Faculty / FAQs

College of the Canyons faculty interested in teaching a course in the Work Experience Education (WEE) program can review the FAQ’s to learn about requirements for the program.

Q: Who is eligible to teach in the WEE program?
A: Faculty must meet the minimum qualifications for teaching a section of WEE. These shall be the minimum qualifications in any discipline in which work experience may be provided at the college where the instructor is employed. For the most current information, visit the COC Human Resources website to view the WEE Faculty Job Descriptions.

Q: How does a full-time faculty member begin teaching a WEE section?
A: Faculty should make their desire known to the WEE Department Chair. The WEE Department Chair will meet to ensure faculty are aware of the responsibilities and caveats such as standard syllabus driven by TITLE 5, required training, and site visits.
- The Office of Instruction and the WEE Department Chair will make the final decision on assignments.
- Once approved, faculty will receive an email to move forward with training.
- Once training is complete, faculty will be assigned to a section for an upcoming semester as needed.
Q: How does an adjunct faculty member begin teaching a WEE section?
Adjunct faculty should reach out to the WEE Department Chair to inquire about the process for application to teach a WEE section. This may require an application through the Human Resources Department.

Compensation

Q: How much are WEE faculty paid?
A: Both full-time and adjunct faculty are paid using a formula of hourly rate of pay multiplied by a term multiplier of 2.125, multiplied by the number of students. Full-time faculty rate of pay is based on current overload rate. Adjunct faculty hourly rate varies from person to person. Sample calculation based on 10 students:

Rate of Pay	Term Multiplier	Sub Total	# of Students	Final Pay
$100.00	2.125	$212.50	10	$2,125.00

Q: How does WEE factor into full time faculty teaching load?
A: Teaching a WEE section has no TLU value for full-time faculty, the rate of pay is at the overload rate using the aforementioned formula.

Q: Does WEE factor into an adjunct faculty teaching load?
A: Yes. Teaching a WEE section does have TLU value for adjunct faculty and counts towards your maximum allowed teaching load.

Q: What is the required WEE training?
A: Full-time and adjunct faculty must satisfy the same training. Faculty can expect to spend at least 3 hours for training or more. Following is a sample training outline though this may adjust as policies evolve.

A review of the Objectives, Intent, and Philosophy of the WEE Program:
- Mission statement
- All relevant Title 5 sections
- Curriculum – Standard Syllabus
- Student Learning Outcomes
- An orientation on WEE administrative procedures
- Administrative functions and processes including Canvas
- Implementation of FERPA
- Grading rubrics, final grade sheet, and other program forms
- A “job shadow” of a current WEE faculty member. The prospective faculty member will participate, as an observer, in the following activities.
- A meeting between a student and his/her faculty advisor (these meetings are required by Title 5 for faculty members to review and approve measurable on‐the‐job learning objectives/workplace projects). This is executed at the class meeting time.
- An employer consultation held by a WEE faculty member and a student’s workplace supervisor (Required by Title 5 for a faculty member to assess a student’s job‐related educational growth)
Q: Are faculty paid for the training?
A: No. Similar to the training required to teach Distance Learning, faculty are not paid for training time. However, faculty completing training are eligible to receive 3 hours of FLEX Credit.

Q: How or when do faculty sign up for training?
A: Faculty will work with the WEE Department Chair to plan for training and establish the employer availability for the consultation shadow. The administrative and curriculum training can be done on a separate day, but within a reasonable time determined by the WEE Department Chair.

Q: Is there a WEE department retreat?
A: Yes. WEE faculty meet during FLEX week or the week after to review assignments, make recommendations for changes, address student issues unique to internships, and SLO data collection.
Q: When does the WEE class section meet?
A: The Work Experience (WE) class meets a single time about two weeks after the start of the 16-week semester. Short term sections are offered in March and October as students secure internships mid semester. The winter and summer WE classes meet within the first week of the session.

Q: How many hours does the WEE class meet?
A: The one-time WE class meeting is held for two hours via zoom or in-person on the Valencia campus. All students must attend the class meeting in order to participate in the WEE course.

Q: What is required of me to teach a WEE section?
A: All WEE Faculty are required to complete the following:
- Conduct the one-time class session where you will consult with each student on their educational growth on the job by establishing a Workplace Project.
- Consult with each employer to discuss student’s educational growth on-the-job and approve a Workplace Project.
- Maintain all required records and submit grades.
- Communicate with students via email (ongoing throughout semester)
- Grade coursework/record keeping
Q: Is there a textbook required?
A: No. There is a Work Experience Education (WEE) Handbook that is updated each semester and is used in lieu of a textbook.
- The WEE Handbook includes general information about the course, detailed instructions for assignments, campus resources and copies of required documents.
- The WEE Curricular and Assessment Coordinator updates the handbook each semester and provides a digital copy to the WEE faculty.
Q: Do I need a syllabus?
A: Yes. The WEE Curricular Coordinator creates a standardized WEE syllabus which is shared with all WEE Faculty. Faculty can create their own syllabus or utilize the standardized WEE syllabus and add their own information to the document.

Q: Do I have to provide office hours?
A: Yes. However, if you do not teach other on-campus courses at COC, you may hold electronic communication office hours.

Q: What is the time commitment?
A: The time commitment will vary depending on the number of sections, students and sessions you are teaching.

You will be expected to:
- Conduct at least one class session.
- Conduct employer consultations for each student.
Q: What is an employer consultation?
A: WEE Faculty are required to conduct an employer consultation for each student per Title 5 of the California Community Colleges Education Code. The purpose of the consultation is to discuss and approve a Workplace Project for the student and address any questions/concerns the employer may have about the WE-186 or WE-189 course. Faculty are encouraged to discuss the benefits of hosting an internship and to develop partnerships with the employers. The mode used to conduct the employer consultation is up to the faculty, for example, via zoom, phone or in-person.

Q: Do I get reimbursed for an in-person employer consultation?
A: Yes. Faculty submit a request for reimbursement to the Dean of Internships which is paid out of the WEE budget. The mileage is based on a starting location of 26455 Rockwell Canyon, 91355.

A Mileage in Connection Form can be found on the intranet under "Fiscal Services" in the "Office Directory."

Q: How do I grade?
A: Coursework is graded directly on Canvas. Faculty submit final course grades through MyCanyons at the end of the term according to deadlines set by the Office of Admissions and Records.
Q: Can I use an intern in my department?
A: Faculty may use an intern in their department with the approval of their Department Chair and final approval by the Dean of Career Education, Integrated Learning, Employment Center to ensure the opportunity is in accordance with labor laws. Faculty wishing to use an intern in their class would serve as an employer and must follow the guidelines set for all employers. Look to the Employer link on the Internship website for more on this topic.

Q: If I use an intern in my department, does the Internship Program pay the intern?
A: No. If you choose to provide a paid internship, your department will fund the internship from its budget.

Q: Does an intern in my department need to enroll in a WE course?
A: Yes, If an intern is selected for a department on campus, they must enroll in a WE section. Contact the Internship Office for more information on the steps for enrollment in a WE course.