Appendix 7: Academic Coordinators

An Academic Coordinator may be necessary to manage the administrative operations to ensure the efficient operation of the department, a healthy workplace and educational culture, and progress towards department and college goals. The individuals chosen to be department coordinators will be compensated for their additional duties.

The academic coordinator will work with the Academic Administrator and department faculty. The academic coordinator’s responsibilities will span the academic year (Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters). The coordinator will have Summer responsibilities; however, a Summer teaching load is not required for an academic coordinator.

Academic Coordinator Job Description

The academic Coordinator is a full-time faculty member who serves as a liaison between the administrator of the department and faculty. Duties could vary from department to department. Typical duties include, but are not exclusive to, the following:

Class Schedules and Resources:

• Prepare preliminary class schedules.
• Compile book, tool, and supply lists.
• Address classroom, facility, and laboratory needs.

Faculty Coordination:

• Coordinate the assignment of full-time and adjunct faculty teaching schedules.
• Participate in recruiting, interviewing, and mentoring adjunct faculty.
• Recommend adjunct faculty for appointment by the Academic Administrator.
• Participate in new faculty orientation and training processes.

Administrative Coordination:

• Monitor department inventory, supplies, and capital equipment.
• Schedule and coordinate work-study students, laboratory coordinators, readers, graders, and aides.
• Coordinate development, evaluation, and revision of curriculum and instruction.
• Recommend departmental budget expenditures with purchase requests.
• Work with accreditation bodies, including on-site visits.
• Collect and analyze data and prepare reports for external review.
• Participate in articulation efforts and program assessment.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration through monthly department meetings and other means.
• Meeting regularly with the Academic Administrator.
• Work with academic administrators, staff, and faculty in a flexible manner to achieve department goals.
• Participate in meetings as necessary.

Special Projects and Activities:

• Coordinate departmental exams.
• Coordinate internship liaisons and industry partnerships, including Program Advisory Committee.
• Coordinate club events such as DEX or SkillsUSA.
• Recommend concurrent enrollment courses and coordinate with SLCC liaisons.
• Monitor and complete departmental projects and assignments.
• Coordinate recruiting and advising activities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of pedagogy and teaching modalities
• Knowledge of the instructional program.
• Collaborative team member and supporter of College, School and Division policies, procedures, and goals
• Effective communication
• Time management and organization

Process of Appointment

At least 30 days before the coordinator's appointment, the supervising academic administrator will send a written notice to all full-time faculty members in the department. Interested faculty members should submit their interest in writing to the supervising academic administrator. The supervising academic administrator will vet candidates and distribute applications of qualified applicants to department faculty for review. The supervising academic administrator will select the coordinator from interested faculty members in consultation with the department faculty members and Dean.

Term of Appointment

The department and supervising academic administrator agree on the appointment of the coordinator for notification to the Dean, at the beginning of the fiscal year. Interested faculty members should submit their interest in writing to the supervising academic administrator. The supervising academic administrator will vet candidates and distribute applications of qualified applicants to department faculty for review. The supervising academic administrator will select the coordinator from interested faculty members in consultation with the department faculty members and Dean.

Term of Appointment

The department and supervising academic administrator agree on the appointment of the coordinator for notification to the Dean, at the beginning of the fiscal year. The appointment may be for three years but will be reviewed annually. The appointment includes summer. Summer teaching is not required, but coordinator duties are ongoing and may need to be addressed at any time of the calendar year. No faculty member should ever be compelled, pressured, or coerced into accepting the department coordinator position. Individuals serving as coordinator can be reappointed to the role following the Application Process detailed above.

Evaluation Process

The coordinator’s performance will be informally evaluated annually. The informal evaluation will also serve as an opportunity to ensure the coordinator has the support and resources necessary for the position. If necessary, the Academic Supervisor, in consultation with the Dean, can remove a coordinator from the position.

Coordinator Budget Distribution and Compensation

The deans of each school, at the beginning of each fiscal/academic year, will be given a portion of the coordinator compensation budget. The amount to be distributed to each school will be determined by reviewing the fall and spring totals of the number of unique students, the sum of FTE, and the number of full and part-time faculty. The fund to pay the coordinators is held by the Provost’s Office and distributed to each of the schools on July 1.
The deans will determine the amount for each department and disseminate the pay accordingly. The recommendation for consistency:

1. High Complexity- 7.5 x adjunct load per semester, fall and spring
2. Mid Complexity - 5.5 x adjunct load per semester, fall and spring
3. Low Complexity - 3.5 x adjunct load per semester, fall and spring

Instead of the stipend, programs requiring coordination duties as part of faculty load for accreditation or other purposes may use reassigned time. This reassigned time will not be factored as part of the Dean’s reassigned time budget. The reassigned time compensation will be awarded to equate to give an equal amount as the stipend.

Reporting

Each Dean will complete the reporting spreadsheet and send it to the Provost’s Office no later than June 15.