Teaching Assignments and Workload Including Workload Equivalencies and Related Procedures

All full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty in the department are expected to carry a maximum workload of twenty-four (24) credit hours of instruction per academic year.  Full-Time non-tenure track are expected to carry a maximum workload of thirty (30) credit hours of instruction per academic year (See, University policy 6- 18). The workload for each individual faculty member is assigned by the
department Chair and approved by the Dean.  Normally, all full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty will be assigned no less than a 2 course (12 credit hours) teaching load in each semester of each academic year.  Exceptions to this expectation may be permitted for an assignment as Graduate or Undergraduate Coordinator only with the written approval of the Dean.  The department Chair, in consultation with the Faculty Advisory Committee, shall specify which types of activities, in addition to instruction, shall be the equivalent of a full-time workload assignment, twenty-four (24) credit hours or thirty (30) credit hours, as applicable, for each full-time faculty member in the department.

*or summer appointment

Faculty members are assigned to teach specific courses by the Chair. The primary considerations for course assignments are prior teaching experience, subject expertise, and shared responsibility among the faculty for service and introductory courses. Questions regarding teaching assignments should be addressed to the Chair. In the case of a dispute or request for reassignment the faculty member may request review by the FAC which will make a recommendation to the Chair.

Scheduling of classes is the responsibility of the Chair in consultation with the Undergraduate and Graduate Coordinators. The primary consideration for scheduling classes is student need with regard to meeting program or major requirements within a reasonable time frame. In addition, the scheduling of some classes may be determined by the need to serve nontraditional students.

The Chair welcomes requests for summer teaching assignments from all full-time faculty members. Summer teaching cannot be guaranteed to any faculty member and most summer teaching assignments are for a partial load. The size, content, and staffing of summer courses are dictated by budgetary constraints and curricular needs. Within these requirements faculty members are offered summer teaching assignments on an annual rotation system. The department will endeavor to distribute summer teaching opportunities equitably among members of  the bargaining unit without regard to academic rank. Faculty members may elect not to accept a summer assignment. See also CBA Article IX, Section 3.

A sanction is a documented corrective action in response to a faculty member's unsatisfactory performance of his/her duties and responsibilities as a member of the faculty. (See CBA Article VIII).

All faculty members are required to provide current curriculum vitae (CV) to be kept on file in the Department office and submit a yearly Workload Equivalency narrative. The faculty member's CV must be updated annually using the electronic system supported by the University. (See CBA Section IX.2.D).

All leaves, sponsored or unsupported, personal or professional, are subject to the approval of the Chair, the Dean and the Provost.

University leaves include but are not limited to:

1.    Research leaves (See UPR 3342-6-11.8 ).

2.    Leaves of absence without pay (See UPR 3342-6-11.9).

3.    Faculty professional  improvement leaves (See UPR 3342-6-12).

4.    Research/Creative  Activity appointments (See UPR 3342-6-1 5.3).

Faculty members who will be absent from campus for professional or personal reasons must submit a Request for Absence Form and be approved by the Chair in advance of travel. Arrangements for any classes to be missed during the absence must be addressed to the satisfaction of the Chair before approval will be granted.

Attendance at professional meetings is encouraged and approved travel expenses incurred in attending such meetings will be reimbursed when approved by the chair and Dean prior to travel according to the University's travel policies and are subject to the availability of Department funds.

The Chair is responsible for keeping complete records of faculty sick leave; however, faculty members are also required  to submit the appropriate sick leave forms to the Chair. Sick leave forms should be completed and submitted to the Chair within forty­ eight (48) hours after an absence. (See UPR 3342-6-11.1)

Faculty members may engage in professional activities outside the university provided the activities do not interfere with the faculty member's teaching, research, or service responsibilities to the Department, Campus, College or University (See University Policy Register 3342-6-24). These activities must not compete with University activity or the faculty member's employment with the University and must be approved in advance by the Chair and the Dean. Each academic year, each faculty member must disclose and seek approval for all outside employment or other outside activities on the form provided by the University. Any outside employment or other outside activities are subject to the Faculty Code of Ethics and the University's conflict  of  interest policies.  (See University Policy Register 3342-6-17 and 3342-6-23)

All faculty members should be aware of current copyright laws which restrict the copying of published materials for use in the classroom. For further information, contact the University's Office of Legal Affairs.

