Compliance
Certification
Core Requirements
2.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.7.1 | 2.7.2 | 2.7.3 | 2.7.4 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.10 | 2.11

Quality Enhancement Plan
2.12

Comprehensive Standards
3.1.1 (Mission)

3.2.1 | 3.2.2 | 3.2.3 | 3.2.4 | 3.2.5 | 3.2.6 | 3.2.7 | 3.2.8 | 3.2.9 | 3.2.10 | 3.2.11 | 3.2.12 | 3.2.13 | 3.2.14 (Admin.)

3.3.1 (Effectiveness)

3.4.1 | 3.4.2 | 3.4.3 | 3.4.4 | 3.4.5 | 3.4.6 | 3.4.7 | 3.4.8 | 3.4.9 | 3.4.10 | 3.4.11 | 3.4.12 | 3.4.13 | 3.4.14 (Educational Program)

3.5.1 | 3.5.2 (Undergraduate Program)

3.7.1 | 3.7.2 | 3.7.3 | 3.7.4 | 3.7.5 (Faculty)

3.8.1 | 3.8.2 | 3.8.3 (Library)

3.9.1 | 3.9.2 | 3.9.3 (Students)

3.10.1 | 3.10.2 | 3.10.3 | 3.10.4 | 3.10.5 | 3.10.6 | 3.10.7 (Resources)

Federal Requirements
4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8

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Compliance Certification Report

Comprehensive Standard 3.7.1 - Qualifications of faculty

The institution employs competent faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission and goals of the institution. When determining acceptable qualifications of its faculty, an institution gives primary consideration to the highest earned degree in the discipline in accordance with the guidelines listed below. The institution also considers competence, effectiveness, and capacity, including, as appropriate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications, honors and awards, continuous documented excellence in teaching, or other demonstrated competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching and student learning outcomes. For all cases, the institution is responsible for justifying and documenting the qualifications of its faculty.

Credential Guidelines:

a.  Faculty teaching general education courses at the undergraduate level: doctor's or master's degree in the teaching discipline or master's degree with a concentration in the teaching discipline (a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in teaching discipline).

b.  Faculty teaching associate degree courses designed for transfer to a baccalaureate degree: doctor's or master's degree in the teaching discipline or master's degree with a concentration in the teaching discipline (a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline).

c.  Faculty teaching associate degree courses not designed for transfer to the baccalaureate degree: bachelor's degree in the teaching discipline, or associate's degree and demonstrated competencies in the teaching discipline.

d.  Faculty teaching baccalaureate courses: doctor's or master's degree in the teaching discipline or master's degree with a concentration in the teaching discipline (minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline). At least 25 percent of the discipline course hours in each undergraduate major are taught by faculty members holding the terminal degree – usually the earned doctorate – in the discipline.

e.  Faculty teaching graduate and post-baccalaureate course work: earned doctorate/terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline.

f.  Graduate teaching assistants: master's in the teaching discipline or 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline, direct supervision by a faculty member experienced in the teaching discipline, regular in-service training, and planned and periodic evaluations.

Judgment of Compliance

Davidson College is in compliance with Comprehensive Standard 3.7.1.

Rationale for Judgment of Compliance

Davidson College is proud of the quality of its faculty. Davidson’s faculty have had excellent graduate training, with nearly all holding the terminal degree in their fields. Consistent with the College's mission, it seeks to hire faculty who are excellent teachers, show potential for scholarly research and professional activity, and support the College's commitment to service. To this end, the faculty teach in their area of expertise.

The standard process for hiring tenure-track faculty is the following:

• An academic department identifies a need in its curriculum for a new tenure-track faculty member (e.g., 19th century U.S. history). Frequently, such a need will arise from a retirement or separation.
• The department then submits a “request for a new faculty member” to the Dean of Faculty, who will assess from an institutional perspective the desirability of making such an appointment.
• Following approval of a new position, the department will submit an advertisement for the Dean’s approval. Davidson College advertises nationally in standard professional publications any tenure-track opening. Applications are received by the academic department for their review.
• The department will attempt to interview the top 20 applicants, either at a professional conference, or, in some cases, by telephone.
• The department will then seek the approval of the Dean of Faculty to invite for on-campus interviews the three leading candidates from the applicant pool. While on campus, each tenure-track candidate must meet with the President and the Dean of Faculty.
• Following the on-campus interviews the department will recommend to the Dean of Faculty and the President the leading candidate, to whom they wish an appointment be extended. Only the President of the College is authorized to make a tenure-track appointment.
• At the spring meeting of the Board of Trustees, tenure-track appointments for the following year are approved by the full board.

This process, with an identified academic field (e.g., 19th century U.S. history), a full national search, and a rigorous on-campus interview process ensures that Davidson College hires only the most competent faculty who have a commitment to rigorous undergraduate teaching. In recent years, the College has consistently received applications from the strongest graduate programs. It also has been able to hire, with few exceptions, only candidates who have completed their graduate degree.

The result of these recruitment efforts is a faculty of distinction, as detailed in the roster of faculty and courses taught Fall 2005 - Spring 2006.  We have also provided a database of faculty, their degrees, and courses taught back to Fall 2003, searchable by name or department and a database of faculty curriculum vitae that may be accessed for each individual faculty member.

As a college of liberal arts, Davidson encourages students to make connections among courses and disciplines that go beyond the isolated experiences of courses in disparate disciplines.  To value interdisciplinary study is also to value interdisciplinary teaching.  This ideal is realized in the College curriculum through programs such as the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS), Humanities, South Asian Studies (SOU), and through courses that are the shared responsibility of (cross-listed between) several departments. These are highlighted in the roster of courses taught by faculty from another department and notes on their qualifications, covering the four semesters of spring 2003 through fall 2004. 

Supporting Documentation

• Faculty Handbook
• Database of faculty identifying courses taught in 4-semester window, spring 2003 through fall 2004 searchable by professor name or department
• List of courses taught by faculty from another department
• Notes on faculty teaching in another department

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