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Adjunct Faculty Handbook
Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts at Wright State University!
For those of you who are new to Wright State—thank you for joining us. We look forward to working with you. For those of you who continue to teach at Wright State—thank you for returning. We appreciate your dedication to our students.
This handbook contains helpful information and links to useful sites. It is meant to provide a convenient starting point for college- and university-wide policies and procedures. Of course, the best source is often your your School Chair or Associate Chair, Administrative Specialist, or Faculty Liaison, especially if the question is program-specific
Please let us know if you discover errors or omissions. We hope you enjoy your time here.
Human Resources Information
New employees can visit the human resources website and find a link to a selection of open sessions that will enable you to fill out the new hire paperwork. Please register for one of the sessions and print and complete the necessary forms prior to your session.
Soon after you receive a university contract, you will be given a Wright State e-mail account. This is the best account to use when communicating with students, faculty and staff. If you have your WSU e-mail forwarded to another account, security is compromised during the transfer. Be careful to keep sensitive matters within Wright State mail. In other words, when discussing particular students, do not send e-mails through your second or personal account. In addition, when sending e-mails about particular students, do not put the student’s UID number in the header.
ID Numbers
You will receive a campus username and password that will allow you to access the WINGS area of the WSU computer system. Your campus ID will begin with a “w” and include your initials – referred to as your “w#.”
You will also receive a University ID (UID) number and PIN. The UID will begin with “u0” and not include any other letters. Your UID replaces your social security number and allows you access to WINGS EXPRESS and sensitive material such as grades, student information, registration overrides, pay stubs, library access, etc.
ID Card
To obtain an ID card, bring a photo ID to 066 Student Union (x5542) to have your card made. Your first card will be free, but replacement cards carry a nominal fee. In addition to being your University ID card, you can put money on it for use at the vending machines and campus auxiliary locations (dining services, the bookstore, etc.). Should you lose your card, the money will be transferred to your new card. Funds can be added to the card via WINGS EXPRESS or WrightOne Card machines located on campus.
Keys
If you teach at night, you may want to obtain keys to your school office and the adjunct faculty office. Without these, you will be unable to check your mailbox and make copies after the office closes at 5:00 p.m. To get your keys, please ask a school Administrative Support Coordinator to fill out a request, which you will then take to 060 Allyn Hall (the University Police Department in the Millett Hall basement, reachable at x2154). The key shop will call when your key is ready for pickup.
Parking
Parking permits and information may be obtained from Parking Services in 065 Allyn Hall (x2056) from 7:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. or through the Parking Services portal. They are paid for by faculty members and are necessary to park in campus lots. Parking passes may be purchased for an academic year or a semester.
Pay Information
Your pay will be direct deposited into the account you indicate on your initial paperwork on the last day of the month. Pay stubs are available on WINGS EXPRESS, under the Employee tab (first log into WINGS with your w# login, then from WINGS, log-in to WINGS EXPRESS – the tab located in upper right-hand corner).
Returning employee contracts will be processed electronically.
Smoking
Wright State is a tobacco free campus and does not permit smoking inside of any building, nor on university-owned property (including the woods, residence halls, and apartments). Smoking is also prohibited at university-sponsored events (regardless of location) and inside private vehicles on university property. This includes hookahs, e-cigarettes and other electronic smoking devices, and chewing tobacco. View the full Tobacco-Free policy.
University Academic Calendar
The university academic calendar, includes semester beginning and ending dates, holidays, and other deadlines.
University Closure
If the university closes because of bad weather, you will find an announcement on the front page of the WSU web site. If you like, you can sign up to receive notice of campus closing by text or email by going to WINGS EXPRESS, then the Personal Information tab, then Manage Wright State Alert-Emergency Notification.
School Mailbox
You will have a mailbox within the school office suite. Check it frequently for phone messages and other communications from students, faculty, or staff.
Copying
A printer/copy machine is available in each school; please see a school Administrative Support Coordinator for your personal code if you need to make copies and for information about any school copying policies. Please use Pilot to post any supplemental materials online so as to not waste paper.
Office Hours
You should be available 2-3 hours a week at convenient times for your students. Please let a school Administrative Support Coordinator know when you will have office hours and post them on your syllabus by the Friday of the first week of the semester.
Pilot Online Course Management System
Wright State uses an online course management system called Pilot, which is managed by CaTS. For information visit the Pilot Help for Faculty website.
Syllabi
A school Administrative Support Coordinator or School Chair can provide you with copies of sample syllabi to use as models. Please be sure to include the following information on your syllabus:
- Your name and contact information
- Office hours and office location
- Required texts
- Purpose and goals for the class
- Course requirements, including reading and writing assignments and tests with due dates
- Policy on grading
- Attendance policy
- Policy for make-up tests
- Policy on cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc. if applicable
- Academic integrity policy
- Opportunity for tutoring, study sessions if available
- Any days when class might be canceled because of your prior commitment and an alternative learning assignment
- Request that students with documented disabilities inform the instructor of any needed accommodations (a suggested syllabus statement from the Office of Disability Services can be found in their Faculty Guide)
Examinations, papers or other components of the grade for each undergraduate class must be scheduled so that students have feedback and can make informed judgments about their progress prior to the end of the ninth week of each Fall or Spring semester.
Posting the Syllabus
Please do not print or make copies of the syllabus. At least a week before the first day of classes, you must post your course syllabus to Pilot. Please send an e-mail to your class list, letting your students know that the syllabus is available. Ask them to print it and bring it to the first class session. Make sure to carefully explain key points and policies at the first class meeting. Send a copy of your syllabi to a school Administrative Support Coordinator by the end of the first week of class.
