3A-05 Substitute Professors

 

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Valencia College Seal

Policy: 6Hx28:3A-05

Responsible Executive: Executive Vice President, Administrative Services

Policy Contacts: Chief Human Resources Officer

Specific Authority: 1001.64, F.S.

Law Implemented: 1001.64, F.S.

Effective Date: 05-07-2026

Date of Last Policy Review: 05-07-2026

Policy:

Policy Statement:

  1. When an instructor is temporarily unable to attend scheduled instructional time, Valencia College (“College”) may assign another qualified College employee to provide temporary instructional coverage to ensure continuity of instruction and maintain an uninterrupted academic environment.
  2. The College President or designee(s) may establish procedures to implement this policy.

Policy History:

Adopted 12-11-74; Amended 6-28-78; Amended 1-19-83; Amended 7-15-92; Amended 11-18-92; Amended 5-7-26; Formerly 6Hx28:8-10 and 6Hx28:8-11; Formerly 6Hx28:08-17

Related Policies:

College Policy 6Hx28: 3D-14 Paid Time Off for Part-Time Faculty Teaching Academic Credit Programs

Procedures:

  1. Definitions:
    1. Instructor of Record: A College faculty member assigned to a specific course via the College’s Learning Management System.
    2. Substitute Instructor: An existing College employee who provides class coverage on a temporary basis due to the Instructor of Record’s absence from class.
    3. Short-Term Class Coverage: A circumstance during an academic term when the absence of the Instructor of Record requires another College employee to provide instruction and perform related course responsibilities for an extended period of time, including without limitation responsibilities related to grading/evaluation, course preparation, and additional student support exceeding the scope of responsibilities typically required of a Substitute Instructor. The determination to initiate Short-Term Class Coverage, include the designation of a Short-Term Instructor of Record, is made at the discretion of the appropriate Dean, in consultation with Organizational Development and Human Resources (“ODHR”), as needed.
  2. Substitute Instructor
    1. Conditions that Necessitate Appointment of a Substitute Instructor
      1. On occasion, there may be planned or unplanned circumstances in which the Instructor of Record is unable to attend the scheduled class as scheduled. In such circumstances, the Instructor of Record is responsible for notifying their supervisor in advance (whenever possible) to inform them of their anticipated absence and submit a Certificate of Absence (COA) for the hour(s) missed.
      2. To promote continuity of learning for students and in circumstances where the Instructor of Record is unable to attend class as scheduled, arrangements shall be made by the respective Dean (with support from the Instructor of Record, as appropriate) to identify a qualified Substitute Instructor who is able to provide temporary class coverage.
      3. A Substitute Instructor for academic credit programs must be an active College employee appointed to serve in this capacity. A record of the appointment of a Substitute Instructor shall be maintained by the respective academic department for each course involved, including the name of the Substitute Instructor, course, date(s), and time(s). No coverage shall be provided by anyone other than the Instructor of Record or designated Substitute Instructor, as appropriate, without express approval from Dean leadership in the respective School.
      4. In certain circumstances and with approval from the respective Dean, an Instructor of Record may cancel the scheduled class and/or provide an alternative assignment in lieu of identifying a Substitute Instructor.
    2. Substitute Instructor Responsibilities and Compensation
      1. Full-time Faculty: A full-time faculty member who is approved and serves as a Substitute Instructor does so as part of their established role and faculty responsibilities. Therefore, no additional compensation is provided to a full-time faculty member who serves in this capacity.
      2. Full-Time Exempt Staff: A full-time exempt staff member who serves as a Substitute Instructor must obtain prior approval from their supervisor, whenever possible. A full-time exempt staff member who is approved and serves as a Substitute Instructor is not eligible to receive additional compensation.
      3. Part-Time Faculty and Staff: Part-time faculty and staff who are approved and serve as Substitute Instructors will receive compensation as outlined under “Substitute Teaching” in the annual Salary Schedule published on the College website.
        1. The rate of pay for part-time faculty and staff as a Substitute Instructor is calculated based on contact hours. Substitution pay does not include preparation time or time spent with students after class. Fifty (50) minutes equals one contact hour, and the College rounds hourly work to the quarter hour. Accordingly, appropriate hours of substitution pay shall be calculated as follows:
          1. 0-10 minutes = 0.25 hours
          2. 11-25 minutes = 0.50 hours
          3. 26-40 minutes = 0.75 hours
          4. 41-50 minutes = 1.0 hour
        2. Example 1: 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. class
          1. 8:30 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. (50 minutes) = 1.0 hour
          2. 9:20 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. (25 minutes) = 0.5 hours
          3. Total substitution pay for example 1 = 1.5 hours
        3. Example 2: 8:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m. class
          1. 8:00 a.m. – 8:50 a.m. (50 minutes) = 1.0 hour
          2. Total substitution pay for example 2 = 1.0 hour
        4. Example 3: 8:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. class
          1. 8:30 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. (50 minutes) = 1.0 hour
          2. 9:20 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. (50 minutes) = 1.0 hour
          3. 10:10 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (50 minutes) = 1.0 hour
          4. 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. (15 minutes) = 0.5 hours
          5. Total substitution pay for example 3 = 3.5 hours
      4. Documentation Requirements for a Substitute Instructor: The appropriate Substitution Verification Form, Part-Time Faculty Substitution Form or Part-Time Faculty Continuing Ed Substitution Form, must be accessed, completed and submitted via MyVC through the General Payroll Information page as soon as possible immediately following the date of the substitution. These forms are used to pay the eligible employee performing the substitution. Any required reduction in pay for the absent Instructor of Record is processed through a Certificate of Absence (COA), which must be attached to the respective form. The form is completed as follows:
        1. “Your Contact Info”: Provide full name of the instructor performing the described substitution, their email address, and their phone number so that the Payroll Department knows who to contact with questions that may arise.
        2. “Absent Faculty Member Information” or “Absent Instructor”: Provide the full name of the absent faculty member, their email address, their VID, the school, and their dean. For the continuing education substitution form, provide the full name of the absent instructor, their email address, their VID, the campus, and approver.
        3. “Class Information”: Provide class date(s) missed, start and end times, missed contact hours, index, and CRN. For the continuing education substitution form, include class date(s) missed, start and end times, and missed hours.
        4. “Absence Information”. Provide, based on the appropriate form:
          1. whether the missed class is part of a regular/base load, overload/part-time, online/mixed mode course, part-time or full-time continuing education instructor;
          2. reason for missing class;
          3. an attached COA;
          4. the degree and/or compensation level of absent faculty member or instructor;
          5. the absent faculty member or instructor’s employment status (full-time or part-time);
          6. Index and GL codes, as appropriate.
        5. “Part-Time Faculty to be Paid” or “Part-Time Instructor to be Paid”: Provide full name, VID, and compensation rate. The appropriate “rate per hour” can be found in the College’s approved Salary Schedule, based on the individual’s highest level of education as recognized by the College.
  3. Short-Term Instructor of Record
    1. Conditions that Necessitate Appointment of a Short-Term Instructor of Record
      1. During an academic term, a Dean may determine that a Short-Term Class Coverage beyond the scope of a Substitute Instructor is necessary. This determination would be appropriate when the absence of the Instructor of Record requires another qualified College employee to provide instruction and related course responsibilities for an extended period of time, including without limitation responsibilities to grading/evaluation, course preparation and additional student support exceeding the scope of responsibilities typically required of a Substitute Instructor. This determination would update the Instructor of Record on a short-term basis to provide continuity for student learning.
      2. The new short-term Instructor of Record must be an active full- or part-time faculty member credentialed to teach the course. In limited circumstances, should an active full- or part-time faculty member not be identified, the respective Dean must partner with ODHR to identify an alternative credentialed short-term Instructor of Record who will provide short-term class coverage.
      3. Once identified, the short-term Instructor of Record will be provided access to appropriate course material(s) through the College’s Learning Management System.
      4. The respective Dean, or designee, shall communicate to impacted students in a timely manner:
        1. the necessity for the change of instructor;
        2. information related to the identity and role of the short-term Instructor of Record;
        3. any known timelines for the short-term Instructor of Record serving in the role; and
        4. guidance for the transition of instruction and related activities.
    2. Short-Term Instructor of Record Compensation
      1. The respective Dean, or designee, shall coordinate with ODHR and/or Payroll to initiate the process for compensation of the short-term instructor of record.
        1. Full-time faculty serving as a short-term instructor of record will be compensated as per the “Full-Time Overload Faculty Salary Schedule (on campus)” as listed in the College’s published annual Salary Schedule.
        2. Part-time faculty serving as a short-term instructor of record will be compensated as per the “Part-Time Faculty (on campus)” rates as listed in the College’s published annual Salary Schedule.
      2. A short-term instructor of record’s compensation will be processed through an Electronic Personnel Action Form (EPAF) submitted by their respective supervisor.
    3. Short-term Instructor of Record activities may not coincide with the substitute faculty member’s other regularly scheduled classes. If a full-time faculty member serves as a short-term Instructor of Record during their already established scheduled student engagement hours, it is the faculty member’s responsibility to inform their students and the department leadership when those hours will be rescheduled. A record of the schedule adjustment will be maintained by the respective department.
  4. Certificate of Absence for Original Instructor of Record
    1. When the absent Instructor of Record is a full-time faculty member:
      1. A COA is required for every absence, regardless if a substitute has been assigned to the class.
      2. If the absence was related to sick or personal leave and the class is part of the regular load (not an overload), a copy of the Certificate of Absence that was submitted by the faculty member to the Payroll Department, must be attached to the form to ensure that their pay is not reduced;
      3. If the absence was related to College business (e.g., conference, meeting), and the class is part of the regular load (not an overload), a COA for Professional Leave shall be submitted.;
      4. If an overload class is missed, the absent instructor’s pay may be reduced. Sick/personal leave and authorized travel only apply to an instructor’s regular load, not overloads.
        1. If the overload absence was due to illness or emergency, the absent instructor would submit a COA for Paid Time Off (PTO). If the absent instructor has PTO hours available to cover the absence, their pay will not be reduced. If the PTO hours have been exhausted, then the absent instructor’s pay will be reduced accordingly. For more information, see College Policy 6Hx28: 3D-14 Paid Time Off for Part-Time Faculty Teaching Academic Credit Programs.
        2. If the absence was not for illness or emergency, then a COA for PTO Non-Eligible would be submitted and the absent instructor’s pay would be reduced by the amount of hour(s) missed.
      5. Certificates of Absence are submitted based on clock hours, not contact hours. Therefore, in the example provided for contact hours above in Procedures Section II., a COA would be submitted for 2.25 clock hours for a missed class normally taught from 5:30-7:45 p.m.
      6. The Dean and department Administrative Assistant must be added to the COA as FYI. If the Dean is the direct supervisor of the absent instructor, they do not need to be added as FYI.
    2. When the absent instructor of record is a part-time faculty member:
      1. If the absence was related to illness or emergency, the absent instructor would submit a COA for PTO. If the absent instructor has PTO hours available to cover the absence, their pay will not be reduced. If the PTO hours have been exhausted, then the absent instructor’s pay will be reduced accordingly. For more information, see College Policy 6Hx28: 3D-14 Paid Time Off for Part-Time Faculty Teaching Academic Credit Programs.
      2. If the absence was not for illness or emergency, then a COA for PTO Non-Eligible would be submitted and the absent instructor’s pay would be reduced by the amount of hour(s) missed.
      3. Certificates of Absence are submitted based on clock hours, not contact hours. So, in the example provided above in Procedures Sections II. and III. for contact hours, a COA would be submitted for 2.25 clock hours for a missed class normally taught from 5:30-7:45 p.m.
      4. The Dean and department Administrative Assistant must be added to the COA as FYI. If the Dean is the direct supervisor of the absent instructor, they do not need to be added as FYI.

Procedure History: Adopted 7-15-92; Amended 11-18-92; Amended 10-1-10; Amended 11-14-11; Amended 5-7-2026; Formerly 6Hx28:08-17

Date of Last Procedure Review: 05-07-2026

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