Faculty Handbook 2022-2023 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
Faculty Handbook 2022-2023 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Section 1: Introduction


1.1 Allegheny College Mission Statement
1.2 Statement of Community
1.3 Allegheny’s Institutional Learning Outcomes
1.4 The Honor Code
1.5 History
1.6 Allegheny Organization
1.7 Faculty Handbook Update Procedure

1.1 Allegheny College Mission Statement   

The Allegheny College Mission Statement is housed on About Allegheny College.

(Revised Spring 2004) 

1.2 Statement of Community 

 The Statement of Community is housed on About Allegheny College.

(Adopted by faculty vote, 20 April 2007)

1.3 Allegheny’s Institutional Learning Outcomes 

 Allegheny’s Institutional Learning Outcomes are housed in the Academic Bulletin.

(Approved by faculty vote, 22 January 2015) 

1.4 The Honor Code 

The Honor Code is housed in The Compass Student Handbook and Resource Guide

1.5 History 

Allegheny College was founded in 1815, and Timothy Alden, a Harvard graduate, was named its first president. Initially, classes were held in Meadville’s log courthouse and in Alden’s home. Within half a dozen years, however, Alden had succeeded in attracting sufficient funds to begin building a campus, having traveled throughout the eastern states seeking support for a planned library and classroom building. John Adams headed the subscription list of donors from New England. 

The most significant donations were the fine private libraries of Dr. William Bentley, Judge James Winthrop, and Isaiah Thomas. The 1823 library catalog lists some 8,000 titles, a number of them unique today, making this collection one of the finest held by any of the early colleges. 

The need to properly house the library led to the construction of Bentley Hall in the 1820s, today a leading example of early American architecture. Designed by Alden, this structure still crowns the hill on which the campus is located. If you are interested in learning more about College history, you might find the following publications of interest. All are available in Pelletier Library. 

  1. Ernest Ashton Smith, Allegheny–A Century of Education 1815-1915 (1916)
  2. Jonathan E. Helmreich, Through All the Years: A History of Allegheny College (2005)
  3. Jonathan E. Helmreich, Allegheny College: A Tour of the Historic Campus. Sound recording Compact Disk (2000) [Circulation CD-ROM 378.748 A      Wzh. or Faculty Shelf]
  4. Jonathan E. Helmreich, Eternal Hope: The Life of Timothy Alden, Jr. (2001). [922 AL22 h or Faculty Shelf]
  5. Laughter on the Hill: A Treasury of Allegheny College Humor, compiled and edited by Nels Juleus (1979) [817 J941 L] 

1.6 Allegheny Organization 

Allegheny College is organized into a number of divisions, and each division is headed by a Vice President, Provost, or Director. The Academic Affairs division is headed by the Provost and includes the faculty; the Deans; the Associate Deans and Associate Provosts of the College; the Registrar’s Office; and the Maytum Center for Student Success. The most recent organizational chart of the entire College is available as Appendix A of the Employee Handbook.

1.6.1 Chief of Staff

Position Summary
The Chief of Staff reports to the President and serves as a member of their senior staff and trusted advisor and contributes to strategic institutional discussions and planning. The Chief of Staff is a member of the President’s Cabinet and reports to the President. They provide thoughtful partnership, input, and resources to the president and senior leadership team, in addition to serving as a liaison for the president with other administrative leaders and staff. The Chief of Staff plays an active role in moving the president’s strategic priorities forward and also helps manage essential projects and initiatives across campus and with outside communities and agencies to ensure they are completed. The Chief of Staff will be a strategic and innovative thinker who must also be a collaborative leader within the president’s executive team.

Supervisory Responsibility
Ombuds Office

Committees
Serve on College committees or task forces as designated by the president.

1.6.2 Provost and Dean of the College

Position Summary
The Provost and Dean of the College is the chief academic officer and a holder of faculty rank. The Provost and Dean of the College is a member of the President’s Cabinet and reports to the President. As a member of the senior administrative team, the Provost and Dean of the College serves in an important College-wide leadership and policy-making role.

Supervisory Responsibility
Direct supervision of Associate Provost, Chief Information Officer, Registrar, Director of Faculty Development, Director of Faculty Diversity and Inclusion, Director of Undergraduate Research, Director of Interdisciplinary Studies, department and program chairs, and executive assistant in the Provost Office. Oversight supervision of faculty and academic building coordinators.

Committees
Administrative liaison with the Faculty Council and the Faculty Review Committee; serving on or appointing designee for Academic Awards and Standards Committee, Assessment Committee, Curriculum Committee, and Finance and Facilities Committee.

