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[tomatopaste]

I am just seeking a little bit of help about where to look for guidelines about what rights a non-tenure track faculty has in regards to determining their own grading/course policies.  I know each university is different.  I am seeking generally where is that information held at a university and who to contact where to try and/or find it on university website. As non-tenure track I am not part of collective bargaining at my university and there is no unions for those off the tenure track.   I know half are thinking already, check your contract.  I don't have an official contract.  I received an offer letter of two paragraphs that was signed and returned.  I needed a job to pay bills and it was only offer so I signed it. 

[charlesr]

I'd start with the Faculty Manual and Academic Catalog.

[zharkov]

If you are asking about academic freedom (in general), start with the AAUP website (aaup.org).

Many policies about grading and such are determined by the school and the department.  It is not unusual to be required to use the texts selected by the department, given a set of course learning outcomes, told what a final assignment must include, and maybe even be required to use a canned syllabus and learning plan.  Frankly, you have no rights in this matter, and it is not really a matter of academic freedom (IMHO and how I read the AAUP.)

[seniorscholar]

Many policies about grading and such are determined by the school and the department.  It is not unusual to be required to use the texts selected by the department, given a set of course learning outcomes, told what a final assignment must include, and maybe even be required to use a canned syllabus and learning plan.  Frankly, you have no rights in this matter, and it is not really a matter of academic freedom (IMHO and how I read the AAUP.)

And this is especially true if the course(s) you will teach are those typically assigned to adjuncts -- introduction to the field, low level course in a course sequence required by the major, and so forth. Tenure-track faculty as well as adjuncts in these courses are reasonably expected to cover certain topics, teach skills that will be required for upper-level work, adhere to university schedules for holidays and exam periods, and provide pro forma statements on academic dishonesty, disability accomodations, and grading standards.

Anecdote from long ago: at the grad school where I did my MA, we became aware that one of the adjuncts teaching the same first-year composition course the TAs were assigned to was actually focused on "creative expression" rather than developing college-level writing skills. The assignments and classroom exercises in sections taught by this adjunct included artwork, expressive dance, etc. ALL of the assignments. This was not acceptable to faculty across the university who expected students who had passed 1st year comp to know how to write a research paper.

[torshi]

I am just seeking a little bit of help about where to look for guidelines about what rights a non-tenure track faculty has in regards to determining their own grading/course policies. 

My advice:  don't ask anyone about your "rights."  That's going to ring alarm bells.

If you are wondering if you can design your own course, choose your own books and other materials, develop your own assignments, etc., then those are usually assumed to be the case unless you are told otherwise that there is a uniform design for the course within the department, and possibly a supervisor of people who teach that course.   Some courses are very uniform with a common final exam in order to ensure consistency.  There is a lot of variation in the degree of standardization expected.  But even if you are technically permitted, you do not want to be an outlier.  You are part of something with values and goals that you are expected to accept, not vice versa. 

If you are wondering what are the learning objectives, usual pace and assignment structure, and typical grade distribution for the course(s) you'll teach, then look on the university website for university and college learning objectives (esp. if it is a distribution requirement), in the course description, ask someone who has taught the course if you could look over a syllabus, and ask the chair about grade distributions/targets/limits.  Seniorscholar mentioned many of the things you'll need to consider that are found all around the university website, usually not in one convenient location.

There is no faculty manual here for non-tenure-track and the one for other faculty is not available online, so here, telling you to look for one would be an exercise in frustration.  That may not be the case where you will be working, so it might be worth asking or looking for general information if not for the answers to your questions in your post.

For the smoothest start, I recommend learning as much as you can about what other faculty usually do, such as how much writing is expected in the semester, whether the students read, what are some of their frustrations or things they've tried that do not work.  Your best bet is to ask these questions of other non-tenure-track faculty, especially if they do most of the undergraduate teaching in the department.  Good luck.

[tomatopaste]

Thanks all for the replies, but I'm looking for what you would think is basic info like having the ability to grade my own students work and not handing them off to TAs, who take forever to grade and never provide feedback other than a grade that seems to come from nowhere (sorry know that is a little vent there) and in return grading papers from sections taught by a TA.

