Adjunct Faculty Job Description

Visit the Job Titles, Descriptions and Salary Ranges section on the AlamoSHARE Site: CompensationLinks to an external site. 

Description of Work

Adjunct members of the faculty are professionals, in their field of study, whose primary responsibility is fulfilling the institution’s mission, vision, values, strategic plan, Board of Trustees’ charges and educational philosophy, and primary goal of providing a quality education for all students attending the colleges. Adjunct faculty members are classified according to their attained level of education. Adjunct faculty members are subject to Board policies, including academic freedom, and are also bound by accompanying responsibilities.  They are directly responsible to a discipline coordinator and/or department chair and have responsibilities through the administrative structure at their respective college and to the district. The relationship of the adjunct faculty member to the student is one of leader, teacher, mentor and facilitator of learning.

Adjunct Faculty Position Criteria

An adjunct faculty position must meet the following criteria:

1. A part time temporary assignment.
2. A position wherein the functions performed are those of one who teaches assigned credit classes on a course-by-course basis.
3. A position which requires certain minimum academic qualifications according to Alamo Colleges District’s Procedure D.2.3.2.

Duties

The cyclical nature of teaching and learning forms the basis of duties for the institution’s adjunct faculty.  To strive for continual improvement of student success, adjunct faculty members must plan an optimal learning environment; provide high quality instruction; assess themselves, their students, and their teaching techniques in order to increase effectiveness; continue their own professional development; actively participate in MyMAP, AlamoINSTITUTES, and AlamoADVISE processes; and participate in the shared governance process to  ensure policies and procedures remain focused on maintaining high standards while providing appropriate support for student needs.

Manage classes and learning environments:

1. 1. Maintain attendance records, submit grades on time, and provide constructive feedback as well as other relevant information to students throughout the semester. Create and maintain accurate syllabi that incorporate departmental, college, cross-college, and instructor requirements.
   2. Participate as may be required by their department in the selection of appropriate materials to support academic departments’ course curriculum in accordance with the Alamo Colleges District’s Guidelines for Selection of Instructional Materials.
   3. Work with students and employers in occupational settings as required by or appropriate to academic discipline.
   4. Conduct classes punctually and in accordance with the prescribed meeting schedule.

Deliver effective instruction:

1. 1. Assume primary responsibility for and exercise oversight of the curriculum in conjunction with the Board of Trustees’ policies, ensuring program rigor and quality instruction.
   2. Consider individual student differences to design and support a range of appropriate learning activities.
   3. Use technology appropriate to the nature and objectives of courses and programs and communicate clearly to students expectations concerning the use of such technology.
   4. Use a variety of techniques to assess student learning as applicable by academic discipline and specific course.
   5. Integrate concrete, real-life situations into learning experiences as appropriate to encourage critical thinking, interdisciplinary skills, and teamwork.
   6. Employ methods that develop student understanding of discipline-specific thinking, practices, and procedures, and, where applicable, interdisciplinary applications, to create academic literacy. 

Assess student learning:

1. 1. Collaborate within individual departments in building and continuously improving measurable learning outcomes to include the THECB core curriculum and additional institutional objectives.
   2. Design course assessments that measure or demonstrate student growth, as needed.
   3. Align assessment with learning opportunities. 

Promote continual improvement as part of the cycle of teaching and learning:

1. 1. Assist with development and revision of curriculum and instructional materials as required by their department.
   2. Use department-designated learning outcomes to plan, develop, and document the effectiveness of teaching activities.
   3. Complete all mandatory performance evaluation measures and required training within specified time limits, e.g., Title IX training.
   4. Share best practices with colleagues in formal or informal settings.
   5. Participate in professional development activities as required by the College.
   6. Support the student course evaluation processes.
   7. Evaluate teaching and assessment practices to continue improving them. 

Support learning through student engagement:

1. 1. Create a positive classroom atmosphere that encourages active and collaborative learning, student effort, academic challenge, student and faculty interaction, and support for learners.
   2. Be available to students before and after class, as appropriate.
   3. Use technology to assist in communication with students.
   4. Encourage a sense of community among students for learning both inside and outside the classroom. 

Adjunct Faculty are encouraged to participate in the following:

Student advisement:

1. 1. Help students develop academic habits for college success by reinforcing the Student Success Policy and Procedures and the Student Responsibility for Success Policy.
   2. Advise students about program and career options. When appropriate, refer students to sources who can provide transfer information so they can make informed academic decisions leading to degree or certificate completion.
   3. Make students aware of and refer them to the appropriate student and academic support services available at their colleges or elsewhere in the district.

Pursue professional development:

1. 1. Stay current in academic fields, e.g., by belonging to professional organizations, reading discipline-specific journals, studying pedagogy, attending conferences, or making presentations.
   2. Engage in professional education which enhances both disciplinary and pedagogical/andragogical knowledge, e.g., by taking graduate courses or internal classes offered through college or district professional development organizations.

Participate collegially in department, college, cross-college, discipline-specific, district, and community service activities:

1. 1. Serve on and play an active role in department and college committees.
   2. Participate in service through in discipline-related organizations or community activities.
   3. Assist in policy development and other governance matters within one’s discipline and department.
   4. Participate in the selection of appropriate materials to support academic departments’ course curriculum in accordance with the Alamo Colleges District’s Guidelines for Selection of Instructional Materials.

And other duties as assigned. 

Resources