Appointment of Faculty

Faculty teaching in graduate degree programs at the College should have an earned doctorate or have exceptional expertise (See each area for their definition of "exceptional expertise.") in their field to qualify them for their assignments. The appointment of an adjunct faculty member is recommended by the respective department and made by the Provost on the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee.

Curriculum Changes

To introduce a graduate course, the faculty member proposing the course needs to submit the completed course proposal form to the Graduate Studies Committee for approval. Course proposal forms can be obtained from the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee. The proposer meets with the committee to clarify the proposal before a decision is made by the committee.

In the case of a new graduate degree program proposal, the proposers confer with the department in which the program is to be housed and solicit feedback from a broader group of faculty before presenting the program to the Graduate Studies Committee. After approval by the Graduate Studies Committee, final approval for degree programs rests with the Board of Directors and then the Higher Learning Commission. 

Decision Making

Ordinarily committee decisions will be arrived at by consensus. Approval of new courses and programs will be approved by a majority of voting members of the GSC and will be recorded in its minutes.

Evaluation of Courses

Each course is to be evaluated by the students. These evaluations are completed toward the end of the course. Information from these evaluations is made available to the instructor only after course grades have been submitted in RavenZone. Completed evaluations are housed in the office of the director of the specific program.

Evaluation of Degree Programs

Immediately after completing the program, students will be asked to complete an evaluation of the program by the appropriate degree program director.

Evaluation of Faculty

Program directors will evaluate each faculty member in their respective programs annually as a means of ensuring quality performance in the various programs. Copies of the faculty evaluations will be shared with the relevant department chair or unit head and may be made available to the Graduate Studies Committee from time to time and/or upon request.

Meetings of the Graduate Studies Committee

Meetings of the Graduate Studies Committee will be scheduled on a regular basis, generally monthly, during the academic school year.

Orientation of New Faculty

The appropriate program director orients new faculty.

Program Assessment

The Graduate Studies Committee is responsible for reviewing the Program Assessment for the graduate programs. Their annual program reviews are due by July 1 each year. This is at the same time and in the same format as the undergraduate programs.

The 4-year Periodic Comprehensive Reviews of the graduate programs will be on the schedule as set by the Assessment Committee. These Reviews are also reviewed by the Graduate Study Committee or a subset of the Committee.

Syllabi

The syllabus for each course will be prepared by the instructor and submitted prior to the first session of the course to the appropriate director and the appointed College Administrative Assistant. These syllabi will be on file in the office of the appropriate director and with the Senior Vice Provost.

Tuition Remission

Tuition remission for employees of Kansas Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools is not applicable to graduate courses or programs.

Policies Specific to the Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program

Appointment of Faculty

Faculty teaching in the MBA program at the College should have an earned doctorate in their field to qualify them for their assignments; or have exceptional expertise. Exceptional expertise is defined as
(1) at least a master’s degree (or equivalent professional certification such as CPA) in a discipline or field related to the area of teaching responsibility;
(2) professional experience at time of hiring that is both consistent with the area of teaching responsibility, and significant in duration and level of responsibility; and
(3) continuous development activities/lifelong learning to maintain intellectual capital (or currency in the teaching field) consistent with teaching responsibility.
The appointment of an adjunct faculty member is recommended by the School of Business and made by the Provost on the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee.

Distance Education

The MBA program is offered to students at the Atchison campus and via synchronous, interactive distance education to students at a distance. Both campus and distance education students are enrolled in the same class sections, with the same instructors, doing the same assignments, using the same materials, and participating in the same discussions and other educational experiences. Distance education students participate via video-link. Because of this, distance education for MBA students is characterized by (1) identical hours with distance and non-distance courses, and (2) identical expectations for distance and non-distance students and coursework. This includes the definition of credit hours relating to class time and out-of-class work. MBA syllabi include a statement confirming the identity of distance and non-distance delivery.

Course content and expectations for student performance are identical whether students participate physically in the classroom or electronically from a remote location.

