Policy on VPA Faculty Assigned to Independent Studies

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Office of Academic Affairs

Policy on VPA Faculty Assigned to Independent Studies 

 Downloadable Policy on VPA Faculty Assigned to Independent Studies [PDF]

 This memorandum serves as a reminder that, in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, faculty sponsorship of students engaged in earning independent study, internship, or experience credits is limited to full-time faculty only. 

Under rare circumstances, a part-time faculty member may be asked by a department chair to teach one of these kinds of learning experiences when, for instance, there is no full-time faculty member on staff qualified in the appropriate subject matter to direct the independent learning experience.  In such cases, the part-time faculty member should be compensated appropriately for the work.  The VPA Office of Academic Affairs must approve the assignment, based on the rationale provided and budget availability, even if the local department is willing to provide compensation from its own budget.  Compensation is to be determined in accordance with the standards set forth by the adjuncts united collective bargaining agreement or in consultation with the Labor Relations office. 

As an additional reminder, independent studies and experience credit are not appropriate substitutes for existing coursework, whether required or elective in nature.  They are intended to be research or academically oriented work performed that go beyond the available coursework in our curriculum.

Proposals for independent study, experience credit, or internship credit should be submitted and approved by the appropriate due date each semester (October 15 for Fall and March 15 for Spring).

If a student approaches a part-time faculty member about serving as a sponsor, they should be directed to talk to the chair/director of the department/school to identify who is available to serve in this capacity.  

As has been standard practice, compensation for full-time faculty members as instructor of record for these kinds of learning experiences is covered by their full-time salaries.

Please direct any questions about this policy to the VPA Office of Academic Affairs.