FULL-TIME FACULTY
HANDBOOK
2014-2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Overview __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3
Administration, Staff, & Security ________________________________________________________________________ 5
Committees & Senate __________________________________________________________________________________ 14
Essentials _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 17
CLASS RESOURCES _____________________________________________________________________________________ 27
FACULTY HANDBOOK
This handbook/website provides a lot of information that should be useful for full-time faculty in LAS. It's
for informational purposes only; it's not a legal contract and may be changed without notice. The NSHE Code
prevails over any statement on this site.
CAMPUS & LAS OVERVIEW
Race/Ethnicity
Student Demographics (Spring 2014)
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Headcount: 3,346
76% female, 24% male
38% are full-time students; 62% attend
part-time
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44% White non-Hispanic
20% Hispanic
11% African American
11% Asian
2% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific
Islander
5% listed two or more races
ENROLLMENT
In Spring 2014, students enrolled in a total of 24,020 credits in LAS. This chart shows the number of credits
taken in each area; the colors indicate students' majors (by department or school):
Our campus dashboard also provides information on the number of students in each program and
graduates.
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FACULTY HANDBOOK
Class Size
In-person classes are capped at 40 (some classes may have even lower maximum enrollments) while online
courses have no more than 30.
LOCATION & BUILDING HOURS
LAS courses are primarily taught in the LAS building (1021 E. Paradise Hills Dr.), with some classes held in
the Dawson (DAW) building (1125 Nevada State Dr.) or even in the modular units outside Dawson. You'll be
able to see the room for in-person classes by checking the course schedule in your myNSC (Faculty Center)
account.
Currently NSC also has two buildings in downtown Henderson, at the intersection of Basic and Water
streets. BWI has the executive suites, the School of Nursing, and a couple of classrooms; BWII has
classrooms, the registrar, admissions, and faculty offices for School of Education.
As you can see from the LAS building, we're building two new buildings, set to open in fall 2015. One will
hold nursing, education, and sciences, meaning PALS faculty will be moving out of the LAS building. The
other new building will hold student services, the food court, and the executive suites.
The mailing address for NSC is 1125 Nevada State Dr., Henderson, NV, 89002.
Check with your department's administrative assistant to get updated building hours. The buildings are
generally open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the week and are mostly closed on weekends. Hours are often
shorter during breaks. If you need access during hours or days when the buildings aren't open, talk to Kim
Buchanan about getting the building code.
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Overview
LAS is the largest of the three schools at NSC. Aside from our own degrees, we house the core curriculum, as
well as the pre-nursing and pre-education curricula.
MAJORS
Humanities
English (BA)
History (BA)
History with pre-law
concentration (BA)
Interdisciplinary Studies (ISC;
BA & BS)
Visual Media (BA)
Physical & Life Sciences
(PALS)
Biology (BS)
Environmental Science (BS)
Social Sciences & Business
Business Administration (BS)
Criminal Justice (BA & BAS)
Law Enforcement (BPA)
Management (BAS)
Psychology (BA & BS)
Physical & Life Sciences
Biology
Chemistry
Environmental Science
Mathematics
Social Sciences & Business
Business
Communication
Counseling (Addiction
Treatment)
Criminal Justice
Law Enforcement
Psychology
Sociology
MINORS
Humanities
English
Ethnic Studies
History
Professional Writing
Visual Media
COMING SOON (WE HOPE)
We're hoping to introduce a full math major; it's awaiting final approval by the Board of Regents.
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DEPARTMENTS
LAS is divided into three departments: Humanities, Physical & Life Sciences (PALS), and Social Sciences &
Business.
Humanities includes courses in the following areas: American Sign Language, art, core humanities, English,
ethnic studies, film studies, history, interdisciplinary studies, music, philosophy, Spanish, theater,
PALS includes courses in astronomy, biology, chemistry, environmental science, geology, geography
(meteorology), kinesiology, math, natural resource science, physics, and statistics (for biology majors).
Social Sciences & Business offers courses in accounting, anthropology, business, business law, counseling
and educational psychology ("intro to college"), communication, counseling, criminal justice, economics,
finance, geography (cultural), information science, management, marketing, political science, psychology,
sociology, supply chains management, and women's studies.
DEPARTMENT CHAIRS
Each department has a department chair. Faculty in each department vote on candidates for the chair
position. The dean then appoints a chair, who serves a 3-year term and reports directly to the dean. Chairs
receive a $5,000 stipend and course releases to compensate for their additional administrative duties; they
also move from a 9-month to a year-round contract because of the need to administer the department over
summer.
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Administration, Staff, & Security
CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION
Mr. Bart Patterson, President
Dr. Erika Beck, Provost & Executive Vice President
Mr. Kevin Butler, Vice President for Finance & Administration
Mr. Spencer Stewart, Associate Vice President for College Relations
Dr. Tony Scinta, Vice Provost for Student Success and Academic Innovation
Dr. Robin Cresiski, Vice Provost for Scholarship and Experiential Curriculum
Dr. Andy Kuniyuki, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Dr. Neal Rosenberg, Dean of the School of Nursing
Dr. James Garofalo, Interim Dean of the School of Education
Dr. Sandip Thanki, Director of Institutional Research
Ms. Adelfa Sullivan, Registrar
Mr. Adeste Sipin, Director of Student Services
LAS ADMINISTRATION & STAFF
Andy Kuniyuki, PhD
Dean
andy.kuniyuki@nsc.edu
LAS 246
702-992-2615
Kimberly Buchanan, EdD
Academic Coordinator
kimberly.buchanan@nsc.edu
LAS 241
702-992-2633
Gwen Sharp, PhD
Associate Dean
gwen.sharp@nsc.edu
LAS 243
702-992-2645
Elizabeth (Liz) De La Torre
Administrative Assistant, Department of
Humanities
elizabeth.delatorre@nsc.edu
LAS 142
702-992-2636
Gregory Robinson, PhD
Department Chair of Humanities
gregory.robinson@nsc.edu
LAS 147
702-992-2663
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Tricia Ramos
Administrative Assistant, Department of Social
Sciences & Business Administration
tricia.ramos@nsc.edu
LAS 252
FACULTY HANDBOOK
Jonathan Dunning, PhD
Department Chair of Social Sciences & Business
Administration
jonathan.dunning@nsc.edu
LAS 254
702-992-2658
Aaron Wong, PhD
Department Chair of Physical & Life Sciences
aaron.wong@nsc.edu
LAS 151
702-992-2639
Doris Jordan
Assistant to the Dean & Associate Dean
doris.jordan@nsc.edu
LAS 245
702-992-2635
702-992-2666
Elia Bell
Administrative Assistant, Department of
Physical & Life Sciences
elia.bell@nsc.edu
LAS 152
702-992-2670
Nick Egan
Lab Coordinator
nicholas.egan@nsc.edu
LAS 238
702-992-2668
Nate Silva, PhD
Adjunct Faculty Coordinator
nathan.silva@nsc.edu
LAS 264
702-992-2673
PETITIONS OFFICE
You may be contacted by the petitions office in regard to a student petition related to your class. These
requests will come to your NSC email from the petitions office email address.
Contact Information
Staff: Heather Ibarra, Kaitlyn Krumme, and Rozele Semana
las.petitions@nsc.edu
LAS 130B
702-992-2600
SECURITY
NSC has private security guards as well as police officers from the UNLV campus police force; both patrol the
buildings regularly. A quick-dial number for security is programmed into all classroom phones; ask your
department's administrative assistant or the Instructional Technology team how to use the system.
