Official Academic Transcript, International and Alternative Credentials Portfolio
An official academic transcript, results of evaluation of foreign credentials, or portfolio for alternative credentialing must be submitted with an application for employment for each new full-time and new part-time faculty position according to guidelines in this manual.
- Official Academic Transcript: An academic transcript is official only if it is sent directly to the office of Human Resources or a college official from a nationally or regionally accredited college/university as recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Transcripts may be sent in sealed envelopes or electronically through a transcript transmittal service. In all cases the transcript, envelope and other transmittal information (including the date of receipt) should be submitted to the office of Human Resources to be processed and included in the applicant’s personnel file.
- International Credentials: Foreign credentials (degrees earned through a regionally accredited institution) must be evaluated by a foreign credentials evaluation service in terms of U.S. equivalency. Results of evaluations must be sent directly from the evaluation service to an officer of the college or the office of Human Resources. See Guidelines for International Credentials.
- Alternative Credentials: Under special circumstances, the applicant may have experience that clearly contributes to student learning outcomes and that can be considered in lieu of customary academic preparation. In these cases, the applicant must present a portfolio that provides evidence that he/she is recognized as a highly regarded professional in the field with potential to effectively facilitate student learning. See Guidelines for Alternative Credentialing.
Employee Credentialing Details Form
The appropriate chair/director/dean will review the transcript, results of evaluation by a foreign credentials evaluation service, or portfolio and other required documentation and complete the electronic Employee Credentialing Request. This form establishes an initial review at the department/program level, including responses to specific credentialing questions, transcript analysis and serves as an application for curriculum credentialing status. The form is submitted by the chair/director/dean to the FCOC for review and recommendation to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or his or her designee.
Multiple Credentialing: In some cases, individual credentials may be reviewed by more than one department, requiring more than one credential request. Since this data would be compiled by multiple departments or programs and possibly submitted at different times, consolidation of credentials records will be coordinated by the office of Human Resources and reflected in the electronic Employee Credentialing Request. Additionally, expansion of a faculty member’s teaching assignment to a new academic discipline area would require completion of an additional credentialing application, including review by the FCOC. In some cases, a single credentials application will be sufficient, e.g., Credentialed for transfer curriculum status in English, reading or mathematics would also cover all college prep teaching assignments in the same academic area.
- The Employee Credentialing Request will include the following information for the applicant teaching baccalaureate courses, general education courses at the undergraduate level, and associate degree courses designed for transfer to the baccalaureate degree, including dual-technical courses:
- Reference to a copy of the official academic transcript scanned to the electronic document storage system showing a master’s degree or higher in the teaching discipline or a master’s degree with a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours of course work in the discipline completed for a faculty member’s assigned discipline.
- A minimum of 18 graduate semester hours of coursework for any other discipline the applicant is qualified to teach.
- Verification that any necessary supporting documentation has been evaluated and included. Examples of supporting documentation should include the following:
- In cases of alternative credentials, the applicant’s portfolio and cover letter from the chair/director/dean to the FCOC. See Guidelines for Alternative Credentials.
- In cases of foreign credentials, the results of evaluation by a foreign evaluation service. See Guidelines for International Credentials.
- Letters from officials at other institutions of higher education, if required.
- A transcript that indicates a course of study with no master’s or higher degree in a discipline and includes specific dates for passing the qualifying examination for the doctoral degree in a discipline and admission to candidacy will be considered a step beyond a master’s degree in the discipline.
- The electronic Employee Credentialing Request will include the following information for faculty teaching associate degree courses not designed for transfer to the baccalaureate degree.
- Reference a copy of the official academic transcript scanned to the electronic document storage system (unless a transcript is not required) showing a bachelor’s degree in the teaching discipline or associate’s degree and demonstrated competencies in the teaching discipline or any other discipline the faculty member is qualified to teach.
- Verification that any necessary supporting documentation has been evaluated and is included. Examples of supporting documentation include the following:
- In cases of alternative credentialing, the faculty portfolio and cover letter from the chair/director/dean to the FCOC. See Guidelines for Alternative Credentialing.
- In cases of foreign credentials, the results of evaluation by a foreign evaluation service. See Guidelines for International Credentials.
- Letters from officials at other institutions of higher education, if required.
- Letters from a former employer on business stationery verifying that the candidate has credit-relevant, directly related non-teaching experience in technical occupational fields, in business or in the armed services. Relevant directly related non-teaching experience includes work experience as a Journeyman, technician engineer, or trained employee level in the occupational field for which a faculty member is hired.
- Copies of licenses and/or certificates.
- The electronic Employee Credentialing Request will include the following information for faculty teaching courses in college preparatory, certificate and diploma, and contact hour or career certificate programs:
- Reference a copy of the official transcript scanned to the electronic document storage system showing a bachelor’s degree in the teaching discipline or demonstrated competencies in related disciplines and teaching experience.
- Verification that any necessary supporting documentation has been evaluated and is included. Examples of supporting documentation include the following:
- In cases of alternative credentialing, the applicant portfolio and cover letter from the chair/director/dean to the FCOC. See Guidelines for Alternative Credentialing.
- In cases of foreign credentials, the results of evaluation by a foreign evaluation service. See Guidelines for International Credentials.
- Letters from officials at other institutions of higher education, if required.
