Change to VCCS Policy on Faculty Office Hours

August 2, 2022 / Tuesday Topics

Today’s topic is faculty office hours. This spring, VCCS implemented a change to the portion of Policy 3.5 related to full-time faculty office hours (VCCS Policy 3.5.3). Now called “Student Engagement Hours,” these 10 hours per week no longer are restricted to office hours. With the agreement of a teaching faculty’s supervisor, the 10 student engagement hours can be allocated to in-person and remote modalities. One thing has not changed: full-time teaching faculty must still include information about their scheduled 10 student engagement hours in their syllabi and in the Learning Management System (LMS). Adjunct teaching faculty must include their contact information in their syllabi and the LMS.

VCCS took this action based on feedback from the Chancellor’s Faculty Advisory Council (CFAC), which represents all 23 colleges in the system. NOVA’s representative on CFAC is Professor Charlie Errico (WO-History). In making the recommendation, CFAC noted that the office hour policy predated a time when cell phones, computers, emails and zoom meetings became a way of life. CFAC sought a policy that would provide greater flexibility to faculty in working with their supervisors to schedule student engagement hours. The revised policy does just that: faculty who wish to continue on-campus, in-office hours can do so, but those who wish to consider other modalities now have this option, too. 

As full-time teaching faculty put the finishing touches on their syllabi, I wanted to make certain they were aware of this policy change and had the time to work with their supervisors.

And, now here’s an offer for everyone reading this week’s topic: I have a pair of tickets to each Arlo Parks show at the 9:30 Club in D.C. that I will not be able to use (long story). If you’re interested in seeing her on either September 12 (sold-out) or September 13, just email me at PresidentsOffice@nvcc.edu and claim a pair of tickets. They’ll go to the first takers.