12.03.99.R0.01 Faculty Workload
Effective September 1, 1996
Supplements System Policy 12.03

1. This document contains the regulations, standards, and procedures for the interpretation of full and part-time institutional workload requirements, and for the range of acceptable assignments within its definitions of faculty workload. The assignments will only be implemented as institutional resources are available, with teaching loads having the first priority.

2. Teaching Load

The workload assignment must be primarily the responsibility of an academic unit and its department or college head. These administrators must be held accountable for individual compliance with institutional procedures, and for distributing the duties in their academic unit so that each faculty member contributes maximally to the department program according to his or her capabilities and experience. (CB Faculty Workload Policy Guidelines, Fall 1992)

a. Fall and spring semesters: The normal long term teaching assignment for a faculty member is:

(1) Twelve (12) semester credit hours for a faculty member teaching any combination of master’s/undergraduate courses.

(2) Nine (9) semester credit hours for a faculty member teaching only graduate courses.

b. Summer term: The normal summer teaching assignment for a faculty member employed full-time in the summer is at least twelve (12) semester credit hours or the equivalent.

No faculty member who is paid entirely out of “faculty salaries” will teach--other than through equivalents--less than: 1) two organized courses totaling at least six (6) semester credit hours per week in a long term or 2) one organized course totaling at least three (3) semester credit hours per summer term without the specific authority from the vice president for academic affairs with approval of the president.

3. Workload Assignments

The primary duty of faculty members is to teach. Research and/or developmental activities are expected and indispensable parts of the regular workload of all permanent faculty members.

a. Direct instructional activities (Code 01) include interaction with students related to instruction, preparation for such instruction, and evaluation of student performance. The various types of instruction include, but are not limited to, lecture, laboratory, practicum, seminar, independent study, private lessons, self-paced instruction, televised instruction, supervision of thesis, and dissertation. (CB Faculty Workload Policy Guidelines, Fall 1992)

b. The operational complexity of an institution that is a multipurpose university engaged in graduate education entails the performance of many essential activities by faculty members including: (1) studying, investigating, discovering, and creating; (2) performing curricular tasks auxiliary to teaching and research; and (3) beneficially influencing students and citizens in various extracurricular ways. These activities must be accounted for in computing a valid workload profile. In this policy, these functions and situations are categorized in terms of semester hour equivalents under three principal headings: administrative assignments (Code 02), any other professional assignments directly related to the teaching function (Code 03), and overload credit (Code 05).

4. Workload Equivalencies

It is the responsibility of the faculty members or department head, as appropriate, to initiate a request for a workload equivalency. The request will be approved or disapproved by the department head and dean. If approved, it will be forwarded to the vice president for academic affairs for review and approval prior to the semester for which it is requested. All workload equivalencies must be approved by the president prior to their submission to the Chancellor.

a. Administrative assignments (Code 02) include those which directly supplement the teaching function such as, but not limited to, heads of teaching departments, coordinators or directors of special academic programs, or multi-section courses including supervision or coordination of laboratories or lectures utilizing teaching/graduate assistants. (CB Faculty Workload Policy Guidelines. 2-6 semester credit hours)

b. Any other professional assignments (Code 03), including research and creative activities, which directly relate to the teaching function. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to submit a proposal for a research or a creative project to the department head by the eighth week of the semester preceding the anticipated equivalency. (2-6 semester credit hours)

The president may approve a reduced teaching load if classes do not materialize because of insufficient numbers of students and when additional classes cannot be assigned to the faculty member. This exception may be granted for two consecutive long term semesters for any particular faculty member. After this time, the situation will be evaluated by the Chief Academic Officer.

In addition, the vice president for academic affairs may grant limited faculty teaching load credit for major academic advisory responsibilities, for preparing major documents in the fulfillment of programmatic needs or accreditation requirements, and for duties performed in the best interest of the institution's instructional programs. (2-6 semester credit hours)

Five completed master’s and/or honors theses or three completed dissertations will be equivalent to three (or four) semester credit hours workload equivalency.

c. Overload credit (Code 05) for any given semester may earn the faculty member workload equivalency during a subsequent semester. Overload credit may not be cumulative for more than eight (8) semester credit hours and may not exceed four (4) semester credit hours in any semester.

5. Split Appointments

When a faculty member is paid partially from a source of funds other than the “faculty salaries” line item, the minimum teaching workload shall be proportioned to the percentage of salary paid from the appropriations item “faculty salaries.”

6. Teaching Assistants

The work load for a full-time assistant in the fall or spring semester is teaching six (6) semester credit hours. The summer teaching load shall be three (3) semester credit hours per term. A lesser assignment is possible with a reduced stipend.

7. Reporting

The vice president for academic affairs will monitor workloads, review workload reports and submit the reports through administrative channels for approval and comment as appropriate prior to submitting the reports to the Chancellor and the Coordinating Board. The standard reporting format and deadlines as provided by the Coordinating Board in accordance with Section 51.402 (c) and Section 51.403 (b), (c) and (d) of the Texas Education Bill will be followed.

References: Prior ETSU Policies II N 4.1 approved February 16, 1979 and II N 4.2, approved April 6, 1972; revised February 6, 1979; and D-34 revised June 21, 1994; Procedure A12.02

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CONTACT FOR INTERPRETATION: Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

WORKLOAD EQUIVALENCY PROPOSAL
(REASSIGNED TIME REQUEST)

Please refer to Procedures A12.02, Faculty Workload, for criteria relating to these reassignments, equivalencies and credits.

College of _________________________________________________ ______Semester(s), 19_____

Faculty Name ______________________________________________ ______FTE Reassigned
Time Requested

Type of Equivalency ___________________________________________________________________________

(Please complete the following as applicable; additional pages may be attached, if more space is needed.)

1. PURPOSE OF EQUIVALENCY OR EXPLANATION OF REQUEST:

2. METHOD:

3. EXPECTED OUTCOME:

4. METHOD OF EVALUATION:

Approved by:

Department Head:___________________________________________ Date_________________

Dean:_____________________________________________________ Date_________________

Vice President's Office:_______________________________________ Date_________________

Workload Equivalency/Reassigned Time/Credit Codes:
02 = Administrative Assignments
03 = Any Other Professional Assignment (research, creative activity, major academic advisory responsibilities, accreditation responsibilities or reassigned time for past overload credit---see Procedure A12.02 for full explanation)

FACULTY APPOINTMENT CODES

A. Appointments funded from the Faculty Salaries element of cost:

CODE

01 Direct instructional activities which include interaction with students related to instruction, preparation for such instruction, and evaluation of student performance. The various types of instruction include: lecture, laboratory, practicum, seminar, independent study, private lessons, alternative learning activities, thesis, and dissertation.

02 Administrative assignments which directly supplement the teaching function, such as heads of teaching departments, coordinator of special programs or multi-section courses, etc.

03 Any other professional assignments which an institution considers to be directly related to the teaching function.

05 Overload -- to be used only for those teaching assignments which are in addition to a 100% teaching (codes 1, 2, & 3) load.

B. Appointments funded from elements of cost other than Faculty Salaries:

CODE

10 Extension and Public Service
11 Instructional Administration
12 Organized Research
13 General Administration and Student Services
14 General Institutional Expense
15 Library
16 Special Items
17 Any element of cost not listed above

C. Appointments funded from all other sources:

CODE

20 Intercollegiate Athletics
21 Other Auxiliary Enterprises
22 Sponsored Projects
23 Any source not listed above

Source: Appendices to the Reporting and Procedures Manual, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 9-92