10.4 Faculty Attendance

Faculty are required to attend all scheduled classes, maintain posted office hours and be present on campus four full days per week.

10.4.1 Planned Absences
When a faculty member has to be away from the College for professional or personal reasons, he/she should clear the absence with the Department Chair and the Provost/Dean of Faculty. Arrangements must be made to “cover” the missed class by a colleague or by a suitable and reasonable assignment given in advance to the students.

10.4.1.1 Family Medical Leave
See Employee Manual for Family Medical Leave Policy

A faculty member going on Family Medical Leave will inform the Department Chair with as much advance notice as possible. The Chair will promptly inform and consult with the Provost/Dean of Faculty. When the leave starts during a semester, the Chair will hire adjunct faculty to team teach with the faculty member before the leave begins. The adjunct faculty will have sole responsibility for the course(s) once the leave begins. If the leave ends during the same semester in which it begins, faculty member will resume team teaching. When a faculty member returns from Family Medical Leave during the following semester, the Chair and the faculty member will develop a written agreement of alternative teaching duties and must be approved by the Provost/Dean of Faculty before the leave begins.

10.4.1.2 Medical Disability/Medical Leave of Absence

Faculty who must be absent from their positions because of prolonged illness or other medical condition or physical disability are entitled to be paid for part or all of their medical leave of absence, provided they have successfully completed one year employment, and depending on the length of their employment. Application for a paid, medical leave must be made, in writing, to the Provost/Dean of Faculty, and the approval is to be sent to the Director of Human Resources. If the leave starts during a semester and the Chair has advanced warning, the Chair will hire adjunct faculty team teach with the faculty member before the leave begins. The adjunct faculty will have sole responsibility for the course(s) once the leave begins. If the leave ends during the semester in which it begins, the faculty member will resume team teaching. When a faculty member returns from medical leave during the next semester, the Chair and the faculty member will develop a written agreement of alternative teaching duties that must be approved by the Provost/Dean of Faculty.

During any period of disability, a full-time faculty member may be paid one-month’s salary for each year of employment up to six months maximum.

To be eligible for disability, the disabled faculty member is required to apply for short-term disability benefits, and any short-term disability benefits received during a paid leave of absence must be paid to the college. Disability benefits are coordinated through the Human Resources Office and application for benefits must be made within 28 days of the onset of the disability. (See Human Resources for more information about Short Term Disability Benefits).

During leaves of absence, health insurance benefits continue as long as any required employee contributions are made. Any leave taken under this policy will run concurrently with any FMLA, Workers’ Compensation or disability leave. This benefit is intended to cover any prolonged illness or physical disability. The physician’s report will be required. Once the period of disability ends, the faculty member may remain on a leave of absence under the College’s Family Medical Leave policy.

10.4.2 Emergency Absences

Every department should have a contingency plan whereby the unexpected and prolonged absence of any faculty member can be “covered” by a colleague or a part-time instructor. If a department member is ill for a period longer than one week, all classes must be covered by a colleague or a part-time instructor.

Every faculty member should have some standby assignments, i.e., tests, library research, etc., ready for all courses in case of an emergency or a short term illness. When a faculty member is sick, he/she should call the Office of the Provost/Dean of Faculty or the Registrar’s Office early enough in the day so that students can be notified of the absence and given the day’s assignment.

10.4.3 Sick Time

Whether sick time constitutes a planned absence (see section 10.4.1 above) or an emergency absence (see section 10.4.2 above), faculty members will be paid for time away from work. To be clear, faculty members may take time off for the following reasons (among other reasons):

• Due to the faculty member’s physical or mental illness, injury, or health condition, or need for medical diagnosis, treatment, or preventative care;
• For the same purposes when caring for a spouse, domestic partner, children, parents (including in-laws), grandparents, grandchildren and siblings (including step-siblings); or
• Due to the closure of the College’s facilities, or a child’s school or childcare provider in case of declared public health emergency.

Faculty members may take sick time in full- or half-day increments. Faculty members should inform the College as soon as practicable when the faculty member knows he or she will be absent for these reasons.

10.4.4 Delays

If delayed for any reason, the Instructor should notify the Office of the Provost/Dean of Faculty by telephone so that the class will be told to wait until arrival. If no Instructor has arrived ten minutes after the scheduled hour of meeting, the class customarily disbands.

Approved August 15, 2018