Deliverable

Draft description for accreditation agencies outlining how colleges align with each home college’s standards, practices, services, and values: Addressing Credentialing.

Recommendation

The Subcommittee recommends continuation of current processes for faculty and instructor credentialing through each accredited college within the consortium.

Rationale

All thirteen colleges that make up the Colorado Community College System are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

  • All colleges meet HLC Criterion 3: Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources and Support, Core Component 3.C.: The Institution has the faculty and staff needed for effective, high quality programs and student services, and in particular Subcomponent 3.C.3.: All instructors are appropriately qualified, including those in dual credit, contractual, and consortial offerings.
  • Each institution is responsible for credentialing its own faculty and instructors based on its own qualification and credentialing criteria.
  • Colleges will honor credits earned within the Colorado Online @ consortium, though each college maintains its ability to make faculty and instructor employment decisions for Colorado Online @ course sections run through its college based on its specific qualification criteria.
  • The Colorado Online @ consortium ensures that all faculty and instructors teaching within the consortium are appropriately qualified, as all have been credentialed by one or more of the accredited colleges that make up the consortium.

This recommendation supports the integrity of individual colleges’ credentialing processes and ensures that any courses taken within the consortium are equivalent across all members of the consortium.

Factors to Consider

Individual colleges will need to review and document credentials for instructors as well as faculty.

Potential Impact/Effect on Other Decisions

This decision would help in decisions around assigning instructors to classes. Training Needs None.

Next Steps

  • Once approved, this recommendation will be documented in the written consortial agreement.
  • The Academic Affairs Subcommittee will bring this to the VPAA working group to re-affirm their commitment to collaborating in this way.
  • CCCOnline administration will work with CCCS Human Resources and the Human Resources functional group to explore opportunities to streamline the hiring, credentialing, and onboarding processes for CCCOnline instructors as instruction of online courses transitions to CCCS colleges.. One possibility is a centralized database of all faculty and instructors, depending on other decisions.

Required Resources

  • Human Resources
  • Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs
  • College Deans
  • CCCOnline Leadership