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Faculty Handbook
Miscellaneous Information
Activities Center
The Virgil Henson Activities Center houses a swimming pool, Nautilus weight machines, a bowling alley, game rooms, handball and racquetball courts, gymnastics facilities, basketball and volleyball courts, and meeting rooms. The facility is open to faculty members and their immediate families for a nominal fee.
Alumni Association
Membership in the Alumni Association is open to WTAMU graduates, former students and friends of the University.
Announcements
Faculty members may be asked to make announcements regarding University events and/or operations prior to or immediately following classes.
Athletic Events
West Texas A&M University sponsors NCAA Division II teams in men’s football and baseball; women’s volleyball and equestrian; and men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, golf and soccer. Season ticket discounts are available for faculty and members of their immediate families.
William H. and Joyce Attebury Honors Program
The William H. and Joyce Attebury Honors Program endeavors to cultivate an academically challenging, student-centered learning environment for exceptional students. Engagement in Honors programs connects students to the intellectual and social networks as well as experiences which support full development of each student’s intellectual, social and professional potential. The Attebury Honors Program seeks to ensure that graduates leave WTAMU and the Honors Program as civic minded, engaged adults ready to meet the challenges of a complex world.
Faculty members who wish to participate in the Attebury Honors Program must apply for honors faculty status using the appropriate form on WTAccess.
Awards
Recipients of four awards—Teaching Excellence, Research Excellence, Distinguished Graduate Faculty Member of the Year and Distance Learning Innovation—are presented at the spring faculty address. The president selects recipients from nominations solicited by the provost in early spring. The winners are awarded cash prizes, and photographs of the recipients are exhibited in the Faculty/Staff Excellence display case located in Mary Moody Northen Hall.
The title professor emeritus is bestowed upon selected retired faculty who have been retired for at least two years and have at least ten years of service and have made significant contributions to the University in terms of teaching effectiveness, scholarly activity/ creative work and professional service. Faculty nominations are solicited in the fall semester and individuals awarded emeritus status are honored at the spring faculty address and are listed in the West Texas A&M University Catalog. 31.08, 31.99.02
Business Cards
Faculty members may request personalized business cards through their respective department heads. All University business cards are printed at the Print Shop and must comply with University graphic standards.
Calendar
Several calendars are maintained to keep the campus informed of dates and events. The Student Activities (SAC) Calendar is published each semester by the Office of Student Activities. In addition, Student Activities publishes the Involvement Buff Calendar in the student newspaper each week. An on-line calendar is also available at www.wtamu.edu/cgi-bin/calendar/calendar.pl. This on-line calendar is maintained by the staff in the Office of the President. When submitting information, use the same format that appears when viewing the calendar.
Campus Security Report
West Texas A&M University publishes an annual Campus Security Report that is made available to all prospective students and employees and all current students, faculty and staff. The report provides timely notice about crimes considered threats to members of the campus community and/or their property, and maintains a public log of all reported crimes. The Campus Security Report is available online at www.wtamu.edu/security.
Campus Service Organization
Six freshmen and six upperclassmen are selected by the admissions staff and are available to serve as student hosts at special University functions.
Communication Services
The Office of Communication Services has three major areas of responsibility: media relations, advertising and the promotion of University people, programs, activities and events. Staff members are available to assist faculty with the development of promotional plans; to edit, format, design and coordinate the printing of flyers, posters, brochures, newsletters, etc.; to write and distribute news releases to appropriate media outlets; to arrange media interviews; and to schedule advertising buys. The office also provides photography services and can assist with the broadcast-quality production of departmental recruiting videos through a division called Maroon Productions.
The University’s image is of primary concern to the Office of Communication Services. It is for this reason that the office develops and enforces graphic standards that regulate the appropriate and consistent use of registered marks such as the University’s name, acronym, seal, logo and related symbols.
The Communicator
The Communicator, distributed every other week during the fall and spring semesters and monthly during summer sessions, is a newsletter written and designed by the Office of Communication Services for WTAMU faculty and staff. Issues include items of general interest, calendars of events, operational announcements,
Miscellaneous Information
event notices and articles dealing with faculty and staff achievements. Faculty are invited to submit information of general University interest for publication.
