New Instructor Handbook
English Hot Links - Please review this list for quick reference to departments and information associated with working in the English Department.
Table of Contents
Administrative Personnel - Includes a full list of contacts for faculty and staff associated with English Department Administration.
About the Program(s) - Provides information regarding program options available within the English Department.
Teaching Resources- Includes resources for new and current instructors regarding syllabus preparation, withdrawal, late-adds, grades and roster access information.
Technology Needs - Provides information regarding technology resources such as Blackboard, ULink, and departmental websites.
Additional Resources - Includes resources regarding computer labs, the Writing Center, University Libraries, the Delphi Center and the Speed Art Museum.
Access to Humanities Building, Mail & Copy Needs - Provides information regarding building access, mailbox location, and copy/printing privileges and limits.
Department Policies & Procedures - Provides information regarding English Department, College of Arts & Sciences, and Human Resources policies and procedures.
Additional Information - Includes information such as Faculty Identification Cards, Ombudsman Services, and A&S Faculty Assemblies.
Emergency Resources - Provides information regarding emergency services such as counseling referral, the RAVE Alert system, and safe places on campus with such offices as Public Safety and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Services.
Perks & Discount - Includes information regarding tuition remission, discount, TARC access, and Athletics.
Administrative Personnel
Elect Chair – Dr. Glynis Ridley provides oversight for English Department programming.
Vice Chair – Dr. Andrew Rabin provides assistance for instructors and students. Currently schedules all literature courses for each semester. Dr. Rabin can be reached at 502-852-1722. Email Dr. Rabin
Director Undergraduate Program – Dr. Karen Chandler provides assistance to undergraduate students in terms of advising and program information as needed. Dr. Chandler can be reached at 502-852-5568. Email Dr. Chandler.
Undergraduate Advisor – Professor Robin Mozer provides advising to undergraduate majors. Professor Mozer can be reached 502-852-4647, Email Professor Mozer.
Undergraduate Administrative Assistant – Sherry McCroskey provides support for all undergraduate students on numerous levels including, appointments for the Undergraduate Director, website maintenance. Sherry can be reached at 502-852-0506, Email Sherry.
Director Graduate Program – Dr. Steven Schneider, provides assistance to graduate students for all advising and program information as needed. Email Dr. Turner.
Graduate Administrative Assistant – Lisa Cox provides support for all Graduate students including exam schedules and administration, support for the Graduate Director, website maintenance and Graduate student files. Lisa can be reached at 502-852-0505, Email Lisa.
Director of Composition Program – Dr. Andrea Olinger provides assistance for students and PTL and GTA instructors for the Composition Program. Email Dr. Olinger.
Administrative Specialist (Composition) – Linda Baldwin provides support for all Composition courses, coordination for Composition events, supports the Composition Director, and assists students for all 100 level courses and evaluations. Linda can be reached at 502-852-6896, Email Linda.
Director of Creative Writing – Professor Ian Stansel provides assistance to creative writing students, scheduling instructor courses, and works with Axton program and Calvino prize. Email Dr. Stansel.
Director of Watson Program – Dr. Andrea Olinger is coordinating the Biennial Watson Conference. Email Dr. Olinger
Unit Business Manager – Robin Carroll provides support for all faculty and instructors in processing payroll, travel forms and disbursement, room scheduling, hiring and other such items for the department. Robin can be reached at 502-852-7718. Email Robin Carroll.
Technology Specialist – Hung Nguyen provides support for all technology and equipment requests for the English Department. Hung can be reached at 502-852-6932, Email Hung .
About the Program(s)
Structure of the English Major and English Minors . Questions can be addressed to either the Undergraduate Director or the Undergraduate Advisor.
Internships - Students may take up to 6 hours of 400+ level credit for internships as negotiated with the Internship Director prior to the start of the internship work. Dr. Karen Chandler, kmchan01@louisville.edu, is currently coordinating internships for the English department.
Study Abroad - Students are encouraged to participate in study-abroad opportunities. Prof. Ann Elizabeth Willey, aewill01@louisville.edu, is the study-abroad coordinator for the department. More information about opportunities is available through the International Program and on-line here.
