Distance Education Relationships & Guidelines
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Faculty Commitments
Copyright & Ownership Policy
Compensation
Schedules
The following guidelines detail responsibilities and commitments germane to the development and subsequent use of distance education courses. Also included are the arrangements pertaining to rights, costs, copyright, receipts distribution, faculty compensation and support. Distance education courses are the equivalent of a semester’s classroom experience and carry full university credit. The DE program adheres to the university’s and community’s standards and is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
The faculty member agrees:
1. To accept responsibility and authority for the maintenance of academic integrity and quality of the course based on the standards for on-campus students. Requirements for distance students must be equivalent to those for on-campus students.
2. To establish an enrollment ceiling in each distance education course that insures their ability to provide adequate and timely feedback, and to inform the DE office of the enrollment limits each time the course is offered.
3. To provide the DE office with initial copy and follow-up changes for InfoFACTs (course-specific information) for their course prior to the start of the distance education registration cycle.
4. To provide a course syllabus to all distance learners enrolled in their courses, providing any necessary adaptations for distance education. Note: the DE office will duplicate and distribute the syllabus if a copy is provided. Reasonable accommodation should be made to allow students who are unable to take exams on campus to instead arrange for an off-campus proctor approved in advance by the faculty member.
5. To coordinate with and respond promptly to inquiries by students registered in the course, and to promptly submit student grades to Registration and Records when students complete their coursework.
6. To provide students with evaluative feedback prior to the end of the drop period by completing a Progress Report Form or notifying the student directly.
7. To avoid unscholarly or offensive language, references, or comments which are contrary to university or community standards and accepted codes of conduct.
8. To seek copyright clearance for the use of copyrighted tapes or other materials. On request, the DE office will assist the effort to acquire copyright clearances. Such clearances often require several months to obtain. The Distance Education policy regarding the use of copyrighted materials adheres to the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University policy that regulates these areas.
9. To distribute departmental student evaluation forms or provide access to an online evaluation process to their DE students, or to make arrangements with the Distance Education office to assist with the student evaluation process.
10. To keep the course content updated, either by re-recording or making modifications to the course website. The DE office will provide assistance for scheduling re-taping or for content upgrades.
Cable/CD/DVD/Multi-Media Courses
11. To allow his/her course to be recorded and/or transmitted while meeting a regularly scheduled class; and to allow the course sessions to be duplicated from the master tapes so distance education students can view the materials in subsequent semester when the course is offered.
12. To conform to the recommendations (e.g., graphics, repeating questions) described in the videoclassroom faculty handbook, employing those recommendations applicable to their academic discipline and teaching style.
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B. COPYRIGHT USE AND OWNERSHIP POLICY
Distance Education policy pertaining to copyright use and ownership adheres to the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University policies that regulate these areas. Information regarding these policies is found on the NCSU Libraries’ Scholarly Communication web site: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/scc/index.html.
Also, you may want to check out the "Know your Copy Rights" website (http://www.knowyourcopyrights.org/resourcesfac/faq/) for information on using copyrighted works in teaching.
Specific questions regarding your distance education course content and policies pertaining to ownership and copyright should be directed to the Distance Education office, which will seek guidance as indicated from the University’s Legal Affairs Office and the Scholarly Communication Center.
1. Faculty receive compensation calculated on a per-enrollee basis. The rates are as follows: $125 for a one hour course, $150 for a two hour course, $175 for a three hour course, $200 for a four hour, non-lab, course, and $325 for a six hour course. Additional funds will be provided for benefits. Faculty will receive notice in writing of the payment schedule shortly after census date.
2. In addition, funds calculated on a per-enrollee basis are provided to departments to cover direct expenses (copying, postage, clerical assistance, software, etc.) associated with distance learning: $60 for an undergraduate course, and $100 for a graduate course. For courses with laboratory components, $30 per enrollee will also be provided to the department. It is recommended that you check with your department head in advance if you anticipate expenses related to your course since (s)he makes the final determination in how the funds are disbursed.
3. Recognizing that in many instances DE courses are taught on an overload basis by faculty with full-time teaching responsibilities, any course that lists and meets an enrollment ceiling of a minimum of 35 students will be eligible for up to $2,000 per semester in teaching assistance for the instructor. These teaching assistance support funds are provided directly to the department as the hiring unit.
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1. Fall, Spring and Summer off-campus courses provided through the Distance Education office are on a schedule roughly equivalent to the on-campus semester.
2. Courses offered by cable television are broadcast on an approximate one week delayed basis. After the first offering on cable the course is offered by DVD in semesters approved by the instructor.
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