The standards set forth in the following paragraphs are the professional standards to which every faculty member is expected to subscribe.
I. General Responsibilities of the Faculty Member
A. Faculty members, guided by a deep conviction of the worth and dignity of the advancement of knowledge, recognize the special responsibilities placed upon them. Their primary responsibility to their subject is to seek and to state the truth as they see it.
B. Faculty members have the responsibility of constantly expanding their understanding of their field by keeping abreast of developments in that field and in closely allied fields through a critical, independent and thorough inquiry.
C. Faculty members shall participate in activities of professional societies relevant to their fields, including not only those having to do with subject matter, but also those concerning matters of general interest to all faculty.
II. Responsibilities of the Faculty Member to the Student
A. Faculty members have the responsibility of providing students with rigorous and challenging instruction, using pedagogy that is appropriate both to the subject matter and to the level of knowledge of the student; it is the faculty member’s obligation to remain current in relevant pedagogical developments.
B. Faculty members shall meet all classes and keep all announced office hours promptly and regularly. They shall not take on extra teaching or research assignments or outside work that might interfere with the performance of their teaching responsibilities at Hofstra.
C. Faculty members shall strive to make prompt, just and unprejudiced appraisals of student work in terms of the prevailing grading system. They owe students the right to have their work and their grades reviewed, and, in cases of serious grievances, the right of responsible appeal.
D. Faculty members shall not take advantage of their special position by discouraging student expression of opinion that conflicts with their own, or by threatening – whether openly or by implication – to penalize students who reject their favored concepts, causes or activities. In the spirit of critical inquiry that is central to a liberal education, faculty have the right to challenge students by requiring them to be exposed to views and appropriate materials with which they may be uncomfortable.
E. Faculty members shall secure permission and give credit for the use of original student contributions in their lectures and publications. At the same time, they shall not compel their students to choose research subjects that supplement or assist their own research projects.
F. Faculty members shall encourage responsible behavior among their students and shall follow the pertinent administrative regulations in dealing with instances of student dishonesty or misconduct.
G. Faculty members shall treat the ideas, needs, weaknesses and failures of every student in a confidential manner, revealing them to others only to the extent mandated by the professional relationship between faculty and student. Faculty members should not discuss confidential student information, including information about student performance, with other students.
H. Faculty members shall be aware of University services offered to students with financial, emotional, and academic problems and shall direct students to such services as needed, and may, additionally or alternatively contact the appropriate University office.
I. Faculty members shall be well informed about the academic requirements of Hofstra University so that they can advise responsibly.
J. Faculty members shall not require or exert pressure on students to use particular outside vendors or services such as particular academic support service providers.
III. Responsibilities of Faculty Members to their Colleagues
A. Faculty members shall give their colleagues active cooperation and encouragement in their individual development as members of the profession.
B. Faculty members shall avoid disparaging their colleagues. They owe their colleagues and the profession reasonable tact, both as to content and place, in the utterance of criticism. They shall not enhance their own standing by using unfair practices or methods with regard to their colleagues. Notwithstanding the above, faculty members owe the institution a duty of candor and shall not restrain themselves from giving an honest and thoughtful appraisal of a colleague nor from their duty to submit to appropriate authorities any substantial evidence they may possess concerning the unfitness of a colleague.
C. Faculty members shall acknowledge any contributions of colleagues that they use in their professional presentations.
D. Faculty members shall not attempt to compel other faculty to use any written or electronic material they have produced.
IV. Responsibilities of Faculty Members to their Institution
A. Faculty members shall be governed by the principles and procedures of this institution. If they believe that a change in any such principle or procedure is advisable, they shall work for a change through appropriate channels.
B. Faculty members shall perform a reasonable amount of the service/work in support of their department and of the institution.
C. Faculty members shall maintain as privileged those departmental or University matters not appropriate for open discussion
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FPS #99
(rev. 2009)