Faculty Liaison Handbook

Facilitating Concurrent Enrollment Courses

Greetings,
I am honored to welcome you to your important role as a Faculty Liaison for the University of Maine’s Concurrent Enrollment Program! Your work is central to ensuring that the courses taught in our partner high schools maintain the same rigor, quality, and academic standards as those offered on our campus. Together, we’re advancing opportunities for high school students to experience a seamless transition to college, while also fostering meaningful professional development for educators.

The UMaine Early College Program is committed to setting and upholding the highest standards in implementing our concurrent enrollment courses. Your role is essential in meeting these standards and enhancing the partnership between secondary and higher education.

Throughout this partnership, you will:

  • Collaborate closely with Concurrent Enrollment (CE) teachers to align courses with UMaine’s curriculum and learning objectives.
  • Conduct initial meetings to establish expectations and guide syllabus development.
  • Support CE teachers through site visits, regular check-ins, and ongoing professional development opportunities.
  • Ensure the grading standards and assessment methods used are consistent with those on campus.
  • Document your interactions, site visits, and professional development efforts to demonstrate alignment with NACEP standards.

We deeply value the time, expertise, and dedication you bring to this program. In recognition of your efforts, faculty liaisons receive compensation in alignment with University of Maine System policies, along with mileage coverage for required site visits.

Should you encounter challenges or need additional support, please do not hesitate to reach out. We want you to feel supported in your role. I’m here to assist you in maintaining the quality and success of this program. Thank you for your commitment to shaping the academic journeys of our concurrent enrollment students and teachers.

Warm regards,

Kari Suderley
Director, Early College Programs
University of Maine
kari.suderley@maine.edu

Early College Program

The University of Maine has a long history of being a leader in supporting Early College programming. Our signature online program, Academ-e, launched in 2006.

Qualified students may earn a lifetime total of 18 tuition-free credits. With an online portfolio of over 70 course offerings each summer, fall, and spring, students have the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of courses online and on campus.

Maine high school students must apply for their courses in the statewide application system that is shared by UMS and MCCS. It requires the following items to be considered a complete application:

  • Signed Student Acknowledgement
  • Signed Parent Consent
  • School Counselor recommendation with GPA listed and any documentation of pre-requisites

Early College students are registered at the end of the appointment calendar as non-degree students, unless it is a registration in a concurrent enrollment course.

NACEP standards

The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) works to ensure that college courses offered by high school teachers are as rigorous as courses offered at the sponsoring college campus. As the sole accrediting body for concurrent enrollment partnerships, NACEP helps these programs adhere to the highest standards. Hence, students experience a seamless transition to college, and teachers benefit from meaningful, ongoing professional development. To advance the field and support its national network of members, NACEP actively shares the latest knowledge about best practices, research, and advocacy.

An institution must comply with 16 accreditation standards for its concurrent enrollment program to achieve accreditation. This includes standards in the categories of Partnerships, Curriculum, Faculty, Students, Assessment, and Program Evaluation, which is where this document becomes salient.

Our office has worked diligently to create templates and guides for the responsibilities you are undertaking to help us a maintain a quality program.

  1. Schools apply to offer a UM course
    • Each High School shall recommend potential Concurrent Enrollment teachers and direct them to apply with the Early College office. Applications include a CV/Resume, transcripts, and credential documentation.
  2. Departments vette the instructor
    • The University department is responsible for evaluating and approving the credentials of all recommended Concurrent Enrollment teachers. This could be a Dean, Associate Dean, Chair, etc.
  3. Liaisons are assigned to courses/HS instructor
    • Department administration will select/request/assign a faculty member to provide oversight of the course and HS instructor.
  4. Partnership begins
    • Faculty Liaisons will provide all necessary discipline-specific training and onboarding to the assigned high school instructor, review syllabi and assignments, provide professional development opportunities, conduct a class visit, submit end-of-course grades, etc. This list is not exhaustive and will be included in the appendix.
  5. System MOU for Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships
    • MOU is signed by the school district to formalize this partnership between the school and the Univeristy of Maine System. Our system office handles this process. This document includes roles and responsibilities but these will be delineated in great detail in this handbook.

January

  • Early College office will send a second communication to all High School Instructors for the Spring with welcome information, resources, account activation reminders, FERPA & Title IX Training, etc.
  • Students apply for their Concurrent Enrollment Spring semester courses. Applications due by 2/8.
  • Students complete Fall semester course evaluations (in their maine.edu email) prior to the end of the course.
  • High School Instructors submit grades in ExplorEC for completed Fall semester courses. Faculty Liaisons confirm & submit grades in MaineStreet.
  • Faculty Liaisons must review and approve final syllabi before the High School Instructors upload in ExplorEC. High School instructors teaching a Spring course must upload their syllabi in ExplorEC by 1/15.

February

  • Student applications for Concurrent Enrollment Spring semester courses due by 2/8.
  • High School Instructors conduct a roster verification in ExplorEC by 2/12.
  • Students who wish to drop their Concurrent Enrollment course(s) must make a request in ExplorEC by 2/12. Requests after this date are considered withdrawals.
  • High School Instructors teaching a Spring course must complete online FERPA & Title IX Training by 2/26.
  • Early College office will reach out to partnering high school teams to start scheduling course requests for the upcoming Academic Year.