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To call security dial the following extensions from any campus phone (add 702-992- to call from a cell
phone):
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LAS building: 2225
Dawson building: 2224
If you have a serious emergency, dial 911 before contacting campus security. You must dial 9 and then 1
to get an outside line from campus phones. Remember you now need to use area codes even for local
numbers in Vegas.
Security also collects lost and found items; they're kept at the security desk in the Dawson building.
NSC HISTORY & MISSION
HISTORY OF NSC
NSC was founded as the only four-year public college in Nevada. We opened in 2002 with 177 students, 3
classrooms, and a library, all housed in a converted vitamin factory--now the Dawson building. A year later,
we had 569 students. In 2004 we had our first graduation, creating the first 13 NSC alumni. In fall of 2008,
the Liberal Arts & Sciences building opened, marking NSC's first permanent building on our 509-acre
campus.
As with the rest of the state, the economic recession was tough for NSC. But it's also true that few things
create group bonds as effectively as a shared threat--in this case, the fear of campus closure or consolidation
with other institutions. Despite the anxiety caused by the economic climate, uncertainty about our campus's
future, hiring freezes, and pay cuts, the faculty and staff kept working hard to provide the best opportunities
we could for our students. We also attended a lot of rallies and public forums to explain just how special NSC
is.
In 2011 our efforts were rewarded when we received independent accreditation from the Northwest
Commission on Colleges and Universities. In 2012 we celebrated our 10-year anniversary. And now we're
building two new buildings, set to open in 2015.
CAMPUS MISSION
At Nevada State College, excellence fosters opportunity. Excellence in teaching leads to innovative,
technology-rich learning opportunities that promote the acquisition of interdisciplinary knowledge and
skills. Quality, affordable four-year degree programs open the door to career success and enhanced quality
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of life for a diverse population of students. Our graduates, in turn, foster the greatest opportunity – the
promise of a stronger community and a better future for all of Nevada.
MASCOT
Our official mascot is Scotty the Scorpion. He looks a bit like a chipmunk but trust us, it's a scorpion. We
chose the scorpion as our mascot because when NSC first moved into the Dawson building back in 2002, it
was infested with scorpions.
NSHE
NSC is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE).
NSHE ADMINISTRATION & OFFICES
Dr. Dan Klaich, Esq., Chancellor
System Office-South
5550 W. Flamingo Rd., Suite C1
Las Vegas, NV 89103
System Office-North
2601 Enterprise Rd.
Reno, NV 89512
BOARD OF REGENTS (BOR)
Mr. Kevin Page, Chairman
Mr. Rick Trachok, Vice Chairman
Dr. Andrea Anderson
Mr. Robert Blakely
Mr. Cedric Crear
Dr. Mark Doubrava
Dr. Jason Geddes
Mr. Ron Knecht
Mr. James Dean Leavitt
Mr. Kevin Melcher
Dr. Jack Lund Schofield
Ms. Allison Stephens
Mr. Michael Wixom
OTHER NSHE INSTITUTIONS
College of Southern Nevada (CSN)
Desert Research Institute (DRI)
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University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV)
University of Nevada-Reno (UNR)
Western Nevada Community College (WNC)
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Great Basin College (GBC)
Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC)
POLICY & CODE
The NSHE Code governs faculty, staff, and students at all NSHE institutions. NSHE Code prevails over all
campus-level policies or statements. Policy revisions are available through the searchable policy database.
NSHE CODE
The NSHE Code is the governing document for the entire system; it supersedes any departmental or campus
policies. Below are summaries of some particularly important elements from the code, current as of August
2014, with links to the full policies.
ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY
NSHE Code, Title 2, Chapter 2
Section 2.1 Declaration of Policy
2.1.1 Higher Education and the Common Good. Institutions of higher education are conducted for the
common good and not to further the interest of either the individual member of the faculty or the
institution. The continued existence of the common good depends upon the free search for truth and
knowledge and their free exposition.
2.1.2 Academic Freedom. Academic freedom is essential to these purposes and is applicable to both teaching
and research. Freedom in teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the teacher in teaching
and of the student in learning. Freedom in research is fundamental to the advancement of truth and
knowledge. A member of the faculty has freedom and an obligation, in the classroom or in research, to
discuss and pursue the faculty member's subject with candor and integrity, even when the subject requires
consideration of topics which may be politically, socially or scientifically controversial. In order to insure the
freedom to seek and profess truth and knowledge, as stated in Section 2.3 of the Nevada System of Higher
Education Code, the faculty member, as defined in Section 2.2 of this chapter, shall not be subjected to
censorship or discipline by the Nevada System of Higher Education on grounds that the faculty member has
expressed opinions or views which are controversial, unpopular or contrary to the attitudes of the Nevada
System of Higher Education or the community. (B/R 4/02)
2.1.3 Academic Responsibility. The concept of academic freedom is accompanied by the equally demanding
concept of academic responsibility. A member of the faculty is responsible for the maintenance of
appropriate standards of scholarship and instruction.
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2.1.4 Acts Interfering with Academic Freedom. The Nevada System of Higher Education is committed to the
solution of problems and controversies by the method of rational discussion. Acts of physical force or
disruptive acts which interfere with Nevada System of Higher Education activities, freedom of movement on
the campuses or freedom for students to pursue their studies are the antithesis of academic freedom and
responsibility, as are acts which in effect deny freedom of speech, freedom to be heard and freedom to
pursue research of their own choosing to members of the faculty or to invited guests of the Nevada System
of Higher Education. (B/R 4/02)
Section 2.2 Applicability
Academic freedom is the right of all members of the faculty, part-time or full-time, including graduate
assistants and fellows, in the Nevada System of Higher Education. Academic freedom is also extended to the
invited guests of the Nevada System of Higher Education. (B/R 4/02)
Section 2.3 Freedoms and Responsibility
2.3.1 Freedom in Research. A member of the faculty is entitled to full freedom in research and in the
professional publication of the results, subject to the satisfactory performance of the faculty member's other
academic duties.
2.3.2 Freedom to Publish. A member of the faculty is entitled to full freedom to publish literary, academic,
technical or other noteworthy works as required in the performance of the faculty member's duties and/or
obligations to the Nevada System of Higher Education. (B/R 4/02)
2.3.3 Freedom in the Classroom. A member of the faculty is entitled to freedom in the classroom in
discussing a subject, but the faculty member should be careful not to persist in discussing matters, which
have no relation to the subject taught.
2.3.4 Faculty as Citizens. A member of the faculty is a citizen of the community, a member of a learned
profession and an employee of an educational institution. A faculty member speaking, writing or acting as a
citizen shall be free from institutional censorship or discipline.
2.3.5 Obligations and Responsibilities. The special position of a member of the faculty imposes special
obligations and responsibilities. As a person of learning and an employee of an educational institution, a
faculty member should remember that the public may judge the profession and the institution by the faculty
member's utterances and acts. Therefore, a faculty member should at all times be accurate, should exercise
appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others and should indicate clearly
WORKLOAD POLICY
NSHE Code, Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 3
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The NSHE Faculty Workload Guidelines state, "all instructional faculty members are expected to teach;
develop curriculum; conduct other instructional activities including advising, grading, and preparing for
classes; maintain currency in their academic discipline; and perform public and professional service, service
to the institution, and similar academic activities. In addition, academic faculty are expected to conduct
scholarly research or creative activity.'' It is recognized that "faculty workload cannot and should not be
measured solely by the time spent by the faculty member in the classroom."