1.6.3 Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Position Summary
The Vice President for Institutional Advancement will advise and support the President and Board of Trustees in all matters of fundraising and alumni relations while providing leadership for the development, execution, and on-going assessment of an integrated plan for fundraising and alumni relations. The Vice President for Institutional Advancement is a member of the President’s Cabinet and reports to the President. The Vice President will mentor and assess the advancement team, improving quality and effectiveness, while continuing to enhance its culture of collaboration and collegiality. The Vice President will integrate best practices to improve both results and performance within all areas of advancement on the Allegheny College campus, especially in programs such as principal and major gifts, donor recognition, stewardship, and alumni engagement. 

Supervisory Responsibility
The Vice President for Institutional Advancement is responsible for the direct supervision of eight administrative employees including: the Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement; Sr Director of Advancement for Leadership Giving; Sr Director for Advancement Operations; Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations; Sr Director for Alumni Engagement and Annual Fund: Executive Director of Economic, Civic, and Community Engagement; Executive Director for Career Education; and Assistant to the Vice President.

1.6.4 Vice President for Enrollment Management

Position Summary
 The Vice President will serve as the chief enrollment officer and will have oversight of institutional marketing and communications for the College. The Vice President is responsible for the overall leadership in the Offices of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Marketing and Communications. The Vice President for Institutional Advancement is a member of the President’s Cabinet and reports to the President. The Vice President is an active partner in college-wide planning and policy discussions and provides leadership in the design and implementation of marketing, recruitment and enrollment practices that seek well-prepared students, promote retention to graduation, and advance the mission and goals of Allegheny College.

Supervisory Responsibility
Directly supervise admission, financial aid, and marketing and communications directors. Indirectly oversee the duties of the admission, financial aid, and marketing and communications staff members. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; addressing concerns and resolving staff issues.

1.6.5 Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students

Position Summary
The Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students is the College’s chief student affairs officer and works collaboratively with the senior administration, faculty, staff and students to provide a comprehensive living/learning environment that challenges students to be engaged citizens, creates a campus environment respectful of differences and prepares students for a lifetime of contribution to society. The Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students is a member of the President’s Cabinet and reports to the President. The VP/Dean of Students provides support to the Academic and Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.

Supervisory Responsibility
The VP/Dean of Students provides direct overall supervision to the following:

  • Associate Dean of Students for Case Management, Wellness Education
  • Associate Dean of Students for Student Engagement
  • Associate Dean of Students / Director of Student Involvement
  • Associate Dean of Students / Director of Residence Life
  • Assistant Dean of Students for Wellness and Community Standards / Director of Student Conduct
  • Assistant Dean of Students / Director of Spiritual and Religious Life
  • Director of the Counseling and Personal Development Center
  • Director of Public Safety
  • Director of Student Health Center
  • Assistant to the VP / Dean of Students

Committees
Co-chair of the Campus Life and Community Standards Committee.
Academic Awards and Standards and Exemptions Committee.

1.6.6 Dean for Student Success

Position Summary
Provide leadership and strategic direction in matters relating to student success at Allegheny College, including but not limited to student on-boarding, retention, advising, and learning support. Partner closely with the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students on matters relating to student success. Advise the President and senior leadership team on matters relating to student success. Supervise the Office of Student Success, including but not limited to new student orientation, class deans (jointly with Student Life), academic advising, learning support services, and international education. Provide support and content for strategic communications related to student success.

Supervisory Responsibility

  • Responsible for direct supervision and performance evaluations for the Associate Dean for Student Success.
  • Jointly responsible with the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students for direct supervision and performance evaluations for the First Year Class Dean and Co-Director of Allegheny Bound Student  Orientation; the Second Year Class Dean and Director of Transfer Advising; the Junior/Senior Class Dean and Liaison to Alumni Affairs and Career Education and an Executive Assistant.
  • Responsible for supporting supervisory direct reports as they manage the daily operations of their areas.

1.6.7 Dean for Institutional Diversity

Position Summary
The Dean of Institutional Diversity guides and focuses efforts to conceptualize, define, assess, and cultivate diversity as an educational resource and as a strategic priority for the College. The Dean for Institutional Diversity is a member of the President’s Cabinet and reports to the President. They collaborate with campus-wide constituencies to establish and maintain policies supportive of diverse students, faculty, and staff.

Supervisory Responsibility
This position oversees the Center for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access and Social Justice (IDEAS), the Assistant Dean for Institutional Diversity, and the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life, and manages its exempt and non-exempt employees.

Committees
Co-Chair of the College’s Council on Diversity and Equity

1.6.8 Director of Athletics and Recreation

Position Summary
This is a supervisory position, responsible for leading the Athletics and Recreation Department and implementing all NCAA and President’s Athletic Conference (PAC) policies and procedures. The Director of Athletics and Recreation is a member of the President’s Cabinet and reports to the President.Nurtures effective communication and partnerships throughout campus by conferring with campus leadership on the integration of essential departmental functions and services. 