Honors Program - Students meeting GPA and course pre-requisites are eligible to participate in the University Honors Program and/or the English Departmental Honors Program. Instructors are encouraged to identify and speak to qualified students about the opportunity. Professor Joseph Turner is the English department contact for the English Departmental Honors Program. Information about University-wide Honors is available by going to A&S Honors Program.
Teaching Resources
Syllabus Development - Information necessary to your syllabus, including university-wide requirements, content, and samples.
Meeting General Education Requirements - Courses that meet general education requirements should be identified as such on the syllabus.
Composition Handbook - The Composition Handbook is a most helpful resource that includes information on grading, course descriptions, book orders, teacher resources and pedagogy, and policies.
Assistant Directors of Composition, ADC – Under the supervision of the Director of Composition, the Assistant Directors perform routine tasks that serve the interest of students, instructors, and the program. They hold office hours and are available to Composition Program instructors to discuss any aspect of their teaching, from syllabus construction to problems with students. An Assistant Director acts as a liaison between the Composition Program instructor and their student in the event a student expresses a complaint about the class or instructor. ADCs read and evaluate student portfolios submitted during a student's first semester for placement/credit. Composition instructors can refer to the Composition Handbook for more detailed information on the services available through the Assistant Directors. An ADC can be contacted via e-mail at adcquery@louisville.edu. While the ADC office is located in room 333, phone number 502-852-6060, the schedule of their office hours and locations is posted on the door to HM 315E.
Ordering Textbooks - Textbooks should be ordered as soon as possible. Composition Program PTL and GTA instructors need to process book orders through Linda Baldwin. All others should order their textbooks usually in October for Spring Semester and in March for Summer and Fall semesters.
Late Adds - As a general rule, students can add and drop classes through the first week of classes each semester, but sometimes request permission to add a class after that. Late adds are generally discouraged, although at times circumstances arise that might cause a late-add to be appropriate. In composition classes, students wanting to late-add a course must see the program administrator in Humanities 321. Students in courses in levels 200 and above petition through A&S to late-add a course. Such a student will bring the instructor a form entitled “Instructor’s Remarks,” which will be part of the petition itself. Instructors in non-composition courses should use their own discretion in answering the questions on the form. Questions about your options in agreeing to late-add a student to one of your literature courses can be directed to the undergraduate director or the undergraduate advisor.
Over-Enrollments - the department discourages faculty from over-enrolling students in their classes, although graduating students should be accommodated if the course is required for their graduation. Questions about over-enrolling in a composition course should be taken by the student to Linda Baldwin. Faculty wishing to over-enroll a student in a course in the 200 and above level should contact the senior program assistant of the appropriate level course (i.e., undergraduate program assistant for courses at 200-400 and graduate program assistant for courses at the 500-600 levels).
Accessing Rosters & Posting Final Grades - the process is fully explained in the Composition Handbook’s Appendices B and C. A hard copy of final grades for composition courses should be submitted to Linda Baldwin.
Withdrawals - The last date for students to withdraw from a class is announced on the semester calendar. Faculty are required to provide students with some feedback on their work before the withdrawal date.
Incompletes - In the composition program, questions about assigning a grade of incomplete should be referred to the Assistant Directors of Composition. Instructors in literature courses may assign a grade of incomplete to students who have completed at least 80% of the work of the course before conditions outside the student’s control precluded the student from completing the work of the course. Before assigning a grade of incomplete, be sure to speak with the student and develop a plan for the completion of all course work. Students have until towards the end of the next full semester (not including summer sessions) to complete the work of the course before an incomplete is automatically switched to an F grade. Dates for final completion of work for incomplete grades are announced each semester on the registrar’s calendar.
Grade changes - For literature courses, the Undergraduate Administrative Assistant, has forms for submitting grade changes, including assigning a grade for a student completing an incomplete. Composition course grades must be addressed with the Composition Administrative Specialist. All grade changes for literature courses must be approved by the department chair.
Technology Needs
Requesting Assistance With Technology Needs – Information and assistance with reserving technology and equipment can be processed online or by contacting the department Tier One directly. Hung Nguyen at 502-852-6932 or at hqnguy01@louisville.edu. For classroom needs, please review Information Technology’s classroom resources website.
