I. Purpose
This policy is in place to ensure that all instructors of record are academically qualified to teach in the content area, or precept students in the courses or rotations to which they are assigned. The hiring of highly qualified and appropriately credentialed teaching faculty is essential in accomplishing the mission and goals of the component colleges of CHSU. The policy provides a foundation for faculty credentialing that is aligned with best practices inthe health sciences. To conform to the highest academic standards of excellence, the CHSU conducts regular verification of faculty credentials for teaching at both the CHSU andCHSU-affiliated educational teaching sites. This policy includes all the information necessary to guide faculty, department chairs, administrators and others through the credentialing process.
II. Credentialing
Responsibility for credentialing is vested with the Office of the Dean which is uniquely qualified to make credentialing decisions. As part of this process, the Dean considers a variety of factors when making credentialing decisions including graduate degrees, professional licensure and certifications, related work experiences in the field, honors and awards, competence, effectiveness, continuous documented excellence in teaching, or other demonstrated competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching and student learning outcomes.
A faculty member must be credentialed upon hire before the faculty member begins teaching or precepting students at the CHSU or at CHSU-affiliated sites. Furthermore, the faculty member must be credentialed again each time the faculty member plans to teach or precept a different course or rotation (e.g., substantively different, not just at a different site). As part of this process, each time a faculty member is credentialed, the CHSU must have a documented case showing with persuasive evidence that the faculty member is qualified to teach the specific course or precept students as part of a particular rotation. The Dean or designee will collect all required credentialing information from each faculty member and will review such information to determine whether the faculty are appropriately credentialed to teach the course or precept CHSU students in their rotation(s). The Dean makes all final credentialing decisions. Such credentialing decisions will be documented and maintained in the Office of Human Resources.
The Dean or designee will be responsible for verifying and documenting the following information to the extent it is applicable for the particular instructor of record or preceptor. Accordingly, the Dean or designee will determine what documents from the below list are required of the faculty member for teaching a particular course or precepting a particular rotation. (Note: These requirements will differ for full-time clinical faculty, adjunct faculty/ clinical preceptors, and basic science faculty.)
- Curriculum vitae from the faculty member and attestation regarding any changes that have been made to the curriculum vitae after initial submittal;
- Terminal degree earned in or sufficiently related to the discipline being taught as verified by the Dean, and transcripts from degree-granting institution;
- Pharmacy, medical or other professional license as verified directly with the state licensing board (only clinical faculty);
- Board certification in relevant disciplines (only for clinical faculty);
- Current competence in practice or discipline as verified through participation in continuing education and/or professional development, including, but not limited to, that which is required by the individuals professional licensing body; and
- All other academic accomplishments including but not limited to research and publications, post-graduate education and special training, related work experience, leadership and administrative experience, documented teaching excellence in the discipline, honors, awards or other special recognitions that may be relevant to the course taught or course precepted.