Faculty Orientation Handout
2013-2014
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Faculty Orientation Handout
Welcome to the Fall 2013 semester! We are pleased to have you facilitating classes at MJI. If
this is your first teaching experience with us, rest assured we are here to assist you through the
process. If you are a returning instructor, we’re glad you’re back!
Our Commitment - MJI is committed to delivering a quality educational
experience to all individuals who walk through our doors. From the moment
a student arrives until their time of departure, we strive to provide a positive
and encouraging learning environment. Our faculty members are
instrumental in making that happen. We therefore have high expectations
for our instructors. We are prepared to provide them with the necessary
tools and information to make their job easier thereby allowing them to do
what they do best – teach!
Our Requirements and Expectations - This orientation strives to provide a framework for
instruction that will enable you to shape the learning environment of our students and make a
quality educational experience possible. For your convenience, we have provided this hand-out
that summarizes the information in brief. It is essential that you read and become familiar with
the contents in order to do your job effectively and to meet our accreditation requirements. You
will be asked to sign that you have read and understood the document.
In addition, it will also be helpful to review the MJI Policies and Procedures Manual and the
Academic Catalog/Student Handbook also available on the website. The manual documents MJI
policies and procedures that support our learning and academic environments. The handbook
provides a compilation of basic information about the school and various aspects of the MJI
experience that may be of interest to you. Please familiarize yourself with these important tools.
We’ve grouped the orientation information into four categories:
I)
II)
III)
IV)
Essential Information
Policies, Procedures and Practices
General Information
Guidelines for Success
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I) Essential Information
1. Employment contracts and personnel documents - Employment contracts and personnel
documents must be filled out, signed, and on file. Missing documents could delay the
issuance of paychecks. Contact Lyne Graham with our Human Resources department at (248)
414-6900 ext: 128 or lgraham@mji.edu to ensure your employment records are complete.
2. Faculty Invoice Template - Reimbursement instructions are provided in your faculty contract.
A faculty invoice template is available to submit your statements regarding the discharge of
your teaching assignments.
3. Course Content - MJI does not compensate professors for preparing course content used to
teach standard college courses for which content is widely available.
4. Annual Faculty Development Plan - Faculty members must complete an annual faculty
development plan. We are required by our accreditor, Accrediting Council for Independent
Colleges and Schools (ACICS), to terminate any faculty members whose forms are not
complete and up-to-date. Contact Lyne Graham with our Human Resources department if
you have questions or require assistance completing the plan.
5. Annual Reviews - Faculty will receive an “annual” review by Faculty Supervisors and students.
Reviews are based on classroom and/or online performance for the preceding academic year.
6. Campus Effectiveness Plan - MJI has a quality improvement plan called the (CEP)
(http://www.mji.edu/media/pdf/515/iutC5150309.pdf) that is updated annually. MJI
expects that all faculty members will familiarize themselves with the CEP and be prepared to
discuss relevant measures at faculty meetings.
7. MJI Email Address - All communications between faculty, students, and staff must take place
using an MJI email address. Faculty should have students test their email the first week of
class. Students should confirm that they are also able to receive emails from the instructor.
Using email on a regular basis to communicate with students provides immediate feedback
to a learner. When questions and concerns are addressed in a timely manner especially when
it comes to completing papers and written assignments, quality of student work improves.
II) Policies, Procedures and Practices
1. Course Syllabus – The syllabus is the guide to your classroom. It contains information about
the name and pre- and co-requisites of the course, instructor, textbooks, course description,
course objectives, course outline, grading policy, homework policy, late policy, attendance
policy, plagiarism/academic honesty information and a link to MJI library materials. It is your
responsibility to ensure students utilize and understand the syllabus.
2. Course Content - All course content is the responsibility of the faculty member teaching it.
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3. Content Delivery - Use of multiple methods of content delivery are important when teaching
online classes.
4. Textbooks - Instructors are responsible for selecting course textbooks. Requirements for
selecting a textbook include: books must be college-level texts, purchased on Amazon.com
or Betterworldbooks.com and available to read on a Kindle. A link to the chosen textbook(s)
via Amazon.com or Betterworldbooks.com must be provided on the course syllabus.
5. Course Handouts - We require that you have available for your students and our
administrative offices, a complete set of all your course handouts (i.e. – syllabus, additional
readings, and other information that you distribute to students). Copies must be available by
the first day of class.
6. Copyrights - MJI expects that all faculty members will take responsibility for honoring all
copyrights associated with material provided to the students.
7. Grading Policy Grade Components – Grades are made up of the following components:

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25% participation (as measured weekly by class discussions)
25% coursework*
25% midterm
25% final
*Extra credit is based on the discretion of the instructor.
