CITS Faculty Liasion Handbook

Mission

Concurrent Enrollment (also known as College in the Schools or CITS) creates a seamless educational path for high school students. Lake Superior College (LSC) builds bridges with area high schools by working cooperatively and in partnership with high school personnel and students to enroll students, validate course competencies, and transcribe grades.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Partnership Standards

P1 – Partnership 1
The concurrent enrollment program aligns with the college/university mission and is supported by the institution’s administration and academic leadership.

Website

Visit the College in the Schools website.

Collaboration Requirements

Lake Superior College Staff:

Lake Superior College Faculty Liaisons:

  • Collaborate with the high school CITS Faculty/Instructors to clarify approved college course outline and outcomes, to create a syllabus for each course, and to verify the syllabus meets college criteria.
  • Provide professional development session within content area in small group or one-on-one settings.
  • Meet regularly (face-to-face, email, telephone) with high school CITS Faculty/Instructors and monitor assignments, exams, projects, and instructional effectiveness to ensure course meets the learning outcomes in the LSC course outline.
  • Make at least one visit per course and guest lecture if requested by the high school faculty/instructor.
  • Provide current college text information, course outlines, sample syllabi, sample exams, assignments, and exercises for the high school CITS faculty/instructor use.
  • Provide high school faculty/instructors who have taught the course previously with copies of new course outlines, new calendars, schedules, or other information as courses change.
  • Create records of professional development offerings, site visits, and course evaluations per NACEP accreditation requirements.
  • Support CITS high school faculty/instructors, giving additional time and attention to instructors new to the program.
  • Maintain, update, and contribute to the LSC D2L Online Professional Development shell.

High School Faculty/Instructors, Administrators, and Staff:

  • Ensure students meet minimum CITS eligibility requirements as stated in Lake Superior College policy 3.5.
  • Provide qualified faculty to teach concurrent courses at the high school.
  • Provide all needed books, supplies and materials for each course.
  • Abide by the policies and procedures (e.g. add/drop, withdraw, course alignment) detailed in the CITS handbooks.
  • Notify parents/students of CITS course offerings and student eligibility.
  • To the extent possible, provide counseling services to students and their parents/guardian before students enroll in CITS courses to ensure awareness of risks and possible consequences of enrollment.
  • Collaborate with LSC staff to administer Accuplacer test to potential CITS students and/or provide relevant test scores or GPA to assure compliance with PSEO eligibility requirements.
  • Ensure completion of LSC registration forms and verify class rosters.
  • Assign final, whole letter grades to each student on the class rosters.
  • Meet regularly (face-to-face, email, telephone or via other technology) with LSC faculty liaison.
  • Collaborate with LSC faculty liaison to align course syllabi, assignments, grading, and assessments and ensure each course meets the LSC learning outcomes.
  • Provide LSC CITS staff with a copy of each course’s syllabus for transfer purposes.
  • Assist LSC staff in administering course evaluations for each CITS course in keeping with NACEP accreditation requirements.
  • Participate in professional development opportunities offered by LSC in keeping with NACEP accreditation requirements.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Partnership Standards

P2 – Partnership 2
The concurrent enrollment program has ongoing collaboration with secondary school partners.

Definitions

  • Add – Register for a course
  • CITS – College in the Schools, Lake Superior College’s Concurrent Enrollment Program
  • CEP – Concurrent Enrollment Program
  • Drop – Remove a course from a student’s academic record
  • NACEP – National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships
  • SAP – Satisfactory Academic Progress (2.0 GPA and 67% cumulative completion rate)
  • Withdraw – Remove a class and receive a grade of “W” on the transcript

Accreditation

The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) Logo

Lake Superior College’s CITS program is accredited by The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP), the sole accrediting body for concurrent enrollment partnerships. NACEP accreditation ensures programs adhere to the highest standards, so students experience a seamless transition to college and teachers benefit from meaningful, ongoing professional development. For more information on NACEP and to view NACEP’s standards, visit their website. Minnesota legislation requires all Concurrent Enrollment Programs achieve NACEP accreditation by 2021.