Emergencies
On-campus emergencies should be reported immediately to the University Police Department by calling 5000. The 24-hour dispatcher will contact city and/or county law enforcement, medical or fire services as necessary.
Equipment and Supplies, Use of
University equipment and supplies (with the exception of library books and other selected items of established professional use) are available to faculty for official West Texas A&M University business. WTAMU property, inventoried and charged to the responsible departments or offices, may be moved to other on-campus locations if such a move is authorized by the department head and the change in location is noted on inventory records. Removal of University property from campus is permitted for University business only and requires prior authorization.
For temporary classroom-equipment needs such as overhead projectors, VCRs, etc., contact Media Services. 33.04, 33.04.01
Equipment and Supplies, Purchase of
A faculty member may request University funds for equipment and supplies by submitting a purchase requisition (which must be signed by all appropriate account managers). Staff members in the Office of Purchasing and Inventory Services coordinate the University’s centralized purchasing operations and are available for consultation.
Facilities
All University facilities are open to faculty members when they are conducting or sponsoring class-related activities. Scheduling for academic buildings is coordinated through the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. All instructional programs not published in the schedule of classes, such as short-term seminars or workshops, must be reported to the Continuing Education Center.
Most academic buildings are locked at 11 p.m. weekdays and are checked by University Police Department officers during the nighttime hours. For safety and security purposes, department heads should send a letter of authorization with dates and names of persons who will be working after hours to the University Police Department.
Fine Arts Events
The University sponsors four to five drama, comedy and musical productions in the Branding Iron Theatre, dozens of vocal and instrumental concerts in Northen Recital Hall and numerous art exhibitions in the Northen Hall Gallery each year. In addition to these “main-stage” events, hundreds of open-to-the-public solo recitals, ensemble concerts, one-act plays, etc. are presented throughout the year. Faculty are admitted free to most of these events. Contact the departments of Art, Communication and Theatre or Music and Dance for additional information.
Food Service
ARAMARK Corporation is contracted by WTAMU to run all food service operations on campus. This means that any event on campus involving food service, including receptions, coffee service or meals, must be catered by ARAMARK; outside vendors are not allowed.
The WTAMU Cafeteria operates seven days a week while school is in session. Offering a 30-topping salad bar, a fresh deli and more than 20 hot entrees per meal, the cafeteria is a convenient place for meals. Private meeting rooms also make it an ideal place for catered meetings.
A variety of fast foods is available in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center (JBKSC) Food Court. All vendors in the JBKSC are subcontracted by ARAMARK Corporation.
For information on hours of operation or cost or to set up a catered function, call Food Services.
Graphic Standards
Graphic standards, a set of guidelines that describes the proper use of West Texas A&M University’s name, acronym, logo, seal and other WTAMU-owned wordmarks and symbols, enhances the University’s ability to present a consistent and unified public image. The Office of Communication Services has primary responsibility for the graphic standards program. Use of the University’s visual-identity elements (i.e., logo, seal, etc.) must be approved by the director of communication services or designee prior to publication and/or public distribution. 09.02
Hastings Electronic Learning Center
Hastings Electronic Learning Center (HELC), located on the lower level of Cornette Library, contains the Open Access Lab (75 PCs), five computer classrooms (totaling 184 PCs/Macs), an executive ITV conference room, a distance-learning classroom capable of connecting to either the Trans Texas Videoconference Network (TTVN) or EdNet16 (Region 16 Service Center) network, the Instructional Innovation and Technology Lab, WTOnline, Web Services, PC Support and the Information Technology Service Center (ITSC).
Identification Cards
The Buffalo Gold Card serves as the required official University identification card that bears the holder’s photograph, name and employee number. This identification card is required for such activities as checking out books from Cornette Library and cashing checks and affords the holder discounts at the University Bookstore and access to Activities Center facilities. As an option, the Buffalo Gold Card may also be used as a debit card to make purchases throughout the campus and at cooperating businesses in town. Cards and replacements are obtained in the Buffalo Gold Card Office.
