Qualified Teachers?

[Bauath]

I attend a small, private liberal arts college. I am concerned because several classes that I have taken or will be taking are being taught by individuals who lack expertise in those fields. Most of these faculty are Master's level professors who are teaching far outside their areas of expertise (for instace, a faculty member with a Master's degree in English may teach a science course or two). What is my recourse aside from transferring what credits I can and moving to another accredited college? This college is accredited by HLC, and I am wondering why.

[Spangehl]

What makes a teacher qualified is not simple, but it's critically important. It includes the education of the teacher, the teacher's ability to teach, the teacher's respect for and empathy with students, and many, many other factors. No single factor in itself makes someone a quality faculty member.

The Commission publishes a document, "Commission Guidance on Determining Qualified Faculty," that anyone can download from the Commission's website; the document's address is http://www.ncahlc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96 and it is in the form of a pdf file, readable with Adobe Acrobat (which anyone can get for free from www.adobe.com).

Basically, the Commission expects the institutions it accredits to define clear policies stating their requirements for the faculty they employ. The Commission expects these policies to be reasonable and defensible, but does not dictate exactly what every institution should require in every faculty member it employs. The "Guidance" document outlines what is reasonable, traditional, and normal in US higher education.

The Commission also expects institutions to follow their own defined policies when employing faculty, and to do so consistently.

If you have encountered an institution whose faculty you think are unqualified, you ought first to ask the institution to share its policies defining its qualifications for hiring faculty with you. If it can't, or won't, you may be dealing with an institution that doesn't deserve your confidence -- or your business. It an institution is employing people with questionable competence, that practice could make the degree you earn look suspect to others.

If you believe that the institution is conflict with Commisison policy or with reasonable higher education practice, and you can cite evidence upon which your belief rests, you can formally complain to the Higher Learning Commission about the isntitution, either openly (using your name) or requesting that we keep your identity confidential. Complaints should be sent to Karen Solinski (ksolinski@hlcommission.org); her phone number is 800-621-7440 ext. 111. We actively pursue complaints that indicate an instiutiton is not in compliance with our accrediation criteria. But bear in mind that our following up on a complaint takes time, and may not rectify the situation that distresses you quickly enough to benefit you.

[David E. Nixon]

I attend a small, private liberal arts college. I am concerned because several classes that I have taken or will be taking are being taught by individuals who lack expertise in those fields. Most of these faculty are Master's level professors who are teaching far outside their areas of expertise (for instace, a faculty member with a Master's degree in English may teach a science course or two). What is my recourse aside from transferring what credits I can and moving to another accredited college? This college is accredited by HLC, and I am wondering why.

Have you asked this question of the college Chief Academic Officer?