[zharkov]

Thanks all for the replies, but I'm looking for what you would think is basic info like having the ability to grade my own students work and not handing them off to TAs, who take forever to grade and never provide feedback other than a grade that seems to come from nowhere (sorry know that is a little vent there) and in return grading papers from sections taught by a TA.

This is something you should be asking the department chair, not a group of strangers.

[torshi]

Being required to use a TA for grading, rather than choosing to do so, is not a situation that I am familiar with.  But yes, these are questions that only your chair can answer.   Unless you already know, don't assume that you'll have a TA. 

[fiona]

Sounds like you're going into this situation with fists up, ready to fight for your "rights."

As others said, adjuncts basically don't have academic freedom-type rights. And it's also true that if you go into this situation, or any situation, with inquiries about "rights," you'll start out by antagonizing people.

If you talk (and maybe think) about "responsibilities," you'll make more allies and probably feel better.

The Fiona

[torshi]

As others said, adjuncts basically don't have academic freedom-type rights. And it's also true that if you go into this situation, or any situation, with inquiries about "rights," you'll start out by antagonizing people.

I don't read anyone else as saying that, and adjunct faculty do have academic freedom insofar as several court decisions have found in their favor in cases of dismissal for what most people would consider academic-freedom issues (expressing unpopular but relevant facts or opinions in the classroom).  I thought the OP was talking about a FT NTT job, but in this area, it does not make much difference.

But the OP is not really talking about academic rights or academic freedom, more about department policies and procedures.

I agree with your observation that this OP seems to be setting out on a new job with an antagonistic attitude.  Not only will that sour the OP's relationships with other people in the department, it will likely lead to the OP's finding evidence to confirm the perspective.  If it's not possible to start a new job with an attitude of trust, at least start with a neutral attitude.

[watermarkup]

You have the right to look for a new job. That's pretty much it. Speaking from experience here, if a place is that poisonous, it's better for everybody if you move to another job and/or career.

Have you already experienced problems? Describe what they are, and someone might have some suggestions, or at least be able to offer some perspective.

Or are you worried about hypothetical problems that might come up? Don't do that.

[polly_mer]

Thanks all for the replies, but I'm looking for what you would think is basic info like having the ability to grade my own students work and not handing them off to TAs, who take forever to grade and never provide feedback other than a grade that seems to come from nowhere (sorry know that is a little vent there) and in return grading papers from sections taught by a TA.

This is something you should be asking the department chair, not a group of strangers.

This.  All of these things are departmental choices.  They do not have to be posted anywhere, especially not in the same place that my department puts them because this is not information that is legally required to be anywhere.

Check with your chair or the supervisor of the program.  Don't assert your rights; ask the requirements of your job and how much flexibility you have to design your own course to meet the stated course description in the catalog.

And read your faculty handbook, which often has handy things like what is absolutely, positively required of everyone (for example, specific contents of syllabi may be required or a particular final reporting grading scale may be mandated).

But, don't ask us where to look for these things; go ask your department chair who knows exactly what happens in your department at your school.

[pixelvainia]

Good suggestions, here, but I'll add: don't put too much energy into this job! Find out a little bit about how they do things, keep a smile on your face, and do honest work. 
It's a negative-status teaching gig, most likely. This is not the time to innovate. Make plans to do be doing something better in the near future.
One difference of opinion: don't assume the chair knows how things are being done.

[polly_mer]

One difference of opinion: don't assume the chair knows how things are being done.

I suppose this depends on whether the chair is the supervisor (i.e., arbitrator of what constitutes a good enough job) or not.

I agree that if one is working with the coordinator of all developmental composition classes, for example, then the coordinator is the one of whom to ask these questions.

[retrenchment]

There's a guy with whom I've worked whose teaching poses the question "what is the difference between taking full advantage of academic freedom and having a generally errant approach to your subject material." Best not to do that.
"Be professional and prepared" is pretty safe.
Be prepared to work "blind." Very little feedback or direction from those in charge. In my field, I believe that this is because it's so easy for them to replace you that they often just don't bother to form much of a relationship. Or maybe they're too busy. At the same time, If they think you're working out, after a little while, then you have worked out with little or no guidance. Therefore, you have good instincts. Great for them. Good for you, in a way, if you like being left alone.
I'm not going to claim to know about these thought processes for certain.