Information Technology
Information Technology (IT) consists of two major departments: Academic and Information Services, and Systems Support. The directors of each of these departments report directly to the Chief Information Officer (CIO).
Miscellaneous Information
The Academic Services Department is comprised of five areas: Distance Learning, Open Access Lab, Instructional Innovation and Technology Lab (IITL), Information Services and Web Services.
Distance Learning provides Internet-based classes for WTAMU students regardless of their physical location. It provides a virtual learning environment where students access course work and interact with their professors and peers. Bulletin boards, e-mail, chat rooms and Web-based resources provide for interactive learning. The WTOnline staff also maintains WTClass, a password protected, Web support area for on-campus courses. This area is also responsible for scheduling and support of the two interactive television system meeting rooms/classrooms.
The Open Access Lab is the primary student computer lab. It contains both Intel-based and Macintosh personal computers along with multimedia and video editing technology. The Open Access Lab also includes five computer-equipped classrooms, with one used primarily for CIS classes, one for music and three for general use.
IITL provides state of the art technology resources for the instructional and professional needs of faculty, administration and staff. IITL provides a full-time multimedia designer, keeps a wide variety of multimedia production hardware and software, and provides instruction in its use. IITL also provides a wide variety of technology related workshops and training. The media services component of IITL provides, schedules and delivers audiovisual equipment for use in instruction and for professional presentations.
Information Services maintains the University’s central database and assists administration and staff with database access. This area primarily supports the student information system (Colleague) and administrative computing.
Web Services, in concert with the Web Advisory Committee is responsible for maintaining a quality Web presence for the University. Web Services provides primary support for the WTAMU home page and the WTAMU intranet, and provides content coordinator training and support for University personnel who are responsible for departmental Web sites.
The Systems Support department includes Network and Telecommunications Services, the Information Technology Service Center (ITSC) and PC Support and is responsible for many of the administrative functions related to the Information Technology Division.
Network and Telecommunications Services is responsible for the network backbone and provides phone service to faculty, staff and students. This department assists departments with local area networks, Internet access and e-mail as well as installing and maintaining all campus cabling and the telephone system.
The ITSC is the information technology help desk. All requests for services from any unit in the Information Technology Division are received, logged and assigned by the Service Center staff. The WTAMU telephone extension for requests for IT services is 4357 (help).
PC Support provides technical assistance in the form of installation, maintenance and repair of personal computers, printers and other peripherals.
Administrative functions supported by Systems Support include IT grant administration, IT services billings and collections, IT contract administration, software license procurement and portfolio management, and personal computer procurement and deployment.
Instructional Innovations and Technology Lab
The Instructional Innovations and Technology Lab, formerly known as Media Services, is a vital component of the Division of Information Technology. Located in Hastings Electronic Learning Center, Room 53, the IITL provides equipment for production and display; provides consultation and instruction in the use, development and design of audiovisual and multimedia materials; and produces original instructional audiovisual materials.
The IITL multimedia development lab is available to assist faculty in learning, preparing and producing instructional materials using the latest technologies. Located in HELC, Room 53, the lab is available to all faculty who are working on WTAMU authorized materials related to teaching, research, consultancy, administration, information technology support activities or other agreed University employment-related work. The lab includes both PC and Macintosh systems, along with a variety of multimedia software and hardware.
Keys to Buildings
Faculty may secure keys to offices, labs, classrooms and/or outside doors by presenting a “Key Request Card,” signed by appropriate department heads, deans and other authorized personnel, to the maintenance department located in the Physical Plant complex. Keys may not be duplicated under any circumstances, and lost or misplaced keys should be reported to the University Police Department and the appropriate department head. All keys are the property of the University and must be returned to the maintenance department upon termination of employment. Although there is no charge for initial key-making services, a fee will be assessed for lost or misplaced keys.
