MI Faculty Handbook

7/29/2019 MI Faculty Handbook

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1 STATEMENT ON REVISION 3

2 INTRODUCTION 4

3 MISSION OF THE COLLEGE 6

4 APPROVAL, ACCREDITATION AND GOVERNING BODIES 7

5 COLLEGE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 9

6 MIS ACADEMIC CALENDAR 15

7 OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND REPORTING STRUCTURE (ORGCHART) 16

8 HIERARCHY/REPORTING STRUCTURE 17

9 PROGRAMS OFFERED AT MUSICIANS INSTITUTE 18

10 MISSION STATEMENT: ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 20

11 ETHICAL COMMITMENT AND CODE OF CONDUCT 21

12 SCHEDULING, SUBS, AND CANCELLATIONS 26

13 ATTENDANCE, GRADING, ABSENCES, TESTING & RE-TESTING 32

14 PRIVATE LESSONS (PLS) 45

15 AREAS OF FACULTY PERFORMANCE AND ASSESSMENT 53

16 FACULTY EVALUATION PROCESS 54

POLICIES, REGULATIONS AND REFERENCE DOCUMENTS 73

ACADEMIC FREEDOM POLICY...............................................................73ACADEMIC HONESTY/PLAGIARISM.........................................................74

CLASS SCHEDULING, DURATIONAND BREAKS POLICY.................................76COURSE DOCUMENT RETENTION POLICY.................................................79FACULTYADVISORYPOLICY.................................................................81FACULTYCONTINUING EDUCATION/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY........84FACULTYQUALIFICATIONS POLICY.........................................................87STATEMENTONTHE AWARDINGOF HONORARYDEGREES.............................89STATEMENTON CONTRACTINGFOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES.........................89STATEMENTONTHE USEOF CELL PHONES/PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICESINTHE

OAA Policy 2013 Musicians Institute all rights reserved | Page 1 of 126

Musicians InstituteCollege of Contemporary Music

Faculty Handbook


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1 Statement on Revision

The purpose of this FACULTY HANDBOOK is to provide a source ofinformation on the general organization of the College, institutional

policies, expectations of faculty and staff, and the procedures andpractices ensuring the proper functioning of Musicians Institute.

It is important to note that new information and policies (be theyexternal or internal) may take precedence, require modification toand/or eliminate need for existing policies. While MI faculty andadministration are consulted on the content of this HANDBOOK,adaptations and revisions hereto may only be made by or at thebehest of Musicians Institute senior management.

This HANDBOOK contains solely reference information regarding the

functions of Musicians Institute; it is neither a contract nor a legaldocument.



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2 Introduction

2.1 A Letter to the Faculty from the Vice President ofAcademic Affairs

Dear Faculty,

Welcome to the Musicians Institute Faculty Handbook. This documentis designed to inform you of faculty-facing aspects of the College notcontained within the Employee Handbook. That is not to say that someelements thereof have not been represented here (they have been,where the context requires such); moreover, this document is tailoredto focus on the faculty and their function within the College as a whole.

In my role as Vice President of Academic Affairs, I act as the CollegesChief Academic Officer (a Provost in a more traditional setting).Thereinwith the much-welcomed input of my counterpart, the VicePresident of Instruction and Curricular Developmentit is my duty tostrive to enable faculty to facilitate student learning wherever itoccurs: both inside and outside of the classroom environment,verbally, via practical execution, on paper and in the digital domain.To facilitate this goal, the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) hasundergone a ground-up re-envisioning process. Therein, considerationhas been paid not only to the modes of instructional delivery (learning

management systems [LMS], device-agnostic digital curricular access,the exploration of learning analytics, etc.), but also to the pedagogicalmethodologies behind them (flipping the classroom, multi-modalengagement strategies, moving toward higher orders of BloomsRevised Taxonomy, etc.)MIs meme, if you will.

In addition to the academic systems affected by the above-mentionedre-envisioning process, a number of administrative systems of processwithin the ward of the OAA have also been, or are in the process ofbeing, revised. This includes a complete reworking of the facultyevaluation process (including a faculty-facing rubric for such), the

creation and publishing of much-needed policies (such as theAcademic Freedom policy), the creation of a College-providedContinuing Education / Professional Development system, and arestructuring of the Performance-Based Dispersal of Profit Share Fundssystem (in order to be congruous with faculty-level performanceaspects).

The OAA thanks the Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC) and the faculty



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as a whole for their assistance to date with the above-mentionedinitiatives. Moving forward, I ask for your patience, input andcontinued support in the refinement thereof and also in relation to theongoing development of additional faculty-facing academic andadministrative systems of process. Establishing these core and vital

systems is paramount for governance, teaching excellence, a positivestudent experience and academic rigor.

Should you wish to take an active role in shaping the academic anddevelopmental governance of the institution, I would urge you toconsider presenting yourself to your peers as a candidate for the FAC.This body, brought into being by the august stewardship of the Dean ofCompliance, provides Senior Academic Management with facultyfeedback on existing and proposed academic initiatives, via directlycanvassing their peers in representation of all disciplines offered bythe College. Please contact the Office of Academic Affairs for more

information thereon.

In closing, as the co-supervisor of the Colleges Chairs and Deans, Istrive to be an advocate not only for all faculty, but also for thedisciplines that you represent: MIs lifeblood. A core tenet of thefunction of my position is to ensure and enable your pursuit of high-quality teaching and pedagogical validity. And thus, in collaborationwith the entire academic staff of the College (Faculty, Supervisors,Chairs and Deans), it is my role to assist in realizing this goal bystriving to aid in aligning the Colleges academic vision (as detailed inthe Academic Mission Statement) with its greater mission and goals,

and long-term strategic planning.

The OAA and I thank you kindly for your support in pursuit of theabove. I look forward to working together in the attainment of thiscommon goal and MIs ongoing pursuit of academic excellence.

Jon ClaydenVice President of Academic Affairs



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3 Mission of the College

Constantly striving to be the vanguard of instructional techniques andtechnologies, Musicians Institutes core mission is to provide a

comprehensive, innovative and artistic education in contemporarymusic. By blending its unique educational philosophy with world-classtalent in a supportive environment, MI aspires to foster creativity,individuality, excellence and an entrepreneurial mindset, in order toprepare students for successful, contributive and varied careers inmusic and its associated industries.



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4 Approval, Accreditation and Governing Bodies

Musicians Institute is a private institution that is approved to operate inthe State of California by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary

Education. Such approval to operate means compliance with statestandards as set forth in the Ed. Code. MI has been an accreditedinstitutional member of the National Association of Schools of Musicsince 1981. The National Association of Schools of Music is recognizedby the United States Department of Education (USDE).

4.1 United States Department of Education (USDOE)

Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)The Department of Educations mission is to promote student

achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fosteringeducational excellence and ensuring equal access. USDOE isresponsible for establishing policies on federal financial aid foreducation, and distributing as well as monitoring those funds;collecting data on America's schools and disseminating research;focusing national attention on key educational issues; and prohibitingdiscrimination and ensuring equal access to education.

Musicians Institute is required by the Laws of the United States ofAmerica to adhere to and apply any and all rules, mandates, policiesand protocols as directed by USDOE/OPE and its governing arms.

REF: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/index.html

4.2 Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE)

The Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education is responsible forenforcing the statutes and rules relating to private postsecondaryeducation in California. In this capacity, the BPPE is charged withlicensing and regulating persons and organizations operatingvocational programs and granting degrees within the State ofCalifornia. Private postsecondary schools operating in California comeunder the jurisdiction of the Bureau for Private PostsecondaryEducation and are subject to the requirements of the PrivatePostsecondary Education Act of 2009.

Musicians Institute is required by California law to adhere to and applyany and all rules, mandates, policies and protocols as directed byBPPE.

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/index.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/index.html


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REF: http://www.bppe.ca.gov

4.3 National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)

NASM, founded in 1924, is an organization of schools, conservatories,colleges and universities with approximately 644 accreditedinstitutional members. It establishes national standards forundergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials. NASM isthe institutional accreditor for Musicians Institute. Through thisaccreditation, Musicians Institute is approved to offer educationalprograms in the United States and within the State of California.

As a member of NASM, Musicians Institute is required to adhere to andapply any and all rules, procedures, standards and processes in order

to remain accredited and approved to offer such educational programs.

REF: http://nasm.arts-accredit.org

http://www.bppe.ca.gov/http://nasm.arts-accredit.org/http://www.bppe.ca.gov/http://nasm.arts-accredit.org/


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5 College Organizational Structure

5.1 Ownership

As a for-profit, privately held institution, responsibility for thegovernance of Musicians Institute is solely vested in Ownership.Ownership at MI holds ward over the functions commonly executed bya Board of Governors at a traditional university, without fixed term orappointment. Members of the sub-structure of governance (hereinafterdetailed) are appointed by Ownership (also without fixed term) andthus serve at Ownerships behest.