Using Blackboard - Blackboard provides a computer-based classroom management option for every class at the university. The Delphi Center offers numerous opportunities for learning how to use the technology effectively.
ULink– Ulink is an electronic resource server for students and faculty/staff at the University. ULink provides a number of resources for students include registration, financial aid, personal information and so on. ULink serves faculty and staff by providing direct information regarding grades, rosters, University reports and Financials, and personal information such as paychecks and electronic W-2’s.
Website Access & Instructions – The website is maintained by the English Administrative staff, primarily by the Technology Specialist. Please note the Undergraduate Administrative Assistant will maintain all items associated with the Undergraduate program. Likewise, Graduate Administrative Assistant will do the same for all Graduate program information and the Composition Administrative Specialist for all Composition website changes.
Individual Websites - All faculty members receive a website in order to allow instructors to post notes, office hours, and contact information for future reference. In order to make changes or updates to an individual site, please go to the previously noted website. From here select the appropriate link (GTA and PTL Instructors or Visiting and Term Faculty) and scroll through the list to find your name. Once the site opens to the appropriate name, select “log in” from the top right corner. Use your ULink user ID and password to log in. The site will return to your page. Select edit and make any necessary changes, make sure to save when you are finished. Questions or problems with site access should be directed to the the Technology Spcecialst.
Adding Events to the Dept. Calendar – While instructors associated with programs such as the Axton Series and the Watson Conference may add items as needed, all other events must be added by the Technology Specialist or the Unit Business Manager.
Additional Resources
English Department Computer Labs - We have two computer-equipped classrooms in the English Department. These classrooms (HUM 104 and LL05) are known as Digital Writing or DW classrooms/labs. You can request a DW classroom for an entire semester when you complete your Preference Sheet for a teaching schedule. Requests for short-term use of a DW classroom should be directed to an Assistant Director of Composition.
Departmental E-files - The E-Files is a teaching resource for instructors in the English Department at the University of Louisville. This site allows you to search for policy statements, syllabi, assignments and student papers for any English class taught through U of L, to join in online discussions about teaching, and to find links to other relevant information. You are also encouraged to contribute your teaching materials.
Writing Center- The UofL Writing Center, located on the third floor of Ekstrom Library, provides writing assistance to all students and faculty. The Writing Center has trained writing consultants on staff who can meet with your students to discuss their writings at any stage in the process, and students and faculty may visit the Writing Center or its website to find handouts on a large number of writing topics. You may request that a Writing Center consultant visit your class to discuss a number of writing related topics, including: documentation practices, recognizing and avoiding plagiarism, developing effective thesis statements, and revision strategies.
University Libraries – Information regarding the various libraries across campus are available at. Ekstrom Library has five instructional labs. To book a class session in one of these labs, call 852-8699 or use the forms to request a class taught by a librarian or taught by the instructor. (View the Ekstrom labs schedule to find an available date.) Librarians offer sessions on evaluating sources, using the on-line catalog, or searching library databases.
Delphi Center Programs for Faculty Development – Multiple professional development courses and opportunities are available through the Delphi Center. The Part-Time Faculty Institute is an opportunity for professional development open only to part-time faculty.
Ideas to Action (I2A) is a university-wide Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) focused on improving the critical thinking skills of undergraduate students and more effectively preparing them to contribute to society. Each semester, part-time, term, tenure track, or tenured faculty members who will be teaching an undergraduate face-to-face course during the following spring or fall semester may be nominated to join a Faculty Learning Community on Critical Thinking (FLC-CT). The FLC-CT provides an opportunity for a group of 10-12 faculty members to engage in cross-disciplinary dialogue, structured activities, and reflection related to the implementation of I2A. Participants who successfully complete the FLC process receive a $1,000 stipend.
IT Software Training & Tutorials – IT provides many training tutorials and sessions on software used by the University as well as Microsoft and Adobe products.
Speed Art Museum – Located on Belknap Campus, this museum features special exhibits, family art activities and events. It is free to students, faculty and staff at the University. Parking is available via garage immediately next to the Museum for a small fee.
Access to Humanities Building, Mail & Copy Needs
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Office Space
- PTL/GTA– Comp instructors teaching during the semester will be provided a carrel space in the basement of the Bingham Humanities Bldg.