Library
The primary mission of Cornette Library is to provide access to information resources that support the curriculum of the University. The library also supports faculty and graduate student research and serves as an intellectual and cultural resource for the surrounding community. The library’s services are provided through its site on the World Wide Web and in a physical facility that is centrally located on campus. The library’s Web site provides access to numerous resources, including the full texts of many journals, monographs and reference works, as well as a wide assortment of periodical indexes. The library building houses a large collection of books, journals, state and federal government publications, and audiovisual resources. It also offers a variety of quiet environments for study, a number of small rooms which may be reserved for semester-long use by individual faculty members, two seminar rooms, and a lecture room with computer and video projection equipment.
The library’s collection of electronic and paper books is largely selected by the faculty and purchased with funds allocated by the library to each academic department. Procedures for the submission of book-purchase requests are jointly determined by library personnel and academic department heads and vary among departments.
Database and journal subscription decisions are made by librarians, with substantial consideration given to faculty requests.
Access to the library’s electronic resources is available through any networked computer on campus. Off-campus access through any computer connected to the Internet is available by means of a proxy server and requires entry of the same user name and password used for accessing a University e-mail account.
Faculty members are automatically accorded book borrowing privileges through the library’s automated circulation system. Faculty may keep books for 120 days and renew them twice through the library’s Web site or by telephone. After two remote renewals, books must be brought to the library’s circulation desk for renewal. (Please remember that the library’s stewardship of community resources necessitates fines to discourage patrons from keeping materials beyond their due date. In the unlikely event that materials are lost or severely damaged, replacement and processing costs must be paid. Patrons are responsible for all materials borrowed on their accounts.)
Books and other materials, either from the library’s collection or owned by a faculty member, may be placed on reserve for classes. An electronic reserve service is also offered. Reserve services and procedures are administered at the circulation desk.
The library’s External Services Unit provides interlibrary loan and distance education services. Interlibrary loan requests may be submitted through the library’s Web site.
A variety of reciprocal borrowing arrangements are available to allow direct use of other academic libraries throughout Texas and New Mexico. Register for these services at the circulation desk.
Faculty members may schedule classes for library orientation and instruction in the use of information resources by contacting a reference librarian.
Life Services
The Life Services area encompasses four departments: Medical Services, Career and Counseling Services, Disabled Student Services and Kids Kollege. In addition, Life Services offers massage therapy to students, faculty and staff members. All students are eligible for general medical care through the required student health fee. Emergency/after-hours care is available at the student’s own expense at Family Medicine Center of Canyon, which operates 24 hours a day.
Career Services can assist students with major selection, student employment, interviewing skills, career placement and many other services that will help the students be successful. The Counseling Center helps students deal with adjustment problems and/or concerns that interfere with a satisfying college experience. Appointments are available with staff counselors at no cost to students.
Disabled Student Services offers services for students with special needs whether it be physical limitations or learning disabilities. Kids Kollege provides a high-quality learning environment for children of students, faculty and staff members.
For additional information on any of these services, see http://www.wtamu.edu/administrative/ss/index.htm#.
Most departmental offices have adopted policies and practices that provide for the pick-up and delivery of on- and off-campus mail to faculty. Beyond these practices, faculty members may take interdepartmental mail to the University Post Office, located in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center, or the University mailroom, located on the east end of the first level of Old Main.
Mail for off-campus destinations may be left for pick-up in the Old Main mailroom or may be taken directly to the University Post Office, a U.S. Postal Service that operates on a federal government schedule. (Holidays may not coincide with University holidays.) Outgoing mail leaves campus each day the office is open at 4:15 p.m.
According to state law, mail which requires use of the University postage meter is strictly limited to University business, and WTAMU stationery and envelopes should never be used for personal business. Official business correspondence should contain the sender’s departmental return address so there is no delay in mailing, and postage can be charged to the appropriate account.
Each department/office has been issued a WTAMU box number. Incoming mail should be addressed: Name, Department, WTAMU Box Number, Canyon, Texas 79016-0001. Post Office boxes are available to individual faculty members for a nominal fee.