5.2 Executive Management

5.2.1The Executive Vice President (EVP)Ownership appoints the Executive Vice President of the College. TheExecutive Vice Presidentholding ward over the functions commonlyexecuted by a Campus President in a more traditional settingreportsdirectly to Ownership. The Executive Vice President is charged withcarrying out Ownerships directives, while providing leadership to theColleges business, technical, support, administrative and academicstakeholders. Within guidelines established by Ownership, theExecutive Vice President has purview over all day-to-dayadministrative and operational functions of the College.

5.2.2The Executive Vice Presidents Council (EVPC)

The Executive Vice Presidents Council is the Executive Vice Presidentsadvisory group. Members of the Executive Vice Presidents Councilhave overall responsibility for managing and monitoring Collegeprojects relative to their unit, and also for sharing information aboutdevelopments in relation thereto. The Executive Vice PresidentsCouncil includes senior members of the Colleges business, technical,support, administrative, and academic functions. Its function is to keep

its members abreast of initiatives and activities, and to participate indiscussions of policy and direction in relation to the aforementionedorganizational functions.

5.2.3The Hiring CommitteeThe Hiring Committee features Members of Executive Managementand the Executive Vice Presidents Council. Its function is to ensure



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that employment candidates of a certain level possess the requisiteskills and experience for their roles, in addition to being an appropriateambassador for the College. Hiring Committee members are appointedby and report directly to the Executive Vice President.

5.3 Senior Academic Management (SAM)

5.3.1The Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA)The Vice President of Academic Affairs is appointed by and reportsdirectly to the Executive Vice President. The Vice President ofAcademic Affairs functions as the chief academic officer of the Collegeand is responsible for all educational matters pertaining thereto. Thisincludes the development of, planning for and adherence to themission statement of the Office of Academic Affairs, and its alignmentwith the Colleges greater mission in the pursuit of academicexcellence

5.3.2The Vice President of Instruction and CurricularDevelopment (VPICD)

The Vice President of Instruction and Curricular Development isappointed by and reports directly to the Executive Vice President. Inline with the Colleges greater mission and the specifics of the MissionStatement of the Office of Academic Affairs, the Vice President ofInstruction and Curricular Development holds ward over the Collegesinstructional design, content and delivery. The Vice President ofInstruction and Curricular Development executes the function of thisrole in a manner that promotes the highest levels of student-facing

instructional excellence.

5.4 Academic Management

5.4.1The Council of Chairs (COC)The Council of Chairs is Senior Academic Managements advisorygroup. Members of this group have overall responsibility for the day-to-day administration of respective schools and programs and forsharing information about all aspects thereof. The Council of Chairs is

comprised of all academic chairs and deans, representing theacademic offerings of all schools and disciplines. Its function is to keepits members informed about initiatives and activities, and toparticipate in discussions of academic policy and direction.

5.4.2Administrative DeansAdministrative Deans are appointed by and report directly to SeniorAcademic Management. These deans, such as the Dean of



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Compliance, are responsible for all aspects of their assigned areas ofspecificity in relation to the functions of the Office of Academic Affairsand the operation of the College in relation thereto. Their functionsare not based on the day-to-day logistics of academic offeringmanagement; moreover, their roles are tied to the stewardship of

overarching areas of administration and compliance for all offerings.

5.4.3Academic Deans and ChairsAcademic deans and chairs are appointed by and report directly toSenior Academic Management. Academic deans and chairs areresponsible for the day-to-day logistical functionality and academicrigor of the offerings over which they hold ward, including all studentsand personal thereunder. This is achieved via adherence to themission statement of the Office of Academic Affairs.

5.5 The Faculty

5.5.1The Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC)The Faculty Advisory Committee is Senior Academic Managementsfaculty-driven advisory group. Members of the Faculty AdvisoryCommittee are charged with giving inputin part via canvas of theirpeersin relation to initiatives that affect faculty from all schools andprograms. The Faculty Advisory Committee is comprised of one facultymember representing each of the academic disciplines offered. Itsfunction is to participate in discussions and provide faculty input on

faculty-facing policies, systems and initiatives. Committee membersare elected by their peers on an annual basis and serve a term limitedto one year. Although subsequent reelection is permitted, it is notallowed within a period of three years.

5.5.2The General FacultyFaculty is appointed by and report directly to academic Deans andChairs. The General Faculty participates in governance at the Collegelevel via delegation to the Faculty Advisory Committee of theresponsibility for input in relation to faculty-facing issues at the

programmatic level. All eligible faculty may be elected to the FacultyAdvisory Committee, pursuant to the terms set forth in the FacultyAdvisory Committee eligibility policy.

Faculty is required to meet at the programmatic level on a quarterlybasis. Meetings are scheduled and chaired by the academic dean orchair of the relevant discipline. Additional meetings may be scheduledat the deans, chairs, or Senior Academic Managements discretion.



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5.5.2.1 Definition of Full-Time-FacultyThe College defines Full-Time Faculty as those faculty membersscheduled for 15 hours (or more) of teaching per week within anygiven quarter. For Full-Time status to be maintained, faculty membersmust maintain a scheduled teaching schedule of at least 15 hours perweek. Those faculty members electing to undertake TA hours (despitetheir instructor status) will not receive teaching credit for such. Full-Time Faculty may transition Part-Time or Substitute Faculty Statusvoluntarily via request to their respective chair, or involuntarily at thechair's discretion.

5.5.2.2 Definition of Part-Time FacultyThe College defines Part-Time Faculty as those faculty membersscheduled for 14 hours (or less) of teaching per week within any givenquarter. For Part-Time status to be maintained, faculty members must

maintain a scheduled teaching schedule of 14 hours (or less) per week.Those faculty electing to undertake TA hours (despite their instructorstatus) will not receive teaching credit for such. Part-Time Faculty maytransition to Full-Time status via the assignment of 15 or moreteaching hours per week. Alternatively, Part-Time Faculty maytransition to Substitute Faculty Status voluntarily via request to theirrespective chair, or involuntarily at the chair's discretion.

5.5.2.3 Definition of Substitute FacultyThe College defines Substitute Faculty as those faculty members not

scheduled for any hours of teaching per week within any given quarter;but that are actively listed in the Sub Pool of any given discipline.Substitute Faculty status is maintained at the request of the facultymember and the behest of the respective chair. At the respectivechair's discretion, substitute Faculty may transition to Part- or Full-Timestatus via the assignment of the requisite quotient of teaching hours toattain the respective status.

5.5.2.4 Definition of Lab Technician/AssistantThe College defines Lab Technicians/Assistants (Lab Techs/LAs) as

academic employees that assist instructors with thetechnological/equipment-based aspects of their instructional duties.These employees are often assigned to specificequipment/systems/spaces, or groups of students in use thereof. LabTech/LA status is maintained at the behest of the respective chair.



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5.5.2.5 Definition of Teaching AssistantThe College defines Teaching Assistants (TAs) as academic employeesthat assist instructors with their instructional responsibilities. (Byproxy of MIs academic offerings, all TAs would be consideredundergraduate TAs [UTAs] in a more traditional setting.) Based on the

type of TA, TA status is maintained at the behest of the TA SchedulingSupervisor, and/or the respective chair.

5.6 Unit Divisions

5.6.1Schools

The schools of the College are granted approval by the Executive VicePresident, established and overseen by Senior Academic Management,and logistically managed by discipline-respective academic deans andchairs. Schools house faculties and programs representing similar

educational interests/types of program. The College is divided into thefollowing schools:

School of Performance Studies

School of Industry Studies

Schools are additionally subdivided into Academic Programs.

5.6.2Academic ProgramsMuch as the College is subdivided, for administrative purposes, intoschools that reflect general disciplinary or programmatic similarities,its Schools are further subdivided into Academic Programs. TheProgram is the local unit of academic organization for faculty (andstudents). Programs are established to deliver like courses ofinstruction in particular fields of knowledge. As such, they areorganized by subject area (or at the very least, as is the case at MI, byprogram type).

5.6.2.1 CoursesThe course is the quarterly unit of instruction in any given subject area.

Pursuant to its quarterly system, the College provides for the followingwithin each course:

10 weeks of instruction (Weeks 1-10)

1 week of testing (Week 11)



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5.6.2.2 Course SectionsIn order to ensure academic rigor and a positive student experience,the College imposes maximum enrollment capacities on all courses. Inorder to ensure that the College provides sufficient capacity for allstudents in need of undertaking any given course, sufficient sections of

the same course are scheduled as necessary to accommodate suchneed.

Under the direction of the Vice President of Instruction and CurricularDevelopment, cross-sectional congruity is maintained via the provisionof universal course materials and through the employ of standardinstructional delivery practices.

5.6.2.3 ClassesThe class is the smallest unit of instruction at the College. A class

represents one sitting of one course and one unit of curricular material.Classes range from 1-4 hours and can occur on any day of the weekduring Weeks 1-10 of any given quarter.

Below is a classification of the courses offered at Musicians Institute.

Lecture: an instructor classroom presentation; students take notes orrefer to curriculum; students are expected to study or practice materialoutside of class.

Lab: a required, instructor-supervised class attached to a lecture class

in which students apply information learned in the lecture.