Registration

Program Policy

Lake Superior College and partnering high schools work jointly to enroll students in the appropriate CITS courses and to ensure students meet CITS and LSC course requirements. High schools verify that all students who register for a CITS course meet class rank or GPA requirements, and both the high school and LSC CITS program verify that students meet course pre-requisites.

Students must follow the calendar for adding, dropping, and withdrawing from courses set by the Lake Superior College CITS program. Students who do not add a course during the registration window cannot be added at a later date and will not receive LSC credit. Students who do not contact their high school counselor about dropping or withdrawing from a course by the stated deadlines cannot be dropped or withdrawn at a later date, risk receiving an F grade, and risk violating SAP policies.

See the Petition to Policy webpage for information on petitioning for a late add/drop/withdraw.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Student Standards

S1 – Student 1
Registration and transcription policies and practices for concurrent enrollment students are consistent with those on campus.

S2 – Student 2
The concurrent enrollment program has a process to ensure students meet the course prerequisites of the college/university.

Pre-requisites and Student Qualifications

  • Seniors must rank in the top half of their high school class or have a cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Juniors must rank in the top third of their high school class or have a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
  • Sophomores who took the 8th grade MCA reading test and met the composite proficiency level of “meets or exceeds” may enroll in specific career and technical education (CTE) courses.
  • Students must also meet all course pre-requisites. For current CITS courses and prerequisites, see our CITS courses webpage.

Grades

Program Policy

CITS teachers, in collaboration and consultation with LSC faculty mentors, assign a single whole letter grade for each student. CITS and LSC students do not receive plusses (+) or minuses (-) for final grades. To ensure parity of CITS course grading with regular LSC courses, CITS high school faculty/instructors and LSC liaisons will participate in grade norming or assessment comparison activities. Students may possibly receive different grades for their high school and college courses as LSC course guidelines may be more stringent than the high school guidelines.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Assessment Standard

A1 – Assessment 1
The college/university ensures concurrent enrollment students’ proficiency of learning outcomes is measured using comparable grading standards and assessment methods to on campus sections.

Procedure

  1. Throughout the course, CITS high school faculty/instructors and LSC liaisons communicate regarding grade norming and appropriate assessment, which the LSC liaison documents in the site visit, communication log, and/or course review form.
  2. Within 1 week of the last day of class, CITS high school faculty/instructors will post final whole grades in the Integrated Statewide Records System.
  3. The LSC Records and Registration Office will record the grades on an official LSC transcript.

Transferability, Degrees, and the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum

To transfer Lake Superior College credits to another institution, students should contact them directly as the receiving institution determines transferability of credits. To send an official transcript to another institution after courses are complete, students should follow the links and instructions provided on the LSC website.

To search how LSC course will transfer to another institution (or vice-versa), visit Transferology). (Note: Transferology is a nation-wide network designed to help students explore their college transfer options and is not associated with Lake Superior College.)

Students wishing to complete either the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (40-credits) or an Associate of Arts Degree (60 credits) to transfer to another institution can find more information on LSC’s Transfer Center’s webpage. For a full list of current programs, including degrees, diplomas, and certificates, please visit LSC’s program webpage.

High School Faculty Qualifications and Credentialing

Program Policy

High school faculty/instructors who teach college courses in the high school must meet the minimum qualifications set by the Minnesota State College Faculty Association and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. See policy on the MinnState credential webpage.

Pursuant to Minnesota State policy, Lake Superior College may grant emergency credentialing approval for up to two semesters in extreme circumstances. High schools in emergency situations or with long-term substitute teachers covering a CITS course should contact the CITS Director about emergency approval.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Faculty Standards

F1 – Faculty 1
All concurrent enrollment instructors are approved by the appropriate college/university academic leadership and must meet the minimum qualifications for instructors teaching the course on campus.