COMPENSATED OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
NSHE Code, Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 9
You are required to obtain pre-approval from your department chair to participate in outside compensated
professional services and must self-declare any such services for required external reporting. NSHE Code
provides detailed definitions and guidelines. The approval form is available from the LAS academic
coordinator.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
NSHE Code, Title 4, Chapter 8, Section 13
NSHE is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of sexual harassment, including sexual
violence. All students, faculty, staff, and other members of the campus community are subject to this policy.
Individuals who violate this policy are subject to discipline up to and including termination and/or
expulsion, in accordance with the NSHE Code (or applicable Student Code of Conduct) or, in the case of
classified employees, the Nevada Administrative Code. Other, lesser sanctions may be imposed, depending
on the circumstances.
This policy is not intended to and does not infringe upon academic freedom in teaching or research.
Definition
Under NSHE policy, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other visual, verbal or
physical conduct of a sexual or gender bias nature constitute sexual harassment when:
1.
2.
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Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an
individual’s employment or academic status;
Submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as a basis for academic or employment decisions
or evaluations, or permission to participate in an activity; or
FACULTY HANDBOOK
3.
The conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's academic or
work performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment in which to
work or learn.
Sexual harassment may take many forms—subtle and indirect, or blatant and overt:
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It may occur between individuals of the opposite sex or of the same sex.
It may occur between students, between peers and/or co-workers, or between individuals in an
unequal power relationship (such as by a supervisor with regard to a supervised employee or an
instructor regarding a current student).
It may be aimed at coercing an individual to participate in an unwanted sexual relationship or it
may have the effect of causing an individual to change behavior or work performance.
It may consist of repeated actions or may even arise from a single incident if sufficiently severe.
It may also rise to the level of a criminal offense, such as battery or sexual violence.
Sexual violence is a physical act perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable
of giving consent due to the victim’s use of drugs or alcohol. An individual also may be unable to
give consent due to an intellectual or other disability. Sexual violence includes, but is not limited to,
rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, and sexual coercion.
Determining what constitutes sexual harassment under this policy is dependent upon the specific facts and
the context in which the conduct occurs.
Examples of unwelcome conduct of a sexual or gender related nature that may constitute sexual harassment
may, but do not necessarily, include, and are not limited to:
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Rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual coercion or other sexual violence;
Sexually explicit or gender related statements, comments, questions, jokes, innuendoes, anecdotes,
or gestures;
Other than customary handshakes, uninvited touching, patting, hugging, or purposeful brushing
against a person’s body or other inappropriate touching of an individual’s body;
Remarks of a sexual nature about a person’s clothing or body;
Use of electronic mail or computer dissemination of sexually oriented, sex-based communications;
Sexual advances, whether or not they involve physical touching;
Requests for sexual favors in exchange for actual or promised job or educational benefits, such as
favorable reviews, salary increases, promotions, increased benefits, continued employment, grades,
favorable assignments, letters of recommendation;
Displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, magazines, cartoons, or screen savers;
Inquiries, remarks, or discussions about an individual’s sexual experiences or activities and other
written or oral references to sexual conduct.
Even one incident, if it is sufficiently serious, may constitute sexual harassment. One incident, however, does
not necessarily constitute sexual harassment.
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Committees & Senate
COMMITTEES
You'll encounter a number of committees at NSC. Some are permanent standing committees or bodies that
meet regularly. Others are temporary and meet for a specific purpose--for instance, grade appeal
committees.
Campus-level committees such as the Senate, the library advisory committee, and the curriculum committee
include members from across campus. We also have committees specific to LAS, such as outcomes
assessment and faculty search committees.
INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB)
If you're conducting research that involves human subjects and involves "interaction with individuals or the
collection of identifiable private information about individuals," you'll need to submit a proposal to the IRB.
They'll review the proposal to ensure it complies with ethical research practices as well as applicable laws. If
you aren't sure if your project qualifies, email IRB@nsc.edu for clarification.
You can't begin collecting data until you have IRB approval.
THE CURRICULUM REVISION PROCESS
If you want to make changes to the curriculum--adding, deleting, or revising courses, degrees, or core
curriculum options--you'll need to submit a proposal for review.
You'll send the proposal to the LAS Curriculum Committee first; the committee consists of the chairs of the
three LAS departments. Email your proposals to Gregory Robinson by the 20th of the month. The committee
will review the proposal and may ask for clarification or revisions. Once they're satisfied with it, they'll
forward it to the campus-wide Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee. Proposals have to make it to the FS
Curriculum Committee by the 1st business day of the month to be considered that month.
The campus curriculum committee has two members from each of the three schools at NSC, with the
registrar as a non-voting 7th member. The Senate elects the committee chair (who counts as one of the
committee members from his or her school). The committee generally meets around the middle of the
month, then votes anonymously on proposals. They may ask for revisions to a proposal before voting on it.
Levels of approval
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Course proposals only need approval from the curriculum committee. If they're approved, the
committee chair will send the signed proposal form to the registrar so it'll be included in the next
catalog.
Core curriculum proposals must go to the curriculum committee and the provost. The committee
chair forwards approved core curriculum proposals on to the provost's office.
Degree proposals go to the curriculum committee and the provost, but may also go to the Faculty
Senate. Small degree changes (affecting less than about 20% of the credits in a degree) don't have to
go to Senate. All substantive revisions and additions or deletions of programs require a Senate vote.
This is a two-month process, since the proposal is introduced as an information item at one Senate
meeting and voted on the next month (this gives members time to read over the proposal carefully).
Obviously, this means it takes significantly longer to get a degree proposal approved than it does for
course and core curriculum proposals, so the earlier you can submit degree proposals, the better.
New majors also have to be approved by the system-wide Academic Affairs Council (AAC) and the
Board of Regents; there's a separate form for that. Contact the provost for the form and a timeline
for submitting the proposal to the AAC. Gwen and your department chair can help you put the
proposal together, as it's a bit complicated.
FORMS
All forms you'll need for making changes to the curriculum are available in the portal. Click the Documents
tab along the top; then open the Curriculum Committee Forms folder. Inside are the forms for course,
degree, and core curriculum changes, and folders containing material for introducing new course fees and
for adding a course to the Common Course Numbering database.
Please download the forms when you're filling out proposals. There are occasional changes to the forms, so
reusing an older version may mean important information is missing and your proposal will be returned to
you to fix.
COMMON COURSE NUMBERING (CCN)
NSHE introduced the CCN database to make it easier for students to transfer courses between institutions
and to ensure that courses with the same number and title cover similar topics regardless of the institution
offering them (so, for instance, if both NSC and UNLV offer a course called HIST 102, those courses should be
fairly similar).
This adds an extra layer of approval for courses after they've been approved here. You have to fill out a CCN
form (available in the portal) if you want to introduce a new course; change the prefix, number, or title of an
existing one; or delete a course. Deletions are easy; you just need to submit a form (signed by the curriculum
committee chair) and send it to the central NSHE office.