Ensemble: a performance class with one or more students rehearsingand/or performing under instructor supervision (examples include mostLPWs, Fusion Ensemble)

Workshop: practical application of non-performing skills underinstructor supervision (examples include Songwriters Lab, RelaxationWorkshop).

Project: a final performance, paper, recording or other presentation

requiring ongoing development outside of class with an instructoracting as advisor. Project hours are accumulated over an entire quarterand combine advisor contact, project development and presentation(examples include Degree Jury, IAP Recording Project).



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6 MIs Academic Calendar

The College runs on four 13-week cycles:

10 weeks of classes 1 week of finals and testing

2 weeks of break

(13 weeks in total)

Fall Quarter: Fall Quarter is the largest enrolment period andgenerally commences on the first Monday of October in any year,concluding on the Friday of the 11th proceeding week (a/k/a FinalsWeek).

Spring Quarter: Spring Quarter is the third quarter of the MIacademic year and is the second largest enrolment period. SpringQuarter generally commences on the first Monday of April in any year,concluding on the Friday of the 11th proceeding week (a/k/a FinalsWeek).

Winter and Summer Quarters: Winter and Summer Quarters arethe second and fourth quarter (respectively) in the MI academic year.These quarters follow the same progression as Fall and Spring.



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7 Office of Academic Affairs and Reporting Structure (OrgChart)



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8 Hierarchy/Reporting Structure

Musicians Institute operates under a clearly defined system ofincremental hierarchy. In order for this system to function effectively to

the benefit of all stakeholders, faculty should follow the guidelinesbelow:

Faculty should follow all college policies at all timesirrespectiveof their personal opinion as to the validity of such. Further,faculty should promulgate such policies to the student body asrequired. Additional detail on employee-based policies can befound herein and in the MI Employee Handbook.

To maintain academic rigor and a uniform student-facingpedagogy, faculty is required to teach using the core elements,techniques and curricular materials as set forth by the chair of the

respective discipline. Questions or concerns relating to thealteration for such should be directed to the respective chair.

Faculty should not speak negatively of other faculty (or theirinstructional delivery) in front of students. Should you haveissue with another faculty members teaching (or evidence thatthey are not adhering to established MI curricula), please contactyour chair in regard to such. He or she will deal with the issue(s)in the appropriate manner, as/if necessary.

Unless specifically instructed to do so, faculty should notcommunicate directly with supervisors, other than their own, in

relation to out-of-department issues. The correct path is thatsuch issues should first be brought to the attention of the chair ofthe faculty member of has issues home program/discipline.The chair will, in turn, communicate with the respectivesupervisor as appropriate. Alternatively, the chair, at his/herdiscretion, may authorize the faculty member or a furtherdesignee to do so. This path is designed to reduce friction pointsbetween departments, shield faculty from unwarranteddisciplinary action, ensure that department leaders are fullyaware of all issues within their ward and that matters are dealtwith correctly and efficiently.



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9 Programs Offered at Musicians Institute

9.1 BACCALAUREATE

9.1.1Bachelor of Music in Performance (Contemporary Styles)Bass, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards, VocalsAdditional minor studies: Audio Production, Music Industry Studies

9.1.2Bachelor of Music in Composition

9.2 ASSOCIATE

9.2.1Associate of Arts in PerformanceBass, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals

9.2.2Associate of Arts in Performance with EmphasisAudio Engineering, Independent Artist Development, Music Business,Guitar Craft, Music Video, Film and TV Production

9.3 CERTIFICATE

9.3.1Certificate in PerformanceBass, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals

9.3.2Certificate (Industry)Independent Artist Development, Audio Engineering, Audio Engineering(Post-Production Audio), Audio Engineering (Live Sound Production),Guitar Craft, Guitar Craft (Acoustic Guitar Design), Music Business,Music Business (Music Entrepreneur), Music Video, Film and TVProduction

9.4 NON-CERTIFICATE

9.4.1Encore ProgramBass, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals



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9.4.2Encore ExpressAbbreviated Encore program offering either a 5-week, full-timeprogram (15 units) or a 10-week, part-time program (7 units)

9.4.3MI ExtensionAvocational courses and programs related to contemporary popularmusic

9.4.4Summer ShotBass, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Recording, Songwriting, GuitarBuilding



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10 Mission Statement: Academic Affairs

The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) is comprised of allacademic administrative and instructional units at the College. This

includes: the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Vice Presidentof Instruction and Curricular Development, the Dean of Complianceand Assessment, the Dean of Baccalaureate Studies, the School ofPerformance Studies, the School of Industry Studies, the Council ofChairs, the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of The Registrar, theOffice of Career Development the Library, and the SchedulingDepartment.

The primary function of the OAA is to support the pursuit andachievement of the academic aspects of the Colleges main missionand goals. This is achieved through striving to offer engaging,

contemporary programs of academic excellence in an environmentthat is both contributive to learning and demographically and culturallydiverse. In this pursuit, the OAA attaches focus to engagement, multi-modal learning, technological advancement, pedagogical validity, andtransparent and equitable assessment and evaluation tools andpractices. These foci are married to the OAAs core values of teachingexcellence, integrity and respect, and its operating principles ofongoing self-assessment, research, development, collaboration andimprovement.

In addition to the foregoing, the OAA is cognizant of the need to remain

responsive to the changing landscape of the higher education sectorand the needs of its stakeholders. As such, the OAA endeavors to seekinput regularly from external bodies and partners, along with internalstakeholder committees and associations, such as the Executive VicePresidents Counsel (EVPC), the Council of Chairs (COC), the FacultyAdvisory Committee (FAC), and the Musicians Institute StudentAssociation (MISA).



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11 Ethical Commitment and Code of Conduct

11.1 Ethical Commitment

11.1.1 Commitment to Students

Faculty are expected to conduct all interactions and relations withstudents in an honest, fair and professional manner.

Students enrolled at Musicians Institute entrust administration and facultywith the provision of the highest quality teaching, mentorship and guidance.The sum total of all Musicians Institute endeavors is to serve each studentthus. It is the expectation of Musicians Institute that the conduct of everymember of the college community parallels this standard.

Faculty, in particular, is charged with the delivery of content, instruction andguidance to students in the most useful, supportive and academicallyrigorous manner possible. As such, faculty members are expected to remaincommitted to delivering on the foregoing, while also adhering to the highestprofessional and ethical standards.

Faculty commit to:

Nurturing and promoting students the pursuit of learning and

professionalism Exemplifying to students the highest standards of education and

professionalism

Demonstrating respect for and service to students as individuals

Acknowledging and respecting their role as educational/professionalguides and mentors

Fostering and championing academic honesty

Evaluating student performance accurately based and on merit and

substantiation

Avoiding any exploitation of studentseither real or perceivedtopersonal advantage

Treating all students, without discrimination, with dignity,professionalism and respect

Encouraging, mentoring and helping to develop the musical and



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professional growth of each student in alignment with the studentsgoals and the Mission of Musician Institute

Faculty shall refrain from:

Failing to perform the responsibilities of instruction, including:

Denyingwithout causeaccess to instruction, counseling and/orcourse materials

Allowing the intrusion into classes of material/content that is unrelatedto/divergent from the course

Failing to adhere, without approval or legitimate rationale, to class /lesson / counseling / examinations / other schedules

Evaluating student performance or work through criteria not directlyrelated to course performance (as stipulated in course materials)

Delay(s) in the evaluation of student work/performance

Discriminating against any student based on reasons of race, religion,sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability(demonstrated or perceived), political perspective, or for otherarbitrary or personal reasons

Participating in or allowing disruption, interference, or intimidation totake place in the classroom

Entering into personal relationships with students as defined in theNon-Fraternization Policy found in the MI Employee Handbook.

Breaching or otherwise compromising the privacy rights of students,specifically in relation to FERPA guidelines and mandates

11.1.2 Commitment to Colleagues and CollegeFaculty members at Musicians Institute are expected to maintain acollegial and professional attitude and to comport themselves withintegrity and respect in regard to fellow faculty members, schooladministration and staff, and colleagues in the profession.

MI Faculty members commit to:

Respecting and safeguarding, insofar as is appropriate, the reputationof colleagues and the college as a whole

Conducting all interactions and relations with fellow faculty members,school administrators and staff in an honest, fair and professionalmanner

http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd002.html#disabledhttp://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd002.html#disabled


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Respecting the personal privacy and integrity of colleagues--unlessotherwise required by law

Accurately disseminating and communicating the expectations andmandates of the college to colleagues insofar as is necessary/advisable

Refraining from making false or malicious statements aboutcolleagues.

Refraining from disclosing personal and/or sensitive information aboutcolleagues obtained in the course of professional service unless suchdisclosure is deemed prudent and in the best interest ofstudent/college as a whole.



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11.2 Code of Conduct

To ensure orderly operations and provide the best possible workenvironment, Musicians Institute (the College) expects facultymembers to follow rules of conduct that will protect the interests andsafety of all employees, students and the College:

For specific information regarding the Employee Code ofConduct, please refer to the MI Employee Handbook.

