Bd. Min. 10-19-00.
In order to promote effective communication between students and academic personnel involved in instruction, the Chancellors of each campus shall oversee the implementation and continued observation of the following:
- All department chairs working with their academic deans must certify that the English proficiency of regular faculty is sufficient to communicate understandably with students prior to a regular faculty member being assigned to teach an undergraduate course, except for foreign language, elective or special arrangement courses such as individualized instruction or independent study courses. The department chair may certify English proficiency based on individual interviews, the assessment of other members of the department, or feedback from students.
- All non-regular faculty, including but not limited to instructors, lecturers, adjunct and visiting faculty, must provide evidence of English proficiency prior to teaching an undergraduate course, except for foreign language, elective or special arrangement courses such as individualized instruction or independent study courses. A non-regular faculty member must either have successfully completed two courses requiring verbal and written proficiency in English from an accredited college or university or have successfully completed English language screening and training utilizing similar standards and requirements as those of Missouri law, or a comparable law of another state, for graduate teaching assistants and graduate instructors.
- All department chairs working with their academic deans will develop appropriate programs or activities to improve faculty communication, including English proficiency, in response to unsatisfactory ratings in student evaluations and student complaints.
- Students will be notified each semester on their enrolled courses statement whom to contact to report communication problems with a faculty instructor. It is recommended that this information also be provided on other means of written communication, such as course syllabi.
- Chancellors at the request of the President shall forward their current campus policies, procedures, and programs regarding faculty communication, including English proficiency, developed to implement this regulation.