If you want to add or revise a course, things get more complicated. You need to check the CCN website and
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see if the course already exists. You can't use a number already being used at another institution unless you
have the same title as well. If PSC 101 already exists in NSHE and is called "Introduction to American
Politics," you can't introduce a course here as PSC 101 with the title "Principles of Political Science."
Adding a course that is already in the CCN database
If you want to introduce a course here that's already in the CCN database, you have to fill out the course
addition form. You then have to contact every institution in NSHE, give them a syllabus for the course, and
ask whether they approve of allowing us to offer the course under the proposed number and title; you send
it to the department chair when possible, and the registrar otherwise. The other schools will evaluate the
course; those that already offer it have to agree that your course is at least 80% similar to theirs. They have
10 business days to respond. If any institutions object, you'll try to work the issues out with them. If you
can't resolve the problem, you'll submit the course addition form to the central office, noting which
institution did not approve the course; it'll then be referred to the NSHE Discipline Committee.
Adding a unique course
If you want to add a course that doesn't exist in the CCN database, it's considered a unique course. You need
to find a number that isn't already in use to assign to the course, but generally don't have to send it out for
approval by the other institutions.
FACULTY SENATE
The Faculty Senate is made up of elected faculty representatives from each school, as well as some staff
members. The number of full-time faculty in a school determines the number of representatives it has on
Senate. We elect new senators each spring.
The Senate is an advisory body that seeks to improve the quality of faculty and student life and foster
effective communication between faculty and administration. It acts as a voice of faculty in campus decisionmaking through the shared governance process.
2014-2015 Senate Chair
Joanna Shearer, LAS (Department of Humanities)
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Essentials
PAY DATES
You'll be paid monthly, on the first business day of the month after each pay period. So, for instance, your
pay for September is available on the first business day of October.
KEYS
You'll get a key to your office and a grey fob that opens the door to your pod, classrooms, and the copy room.
Security officers or admin assistants can let you into a locked classroom if you forget your key. If your key is
ever lost or stolen, let your admin assistant know immediately (and ask Gregory to check his pockets,
just in case).
COPIERS
You're responsible for making your own copies. There are two black-and-white copiers in LAS 110. You'll
need your key card to enter the room. There's no password for the copiers. If a copier jams or needs
supplies, ask Liz De La Torre, Elia Bell, or Tricia Ramos.
There are smaller copiers in your pod in LAS. They're much slower than the main copiers; use them for
small jobs.
The Dawson building also has a copier on the 2nd floor in a general use area. Ask your admin assistant for
the copy code and the combination for the locked cabinet where extra paper is kept. Don't share either code
with anyone else.
BREAK ROOMS
LAS 110 is a lounge area for faculty and staff; it has tables, a microwave, and a refrigerator where you can
leave items (mark them with your name); another microwave is available on the 2nd floor of LAS. There is
also a very small lounge area on the 2nd floor of the Dawson building.
There are vending machines on the 2nd floor of the LAS building and in the Great Hall in Dawson.
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PARKING
Parking is free at NSC; you don't need a permit. You can park in any space that isn't specifically reserved.
BUSINESS CARDS
Ask your admin assistant about ordering business cards.
LONG DISTANCE CALLS
Your office phone will only make local calls unless you have a long-distance code. If you need one, contact
the academic coordinator. You should only use the long-distance code to make work-related calls. You'll get a
monthly audit of your bill asking you to verify any personal calls, and you'll have to reimburse the school for
the cost of those.
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
The academic calendar for 2014-2015 lists important deadlines (add/drop dates, last day to withdraw, the
day grades are due) and holidays. The deadlines for accelerated 8-week sessions are posted below the full
session dates.
At NSC, a course drop means the student unenrolls from the class during the first week; they receive a
tuition refund and the course won't appear on their transcript. After the first week of classes, students can
no longer drop a course, but they have until mid-session to withdraw. When they unenroll from a course
during this period, the course will show up on their transcript with a W for the grade, and they don't receive
a tuition refund. Faculty can't drop or withdraw students from classes; students have to do this themselves.
ACCOUNTS
You'll use all the systems and sites below. Your department's administrative assistant will request access
once you've submitted all the required hiring paperwork. Become familiar with the NSC Portal; everything
else is available inside it.
Main ("AD") Login
You'll use your NSHE ID number and password to login to computers in classrooms, offices, or the library; to
use the wireless internet on campus; and to login to the NSC portal and Canvas. Your departmental
administrative assistant will let you know as soon as your NSHE ID is available. This account is linked to
your private My Documents folder, accessible when you login to any campus computer and in the NSC
portal. It's a good place to store lectures so you can open them in the classroom. You'll receive emails to
update your password every 90 days.
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NSC Portal
Bookmark this page; it's a one-stop site for virtually everything you need at NSC. Sign in using your AD login
credentials; inside the portal, you can login to other campus systems (such as Canvas) once, and after that
the portal will take you to those items without a separate sign-in. In the portal you can:
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Use the web-based version of Outlook to check your NSC email
Submit a request ticket for technical support
Open Canvas to get to your course site
Go to your Faculty Center (myNSC) to see your course roster or submit final grades
Access the items in your My Documents folder
Open the library's list of electronic resources and databases to search for materials.
NSC Email
You'll have a campus email address that ends in @nsc.edu. This email will be used for departmental
correspondence, such as your contract and questions or updates from your department chair, so check it
regularly. You can use Outlook or Microsoft Exchange to check this email; the portal has a link to the webbased version of Outlook. You can forward your NSC email to another email (ask your administrative
assistant for instructions), but you'll need to update the forwarding information every 90 days when you
reset your NSC password or the forwarding will end.
While all other campus correspondence occurs through your NSC email, use the email system within
Canvas to communicate with students. This ensures we comply with federal regulations on privacy and
avoids issues that can arise if students email you or attempt to submit assignments through your NSC or
personal email and have their messages caught in spam filters.
Canvas
Canvas is the platform we use to build course sites. You'll use your main login and can access Canvas through
the portal. Even in-person classes have a Canvas site, since you need to post a syllabus and students' grades.
Your department chair or the adjunct faculty coordinator, Nate Silva, can give you more information about
required content in your Canvas site. Instructional Technology has set up a training site to familiarize you
with Canvas; the Canvas guides and videos are also great resources. Canvas has a mobile app (Apple or
Android). Turnitin (a plagiarism detection program) is integrated into Canvas; if you enable it on an
assignment, students' submissions will be automatically run through Turnitin. Canvas also allows the use of
SpeedGrader, either within your course site or through the SpeedGrader app (only for Apple devices).
myNSC (Faculty Center)
This is where you'll see your course list (including times and rooms for in-person courses), view the course
roster, and enter final grades. Course grades posted in Canvas don't transfer over automatically; you'll post
them in myNSC separately. Click on the Faculty Center icon in the portal to go directly to your myNSC
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account.
Employee Self Service (ESS)
You can sign up for direct deposit, change your address with payroll, adjust W2 withholdings, or get your
W4 forms. It's the ESS icon in the portal. Once your hiring paperwork is complete HR will provide an
Employee ID (EID, different from your NSHE ID) and can give you a PIN for the system. If you teach in
person, your EID is placed in your campus mailbox; otherwise, it's mailed to your home address. You'll use
your EID number to login to this account.
Mailbox
Your mailbox is in LAS 110. Packages are placed on the shelves to the left. Be sure to check both at least once
a week.
