GUIDELINES FOR FACULTY CODE OF ETHICS

CENTER FOR ADVANCED STUDIES IN

ENGINEERING (CASE)

June 13th, 2012

Faculty Code of Ethics at CASE

Document History
S.
No.

Document Version

Major Changes

Author/s

1.

1.1

Initial Release

Dr. Ali Ahsan

Creation
Date
th
June 10 ,
2012

Review Date

Reviewer/s

th

June 18 ,
2012

Dr. Abdul Khaliq

Dr. Abdul Khaliq

th

1.2

Initial Release

Dr. Ali Ahsan

June 10 ,
2012

th

June 25 ,
2012

Dr. Shoab
Ahmed Khan

Faculty Code of Ethics at CASE

Abbreviations & Acronyms:

CASE ~ Center For Advanced Studies In Engineering

DL ~ Distant Learning
Instructors ~ Teachers ~ Faculty Members
Faculty Members include all permanent, visiting, adjunct. Teaching assistants are also considered part
of the faculty.

Justification:

This document is needed to ensure that CASE is able to maintain the academic sanctity and quality of
highest level.

Purpose:

The purpose of this guideline document is to familiarize all faculty members of CASE with necessary
guidelines for ensuring ethical teaching.

Scope:

Guidelines laid out in document apply on all CASE faculty members.

Guidelines laid out in document are to help CASE faculty.
This document provides special guidelines to the faculty members and teaching assistants. Generally,
well understood norms, ethical and religious values and exam cell guidelines are not part of this
document and are considered as facultys default.
The document is also useful for program managers.

Faculty Code of Ethics at CASE

Guidelines
1.

Teaching Hours
a. It is necessary that all teachers ensure that their contact hours with students are complete in
a semester.
b. All classes must start at planned time and end accordingly.
c. Short breaks should ideally be given in classes exceeding two hours duration.
d. It is important to note that short breaks do not count towards lecture hours.
e. Standard definition of credit hour is given as under for objective insight into this matter:
i. One unit of credit represents how much time a typical student is expected to
devote to learning per week of study. Each course is evaluated by a system of
credits related to time spent in class, lab, research, or field study. One semester
credit is expected to require at least three hours of scholarly activity per week.
ii. For lecture-based course work, one, 50-minute class attendance is scheduled for
each credit hour awarded, but any combination of class attendance, lab, research,
or field study experience may be arranged. Additional time is expected out-of-class
for preparation and homework.
iii. Studio and laboratory classes earn 1 semester credit for each three hours of
attendance.

2.

Examination
a. It is necessary that duration of all exams must be at least 1 hours.
b. Exams must be of fair complexity, capable of judging students learning.
c. Exams must be made keeping in view the intellect level of the top 50% students in any given
course.
d. Exam must be able to evaluate student against course outcomes multi-dimensionally (in
many ways). It is essential and expected that exam paper must be designed in such a way
that it is able to evaluate student(s) against entire curriculum. All exam papers must be
according to the level of the course i.e. undergraduate or post graduate level.
e. In case of objective type exams (true/false, MCQs etc), it is expected that the teacher must
be able to provide two different question papers to the exam branch in order to ensure that
students are not able to discuss answers with one another during exam. It is also necessary
that such examinations must be planned in such a way that students must feel time
constrained (for instance at least 2 objectives per minutes).
f. All faculty members must strive to ensure that exams are conducted in a transparent way,
with necessary secrecy.
g. Teachers should ensure that no unfair means are used during exams.
h. Start and stop exam
i. All exams must start after question papers and answer sheets are distributed to all
the students and must end for all at the same time.
i. Teachers should always provide necessary guidelines with the exams and must avoid
question and answers during exams. This is particularly important if you have DL students in
your class who do not have access to you.
j. In case of any problem in the exam, teachers should ensure that such problems are
categorically explained to all, at all exam centers.

Faculty Code of Ethics at CASE

3.

Results
a. Results of various course artifacts such as quizes, assignments, projects, midterm etc must
be made available to students as soon as possible for their objective insight into their
performance.
b. Ideally teachers should try to return marked deliverables within a week or two after their
due date.
c. It is important that students receive marked course artifacts such as quizes, assignments,
projects, and midterm etc with ample comments so that the students are able to gain
understanding of their mistakes. Marked artifacts must be dispatched back to DL students
in order to ensure equivalence through courtesy of media department.
d. It is important that the final results must neither be negatively nor positively skewed. Results
should ideally represent a bell shaped curve.
e. Teachers are advised that students securing less than 40% marks (overall) should ideally be
given an F grade. Grade B, C, D etc, below 40% marks does not seem very convincing.

