College of Education & Professional Studies

COEPS Adjunct Faculty Handbook

The UWW Adjunct Faculty Handbook is designed to provide important information to both new and continuing adjunct faculty. This handbook is not intended to be an exhaustive source of University information.

Every effort has been made to ensure that all handbook information is accurate at the time of publication. University policies and procedures, however, are subject to change, as are various state and federal laws referenced in the handbook. Adjunct faculty members are encouraged to consult their department chair for faculty affairs for the most up-to-date information. In addition, adjunct faculty members are also advised to consult the UWW policies website for current official policies. This handbook does not create contractual rights between the University and any faculty member.


University Email: It's the instructor's responsibility to check their university email often. You will receive emails in regards to taking attendance, completing progress reports, final exam periods and instructions for how to submit final grades.

Syllabus: Adjunct faculty are provided an example syllabus. Every semester, all instructors are responsible for preparing an updated syllabus which includes the required syllabus language. The scope of content must be followed with minimal change. When there are multiple sections of a course, it is important that evaluations and rigor is comparable. All syllabi must be posted online (website). Please consult with your department chair as to this process.

Responsibilities During Your First Class: Adjunct faculty members should structure their first class to include a careful review of the syllabus and course expectations with their students. This orientation will provide an opportunity for both you and your students to discuss goals and objectives and to understand what is expected of them in performance and behavior. Clear and specific information on attendance policies, content, form, and criteria for evaluation can assist the students in responding to course expectations and can also assist in resolving student disputes about grades. Some instructors, depending on the nature of the course and the size of the class, use this first period to begin to get to know their students and their names, which if possible should be one of your goals, as well as to engage them in a discussion of course expectations.

Class Meetings: The Undergrad and Graduate =handbooks outline the requirements for meetings, contact hours, and out-of-class work for all course modalities.

Online Classes: Please consider adding your college mentor and department chair to your Canvas class in order to allow easy access in case of emergencies.

 Office Hours Face to face- One hour of office hours on campus per week for each course taught. Hours may occur before/after class or at another time. Online- One hour of virtual or phone availability; online adjunct faculty must be willing to arrange face-to-face meetings with students as needed (in person or web-based).

Reporting Illness and Other Absences: Adjunct faculty who find themselves unable to attend their regularly scheduled classes should contact their department chair and department assistant. Please consult with your department chair for up-to-date policies and procedures for notifying students, reporting missed classes and for arranging coverage.

Accessing Class Roster and UWW ID Photos: Class lists are available online through WINS. Link to WINS from UWW's main home page, and enter your NET-ID and password. On the UWW screen, click on the "Teaching Tools" tab on the upper right, and choose "Class List." Once the class list is visible, click on a student's name to see their UWW ID photo. If a student's name does not appear on your list, they must obtain verification of enrollment in your class. If you do not have a UWW NET-ID or password, work with your department DA to complete the steps to obtain one.

Final Exam Policy: All instructional staff of on- and off-campus classes are expected to meet during their scheduled final exam period. All comprehensive final exams shall be administered at the prescribed time during the final exam period. For courses without a final exam, the time prescribed during the final exam period shall be used as a regular class meeting. Exception to meeting classes during the exam period requires specific written approval in advance from the college dean.  

The general schedule will be available via PDF at the beginning of the term. Due to the amount of department requested changes, the specific final exam schedule in WINS will not be available to view until after the tenth day of classes for the term.  

No student shall be required to take more than two comprehensive final exams on the same day. Any student with more than two comprehensive final exams scheduled on the same day who wants to reschedule the excessive exam(s) must make arrangements with the instructors involved. If the student and instructors are unable to reach mutual agreement about alternate arrangements, the student must notify the Chair of the Department. The Chair of the Department shall arrange times as necessary with instructors involved and shall notify the student of the arrangements. This policy covers only comprehensive final exams given during the final exam period. Common exams cannot be rescheduled.

Academic Misconduct: www.uww.edu/policies/disciplinary-procedures

Academic Freedom: Faculty members are entitled to freedom in research and publication, subject to the adequate performance of their other academic duties. Faculty members are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing a subject, but care should be taken not to introduce the teaching of controversial matter that has no relationship to the subject of the course. UWW faculty members, as citizens and members of learned professions, recognize the urgency of their obligations in the light of their responsibilities to the subjects they teach, to their students, to their profession, and to the College. As persons of learning, faculty members should remember that the public may judge the profession and the College by their utterances. Hence, they should at all times be accurate, exercise appropriate restraint, show respect for the opinions of others, and make every effort to indicate they are not institutional spokespersons.