Maintenance/Physical Plant
Faculty members may submit work orders requesting routine maintenance or minor repair (e.g., burned out light bulbs, minor damage) directly to the Physical Plant. For repairs or renovations beyond basic maintenance, faculty must submit a “Request for Quotation” form to the department head.
Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum
Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is the oldest and largest state museum in Texas, housing more than three and one-half million artifacts. Since 1933, the museum has served the Texas Panhandle as a repository and interpreter of history, science and culture.
Exhibit areas include petroleum, western heritage, paleontology, transportation and art. Each area provides a rich resource for academic study. The museum’s curatorial staff is available for comprehensive tours and consultation with advance notice.
The Research Center, located on the third floor, offers a wide variety of materials on all aspects of the development and history of the Texas Panhandle and surrounding region. Published works, manuscripts, photographs and other primary materials document the history, art, archeology and culture of this area.
Parking
The University operates a designated zone-parking system identified by colored curbing: brown, commuting student; blue, residence hall student; and green, faculty and staff. Parking spaces are clearly marked and open on a first-come basis to those vehicles with proper permits. Vehicles with a zone permit may park anywhere within the designated zone.
Faculty permits (and additional permits for second cars) may be purchased through the University Police Department. Temporary permits for guests may be acquired from the University Police Department.
Miscellaneous Information
A faculty member in violation of any University parking regulation should expect to receive a citation and will be expected to pay the citation or appeal to the University’s Traffic Appeals Committee and abide by the committee’s ruling.
Print Shop
The Print Shop is the University’s official printer for posters, fliers, newsletters, brochures, stationery, envelopes, business cards, etc. The Print Shop does not receive state appropriations but offers quality printing and quick-copy services at prices generally lower than commercial vendors. The Print Shop provides free cost estimates and delivery services and stocks selected papers in various colors for departmental purchase. The shop also maintains and operates a collating machine, a folder and a label-addressing machine to assist faculty members with projects that involve large mailings.
Property Clearance
If a faculty member leaves the University because of termination of employment or for leave of absence (not for summer only), all University property which has been in the charge of the faculty member, including keys, grade records, library books, materials, etc., must be returned and all fees owed the University must be paid and/or cleared to the satisfaction of the department head and University officials. Failure to comply with this policy may result in a notation in the faculty member’s personnel records and/or withholding of the faculty member’s final pay check.
Research and Faculty Development Grants
The Killgore Research Committee invites proposals, reviews submissions and awards Killgore Research Grants and Research Enhancement Grants to deserving faculty each fall semester. Additional University-funded grants, designed to foster creative approaches in the classroom, are afforded through the Faculty Development Summer Grant program. Recipients present their findings to the faculty.
Faculty members are also encouraged to seek funding from off-campus agencies and foundations. These efforts are described in the External Funding Requests Policies and Procedures Handbook and are coordinated through the Office of Grants and Special Projects.
Student Employment
All on-campus student positions must be posted through Student Employment Services (SES). SES provides a centralized location for part-time on-campus employment that eliminates confusion, speeds up the advertising and hiring process, and helps insure equal access to work opportunities for students.
Jobs can be posted in one of three ways:
- over the Web at http://wtcareer.wtamu.edu,
- using the Job Form provided by SES, or
- by calling SES at 651-2397 and providing the information via the phone.
Student Media
West Texas A&M University students operate a campus radio station, KWTS-FM Radio 91.1, while classes are in session and publish a weekly newspaper, The Prairie. The student media provide excellent opportunities to reach the campus population; however, they operate much like commercial outlets and are bound by similar time and space constraints.
Student Recruitment
The University’s student recruitment efforts are coordinated by the Office of Admissions. This office sponsors a number of prospective-student activities and distributes recruiting materials upon request.
Student Services
Students look upon faculty members as more than teachers and sometimes request assistance beyond that of a faculty member’s area of expertise. Faculty faced with these situations or who observe students in “distress” are encouraged to refer students to the Office of Student Services or to call the Office of Student Services for advice and support. Counseling and routine medical services are available to students.
The office is critical to the University’s retention efforts and oversees programs involving student organizations, the residence halls, career planning, student job placement, student events and activities, wellness and student government.