- Term Faculty– Term faculty are provided offices as available. Offices will be located on the second or third floor of the Bingham Humanities Bldg. Office hours must be posted on your door or immediately next to all offices as well as submitted to the Composition, Undergraduate, or Graduate Program Assistants as appropriate.
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Keys & Door/Room Access– Access to the Bingham Humanities Bldg is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM until 9:00 PM. Access is available on Saturdays when classes are in session. Access to the bldg is only available with a valid key on Sunday and when the University is officially closed.
- PTL/GTA– Access to 4F or 4H, located in the basement of the Humanities Bldg, is available by code. Please contact Linda Baldwin, Annelise Gray, or Sherry McCroskey for codes to either of these locations.
- Term Faculty – Keys to all offices will be provided upon arrival to the department. Only one key is provided per faculty member. While spares are available in room 315 in the event of a lock out, faculty members must pay for lost or stolen keys. Access to room 300 is permitted by key, which are available in room 315.
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Mailboxes and Postage
- PTL/GTA– All instructors will receive a box in room 4H in the basement of the Bingham Humanities Bldg. While the department will not pay for personal mail, mail pick up is available each day in room 315. Additional postage needs should be addressed with the Campus Post Office located in the Houchen’s Bldg.
- Term Faculty – All term faculty mailboxes are located in room 315 of the Bingham Humanities Bldg. While the department will not pay for personal mail, mail pick up is available each day in room 315. Additional postage needs should be addressed with the Campus Post Office located in the Houchen’s Bldg.
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Copying and Printing Policy– Copy limits are set up one week prior to the start of each semester by Caroline Stephens. Each instructor will receive 20 copies per student (e.g. a class of 20 students equals 400 copies for the semester). Additional copies may be requested but will be charged at a rate of 5 cents per copy.
- PTL/GTA– The employee ID number serves as the copy code for each PTL/GTA instructor. The copier in room 321 is the primary machine for all PTL & GTA instructors. There is a printer available in the basement. Reams of paper may be picked up from room 315 as needed. Problems with printing access should be addressed with the department’s Tier One.
- Term Faculty– Term faculty will receive a copy code. Term faculty have the option of using the copier in either room 321 or 315. Preferred location notes should be directed to the Program Coordinator as only one copier will be set up with your copy limit. As term instructors receive a computer, a printer will also be made available for use in your office. Please provide your own paper for personal items printed from your office.
- Lost & Found- The English Administrative Offices in room 315 of the Bingham Humanities Bldg houses a small lost and found section. A campus-wide lost and found is also available at the office of Public Safety.
Department Policies & Procedures
English Dept Filing Cabinet– This is a department-wide resource that houses information regarding personnel documents and forms, teaching resources, and department communications.
English Department By-Laws – Information regarding the by-laws as well as the personnel policy are located at the Dept. Filing Cabinet.
English Department Faculty Meetings - Department-wide meetings are typically held on the second Friday of each month. Term Faculty are required to attend all meetings unless informed otherwise. Two elected representatives will attend for all PTL and GTA’s.
Departmental Personnel Review Process for Full-Time Term Faculty – Please review the link for complete information regarding term faculty reviews.
Departmental Personnel Review Process for Part-Time Term Faculty - The primary mechanisms for reviewing the performance of part-time lecturers and term faculty in the Composition Program are student evaluations and faculty teaching observations. Student evaluations are reviewed each semester by the Director of Composition, who will discuss any concerns immediately with the instructors. Teaching observations occur annually for the first two years of teaching in the Composition Program and periodically every two or three years thereafter. The primary goal of the teaching observations is to help instructors develop more effective teaching strategies.
University Part-Time Faculty Handbook– This handbook is administered by the University for part-time faculty.
L-11 and L-12 Payroll Status Groups for Part-Time Faculty- Part-time faculty are placed in a semester-by-semester payroll status called L-12 during their first year teaching for the university. After they have taught for one academic year, part-time faculty can be given a non-binding year-long contract indicating the university’s expectation that they will teach the following year. At that time, part-time faculty can be placed in the L-11 payroll status so that their connection with the university is not discontinued at the end of each semester during that year. Questions can be directed to Caroline Stephens, the Unit Business Manager.
