A30 – Instructional and Academic Staff Selection

Originator: Vice President, Academic and Research
Approver: Senior Academic Committee
Effective: February 14, 2012
Replaces: New

1. Preamble

As a public institution, RRC Polytech adopts transparent practices. As an educational institution, RRC Polytech seeks to attract and retain high quality Instructional and Academic Staff. A transparent Instructional and Academic Staff selection process that is designed to attract quality individuals is a key component to ensuring the College’s success.

2. Policy

The College is committed to attract, select and promote the most qualified people to Instructional and Academic Staff positions, in order to achieve its academic mission and vision.

The College will have a transparent selection process that builds and sustains a fully qualified Instructional and Academic Staff committed to the highest academic, research and service standards and to the College’s values.

The College will, within its selection processes, strive to build an Instructional and Academic Staff that is representative of the community.

3. Definitions

“Academic Staff” are personnel whose primary assignment is within an academic discipline or within the academic jurisdiction of the College, including academic administration, management or academic research.

“Instructional Staff” are personnel whose primary assignment is instruction.

4. Principles and Guidelines

4.1 Principles

The College is an institution of higher education offering a comprehensive range of programming. As a result, there will be a variation in the specific overall qualifications of both Instructional and Academic Staff positions.

Practitioner experience is highly valued for Instructional and Academic Staff because curriculum is generally workplace related and aligned with industry, business and the community.

The College is committed to selection based on the principles of merit, fairness and equity and to the principle of supporting diversity within the Instructional and Academic Staff workforce.

All College Instructional and Academic Staff selection practices and procedures will be conducted in compliance with:

• relevant legislation;
• the collective agreement;
• the College’s strategic and academic plans;
• other relevant College and Human Resource Services processes/policies;
• College values;
• Accreditation requirements; and
• business needs

In all cases, the selection practices and procedures will be reasonable, consistent and fair. The College will strive to maintain a proper match between the requirements of a position and the credentials, competencies, experience, and suitability of individual candidates.

4.2 Guidelines

When the College fills a vacant Instructional or Academic Staff position, the College will hire the most qualified candidate based on:

• ability;
• relevant credentials (educational and professional/trade);
• competencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours related to the position);
• occupational/discipline experience (generally in the instructional field as a practitioner and/or in the Academic Staff role and/or prior work performance in the College);
• suitability; and
• Interpersonalskills.

The specific requirements will be directly related to the requirements of the position and be in accordance with the processes and procedures of Human Resource Services.

The terms of appointment for Instructional and Academic Staff will reflect the specific requirements for the position and follow the Collective Agreement or the Agreement for Excluded Positions at the College. For instructional positions, an individual will be subject to policy H13 – Faculty Certification.

Appendix A is a generalized qualification framework for Instructional Staff.

Related Policies and Documentation

Collective Agreement
H13 – Faculty Certification
A31 – Academic Credentials

Appendix A

A General Qualification Framework for Instructional Staff. This is a generalized qualification framework [specific requirements will vary among specific positions as articulated in position descriptions and other position documentation] for Instructional Staff:

1. Credentials: individuals selected for the College’s Instructional Staff will have the appropriate credentials for the specific position, including

1. Academic credential at the appropriate level.
2. Professional designation, trade certification, or other professional certification as required.
3. Other certification requirements to ensure expertise and quality

2. Competencies: Individuals selected for the College’s instructional positions will have:

1. Competencies in the discipline / field.
2. Teaching skills as evidenced through demonstration or evaluations.
3. Demonstrated interest in research or scholarly activity.

3. Experience: Individuals selected for the College’s instructional positions will be considered based on:

1. Work experience in the field of study.
2. Currency in field demonstrated through continuing professional development activities.
3. Teaching, demonstrated by number of years.
4. Research or scholarly activity experience demonstrated through activities such as projects, publications, conference presentations, workshops delivered, etc.

4. Suitability: The following suitability requirements may be a factor in the selection of individuals for College instructional positions:

1. Demonstrated commitment to teaching and learning.
2. Knowledge of the College’s mandate, mission, future directions, and values
3. Contribution to the community representativeness of the College’s workforce.