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Policy Details

Effective Date:

March 26, 2026

Supersedes:

COM Administrative Policies Initially Adopted February 28, 2007; amended June 1, 2009; September 30, 2010; January 19, 2011; June 12, 2012; May 10, 2013; July 10, 2014; Alternate Credentialing Policy Adopted January 17, 2019; amended March 26, 2026.Ìý

Responsible Authority:

Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs

Policy Statement

Our accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), recognizes such that:

Qualified, effective faculty members are essential to carry out the mission of the institution and to ensure the quality and integrity of its academic programs. The emphasis is on overall qualifications of a faculty member, rather than simply academic credentials. While academic credentials in most cases may well be the standard qualification for faculty members, other types of qualifications may prove to be appropriate. Examples could include appropriately related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications related to the teaching assignment, honors and awards, continuing professional development, relevant peer-reviewed publications, and/or continuous documented excellence in teaching. These types of qualifications are especially important in professional, technical, and technology-dependent fields.

Alternate credentialing must provide evidence that candidates meet these standards.

Departments seeking to credential non-terminal degree faculty to teach courses must provide a CV from the applicant and a memo from the unit head explaining how the applicant meets these guidelines, as well as any supplemental material, as needed.

Criteria

The justification memo must offer a rationale for employing the applicant without an appropriate terminal degree. The memo should establish the applicant’s qualifying proficiency, including:

• Relevant work and/or teaching experiences in the field, with a minimum of three (3) years of such experience.
• Relevant professional certification related to the teaching assignment.
• Honors and awards in the subject area.
• Relevant peer-reviewed publications in the subject area.
• Relevant presentations at professional meetings.
• Relevant professional memberships

The memo should also offer evidence of the applicant’s prior and continued engagement with intended teaching area, either from recent (within the past five years) publications, presentations, evaluations, letters of support, or continuing professional development related to the proposed course assignment and should explain the significance and relevance of any certifications or licensures.

Amendments and Changes

This policy shall be reviewed and revised as needed to comply with changes in the accreditation requirements.