Self-Service Password Reset
You can set up a self-service account that allows you to reset your password in case you ever forget it or get
locked out because you didn't choose a new password as required every 90 days. You need to set up the
account in advance so you can access it when you need it.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
If you need technical assistance, including help with classroom technologies, Canvas, or any of your
accounts, contact ITS (Information and Technology Services) at support@nsc.edu or 702-992-2400, menu
option 3. You can also submit a support request ticket in the NSC portal.
Additional technical support for Canvas is available 24/7 by calling 702-992-2400 and selecting menu
option 2. This will connect you to technical support at Instructure, the company that developed Canvas.
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY
In addition to technical support, ITS offers faculty support with their courses. The Instructional Technology
(InTech) team can help you with Canvas, classroom technologies, education-related apps, and accessibility
compliance (for those with visual or other impairments). They also have an instructional designer on staff to
help you design your course or develop effective learning materials, particularly for online courses.
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GRADES
GRADING SCALE
NSC's grading scale includes +/- grades (though no A+ grade exists for final grades). Below is the
recommended grading scale for LAS:
A = 94% and above
A- = 90-93.9%
B+ = 87-89.9%
B = 84-86.9%
B- = 80-83.9%
C+ = 77-79.9%
C = 74-76.9%
C- = 70-73.9%
D+ = 67-69.9%
D = 64-66.9%
D- = 60-63.9%
F = 0-59.9%
SUBMITTING FINAL GRADES
Grades are due by noon on the Wednesday after the last day of class (which is always a Saturday). You'll
submit grades via your myNSC account; while it's a good idea to post final grades on Canvas, it isn't
connected to myNSC and doesn't submit final grades for you. Instructions on how to submit grades are sent
to your NSC email at the end of each session. If you miss the grade deadline, you'll need to fill out a grade
change form for each individual student and submit it to the petitions office.
SUBSTANTIVE PARTICIPATION ALERT (SPA)
During the first week of class, all online courses must have a graded assignment and grades need to be
posted on Canvas. If you wouldn't otherwise have an assignment due that week, then a quiz about your
syllabus will work as long as you assign some point value to it.
The SPA is used by the financial aid office to ensure that students receiving aid are actively participating in
their classes. When you set up the gradebook, please put "SPA" in the title of the assignment you'll be using
to fulfill the SPA requirement.
INCOMPLETES
It's not uncommon to have students request an Incomplete (I) grade. Incompletes are appropriate only
under specific circumstances. An Incomplete is not meant simply as a way for a student to delay
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receiving a failing grade. The following three items are required for a student to be eligible for an
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The student must have completed the vast majority (70% or more) of the total coursework.
The student must be passing the class (not counting the remaining work to be completed).
There must be a verifiable reason why, due to unexpected or unavoidable circumstances, the
student can't reasonably complete the remaining work by the end of the term.
While students think Incompletes will help them, often they'd be better off to complete the course as best
they could and take the grade they would earn as a result. They often get overwhelmed by the following
term's classes and find it difficult to go back and finish up the remaining work. If students don't complete
the remaining work by the deadline, the Incomplete automatically converts to an F. This may be lower
than the grade they would have earned if they got a 0 on the remaining assignments.
You may want to talk to your department chair before assigning any Incompletes. If you do assign one, the
student has until the end of the next full semester to finish up the work. For a spring or summer course, the
student has until mid-December to make up the work; for a fall or winter course, they have until mid-May. If
at all possible, set an earlier deadline and try to keep in touch with the student and keep them on schedule
to finish the course; students who finish their Incompletes quickly tend to do better than those who wait
and then rush to finish all the work. Since students lose access to classes two weeks after each term, you'll
have to contact IT about getting them re-enrolled in the Canvas course site so they can see any materials
they need to finish the course; this can take a couple of days.
TENURE & ANNUAL REVIEWS
OVERVIEW
We know the tenure process is stressful and scary. There's no way around it, and faculty are always nervous
about it. LAS has tried to provide a clear set of expectations for promotion and tenure; the Standards of
Academe and tenure documents are much more detailed than at most institutions, as we want to eliminate
as much uncertainty as possible from the process.
Because NSC is a teaching institution, for both annual reviews and tenure, the most emphasis is placed on
teaching.
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ANNUAL REVIEWS
Your annual review is completed by your department chair, who will provide a deadline for submitting
materials. Your annual review will cover only activities between January 1st and December 31st of the
relevant year. The Standards of Academe explain the ratings for annual reviews and the types of required
and optional evidence in the areas of teaching, service, and scholarship.
Your department chair should observe your teaching at some point during the fall semester. Annual reviews
are due to HR late in the spring semester and are used to determine eligibility for merit pay.
TENURE TIMELINE
You'll go up for your 3rd-year review after you've completed your 3rd year (so if you begin in August 2014,
your third-year review is due in August of 2017). Tenure applications are due at the end of your 5th year.
Applications for 3rd-year review, tenure, and promotion are due in August; however, you must let the dean
know in May if you intend to apply for promotion and/or tenure. The dean's office provides specific
deadlines and application documents.
Tenure timeline:
PROMOTION & TENURE POLICIES
The Board of Regents sets general policy for granting tenure at NSC. Specific procedures for tenure,
including ratings criteria for teaching, service, and scholarship, are provided in the LAS Standards of
Academe and the campus P&T policy.
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BENEFITS
As a full-time faculty member, you're part of Nevada's Public Employees Benefits Program (PEBP). HR
provides orientations that explain employee benefits.
Core benefits include:
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Health and dental insurance
Retirement benefits
Life insurance
Leave (annual, sick, family/medical, catastrophic, and civic leave days)
Educational benefits (tuition subsidies for you & your family at all NSHE institutions)
Flexible spending accounts
You can also enroll in optional benefits.
Many companies provide discounts to public employees. A list is available in the portal under the Human
Resources tab.
HIRING CHECKLIST
This checklist contains the steps that should occur before your first day of class.
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Complete the hiring paperwork with your departmental administrative assistant.
Request official copies of all transcripts.
Receive your NSHE ID number.
Receive your NSC email account and activate it.
Get your main login to gain access to campus computers, Canvas, etc.
Complete Canvas training through Instructional Technology (InTech).
Sign the myNSC system access form provided by your administrative assistant.
Receive a fob.
Schedule training on classroom technologies with InTech if desired.
Design your Canvas course site and set up the gradebook.
Move into your office.
Stop by LAS 110 and find your mailbox and the copiers.
Get Outlook (Microsoft's email program) set up on your computer and/or laptop.
Sign your contract once Kim Buchanan has it ready.
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Make sure you can access your course roster in myNSC, as this is where you'll post
final grades.
COMMON ABBREVIATIONS
These are abbreviations you'll commonly see at NSC.
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AAC: Academic Advising Center. Located in the modular unit next to the Dawson
building.
BoR: Board of Regents. The 13 elected officials who govern the public higher ed
system.
CCN: Common Course Numbering. The system-wide effort to ensure consistency in
course numbering. The CCN database contains all NSHE course #s and titles.
CCSD: Clark County School District.
CEP: Counseling and Educational Psychology. This class helps students master
fundamental college skills.
CSC: Career Services Center. Offers students help with resumes and allows employers
to list job openings.
CSN: College of Southern Nevada. Community college with 3 locations in the Vegas
valley. Many transfer students start there.