Policies Specific to the Master of Arts in School Leadership (MASL) Program

Advisory Committee

The Educational Advisory Committee is composed of: 1) adjunct faculty, 2) graduates of the program, 3) practicing educational administrators, 4) practicing teachers, and 5) graduate student members representing each active cohort. Members of the committee are appointed by the School of Education and the Director of the program. The purpose of the committee is to participate in the on-going process of improvement and to provide advice relative to all aspects of the program, including curricular design and the program’s conceptual framework. The Educational Administration Advisory Committee will meet each semester.

Distance and Synchronous Courses

The MASL graduate courses in education is offered on-site on the main Benedictine campus and the satellite classroom in the Kansas City area. Coursework may also utilize technology and be offered as hybrid or synchronous. Regardless of delivery format, expectations are identical. Candidates are enrolled in the same class with the same instructors, doing the same assignments, and participating in the same learning activities.

Content and expectations for this course are the same whether this course is taken on-site or as a hybrid or other digital format.

Evaluation of Courses

Each course is to be evaluated by students using the college faculty evaluation system. Data from evaluations is maintained in the School of Education assessment system and is systematically incorporated in the on-going process of improving faculty instruction and the program’s larger curricular design/conceptual framework.

Evaluation of Degree Program

Within two years of graduation from the program, graduates shall be asked to complete a written evaluation of the program, which they will receive and return by mail. Compiled results of these evaluations shall be provided to: 1) members of the School of Education, 2) members of the Graduate Studies Committee, and 3) members of the Educational Advisory Committee. Information derived from evaluations of the degree program will be systematically incorporated in the on-going process of program improvement.

Governance

The Graduate Studies Committee is the policy-making body for the M. A. in School Leadership program. Management and oversight of the programs resides in the School of Education. Decisions governing the programs shall be made by the School of Education acting as a whole during regularly scheduled meetings. Decisions shall be made by consensus.

Exceptional Expertise Policy for Adjunct Instructors (for all graduate programs housed in the School of Education)

The School of Education is responsible for establishing minimum qualifications for adjunct faculty including, application/screening procedures and appropriate staff development and expectations for adjunct faculty as well as for providing appropriate supervision, all aimed at ensuring high quality teaching and learning experiences. Adjunct faculty in Education should have earned doctorates in the field they are teaching or advanced degrees with exceptional expertise in that field. Exceptional Expertise for adjunct faculty in education includes:

• Doctoral level degree and documentation of P-12 experience; and
• Master’s level degree and documentation of P-12 experience, and one or more of the following:
• Expertise/experience in the education program’s priorities such as special education, leadership, curriculum, assessment, and/or technology;
• Demonstrated expertise in a field where few alternative resources exist;
• A demonstrated national or statewide reputation in his/her field and extensive experience working in higher education.

Procedures for Proposing New Degree Programs

Review of Graduate Curriculum Proposals

Purpose

The purpose of the initial review is to:

1.  assess the proposal’s worth in relation to the mission of the College;

2.  provide constructive comments to the authors for revision purposes (if applicable); and

3.  assess whether the proposal is at a stage to be presented for final approval to the Graduate Studies Committee.

Proposal Authors

One of the authors of the proposal will be asked to be available at the beginning of the review to make necessary clarifications for the reviewers.

Authors will not act as reviewers of their own proposals. Generally, teachers of the proposed curriculum will not act as reviewers of the proposal.

Reviewers

An ad hoc review team of approximately five faculty members will be constituted by the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee in consultation with the Provost for each written proposal presented to the Chair. Pertinent materials will be circulated to the reviewers by the Chair. “The committee must include faculty members from fields closely related to the field of the proposed program.

The reviewers are expected to read the proposal and pertinent materials prior to the review meeting. Clarifications will be made at the time of the review.

Review Results

Results of the review will be communicated to the major author of the proposal in written form by the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee promptly after the initial review of the proposal is completed.

Final approval

Upon final approval by the Graduate Studies Committee, approval is subsequently required by the College Board of Directors and then the Higher Learning Commission. Upon final approval by the HLC, then the program can be advertised and students recruited for it. The new program will be added to the next Course Catalog.