The University policy regarding misconduct in research and scholarship and the Administrative policy and procedures  regarding allegations and  instances  of misconduct in research and scholarship is included in the University Policy Register. (See University Policy Register 3342-3-05 and 3342-2-05.01)

Upon obtaining approval from the Dean of Arts & Sciences to conduct a search for new Faculty, the Department will take the following steps:

1. The Department Chairperson will appoint the members of the Search Committee (including Regional faculty) and designate one member as chairperson of the Committee. The Department Chairperson will serve as a member ex officio of the Search Committee, and the Committee chairperson will invite the Department Chairperson to all meetings of the Committee.
2. The Search committee, in consultation with the Department Chairperson, will draft a job advertisement and establish a tentative application deadline. When funding and scheduling pem1it, the deadline for applications  should be sent early enough to permit interviews at AHA annual meeting in January.
3.  The Department Chairperson and the Search committee will meet with the Dean of Arts & Sciences, or his/her representative, to discuss hiring priorities and affirmative action mandates in force in the College.
4. After consultation with the Dean, the chairperson of the Search Committee will forward the job advertisement to the University Affirmative Action Office and  other appropriate University offices for final approval.
5. Once approval is granted for the job description, the chairperson of the Search Committee will forward that advertisement to the relevant periodicals, including those venues for attracting underrepresented minority applicants, and post the advertisement on H-Net.
6. On receipt of each application, the chairperson of the Search Committee will send a letter to each candidate confirming receipt of all applications. The Departmental Secretary will  process each file and add the candidate's name to a master list of all applicants.
7. At the application deadline, the Search Committee members will consider all the appropriate files and meet to compile a list of probable finalists for preliminary interviews. This short list  will narrow  the applicant pool down to approximately one dozen candidates.
8. After conducting the preliminary interviews of the probable finalists, the Search Committee will meet to determine a list of top  candidates (ranked  or unranked, total number at the discretion of the Search Committee) to submit to the Department.
9. The Department Chairperson will convene a meeting of the Faculty to consider the short list of candidates, all of whom have been interviewed in person or over the telephone. The Search Committee will present its list of the top candidates; the faculty will consider that list and any other applicant deemed worthy of consideration. A vote of the Department will determine the final list of candidates to bring to campus.
10. The chairperson of the Search Committee will notify the finalists of the Department's intent to bring them to campus for interview.
11. In preparation for on-campus interviews the Search Committee chairperson will assist the candidate in making travel and accommodations reservations, and will inform candidates of the lecture topic for the teaching portion of their interview.
12. The department Chairperson will convene a meeting of the Faculty to deliberate and select a candidate. Faculty will rank the candidates in order of preference, with first choice earning 1 point, second choice earning 2 points, and so on. The rank ordered lists will be tallied to achieve a numerical total, and the candidate with the lowest total score will be declared the Department's first choice, the candidate with the second lowest total score will be declared the Department's second choice, and so on and passed on to the Chair as the recommended candidate.
13. The Department Chairperson then communicates the selection (and the points ranking) and her/his recommendation to the Dean of Arts & Sciences.

See Article VI, Section 8. Faculty Participation in the Selection and Review Process of Departmental Chairpersons in the December, 2009, CBA.

All leaves, however funded, are subject to approval of the Department Chairperson, in consultation with the FAC, as well as the Dean of Arts & Sciences and the University Provost and include RASP Research Grants, Faculty Professional Improvement (Sabbatical) leaves, and other grant-directed leaves.