3.5.6 - Faculty Qualifications

Last updated on June 4, 2026

POLICY:  Spoon River College (the College) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of instructional quality by ensuring that all faculty are appropriately qualified for the courses and programs they teach. This Policy establishes the minimum qualifications for all faculty teaching credit-bearing courses to ensure academic quality, instructional integrity, and compliance with standards of the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). It supports appropriate faculty expertise in curriculum delivery and student learning outcomes.

SCOPE:

This policy applies to all instructional personnel teaching courses for academic credit, including:

• Full-time Faculty, both tenure-track and tenured faculty
• Part-time Faculty, including dual credit instructors

DEFINITIONS:

Faculty: Individuals responsible for planning, delivering, and assessing academic instruction.

Academic Discipline: A recognized field for study with established content knowledge and scholarly approaches.

Appropriate Credentials: Academic degrees, professional certifications, or alternative experience deemed acceptable for instructional effectiveness within a discipline

DETAILS:

1. Transfer and General Education Courses (PCS 1.1)
   Faculty assigned to teach transfer or general education courses must meet ONE of the following:
   • Hold a master’s degree or higher in the discipline or recognized subfield in which they teach; OR
   • Hold a master’s degree or higher in any discipline and have completed a minimum of eighteen (18) graduate credit hours in the specific discipline or subfield in which they will teach.

   Graduate credit hours must be directly relevant to the course content. The Chief Academic Officer (CAO), in consultation with the appropriate dean, shall determine the relevance of coursework that falls outside traditional disciplinary boundaries.

2. Career and Technical Education (PCS 1.2)
   Faculty assigned to teach CTE courses must demonstrate ALL the following:
   • Hold the appropriate industry-recognized credential, license, or certification for the specific field (e.g., AWS certification for Welding; NCLEX eligibility for Nursing; CompTIA for IT); AND
   • Possess a minimum of 2,000 documented hours of paid occupational work experience (not including teaching hours) in the field in which they will instruct.

   Documentation of work experience must be provided in writing by the candidate and verified by the hiring department prior to appointment. The College’s Human Resources office shall maintain records of such verification. Program accreditation bodies may impose additional credential requirements, which shall also apply.

3. Developmental Education (PCS 1.4)
   Faculty assigned to teach remedial or developmental education courses must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree is strongly preferred. Faculty in this category are encouraged to pursue professional development in adult developmental education pedagogy.
4. Dual Credit Instructors: The College offers dual credit courses consistent with the Illinois Dual Credit Quality Act (110 ILCS 27/) and ICCB Administrative Rule §1501.507. Dual credit instructors, whether employed directly by the College or by a partnering secondary institution, must meet the same credential requirements as on-campus faculty teaching the equivalent course:
   • Transfer/General Education Dual Credit: Master’s degree in the discipline, or master’s degree in any field, plus 18 graduate credit hours in the teaching discipline.
   • CTE Dual Credit: Appropriate field credential plus 2,000 documented hours of occupational work experience.

   All dual credit instructors must be selected, employed, and evaluated by the College. Secondary school teachers serving as dual credit instructors are subject to this Policy and must submit documentation of their credentials to the College prior to assignment. The College shall monitor and review dual credit instructor qualifications as part of its regular program review processes.

5. Online and Hybrid Instruction: Faculty teaching online or hybrid courses must meet the same minimum credential requirements as those teaching equivalent in-person sections. In addition, online and hybrid instructors must complete the College’s New Faculty Academy Course prior to or within their first semester of online teaching, unless an equivalent prior training is documented and approved by the CAO.

PROCEDURES:

1. Pre-Employment Credential Review
   Prior to any faculty appointment, Human Resources shall:
   • Collect official or unofficial transcripts; official transcripts must be received no later than prior to the start of the first academic term of employment.
   • Collect documentation of relevant credentials, licenses, certifications, and occupational experience as applicable to the instructional category and discipline.
   • Evaluate credentials against the minimum qualification standards outlined in this policy.
   • Forward approval forms to the appropriate Dean and the Chief Academic Officer.

   No individual may be assigned as instructor of record for a credit course until a determination that they meet the applicable minimum qualifications has been completed and documented in the employee’s personnel file.

2. Faculty Qualifications File
   The College shall maintain a Faculty Qualifications File (FQF) for every individual who serves as an instructor of record.  The FQF shall contain:
   • Official transcripts
   • Relevant licensure, certification, and credential documentation
   • Occupational work experience verification, if applicable
   • Documentation of any tested experience determination
   • New Faculty Academy Course completion record (faculty hired on or after 7/1/26).
   • Periodic review and reconfirmation record.

   The FQF shall be maintained by Human Resources and made available for review by authorized parties.

3. Ongoing Review
   In coordination with the Chief Academic Officer, the Human Resources Office shall conduct a systematic review of faculty credentials no less than once every five years, coinciding with HLC comprehensive evaluations and ICCB recognition cycles. As part of the review:
   • Human Resources shall audit all current FQFs to ensure completeness and currency.
   • Any deficiencies shall be reported to the appropriate Dean and the Chief Academic Officer and remediated through a documented compliance plan.