Course and Teaching Evaluations: UWW is committed to high quality instruction in graduate, undergraduate, and professional programs. Student feedback regarding instruction is an integral part of assuring quality in the University's educational programs. You are required to have your teaching evaluated by students every semester using a standard form adopted for such purpose which is distributed electronically. Adjunct faculty are observed/evaluated at least one time per semester after midterm. The evaluator must be a faculty mentor, tenured faculty member, or department chair. Student and peer evaluations are used to provide constructive feedback and will be one factor in determining eligibility for rehire.

The registrar’s office has policies in place pertaining to grading. Please see their page - https://www.uww.edu/coeps/facstaff-resources/adjunct-faculty-handbook#gradingpolicies

Final grades must be entered into WINS by the grading deadline. Grades must be entered by the deadline or students' financial aid will be negatively impacted.

To submit or change grades please go to the Registrar’s How to page - https://www.uww.edu/registrar/wins/advisor-faculty-and-staff-wins-how-tos#Faculty

·       Grades are posted at 4:00PM on the final day of the grading period. You are not able to change any grades in WINS after they have been posted. See the Academic Calendar for deadlines.
·       You can make changes to Grade Rosters up until the deadline. If a change of grade is needed you must change your roster status to Not Reviewed Status, make any changes, change the Approval Status to Approved, and Save.

·       You must complete either an online or a paper Grade Change Form to change any grade that has been posted. 

  • Steps in a Grievance:
    1. Informal Process:
      1. Discuss the issue of concern with the individual(s) primarily involved. This should take place within 14 calendar days after the aggrieved action occurred.
      2. If this discussion brings no resolution, is unsatisfactory, or if the primary individual is unwilling or unable to participate, the student may then, within 7 calendar days of the discussion or the communication that there will be no discussion, schedule a conference with the chairperson of the department or the supervisor of the individual. The student should articulate the concerns and the result of, or lack of, discussion with the primary individual.
      3. After hearing the student's appeal, the chairperson or supervisor will attempt to mediate the problem to resolution within 14 calendar days.
      4. If this attempt at resolution is unsatisfactory, or if all are not willing or able to participate, the student should submit a formal grievance to the Dean or Director within 7 calendar days of the failure of informal resolution.
    2. Formal Process:
      1. The grievance should be in writing and signed by the student following the Basic Principles above, and should explain the problem, reasons for dissatisfaction with the recommended resolution, and an alternative resolution.
      2. Within 14 calendar days, the Dean or Director can attempt further resolution or make the final decision. The student and employees should be notified of the final decision in writing.
      3. The decision of the Dean or Director will be final unless discipline is requested, in which event appropriate disciplinary procedures would be followed.
  • UW-Whitewater Grievance Policy

Login to WINS using using your NET-ID and password     
Access "Main Menu"     
In the drop down box, click "Self Service"     
In the drop down box, click "Faculty Center"     
In the drop down box, click "My Schedule"     
Select the "Grade Roster" in the appropriate "Term"     
Under "Grade Roster Action," select "Request Grade Change"     
Select "Grade Change" by the appropriate student name     ​
Update the grade and submit

Students may drop courses through the sixth week of the Fall/Spring term. Short-term courses may be dropped through Friday of the week in which 33% of the course is completed. Drops must be done through the WINS Registration System. Note the fee reduction schedule for dropped courses in the Schedule of Classes, as there may be a charge for any course dropped after the first week of classes.

A "W" grade will appear on student academic records (transcripts) for all courses dropped after the tenth day of instruction. This "W" grade notation will also appear on the records of students who withdraw from the University after the tenth day. The fifth day of classes will be the deadline for short-term courses and for Summer term courses.

Students will be held responsible for the completion of all courses for which they are registered unless they officially withdraw from UW-Whitewater or officially drop the course(s) by the proper procedures. Students who never attend or stop attending a course are responsible for dropping that course.

Information regarding a Medical Withdrawal can be found here.

