This document provides an overview and important information for new faculty in the Visual Arts program at a community college. It introduces the faculty members and their areas of instruction. It outlines the program focus, portfolio requirements, and gallery exhibitions. Important dates, resources, and policies are reviewed including grading, advising, accommodations, and use of the learning management system. Procedures for sick days, parking, mailboxes, paychecks and union representation are also summarized.

1. New Faculty Orientation
Fall 2017
VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM

2. Meet the Faculty
Matt Ferranto
Department Chair
Graphic Design
3D Design
Sculpture
Portfolio Prep
Erika Mahr
Drawing
Painting
2D Design
Visual Arts Seminar
Nicole Tschampel
Curriculum Chair
Digital Photography
Art as Visual
Experience
Visual Art Seminar
Portfolio Prep
Debbie Krikun
Digital Animation
Web Design
Digital Imaging
Melissa Hall
Gallery Director
Art History

3. About the Program
Studio art “foundation”
Focus on achieving
standards determined by the
transfer/professional portfolio
Curriculum Guide (handout)

4. Portfolio Day
Thursday NOV 9
4-7 pm
Fine Arts Gallery
Coordinated with required
Portfolio Prep class

5. Portfolio Day
All instructors must
emphasize documentation in
classes

6. Galleries
Fine Arts Gallery (Valhalla)
Esperanza Mayobre
SEP 13 – NOV 22
Reception: SEP 14, 4-6
Gallery Talk: OCT 4, 11-1

7. Galleries
Student Show:
DEC 6 -18
Reception: DEC 6, 11-1
Instructions about how to
participate forthcoming

8. Galleries
CFDA (Peekskill)
https://westchestergallery.wordpress.com/

9. Galleries
CFA (White Plains)
http://www.sunywcc.edu/locations/arts/centerfortheartsgallery/

10. Clubs
Art Club – Erika Mahr,
Advisor
Film Club – Craig Padawer,
Advisor
New Media Group – Debie
Krikun, Advisor

11. Week at a Glance
The Visual Arts Curriculum
Chair posts a weekly “Week
at a Glance”
Posted on Blackboard, which
automatically sends an email
to your college email account

12. Course Outline
Departmental Syllabus:
available on Blackboard
Sample Course Outline: see
Discipline Coordinator

13. Course Outline
Course Outline Template:
pre-formatted course outline

14. Course Outline
DO NOT CHANGE:
•Course Descriptions
•SLOs (Student Learning
Outcomes)
•Info on Student Resources
and Academic Policies

15. Academic Calendar
When preparing your course
outline, check the college
calendar for critical dates and
deadlines

16. Academic Calendar
When instruction begins
Add/Drop deadlines and
withdrawal dates
Thanksgiving/Spring Break
Student Evaluations
Final Assessment Week
Due dates for Attendance
Rosters
Due dates for Final Grades

17. Course Outline
•Course Outlines must be
uploaded to Blackboard
before the start of classes
•They will be graded using a
standard checklist

18. Grading
•Students should have
multiple opportunities to
achieve a passing grades
•Course requirements and
distribution weights must be
clearly stated
Grading
Assignment(s) X% or points
Project(s) X% or points
Homework X% or points
Tutorial(s) X% or points
Quiz(es) X% or points
Presentation(s) X% or points
Attendance/
Participation
X% or points

19. Grading
•College grading system
does not include “minus”
grades
•Do not deviate from the
college’s grade equivalencies
(85-89 = B+)

20. Grading
•Projects/assignments should
have step-by-step
instructions
•Evaluation criteria should be
explicit and clear
(rubrics/checklists highly
recommended)

21. Incompletes
•Incomplete grades should
be used sparing
•Only for students who have
satisfied all course
requirements, but were
prevented from completing a
final project, assignment, or
exam due to circumstances
beyond their control

22. Early Referrals
•Faculty are expected to give
students early warning about
class grades
•Grade reports should be
given (preferably in writing)
before the withdrawal
deadline

23. Early Referrals
•Academic Support Referral
form can be found on the
college website
•Under-performing Visual
Arts majors should be
referred to the Visual Arts
Curriculum Chair
http://www.sunywcc.edu/student-services/asc/academic-support-center-study-skills-tutoring-referral-form/

24. Blackboard
•All instructors will be
provided with a BB shell for
each class
•Minimum requirement: post
course outline
•Check college email for
announcements about BB
training sessions

25. SUNY Gen Ed Assessment
Some Visual Arts courses
must be formally assessed
on a 3-year cycle
Adjunct faculty are required
to participate
Assessment blog: https://wccartsassessment.wordpress.com/

26. SUNY Gen Ed Assessment
Contact your discipline
coordinator for instructions
Visit the Assessment blog for
past reports
Assessment blog: https://wccartsassessment.wordpress.com/

27. Student Learning Outcomes
Mandatory portfolio of
student outcomes for all core
curriculum classes
Portfolios used for formal and
informal assessment
purposes

28. Course Evaluations
All faculty are required to
conduct Student Course
Evaluations in every section
they teach
Course evaluations are
conducted online, with links
on the college website and
MyWCC portal

