[Date changed–posted 7/13/22 (last revised 10/15/18)]
[PDF Version]
Operating Policy and Procedure
OP 32.19: Non-native English-Speaking Faculty and Teaching Assistants
DATE: July 13, 2022
PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to set forth Texas Tech University's policy on non-native English-speaking faculty and teaching assistants.
REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed in April of even-numbered years by the Provost and Senior Vice President with substantive revisions presented to the President.
POLICY/PROCEDURE
1. Texas Education Code, Section 51.917, requires that each institution of higher education establish a program or a short course to assist certain non-native English-speaking faculty members to become proficient in the use of the English language. For purposes of this policy, the term “faculty member” means a person who teaches a course offered for academic credit by an institution of higher education, including teaching assistants, instructors, lab assistants, research assistants, lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors, and professors.
2. The purpose of this policy is to assist faculty members whose primary language is not English to become proficient in the use of English and to ensure that courses offered for credit at Texas Tech are taught in the English language by faculty members who are proficient in the use of the English language.
3. Faculty members and potential faculty members who can demonstrate that their primary language is English on the basis of country of origin, academic training, or other credible evidence are excluded from coverage of Section 51.917, Texas Education Code.
4. All presently employed non-native English-speaking faculty and all potential faculty members of all ranks will be required to be certified as competent in the English language by achieving a satisfactory grade on the “Test of Spoken English” of the Educational Testing Service.
5. If results of the evaluation indicate that additional language instruction is necessary, faculty will be required to register in an appropriate language instruction course in the English as a Second Language program and pay the required fees.
6. The policy is not intended to prevent the use of other languages in foreign language courses or the counseling of non-English-speaking students in their native language.
OP Categories
01 Chancellor
02 Development
04 Audit Services
10 President
30 Academic and Student Affairs – General
32 Academic Policies – Faculty
34 Academic Policies – Students
36 Academic Programs
40 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
48 Communication Services
52 Information Technology
60 Environmental Health and Safety
61 Facilities Management
62 Financial and Accounting
63 General Services
64 Graduate Programs (Faculty and Students)
65 Research Accounting
66 Libraries
67 Mail Services
68 Communications and Marketing
69 Payroll and Tax Services
70 Human Resources
72 Purchasing, Contracting, and Payables
74 Research
76 Security
77 Student Services and Registrar
78 Traffic and Parking
79 Travel
80 Vehicles
Operating Policies & Procedures
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Email
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