AQ-PQ Standards
This document describes the criteria and procedures used by the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration to assess the academic and professional qualifications of faculty, as described in Standard 10 of Eligibility Procedures and Accreditation Standards for Business Accreditation from the AACSB.
We view these criteria and procedures as a cooperative effort between faculty members and College administrators to maintain a high level of instructional quality for our students. They also are intended to
achieve a level of intellectual contributions consistent with the teaching and research mission of the College, as required by Standard 2 of the AACSB.
The various items that are used as metrics for evaluating faculty contributions are consistent with our College’s goals:
1. To be the college of choice for Alabama students and state and regional corporate recruiters and to provide our students with the skills and knowledge to enable them to work anywhere.
2. To have a national research reputation and be able to attract quality faculty.
3. To maintain diversity in our faculty, staff and student body.
4. To support economic development and outreach initiatives at the local and state levels.
5. To obtain sufficient funding to accomplish the goals of the College.
AACSB Standard 10 (revised January 31, 2008) requires that at least 90 percent of faculty resources be either academically or professionally qualified. The standard further states [items in italics are from the AACSB
standard]:
A school should develop appropriate criteria consistent with its mission for the classification of faculty as academically or professionally qualified.
The criteria should address:
- The educational background, experience, and demonstrated work outcomes that are required to attain each status.
- The priority and value of different activity outcomes reflecting the mission and strategic management process.
- Quality standards required of each activity and how quality is assured.
- The quantity and frequency of activities and outcomes expected within a typical AACSB review cycle to maintain each status.
Further, the standard requires:
The school has a clearly defined process by which it evaluates how faculty members contribute to the mission and maintain their qualifications.
and
Maintenance of knowledge and expertise supports faculty performance through an appropriate balance, given the school's mission, through contributions over the past five years in all the following areas:
- Learning and pedagogical research
- Contributions to practice
- Discipline-based research
- Broad Criteria for Qualification
- Academically Qualified Faculty Members
The AACSB Standard states that Academic qualification requires a combination of original academic preparation (degree completion) augmented by subsequent activities that maintain or establish preparation for current teaching responsibilities.
Thus, the criteria for academic qualification (AQ) are defined in two parts: (1) original academic preparation and (2) development to maintain qualifications.
Original Academic Preparation: Faculty members who hold a doctoral degree from a nationally recognized doctoral-granting program are deemed to have met this requirement if their area of degree specialization is the area of their primary teaching responsibility.
Faculty members holding doctoral degrees that differ from their primary teaching responsibilities will be evaluated on a case by case basis. These faculty members normally will meet the academic preparation requirement when they maintain active involvement in the area of teaching responsibility through writing, participation in professional meetings, or related activities. In some cases, additional academic preparation will be required.
Development to Maintain Qualifications: The AACSB Standard states the following:
Faculty members must be involved in continuous development throughout their careers to stay current. The standard requires that faculty members maintain their competence through efforts to learn about their specialty
and how it is applied in practice.
Faculty can maintain qualifications through a variety of efforts including production of intellectual contributions, professional development, and current professional experience.
Each faculty member has the professional responsibility to maintain her/his qualifications through ongoing activities that involve the acquisition, development and communication of knowledge and skills relevant to the
faculty member's teaching responsibilities. Every faculty member is expected to maintain knowledge of current developments in her/his area of expertise and to incorporate that knowledge in courses taught by the faculty
member.
Professionally Qualified Faculty Members
The criteria for professional qualification are defined in two parts: (1) original academic preparation and professional experience and (2) development to maintain qualifications.
Original Academic Preparation and Professional Experience: Except in unusual circumstances, a professionally qualified faculty member should have a master's or terminal degree in an area directly related
to the faculty member's teaching responsibility. Professionally qualified faculty members should have had at least five years of professional experience in a position that can reasonably be expected to develop knowledge and skills consistent with the faculty member's teaching responsibilities so that the faculty member has a level of current knowledge in the discipline sufficient to provide a high level of instruction at the time the person is hired.
Development to Maintain Qualifications: Each faculty member has the professional responsibility to maintain her/his qualifications through ongoing activities that involve the acquisition, development and communication of knowledge and skills relevant to the faculty member's teaching responsibilities. Every faculty member is expected to maintain knowledge of current developments in her/his area of expertise and to incorporate that knowledge in courses taught by the faculty member.
Specific Criteria for Qualification
These are the standards required for a faculty member to be designated Academically Qualified (AQ) or Professionally Qualified (PQ). Faculty members who fail to meet these criteria may still be designated AQ/PQ if there are extraordinary circumstances. In such cases, the faculty member must request such special consideration from his/her department chairperson. The department chairperson must then submit the request to
the Dean’s Office for approval/rejection.
The standards set forth in this document are not intended to be used for merit pay or promotion/tenure decisions.