Grade Percentages – Grades are based on the following percentages:
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100 - 90% = A – exemplary competence – GPA = 4.0 (A/A+), 3.7 (A-)
89 - 80% = B – accomplished competence – GPA = 3.3 (B+), 3.0 (B), 2.7 (B-)
79 - 70% = C – developing competence- GPA = 2.3 (C+), 2.0 (C), 1.7 (C-)
69 - 60% = D – beginning to meet competency – GPA = 1.3 (D+), 1.0 (D), 0.7 (D-)
59 - 0% = F – failure to meet competency – GPA = 0
8. Homework - “Homework” is defined as assignments to students to be completed
independently by the students and include: textbook readings; preparation of essays, papers,
oral presentations; take-home quizzes or exams, field work assignments, such as visiting
museums, watching particular movies or other similar field activities. Faculty providing
instruction via online delivery systems are reminded that homework does not constitute
active instruction or content delivery. Homework is completed by students at times other
than during class periods, whether or not the “class” activities are synchronous or
asynchronous in delivery.
9. Homework to Class-Time Ratio - Design assignments to equal 2 hrs. of homework to 1 hr.
class-time.
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10. Late Policy - Submission of coursework in a timely manner is essential!
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If an assignment is 1 week late, a 10% grade deduction will be taken.
If an assignment is 2 weeks late, a 20% grade deduction will be taken.
If an assignment is turned in after 2 weeks, the work will not be accepted.
11. Attendance Policy - Attendance is defined as weekly presence in the classroom or online
through participation in a minimum of one of the following course activities:
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Submission of homework
Communication with instructor regarding course-related content
Contributions via interactive opportunities to discuss concepts or points
Three (3) week-long absences will result in a full letter grade reduction.
Four (4) consecutive week-long absences will result in an Administrative Drop
(reflected on the official transcript).
12. Attendance - Attendance logs must be kept. For onsite courses, you do not have to send the
office a hard copy of your logs every month if you make diligent use of the electronic record.
The office has access to your electronic logs and will check them periodically as required by
federal law. For online classes, attendance is maintained by your online course shell whether
you use SAKAI or e-College. Rosters will be provided via Google docs.
13. Drop/Add Period – During the first week of the semester, courses may be dropped without
any mark recorded on the permanent record. During this period, courses may be added with
permission from the Registrar’s Office. Students have one week to make up any work they
missed by entering the class late.
14. Time Allotment for Exams - When classes are taught onsite, the proper time allotment for
exams is as follows: When courses are taught during the day, three days a week for 15 weeks,
midterm and final exams usually take the full 50-minute session. When exams are given
during a 1.5 hour session or a 3 hour session, the session is divided between
lecture/discussion and exam time. The exam is given for a period of 50 minutes or less and
the remainder of the session is used for routine lecture/discussion.
15. Technology Support – When technical issues arise when using the SAKAI platform, please
contact the MJI HelpDesk at (http://helpdesk.mji.edu/portal) for support.
16. Course Evaluations - Instructors administer course evaluations to students during the last
class session of the semester. Results are shared with the instructor and are used to update
the MJI Institutional Effectiveness Plan (IEP); by faculty groups to improve course offerings;
and in the conduct of quality reviews of each course.
17. Final Grades

Incomplete (I) - A final grade of “Incomplete” (I) should only be given to a student
who has otherwise successfully completed
all their other semester work, absent
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their final exam or paper and has completed an “Incomplete Mark Contract” with
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you.
 Withdrawing from Classes (WP, WF, WU) - Students who officially withdraw from
18. Directed Studies - From time to time, MJI students request “Directed Studies”. Reasons for
a request include: student’s interest in special study topics, need for a particular course that
may not come up reasonably soon in the two-year cycle of the course schedule or because a
previously scheduled class has been cancelled. Permission is required from the Dean of
Academic Affairs to proceed. If permission is granted, MJI will attempt to assist the student
in finding a professor interested in mentoring the directed study. If a mentoring professor is
found, a directed study learning contract must be prepared and signed by the professor and
student.
19. Class Set-up - Instructors need to have classes set-up by noon on Friday for classes starting
on Sunday.
20. Asynchronous vs. Synchronous - One of the strongest benefits of offering online courses is
that students and faculty can engage in a course at times convenient to them, asynchronously
day or night. In order to enhance interest and improve overall attendance in these online
courses, MJI strongly recommends that all online courses meet to “chat” synchronously for
up to one hour each week.
21. Rescheduling Classes - There may be times and circumstances that require the rescheduling
of or the “delay start” of a class session. Whenever this happens, faculty must advise Dov
Stein of the Office of Academic Administration at (248) 414-6900 ext. 108 or dstein@mji.edu
prior to the regularly scheduled meeting time.
22. Class Roster - Sometimes you will find students appearing for your onsite or online classes
who are not on your class list. You will need to provide Alicia James, the MJI Registrar (248)
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414-6900 ext. 113 or ajames@mji.edu with the names of those students in order for her to
update the roster.
23. Field Trips/Permission Slips – From time to time, an instructor may wish to take their class
on a field trip to reinforce various concepts being taught in the classroom or to enhance the
overall student learning experience. Proper authorization must be obtained from the Dean
of Academics prior to coordinating the trip. Once permission is granted, prior authorization
must be procured from parents if the student is a minor.