New Teachers

Program Policy

Faculty mentors assigned to new CITS teachers should promptly contact their new mentees and arrange to complete all initial requirements before the mentee starts teaching the course.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Faculty Standards

F2 – Faculty 2
Faculty liaisons at the college/university provide all new concurrent enrollment instructors with course-specific training in course philosophy, curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment prior to the instructor teaching the course.

F3 – Faculty 3
Concurrent enrollment instructors participate in college/university provided annual discipline-specific professional development and ongoing collegial interaction to further enhance instructors’ pedagogy and breadth of knowledge in the discipline.

Professional Development

Program Policy

The LSC CITS program continually seeks to offer pertinent, useful professional development opportunities for our partnering teachers, and per NACEP standards, all high school CITS faculty/instructors must participate in annual professional development opportunities offered by LSC or make alternative arrangements. Examples of LSC’s offerings include the Fall Meeting, the D2L Online Professional Development, and one-on-one training or professional development by an LSC faculty liaison. One-on-one meetings cannot take the place of other professional development unless documented. Alternative professional development may be allowable if the LSC faculty liaison approves, the teacher can provide evidence of attendance, and the CITS Director is provided with an explanation of the activity.

High School faculty/instructors who do not participate annually in professional development risk warning of non-compliance, and teachers unable to participate for two consecutive years must submit a plan for meeting the expectation the following year. Teachers unable to attend professional development offerings should let the CITS program know how staff can help teachers meet the expectation.

LSC Faculty Liaisons must actively participate in and contribute to online and face-to-face professional development.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Faculty Standards

F2 – Faculty 2
Faculty liasons at the college/university provide all new concurrent enrollment instructors with course-specific training in course philisphy, curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment prior to the instructor teaching the course.

F3 – Faculty 3
Concurrent enrollment instructors participate in college/university provided annual discipline-specific professional development and ongoing collegial interaction to further enhance instructors’ pedagogy and breadth of knowledge in the discipline.

Syllabus and Course Review

Program Policy

When a high school requests to offer a CITS course not previously offered at their school, when a high school faculty/instructor significantly alters their existing course syllabus, when an LSC liaison notifies a high school teacher that the LSC course outline has changed, or when a new liaison or new high school faculty/instructor is assigned to a course, the LSC faculty liaison must review the CITS course syllabus for correct course descriptions, learning objectives, numbers, titles, and credits. The liaison must certify that the course teaches all LSC course learning objectives and meets NACEP standards listed below.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Curriculum Standards

C1 – Curriculum 1
Courses administered through concurrent enrollment program are college/university catalogued courses with the same departmental designations, course descriptions, numbers, titles, and credits.

C2 – Curriculum 2
The college/university ensures the concurrent enrollment courses reflect the learning objectives, and the pedagogical, theoretical and philosophical orientation of the respective college/university discipline.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Assessment Standard

A1 – Assessment 1
The college/university ensures concurrent enrollment students’ proficiency of learning outcomes is measured using comparable grading standards and assessment methods to on campus sections.

Procedure

  1. For new courses: When a high school indicates they wish to contract on a new course, the CITS Director contacts the appropriate LSC academic dean to match with an LSC faculty member. The CITS Director contacts the faculty member to share high school teacher contact information.
  2. For other needs under the policy, the faculty liaison initiates a syllabus and course review.
  3. Using the “Course Review” form, the faculty member conducts a thorough, detailed review of the proposed course. The reviewer should consider whether the course would align with the same on-campus course offering, analyzing the pedagogical, theoretical, and philosophical orientation; the assessment methods; grading standards; and course rigor.
  4. Mentor returns the “Course Review” form, copy of syllabus, and assessment examples to the CITS Director.
  5. If after collaboration between the high school teacher and LSC liaison, a course review status is “provisional approval” or “denial,” mentors must contact the CITS Director to discuss the review and any plans by the high school teacher to align the course. The CITS Director will follow up with a notification of non-compliance to the teacher, any appropriate high school staff or administration, and the appropriate LSC dean.

