Faculty Credentials and Equivalent / Tested Experience Policy

Policy Manager: Vice President of Academic Affairs + Provost

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the primary accreditor of the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA), expects all institutions it accredits to follow “Assumed Practices,” a set of practices shared by institutions of higher education in the United States that are generally matters to be determined as facts, rather than matters requiring professional judgment and unlikely to vary by institutional mission or context.

HLC’s most recent Determining Qualified Faculty Through HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation and Assumed Practices policy outlines that all faculty must have the appropriate academic credentials to teach courses at a particular level in a particular discipline. However, if a faculty member does not have the appropriate academic credentials, Equivalent/Tested Experience may satisfy this requirement. In other words, institutions should use credentials as the primary mechanism to ascertain minimal faculty qualifications, however tested experience also may be considered in determining faculty qualifications.

CIA recognizes and adheres to HLC’s guidelines for determining faculty qualifications. According to HLC, “faculty teaching in undergraduate programs should hold a degree at least one level above that of the program in which they are teaching. If a faculty member holds a master’s degree or higher in a discipline or subfield other than that in which he or she is teaching, that faculty member should have completed a minimum of 18 graduate credit hours in the discipline or subfield in which they teach.” Additionally, the HLC stipulates, “Faculty teaching in graduate programs should hold the terminal degree determined by the discipline and have a record of research, scholarship, or achievement appropriate for the graduate program”. If a candidate or faculty member does not meet the above credentialed criteria, CIA may consider the criteria outlined in the Determining Qualified Faculty Guidelines Form.

Degree program faculty teaching at CIA have an academic degree relevant to the courses they teach and at least one level above the level at which they, and/or have achieved equivalent experience. Evaluation of earned academic credentials (generally, but not always, the terminal degree in a faculty member’s discipline) is the primary method used for determining faculty qualifications at CIA.

For faculty who do not meet minimum academic credentialing qualifications, using tested experience to determine faculty qualifications may be a more appropriate or necessary method.

According to HLC, “Tested experience may substitute for an unearned credential or portions thereof.” Criterion B.2, Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support, states that “when faculty members are employed based on equivalent experience, the institution defines a minimum threshold of experience and an evaluation process that is used in the appointment process.” Consistent with HLC policy, “experience should be tested experience in that it includes a breadth and depth of experience outside of the classroom in real-world situations relevant to the discipline in which the faculty member would be teaching.”

For instance, an artist working in a studio area may have an exceptional and active exhibition record but may have started their career at a time when MFA study was less frequent. Additionally, in design areas or tech areas, a candidate or faculty member may have valuable industry experience outside of the academic realm (i.e. an architect with 5+ years of experience at a well-known corporate firm or a media candidate without a Master’s degree with 5+ years working in broadcast media). The Determining Faculty Qualifications Guidelines Form is a valuable tool in order to qualify and quantify that that experience may be comparable or more valuable than a terminal degree.

Determining Faculty Credentials and Equivalent/Tested Experience for Faculty Candidates During a CIA Search

During a formal search for Tenure Track Faculty, as well as the ongoing hiring of Professors of Practice, Visiting Professors and Adjunct Professors the CIA Academic Credentialing Qualifications should be used to evaluate candidates according to the Determining Qualified Faculty policy of the Higher Learning Commission. If a candidate does not meet the minimum required credentials as outlined in the table, the rubric for CIA Equivalent / Tested Experience Qualifications should be used to determine whether or not the candidate is qualified in lieu of having the appropriate degree credentials.

Process for Documenting Faculty Credentials or Equivalent / Tested Experience

Once the Division Chair has made an assessment on the faculty’s credential or equivalent tested experience that information is recorded on the Determining Qualified Faculty Guidelines Form. The completed form, the faculty’s or candidate’s CV, and other supporting documentation is signed by the Division Chair and submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) for final approval. The VPAA will also make a secondary assessment of all tested experience cases, and will also complete the form for Division Chairs under review. Division Chairs and the OAA in conjunction with Human Resources, will ensure that written documentation is maintained for each current or future faculty hired through academic credentials or equivalent / tested experience verifying that they meet the minimum expectations for tested experience established by this policy. This applies to all Tenure Track and Tenured Professors, Professors of Practice, Visiting Professors and Adjunct Professors.

Approval Authority: CIA Cabinet

Adoption and Revision History