attached to an expense report when the travel card is returned to the Office for Financial Services at the end of the trip.

514.0 Final Examinations: Guidelines

The final examination schedule is established by the Registrar. Any questions or alterations should be cleared through the Registrar.

514.1 The scheduled time for the final examination should be considered an official class meeting (see Section 501.0, “Absence of Instructor from Class”).

514.2 A unit examination given in lieu of a final examination should be given during the final examination period rather than during the last week of classes.

514.3 A unit examination may be given during the last week of classes if it is followed by a final examination or other final assignment.

514.4 Take-home final examinations should be turned in at the scheduled time for the final examination.

514.5 Term papers, oral reports, laboratory experiments and so forth, which replace final examinations should be due during the final examination days.

514.6 No final examination should extend beyond the scheduled time period.

514.7 Each instructor should review with the department head use of the final scheduled test period for any activity other than an examination.

515.0 Honor System (as revised May, 2002)

All of section 515 is from the Luther Student Handbook and is subject to biennial re-authorization by the student body. See the Student Handbook for the procedure for such re-authorization and for the procedures by which this language may be amended.

The Honor System exists at Luther College because we as students believe that one of the basic goals of an institution engaged in higher education and dedicated to the Christian faith is to develop academic integrity and responsibility within its student body. The Honor System does not assure honest behavior; rather, it transfers the responsibility for enforcing honorable conduct from the instructor to the student.

The Honor System is a formal code established by us as students who, like any group of professionals, recognize the integrity of our own calling and should assume the responsibility for its maintenance ourselves. This we believe to be vital to any academic community.

We also recognize that the honor of the individual person should be the concern of any Christian community, and that the Honor System is an attempt to put into practice those values or principles of conduct which are consistent with such a community.

The Honor Council, composed of elected representatives for each academic class, has therefore established the following procedures, in accordance with the provisions of the Honor System Constitution.

515.1 The Statement Which Students Will Sign

Each Luther College student is required to sign the following statement at the time of his first registration. It is assumed that this statement will apply to all of the student's academic work while enrolled at Luther College and that no further statement need be signed on individual examinations and papers. The full responsibility for maintaining academic integrity rests solely with each individual student.

The Statement: I am aware that an Honor System is in effect at Luther College, and I understand its implications for me as a student. I understand that as a student I am expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, neither giving nor receiving any unapproved assistance, and that I am expected to demand the same standards of academic integrity in my fellow students.
Signed ------------------------------

515.2 Plagiarism

515.2.1 To forestall unintentional violations of academic integrity so far as possible, the concept of plagiarism needs some discussion and definition here.

515.2.2 Plagiarism of any sort involves presenting someone else's intellectual output as one's own. One kind consists in unauthorized collaboration on an assignment. Discussing and studying together are legitimate and desirable. But joint efforts should not extend to planning and writing something together that is supposed to show one's individual grasp of the matter at hand (unless the assignment specifically requires such collaboration).

515.2.3 Another kind of plagiarism consists in using someone else's work (in whole or in part) in a test, a paper, a lab report, or some other context where one is expected to be doing independent work. The most obvious form is to quote someone else's words (or use data, or diagram, or musical score, etc.) without showing that the material is borrowed. But it is also plagiarism to rewrite (paraphrase) someone else's argument, without acknowledging the source; changing the wording does not cancel the debt. Of course, matters of common knowledge need not be credited to a source; to be safe, however, one should not assume anything is common knowledge unless one has seen it mentioned in print more than once without a reference to some source of information.

515.2.4 The usual form for showing such debts is a footnote, giving at least the name of the author, the title of the work, and the exact page. (Customs governing what should be included in the note vary somewhat from one subject field to another; the departments of instruction can provide information about their particular requirements.) Direct quotations must always be indicated; short quotations should be enclosed in quotation marks, and longer ones should be set off from the writer's own text by indentation. (Generally, quotation marks are required if one quotes three or more words from a sentence; however, if it is significant, even a single quoted word should be set off in quotation marks.)

515.3 Student Procedure

Any student who suspects or is aware of dishonest work is personally responsible to contact the Honor Council. This may be done by sending a signed note in a sealed envelope to the Council via the intra-campus mail, or by contacting an individual member of the Honor Council.

515.4 Faculty Procedure

515.4.1 Every examination is given under the Honor System. This includes all short quizzes and lab tests. If it is necessary for the professor to remain in the room during the test, he or she should explain that he or she is acting as an administrator and not as a proctor.

515.4.2 The following reminder to students should be printed at the top of the first sheet of examinations:

You are reminded that at your enrollment at Luther College you acknowledged an understanding of the Honor System under which this test is being administered. If you are aware of dishonest work, you are expected to contact the Honor Council, through SPO "Honor Council."

