Selection of Course Materials Guidelines and Procedures
I. Purpose
The purpose of these procedures and guidelines is to define course materials; describe the course materials selection process; explain course materials selection options available within disciplines and programs; outline the adoption process of faculty-developed course materials; and explain the course materials adoption process in relation to the Central Piedmont Community College Bookstore.
II. Definitions
Course Materials are defined as materials that include textbooks and such other materials used for instruction in a course. This includes, but is not limited to e-Books, online resources such as “Inclusive Access,” digital media, computer software, lab kits, and/or classroom supplies.
III. Course Materials Selection Process and Procedures
The discipline or program chair shall get consensus from the full-time faculty of a course for the course materials to be selected. If a consensus cannot be reached, or if there is a conflict of interest, as described in Adoption of Faculty-Developed Instructional Materials, the associate dean will designate the person(s) responsible for course materials selection, or will assume responsibility for the course materials selection process and options. The selection process must consider the quality of instruction that the course materials will provide, subsequent courses if part of a sequence of courses, the availability of the materials, and student cost.
IV. Course Materials Selection Options
The discipline or program chair shall get consensus from the full-time faculty regarding materials for a course. The adoption shall be approved by the associate dean and communicated to the Central Piedmont Bookstore textbook manager for inclusion into the College’s learning resource provider’s materials.
A. Faculty will designate the same course materials as “required” for all sections of a course.
B. Full-time faculty may choose to list additional course materials as “optional” for their sections with associate dean approval.
C. Any exceptions to required course materials must be approved by the associate dean.
V. Adoption of Faculty-Developed Course Materials
A. A college employee who has developed instructional materials shall inform the discipline or program chair, the associate dean, and adhere to the Intellectual Property Policy and the Reproduction of Copyrighted Materials Procedures. This includes definitions of independent works, College-supported works, contractual agreements, issues related to royalties, reimbursement, property rights, reproduction of copyrighted materials, descriptions of instructional materials for which royalties are earned, those for which no royalty or other fee is paid to the faculty, and all other applicable Central Piedmont policies.
B. A college employee who has developed independent works, such as course materials for which he/she receives royalties or profits from the sale of the course materials, or is the family member of the author of those materials, shall:
- Make a written conflict of interest declaration to the discipline or program chair, associate dean, and dean;
- Recuse themselves for the record; and;
- Be excluded from the selection process.
Employees must be in full compliance with the Conflict of Interest policy.
VI. Course Materials Adoption and the Central Piedmont Bookstore
A. No course materials or classroom supplies are to be sold directly by faculty or other Central Piedmont employees to students or visitors to campus.
B. The chosen course materials, including the most recent edition of a book or e-book, shall be reported to the Central Piedmont Bookstore textbook manager, preferably one semester in advance. This is for inclusion by the College’s provider, pursuant to the course materials requisition instructions.
C. Normally, course materials are used for at least one publishing cycle, or at least one academic year. This allows students the option of purchasing or selling used books. However, a change may be made at any time within one publishing cycle, with the approval of the discipline or program chair and associate dean. The change must be communicated to the textbook manager one semester in advance.
D. Required course materials shall be listed on the course syllabus. If alternate supplements are used that add to the students’ cost, then this additional cost shall be indicated on the course syllabus and communicated to the associate dean and textbook manager.
E. If any course is discontinued, the textbook manager should be informed at least one semester in advance.
F. The College encourages all faculty to utilize digital course materials as a financial savings option for students.
VII. Guidelines for Reproduction of Materials
A faculty member who has developed course materials for reproduction, with approval of the discipline or program chair and associate dean, and in compliance with the Intellectual Property Policy and the Reproduction of Copyrighted Materials Procedures, shall have these materials reproduced by the bookstore and sold by the bookstore to students according to the following procedures and guidelines:
A. The material must be adopted for a course in accordance with the course materials selection process.
B. The bookstore will set the cost of materials it reproduces for sale to cover reproduction costs and the standard bookstore markup. No royalty or other fee will be paid by the bookstore to the faculty for reproduced materials.
C. The textbook manager must have 10 weeks advance notice if the reproducible instructional material is to replace another publication as a course requirement. Advance notice of six weeks is necessary if the material will merely supplement an existing publication.
D. A faculty member who has developed the reproduced material shall secure the associate dean's written approval. Faculty must provide a letter to the textbook manager from the copyright owner giving permission to use the material, if the material is to be reproduced and sold, and include the material that is copyrighted, in part or total.
E. The textbook manager will notify the Campus Printing Center whether or not copyright laws are violated by the requested reproduction, and whether the material may be reproduced.
F. Material provided at no cost by the publisher to faculty may be given to a student free of charge.
G. Reproduced materials may be furnished free of charge to the faculty for departmental use. The number of free copies is limited to the number of faculty for that course, plus a complimentary copy for the associate dean and the discipline or program chair. Extra copies may be furnished at cost to another faculty within the department.