Site Visits

Program Policy

In addition to regular communication, LSC Faculty liaisons must make at least one classroom visit each term a CITS course is offered; liaisons may make additional visits if desired or requested. Visits must occur at least partially during instructional time early enough in the course to allow for course changes.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Curriculum Standards

C3 – Curriculum 3
Faculty liasons conduct site visits to observe content and delivery, student discourse and rapport to ensure the courses offered through the concurrent enrollment program are equivalent to the courses offered on campus.

Procedure

  1. Liaisons contact their high school instructors to set up a mutually agreeable time to visit and keep a copy of the email to submit with the expense report form after travel.
  2. Prior to travel, liaisons submit an online CITS Leave Form. A copy of the submission sends to the mentor, the CITS Director, and the appropriate academic dean’s assistant. Liaisons must submit this form before travel for liability purposes; the form should not be submitted after travel along with the site visit documents. Liaisons who need a rental car or hotel should contact the CITS Director at least one week prior to the visit.
  3. During visits, liaisons follow instructions on the Site Visit Form.
  4. After the visit, liaisons complete the “Travel Reimbursement” within Workday with all pertinent information present. Refer to the Business Office for current reimbursement rates.
  5. Important notes:
    1. Liaisons needing to cancel class or request a substitute must contact their dean before the visit.
    2. Expense reports submitted after 60 days are subject to tax, require Presidential approval, and may not be approved.
    3. Trip maps and mileage should begin at home or at LSC, depending on which is closer to the destination.
  6. Submit via Workday “Travel Reimbursement” form with documentation uploaded verifying travel plans and map printout showing mileage to the CITS Director. The Business Office does not accept odometer readings.
  7. Liaisons submit completed Site Visit form and additional documents to the CITS shell in D2L.

Course Evaluations

Program Policy

Each term, Lake Superior College will administer course evaluations via email to CITS students in each CITS course. Course evaluations contain the same questions as on-campus course evaluations. LSC will share course evaluation results only with the CITS high school faculty/instructor although LSC Deans reserve the right to review results as they do with LSC faculty. Results will not be used to determine compliance or continuance with the CITS program and are meant to be used by the CITS high school faculty/instructor to improve the CITS course.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Evaluation Standards

E1 – Evaluation 1
The college/university conducts end-of-term student course evaluations for each concurrent enrollment course to provide instructors with student feedback.

Procedure

  1. Two weeks prior to the end of each CITS course, Lake Superior College will email CITS students with a link to the online course evaluation form using the email listed on the CITS registration.
  2. At that time, CITS high school faculty/instructors should explain to students what the evaluation is for, ask that they complete it, and assure them that the results are anonymous and will not be shared with the CITS faculty/instructor until final grades are recorded.
  3. The link remains active for two weeks before the evaluation window closes. After LSC records all final CITS grades, evaluation results are released to the CITS teacher.

Non-Compliance

Program Policy

The LSC CITS program reserves the right to warn CITS high school faculty/instructors when they are not in compliance with program policies and standards. If a CITS high school faculty/instructor does not make arrangements to come into compliance, the CITS Director will give a warning. If a teacher still does not make arrangements to come into compliance, he or she will no longer be eligible to participate in the CITS program.

Applicable NACEP Standards: Faculty Standards

F4 – Faculty 4
The concurrent enrollment program ensures instructors are informed of and adhere to program policies and procedures.

Procedure

  1. When a CITS high school faculty/instructor does not meet program policy requirements, the CITS Director will email a warning notifying the faculty/instructor of his or her non-compliance.
  2. CITS faculty/instructors must notify the CITS Director of their plans to become compliant.
  3. If a CITS faculty/instructor does not follow through with plans to become compliant, the CITS Director will send official notification of non-compliance.
  4. If the CITS faculty/instructor still does not become compliant, the CITS Director or other LSC representative will notify the CITS faculty/instructor that he or she is no longer eligible to participate in the CITS program.

Contacts

Stephanie Wainionpaa
College in the Schools Director