3.21 English Language Proficiency (Oral Communication Competence)

(Iowa Code § 262.9(24) (PDF))

  1. All persons who provide instruction to students attending Regent universities shall demonstrate competence in oral communication. Oral communication competence is the ability to communicate appropriately in the language of instruction to students attending Regent universities.
  2. This policy shall apply to all faculty and teaching assistants employed by Regent universities who provide instruction to students in courses taught during the relevant academic period. Faculty are defined as those persons with instructional appointments on a tenured, probationary, or non-tenure track.
  3. Each faculty member and teaching assistant shall be evaluated for oral communication competence by the end of each academic period in which he or she has sufficient direct contact with students to render such evaluation meaningful. This policy does not mandate evaluation for persons whose instructional responsibilities do not involve enough direct oral communication with students to provide a basis for meaningful evaluation of oral communication competence. The nature and scope of the evaluation of oral communication competence may vary with the discipline, instructional setting, and material being communicated. In all cases, however, the evaluation procedure shall incorporate a mechanism for evaluation by students.
  4. Each university’s provost shall implement this policy and, in particular, ensure that adequate standards of oral communication competence are maintained.
  5. However, a university may discontinue annual evaluations of a specific person providing instruction. The criteria for discontinuation of annual evaluations shall include receipt by the institution of two consecutive positive annual evaluations from the majority of students evaluating the person.