515.4.3 The instructor should inform the student of what assistance (if any) is permitted on daily assignments, out-of-class papers, etc. Thus the instructor may require that no references other than a specified list be consulted, that no references be consulted, or that the student do an assignment without seeking help or advice of other students.

515.5 Test and Paper Procedure

In order to create an atmosphere for the best possible work and to avoid all possible suspicion, the following procedure is requested.

515.5.1 The professor may ask the students to sit apart from one another during an exam. Books and other aids shall be left in an inaccessible spot except during an open-book test. They should be put aside before the test is passed out.

515.5.2 Instructions about the reference material one may use in preparing a paper shall be carefully observed.

515.5.3 It is suggested that students avoid the following:

leaving the room and returning to a test.
talking during a test.

515.6 Honor Council Procedure

515.6.1 Any correspondence with the Honor Council is to remain confidential. Students who present their suspicions are not judges. The decision of guilt or innocence is the duty of the Honor Council.

515.6.2 Students accused of violating the Honor System are considered innocent until proved guilty. A confession by the accused is not necessary to convict a person if conclusive evidence has been presented to the Council.

515.6.3 Nothing said during the meetings of the Honor Council shall be repeated outside the meeting. The alleged violator of the Honor System is never informed of the name of the person who reported the alleged violation, unless that person agrees to allow the alleged violator to question her or him during a meeting of the Honor Council (see 2.1.2.4.4 in the Student Handbook).

515.6.4 Each case is individual. The consequences of violation might include one or more of the following:

warning by the Honor Council
recommendation that the student be allowed to do the work over
recommendation of no credit for the work in question
recommendation to lower the grade in the course
recommendation of probation, suspension, or dismissal from school

515.6.5 The Honor Council will inform the Dean of the College and the Dean for Student Life of an Honor System violation. The Dean for Student Life will be responsible to inform the parents at his or her discretion.

515.6.6 Any student accused of violating the Honor System has the right to appeal the decision of the Honor Council to the Campus Appeal Board.

516.0 Improvement of Instruction

(see also Sections 306.2 and 405.4.2.1.a)

All faculty are encouraged to make regular use of formative evaluation; these often take the form of a questionnaire distributed to students and returned directly to the faculty member. The purpose of formative evaluation of instruction is to provide information that may help improve teaching by an individual faculty member. Since the most effective suggestions for improving instruction often come from colleagues within a department, the faculty has recommended that faculty regularly visit classes of their colleagues. Department heads are expected to visit classes of members of their department not on tenure and to consult with them on ways of improving the effectiveness of their teaching.

517.0 Internship Guidelines

Definition: Internships should be used to acquire experience in the application of knowledge rather than substitute for the academic content or methods taught in a major (LC Catalog). In addition, internships should provide varied work experiences rather than require repetitive tasks at which students are already competent. An internship, therefore, is not a job; it is the opportunity to work closely with a supervisor who has the training, expertise, and willingness to provide students a learning experience not possible in regular course offerings. The internship is approved by an academic department and is under the supervision of a faculty member from that department. The student produces work that benefits the supervisor's business or institution, and learns by instruction and by observing the activities of the supervisor and others at the internship site.
Departments that award credit for internships are required to observe the following guidelines:

517.1 Each department shall develop a formal application form and procedure detailing all relevant information concerning the specific internships, including a record of a response from the sponsoring organization or agency.

517.2 Each department shall identify a specific person or persons in the department responsible for supervision of each student intern.

517.3 Departmental approval of an internship is required at least two weeks before the internship begins.

517.4 Department heads shall maintain a file of all approved internships receiving credit in that department for at least one year. The file shall be open to review by other members of the department, the Dean of the College and the Academic Planning Committee.

518.0 January Term Course Guidelines

The January Term creates opportunities for students to engage in intensive study of a particular subject.

The Luther College January Term curriculum distinguishes between General Studies courses and Discipline-Based courses. Courses in each category bear full academic credit and advance students toward the total number of credits required for graduation. However, General Studies courses may be graded credit-no credit and do not fulfill requirements for majors, minors, or distribution credits. The designation General Studies is reserved for those courses whose primary content lies outside the department's subject area. Performing tours with an identifiable academic component generally qualify for some General Studies credit. There are normally no academic prerequisites for General Studies courses.

