The institution publishes policies on the responsibility and authority of faculty in academic and governance matters. ( Published Policies on Responsibilities and Authority )

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Narrative: Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College (OCtech) recognizes the importance of giving faculty responsibility for maintaining the quality of educational programs. Key provisions include the College policy on Academic Freedom and faculty representation on committees that determine academic policies. The key academic policy committee is the Curriculum Committee, all of whose voting members are faculty members. Non-faculty members serve on the committee in an advisory capacity only. Composed of faculty members representing each academic division, the Vice President for Student Services, and other administrators, the role of the Curriculum Committee is to ensure the integrity and consistency of curricula through review of all proposals for the following: new programs, new courses, and changes to existing programs including adding/deleting courses, modifying pre- and co-requisites or course descriptions, adding to the elective list or modifying semester layout. The Compliance Review Comprehensive Standard 3.4.1 Narrative offers a full-explanation of OCtech faculty members' responsibilities for and authority in curriculum offerings of the College.

Other committees affecting academic policy on which faculty hold seats include Information Technology, Assessment, Calendar, Graduation, Safety, and Student Honors/Recognition.

The IT Committee, formed as part of a campus-wide effort to create a team approach to decision making, was implemented to make decisions regarding the use of technology and the purchases of technology equipment at OCtech. Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Policy 5.001: Technology Services discusses the role of the IT team at OCtech. The Assessment Committee monitors the appropriateness of assessment scores for programs and courses at the College where cut-off scores apply. Its role is discussed in the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Policy 4.012: Assessment Policy . The Calendar Team is charged with the duty of establishing the Academic Calendar for the College on an annual basis. Each year the Calendar Team meets to develop the proposed Academic Calendar and then submits the draft to the Faculty Council, academic deans, Student Services, Human Resources, and the President's Council for review. Upon careful consideration of all comments, the Calendar Team establishes the final draft of the Academic Calendar for submission to the President for approval. Upon the President's approval, the Academic Calendar is posted. The Calendar Team is composed of the following:

• Faculty Council Chair
• Faculty Council Co-Chair
• One academic dean
• One faculty member-at-large
• Two representatives from Student Services
• Human Resources Director
• Two representatives from human resources
• Dean of Administration as Chair.

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College provides for the authority of faculty in governance through faculty participation as members of all College standing councils and committees. The Faculty Council is a professional organization that has no policymaking responsibility and authority, but which nominates members to standing councils and committees and makes policy recommendations to the President and the College's administration. The purpose of the Faculty Council is to be a collaborative body that provides a forum for faculty members to have full and free discussion of all matters of interest and concern. The Faculty Council Chair is invited to attend all Area Commission meetings and serves as a non-voting member of the Curriculum Committee. He/she also serves as a participant in the Annual OCtech Strategic Planning Spring Retreat. Faculty members are an integral part of the strategic planning and the budgeting processes of the College. The OCtech Strategic Planning Process for Institutional Effectiveness document, further discusses the role of faculty in the planning process. Faculty members participation in the budgeting process is covered in Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Procedure 7.003.01: Annual Operating Budget Procedure.

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