DARS: Degree Audit and Reporting System. Software that allows faculty and students
to create unofficial degree audits.
DAW: The Dawson building.
DRI: Desert Research Institute. A research-oriented institution in NV that is part of the
overall public higher ed system. Focuses on grad-level education.
FERPA: Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act. Federal act regulating students’
privacy rights surrounding grades and disability accommodations.
FTE: Full Time Equivalent. A system of measuring student or faculty workload.
G2C: Gateways to Completion. A new initiative to try to improve student success in
introductory courses.
GBC: Great Basin College. A college in northern Nevada offering 2-year and select 4year degrees.
HSI: Hispanic Serving Institution: Colleges and Universities that enroll a high
percentage of Hispanic students (over 25% of their total FTE) may receive HSI status.
Institutions with HSI status may apply for additional funding.
InTech: Instructional Technology. The group within the larger Instructional &
Technology Services unit dedicated to supporting faculty with the design and
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implementation of technologies related to instruction, including Canvas course sites, the
lecture-capture system, etc.
ITS: Information & Technology Services (formerly OIT). Provides technical support
for office and classroom equipment and software.
LAS: Liberal Arts & Sciences (also refers to the building).
MOU: Memorandum of Understanding. An agreement between two institutions,
typically regarding transfer requirements.
NCLEX: National Council Licensure Examination. A standardized test for nursing
students who are beginning their professional careers.
NSHE: Nevada System of Higher Education. The system that governs all public
colleges and universities in Nevada.
NSSA: Nevada State Student Alliance. NSC’s student government.
NWCCU: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Our regional
accrediting body.
OCR: Office of College Relations. Oversees marketing, promotion, and campus events.
PALS: Physical & Life Sciences department.
RCSD: Resource Center for Students with Disabilities. Determines students’ eligibility
for accommodations (extra time on tests, note takers, etc.).
SAC: Student Academic Center. Campus tutoring center.
SOE: School of Education
SON: School of Nursing
SPA: Substantive Participation Alert. A graded assignment during the first week in
online classes that financial aid uses to identify students receiving financial aid who are
not actively participating.
TMCC: Truckee Meadows Community College. Community college in Reno; we have
a few degree program agreements with TMCC.
UNLV: University of Nevada-Las Vegas
UNR: University of Nevada-Reno
WNC: Western Nevada College. A college in Carson City offering primarily 2-year
degrees.
FACULTY HANDBOOK
CLASS RESOURCES
CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGIES
All of our classrooms have computer workstations, VCRs, DVD players, built-in speakers, document cameras,
overhead projectors, and smart-screen monitors. These monitors allow you to write on the computer screen
with a digital pen; what you write will show up on the large screen for the class to see, and you can save it to
upload to Canvas later if you'd like.
The classes also have iClickers that you can use to get instant student feedback (you can also use programs
such as PollEverywhere, which allow students to vote with their phones or other devices).
Some classrooms have a lecture-capture system that lets you record your lectures; you can then edit the
videos and post them online for students to review, or use them in online sections of the same class. If you're
interested in using it, contact your department chair to find out if your class is in a room with the system.
FACILITIES ISSUES
If you have a problem with a classroom, such as dirty whiteboards or missing furniture, contact Kim
Buchanan. She also helps with classroom changes, so check with her if you'd like a different classroom and
she'll see if there are other options.
COURSE POLICIES
FERPA
The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is the most important regulation affecting
your work. You can't release any information about students' grades, disability accommodations, or
other private information to anyone other than the student without the student's written consent.
This means:
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Don't discuss grades on the phone, since you can't be sure who's on the other end.
Don't send any information about grades to students' private email addresses.
Don't leave graded papers out for students to pick up.
Don't identify the student needing a notetaker when asking your class if anyone is interested in the
position.
Never comment on students' performance in front of other students--not even to praise them for
getting the highest grade.
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Conversations about grades or accommodations should only occur in person or through the email
system within Canvas.
You are allowed to discuss relevant aspects of students' class performance with other NSC employees who
have a legitimate job-related reason to have that information--for instance, if you're speaking to an advisor
or tutor about a particular student in need of help, or when providing information as part of a grade appeal.
Consider what information the person really needs to know; a tutor may need to know that a student is
struggling in a particular area, for instance, but not the student's actual grades.
If you have any questions about whether a situation might be a FERPA violation, ask your department chair.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
LAS doesn't have a formal policy on student attendance. You can include attendance and/or participation as
part of students' grades but you aren't required to do so. If you have an attendance policy, make it clear in
the syllabus. We recommend that you keep track of attendance even if you don't grade it. When posting final
grades, you'll have to provide the last date of attendance for any students receiving Fs (for financial aid
reporting), and if a student files a petition for a late drop or withdraw from one of your classes, you'll be
asked about their attendance.
In online classes, participation is generally used as a proxy for attendance. You can use the last date they
completed any type of class assignment or run a Canvas access report to see the last date they accessed
course material.
Religious Holidays
If students miss class for a religious holiday, make reasonable accommodations to allow them to make up
any missed quizzes or participation points; if you grade attendance, religious holidays should be treated as
excused absences. Students should inform you in advance of any days they'll miss.
Dropping/Withdrawing from Classes
Students can drop a class until the end of the first week (somewhat earlier for summer and other
accelerated sessions). They get their money back and the class disappears from their transcript. They can
withdraw from a class through the middle of each session; there's no refund of tuition and the class remains
on their transcript, but the grade will appear as a W (this is automatic; Ws will automatically appear for all
students who withdrew when you enter grades at the end of the session).
Faculty can't drop or withdraw students from classes. If a student stops attending, we suggest emailing them
to check in; remind them that they need to officially drop or withdraw by the deadline in the academic
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calendar. If a student doesn't officially drop or withdraw, you have to calculate their grade based on
whatever work (if any) they completed and assign the appropriate letter grade.
PLAGIARISM & CHEATING
APA is the default citation style at NSC. Some disciplines may prefer Chicago or MLA style based on
disciplinary standards. Make it clear to your students what you expect and, if possible, provide resources to
help them use that citation style correctly.
The NSC Policies page within Canvas has the official statement on plagiarism and cheating. We highly
recommend reminding students what counts as cheating or plagiarism (such as reusing papers from
another class) and clearly stating the consequences. It's a good idea to clarify how the plagiarism and
cheating policy applies to specific items--for instance, if you have online quizzes, remind students if they
aren't allowed to use notes or consult online sites.
Canvas allows you to use Turnitin to check for plagiarism; you can enable it when you create an assignment
and the system will flag papers that appear to have copied content. You'll need to look at the plagiarism
report to determine whether the issue is truly plagiarism.
If you find a case of plagiarism or cheating, contact the student to express your concern and ask for a
response or explanation. You should also contact the LAS Dean, Andy Kuniyuki; provide the student's full
name and briefly describe the situation. He'll keep a record of the problem and also let you know if the
student has any prior incidents on file that may affect how you want to handle the situation. You may also
want to discuss it with your department chair.
STUDENT PETITIONS
You may be contacted by the Petitions Office to respond to student petitions. Common petitions are requests
to add a class without a pre-req or get into a full online class. All petitions should come directly from the
petitions email, las.petitions@nsc.edu; the petitions workers are Rozele Semana, Heather Ibarra, and Kaitlyn
Krumme. Students should not bring forms directly to you to sign; if they do, direct them to the petitions
office.