March

  • Early College office conducts upcoming Academic Year planning for program continuation with each partnering high school.

April

  • Faculty Liaisons will complete an end-of-year survey to give feedback and either continue commitment for the upcoming Academic Year or inform of resignation.

May

  • Faculty Liaisons will meet with Early College office to review end-of-year survey and address concerns.
  • Faculty Liaisons will make outreach to instructors assigned to them for the upcoming Academic Year.
  • Early College office will send a communication to all High School Instructors for the Fall with welcome information, resources, account activation reminders, FERPA & Title IX Training, etc.
  • Concurrent Enrollment student applications for Fall semester open.

June

  • Students complete course evaluations (in their maine.edu email) prior to the end of the course.
  • High School Instructors submit grades in ExplorEC for year-long and Spring semester courses that have ended. Faculty Liaisons confirm & submit grades in MaineStreet.

August

  • Faculty Liaisons will reach out to instructors assigned to them for the upcoming Fall semester. Begin discussions surrounding syllabi requirements if this has not already been done. Begin planning a class visit.
  • Early College office will send a second communication to all High School Instructors for the Fall with welcome information, resources, account activation reminders, FERPA & Title IX Training, etc.

September

  • Faculty Liaisons must review and approve final syllabi before the High School Instructors upload in ExplorEC. High School Instructors teaching a Fall course must upload their syllabi in ExplorEC by 9/16.

October

  • Student applications for Concurrent Enrollment Fall semester courses due by 10/8.
  • High School Instructors conduct a roster verification in ExplorEC by 10/12.
  • Students who wish to drop their Concurrent Enrollment course(s) must make a request in ExplorEC by 10/12. Requests after this date are considered withdrawals.
  • High School Instructors teaching Fall courses must complete online FERPA & Title IX Trainings by 10/30.

November

  • Early College office will reach out to partnering high school teams to confirm and finalize offerings for the Spring semester.

December

  • Early College office will send a communication to all High School Instructors for the Spring with welcome information, resources, account activation reminders, FERPA & Title IX Training, etc.
  • Faculty Liaisons will reach out to instructors assigned to them for the upcoming Spring semester. Begin discussions surrounding syllabi requirements if this has not already been done. Begin planning a class visit.
  • Concurrent Enrollment student applications for Spring semester open.
  • Submit Materials: Provide all required documentation and forms to the Early College office.
  • Compliance Training: Complete annual FERPA and Title IX online compliance training.
  • Syllabus Development: Develop a course syllabus and required materials with guidance from the Faculty Liaison to align with UMaine standards.
  • Site Visit Coordination: Coordinate a class visit with the Faculty Liaison for observation and discussion.
  • Program Assessment: Participate in scheduled grade norming and/or program assessment activities.
  • At-Risk Students: Notify the Early College office regarding any students requiring additional support or interventions.
  • Communication: Maintain regular contact with the Faculty Liaison for ongoing support and guidance.
  • Grade Submission: Input final grades in ExplorEC as part of the course completion process.
  • End-of-Year Feedback: Complete an end-of-year survey to provide feedback on the program and its implementation. Encourage students to complete online course evaluations to gather feedback on the learning experience.
  • Instructor Support:
  • Conduct an initial meeting and orientation with high school instructors, documenting the process for accreditation purposes.
  • Assist high school instructors in developing their course syllabi, ensuring alignment with UMaine guidelines, and approve the final syllabus.
  • Communication and Reporting: Maintain regular communication with the high school partner, reporting any issues or concerns. Contact log required for accreditation purposes.
  • Course Oversight:
  • Conduct at least one site visit per year for the first two years of a new course, then every three years thereafter. Document observations and discussions during visits.
  • Coordinate and track initial course-specific training for new concurrent enrollment instructors.
  • Professional Development: Provide and document professional development activities, including agendas, attendance sheets, seminar descriptions, event minutes, conference reports, and individualized meeting summaries.
  • Grade Submission: Enter final grades into MaineStreet at the end of the course, noting differences in high school and university schedules. (This work is often done outside of the regular contract year and is compensated as such).
  • Documentation Submission: Submit all required Faculty Liaison documentation through this form prior to the end of the course, to initiate stipend payment.

Once CEI is approved, the Early College office will:

  • Send communication to all High School Instructors for the term with welcome information and resources for FERPA & Title IX Training, etc.
  • Provide administrative onboarding including ExplorEC and account activation instructions.
  • Connect CEI with Faculty Liaison if a new partnership.
  • Provide instruction on class roster verification and other required measures per accreditation standards.

Liaison Steps:
These items must all be documented. Please upload documentation through this online form.