The following principles have been established to govern the January Term:

A course may be canceled if there is not sufficient registration.
Except for first-year seminars priority in registration is given to upperclass students and to majors where the program is designed especially for majors.
Prerequisites are indicated for some courses.
Courses are normally open to 25 students per instructor.
First-year students are required to participate in a first-year seminar.
For some courses, special costs are indicated. These are in addition to textbook costs.
The course load for January Term ranges from 2-4 hours. A student may register for a physical education skills course in addition to a regular course.
The maximum load for which a student may be registered during January is 5 hours.
Students registered for off-campus programs are eligible for a food cost refund. Applications are available at Dining Services.
Instructors may designate up to three reading days, with the restriction that the first and last days of the term may not be so designated and that normally the reading days will occur on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of the three full weeks of the term.
Courses offered are reviewed by departments and the Registrar in order to ensure that an appropriate mix of courses for lower-division students is available as well as a sufficient number of spaces for anticipated enrollments. This also ensures that full-time, non-tenure line faculty are able to receive one January Term leave in three years of teaching.
The brevity of January Term requires the observance of the full 18 days scheduled. Co-curricular and other activities under Luther College scheduling control are not to end the term early by departing campus prior to the ending time of the last scheduled class (specified as 3:30 p.m.).

519.0 Minors and Special Programs

519.1 Academic minors were re-adopted by the faculty in December 1983. Minors require between 14 and 22 credit hours and are recorded on the transcript. Minors are typically offered as reduced versions of established academic majors. But if departments believe they can offer sufficient depth in another area, they may propose other minors, including interdisciplinary minors. Interdisciplinary minors may require up to 25 hours.

519.2 Special Programs are generally interdisciplinary, are described in the college catalog, and appear on student transcripts.

519.3 All proposals for minors and special programs must specify a governance structure, including the process for naming the required coordinator. (In the case of minors offered within majors, the department would be the governing board and the department head would be the coordinator.

519.4 Minors and Special Programs are acted upon in the following sequence or review:

Department, planning committee or governing board
Division (interdisciplinary courses, minors, and programs must pass all relevant divisions)
Academic Planning Committee (for establishing new minors or special programs, for new courses or for substantive changes in minors or special programs)
Faculty Organization Committee
Faculty

520.0 Official Course Records

520.1 Standardized record books for daily class records such as attendance, examination grades, etc., are available at the Book Shop.

520.2 Grade Reports

520.2.1 If at any time during a semester (not necessarily mid-semester) a instructor is concerned about the academic progress of a student, and it seems likely that the student will not earn a final grade of C or better, the instructor should notify the Student Academic Support Center.

Parents will not be routinely notified of low grade reports. The Registrar's Office staff will notify parents only if the Academic Planning Committee find it necessary.

520.2.2 Final grade reports are made available to the students via http://my.luther.edu by the Registrar.

520.2.3 Students giving or receiving help in examinations, failing to acknowledge source material or practicing plagiarism are guilty of intellectual dishonesty and will be penalized as determined by the Student Honor Council. (See the College Catalog and supplementary information on the Honors System.)

520.2.4 For grading system and graduation requirements see the College Catalog.

521.0 STUDENT EMPLOYMENT

Faculty members who need students for assisting in laboratories, reading papers, preparing instructional materials or doing other instructional work should make request to their department head. The request, if approved, is forwarded to the Student Employment Coordinator. Requests should be made at the beginning of a semester so that the assistance may be selected from the list of students approved for part-time work.. See also Section 603.0, “Employment Policies.”

522.0 TEACHING LOAD AND SCHEDULES

Subject to the approval of the Dean of the College, department heads determine the courses to be offered each academic year and the assignment of faculty members for each course and section. It is customary for the department head to consult each faculty member concerning the assignment. The teaching load will vary between and within departments according to the size and nature of classes, administrative responsibilities and co-curricular assignments. Subject to the overview of the Dean of the College, departments have the discretion about how to use the faculty time available to them. Faculty load is the product of the ongoing discussion between the Dean of the College, department heads, and the faculty rather than any single formula or rule. Informally faculty loads are often expressed in fractions, e.g. for tenure-line faculty one full course = 1/6 FTE, but in preparing departmental statistics and calculating salaries two-place decimals are used instead: 1/6 = .17, then .34, .51, .68, .and .85. For non-tenure-line faculty one full course = 1/7 FTE, but in preparing departmental statistics and calculating salaries two-place decimals are used instead: 1/7 = .14, then .28, .43, .57, .71 and .86.

522.1 The Instructor as Advisor

522.1.1 Faculty members will serve as advisors to students. Faculty members may be asked to assist in summer registration of incoming students and to serve as academic advisors to students assigned to them. Advisors need the knowledge and willingness to help students plan appropriate programs. After the initial assignment of advisors, students are free to choose an advisor, most typically in their major field.