PAc-29 Faculty Workload

TEACHING WORKLOAD: 

Lecturers (adjuncts):  The standard teaching workload for lecturers is under 24 hours per academic year, or less than full-time.

Instructors:  The standard teaching workload for instructors is no more than 30 hours per academic year as calculated by the formulas for determining faculty teaching load based on instruction type.

Visiting Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor Ranks: The standard teaching workload is 24 hours per academic year as calculated by the formulas for determining faculty teaching load based on instruction type. 

Department  Chairs:  The standard teaching workload for department chairs is 12 hours per academic year as calculated by the formulas for determining faculty teaching load based on instruction type.

Associate  Deans: The standard teaching workload for associate deans is 6 hours per academic year as calculated by the formulas for determining faculty teaching load based on instruction type.

SCHOLARSHIP AND SERVICE WORKLOAD EXPECTATIONS: 

Tenured and tenure-track faculty are expected to be engaged in scholarship (as defined in PAc-11) and service consistent with the normal workload expectations as defined in the Department/School/College Faculty Evaluation Plan (FEP: PAc-35). Typically, faculty holding the rank of instructor are not required to demonstrate a commitment to scholarship or service; the primary duties and responsibilities of an instructor are teaching. 

While scholarship and service expectations may vary by academic unit, the Department/School/College FEP will clearly define the performance expectations of tenured and tenure-track faculty as related to reappointment, tenure, promotion, and merit salary increases (see PAc-35). 

FLEXIBLE WORKLOAD AGREEMENTS: 

Tenured and tenure-track faculty are eligible to participate in or request a Flexible Workload Agreement (FWA) to provide time to allow them to pursue their strengths to the greatest extent possible in support of the University. The FWA may be administrative-initiated or faculty-initiated.  Under normal circumstances, instructors are not eligible to request a faculty-initiated FWA. 

ADMINISTRATIVE-INITIATED FWA: 

An administrative-initiated FWA may be proposed to any full-time faculty member by the immediate supervisor to address instructional or operational needs of the program, department, school, college, or the University. An administrative-initiated FWA shall include the methods for evaluating the faculty member's planned activities during the period covered by the FWA. Administrative-initiated FWAs require written justification by the immediate supervisor and subsequent approval by the faculty member before implementation. 

If the faculty member and supervisor(s) cannot reach an agreement for an administrative-initiated FWA, then the supervisor's immediate supervisor will negotiate an acceptable FWA consistent with the faculty member’s request and program/department/school needs. 

A faculty member has the right to refuse an administrative-initiated FWA. 

FACULTY-INITIATED FWA:

Tenured and tenure-track faculty may submit to their immediate supervisor a request for a faculty-initiated FWA to support planned activities in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service for the next calendar year. Such FWA requests shall include the methods for evaluating those activities and the weight that each area will carry in evaluating the faculty member's performance during the period covered by the FWA.

Tenured faculty may submit to their immediate supervisor a request to increase or decrease their instructional responsibilities in exchange for a reduction or increase, respectively, in the FEP performance expectations in the area of scholarship. Tenured faculty may not request a FWA to reduce their FEP performance expectations in the area of service.

Tenure-track faculty may submit to their immediate supervisor a request to decrease their instructional or service responsibilities in exchange for an increase in the FEP performance expectations in the area of scholarship. 

Tenure-track faculty cannot request a FWA to reduce their FEP performance expectations in the area of scholarship or to reduce their teaching load below 12 hours per academic year.

If the faculty member and supervisor(s) cannot reach an agreement for a faculty-initiated FWA, then the supervisor’s immediate supervisor will negotiate an acceptable FWA consistent with the faculty member's request and program/department/school needs.

Administrative- and faculty-initiated FWAs shall cover a period not exceeding one calendar year. FWAs covering the spring semester or the spring and fall semesters of the next calendar year shall be approved by the faculty member, the Department Chair/Associate Dean, and the College Dean by October 1 of the current calendar year. FWAs covering the fall semester of the current calendar year shall be approved by the faculty member, the Department Chair/Associate Dean, and the College Dean by March 1 of the current calendar year.

If it is specified in an extramural or service description that a faculty member receive release time, required adjustments to the workload will be made.

By January 15, faculty having an FWA for the previous calendar year will submit to their immediate supervisor a report that highlights the accomplishments/progress made on the planned activities during the period covered by the FWA. The immediate supervisor will review this report and prepare a response outlining the extent to which the faculty member has met the objectives outlined in the FWA. A copy of the response will be sent to the faculty member by February 1. If a faculty member disagrees with the supervisor's response, the faculty member shall have 10 calendar days (starting immediately upon the faculty member's receipt of the response) to write a rebuttal to be included with the progress report in any portfolios or reports that require the progress report. The supervisor's immediate supervisor will adjudicate any such disagreements between a faculty member and his or her supervisor. The extent to which a faculty member has met the objectives outlined in his or her FWAs will be an important consideration when evaluating the faculty member for tenure, promotion, or salary increase.

An adjustment may be requested to an existing FWA by the faculty member or by his or her supervisor. Any adjustment must have the approval of the faculty member, the Department Chair/Associate Dean, and the College Dean. 

All records regarding FWAs will be forwarded to the Provost's office. 

RESTRICTIONS ON FLEXIBLE WORKLOAD AGREEMENTS: 

University, College, Department, School and Program needs and student credit hour production will be given priority in consideration of any request to negotiate a FWA. Department Chairs and Associate Deans are responsible to College Deans for meeting Program, Department and School needs. 

Although the specific content of a FWA may vary from one faculty member to another, the workload in a FWA should be as equitable as possible from one faculty member to another. 

Each activity listed in a FWA must include measurable outcomes that can be evaluated at the end of the calendar year. 

Each department or school may, subject to the approval process for faculty evaluation plans, place further restrictions on FWAs in their FEPs.  Such restrictions must be shared with the respective Dean and the Office of the Provost. 

OVERLOAD: 

Faculty may be requested to teach an overload (more than 24 hours/year for assistant professor, associate professor, or professor, and more than 30 hours/year for instructors) when necessary to fulfill program, department or school needs on an occasional and temporary basis. No faculty member is required to teach an overload. The request, if acceptable to the faculty member, must be approved by the Department Chair/Associate Dean and the College Dean.

When the overload occurs during the fall semester, then a correspondingly reduced workload should be planned for the subsequent spring semester. When the overload occurs during the spring semester, then a correspondingly reduced workload should be planned for the subsequent fall semester. If the reduction cannot be achieved, then the faculty member will receive overload pay at the lecturer (adjunct) rate. The amount of the overload shall not exceed six semester hours per academic year except under extraordinary circumstances and only when acceptable to the faculty member and approved by the College Dean.

EXCEPTIONS:

The Provost, following consultation with the President, has the option of making exceptions to this policy for individual faculty when deemed in the best interest of the University.

View FORMULAS FOR DETERMINING by INSTRUCTION TYPE