For specific information regarding the duties and rules related tothe specific program/discipline in which you teach, please referto the relevant Program-Specific Manual.

For specific information regarding the policies and rules listedbelow, please refer to the MI Employee Handbook.

Employment Policies and Practices

At-Will Employment

Equal Opportunity Employment

Work Schedules

Meal Periods and Rest Breaks

Payment of Wages

Overtime for Non-Exempt Employees Personnel Records

Employee References

Standards of Conduct

Prohibited Conduct

Corrective Action

Conflict of Interest

Non-Fraternization With Students Policy

Employment of Relatives/ Other Personal Relationships Photo, Video and Audio Recordings

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Punctuality and Attendance

Dress Code and Personal Standards

Confidentiality

News Media Contacts



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Employer Property

Uses of Electronic Media

Security/Workplace Violence

Cell Phones and Other Personal Electronic Devices

Social Networking

Smoking

Employee Benefits

Holidays

Instructor Personal Time Off

Bereavement Leave

Insurance and 401k Benefits

Tuition Assistance Program

Leaves of Absence

Instructor Professional Leave of Absence

Family and Medical Leave Policy (FMLA)

Pregnancy Disability Leave

Other Leaves of Absence



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12 Scheduling, Subs, and Cancellations

The quality of MI's programs depends on maintaining regular scheduleswhilst providing the best-qualified instructor to lead each class at all times.

Once faculty have accepted a teaching schedule, it is their responsibilityto adhere to that schedule to the very best of their ability.

12.1 Schedule Change Procedures

In the event that faculty cannot adhere to their regular schedule forany reason, it is their responsibility to request a change in theirschedule from the chair/supervisor. Faculty should please do so withas much advance notice as possible (it should be noted that a totalabsence of greater than two consecutive weeks is more than a

schedule change, being considered a Leave of Absenceplease referto MIs LOA Policy). The Chair will review faculty requests for aschedule change and must approve such before any change may bemade.

Although the chair/supervisor already has the ability to assign orremove instructors to and from courses at his/her discretion, if facultymiss one-third or more of any individual course in any single quarter,they will immediately be considered for removal from that coursebeit core or electivein the proceeding quarter. Although MIunderstands that real-world engagements are an element of the

landscape of industry-active faculty, the Colleges main responsibilitymust reside with the students that have entrusted us with theireducation. Research illustrates that is detrimental to the studentsacademic progress to be taught by what they perceive to beabsentee faculty, especially in core classes by full-time staff.

The procedure for requesting a schedule change is as follows:

In an Emergency Affecting a Class or Private Lesson.If you have an emergency (defined as a sudden, unforeseen,unavoidable event that prevents you from carrying out your

regularly scheduled duties), you should take the following steps:

i. Contact the Scheduling Department immediately:[email protected] / (323) 860-1111. Inform them ofexactly how your regular schedule will be affected and anyother relevant information that will help the SchedulingDepartment to post a cancellation sign, as needed.

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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ii. Contact your chair/supervisor immediately to confirm thechange to your schedule.

For A Schedule Change With Advance Notice:If you have advance knowledge of an upcoming schedulechange, please follow the Subbing Process outlined herein.Failure to do so may jeopardize the approval of yourrequest.

12.2 Substitute Instructors

Substitution (Subbing)Subbing is disruptive to student progress and, thus, should be onlyused in the event of emergency. Faculty may not sub out more thantwo consecutive weeks of any assigned course in any given quarter. Ifa longer period of time is required, a leave of absence (LOA) must bediscussed with Chair/Supervisor. Failure to adhere to this two-weekrule may result in temporary (or permanent) reassignment of theaffected course(s), with the potential for further disciplinary action,as/if appropriate.

12.3 Subbing ProcessFollow steps 1-6 (below) to source an approved substitute:

1. Chair pre-approval is mandatory if the proposed subbing occursduring any of the times listed below:

a. The courses scheduled mid-term exam (Week 5 or 6)

b. Week 1

c. Week 10

d. Week 11 (finals)

2. If the proposed subbing does not occur during any of the timeslisted above (or if the Chair/Supervisor has approved therequested), immediately contact the appropriate programsfaculty pool to determine sub availability. Do this by emailingthe program sub pool from the list below.



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b. If you are not available or do not wish to sub the class:Simply delete the email (replying all, stating that youwould not like to sub the class, is redundant).

4. Chairs/supervisors will approve any responding sub(s) that theydeem appropriate to teach the class via email. Chairs will notuse

the reply all function in such eventreplying only to thescheduled faculty member and the individual sub(s). NOTE:Chairs/supervisors may approve multiple subs for each instance ofsubbing. Such approval denotes that approved Instructorspossess the requisite skills to teach the course, not that they areconfirmed to teach that specific class. It is the instructor'sresponsibility to determine who will cover the class from thechair/supervisor-approved choices and notify both the chair andthe sub thereof.

5. Post-chair/supervisor approval, it is the faculty members

responsibility to prepare the sub and class. The sub should bebriefed in great detail on any relevant administrative procedures(grading/rubrics, etc.), provided with the proper roll book and befully prepped on the class level, pacing, curriculum, and anyother relevant details. If printed curriculum is used for the class,the faculty member should provide a copy for the sub as far inadvance as possible. NOTE: All faculty should ensure that theirroll books are available at all times in their respective FacultyLounge boxes for the sub (and Scheduling Department) to accessprior to the event.

6. For payroll purposes, it is the responsibility of both faculty

members (instructor and sub) to inform their respectivechair(s)/supervisor(s) of the class(es) that were actually subbed.Do this by sending an email (within any department-specificdeadlines) dedicated solely to the payroll aspects of the subbing(e.g. number of hours, department that the class lies under, namesof the subs, etc.). Failure to do so may cause a delay in payment(in relation to the Payroll Departments established twice-monthlypayroll schedule deadlines).

12.3.1 Unable to Source a Sub/Appealing a Denial

If a faculty member is unable to source a sub (or if the chair/supervisordeems that the proposed sub is not suitable for the specific instance ofsubbing), subbing requests may be denied. In such eventexcept inthe case of genuine emergencythe faculty member is required toteach the class as scheduled. Faculty may appeal such decisions bysending a formal email (stating the specifics of their case and therationale for the need to sub) to the respective chair/supervisor. This



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appeal will be reviewed and evaluated on its merits and a final decisionthereon will be rendered. Appeals of such nature do not release thefaculty member from his/her obligations until after a response isdelivered and only in such cases as the appeal is approved.

12.3.2 Double SubbingSometimes, the faculty-member-confirmed (and chair/supervisor-approved) sub is unable to fulfill his or her subbing responsibility. Insuch event, the responsibility of sourcing a new sub remains with thefaculty member that was originally seeking to sub out scheduledclasses (although it is good professional etiquette for the first sub toassist the faculty member in this process).

12.3.3 Sub EligibilityOnly active employees may be employed as substitute faculty. Activeemployees have successfully completed the hiring process and have

gone through hiring orientation and training. Non-active employeesmust first be hired (and successfully complete any course/program-specific and College-wide training programs) before being allowed tosub.

12.3.4 PaymentSubstitute faculty will be paid through Musicians Institute's normalpayroll system at their standard hourly teaching rate and not at thehourly rate of the originally scheduled faculty member.

12.3.5 ReschedulingIn certain RARE cases of genuine, verifiable emergency and lack ofavailable subs, the chair/supervisor may approve rescheduling a classor lesson in lieu of hiring a substitute. Faculty do not have theauthority to reschedule a class, lesson, or counseling session on theirown without prior approval from their chair/supervisor.

If the chair/supervisor approves a rescheduling, it is the facultymembers responsibility to confirm the day, time, and room availabilitywith the Scheduling Department. Once faculty have received advancepermission from the chair/supervisor to reschedule a class or lesson,the faculty members student(s) should be informed as far in advanceas possible of the change, and every effort must be made to find atime for rescheduling that will cause the least inconvenience tostudents.

It is important to note the following:

Private Lessons (PLs): may not be cancelled by facultytheymust be taught by a substitute instructor or rescheduled



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(rescheduling will occur only under the rare circumstancesdescribed above).

Open Counseling (OC): may not be rescheduled, if you areunable to hold a scheduled OC for any reason, it will be cancelledin your absence, not subbed or rescheduled.



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grades no later than 12:00PM on Monday of Week 12. Completed gradesheets should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

Grading System

All grading at MI is numerical. As such, faculty should only submitnumerical grades to Registrar.

Grading MethodDepartment-wide grading methodology should remain congruous toenable the Office of the Registrar and chairs/supervisors to review studentgrades. In light of the foregoing, faculty must ensure to use the followinggrading methods detailed herein at all times.

A students course grade is comprised of the specific combination ofcriteria detailed in the respective syllabus for the course. Faculty should

familiarize themselves with the syllabus/syllabi for the class(es) that theyhave been assigned to teach. An example of the grading of a typicalcourseas illustrated in its syllabusmight be as follows:

Grading terminology

Final Grade is the grade the student attains on his/her final exam/projectCourse Grade is the grade the student earns for the entire course basedupon his/her completion of performance criteria.