24. Online Testing - Some students may begin an online test and then fail to complete the test
for a variety of reasons. These may include system crashes, falling ill, and other
circumstances. Progressive testing (online tests are configured so that students cannot see
later questions before earlier ones are completed) and alternative make-up tests (different
make-up tests) are available to ensure students are not receiving an unfair advantage when
they are permitted to take the test again.
25. Calendar - Semester breaks are coordinated with dates of major Jewish holidays. Remember,
for religious reasons, some MJI students are unable to work on school assignments during
these holidays. Please do not schedule assignments that are due during these periods.
26. Mid-Semester Review – A mid-semester review will be held to evaluate how a semester is
going to-date.
27. End-of-Year Faculty Review – During an end-of-year faculty review, instructors will provide
feedback for next year’s textbook including textbook recommendations.
III) General Information
1. MJI Website - The MJI website (http://www.mji.edu) is the hub of the school’s
communications. Please check out the link to learn about admission procedures, our
certificate and degree programs, course offerings, library and resource learning materials,
student services, policies and procedures and more.
2. Online Library and Resources - MJI maintains subscriptions to a large variety of online library
facilities and resources. See the link on our website at:
(http://www.mji.edu/templates/mji/article_cdo/aid/447529/jewish/MJI-Library.htm)
Students should be encouraged to use these resources when working on course assignments.
3. MJI Directory - The MJI Directory provides contact information for staff members. We urge
you to use the directory to determine whom to contact at MJI regarding a particular issue.
4. Microsoft Subscription - An added benefit of being an associate of MJI is that a number of
Microsoft development tools, operating systems, and other software are available at no
charge to you. Contact James Jemison (IT) at (248) 414-6900 ext. 104 or jjemison@mji.edu
for further information. Faculty are eligible to purchase all types of software (up to 75% off
retail prices) from various software vendors.
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IV) Guidelines for Success
1. Participation and Engagement - Participation and engagement with students is essential.
Create a learning environment that allows students to feel comfortable taking risks,
discussing meaningful ideas in depth, and sustaining their engagement throughout the entire
course. Strive to create a community of learners.
2. Create a Presence – Let students know you are accessible and available. Ensure your contact
information and schedule is readily available to the individuals in your class. For instructors
teaching online courses, login to the course several times a week. By posting
announcements, providing grades on assignments or contributing to discussion forums,
students are aware of your involvement.
3. Get to Know Your Students - Tell them about yourself and learn about them. Make an effort
to find out why individuals have enrolled in your course and what they hope to gain from
taking the class.
4. Communicating with Students - Regular communication with students is key to a quality
learning experience. Online instructors should strive to communicate at least once with each
student on a weekly basis. If you cannot adhere to your normal routine for any reason (office
hours, contact info, login, response time), let students know in advance. Post an
announcement letting them know when you will unavailable and for how long.
5. Interacting with Students - When communicating with your students, maintain a pleasant
and professional demeanor. Use correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. Use a
supportive and encouraging tone.
6. Set High Expectations - Most learners will rise to the bar you set for them. Communicate
high expectations and challenge students to stretch themselves intellectually.
7. Response Time - Respond to student inquiries within 48 hours. This helps reduce anxiety in
the learning environment. During your classroom orientation, ensure students understand
that you have 48 hours to respond on any given topic. Remind your students that sending
multiple emails on the same subject within the 48 hour period will not expedite a response.
8. Grading Turnaround Time - Assignments, papers, tests and quizzes completed in a timely
manner by the student should be graded and returned within 7 days. Timely feedback helps
to ensure the likelihood of successful course completion.
9. Announcements - Post at least one new announcement a week. Strive to keep it interesting
and engaging.
10. Diversity and Personal Experience - Respect diversity and value the personal experience of
every student. Students will come from many different walks of life. Factors such as age,
work experience, ethnic background, religious preferences, educational background and
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socio-economics make for a richly diverse environment that can enhance learning when
encouraged and cultivated.
11. Constructive Feedback - Offer constructive feedback to students when necessary. Be
sensitive and if needed discuss the matter in private.
12. Low Grades - If you start to notice that a student’s participation is decreasing or assignments
are being turned in late or not at all, give them a call or send them an email. If you see
evidence that a student’s work is leading to a very low or failing final grade, you should
proactively advise the student of his/her academic status. Personal concern can make a
difference in their success.
13. Controversial Discussion Posts - Controversial discussion posts need to be addressed in a
timely manner.
14. Student Privacy - Respect a student’s privacy. With online students, personal student
information such as addresses or phone numbers should not be placed in threaded
discussions.
15. Using Technology - Demonstrate confidence with any technology that is used to teach your
class. If you need assistance with technology-related issues, contact Rina Schwartz in our IT
department at rschwartz@mji.edu.
16. Have Fun! - Make the experience enjoyable! Focus on engaging students in the exciting world
that is your discipline/area of expertise. Be open to learning as much from them as they will
from you.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your role or the faculty requirements and
expectations, please contact Dov Stein, MJI Director of Academic Administration at (248) 4146900 ext. 108 or dstein@mji.edu .
We look forward to a successful academic experience for everyone at MJI!
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