Common use of Language Testing Clause in Contracts

Language Testing. 1). It is the responsibility of each academic department to determine that each graduate student who is employed in a bargaining unit position with instructional responsibilities has appropriate oral proficiency in English. Instructional responsibilities extend to both classroom and laboratory settings. 2). Graduate student employees shall be deemed to have the appropriate oral proficiency in English by meeting one (1) of the following criteria: a. S/he speaks English as a first language; b. S/he has an undergraduate degree from a U.S. university; c. S/he has submitted a Test of Spoken English (TSE) or a SPEAK test score of 50 or above. 3). Graduate students who are employed in bargaining unit positions with instructional responsibilities and who have not met one (1) of the above criteria are required to take the SPEAK test upon arrival on campus. 4). The SPEAK test is administered by the Graduate School at no cost to graduate students. It is given three (3) times a year: Fall, Spring, and Summer. Information about the SPEAK test and the University’s policy regarding Spoken English Proficiency will be included in the application package sent to international graduate applicants. In addition, all incoming international students who have instructional responsibilities will be notified of the policy upon their arrival on campus. 5). Graduate student employees who are required to take the SPEAK test and who do not pass the test are required to either participate in the Communication Instruction classes offered by the Graduate School (at no cost to the student) or enroll in another program recommended by their Graduate Program Director. If the assistantship with instructional responsibilities has already begun, the test result will have no bearing on the funding for the duration of that appointment. However, graduate student employees may be reassigned appropriate responsibilities as defined in Article 2, Definitions, corresponding to their level of proficiency. Reappointment to an instructional position will not be made unless the SPEAK test has been passed. 6). International students shall be advised that, because they will not be eligible to teach in the summer or winter session in Continuing and Professional Education until they have passed the SPEAK test, they should complete all testing requirements immediately after arrival on campus. An individual’s test results will be used solely for employment purposes. All on-campus testing and subsequent language training will be supervised by appropriately credentialed professionals, and any use of the on-campus test for research purposes will be in accordance with the University’s policy on human subjects research. Students will be informed of their right to refuse to have their test results used for research purposes; in order to ensure informed consent, consent forms will be provided in several languages.