13.2.1 The 100-Point SystemWhen calculating grades, one should assign 100 points to each of thegrading criteria listed in the syllabus. In the example above (and the

matching grade sheet example on the following page), we have fourgrading criteria:

1. Attendance

2. Assignments

3. Mid-Term



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hand side of the sheet) contributes a maximum value of 10% towardsthe course grade. The faculty member has examined the coursesyllabus to determine this value, subsequently writing this maximumcontribution by hand above the Assignment column). The facultymember has marked that the student has received 73 out of a possible

100 points for his/her assignments. In light of this, the final score forassignments, when written as a percentage of the final course grade,would be 73% of 10% = 7.3% (this number was achieved bymultiplying 10 [representative of the maximum percentage of thisparticular grading criteria] by 0.73 [representative of the students 73out of 100 score in this area]).

Following the method above, one can determine what percentage ofeach of the students individual scores contributes towards the coursegradea grade that can be calculated by simply adding the individualgrading criteria percentages (Attendance/Test/Assignments/Final)

together.

13.2.2 Grading AttendanceUsing the 100-point system, each class (each sitting of each course),regardless of percentage assigned thereto in the syllabus, is either worth5 or 10 points per class (depending on whether it meets once or twiceweekly).

13.2.3 TardinessTardy (T) marks should be counted as 2/3 of the maximum attendancepoints apportioned to each individual class. Using the example above (inwhich each of the 10 classes over the quarter is worth 10 of themaximum 100-point attendance score), a student that has one Absentmark (-10 points) and one Tardy mark (-3 points) would receive a finalscore of 87 for attendance. Naturally, courses that meet twice weekly areonly worth 5-points (because there will be 20 classes instead of 10 in thequarter). As such, the penalty for tardiness should be 1.5 points per class.

By nature of Tardy makes only being worth 2/3 of a Present mark,three Tardy marks are the mathematical equivalent of one Absentmark (because 3 x 1/3 = 1).

13.2.4 Excused AbsencesIf a student has an Excused Absence, an email from the Registrar will besent to all affected faculty members. Faculty should cross-reference thedate and time on such an email with the classes/lessons taught with thestudent, marking an EA in the attendance column for any class(es) thatfall there-under.



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13.2.5 Dropped/Withdrawn studentsAttendance and grading records should be entered for all students on aroll sheetwhether or not they have been in attendance, are rumoredto have withdrawn, etc. The Registrar will be able to discern whichstudents should receive grades and which should not.

13.2.6 Rounding ScoresIf a students course grade ends in a decimal (i.e. 79.3%), the gradeshould be rounded as follows:

For decimals .05 and lower: round Down to the nearest integer For decimals .06 and higher: round UP to the nearest integer Course grades that are left with decimals, Registrar will follow the

above methodology to round the score accordingly.

13.2.7 Changing Grades

Faculty may not change grades by telephone or voice-mail. Acceptablemethods of changing grades, or updating incomplete grades are asfollows:

Filling out a Student Grade Change/Update Worksheet andfurnishing to Registrar Emailing the Registrars with all of the information requested on theabove-mentioned worksheet

13.2.8 Incomplete Grades/Retesting requests

Students requesting late testing for missed final exams due toemergencies or other unforeseen/unavoidable events, or for grades of I(Incomplete) must submit the proper form to the Student AffairsDepartment in advance whenever possible. A grade of Incomplete will beapproved only if the student is making satisfactory progress in the courseand due to unforeseen, justifiable, and documented reasons including butnot limited to: a personal emergency; an illness or a documented familyemergency leading to the final project or examination being incomplete.All incomplete course work must be made up before the end of the

second week of the following quarter unless an extension is granted dueto verifiable injury or illness. When course work is completed to thesatisfaction of all established requirements of the course, a grade will beissued to replace the I on the students transcript. Failure to completethe course work within the maximum allotted time will result in a grade ofF replacing the Incomplete.



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13.2.9 FailingIf a student receives a grade lower than 70% for any course/lesson,they will fail that course/lesson. In light of the foregoing, it isimperative that grading is executed objectively and accurately.Should faculty have any additional questions on the grading process,

they should contact their chair/supervisor prior to grading (i.e. inWeek 9 or 10 of any given quarter, at the latest).

13.2.10 Grade EquivalentsAlthough all grades must be submitted as numerical values at MI,below is a chart illustrating how those values correspond totraditional letter-based grades. This chart is solely for facultyreference (faculty should NOT submit letter-based grades!).

Numerical Grade Letter Grade

98 100 A+93 97 A90 92 A-87 89 B+83 86 B80 82 B-77 79 C+73 76 C70 72 C-67 69 D+63 66 D

60 62 D-0 59 F

13.2.11 Grade ChartIf you do not have access to a calculator at the time of grading, you mayuse the following two-page grading chart. Using the individual gradingcriteria percentages in the top row of the chart as a starting point (thesepercentages are listed in the syllabus for each course, and will differ foreach course), scroll down to the corresponding score that the studentreceived in the 100-point scale (on the left-hand side of the chart). Thenumber at the point where this column and row intersect is thepercentage of the course grade that the student was awarded for each ofthe course grading criteria. Adding the numbers generated by the chartfor each of the grading criteria together will produce a course grade as apercentage.



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GRADING CRITERIA (determined by the syllabi)10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 33% 40% 45% 50%

50-100

OF

THE

100-POINT

SCORE

SA

CLE

(given

byinstructo

rforeach

ofthe

grading 10

010.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 33.3% 40.0% 45.0% 50.0%

99 9.9% 14.9% 19.8% 24.8% 29.7% 32.7% 39.6% 44.6% 49.5%98 9.8% 14.7% 19.6% 24.5% 29.4% 32.3% 39.2% 44.1% 49.0%97 9.7% 14.6% 19.4% 24.3% 29.1% 32.0% 38.8% 43.7% 48.5%96 9.6% 14.4% 19.2% 24.0% 28.8% 31.7% 38.4% 43.2% 48.0%95 9.5% 14.3% 19.0% 23.8% 28.5% 31.4% 38.0% 42.8% 47.5%94 9.4% 14.1% 18.8% 23.5% 28.2% 31.0% 37.6% 42.3% 47.0%93 9.3% 14.0% 18.6% 23.3% 27.9% 30.7% 37.2% 41.9% 46.5%92 9.2% 13.8% 18.4% 23.0% 27.6% 30.4% 36.8% 41.4% 46.0%91 9.1% 13.7% 18.2% 22.8% 27.3% 30.0% 36.4% 41.0% 45.5%

90 9.0% 13.5% 18.0% 22.5% 27.0% 29.7% 36.0% 40.5% 45.0%89 8.9% 13.4% 17.8% 22.3% 26.7% 29.4% 35.6% 40.1% 44.5%88 8.8% 13.2% 17.6% 22.0% 26.4% 29.0% 35.2% 39.6% 44.0%87 8.7% 13.1% 17.4% 21.8% 26.1% 28.7% 34.8% 39.2% 43.5%86 8.6% 12.9% 17.2% 21.5% 25.8% 28.4% 34.4% 38.7% 43.0%85 8.5% 12.8% 17.0% 21.3% 25.5% 28.1% 34.0% 38.3% 42.5%84 8.4% 12.6% 16.8% 21.0% 25.2% 27.7% 33.6% 37.8% 42.0%83 8.3% 12.5% 16.6% 20.8% 24.9% 27.4% 33.2% 37.4% 41.5%82 8.2% 12.3% 16.4% 20.5% 24.6% 27.1% 32.8% 36.9% 41.0%81 8.1% 12.2% 16.2% 20.3% 24.3% 26.7% 32.4% 36.5% 40.5%

80 8.0% 12.0% 16.0% 20.0% 24.0% 26.4% 32.0% 36.0% 40.0%79 7.9% 11.9% 15.8% 19.8% 23.7% 26.1% 31.6% 35.6% 39.5%78 7.8% 11.7% 15.6% 19.5% 23.4% 25.7% 31.2% 35.1% 39.0%77 7.7% 11.6% 15.4% 19.3% 23.1% 25.4% 30.8% 34.7% 38.5%76 7.6% 11.4% 15.2% 19.0% 22.8% 25.1% 30.4% 34.2% 38.0%75 7.5% 11.3% 15.0% 18.8% 22.5% 24.8% 30.0% 33.8% 37.5%74 7.4% 11.1% 14.8% 18.5% 22.2% 24.4% 29.6% 33.3% 37.0%73 7.3% 11.0% 14.6% 18.3% 21.9% 24.1% 29.2% 32.9% 36.5%72 7.2% 10.8% 14.4% 18.0% 21.6% 23.8% 28.8% 32.4% 36.0%71 7.1% 10.7% 14.2% 17.8% 21.3% 23.4% 28.4% 32.0% 35.5%70 7.0% 10.5% 14.0% 17.5% 21.0% 23.1% 28.0% 31.5% 35.0%69 6.9% 10.4% 13.8% 17.3% 20.7% 22.8% 27.6% 31.1% 34.5%68 6.8% 10.2% 13.6% 17.0% 20.4% 22.4% 27.2% 30.6% 34.0%67 6.7% 10.1% 13.4% 16.8% 20.1% 22.1% 26.8% 30.2% 33.5%66 6.6% 9.9% 13.2% 16.5% 19.8% 21.8% 26.4% 29.7% 33.0%65 6.5% 9.8% 13.0% 16.3% 19.5% 21.5% 26.0% 29.3% 32.5%64 6.4% 9.6% 12.8% 16.0% 19.2% 21.1% 25.6% 28.8% 32.0%63 6.3% 9.5% 12.6% 15.8% 18.9% 20.8% 25.2% 28.4% 31.5%


