Academic Calendar: The academic calendar is in the front of the college catalog. There is a semester calendar on the inside cover of the fall and spring course schedules. The calendar that includes the required faculty service days is printed by the District, and distributed on campus through division offices. It is also available on the College website and on the District website.
    

Course Syllabus: A syllabus is a summary outline of a course of study. It can be a one- or two-pager to a compilation of the course handouts for the entire semester. Content and format may vary widely among instructors, even those teaching different sections of the same course. The core, however — that which describes and defines the content and guidelines of the course — should be the same. An effective course syllabus informs the students of the course content, how it will be taught, and what will be expected of students who wish to complete the course with a passing grade. It serves as an informal contract between instructor and students.

Your department chair or division dean should provide you with a copy of a recent course syllabus when you are assigned to teach a course for the first time, so that you can model your own syllabus accordingly.  See directions.

NOTE: All faculty must submit a copy of their current course syllabi to their division office at the start of each semester.
    

Faculty Absence / Class Cancellation: A planned absence for a professional development or personal activity on a scheduled class day needs to be approved by the division dean. Obtain a “Request for Administrative Leave” form from the division secretary, complete it and submit it to the division dean for approval. If a substitute instructor is needed, it is the faculty member’s responsibility to arrange this in advance. Note that the College will not pay for a substitute for an absence of only one day.

If you become ill or have a personal emergency, call the division secretary, who will post a Class Cancellation sign on the classroom door. If this occurs between 7:30 and 8 am, call Police Services at 510-235-7800 x 4333 and they will post the sign. (You should still notify the division office.)
    

Field Trips: Instructors may wish to schedule field trips to enhance the instructional experience. Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the field trip site. Instructors must notify the division office of their plans by filing a “Field Trip” form with the division office prior to the excursion. This procedure allows the division office or the evening supervisor to respond to students who may not know the field trip site from a previous class meeting, or to locate the instructor and/or students in case of an emergency. Field trip forms are available from the division office, and should be submitted no later than one full week prior to the field trip. Governing board approval is required in advance for all out-of-state field trips; contact your division secretary or the President’s Office for information regarding deadlines for submission of your request.
    

Library Skills Instruction: The librarians can provide standard or subject- specific instruction on research tools, including Internet resources. The standard Introduction to Library Resources (ILR) is a 50-minute lecture/demonstration of basic information resources in the CCC Library. The content and length of an ILR can also be tailored to meet an instructor’s specific needs. The librarians can provide written materials and/or a follow-up library assignment that will give students practice in using the resources discussed. Call or stop by the Reference Desk to schedule an ILR. Please allow 1 week prep time when scheduling.
    

Safety: It is the duty of instructors to require eye protection devices to be worn by students, teachers and visitors in vocational shops or laboratories and chemistry or physics laboratories, during any activity likely to cause injury to the eyes.
    

Hazardous Materials: each department is responsible for ascertaining whether hazardous substances are being used by its employees and/or students, and to provide adequate protection and safety training for those who use them. The responsibility lies directly with the supervisor, and/or the faculty and teaching staff. Please see the Business Services Office for more information.
    

Problems with Subject Matter: If you are experiencing some difficulty in teaching, consult with your department chairperson or division dean for assistance. Department chairs can be helpful with clarifying subject concepts and/or understanding what can go wrong in teaching particular subject matter. The division dean can assist you and/or refer you to other faculty for assistance in resolving any problems.