If a student asks if they can add your class late or take it without the pre-req, tell them to file a
petition and their request will be considered. There may be good reasons to deny their request that
aren't immediately apparent, and it's best if the student doesn't mistakenly feel they were promised it would
be approved.
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A student may petition for a late drop or withdraw even after the deadline has passed. A student worker will
ask you to verify the last date the student attended (or were active in an online course), whether they had
been actively participating until that point (including submitting assignments), and any other information
that would be relevant.
Contact Information
las.petitions@nsc.edu
LAS 130B
702-992-2600
CLASS CONTACT TIME & CANCELLING CLASSES
We expect that classes will meet during the full class period and on all scheduled days. This is essential to
ensure we meet the mandated contact time for each college credit. The following table indicates the total
amount of instructional time that should occur based on the number of credits, as well as the weekly
minimum contact time for a course taught during the full semester. This doesn't include breaks that you
might give during longer class periods.
All state and federal holidays are clearly listed in the academic calendar. Those are the only days classes
should not meet; don't "extend" holidays (such as giving students additional days off around Thanksgiving).
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If you know in advance you have an unavoidable conflict and need to miss a class period, talk to your
department chair about possible arrangements such as a guest speaker, online work, group work on a
collaborative project, or scheduling an exam with a proctor (proctors must be other faculty members).
If you have an emergency or illness that requires you to cancel class with little notice, contact your admin
assistant by phone or email (cc your chair) as soon as possible; they'll put a notice on the classroom door. If
possible, use Canvas to email students or post an announcement about the cancelled class.
If you miss a day, you'll need to fill out a request for leave time using the online system. When possible, this
should be done in advance. If you have an unexpected absence, fill out the leave request within 48 hours.
When you login to the system, it will show you your total number of available leave days.
EXAMS
We don't have a testing center or lab; exams should be given in class or offered online outside of class time.
Don't expect students to bring laptops in order to take computer-based exams in face-to-face classes that
aren't scheduled in computer labs. Not all students have laptops, and it's unfair to those students who don't,
and who may try to take an exam on their phones.
Students who require a quiet testing space due to a disability accommodation should schedule it through
the RCSD.
Proctoring
If you need an exam proctor, ask other faculty and check with your department chair. Proctors must be
other faculty; student workers and full-time staff cannot proctor exams.
OFFICE HOURS
You should have regularly scheduled office hours; include these in your syllabus and post them on your
office door.
COURSE EVALUATIONS
Student evaluations take place at the end of each session.
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Online Courses
Evaluations will appear in the lefthand menu column of your course site. Response rates are higher when
faculty actively ask students to complete them. Remind students to do the evaluations; if you use the
modules to organize your course, link the evaluations inside a module. After the course ends a new link,
"Course Evaluations," will appear in the lefthand menu column; click it to display your results.
In-Person and Hybrid Courses
If you teach in person, evaluations and instructions are left in your campus mailbox. Set aside time in class
for the evaluations; leave the room while students complete them.
We'll process the evaluations and email them to you when they're done, usually a month to 6 weeks later.
STUDENT CONDUCT
All faculty, staff, and students are expected to adhere to NSC's policy on tolerance and civility. Students
should also conduct themselves in an appropriate manner in online and in-person classes, in study groups,
and while meeting with faculty during office hours.
If you're experiencing a problem with a student, contact your department chair to discuss the situation. Your
chair will direct you toward any available resources and help decide whether the situation should be taken
to the dean or higher-level administrators.
If a student's behavior creates an immediate danger to you or any students, call security.
TEACHING IN LAS
GENERAL EXPECTATIONS
In LAS, we want to provide superb learning experiences characterized by extensive student-faculty
interaction, high academic standards, and exemplary teaching practices. You're given a great deal of freedom
in how to structure your courses, but there are some standard elements. Courses must meet specific
program goals and work in concert with other courses across campus. Content should be consistent with
catalog descriptions and program outcomes.
Your course must contribute to meeting LAS outcomes, and should include assignments that can be used for
outcomes assessment:
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100- and 200-level courses must have at least one assignment that qualifies as a key performance
for one core curriculum outcome.
300- and 400-level courses should have at least one assignment that qualifies as a key performance
for a major- or program-specific outcome (if applicable).
GOOD TEACHING PRACTICES
LAS classes should incorporate the principles of quality teaching. We highly recommend the books Engaging
Ideas and What the Best College Teachers Do as starting points for thinking about your classes; copies are
floating around LAS, so just ask. Your department chairs have additional books available that can provide
ideas for creating interactive, engaging courses.
Active learning. We learn more when we're actively involved with the material (Smith et al., 2005). With
this approach, students learn by actually doing things and thinking about what they're doing. In-class
activities or exercises, debates, simulations, experiments, and group problem-solving are all useful active
learning techniques. The idea is to get students to discuss the material, process is, write about it, and apply
it to their lives. You may cover less material than in a traditional lecture-based classroom, but students will
likely remember more of the material.
Significant student-faculty interaction. A high degree of faculty-student interaction, both in the classroom
and through mentoring outside of it, is a hallmark of NSC education. It's a key contributor to student
motivation, learning, and retention.
Effective assessment and feedback. Effective assessment is essential to the learning process. Design
assessments based on the outcomes you want to achieve, and avoid having only one form of assessment
(such as a course with exams but no written assignments). Assignment and exam instructions should be
clear, and feedback should be prompt and effective--which may require some reading about how to provide
truly useful feedback.
High standards--with support. Your courses should challenge students to perform to the best of their
ability; having high standards can increase student motivation and create a self-fulfilling prophecy...if those
high standards come with support to help students meet them. This support can include strategies such as
scaffolding assignments so they build on one another, providing examples of student work, connecting
students with the SAC, and incorporating low-stakes practice assignments.
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SYLLABUS
Outstanding instruction and a detailed syllabus are directly related; the syllabus is an agreement between
you and your students, and provides a roadmap for the course. It's usually the first document students
receive from you, and the one they'll look at most often (even if it doesn't seem like it). The Course Syllabus: A
Learning-Centered Approach is a good overview; LAS owns a copy, so ask Gwen if you'd like to borrow it.
Your syllabi should be posted on Canvas by the first day of classes. Your Canvas site contains a syllabus
template with required items, such as the course description, learning objectives, grading criteria,
assignments, and the table showing how the course connects to assessment of NSC core objectives.
Course policies, rules, and requirements are binding once you distribute the syllabus. However, you can
include a disclaimer indicating that the schedule and due dates may be adjusted as necessary (e.g., "This
calendar is subject to change, with advance notice from the instructor"); this provides some flexibility
during the semester.
Your department chair may be able to provide examples of syllabi from other classes (or previous sections
of your courses). However, we do consider syllabi to be the individual faculty member's intellectual
property, and we don't distribute them to other faculty without permission.
NSC Assessment Program Information
For faculty, this is usually the most confusing part of the syllabus. The table is meant to show how your
course connects to the three NSC core curriculum objectives. Look over the objectives and see which ones
your class reasonably addresses, and at which level. It's not enough for you to mention a topic in class; there
needs to be a "key performance" that assesses the objective--a substantial assignment or exam that
specifically measures students' mastery of the objective. We have an ongoing, rotating assessment of the
core curriculum objectives, and these tables help us identify possible courses and assignments to use when
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assessing different outcomes.
