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Adjunct Orientation and Resources

  

Welcome to USI
Working with Your Administrative Assistant
Information and Guidance

All adjunct faculty will receive a contract as verification of employment and to facilitate compensation.  Please follow contract process below:

  • You will receive an electronic PDF of your contract from the Sr. Administrative Associate 2-4 weeks before the first week of the semester via your USI email address. Please make sure you are checking this account regularly as you will receive all important information from the University through this account.
  • Review your contract for accuracy: pay rate, courses being taught, pay dates, etc.
  • If your contract is accurate, please sign (can be with an electronic signature) and return to the Sr. Administrative Associate as soon as possible.
  • If corrections are needed, please email or call the Sr. Administrative Associate to discuss necessary changes so that they can be corrected in a timely manner.
  • All contracts need to be signed and returned before the first day of classes begin.

The contract process is facilitated by Senior Administrative Associate:     

Julie Minnette
812-464-1735

An overview of faculty policies and guidance issues for the academic year including syllabus statements is available on the Provost web page.

Many new faculty are surprised by the number of students who experience a crisis during their educational experience. There are a range of support options on campus to help students navigate personal challenges. For many mental health challenges, your first referral will be to the office of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Students can seek assistance at CAPS for a variety of reasons. On their website is an overview of the services, including the different options available for counseling and the 24/7 support options. When faced with a student in a pressing crisis, you are encouraged to walk that student to the center for immediate assistance. Students who need after-hours assistance can access it through a range of providers found on the website.  See “24/7 Support Options”

In some situations, students in your classes may need additional assistance outside of the classroom.  The University provides several resources for students, and it may also be helpful for you to be aware of these resources. You may refer students directly to these resources (e.g., include them on your Blackboard or syllabus, or send them to a student in an email) or, in some cases, you may complete a referral yourself when you have a concern about a student. Both CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) and DOSO (Dean of Students Office) offer resources and support related to student well-being. There are also academic services available to students to support their success.

The Dean of Students Office's (DOSO) website provides links and information for students related to student conduct, academic integrity, Title IX, and other safety and wellness resources. The Forms & Additional Resources page provides links for students.

Two forms that are especially helpful for faculty are the CARE Team and Financial Care Team referral forms. This is a way for faculty to report concerns about students (academic, emotional/mental, and/or financial) in order to bring this student and their situation to the attention of the DOSO. Each form is processed by the DOSO and students are contacted to see if support services may be needed. Appropriate referrals and follow-ups are completed.

Some students may need assistance from Disability Resources or classroom accommodations. Students requesting accommodations in classroom activities should be referred to Disability Resources for evaluation.  Students who qualify for accommodation will be provided a form to give to you which clarifies what accommodations are appropriate. Disability Resources and the staff linked on their website and are available to consultation on issues related to teaching and appropriate accommodations and support.

Academic support is also a common need of our students. There are many places on campus that can assist students with writing, studying, tutoring, and a host of other academic support issues. The following links will be helpful to students and could be included in a syllabus or Blackboard site.

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) serves to support the success of all faculty and staff contributing directly to the academic mission of USI.  CETL provides holistic faculty and educational development by supporting each individual's meaningful impact on student learning and success, teaching excellence, scholarly contributions, service to the USI community, and inclusive leadership. Most CETL programs are open to all full and part-time faculty.

Faculty wishing to develop further skills in teaching online should consider participating in the free Learning to Teach Online program. Learning to Teach Online (LTO) is a free, self-paced online course in Blackboard designed to provide resources necessary to successfully teach an online course. The focus is on the delivery of an online course, not the design. The course is open to USI faculty and USI administrative employees. Meeting with an Instructional Designer to address questions that arise or seek assistance is provided throughout the course. The LTO is comprised of 4 modules that include:

  • Introduction
  • Best Practices
  • Analytics
  • Next Steps

The Self-Paced Online Course Development Program (OCDP) is a professional development program intended to support faculty in the design and development of quality online courses.  The program is entirely online in Blackboard and is open to USI faculty and USI administrative employees.  Throughout the online course an assigned Instructional Designer will be available for consultations to answer questions, look over the required deliverables, and brainstorm different ideas.  The Self-Paced OCDP has 10 modules that include:

  • Introduction
  • Start with the End in Mind
  • Design your Curriculum Blueprint
  • Creating the Course Syllabus and Calendar
  • Instructional Technologies
  • Learner Interactions
  • Integrating Learning Objectives
  • Assignment Descriptions and Rubrics
  • Library Resources
  • Best Practices in Online Teaching
  • The developed courses will be evaluated using the Quality Matters (QM) 6th edition rubric.

Resources for teaching online and request forms can be found at the Online Learning Faculty Resources Page.

Have further questions? Contact Online Learning: email or call (812) 228-5124 to schedule a consultation.

Faculty are required to submit grades three times per semester. Be sure to assign a graded assignment during the first 3 weeks so that students may be provided early alert feedback based on their performance during the first 3 and 6 week periods. Final grades are due after the final exam period.

Faculty Instructions for Submitting Grades are available on the Registrar's web page.

All full and part time faculty participate in the course perception survey process.  Course Perception Surveys (CPS) are surveys of student opinions of their instructors and courses which are intended to help faculty members improve their teaching. They will be administered online by the university during the last week of the semester before finals. Information about course perception surveys, their use and how to access your results can be found here.