Curriculum Vita Form - the university-wide curriculum vita form is used by full-time faculty during the annual review process,
Sexual Harassment Prevention Training, SHPT– All part time and full time faculty must complete SHPT within the first 30 days of employment. SHPT is conducted with New Employee Orientation by the Office of Human Resources for full time employees only. Part time instructors should complete the online 45 minute course. Additional information can be found by going to the Human Resources website.
Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act, FERPA – All instructors must be in compliance with FERPA guidelines.
Disability Resource Center– The Disability Resource Center coordinates services that ensure individuals with disabilities have equal access to take full advantage of the University’s educational, social and cultural opportunities. For more information, please contact the DRC at 502-852-6938.
Payroll– Housed within Human Resources, Payroll provides assistance with preparing pay, tax information, and many other services. While Lois, the Unit Business Manager, can assist you with Payroll questions and concerns, Payroll can be reached via phone at 502-852-6258.
Plagiarism Policy - The university officially defines plagiarism as “representing the words or ideas of someone else as one’s own in any academic exercise” (2013-2014 Undergraduate Catalog). The Composition Handbook has an excellent discussion of academic dishonesty and ways to address it useful for teachers in all disciplines. It is available in Section 5 of the Handbook.
Copyright Compliance- Information about complying with copyright law.
Faculty Governance– Additional information regarding faculty governance, Faculty Senate, and faculty and personnel issues is available at the Provost’s website.
Redbook – The Redbook is provided by the Provost as a guide to rules of governance and organizational policies and procedures for the University. More information regarding is available at .
Additional Information
Getting a Faculty ID – Each member of the University receives one Cardinal Card at the beginning of their employment or schooling. This card can serve as a discount card, provides limited access for campus buildings, as a University library card, and can be used for Cardinal cash. Replacements are available for a small fee. However, students moving to instructor positions can request a new ID for no charge if they bring their original ID to the Cardinal Card Office.
Ombudsman Services - Both full and part-time term faculty have access to Ombuds services for conflict resolution.
A&S Faculty Assemblies- All full-time term faculty and two elected representatives of the A&S part-time faculty are voting members of the A&S Faculty Assemblies, generally held two or more times a semester. Dates, times, and locations are available on the A&S Calendar, and the Assistant Dean sends out reminders and agenda beforehand.
Emergency Resources
Referrals for Disturbed or Troubled Students – Students seeking assistance with emotional and/or psychological concerns can contact the Counseling Center by phone, 502-852-6585. Guidelines, signs and symptoms, and more information on how to refer troubled students can be found by going to the Counseling Center website.
RAVE Alerts– RAVE Alerts are a system designed to keep students, faculty and staff informed of emergencies on and surrounding campus. RAVE is a free real-time text message system offered by the University but charges for receiving texts may still apply. Check with your cellular carrier to verify if charges are applicable. Sign up for rave with your ULink userID and password.
Safe Places on Campus and Resources – Providing a safe and positive environment on campus is essential to the success of our students.
Resources for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender students.
Information regarding weather-related emergencies.
Perks & Discounts
Tuition Remission– Full time or 80% FTE faculty and staff are eligible for six credit hours per semester of tuition remission. All faculty and staff working part time, at least 40% FTE (generally understood as teaching at least four classes a year or two a semester), are eligible for three credit hours per semester. Dependent children of full time faculty and staff may take courses towards their first undergraduate degree tuition-free if the employee proves via taxes they are providing 50% or more of the child’s support.
Faculty Discounts at Bookstore– University employees are eligible for a 15% discount on all campus and select nearby bookstores with a valid University ID Card. Some restrictions may apply.
Faculty Discounts at IT Store – University employees are eligible for discounts at all IT Xpress Stores. While some downloadable items are free for employees, discounts vary according to product. A valid University ID Card is required for all purchases. More information regarding merchandise and discounts are available at the online IT Xpress Store, which will require your ULink userID and password.
TARC- All University employees can ride TARC buses at no cost with a valid ID card.
Athletics– Employees are eligible for discounts regarding athletic gear and tickets to sporting events. For more information, call the ticket office at 502-852-5151.
