03:03:00

SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

 

I.     Faculty members of a department and the program coordinator/academic dean share the responsibility for choosing textbooks and other required instructional materials such as study guides, laboratory manuals, computer software, videos, and computer assisted instruction modules.  The department may elect to use different or additional materials to meet the needs of distance education students.  Factors such as reading level, content and presentation consistent with departmental and program goals, delivery mode, writing quality, accessibility and price will be considered when reaching a consensus.

To minimize changes, texts and other instructional materials should be used at least two years.  Advances in technology, new editions by the publisher, or other unforeseen circumstances may necessitate more frequent changes.  When changing textbooks, academic deans will follow procedures and observe dates detailed in Pellissippi State Policy No. 05:02:00, Bookstore.

Faculty members shall consider practices that reduce the cost of course materials, such as adopting the least expensive option from the available products that meet the requirements of the course.  Bundled materials should only be considered if they deliver cost savings to the students.  (Note: “bundled” means a group of objects joined together by packaging or required to be purchased as an indivisible unit.)  If possible, the Campus Bookstore will provide students the option of purchasing the textbooks and other study products separately from each other.  Copies of textbooks should be available for student use at no cost through the library; provided that such textbooks have been furnished at no charge by the publisher for this purpose.  The Campus Bookstore will actively promote and publicize book buy-back programs.

II.   Faculty members will submit lists of required textbooks and course materials to the Campus Bookstore in a timely manner so that the bookstore can ensure that textbooks and other course materials are available when courses begin.  Orders for fall semester classes are due the preceding April 15; orders for spring semester are due October 15 of the preceding calendar year; orders for summer terms are due the preceding April 1.

Within 30 days of receiving the textbook order, the Campus Bookstore will disclose to faculty members the costs to students of purchasing the required textbooks and course materials for the course.  The order will not be complete until faculty members affirmatively acknowledge the price of the textbooks and materials.

When the order is complete, students shall have access to information regarding required and supplementary course materials through viable channels, including the institution’s website, before courses begin.  This information must include, but is not limited to, the International Standard Book Number (ISBN).

III.Texts and other instructional materials authored by Pellissippi State employees may be considered for adoption provided the materials meet all standards determined by the department.  In addition, such materials will be reviewed by at least one non-Pellissippi State affiliated professional in the field before adoption unless they have been reviewed by a major publishing company.  Pellissippi State authors will follow guidelines set forth in the copyright laws of the United States and Pellissippi State Policy No. 3:16:00, Intellectual Property.  A copy of the copyright laws is available in the Educational Resources Center.

Instructional materials authored by Pellissippi State employees may be piloted (tested prior to publication) in Pellissippi State course sections.  The process described above must be followed with the exception of the external review.  In addition, the following conditions must be met prior to departmental evaluation of instructional materials: (1) all materials proposed for use must be in completed form and made available for review and (2) documentation of the publisher's commitment to bear all expenses associated with the pilot must be provided.

If the department determines that the materials meet departmental standards, the academic dean will make a recommendation to the vice president of Academic and Student Affairs regarding (1) the duration of the pilot period, (2) the process followed to ensure equity in all course sections with respect to instructional quality, and (3) the number of sections in which the materials will be used.  The vice president of Learning will make a recommendation to the president who will make the final decision on whether the pilot will be allowed.  Requests to pilot instructional materials should be made to the vice president of Learning by fifth week of the semester preceding the proposed pilot, not including summer semester.

Approved: Executive Council, March 4, 1991
Editorial Changes, October 27, 1992
Reviewed/Recommended: President's Council, November 20, 1995
Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, November 20, 1995
Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, August 6, 2001
Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, June 2, 2003

Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, January 15, 2004

Reviewed/Recommended: President’s Staff, April 28, 2008

Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, April 28, 2008