You'll then fill out the table indicating which level of an NSC outcome your class addresses, the related
course-level learning objective, and the assessment that will measure it. Here's a sample from the syllabus
for SOC 453:
All courses that fulfill a core curriculum requirement should have at least one assignment that is a key
performance for one of the outcomes. You don't need to address every level of an NSC outcome. The idea is
that during their education, students will master these outcomes; we don't expect a single course to hit
everything. Be realistic when you're filling out the table.
If you're having trouble with the assessment table, read the assessment table guide and talk to your chair.
SUPPLIES
Your admin assistant can get classroom supplies such as dry-erase markers, Post-It notes, pens, clips,
folders, etc. All classrooms should have dry-erase markers and erasers, staplers, and pencils for student
evaluations.
SCANTRONS
Your admin assistant can provide Scantrons for your students; we don't require them to bring their own. We
have two types of Scantrons available, shorter green ones and larger red ones.
The Scantron grading machine is located in LAS 261. Ask your admin assistant for help learning to use it.
TEXTBOOKS
Book orders are due well before the semester starts (probably well before you've seriously considered the
curriculum for your courses). Summer and fall orders are due in March; winter and spring orders are due in
October. For spring 2015, we'll be moving to an online ordering system directly through the bookstore,
which will hopefully make the entire process easier and faster.
Once you've selected a textbook, contact the publisher to request a free desk copy for your own use. You
can usually request one from the publisher's webpage for the book.
You can look up your class on the bookstore's website to make sure they have the correct book (you'll need
the course prefix, number, and section, all available in your myNSC course list). It's a good idea to check
several weeks before classes start to make sure they've ordered the book you expected. If you discover any
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problems, let your admin assistant know ASAP. In some cases the bookstore may not be able to get older
editions and you may need to update to a newer edition.
The bookstore is located in the Dawson building; students can also order books from them online. Many
books are available as rentals or ebooks, providing lower-cost options for students.
If you have an extra copy of the textbook, you may want to put it on reserve at the NSC library.
THE SAC
Students can get free tutoring through the Student Academic Center (SAC), which also includes the Writing
Center. The SAC is located in LAS 125; they also have an office in the Dawson building, room 104D. The SAC
employs student tutors in a number of subjects such as writing, statistics, psychology, math, and the physical
and life sciences.
Students are encouraged to make appointments to ensure the specific tutor they need is available. However,
drop-in tutoring is available. Students can also use the SAC as a place to study. Small groups of students can
request group tutoring.
Hours
Mon-Thurs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday by appointment only
Contact Information
nsc.sac@nsc.edu
702-992-2990
Make an appointment with the Clickbook scheduler
SMARTHINKING
Smarthinking is an online tutoring service available to students. A link to Smarthinking will appear in the
lefthand menu in your Canvas course site. Students don't need a username or password; at the login screen,
they should just select "skip." If they have any difficulties, contact the SAC.
While Smarthinking can be a helpful resource, we encourage students to use the SAC, since they'll receive
more personalized attention from tutors who know NSC and are familiar with many of the faculty and
courses here.
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GENERAL ADVISING
Students can meet with an advisor through the Academic Advising Center (AAC). The advisors are located in
the portable trailers on the south side of the Dawson building. AAC staff can discuss degree requirements,
help students select courses, and provide guidance for students experiencing academic difficulties.
Contact Information
aac@nsc.edu
702-992-2160
Clickbook appointment scheduler
FACULTY ADVISING
Once students have at least 60 credits, they can request a faculty advisor; 60+ advisors are assigned based
on students' majors. All full-time faculty serve as 60+ advisors. You'll receive a list of your advisees each fall.
Whenever possible you'll be assigned to students in your area; however, given the size of different
disciplines, you may end up advising students in other programs in order to avoid unfairly burdening those
faculty in large programs.
All of the degree sheets that list required courses for LAS majors and minors are posted in the portal.
LIBRARY
The Marydean Martin Library is located in the Dawson building. Someone is available to answer questions
by phone from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; you can also submit questions via email.
You'll need a library card and PIN to request or check out books. The (free) library card also serves as a
campus ID card. It expires at the end of each summer; contact the library to renew it. You can't check out
materials from any NSHE library if your NSC ID is expired.
Faculty can check out books for a semester; you can check out videos for a week.
SERVICES
Reserves
You can place physical items on reserve for students to check out for limited periods. If you have an extra
copy of the textbook for your class, you might want to put it on reserve.
Class Orientations
A member of the library staff can provide workshops for your online or in-person classes about strategies
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and resources for researching particular topics or disciplines. Request a workshop at least a week in
advance to give staff time to design a workshop tailored to your class.
Paging Books from UNLV & CSN
NSC faculty have access to the libraries at UNLV and CSN; you can go there directly or request books and
have them delivered to our library. You can request a book through their library websites. Contact the
library for more information on the process. Books generally arrive in 4-6 days.
Because the check-out period for videos is shorter, you can't have them paged over from the other NSHE
libraries.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) of Books & Articles
If there's a book or journal article you need that isn't available from our library or through UNLV or CSN, you
can request it through ILL.
Research Consultations
Students and faculty can set up a research consultation with library staff. You'll provide some information
about the research topic and a librarian will contact you to set up an individual appointment.
Video Collection
The library subscribes to Films on Demand, a streaming video service providing access to over 18,000 items.
You can show the items in class or embed them in Canvas.
The library also has DVDs available in the physical collection. Search for titles or keywords as you would for
a book; you can then limit the content type to video recordings.
Computers
The library has an open computer lab that students, faculty, and staff may use. Some computers have
specialized software and equipment for particular disciplines.
The library also has some computers available for check-out by faculty and students.
SCIENCE LABS
If you teach a class with an associated lab, contact the lab coordinator, Nick Egan, to make arrangements for
set-up of lab supplies and cleaning afterward. Make these arrangements at least a week in advance to ensure
the required materials will be available. Student lab assistants are also available to help.
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THE RCSD
The Resource Center for Students with Disabilities (RCSD) ensures that students with a documented
physical or learning disability receive appropriate accommodations. If a student in your class is eligible for
such accommodations, they should bring a letter from the RCSD explaining exactly which accommodations
the student qualifies for; you must grant any accommodations listed in the letter. Common accommodations
are additional time on exams or a notetaker in class. Only provide those accommodations noted in the
letter from the RCSD.
If students require extra time on exams or a quiet testing environment, the test can be scheduled at the
RCSD. You'll need to email a copy of the exam in advance. For online quizzes or exams, you can easily provide
extra time in Canvas for a specific student (read more about providing extra time or additional attempts on
the Canvas guides).
Keep in mind that student accommodations are covered by FERPA. Do everything possible to protect
students' privacy when discussing accommodations with others. For instance, if you email several
people about a student request related to an accommodation (such as bringing a guide dog to class), don't
include the student's name. If a student needs a notetaker, be sure not to identify the student when you let
the class know you need a notetaker.
Contact Information
nsc.rcsd@nsc.edu
702-992-2180
Dawson 117
FIELD TRIPS
If you'd like to integrate a field trip into your class, contact Kim Buchanan at least 8 weeks before the event.
Field trips require student and employee liability waiver forms that have to be drafted and approved by
NSHE legal counsel.
You will need to explain how trip expenses will be covered, and must handle travel arrangements.
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