Supervisory Responsibility
Responsible for the supervision of the following positions:

  • Full time head coaches
  • Full time administrative staff
  • Full time, part time, and volunteer assistant coaches

Committees
Retention Council

1.6.9 Director of Human Resources, Payroll and Title IX Deputy

Position Summary
The Director of Human Resources is responsible for policy development and management of the Human Resources function for Allegheny College. The Director of Human Resources is a member of the President’s Cabinet and reports to the President. Manage and supervise human resources activities related to employment, recruitment, employee relations, compensation, benefits, payroll, training, safety, performance evaluation, job descriptions, and policy development, and legal compliance. Perform a variety of analytical, research, and routine activities in human resources and benefits administration. Assist the President with correspondence, problem solving, special reports and projects as assigned. 

Supervisory Responsibility

  • Supervise three full-time employees: Assistant Director of Human Resources, Payroll Manager and HR Generalist

Committees
Facilities and Finance Committee–Co-chair Fiduciary Committee of FFC

(Revised 11 November 2021)

1.7 Faculty Handbook Update Procedure

The  Faculty  Handbook  currently  contains  three  categories  of  material,  and  the  procedures  for  updates  are different  for  each  category.  The  categories  are  as  follows:  Faculty  Council  Materials,  Committee Materials,  and  Human  Resources  Materials.  For  changes  to  be  made  in  the  Faculty  Council  Materials  and Committee  Materials  categories,  changes  must  be  brought  to  the  Faculty  for  an  approval  by  vote,  for  the Faculty  Handbook  in  its  current  form  as  a  standalone  document  and  for  the  Faculty  Handbook  section  of the  proposed  College  Handbook.  For  Human  Resources  Materials  in  the  current  Faculty  Handbook, changes  must  be  brought  to  the  Faculty  as  an  FYI  but  do  not  require  a  vote.  In  the  proposed  College Handbook,  the  Human  Resources  Materials  will  be  in  the  General  Employee  Handbook  section  and changes  to  that  section  should  still  be  brought  to  the  Faculty  as  an  FYI.

  1. Faculty  Council  Materials
  2. Committee  Materials
  3. Human Resources  Materials

Faculty Council Materials
Faculty Council is responsible for bringing the majority of Faculty Handbook changes to Faculty Meetings for a vote. This includes two items in the Introduction, Section 1.1: Allegheny College Mission Statement and Section 1.2: Statement of Community and the following sections in their entirety: Section 2: Organization of the Faculty, Section 3: Standing Committees of the Faculty, Section 4: Standing Committees of the College, and Section 5: Faculty Appointments. Some of these sections also require a vote in other college constituencies and in those cases, the representative bodies associated with those constituencies (i.e. ASG and SAC/AAC) will be responsible for bringing those items for a vote. In order for Faculty Handbook language in these sections to be changed, Faculty Council needs to bring the changes to Faculty Meetings for a first and second reading and approved by a majority vote.

Committee Materials
Academic Support Committee, Academic Awards and Standards Committee, Assessment Committee, and Campus Life and Community Standards are responsible for bringing changes to some sections of the Faculty Handbook to Faculty Meetings for a vote. In order for Faculty Handbook language in these sections to be changed, the responsible committee needs to bring the changes to Faculty Meetings for a first and second reading and approval by a majority vote.

  • Academic Support Committee is responsible for Section 7: Faculty Support Services.
  • Academic Awards and Standards Committee is responsible for Section 8: Academic Regulations except Section 8.2: Academic Honor System, Sections 9.2: Tests, Papers, and Examinations Policy, Section 9.4: Grade Reports, Section 9.9: Classroom Attendance Policy, Section 10.2: Phi Beta Kappa, Section 10.3: Valedictorian Selection, and Section 10.4: Teaching Awards.
  • Assessment Committee is responsible for Section 1.3: Allegheny’s Institutional Learning Outcomes and Section 9.1: Syllabus Policy.
  • Campus Life and Community Standards is responsible for Section 1.4: The Honor Code, Section 8.2: Academic Honor System, and Section 9.8: Recording Policy.

Human Resources Materials
Materials in the Human Resources sections of the current Faculty Handbook and in the General Employee Handbook section of the proposed College Handbook can be changed by Human Resources employees and Cabinet members after they have been brought to the Faculty at a Faculty Meeting as an FYI. Human Resources materials include Section 1.5: History, 1.6: Allegheny Organization, Section 6: Employee Benefits, and Section 11: General College Policies.

(11 November 2021)