Frequently Asked Questions
How do I set up my FCCJ e-mail?
Contact your department secretary, associate dean or program manager to set up your e-mail.
How do I retrieve my FCCJ e-mail?
- Your e-mail is accessible through Artemis.
- Plan to check your FCCJ e-mail three times a week for announcements and information.
- Use this e-mail address when communicating with students and College personnel.
- Common practice at the College is for the adjunct professor to respond within 48 hours to e-mails. This will maintain a professional relationship with the students and other College personnel.
How may I communicate with students outside of class?
E-mail Tips:
- Florida Community College e-mail is the most effective way for the College to communicate with you.
- It keeps all College communication in a single secure location.
- Remember e-mail is a public document.
- Be positive and courteous in your responses.
- Create a response that is complete and informative.
- For more information: www.netmanners.com.
Telephone Tips:
- You may wish to provide students with your business phone number, cell phone number, home number or department secretary’s phone number.
- Return a student’s phone call within 24 hours.
- You can ask students to call you only during business hours.
- Encourage students to use e-mail as an alternative to phone.
Where do I retrieve my campus mail?
Mailboxes are located in adjunct offices. Check with the department secretary for this room location. Plan to check your mailbox every week.
In what condition should I leave the classroom?
- Turn off the lights in the classroom when you leave.
- Leave the classroom so it is tidy and ready for the next class.
- Erase the whiteboard.
- Pick up papers or books that were used during your class.
- Plan to lock the door when you leave.
- Place furniture back in its original configuration.
How can I contact campus security?
- Security personnel are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Security number link: FCCJ Safety and Security.
- The security radio dispatcher, located at the Downtown Campus, can be reached at 904.633.8200.
How may I handle disruptive students?
- Security can assist with your immediate needs.
- Security number link: FCCJ Safety and Security.
- Notify your associate dean or program manager of the situation.
What is the proper way to obtain and use the key access code for the classroom?
- The department secretary will provide you with the key access code to your classroom.
- Do NOT give this code to anyone, including students, because the classrooms have computer equipment that must stay secure.
- After exiting the classroom, check to be sure the door is locked.
Where do I obtain teaching supplies?
Contact the department secretary with your supply request.
How should I handle an absence?
- Provide advanced notification to the associate dean or program manager before the class meeting and discuss alternate arrangements.
- Please request that the department secretary place a notice to students on the classroom door.
- In an emergency situation or last minute, call security to inform students of your absence.
What should I do if I want to take my class on a field trip?
- Fill out a field trip form.
- All field trips must be approved by your program manager or associate dean one week prior to the date of trip.
- All students planning to participate on the trip must sign the form.
How do I get technical assistance in the classroom?
Call the help desk for technical assistance.
How do I handle class disruptions, such as students who arrive late, leave early or fail to turn their cell phones off?
- Establish your classroom management in your syllabus.
- Review these classroom guidelines with your students the first day of class.
What is the withdrawal process for students?
Grade-related college policies can be found at Florida Community College College Credit and Postsecondary Adult Vocational Grading Policies, and include issues such as withdrawal.
How is an incomplete or “I” grade used?
An “I” grade may be assigned at the instructor’s discretion, upon the request by the student, to permit the student time to complete required course work that he/she was prevented from completing in a timely way due to nonacademic reasons.
- The instructor may require the student to document the request to assist in the decision. The instructor may choose not to grant the request. The “I” grade should be considered only when the student has the potential to earn a passing grade if the missing work is made up.
- The instructor shall prescribe in a written agreement with the student the remaining course work required for completion and removal of the “I” grade. A copy of this agreement will be kept on file in the office of the appropriate dean. All work must be within the first eight weeks of the subsequent term, unless the instructor agrees to a longer time frame (not to exceed one year). When the work is completed, the instructor will submit a grade change form with the grade earned. If the work is not completed within the prescribed time frame, the “I” will automatically change to an “F” grade. The student will be informed of the final grade assigned.
- To be eligible for an “I” grade, the student must be passing the course at the time of the request, and must have completed at least 75 percent of the course work.
What is the FN grade policy?
The FN grade indicates that a student has failed a course due to non-attendance. It is calculated as an “F” in the student’s grade point average.
- For students receiving financial aid, failure for non-attendance may require the student to refund the College all or part of his or her aid. The FN grade will be assigned by the faculty member at anytime following the final withdrawal date for the course. Students who are in a failing status because of non-attendance but return to the course prior to the withdrawal date may elect to withdraw from the course.
What if a student believes he or she has been unfairly evaluated?
Whom should students contact with questions about planning their class schedules or program requirements?
Contact your department secretary who will direct you to the appropriate student advisor.
How can I help special needs students in my class?
Am I required to take attendance?
- Instructors are responsible for verifying classroom attendance during the first two weeks of class.
- Students who receive financial aid or V.A. benefits through the College must maintain satisfactory attendance as specified by the instructor.
- Students who do not attend at least one class during the first two weeks of the term will be dropped for non-attendance (NA). See deadline dates and procedures.
- After the first two weeks, taking attendance is at the instructor's discretion.
Are adjuncts required to have office hours?
- The adjunct professor is required to have 30 minutes of regularly scheduled time to meet with students outside of class time.
- Note on your syllabus the office hour time.
- Arriving one half hour before class or staying one half hour after may be an option for you.
How do I make copies?
- Obtain the department copier code from your department secretary.
- Copiers are available at various locations on each campus.
- At any copier on campus you will enter your department code.
How do I determine the student’s final course grade?
- One of the most important aspects of grading involves the instructor effectively communicating policies in the course syllabus.
- Specific information to be included would be the percentage value or points utilized for each course activity used in determining the course letter grade.
- More information can be found on the WATT’S Home Page.
May I revise the textbook selection for the class I am teaching?
Consult your department secretary for the textbook selection guidelines of your department.
What should the structure of my syllabus look like?
- Follow the College guidelines and department specification guidelines.
- Example posted on the WATT’S Course Instruction Page.
How may I use the library resources?
- Adjuncts have access to all FCCJ campus libraries, resources, and services.
- Please refer to the FCCJ Main Library Page.
How can I use the FCCJ Testing and Assessment Center?
The College has an assessment and certification center on each of its four major campuses that provides a variety of services. Center staff can help instructors by administering make-up exams if students have missed regularly scheduled classroom exams. Also, the centers coordinate and administer a wide variety of standardized tests including, but not limited to, the following: ACT, Certifications, CLAST, CLEP, Dual Enrollment, GED, Information Literacy, NAT, SAT and TABE.
Also, specific information about each center’s contact information and operating hours is available at the College’s assessment and certification center schedule.
How can I check on the dates I will be paid?
- You can check with the department secretary at the beginning of each term about the payroll schedule.
- Adjuncts are paid on the 20th of the month, after the first month - the first check in the Fall will be in October.
Do all campuses have an adjunct work or rest area?
- Most teaching sites will have designated work or break areas.
- Check with your department secretary for a location.
- Vending machines may be found in the campus cafeterias.
Are adjunct professors evaluated in the classroom?
- Adjunct professors are evaluated once a year by their program manager or associate dean.
- An observation and written evaluation is provided for the adjunct professor to review.
- Discussing the evaluation results between the adjunct and the supervisor
is an opportunity for feedback.
- Refer to the Florida Community College faculty evaluation form.