4.

Course Deliverables
a. Number of Deliverables
i. Ample assignments, quizzes, projects, presentations etc must be given to student
throughout the course. Teachers are requested to consult respective Chairman of
their department for objective understanding of this item.
b. Course Outline
i. All teachers must ensure that their course outlines are available to all students
within the first week of any given semester. Course outline format can be obtained
from respective program managers.
ii. A sample course outline can be acquired from program managers.
iii. Course outline must specify distinctly the special policies that the instructor wishes
to apply in any given course.
iv. Complexity of the contents proposed in any course must be according to the level
of the course (i.e. undergrad or post grad level).
v. Contents proposed in the course outline must be as per the latest trends of any
specific field / area to which the course belongs. In short everything within the
course outline must be according to state of art worldwide practices (according to
the level of the course i.e. undergrad or post grad level).
vi. Teachers must try to stick to their course outlines as much as possible during the
entire semester.
vii. Course outline must propose the grading policy for any course. The proposed
grading policy must not be changed throughout the semester.
c.

Books and Reference Material Availability

i. Teachers must ensure that their course reference and recommended texts are
available in the CASE library and in case if the same is not available for the students
in the market then such texts master copy must also be given to the CASE
photocopier.
ii. All students must be informed about the availability of the text in the library and
with CASE photocopier.
iii. If there are some DL students in the course then kindly send them the contact no of
CASE photocopier so that they can acquire course text accordingly.
iv. All proposed reference and recommended text(s) proposed for any course must be
as latest as possible.

Faculty Code of Ethics at CASE

d. Quiz
i. Teachers must be vigilant when taking the quiz.
ii. Teachers should make students realize that quiz is an important part of their
evaluation.
iii. In case if some teacher is teaching 2 sections of same course then there must be
different quizes (with similar complexity), for both sections.
iv. Since DLs cannot attempt quizes, so ideally teachers must give them some alternate
assignments.

5.

e.

Assignments
i. Assignments must have some distinct complexity that should ensure that students
analytical skills (or skills that are required for developing student expertise) are
developed.
ii. It is better if DL students are given two extra days for sending / dispatching their
assignments. This is to ensure equivalence under the fact that DL students receive
lectures normally after two days (after actual lecture date).

f.

Projects
i. Course projects must be carefully designed keeping in view the educational
objectives of every course.
ii. Teachers should ideally communicate to the students the criteria on the basis of
which their projects are marked.
iii. It is expected that DL students must also take part in the project and present their
work. In this regard DL students in Islamabad / Rawalpindi and / or close by cities
should be asked to visit CASE and present their work like regular on campus
students. DL students not residing in Islamabad / Rawalpindi and / or close by cities
should be made to present their work via SKYPE.
iv. In case if teachers ideally think that presentation of the project from DL students is
not required then such teachers should ensure that their course project complexity
must be designed appropriately so as to ensure equal project complexity for on
campus and DL students.

g.

Course Presentations
i. Most of the rules specific to projects also apply for course presentations.

DL Students
a. Recording
i. Teachers must ensure that their lecture is well coordinated with media
representatives.
ii. Teachers must provide necessary help to media personal for proper recording of
the lectures. It is also important that not only audio and video recording of the
instructor is done; rather at the same time it is essential to accurately record all
drawing / text made by teachers on white boards, any charts that are used by
teachers to explain any issue in the class.
iii. Most importantly, questions asked by the on campus students during class must be
categorically restated by the teacher in the class so as to ensure that DLs receive all
necessary information.
b. Querying
i. Teachers must extend their full support to DL students for answering their queries
via phone, cell and / or Skype.

Faculty Code of Ethics at CASE

c.

Discussion of marked course deliverables

i. Teachers must extend their full support to DL students and give time to DL students
for their queries concerning marked course deliverables (i.e. assignments, projects
and / or exams etc). This activity can be carried out via phone, cell and / or Skype.

6.

Multiple Sections
a. In case of multiple sections of a single course (taught by one teacher), it is important that
teaching standard, complexity of course, and standard of course administration (such as
teaching hours, announcements and other administrative matters) must be as much
identical as possible for both the sections.

7.

Research
a. It is extremely healthy that teachers encourage students to do research (in their courses)
keeping in view following basic postulates:
i. Students must be encouraged to publish paper but publishing paper must not be
the only yard stick for measuring students academic performance throughout
entire semester.
ii. Teachers and / or teaching assistants (or for matter anyone) can only be an author
or coauthor of any publication if he/she provides significant contribution to student
such as (but not limited to):
1. Sharing of an idea
2. Extensive guidance throughout research and paper writing
3. Extensive reviewing
4. Writing in the paper
5. Other.similar
iii. It is mandatory the all students be assessed against the standard course norms.
iv. All teachers must ensure that all research outputs are plagiarism free.
v. Teachers should focus on research and not only research paper writing.