COEPS Tech Support: Collaborative Laboratory of Universal Design (CLOUD) 

  • Supporting computer labs which are available to individuals and classes.
  • Supporting the technology classrooms located throughout the College of Education and Professional Studies, many of which contain SmartBoards.
  • Consulting educators on technology purchasing options.
  • Canvas support 

University Canvas Support »

University IT Support: Instructional, Communication & Information Technology (ICIT) »

  • Phone: 262-472-4357

COEPS Reference Instruction Librarian: Elizabeth Psyck Email: psycke@uww.edu  Office phone: (262) 472-5525

University Libraries »

Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) »

Student Sucess Center »

CARE Team »

Dean of Students Office »

Campus Police »

Campus Food Panty: Located in: White Hall Address: 847 W Starin Rd, Whitewater, WI 53190   The Campus Food Pantry is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays 2-5pm in White Hall. While the primary audience is students, faculty and staff are welcome as well. We offer a variety of nonperishable food and toiletries, and you are welcome to take what you need from the shelves yourselves with certain limitations. Contact foodpantry@uww.edu or 262 472-1860 for more information or to access food when the pantry is not open.

Warhawk Success Closet »

Warhawk Emergency Fund »

University Health and Couseling Services »

  • Academic Calendar
  • Hawk Card 
  • NET-ID UW-Whitewater employees are assigned a unique Net-ID. Your Net-ID functions as your username to access university technology resources. Employees receive their Net-ID when they are entered into the HR system. Once a Net-ID is created employees can start using campus services (e.g. email) The first time you use your Net-ID, you will be prompted to answer security questions and will have to reset your password. Passwords expire every 180 days and you will receive email reminders to reset your password.
  • Room Changes: UWW has a limited number of classrooms available. Every effort will be made to assign faculty members to a room appropriate to their course. If the classroom assigned is inadequate, please contact your Department Chair and Department Assistant Under no circumstances should faculty members change classrooms without requesting a change and receiving authorization to do so.
  • Parking Information
  • Campus Map
  • Emergency Information

Mission and Department Website »

Contact Information:

Role Name Number Email
Department Chair (SPECED) Amy Stevens (262)472-5817 stevensa@uww.edu
Academic Department Assistant Shannan Lojeski (262) 472-1106 lojeskisr22@uww.edu
Second Floor Window Gretchen Kinney (262)472-1101 education@uww.edu
Interim Dean Lana Collet-Klingenberg (262)472-5380 colletkl@uww.edu
Interim Associate Dean Andrea Ednie (262) 472-1351 edniea@uww.edu
Assistant Dean Kelli Danielski (262) 472-1614 danielsk@uww.edu

The Department Chair can assist with questions related to teaching and can mediate between faculty members or students and faculty if needed. The Department Assistant can assist with making copies, switching rooms if necessary, assigning office space, and approving student worker time to support faculty. The second floor window can assist with questions related to Admission to Professional Education and serves as the lost and found location. The Associate Dean, Assistant Dean, and Dean support various functions within the college and serve as resource when other avenues have been exhausted. 

Course Information:  UWW is committed to high quality instruction in graduate, undergraduate, and professional programs. Student feedback regarding instruction is an integral part of assuring quality in the University's educational programs. You are required to have your teaching evaluated by students every semester using a standard form adopted for such purpose that is distributed electronically. Adjunct faculty are observed/evaluated at least one time per semester after midterm. The evaluator must be a faculty mentor, tenured faculty member, or department chair. Student and peer evaluations are used to provide constructive feedback and will be one factor in determining eligibility for rehire.

Department Access:

  • Making Copies: Please contact the Department Assistant for a copier code  (262 472-1106 Office: Winther Hall 5033
  • Keys: Please contact the Department Assistant to order keys for you. Someone from Facilities Planning & Management will email you when your keys are ready for pick up.
  • Mailbox: Staff mailboxes are located in room 5035. Students are able to leave assignments and documents in there for you. Important department information will be left for you as well.

Supervision Information:

Directed Teaching Supervisors:
Cross Categorical Program and Student Teaching Coordinator  
Nomsa Gwalla-Ogisi, Ph.D. Professor Winther Hall 5038 Phone: (262) 472-5807 gwallan@uww.edu  

SPECFLD 410-Co-teaching Supervisors:   
The SPECED 410 Coordinator will provide the observation form and access to the Canvas course site. A mandatory field orientation meeting is held for students and supervisors prior to students beginning field.  

*All supervisors please see the Department Assistant for mileage reimbursement procedures prior to your first observation.    

Office of Field Experiences Website