Office of Faculty Affairs
About the Office of Faculty Affairs
The Office of Faculty Affairs supports faculty across the university throughout the faculty lifecycle. The Office oversees faculty engagement and assignment, instructional quality and evaluation, faculty development and mentorship, modality-specific training and support, and the annual review and updating of the Faculty Handbook.
The Senior Director of Faculty Affairs provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for faculty-related matters across the university, serving as a bridge between academic leadership and instructional faculty and ensuring alignment with institutional mission, accreditation standards, and best practices in teaching and faculty development.
See Faculty Handbook, §1.3.
Faculty Policies
Westcliff University publishes the following faculty policies for students, prospective students, and the public. Complete policy language is available in the Westcliff University Faculty Handbook.
Faculty Development
An important responsibility of each faculty member is to engage in continuing education, scholarship, and professional development in support of instructional excellence and student success. While the particular areas of the university or the personal commitment of the faculty may change, continuing professional development remains a distinguishing characteristic of the university and its faculty.
See Faculty Handbook §2.2, Professional Development.
Institutional commitment
Westcliff provides ongoing professional development through the LITE Center and the Office of Faculty Affairs, including:
- New Faculty Orientation (NFO) — required foundational training covering academic policies, instructional expectations, learning platforms, and Westcliff’s student-centered teaching philosophy
- Monthly live webinars — one-hour sessions for new and returning faculty on lesson design, student understanding, and critical thinking
- Self-paced courses — modules built on the CAPRI framework (contextualized, applied, practical, relevant, inclusive)
- Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) — ongoing collaborative gatherings for reflective teaching practice, hosted by the LITE Center, colleges, program teams, and Faculty Affairs
- Reading Club — monthly discussion of contemporary higher education scholarship paired with applied instructional technology
- Micro-credential programs — concentrated learning experiences resulting in verifiable digital badges
- Modality-specific training — required training in asynchronous instruction, instructional presence, student engagement, educational technology, and course quality
Individual faculty obligation
Faculty are individually expected to engage in continuing professional study or research appropriate to their responsibilities.
- Full-time faculty dedicate a minimum of four hours per semester to approved professional development
- Part-time faculty complete all required university training and are encouraged to pursue additional development relevant to their field; two hours of paid professional development are available annually to all active faculty
- Faculty maintain a record of all professional development activity, which is included in the faculty evaluation process
Mentorship and peer development
The CORE Peer Mentorship program is an online, peer-to-peer initiative designed to foster continuous faculty development. Experienced faculty members, designated as CORE Peer Mentors, collaborate with colleagues to enhance teaching practices through shared resources, classroom observations, constructive feedback, and online teaching support.
Faculty may also participate in peer observations focused on instructional practices that promote effective classroom management, maintain high expectations, and develop engaging lessons. Peer observations may be requested by a faculty member or recommended by a faculty supervisor.
Scholarship
Westcliff University values the contributions of faculty to the collective knowledge of their fields of study and practice. Faculty scholarship includes publications, conference presentations, development of new or enhanced curriculum, joint faculty-student research, and research partnerships in the field. Evidence of consistent engagement in scholarly activity is required for promotion in rank.
Opportunities for scholarly activity offered at Westcliff University:
- Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research (WIJAR)
- Symposium on Applied Research (SOAR)
- Research Colloquium
- Faculty Fellows program
Academic Freedom
Academic freedom is imperative for the welfare of a university. It functions to protect the faculty, staff, and students at Westcliff University from unwarranted interference by external groups and to ensure the retention of the services of those whose contributions toward its goals make them essential assets of the faculty. Academic freedom promotes the autonomy and integrity of the university and makes its development as an intellectual learning community an outcome of primary focus.
Academic freedom is an unqualified right of each member of the faculty. It carries the obligation to respect and to maintain the academic freedom of every other member of the university community. Academic freedom includes the ability to teach inside and outside the classroom, perform research, and publish (in various manners) the results of such inquiries, and to address any matter of institutional policy or action, without risk of official interference or professional disadvantage whether or not as a member of institutional governance.
Furthermore, faculty should have freedom to address their larger community with regard to matters of social, political, economic, or other interests, without institutional discipline, save in response to fundamental violations of professional ethics, statements that suggest disciplinary incompetence, or intolerance of other groups — including racism, violations, or injustices of professional obligations.
Related University Statements
Academic Freedom
Academic freedom is imperative for the welfare of a university. It functions to protect the faculty, staff, and students at Westcliff University from unwarranted interference by external groups and to ensure the retention of the services of those whose contributions toward its goals make them essential assets of the faculty. Academic freedom promotes the autonomy and integrity of the university and makes its development as an intellectual learning community an outcome of primary focus.
Academic freedom is an unqualified right of each member of the faculty. It carries the obligation to respect and to maintain the academic freedom of every other member of the university community. Academic freedom includes the ability to teach inside and outside the classroom, perform research, and publish (in various manners) the results of such inquiries, and to address any matter of institutional policy or action, without risk of official interference or professional disadvantage whether or not as a member of institutional governance.
Furthermore, faculty should have freedom to address their larger community with regard to matters of social, political, economic, or other interests, without institutional discipline, save in response to fundamental violations of professional ethics, statements that suggest disciplinary incompetence, or intolerance of other groups – including racism, violations, or injustices of professional obligations.
Inclusion
Westcliff University is deeply committed to the equitable treatment of all and the elimination of discrimination in the world around us; every member of the human family has the potential to make a contribution for the benefit of all. Westcliff makes it a focus to encourage and promote such contributions.