GRADING CHART (highlighting scores 50-100 on the 100-Point Scale)


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criteria

in

the

syllabi)

62 6.2% 9.3% 12.4% 15.5% 18.6% 20.5% 24.8% 27.9% 31.0%61 6.1% 9.2% 12.2% 15.3% 18.3% 20.1% 24.4% 27.5% 30.5%60 6.0% 9.0% 12.0% 15.0% 18.0% 19.8% 24.0% 27.0% 30.0%59 5.9% 8.9% 11.8% 14.8% 17.7% 19.5% 23.6% 26.6% 29.5%58 5.8% 8.7% 11.6% 14.5% 17.4% 19.1% 23.2% 26.1% 29.0%

57 5.7% 8.6% 11.4% 14.3% 17.1% 18.8% 22.8% 25.7% 28.5%56 5.6% 8.4% 11.2% 14.0% 16.8% 18.5% 22.4% 25.2% 28.0%55 5.5% 8.3% 11.0% 13.8% 16.5% 18.2% 22.0% 24.8% 27.5%54 5.4% 8.1% 10.8% 13.5% 16.2% 17.8% 21.6% 24.3% 27.0%53 5.3% 8.0% 10.6% 13.3% 15.9% 17.5% 21.2% 23.9% 26.5%52 5.2% 7.8% 10.4% 13.0% 15.6% 17.2% 20.8% 23.4% 26.0%51 5.1% 7.7% 10.2% 12.8% 15.3% 16.8% 20.4% 23.0% 25.5%50 5.0% 7.5% 10.0% 12.5% 15.0% 16.5% 20.0% 22.5% 25.0%



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GRADING CRITERIA (determined by the syllabi)

10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 33% 40% 45% 50%

0-50

OF

TH

E

100-POINT

SCORESACLE

(given

byinstructorforeach

ofthe

grad

ing 5

05.0% 7.5%

10.0%

12.5%

15.0%

16.5%

20.0%

22.5%

25.0%

49

4.9% 7.4% 9.8%12.3%

14.7%

16.2%

19.6%

22.1%

24.5%

48

4.8% 7.2% 9.6%12.0%

14.4%

15.8%

19.2%

21.6%

24.0%

47

4.7% 7.1% 9.4%11.8%

14.1%

15.5%

18.8%

21.2%

23.5%

46

4.6% 6.9% 9.2%11.5%

13.8%

15.2%

18.4%

20.7%

23.0%

45

4.5% 6.8% 9.0%11.3%

13.5%

14.9%

18.0%

20.3%

22.5%

44

4.4% 6.6% 8.8% 11.0%

13.2%

14.5%

17.6%

19.8%

22.0%

43

4.3% 6.5% 8.6%10.8%

12.9%

14.2%

17.2%

19.4%

21.5%

42

4.2% 6.3% 8.4%10.5%

12.6%

13.9%

16.8%

18.9%

21.0%

41

4.1% 6.2% 8.2%10.3%

12.3%

13.5%

16.4%

18.5%

20.5%

40

4.0% 6.0% 8.0%10.0%

12.0%

13.2%

16.0%

18.0%

20.0%

39 3.9% 5.9% 7.8% 9.8%

11.7%

12.9%

15.6%

17.6% 19.5%

38

3.8% 5.7% 7.6% 9.5%11.4

%12.5%

15.2%

17.1%

19.0%

37

3.7% 5.6% 7.4% 9.3%11.1

%12.2%

14.8%

16.7%

18.5%

36

3.6% 5.4% 7.2% 9.0%10.8

%11.9%

14.4%

16.2%

18.0%

35

3.5% 5.3% 7.0% 8.8%10.5

%11.6%

14.0%

15.8%

17.5%

3

43.4% 5.1% 6.8% 8.5%

10.2

%

11.2

%

13.6

%

15.3

%17.0%

33

3.3% 5.0% 6.6% 8.3% 9.9%10.9%

13.2%

14.9%

16.5%

32

3.2% 4.8% 6.4% 8.0% 9.6%10.6%

12.8%

14.4%

16.0%

31

3.1% 4.7% 6.2% 7.8% 9.3%10.2%

12.4%

14.0%

15.5%

3 3.0% 4.5% 6.0% 7.5% 9.0% 9.9% 12.0 13.5 15.0%


GRADING CHART (highlighting scores 0-50 on the 100-Point Scale)


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criteria

in

the

syllabi) 0 % %

29

2.9% 4.4% 5.8% 7.3% 8.7% 9.6%11.6

%13.1%

14.5%

28

2.8% 4.2% 5.6% 7.0% 8.4% 9.2%11.2

%12.6%

14.0%

27

2.7% 4.1% 5.4% 6.8% 8.1% 8.9% 10.8%

12.2%

13.5%

26

2.6% 3.9% 5.2% 6.5% 7.8% 8.6%10.4

%11.7%

13.0%

25

2.5% 3.8% 5.0% 6.3% 7.5% 8.3%10.0

%11.3%

12.5%

24

2.4% 3.6% 4.8% 6.0% 7.2% 7.9% 9.6%10.8%

12.0%

23

2.3% 3.5% 4.6% 5.8% 6.9% 7.6% 9.2%10.4%

11.5%

22 2.2% 3.3% 4.4% 5.5% 6.6% 7.3% 8.8% 9.9% 11.0%

21

2.1% 3.2% 4.2% 5.3% 6.3% 6.9% 8.4% 9.5% 10.5%

20

2.0% 3.0% 4.0% 5.0% 6.0% 6.6% 8.0% 9.0% 10.0%

19

1.9% 2.9% 3.8% 4.8% 5.7% 6.3% 7.6% 8.6% 9.5%

18

1.8% 2.7% 3.6% 4.5% 5.4% 5.9% 7.2% 8.1% 9.0%

1

71.7% 2.6% 3.4% 4.3% 5.1% 5.6% 6.8% 7.7% 8.5%

16

1.6% 2.4% 3.2% 4.0% 4.8% 5.3% 6.4% 7.2% 8.0%

15

1.5% 2.3% 3.0% 3.8% 4.5% 5.0% 6.0% 6.8% 7.5%

14

1.4% 2.1% 2.8% 3.5% 4.2% 4.6% 5.6% 6.3% 7.0%

13

1.3% 2.0% 2.6% 3.3% 3.9% 4.3% 5.2% 5.9% 6.5%

12

1.2% 1.8% 2.4% 3.0% 3.6% 4.0% 4.8% 5.4% 6.0%

11

1.1% 1.7% 2.2% 2.8% 3.3% 3.6% 4.4% 5.0% 5.5%

10

1.0% 1.5% 2.0% 2.5% 3.0% 3.3% 4.0% 4.5% 5.0%

9 0.9% 1.4% 1.8% 2.3% 2.7% 3.0% 3.6% 4.1% 4.5%8 0.8% 1.2% 1.6% 2.0% 2.4% 2.6% 3.2% 3.6% 4.0%7 0.7% 1.1% 1.4% 1.8% 2.1% 2.3% 2.8% 3.2% 3.5%



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6 0.6% 0.9% 1.2% 1.5% 1.8% 2.0% 2.4% 2.7% 3.0%5 0.5% 0.8% 1.0% 1.3% 1.5% 1.7% 2.0% 2.3% 2.5%4 0.4% 0.6% 0.8% 1.0% 1.2% 1.3% 1.6% 1.8% 2.0%3 0.3% 0.5% 0.6% 0.8% 0.9% 1.0% 1.2% 1.4% 1.5%2 0.2% 0.3% 0.4% 0.5% 0.6% 0.7% 0.8% 0.9% 1.0%

1 0.1% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 0.4% 0.5% 0.5%0 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%



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13.3 Absences

13.3.1 Student Absences

Only documented and verifiable cases of genuine medical or physicalemergency (which should be very rare, if at all) permit a student ExcusedAbsence. Please refer to the Attendance and Excused Absence Policy formore information in relation thereto. Faculty are not required to makeup any lesson that a student may have missed.

In the event of cancellation, the Scheduling Department will affix signs tothe rooms of the classes in question to alert the students of such. Only insuch instances will faculty be allowed to make up classes or lessons.Open Counseling (OC) is not eligible for make up or rescheduling. If afaculty member is not available for their assigned OC due to emergency,

it will be cancelled (irrespective of the fact that they may have a subcovering their other class[es]/lesson[s]).