Academically Qualified Faculty Members
Specific criteria for AQ faculty are specified at two levels of teaching: (1) doctoral level (AQ.D) and (2) undergraduate/masters level (AQ.MU). The department chairperson must justify the use of faculty members in levels in which they do not meet the level qualifications.
Specific criteria for AQ faculty are as follows:
I. Academically Qualified (Doctoral Level) – AQ.D: In order to meet the academic qualification (AQ) standards to teach doctoral courses (600 level) and chair dissertations, a faculty member must:
a. Possess an appropriate terminal degree in (or related to) the field in which s/he is teaching.
b. Be a full member of the Graduate Faculty.
c. Publish in the last five years:
i. One Tier 1 peer reviewed journal article and one other peer reviewed journal article OR two Tier 2 peer reviewed journal articles;
AND
ii. One additional peer reviewed journal article OR make two other intellectual contributions from the OIC-AQ list below.
II.
Academically Qualified (Masters/Undergraduate Level) – AQ.MU: In order to meet the 3 academic qualification (AQ) standards to teach undergraduate (100 to 400 level) or masters level courses (500 level), a faculty member must:
a. Possess an appropriate terminal degree in (or related to) the field in which s/he is teaching.
b. Be a full or associate member of the Graduate Faculty (Masters courses only).
c. Publish in the last five years:
i. Two peer reviewed journal articles;
OR
ii. One peer reviewed journal article AND make two other intellectual contributions from the OIC-AQ list below.
Examples of Other Intellectual Contributions (OIC-AQ):
- Publish scholarly book (including textbooks)
- Publish chapter in a scholarly book
- Serve on editorial board of peer reviewed journal (including editorial roles)
- Serve as an investigator on a grant submitted to an external funding agency.
- Grant should be for more than $25,000.
- Publish in non-peer reviewed journal
- Publish in a peer reviewed proceeding
- Conduct a faculty workshop presentation
Professionally Qualified Faculty Members
Specific criteria for all Professionally Qualified (PQ) faculty members are as follows:
- Possess a post-baccalaureate degree in (or related to) the field in which s/he is teaching.
- Have at least five (5) years of professional experience in a position that can reasonably be expected to develop knowledge and skills consistent with the faculty member’s teaching responsibilities.
Additionally, all Professionally Qualified (PQ) faculty members must satisfy at least one of the three following criteria:
3. Be employed full-time in the area (or related area) in which they teach,
OR
4. Be self-employed full-time in the area (or related area) in which they teach,
OR
5. In the past five years:
a. Publish two peer reviewed articles, OR
b. Publish one peer reviewed article and make two contributions from the OIC-PQ list, OR
c. Make four contributions from the following OIC-PQ list
Examples of Other Intellectual Contributions (OIC-PQ)
- Develop or substantially revise a course within the teaching discipline
- Be substantially involved with a professional association (beyond attendance)
- Participate in outreach activities resulting in contribution to student knowledge of teaching discipline
- Participate in a substantial consulting engagement or project within the teaching discipline
- Take or teach a continuing education course within the teaching discipline
- Publish a teaching case in scholarly outlet (journal, book, etc.)
- Serve on editorial board (including editorial roles) for a either a peer or non-peer reviewed journal
- Earn or renew a professional certification within teaching discipline
- Make any contribution from the OIC-AQ list
Exceptions for AQ/PQ
(i) Faculty members who have received a terminal degree in the discipline in which they teach within the last 5 years will be considered AQ.D.
(ii) Faculty members who are ABD in the discipline in which they teach will be considered AQ.MU if they defended their dissertation proposal within the last 3 years.
(iii) Faculty members who are currently pursuing an appropriate doctoral degree and have completed some coursework in the discipline in which they teach, but have not yet defended a dissertation proposal, will be considered AQ.MU. Note: This group is limited to not more than 10% of the faculty.
(iv) Faculty members who hold full-time administrative positions at the University of Alabama are considered AQ.MU. Upon cessation of administrative service and return to the faculty, these individuals
will be considered AQ.MU for three additional years.
(v) Faculty members qualifying under PQ criterion 3 or 4 will continued to be considered professionally qualified for five years after their retirement at which time they will fall under criterion 5.
Documentation Procedures for Qualifying as AQ/PQ
It is the responsibility of each faculty member to document his/her intellectual contributions and development activities and submit such documentation to the department chairperson each year. The department chairperson should review the documentation and evaluate the merits of each faculty member’s activities and identify those faculty members who are academically and professionally qualified. Records of these documents must be provided to the Senior Associate Dean each year with a copy of the faculty member’s annual written evaluation. These records will remain on file in the Dean’s office.
If doubt exists about the qualifications, the department chairperson should discuss her/his concerns with the faculty member. If disagreement exists about the department chairperson’s decision, the matter should
be discussed with the Senior Associate Dean. The College administration is the final arbiter of decisions concerning academic and professional qualifications, subject to standards for appeal.
In those instances when a faculty member is not academically or professionally qualified, the department chairperson should work with the faculty member to modify the faculty member’s activities in an effort to
remove deficiencies.