The Office of Student Services maintains/updates the Code of Student Life each fall and online at www.wtamu.edu/studentservices.
Telephone
Faculty offices are equipped with telephones, which are billed to the responsible department. All on-campus calls may be completed by pressing only the last four digits of the number (e.g., 651-2300, only press 2300 to complete the call). Calls made to off-campus locations must be preceded by pressing “9.”
The State Telecommunications System (TEX-AN) is available on all faculty telephones and automatically uses the least-cost route for all long-distance calls. Each long-distance call is billed at a rate of $.21 per minute, which is charged to the individual’s long-distance access code. This access code is issued by Telecommunications Services after authorization is requested for the faculty member by their respective department head. The access code should not be shared with any other person.
Each faculty phone is equipped with an automated voice-mailbox application (Active Voice). Instructions on how to setup mailboxes and how to use the functions on the telephones may be picked-up at the Computer Center, which is located directly across from the Jack B. Kelley Student Center.
Telephone Directories
The Office of Communication Services distributes a Quick-Find Faculty/Staff Telephone Directory in early September and a larger Student/Faculty/ Staff Telephone Directory in mid to late October. Additional copies are available throughout the year as long as the supply lasts.
August 2007 Page 41
Miscellaneous Information
Tobacco Policy
The use of tobacco products (cigars, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, etc.) is prohibited in all buildings on the WTAMU campus. 34.05.99.W1/BF
University Bookstore
In addition to its primary function of selling textbooks and supplementary materials to students, the University Bookstore, located in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center, offers a number of services to faculty.
The University Bookstore orders and stocks textbooks based on requests submitted by department heads. Faculty members who author textbooks which will be used in WTAMU courses and which will be sold by the bookstore must comply with procedures outlined in the paragraph entitled “Authoring Textbooks” in “General Policies Affecting Faculty” section of this handbook. If a faculty member wishes to change the required text for a particular course, that faculty member must seek approval from the department head, and the bookstore must be notified one semester prior to implementation of the change. Changes with less notice will be reviewed by the bookstore manager, and decisions will be based on current text stock and new text availability.
Department heads or faculty members should order textbook desk copies by sending a written request on departmental letterhead directly to the publishing company. In emergencies, a desk copy will be provided by the bookstore until the faculty member can secure a replacement. If, however, the faculty member cannot return a new, unmarked copy of the book to the University Bookstore within 45 days, the faculty member will be charged.
Faculty members may also rent or purchase academic regalia from the University Bookstore. Graduation deadlines are announced in the WTAMU Communicator.
The University Bookstore offers a 10-percent discount on all items costing one dollar or more to full-time faculty members, retired faculty members and their immediate families. This discount does not allow faculty members to make purchases for students or others outside their immediate families. A valid faculty identification card must be presented to the bookstore cashier to qualify for the faculty discount or to take advantage of check-cashing services.
University Police Department
WTAMU police officers, unlike “security guards” on many campuses, are certified Texas peace officers and have jurisdiction in both Potter and Randall counties to enforce local, state and federal laws. The department employs a 24-hour staff of trained dispatchers and patrols and handles all investigations of offenses on the University campus. 34.06.01
Weather/Emergency Closing Procedure
The University president may close the University or cancel/delay classes because of hazardous weather conditions or other emergency-related situations. If possible, these kinds of administrative decisions are announced by 3 p.m. the day before. However, changing weather conditions often necessitate “last-minute” announcements. Decisions to alter the University schedule are reported as soon as possible (generally by 6:30 a.m.) to local radio and television media outlets and are broadcast on the University’s “Weather Line” and all campus voice mailboxes. Faculty members are encouraged to call their personal voice mailboxes for “weather” messages instead of tying up the student-accessed University Weather Line.
WTAMU Foundation
The purpose of the WTAMU Foundation is to support West Texas A&M University, its faculty, staff and students, and to seek, receive and administer gifts and endowments for the use and benefit of the University. The foundation’s efforts are coordinated on campus by the Office of Development.