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MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY 

ACADEMIC OPERATING POLICY AND PROCEDURE 

PURPOSE 

The purpose of this Academic Operating Policy and Procedure (AOP) is to help promote an understanding of faculty responsibilities in instruction. 

REVIEW 

This AOP will be reviewed every four years, or whenever circumstances require an earlier review, by the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs (APAA) with recommendations for revision presented to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

POLICY/PROCEDURE 

A faculty member has the following obligations to his/her students: 

1.  Clearly state course objectives, assignments, standards of achievement, and methods of evaluation (including the relative importance to be assigned to various factors) in a syllabus of the course that is made available to all enrolled students.

2.  Meet classes as scheduled, and when extraordinary circumstances prevent this, arrange equivalent alternate instruction.

3.  Present a reasonable range of opinions on controversial issues within the scope of the course.  A faculty member’s own views on such issues should always be identified as such.  Wherever values, judgments, or speculative opinions constitute part of the subject matter, they should be identified as such and should not be offered as fact.

4.  Evaluate fairly and impartially the student’s performance.  Such evaluation should be consistent with recognized standards and must not be influenced by irrelevancies such as religion, race, gender, political views, or be based on the student’s agreement or disagreement with the faculty member’s opinion on controversial issues in the discipline.

5.  Protect the student’s freedom to learn, especially when that freedom is threatened by repressive or disruptive action.

6.  Serve as an intellectual guide and counselor to students; be available for private conferences; provide accurate information; assist students in achieving their academic goals.

7.  Demonstrate respect for the student and treat the faculty-student relationship in a professional manner.

8.  Avoid any exploitation of students for personal advantage or for any other purpose.

9.  Engage in those scholarly activities that contribute to the upgrading of knowledge and skills; only by so doing can the faculty member adequately teach students.  Beyond the obvious requirement of staying current with the literature in one’s field, the faculty member may find it necessary or useful to conduct research and/or participate in research conferences, workshops, institutes, consulting, and other forms of post-graduate training or experience.  It is the faculty member’s responsibility to seek out such activities and the University’s responsibility to encourage such endeavors.

10.Follow university procedures concerning examinations, academic dishonesty, accommodating students with disabilities, grade submission, and other regulations related to instruction.

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12/01/06

For information about this policy, contact the responsible/reviewing department hyperlinked above.