8.

Yahoo groups
a. Teachers should encourage teaching assistants that they should maintain yahoo groups or
LMS: Learning Management System for information and document sharing.

9.

Plagiarism
a. All teachers must ensure that all course deliverables are plagiarism free.

10. RSTs
a.
b.

All teachers must ensure that final responsibility of RST lies at them. Teaching assistants
cannot be held accountable for management of RST.
Teachers should ideally upload result via RST regularly on CASE website (faculty portal) and
yahoo groups so as to ensure that student is in picture of his / her performance. This activity
must at least be done before the midterm / sessional exams and final exams so as to avoid
any result related discrepancies.

11. Repeat Exams

a. Ideally repeat exams must be discouraged except extreme emergency situations.
b. Complexity and secrecy of the repeat exam must be similar to regular exam.
c. All teachers must be aware of the retake exam policy and must follow all guidelines by the
exam branch related to retake of exam.
12. Office Hours
a. All teachers must maintain office hours for every week.

Faculty Code of Ethics at CASE

b.
c.
d.
e.

Office hours must be displayed outside the office with necessary guidelines.
In case of change of office hours students must be informed via email.
All teachers must mention their office hours in their course outline.
One office hour is typically recommended per week for one credit hour course.

13. Evaluations
a. Nepotism is strongly discouraged at CASE.
b. Evaluation must be fair and standard of evaluation must be same for all students.
14. Student Teacher Interaction
a. Teachers and teaching assistants are requested to maintain pleasant yet distant relationship
with student.
15. Fulfillment of Policy and Rules
a. All teachers and teaching assistants must follow all the policies, rules, guidelines provided to
them by the institution.
16. Administrative Guidelines to Students
a. Teachers and teaching assistants must try not to provide administrative guidance to students
related to exams, student affairs, program etc. It is best, that student be directed to relevant
functional department for resolution of administrative issues.
17. Support to Administrative Departments at CASE
a. All teachers and teaching assistants must provide full support to all administrative
departments at CASE.
18. Teaching Assistants
a. Most of the guidelines provided in this document should also be well understood and
practiced by the teaching assistants at CASE.
b. Teaching assistants bridge gap between teachers and students. It is expected the teaching
assistants must ensure professionalism and ethical integrity of highest level.
c. Teaching assistants are seen as change agents at CASE. It is expected that through teaching
assistants professionalism, attitude, effort and most importantly intellectual grooming that
they provide to students, CASE must be able to uplift social well being of our society.
19. General Student Grooming
a. As part of the profession, all faculty members are encouraged to help students groom their
personality.
20. General Guidelines
a. Teachers must try to create new assignments, quizzes, exams etc every semester.
b. Issue management of all students must be done to closure. In other words teachers must
ensure that issues related to course (raised by students, admin or any necessary relevant
stakeholder) are handled properly and necessary monitoring, control and resolution of the
issue is done in order to close the issue.
c. Teachers should ensure that teaching standard and quality is of highest level, following latest
developments in the subject area.
d. All faculty members are advised to ensure that their official email @case.edu.pk is
functional. For any issue resolution the IT department at CASE can be contacted.
e. Teachers should avoid topics that may conflict with cultural norms, individual believes,
religious; political and social affiliations.
f. Teachers must ensure the sanctity of the class and academic institution.

Faculty Code of Ethics at CASE

g.
h.
i.
j.

k.

All permanent faculty members are expected to be present at CASE for 40 hours per week.
In case of absence from office it is best that the department head is in picture.
All faculty members must familiarize themselves with all the policies at CASE. Faculty should
make themselves aware of changes in rules and procedures from time to time.
All teachers must ensure that due respect is given to student irrespective of age and
gender.
All teachers must ensure that due respect is given to all working colleague irrespective of
age and gender. Rude behavior, bulling others and most importantly intruding in self
privacy of other colleagues is strictly prohibited. All teachers must ensure that working
relationship with other colleagues is as per the socially and religiously accepted norms.
It is expected that faculty realizes that they are part of the CASE team. Betterment of
institution, conservation of institutions resources and faithfulness towards institution must
be most important considerations for any faculty member at CASE.

Note: Errors/Omissions Accepted. For feedbacks kindly email directly to President CASE.