13.4 Testing, Appeals and Retesting

13.4.1 TestingIf faculty suspect or have evidence that students have cheated on anytest, they should make a photocopy of their test papers and furnish theirchair/supervisor therewith immediately. The chair/supervisor will decide

what action, if any, should be taken. Faculty should not take any actionuntil such time as the chair/supervisor has reviewed these materials.

If multiple students were involved in the event, the students in questionshould not sit together in future testing or retesting in the same course. Itis imperative; however, that the faculty do not make other studentsaware of the reason for making these students sit apart during testing.The best method of accomplishing this is to make the entire class switchplaces at test time, thus not singling out any individual student(s).

13.4.2 Appeals and Retesting

For an additional fee, students receiving failing course grades (i.e. lessthan 70%/C-) are permitted to appeal and retest once only during the firstweek of the following quarter; however, this is ONLY permitted if it ismathematically feasible for the retest to raise the students course gradeto 70%/C- or higher. It is the instructors responsibility to determine thispossibility.



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After the students request for such, if it is determined that the student isindeed able to raise his/her course grade to a passing level with a retest,they should instruct the student to go to the Registrars Office and fill out aRequest for Late Test Due To Missed or Failed Test Form.

Faculty should only perform retests if the student is able to present aRetest Form with all of the requisite signatures thereon. This can bechecked if there is a signature present on each of the lines precedingthe faculty signature line (lines one through five) of the form. Facultyshould NOT administer a retest if the form does not contain signaturesfrom both the Billing department and the Registrar. If in doubt, facultyshould contact their chair/supervisor.

Students re-taking tests in core classes (as detailed above) may onlyreceive a maximum course grade of 70%/C-; however, their final exam

score should still count for its full weight of up to 100% (i.e. only the coursegrade will be rounded down to 70%, if above 70%, not the final examscore).

Faculty simply turn in actual re-test scores to Registrar. Registrar willcalculate student grade thereafter.

13.4.3 End-of-Quarter Attendance and Grading InstructorResponsibilities

All instructors must submit the following by 12:00PM on Monday of Week12 in each quarter:

A copy of their end-of-quarter Roll/Grade sheets Open Counseling Logs (for instructors that have OC onlyandonly when/if OC Logs are being administered within that quarter)



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14 Private Lessons (PLs)

14.1 Private Lesson Mission

The Private Lesson Instructor Should:1. Faculty should motivate students; inspiring critical thinking,

pursuit of progress and synthesis; and promoting self-expression and creativity

2. Be able to identify the students personal goals, strengths, andweaknesses

3. Evaluate and address discipline weaknesses, and assignappropriate exercises

4. Assist the student in constructing a structured practice routine toaccomplish their goals

5. Assist the student in meeting deadlines

6. Establish an atmosphere of respectful communication on astudent/teacher level7. Be able to direct the student to the correct department, office, or

location to get his/her questions answered8. Manage Private Lesson time efficiently and effectively9. Be wholly familiar with the students program objectives,

techniques, and materials10. Be familiar with MIs systems and policies11. Be able to reiterate the importance of core class materials in

Private Lessons, by referencing thereto whenever possible, andalso be relating their own real-world experiences in the field to

the lesson12. Provide the student with clear and specific summary of thePrivate Lessons materials and concepts, along with requisiteassignments for proceeding lesson.

13. Provide students with realistic, logical, and constructivecriticism

The Private Lesson Instructor Should NOT:1. Use the lesson as an opportunity to practice their own material2. Consistently change the lesson time (any and all changes to any

lesson must be previously approved by the chair/supervisor)

3. Allow repeated interruptions of the lesson4. Be late to the lesson5. Force a method of instruction on a student that is clearly not

working, or that is outside of the established methods andtechniques taught in the discipline

6. Fail to reschedule a lesson that was cancelled due to facultyemergency. (Such rescheduled lessons MUST be previouslyapproved by the chair/supervisor and may only be requested if



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no-one is available to sub the lesson after all qualified membersof the disciplines staff have been contacted by the facultymember wishing to cancel).

7. Wing it. The instructor should have the Private Lesson Log andall requisite materials to teach present for each Private Lesson.

8. Allow the Private Lesson to conclude without setting clear goalsand items to be reviewed in the proceeding lesson

The Student Should:1. Be punctual to the lesson2. Be prepared (curriculum, supporting materials, music, charts,

etc.)3. Be respectful during the lesson (if you feel that the student is

exhibiting inappropriate conduct, please follow the instructionsthereon in the company materials relating thereto

4. Be an active participant in the Private Lesson (remember:participation is a key element in the Private Lesson grade)

14.2 General Private Lesson Info

14.2.1 Intro:

All students enrolled in MIs performance degree and certificate programsare required to attend one mandatory two-credit PL per week, for each ofthe 10 week teaching periods of each quarter of their program. In orderto accurately evaluate and award such credit, faculty and students shouldboth follow the guidelines outlined herein.

14.2.2 Lesson TimesPLs begin EXACTLY at the start of each hour, last for 50 minutes, and endat ten minutes before the proceeding hour. With such a short timeframe,it is imperative that each PL commences and ends promptly. Faculty areasked to be mindful of this.

14.2.3 Lesson ContentPLs are comprised of a varying mix of composite elementsthe specificcontent of each varying according to the discipline, level, needs, andabilities of each student at each key junctures of their specific programs.Faculty should ensure to be familiar with the PL materials of their specificdiscipline.



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14.2.4 General Areas to be Addressed During PLs

1. Curricular Review: Students who cannot match the pace ofthe core requirements of their program are those most likely tobecome frustrated and disassociated with their own progress

something that invariably affects their creative endeavors andoverall academic success.

To pre-empt and combat this possibility, faculty areasked to check the students understanding of thecurriculum, performance ability, and preparation fortests and assignments. This can be achieved byreviewing the syllabi of core classes and determining ifstudents have an understanding of the materialdescribed in the objectives thereof.

2. Goal Setting: Students may be underprepared by their prioreducational experiences to cope with the absorption of a largevolume of information in a new subject area, along with thecompetition for their time created by numerous newresponsibilities.

Help students to negate the possible effects of theabove by assisting them in the creation of long,medium, and short-term goalsalso help students tocreate clearly outlined and realistic plans in order toachieve those goals.

3. Practice Schedules: Students with little-to-no prior musictraining may find it difficult to create and maintain an effectivepractice schedule. Faculty are in a strong position to assist thestudent in this endeavor by assessing the competing prioritiesunder which the student is studying, based on their knowledgeof the students strengths, weaknesses and the aforementionedgoals.

Help students to construct a daily practice schedule towhich they can adhere for each quarter (their scheduled

classes will not change each quarter, and so a weeklypractice schedulea schedule that may differ per daybut remain constant per weekis possible to constructwithout fear of conflicting with classes).

Provide student, level, issue, and/or skill-specificassignments for each PL, being sure to monitorprogress thereon at the subsequent PL.



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4. Assignments: Not only do students expect weekly PLassignments, they also benefit greatly there-from. Suchassignments can be based on curricula or individual stylisticgoals. How well a student completes assignments given by

their PL instructor should be a determining factor in their PLfinal grade.

5. Style-Based Material: Musical style is a primary factor inmatching a student with a PL instructor; creative developmentis an essential element of the PL. The PL instructors role is toaid the student in achieving his/her stylistic goals, whilemaintaining a steady path through the program with thosegoals as a priority.

Work on non-curricula-related musical interests, while

continuing to relate individual stylistic interests to theprograms relative course curricula. Incorporation ofgenre-appropriate exercises is suggested.

6. State-of-Mind: Non-musical pressures may affect a studentsability to successfully complete their specific program. Up to acertain point (the items listed below being an exclusion of such)PL instructors are may have the ability to evaluate (in a non-professional sense) a students general state-of-mind andidentify potential issues before they affect a students ability tostudy. If a student appears to be experiencing difficulty in

focusing or matching the appropriate level ofskill/understanding for the trajectory of the course, and if the Plinstructor is unable to address the issue effectively with thestudent, the student should be directed to the Office of StudentAffairs for tutoring and/or counseling:

Tutoring: It is worth noting that tutoring requests are limited induration and usually executed by a TA knowledgeable in thespecific field. Tutoring should be seen as a co-curricular,assistive activity for those experiencing difficulty and not as apermanent, recurring addition to a students scheduled

schooling. Faculty are asked to be mindful of this beforerecommending that a student seek tutoring via the Office ofStudent Affairs.

Counseling: For psychological and/or emotional counseling,students have the ability to make an appointment with MIsconsulting metal health services professional through the Officeof Student Services.



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The faculty-student relationship is based on trust,respect, support, and the overall well being of thestudent. Faculty are not qualifiednor are theyexpectedto offer counseling for emotional or

psychological issues. Only a qualified professional inthe field should address such issues. Further, emotional involvement between faculty and

students is not only inappropriate, but it may alsoseriously interfere with a students educational process.Physical intimacy between faculty and students,including touching or using provocative language, isexpressly forbidden by MIs Sexual Harassment Policy(please refer to the Employee Handbook or contact theHR Department for further clarification on this topic).

