Checklist for Faculty Orientation

The Dean or resident head of the program should go over the following with all new faculty before s/he begins by phone or in person.   This ordinarily takes between 1-2 hours, with follow-up as necessary.

  1. General information about living and working in Armenia
    1. Advisory Information for New Faculty, http://aua.am/advisory-information-for-new-faculty-and-staff/
    2. General Information about Armenia, http://aua.am/republic-of-armenia-general-information/
    3. General Information about Yerevan, http://aua.am/yerevan-general-information/
    4. Emergency information and services, http://aua.am/american-university-of-armenia-services-general-information-for-new-faculty-and-staff/
    5. Cultural diversity, local customs, holidays, and traditions
  2. Overview of University Structure and Procedures
    1. Governance and Organizational Chart (online under About AUA) with specific attention to the College(s) in which faculty member will be teaching
    2. Faculty Senate, http://aua.am/aua-faculty-senate/
    3. Curriculum Committee, http://aua.am/aua-faculty-senate/
    4. Ethics and Grievances Committee, [email protected], http://aua.am/aua-faculty-senate/, http://aua.am/ethics-and-grievance-committee-procedure-regulation/
    5. Faculty Handbook
    6. Student Handbook
    7. Course Catalog, http://catalog.aua.am/
  3. Academic Calendar (attention to government non-working days), http://registrar.aua.am/academic-calendar/
  4. Moodle – course delivery platform (see University Resources below)
  5. Policies, http://policies.aua.am
    1. Grade Policies, http://policies.aua.am/policy/11
    2. Course Syllabus Format, http://policies.aua.am/policy/37
    3. Credit Hour Policy, http://policies.aua.am/policy/34
    4. Policy on Appointment, Retention, Promotion and Faculty Titles (especially definition of research and scholarship), http://policies.aua.am/policy/20
    5. Faculty Office Hours, http://policies.aua.am/policy/56
    6. Policies Database, http://policies.aua.am
    7. Student Code of Ethics, http://policies.aua.am/policy/10
    8. Student Code of Conduct, http://policies.aua.am/policy/101
  6. Assessment
    1. Most recent Academic Program Review for program(s) in which faculty member will be teaching, at least the Wrap-Up recommendations
    2. Program Requirements
    3. Curriculum map
    4. Annual Student Learning Assessment, http://ira.aua.am/student-learning-committee/
    5. Assessment tools including syllabus template, http://ira.aua.am/assessment-manual/
    6. Office of Assessment and Accreditation and Student Learning Committee
  1. Teaching and Learning Resources
    1. General, http://ira.aua.am/teaching-and-learning-resources/
    2. Previous faculty professional development workshop and brown bag materials, http://ira.aua.am/faculty-workshops/
  2. University Resources
    1. Library Resources and Support for Information Literacy including library resources for Moodle, http://library.aua.am/
    2. Center for Student Success, http://studentsuccess.aua.am/
    3. Online Faculty, staff directory (http://aua.am/directory/book.php, and on front webpage)
    4. Online: Institutional Research Office for Factbooks, Surveys, etc. http://ira.aua.am/
  3. Operational issues
    1. Scheduling classes (especially on holidays)
    2. Scheduling equipment
    3. Use of ICTS equipment in classrooms – protocol (posted in each classroom)
  4. Introductions to program faculty and staff and university administrative staff (including research center, financial, library, ICTS, Office of Registrar, Office of Admissions, Center for Student Success, Assessment and Accreditation)