College teachers have several administrative duties. They are asked to sign enrollment permission forms for students who don't meet prerequisites or enroll late in the semester. Teachers also have to compute grades and take attendance. Some classes require that students have an administrative "drop" if they miss a certain number of classes. College teachers have to be aware of these issues and enforce the policies. In addition to administrative chores related to teaching, college teachers are also required to attend departmental meetings and assist in the hiring of new teachers.
College teachers need to actively conduct research if they wish to get tenure in a university. Tenure provides a form of security for the teacher and gives him peace of mind, since it is very difficult to fire a tenured teacher. Depending on the field of study the professor is involved in, this could mean spending long hours in a laboratory or library, or conducting research in the field. College professors are professionals in their fields. Universities receive ratings based on their level of research, so almost all college teachers are required to conduct some form of research.
Apart from research, the college professor should come to verifiable conclusions based on her research. When research is completed, the next step is to write her findings and publish her reports. Findings are published in trade magazines and professional journals, and are presented to committees. Many college teachers will maintain active roles as speakers to educate communities about their findings. A college teacher who does not publish is looked down on, and, if not tenured, may even be removed from her position.
Many graduate students require mentors, and college teachers should be there to help these students through the process of learning to be academics. Teachers will often give graduate students keys to their office and access to their work materials. Graduate students will meet individually with their mentor and discuss programs of study and current projects.
The most obvious part of a college teacher's job description is to teach courses. Older teachers who have tenure will teach from one to three courses a semester. Younger teachers are expected to teach four or more courses a semester. This can make it difficult to find the time for mentoring, research and publishing. Courses are expected to fulfill departmental and university guidelines. Teachers should post regular office hours on their doors to ensure that students who need extra help can contact the teacher.