29. Class Observations
All new faculty will have a
full-time faculty member
observe one of their classes
within their first year of
teaching
The assigned faculty
observer will contact you in
advance to arrange a time

30. Academic Support & Counseling
Information about Academic
Support and Counseling
Services can be found on the
college website
http://www.sunywcc.edu/student-services/asc/

31. Academic Support & Counseling
Bookmark this page which
has a directory of counseling
staff
http://www.sunywcc.edu/student-services/counseling/counseling-staff/

32. Academic Advisement
All Visual Arts majors should
be directed to the Visual Arts
Curriculum Chair, or Visual
Arts full-time faculty for
Academic Advisement
Non-majors should be
advised to contact the
Curriculum Chair of their
academic program

33. Disability Services
Students with a documented
disability should present you
with a “green sheet” at the start
of classes outlining their need
for accommodations
Accommodations may include
extended time testing, note-
takers, interpreters, and etc
More info on the college’s
disabilities services can be
found on the college website
http://www.sunywcc.edu/student-services/disability-services/

34. Academic Policies
Information on college
policies regarding academic
honesty, student conduct,
and other related topics can
be found in the online college
catalogue
http://catalog.sunywcc.edu/

35. Weather Cancellations
Announcements about
closures and delays are
delivered in a variety of
formats:
•College website
•College Facebook page
•Text and phone alerts (you
must sign up)
http://www.sunywcc.edu/about/weather-announcements/

36. College Policies
An Adjunct Faculty Handbook
can be found on MyWCC

37. Class Cancellations
Classes can get cancelled
due to low enrollments
Full-time faculty and senior
adjuncts retain the right to
“bump” instructors if they
choose to teach that class

38. Adjunct Sick Day
Adjunct faculty are entitled to
one “emergency sick day”
per course per semester
This applies to illness only,
and cannot be taken as a
personal day

39. Adjunct Sick Day
Notify Division Office or
Extension Center Staff
Notify Department Chair
In order to be eligible for
compensation you must
complete an “Adjunct
Overload/Sick Leave Form

40. Adjunct Sick Day
If you know in advance that
you must miss a class
contact the Department Chair
to arrange for a substitute
The substitute instructor will
be paid for the class, not you

41. Email
You will be provided with a
College email account when
you activate your “MyWCC”
account
To access OWA (Outlook Web
Access) from the college or
from anywhere that you have
Internet access go to:
https://sunywccmail.sunywcc.e
du
You are responsible for
checking campus email and
clearing out old emails
regularly

42. MyWCC
People Soft is the college's web-
based information management
system that handles everything
from registration to attendance,
rosters, and grades
New instructors will receive
information about how to activate
their “MyWCC” account from the
Human Resources Office
When your account is activated
you will be able to access your
“Faculty Center” by logging on to
“MyWCC”:
https://mywcc.sunywcc.edu

43. MyWCC
You will use the “Faculty
Center” to do the following:
Access class rosters
Report attendance (4th-5th
week of the semester)
Submit final grades

44. Parking
For parking on the main
campus you must obtain a
parking decal and faculty ID
from the Security Office in
the Student Center
Please see extension center
staff for information on
parking at off-campus
locations

45. Mailbox
Valhalla instructors will be
given a faculty mailbox on
the 5th floor of the Academic
Arts Building
Extension center instructors
will be given a mailbox at
their individual sites
Please check your mailbox
regularly for important
college news and
announcements

46. Photocopying Services
Large copy jobs should be dropped
off at the Reproduction Center (see
campus map); you should allow about
one week for large copy jobs
There is a self-serve photocopy
machine for faculty use on the 5th
floor of the Academic Arts Building.
See Division staff to set up an
account.
There is a small copy machine for
Arts Department use in AAB 403.
This machine should be used for
smaller jobs only.
Please see extension center staff for
photocopying at extension sites

47. Paychecks
To receive electronic payment and
statements, you must set up a
WCC iPay account in the Human
Resources Office.
Note: If you do not complete this
process you will have to go to
the Payroll Office to pick up your
check in person.
Once your iPay account is
activated you will be able to access
pay statements online:
https://ipay.adp.com/iPay/index.jsf.

48. Adjunct Compensation
“Credit” adjuncts have two
salary steps based on the
number of semesters taught
1-12 semesters
13-20 semesters
21 + semesters

49. New Employment Contract Pending
Pay rates and obligations
may change with new
contract pending approval

50. WCCFT
The Westchester Community
College Federation of
Teachers (WCCFT) is the
union that represents
teaching faculty, librarians,
counselors, and Academic
Support Center coordinators,
full-time and part-time,
current and retired
http://www.sunywccft.org/

51. Retirement Benefits
Adjunct faculty may join the
New York State Teachers’
Retirement System
(NYSTRS). After you have
earned two years of service
credit you may be eligible to
purchase credit for prior
service. Please contact
Human Resources for
additional information, or go
to www.NYSTRS.org
https://www.nystrs.org/