General Department Procedures

HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Developed and Approved by the Humanities Faculty

(Winter Semester 2012)

1)     General Department Procedures

a)     Role of the Department

The Humanities Department consists of the disciplines of ART, COMMUNICATION, HUMANITIES, and PHILOSOPHY. The Department offers courses college-wide, providing the foundation for every certificate and program at WCC; and the majority of its courses are transferable to most four-year colleges and universities. The Humanities also houses the Broadcast Arts and Film Studies Program, and additionally, the Humanities Department is dedicated to providing quality instruction and maintaining a civil and healthy working environment. 

b)     Department Meetings

Regular department meetings are scheduled the second Thursday of each month, in accordance with Washtenaw Community College policies. In addition to the required meetings, the Humanities Department meets during In-Service each semester. An agenda for every department meeting is prepared ahead of time and is distributed to the faculty, typically during the meetings; the agenda addresses concerns that the Humanities faculty may have, as well as issues that may be related to the college structure and/or other college issues. To assure cohesion and department-wide consensus, all full-time faculty are expected to be present at the department meetings; however, part-time and adjunct faculty may attend department meetings only by invitation. 

c)     Resources

i)     The Budget for the Humanities Department will be determined in accordance with College procedure. Request for equipment, supplies, and operating expenses are submitted to the Department Chair during the academic year. The Department Chair then determines the priority of the requests. However, final approval for funds is required by the Dean of the Humanities Division.

ii)     Rooms are assigned according to the needs of a class, although seniority also plays a role in the selection of classrooms, whenever the usage of the classroom in question is warranted by more than one person.

iii)     Other resources will be distributed according to demand and supply, after discussion with the entire Department.

d)     Conflict Resolution

i)     The Humanities Department is committed to civility and successful conflict resolution. Accordingly, each faculty member shall conduct her/himself in a manner that will create success in this way, by being courteous and respectful to others. All members of the Department are expected to make every effort to bridge differing viewpoints and to insure the fair treatment of each individual within the Department, regardless of seniority, age, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. If no solution to a dispute can be found, internal WCC mediation will be sought and the recommendation of the mediation process will be considered in determining how to resolve the conflict. Ultimately, the decision of the Department Chair, which shall be made in light of departmental needs, and  shall take into account the recommendation of the mediation process, will be accepted as binding. 

ii)     If potential violation of the contract for a particular faculty member is demonstrated, a WCCEA representative will be contacted for further instruction regarding how to proceed.

iii)     In conflicts that do not involve the Department Chair, the Department Chair can serve as mediator. However, if the Department Chair is involved in the conflict or dispute, then outside/external peer mediation will be consulted in order to resolve the dispute.