CIS Instructor Qualifications, Review & Onboarding

Periodic Review of Qualifications to Teach University Courses

• CIS instructors are appointed non-salaried Teaching Specialists in the College of Continuing and Professional Studies to teach through CIS.  CIS instructor qualifications to teach this U of M course, or set of courses, through the partnership are approved by the department chair.  

• Qualifications have been reviewed in prior accreditation reviews by HLC and NACEP reviewers. 

• An MOA with the department is renewed each accreditation cycle and includes a review of instructor qualifications.

• CIS funds instructors’ access to U of M teaching and support resources just as a teaching specialist would have on-campus, however they are not eligible for benefits with a non-salaried position.

A note on qualifications: U of M and CIS require degree credentials, alongside teaching experience, licensure, and specified types of educational backgrounds that may include relevant research, coursework, related studies, and experience.  The qualification range was developed in concert with U of M faculty, with input from experienced instructors, Center for Educational Innovation, and key professional experiences and accomplishments valued by the field.  

This flexibility has been particularly important to sustainable teacher succession, interdisciplinary and emerging disciplines, and to established and innovative disciplines that are now being introduced in high schools.

New, Replacement and Substitute Teachers

1. Instructor Application Process Overview

   • To teach a U of M course, teachers must submit an application that includes all required documentation and a recommendation from their principal.

   • Applications are reviewed by CIS liaisons and faculty coordinators as they are received and approved for an interview by the faculty coordinator.  Subsequent interviews are conducted by CIS liaisons and faculty coordinators via Zoom.

   • Decisions result in a decision letter to document approval, course and brief partnership expectations or a denial.

   • CIS maintains a March 30 deadline for new instructors to teach the following Fall term.  

   • The Instructor Application process is described in full on the CIS website and includes each set of instructor qualifications.  Qualifications are linked under the course they are applying to teach.

2. Requirements may include teaching experience, relevant credentials, demonstrated subject matter expertise, and professional experiences in the field

   • Qualifications are approved by the department and vary by course.  

   • Teachers with 3-5 years of experience teaching in the discipline may apply.

   • Occasionally, reviews may reveal additional professional development content or graduate coursework that is needed prior to a candidate teaching and teaching is deferred until it's earned.  And in rare cases, faculty may approve a CIS instructor to teach and to earn designated content concurrently while following a documented professional development plan.

3. New Course Approval

   • Teachers are typically approved to teach only one new U of M course per academic year.

4. Substitute Teachers

   • Notification of Absence: If a CIS instructor will be absent for 11 or more consecutive class days, notify the CIS office as soon as possible. CIS may be able to connect you with former CIS instructors who are qualified and available to step in.

   • Long-Term Substitute Teacher Requirements: If no former CIS instructor is available, any other substitute teachers must apply and be approved to teach a U of M course, just as regular CIS instructors are.

   • Support for Long-Term Substitutes: CIS faculty coordinators will provide mentoring and support to long-term substitute teachers, ensure the approved syllabus is followed and that appropriate U of M grading, assessment, and pedagogy standards are maintained.

5. Succession Planning and Transition for Retiring Teachers

   • If a CIS instructor is planning to retire, once the replacement candidate is known, request they apply as soon as possible.  Faculty coordinators may want them to attend CIS professional development with the current CIS instructor and be mentored the year prior to teaching.

6. Course Continuity

   • CIS ensures that U of M courses are taught according to the approved syllabus. However, in extreme cases where a teacher (or substitute) is unable to continue, CIS may withdraw U of M credit from the class. CIS will support schools through these transitions to maintain strong partnerships with both the school and U of M academic departments.

Contact Koleen Knudson (kknudson@umn.edu; 612-301-1853) with questions. 

Reviewing Applications 

The CIS instructor application provides an overview of the candidate’s experience and interest in teaching a U of M course. Components include academic transcripts, online teacher information form, self-assessment form, resume, cover letter, recommendation from the principal, and in some cases applicants are asked to provide a description of professional experience.  Some cohorts also require demonstration of advanced, relevant content knowledge, as outlined in the course self-assessment document.  The CIS office receives each application, conducts an initial assessment to ensure minimum qualifications are addresses, and forwards you a copy for critical review. After reviewing the application file, faculty coordinators decide whether or not to interview the candidate. The CIS office will manage the scheduling of the interview with the faculty coordinator and a CIS staff person.  The final decision of whether to invite the applicant to join the cohort and begin teaching the course falls to the faculty coordinator in consultation with CIS program staff.  A decision letter is provided to each applicant and a copy of the letter is made available to the faculty coordinator for their records. 

For instructors who wish to teach a CIS course beginning in the next academic year, the application deadline is March 30. Applications for replacements for current CIS instructors are accepted and reviewed throughout the year. 

Interviewing Teachers

• Interviews are ordinarily conducted via Zoom. 

• Purpose: Interviews are intended to help CIS learn more about a teacher's qualifications, teaching style, and experience; why the applicant wants to teach through the CIS program; and what the high school context is (scheduling, workload, student population, etc.). 

• The interviews also serve the purpose of allowing the high school teacher to meet the faculty coordinator, learn more about the course, and gain insights about the department’s philosophy and the University’s expectations of instructors and students. 

A few typical interview questions (in random order) 

Tell us about your experience teaching (your field here) to advanced juniors and seniors. 

If we were to walk into your current class on a typical day, what would you and the students be doing? 

What in your background prepares you to teach the University course? 

What does _______ mean to you and how might this be evident in your classroom? (e.g. historiography, inquiry, peer teaching and learning, cooperative learning, multicultural, etc.) 

CIS instructors are charged with raising the level of study to university standards and inspiring students to rise to the challenge of succeeding in a college course.  How might you create a collegiate atmosphere in your classroom? 

CIS Instructor Orientation and Course-specific Professional Development for New Instructors

The summer prior to teaching, CIS will provide a required orientation for instructors new to CIS partnerships to incorporate the "how to" of CIS, U of M classroom policies, practices and resources (such as CEI Teaching and Learning for First Year Students, Registration, Libraries, CIS local and national context, and more).   The combination of live event and asynchronous materials are found on the Welcome site under Instructor Roles and Orientation.

Faculty coordinators provide course specific professional development for all instructors new to CIS.  Orient instructors new to CIS to the University course the summer prior to teaching the course. This preparation includes a holistic overview of the U of M course philosophy, pedagogy, curriculum and assessments, and provides an introduction to the cohort and workshop participation.  Formats may include meeting individually with new instructors or as a formal workshop.  You may include experienced CIS instructors to assist in covering the content.  New instructor course orientations are held in addition to the summer professional development that faculty coordinators organize for all instructors in the CIS cohort.