Faculty and Academic Staff Handbook

19th Edition, 2008

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Chapter VIII - Academic Standards, Procedures and Policies

8.1 On Freedoms and Responsibilities

Each staff member, in conducting courses, is expected to maintain high professional standards. It is assumed that each is a mature scholar and teacher, and each is expected to work within University policy to accomplish common objectives. Within the context of these policies, the individual has maximum freedom in determining methods, texts, and materials, subject only to budgetary limitations and to agreements made with peers for courses taught cooperatively.

8.1.1 Load

Members of the faculty are expected to teach an average of twelve undergraduate credit hours per semester. However, with the approval of the department chair and Dean, faculty may receive reassigned time to account for advising, service to the University or community, research and scholarly activity, or exceptionally high student credit hour (SCH) production. Department chairs and Deans may also compensate for other factors that could significantly affect faculty workload such as writing-intensive courses, courses offered or taught for the first time or other relevant factors. The goal for equivalence of shop, science laboratories and physical education hours, in relation to regular class hours, is one to one. For colleges and departments that do not meet this goal currently, some flexibility in determining those equivalencies is allowed, but those colleges and departments are expected to make immediate and sustained progress toward achieving this goal until it is met. During this transition, the range of these equivalencies will be from one lecture class to one lab period, up to one lecture class period to one and one half lab periods. The specific equivalence will be determined by the departments in consultation with their respective college Dean. [FS 07/08 #68] The faculty member's professional duties include such activities as teaching, research, committee assignments, advising, public service, and making his or her services available to students and to the University as a whole, including the holding and posting of regular office hours in accordance with College and department guidelines. [FS 07/08 #68]

Faculty teaching 500-, 600- or 700-level courses with at least 50% graduate enrollment will receive a four (4)-credit load for each section of three (3) credits. [FS 07/08 #68] This policy applies only to courses taught in the fall and spring semesters.

8.1.2 Professional Competence

In addition to the hours spent in the classroom and in preparation for teaching, faculty members are expected to maintain scholarly competence and to advise students. They may be requested to participate in committee assignments and extra-curricular activities.