  1. Initial Meeting
    • The faculty liaison will meet with the CEI to begin their partnership. They deliver discipline-specific training to encompass course delivery, pedagogy, and the next steps for student engagement and grade morning. This ongoing partnership provides support throughout the course delivery.
  2. Syllabus Creation and Review
    • The liaison ensures the concurrent enrollment courses reflect the learning objectives and pedagogical, theoretical, and philosophical orientation of UMaine disciplines. To that end, the faculty liaison will provide a UMaine course syllabus to the CEI for review and assist the teacher in their own syllabus development. The CEI will provide a course syllabus that meets the learning outcomes of the UMaine course for the liaison to review and approve. The revision process of the syllabus will continue until it complies with UMaine standards (courses will not be listed until this is complete.)
  3. Site Visit
    • The faculty site visit aims to improve alignment with NACEP standards. These standards are measurable criteria that address quality in concurrent enrollment programs. The standards ensure that UMaine courses offered in the high school setting are of the same quality and rigor, and that course objectives and outcomes are consistent with the same course standards as those offered at the University of Maine.
  4. Professional Development
    • Concurrent enrollment instructors must participate in university-provided annual professional development and ongoing collegial interaction to further enhance instructors’ pedagogy and breadth of knowledge in the discipline. This can be done in different modalities but must be delivered and documented by the content area expert.
  5. Grade Submission
    • Concurrent enrollment students’ proficiency in learning outcomes must be measured using comparable grading standards and assessment methods. Liaisons should promote transparency and fair grading practices. The CEI will provide sample assessments and the faculty liaison will review to assist in aligning assessment practice. Upon course completion, the CEI will submit grades to the Faculty Liaison for approval and posting in Mainestreet.

Providing professional development to concurrent enrollment instructors ensures they align with university-level expectations for course rigor and pedagogy, maintaining the quality and consistency of the program.

What options exist for Professional Development? *

  • An on-campus visit where CEIs attend the liaison’s course and then meet afterward for a discussion.
  • A menu of online webinars, workshops, or trainings from which the CEIs choose their option and respond/reflect on the content with the liaison.
  • A menu of current research articles in the content area that CEIs may choose from and respond/reflect on the content with the liaison.
  • A Zoom meeting to discuss pedagogy, best practices, current research, or anything within the content area for all CEIs to attend with the liaison.

Professional development should equal two contact hours, and UM/EC should be able to provide this documentation to CEIs.
NACEP provides an issue brief to brainstorm this process: Discipline-Specific Professional Development
*Other ideas can be proposed.

Documents:

  1. Communication Log
    • The Faculty Liaison Communication Log ensures proper documentation of interactions with high school instructors in concurrent enrollment courses. It tracks course alignment, instructor support, student performance, and issue resolution to meet accreditation requirements. This log helps maintain consistency, transparency, and program improvement.
  2. Site Visit Report
    • The Site Visit Report documents faculty liaison observations and interactions during visits to concurrent enrollment courses. It ensures course alignment, instructor support, and student engagement while identifying areas for improvement. This report also provides evidence for accreditation and strengthens collaboration between the university and partner high schools.
  3. Stipend Checklist
    • This checklist ensures all duties related to concurrent enrollment oversight are completed. It also provides accountability, standardizes expectations, and verifies compliance with accreditation requirements.

Templates/Guides:

As interactions must be documented, we are providing optional templates for you to use.

  1. Onboarding Agenda
    • This onboarding agenda template provides a structured option to introduce new faculty or staff to key policies, resources, and expectations.
  2. Professional Development Options
    • These suggestions can be tailored to your specific needs, and you are encouraged to expand upon them to create more personalized opportunities for CEI development.

Additional Resources:

  1. NACEP Topical Briefs

Student Tuition

  • Students are supported by DOE Aspirations program at an Early College rate as follows:
  • Concurrent: $60 per credit
  • Online or campus: $155 per credit (as of Fall 2026)
  • Students who pay tuition to attend their high school are considered self-pay and pay the rates as stated above.

Liaison Compensation:

  • Liaisons can work with their department to determine if they want to be compensated with a stipend per AFUM contract or a course release model.
  • Mileage will be covered at standard University of Maine System rates consistent with UMS policy, including requiring all expenses to be incurred via a UMS Travel Card and processed via Concur. Overnight accommodations will not be provided for site-visiting faculty.
  • Instructors will be granted a one-time payment of $500 for new course development. Course development must be discussed and approved by the Associate Dean of the Division of Lifelong Learning and the Director of Early College Programs.

Stipend Specifics:

  • All liaisons, regardless of contract type, will be paid a stipend based on the current AFUM contact language as noted below:
  • Faculty who perform supervision of EC course(s), excluding review and approval of co-operating instructors or participation in occasional education of co-operating teachers, shall be provided a stipend for such work. Typically, faculty will not be assigned greater than 6 early college sections with a maximum of 30 students per section for supervision each year. Any assignment for early college work will be reviewed and approved by the appropriate campus academic administrator prior to performing any such duties. The minimum stipend shall be ½ credit hour at the assistant professor overload rate (currently $587) per EC course. With mutual agreement of the faculty member and appropriate academic administrator course release may be granted instead of a stipend for early college program work.
  • Current rate is $702 until final AFUM contract is signed. This document will be updated as appropriate.
Faculty Liaison
Handbook

Questions?

Email um.earlycollege@maine.edu.