Graduate Courses
If you are slated to teach a graduate level course you must be on the graduate faculty. Contact your School Chair for information about how to apply for graduate faculty membership.
Class Lists
Class lists are available on Pilot. To access Pilot, enter WINGS with your w# login and password. Click on ACADEMICS, select the appropriate term and select the class from the list. To e-mail your students from WINGS, simply click on E-mail. If you have a student in attendance whose name is not on the list, please advise the student and see a school Administrative Support Coordinator to check the student’s status.
Disability Services Testing
You may receive notification from the Office of Disability Services that one of your students needs to take their exams at Disability Services. The student must apply to be able to do this and, if the student is accepted, you will receive email reminders. You must e-mail your tests 24 hours ahead of time to ds_testproctor@wright.edu or submit them through the AIM Portal via the Disability Services website.
Closed Class Permission and Registration Overrides
You have the ability to sign students into your classes at your discretion. Ask students wishing to add your class to give you their UID number so you do not have to look it up. In order to access this database, you will need to log into WINGS EXPRESS. First, log in to WINGS using your w#, then choose the WINGS EXPRESS tab in the upper right-hand corner. Then choose the FACULTY tab, scroll down to Registration Overrides, follow the prompts and give students department approval, instructor approval, and closed class override.
Raider Academic Progress System (RAPS)
The Raider Academic Progress System (RAPS) links administrators, advisors, faculty and other staff to students in a coordinated care network to proactively manage student success. RAPS provides early outreach to assist students and remove barriers to degree completion. These include early alerts, progress reports, and other interventions.
For more information on how you can help identify and offer support to at-risk students, see: https://www.wright.edu/sites/www.wright.edu/files/page/attachments/5%20Tips%20for%20Maximizing%20RAPS%20Progress%20Reports.pdf
Dropping/Adding Students
Dropping a class: Students do not need permission from the instructor or School Chair to drop a course. Please encourage a student to drop a course by the drop dates if they have missed many classes. It is always better to drop than to fail.
Adding a class: Permission is required from the instructor or the School Chair if a student wishes to add a class. The fastest way to add a student to your class is to give them permission to do so on WINGS EXPRESS (See above instructions on Registration Overrides). Students are generally not permitted to switch sections.
Auditing a Course
Students who wish to audit a course must pay regular fees (unless they are senior citizens). This grants them the same privileges as regular students, but students must obtain school permission to change from credit to audit or from audit to credit by the end of the first week of class. Faculty members are not obligated to correct the papers of auditors, but they usually do.
Course Reserves
Course materials may be put on reserve in the university libraries. For information about this service and how to access it, follow this link: http://libraries.wright.edu/information/borrowing/reserves_information.php
Classrooms
Here are some helpful numbers for classroom problems: For problems with heating, lights, etc., please call Physical Plant at x4444. For problems in computer classrooms, please call the CaTS helpdesk at x4827.
Technological Assistance and Equipment Requests
For problems with Pilot, with classroom computers, DVD players or projectors, or for any equipment requests, call the CaTS Helpdesk at x4827.
Class Cancellation
While it is understood that situations arise where you may need to cancel class, this should be a last resort. If you know in advance you need to miss class for any reason, notify your School Chair. In emergencies, please call a school Administrative Support Coordinator so they or a student worker can put a note on your classroom door. As soon as you know you need to cancel class, please send an e-mail to your students so they know in advance.
Final Exam
Non-cumulative exams may be given the last week of classes. If you are giving a final comprehensive exam, it must be given during finals week (not during the last week of classes), according to official University Policy. The final exam schedule is posted online on the Exam Schedules webpage.
Grades
Grades are due by noon on the Wednesday after the last day of final examinations. Instructions for submitting grades are given here: https://www.wright.edu/registrar/grading. It is generally inappropriate to post grades in a public setting.
Grade Changes
For information on how to submit grade changes, go to: https://www.wright.edu/registrar/grading#GradeChanges
Incomplete and X Grades
An incomplete grade is a temporary grade given when part of the required work is missing and arrangements are made with the instructor to complete the work. Failure of a student to appear for a final examination without explanation is insufficient grounds for assigning an incomplete. Rather, in such cases an “X” grade is more appropriate. For more information on incompletes, please see: https://www.wright.edu/registrar/grading#IncompleteGradesAndContract. For more information on the grading system, including “X” grades and how they’re different from “F”s, see: https://policy.wright.edu/policy/4010-grading-system
Students with Questions or Complaints
In most cases, students must first approach the instructor with any complaints about the class. The School Chair should not meet with students who have not first expressed their concerns to the instructor in a meeting outside of class. If the student has first discussed their issues during a meeting with the instructor, they may then make an appointment with School Chair to address the problem.
The EthicsPoint system allows people to report suspected illegal or unethical conduct anonymously by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-855-353-3783 or by using the EthicsPoint website. This is not a 911 or Emergency Service. Reports submitted through this service may not receive an immediate response. Those requiring emergency assistance should call 911.
Students in Distress
Counseling and Wellness Services offers a number of services for students. Call 937-775-3407 or go to https://www.wright.edu/student-affairs/counseling-wellness-and-advocacy/counseling-and-wellness/information-for-faculty-and-staff for more information, as well as an information sheet to help identify the actions to take based on the level of concern regarding a student’s behavior. Raider Cares is Counseling and Wellness Services’ 24-hour crisis phone service: 937-775-4567.
Tuition Remission Program
Wright State University has a tuition remission program for adjunct faculty. For eligibility and additional information, go to: University Policy 8320.9 Adjunct Tuition Remission Program
Printable version of the Liberal Arts Adjunct Faculty Handbook (PDF)