14.3 Private Lesson Grading

14.3.1 CriteriaPL grades are numerical and are based on the following criteria:

1. Attendance (40%) Did the student attend all scheduled lessons? If s/he missed

a lesson, was adequate notice given and official

documentation supplied? Was the student tardy to any lessons?

2. Participation (30%) Did the student actively participate in the lessons?

Did the student effectively manage his/her practice scheduleand goal setting?

3. Progress (30%) Did the student complete the assignments given?

Did s/he exhibit development during the quarter?

Did s/he meetor make significant progress towardthegoals set at the beginning of the quarter?

14.3.2 100-Point Scale

Faculty should be sure to use the 100-point scale as the sole method forPL grading. An in-depth explanation thereof can be found in theAttendance, Grading and Absences section hereof.



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14.3.3 Submission

PL grades should be calculated, entered, and submitted by the instructorto the Registrars Office no later than Friday of Week 11 in each quarter.Faculty are urged to be mindful of this important deadline.

14.3.4 Comments on PL and Individual Class Grading

Faculty are asked to be cognizant of the fact that the one-on-one nature ofPLs makes them more prone to inadvertent subjective grading than theirgroup class counterparts. It is unlikely, in most cases, that a student whois doing very poorly in his/her classes would receive an exceptionally highgrade in his/her PLs. PLs are generally reflective of the subjects taught incore and elective classes (i.e. technique, theory, and performance), and

thus grades in PLs are equally reflective of the mean average of astudents course grades (although faculty should not adjust grades forthem to be so). If the two are wildly incongruous, it can illustrate that thegrading of PLs may not be accuratesomething that is confusing to thestudent and does not reflect well on the faculty member or the College asa whole. Faculty are asked to be mindful of impartial grading.

14.4 Private Lesson Attendance

Private Lessons are an integral portion of the performance programs and,

as student attendance at Private Lessons is necessary for student tosuccessfully advance through the program.

14.4.1 Records

PL attendance is to be recorded based on the guidelines described inAttendance Recording. Attendance records are to be kept up-to-date bythe PL instructor and be made available to the chair/supervisor andRegistrar at all times.

14.4.2 Missed Lessons

Faculty are tasked with using the Retention Alert System (RAS) to notifythe Office of Student Affairs in relation to students that have missed anyPL. Whenever a student fails to attend a scheduled Private Lesson, Facultymust remain in scheduled Private Lesson room for 40 minutes and use thelast 10 minutes of the period to file the RAS report noted above.



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14.4.3 PL Attendance Recording

PL attendance should be marked as follows:

P - Present (for students arriving 0 4:59 minutes late)

T - Tardy (for students arriving 5 14:59 minutes late)

A - Absent (for students arriving more than 15 minutes late)

EA - Excused Absence (for approved Excused Absences only)

H - Holiday (for days of official school closure)

14.4.3.1 Government Holidays

Unfortunately, PLs that fall on paid government holidays are not given, nor

made up at a later date. The College endeavors to limit the impact of suchby restructuring the holidays given to avoid weekdays wherever possible;however, students pay for the course and program in their entiretyindividual government-imposed holidays are outside of the control of theCollege.

14.4.3.2 PL Drops/SwitchesWhen a student drops out/switches programs/PL instructors, facultyreceive a cancellation email from the Scheduling Department notifyingthem of such. If this email arrives 24hrs or more before the faculty

members next scheduled PL with the student in question, they will not bepaid for the lesson (as 24hrs or more is deemed ample notification). If theemail from the Scheduling Department arrives less that 24hrs prior to thenext scheduled PL, the faculty member will be paid in full for the lesson, as24hrs is deemed as insufficient cancellation notification.

14.4.4 Private Lesson Logs

14.4.5 General

PL Instructors are provided with weekly PL logs. These forms should beregularly maintained, kept up-to-date and be housed in faculty roll bookat all times. Please remember: roll books should be in assigned boxes inthe faculty Lounge at all times when not in facultys immediatepossession (i.e. during teaching). If a faculty member needs a sub, PLlogs will enable the sub to continue the trajectory of the PL with eachindividual student without any loss of momentum.



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14.4.6 Content

PL logs should include the topics covered during the lesson and thecontent and status of any assignments given. Faculty should also markany missed lessons and tardiness.

14.4.7 CopiesFaculty are urged not to give the student their own, master copy of the PLlog to take away. Students should have their own copy of the document,in order to assist them in maintaining focus on their PL plan for thequarter. As such, faculty are urged to retain the original copy of the PL login their roll book at all times.

14.4.8 ArchivingPursuant to the Course Assessment Materials Policy (CAM), faculty should

retain all PL logs and submit to Registrar on 12:00PM on Monday of Week12 of the relative quarter, pursuant to the stipulations of the CAM policy(which is further detailed herein).



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15 Areas of Faculty Performance and Assessment

Faculty are assessed in relation to the Colleges expectations ofperformance in the following areas:

Teaching

Service

Scholarship

Professional Development

These areas are further divided into the following sub-areas ofperformance:

Teaching

o Instructional Delivery

o Content Knowledge and Expertise

o Course Management

Service

o Administrative duties

o Communication

o Adherence to Policy

o Professionalism

Scholarship

Professional Development

Please refer to Figure 16.1.2.1 dherein for further information onthese specific aspects of performance.



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16 Faculty Evaluation Process

16.1 Overview:In order to better ensure that the Faculty Evaluation System (much like theAcademic Bonus System) is as transparent and equitable as possible, itwas revised during the 2013 Academic Year. This revision featured inputfrom multiple sources, including Senior Academic Management (SAM), theCounsel of Chairs (COC) and the Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC). In thisrevised system, both students and supervisors evaluate faculty based on aset of finite assessment criteria that are marriedinsofar as such ispossibleto tangible outcomes.

16.2 The Nature of Evaluations:Despite the revision of MIs Faculty Evaluation System, it is important to

understand the general nature of evaluation systems as a whole. SeniorAcademic Management is cognizant of the fact that all evaluations are, tosome degree, perception based. However, once this reality has beenacknowledged and understoodalong with the realization that despitesuch, some form of evaluation must take placethe task at hand is toensure that the system is as transparent, functional and equitable aspossible within the framing conditions of the foregoing. The former ofthese goals (transparency) being made possible by openly disseminatingthe evaluation process to all faculty (this missive) and the latter(equitability) via the employ of a global process with which all facultymembers are to be evaluated (the system that this missive details).

16.3 Evaluation Types:Faculty is subject to two forms of evaluation:

Quarterly Student Evaluations

Annual Supervisor Evaluations

The following chapters detail various aspects of these evaluations.

16.3.1 Quarterly Student Evaluations

16.3.1.1 Student Evaluations of CoursesBecause students previously had no avenue to provide feedback inevaluation form on courses themselves (rather than those providinginstructional delivery within the coursesi.e. the faculty), course-relatedfeedback often crept into faculty evaluations by students. Such misplaceddata was un-minable (as it was wholly qualitative and out of context) and



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unfair to faculty (tying items other than instructional delivery and coursemanagement to faculty performance was unjust).

Student evaluations of course-related matters (pacing, level of complexity,relevance to desired academic outcome, etc.) have now been separated

from faculty evaluations. In fact, these have now been added to the globalevaluation process and placed in discriminate evaluation materials (theCourse Evaluation System). This allows students to evaluate course-related matters withoutimpinging upon the evaluations of the facultydelivering said material.

16.3.1.2 Student Evaluations of Faculty

Faculty-related evaluations by students have been restructured. They arenow broken into two categories:

Class evaluations Private Lesson (PL) evaluations

This change was made to facilitate the differing elements contained withthe Evaluation Performance Aspects for each type of event. (As anexample Manages distractions effectively is certainly a viable question ina class with 35 students, but is redundant in a private lesson featuring onlyone student.)

In addition to the new level of separation, both types of studentevaluations of faculty (class and PL) feature new content to ensure that

they are married to outcomes that it is physically possible for faculty toachieve. As an example, having an assessment question that asks: Doesthe faculty member attract students to the organization?is not marriedto a tangible outcome. One cannot take X or Y measures, or read such-and-such literature to improve ones ability to attract students to anorganization. Similarly, measuring such an outcome is nebulous at best.Thus, holding faculty to a set scale in relation to such is neither viable norjust.

In the revised evaluation system, this issue has been addressed bydividing faculty evaluations by students into three main Performance

Aspects, per the table in Figure 16.1.1.2.a (herein):

Fig. 16.1.1.2.a



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As highlighted in the table in Figure 2.2, each of the Performance Aspectshas been assigned a percentage. We can see that Instructional Deliverytakes the largest share of the potential percentage points (at 60%);Content Expertise is next at 30% and Course Management rounding outthe set at 10%. Assignment of these percentages was not arbitrary.Senior Academic Management endeavored to assign such percentages ina

Documents

MI Faculty Handbook