The university seeks practices that are inclusive to all as Westcliff promotes the acceptance and appreciation of all individuals regardless of race, gender, age, ethnicity, ability, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or country of origin. The more inclusive the university, the stronger it grows.
Free Speech
Westcliff University encourages and supports the respectful and free expression of ideas, viewpoints, and opinions in public or private forums, recognizing rights of expression, affiliation, and peaceful assembly so long as they neither disrupt university functions nor infringe upon the rights of others.
The university has an obligation to protect the rights and freedoms of those who choose to participate in free speech or peaceful assembly and protect the rights and freedoms of those who do not wish to do so. Additionally, the university has an obligation to protect its property and to assure continuation of the activities of students, faculty, staff, and visitors on its campuses, both physical and virtual.
Free speech may be legitimately regulated with regard to time, place, and manner. Expressions of free speech must comply at all times with the orders or directives of university officials and law enforcement officers or any other type of official seeking to maintain peace. Disruptions are not allowed if they cause any of the following that may include but are not limited to:
- interfering with, impairing, or impeding teaching, research, or administration of programs
- interfering with, impeding, or blocking the flow of any type of traffic (e.g., automobiles, accessibility devices, bicycles, or pedestrians) on any streets, paths, buildings, grounds, or parking areas
- interfering with any entrance or exit to any building on or related to a campus
- violating any federal; state; or local laws, regulations, or fire codes
- interfering with any events
- disrupting the peaceful operation of the university in, on, or around any campus
- destroying, removing, or preventing access to any type of property
- frightening, coercing, or intimidating any individuals whether related to the university or not
The university is committed to the elimination of all forms of bigotry whether on or off campus, either related to or not related to the university.
The university will consider each alleged violation case-by-case and examine all relevant facts. The university encourages all faculty, staff, students, and visitors to responsibly exercise their rights of free speech.
Intellectual Diversity
Intellectual diversity promotes and welcomes the pluralistic and free exchange of ideas. Intellectual diversity is an authentic form of diversity and an element of free speech that fosters curiosity, diverse thinking, constructivism, and openness.
Westcliff University is committed to maintaining a welcoming environment where intellectual expressions, including research, are respected and ensured. The university expects all, in their expression of intellectual diversity, to state their viewpoints professionally, constructively, and collegially. All protective parameters found in the statements of diversity and free speech similarly apply to intellectual diversity.
See Faculty Handbook §4.9.
Notice of Non-Discrimination
Westcliff University does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, national origin, national ancestry, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, military service or veteran status, physical ability, or genetic information in employment, admission, treatment, or access to its programs or activities.
See Faculty Handbook, §4.2.
Faculty Appointment & Rank
Westcliff University establishes academic and teaching qualifications for faculty hiring, which vary by the level of the course being taught. Minimum qualifications are published for the REAL program and for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs.
Faculty ranks at Westcliff University are Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. Promotion is based on meritorious achievement beyond the competency expected of all faculty, including sustained instructional effectiveness, professionalism, contribution to student success, professional development, and scholarship. Satisfactory compliance with faculty responsibilities does not, in itself, lead to promotion in rank.
See Faculty Handbook §2.3 for full qualification and rank criteria.
Curriculum Development
The Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee studies all curricular items related to courses, programs of study, and pedagogy, and may mediate curricular disputes between academic units. The Committee is responsible for recommending to the Faculty Senate the approval of changes to content or context – additions, modifications, and deletions – for all courses where changes significantly affect accreditation outcomes, as well as the establishment or sunsetting of programs.
Faculty additionally serve as subject matter experts (SMEs) supporting course development and revision, and may be assigned to special projects including curriculum design, accreditation work, and learning outcomes assessment.
Evaluation of Faculty
The Faculty Senate reviews, proposes, and approves policy regarding teaching quality, professional standards and criteria for positions accorded academic rank, and policies and procedures for promotion, tenure, and evaluation.
The Faculty Senate Performance Assessment Committee studies and advocates for assessment activity in conjunction with the Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence (LITE) Center, and is responsible for recommending to the Faculty Senate reviews of the institution’s assessment plans and processes and policies for reporting and disseminating assessment data.
At the individual level, CORE Faculty serve as peer educators and mentors and may conduct assigned observations, evaluations, mentoring, and coaching on behalf of the Office of Faculty Affairs. Faculty performance evaluations are informed by feedback that may include input from CORE Faculty alongside academic operations, program chairs, deans, and the LITE Center. Faculty may also participate in peer observations, which may be requested by a faculty member or recommended by a faculty supervisor.
Hiring of Faculty
The Faculty Senate Faculty Affairs Committee studies policy areas and makes recommendations affecting matters pertaining to the responsibilities, rights, privileges, opportunities, and welfare of the faculty, collectively and as individuals. The Committee may review issues pertaining to identifying, recruiting, and retaining the services of faculty at Westcliff University, and is responsible for recommending to the Faculty Senate policies on academic promotion, orientation of new faculty members, academic responsibilities, and standards of appointment.
Faculty candidate interviews are conducted on a recurring weekly basis, with Deans and Program Chairs participating in candidate evaluation. Full- and part-time faculty do not currently have a defined role in interviews or teaching demonstrations.
Hiring and Evaluation of Administrative Staff
Faculty do not have a defined role in decision-making regarding the hiring or evaluation of administrative staff. Faculty authority in institutional decision-making, as established by the Faculty Senate Constitution, extends to educational and academic policy.
Faculty Handbook
The Westcliff University Faculty Handbook describes the policies, procedures, and organizational structure of the university as they pertain to faculty. The Office of Faculty Affairs oversees the annual review and updating of the handbook, and the final yearly version is reviewed and approved by the Faculty Senate.