Faculty Workload
________________________________________
Document Number: FacHR--120
Revision #: 2.0
Document Owner: VP of Academic Affairs
Date Last Updated: 07/11/2018
Primary Author: Director of Human Resources
Status: Approved
Date Originally Created: 01/20/2012
________________________________________
General Description
Description:
Information about faculty workload relative to HR policy.
Purpose:
Delineation of faculty HR policy.
Scope:
Faculty
Responsibility:
Human Resources
VP for Academic Affairs
________________________________________
Requirements
Relevant Knowledge:
Current University policy
Terms and Definitions:
Additional training
Corrective Action
Loss of privilege, general
Suspension
Termination
________________________________________
Policy Provisions
1. Faculty Workload
The normal workload for faculty members includes the teaching load, assessment responsibilities, committee service, community service to the university and greater community, scholarly activity, student advising, and assigned administrative work.
1.1 Teaching Load
The teaching load at Cumberland is typically the equivalent of twenty-four (24) to thirty (30) hours per academic year. Faculty may teach reduced or increased loads due to additional responsibilities. A faculty member may be assigned evening classes and off-campus courses as part of his/her regular teaching load. In assigning faculty work loads, attention is given to both instructional and non-instructional factors.
Instructional factors to be included in determining faculty work load are considerations such as number of preparations; class size; student advising; off-campus teaching; teaching experience; and development of new courses, programs, and methods of instruction. Non-instructional factors to be considered are matters such as administrative responsibility; committee assignments; recruitment; research; community service; and other extra-curricular activities.
Faculty work loads are evaluated and approved on an individual basis by the School Dean and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Adjustments are made in the teaching load for School Deans, faculty with additional administrative responsibilities (i.e. UCCCAP Chair, Faculty Senate President), and faculty teaching clinical/laboratory classes.
The Office of Academic Affairs must approve changes of teachers or class meeting times and the Office of the Registrar must approve changes in classroom.
1.2 Teaching Overloads
Any overload teaching by faculty requires the prior approval of the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
1.3 Summer Teaching
Final approval of courses to be offered during the May Semester and the Summer Sessions are made by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Teaching assignments during these sessions are contingent upon enrollment. No faculty will be required to teach in the summer unless the university needs to offer a course for which no qualified teacher has volunteered.
1.4 Student Advising Load
All full-time faculty members are required, as part of their academic responsibilities, to accept a reasonable and equitable load of student advisees. The close relationship between faculty and students depends to a great extent upon the commitment of teachers to the faculty advisory and mentor program. Faculty advisors and mentors must use their knowledge, experience, and concern to assist the student in the following ways:
1. Outline courses to be taken to meet curriculum and graduation requirements;
2. Outline procedures that students must follow for graduation;
3. Be available for answering questions and helping advises during scheduled office hours;
4. Maintain a file on each advisee; review and update this file periodically during the course of the academic year;
5. Serve the student as a general counsel or in dealing with any problem that affects the life of the student on the University campus. When a faculty advisor does not feel qualified to answer a question, he/she should refer the advisee to the School Dean, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Executive Vice President, or the Dean of Students.
6. Refer students to university counselors regarding personal issues/concerns.
1.5 Office Hours
Faculty members are expected to schedule and be present for a minimum of ten hours weekly as office hours. Office hours must be posted outside of office door, filed in the School Dean’s office, and observed to facilitate student advising and conferences.
1.6 Outside Employment Policy
Full-time Cumberland University faculty should be aware at all times that their primary place of employment is the University. Additional work should be of the nature to enhance, not detract from their full-time Cumberland assignment.
Deans who feel that outside employment is detracting from the role of a faculty member or interfering with a faculty member’s scholarly development or classroom performance may require the faculty member to take whatever action needed to restore scholarly and classroom excellence, even if this means discontinuing outside employment or curtailing such activity.
The use of Cumberland University offices, equipment, personnel, or supplies to conduct private business or outside employment at another institution or agency is expressly prohibited, unless an exception is based on the recommendation of the School Dean in writing.
1.7 Teaching at Other Institutions
No member of the faculty who is teaching a full load at Cumberland University will be permitted to teach at another university without approval from the Chief Academic Officer. Requests for the approval must be submitted by and endorsed by the dean.
1.8 Study at Other Institutions
A Cumberland University faculty member who is teaching a full load should not take more than six hours of course work per semester either at Cumberland or at another institution. In rare cases where exceptions are made to this restriction, the Dean must approve the exception.
1.9 Administrators and Outside Employment
Full-time administrative employees, such as program directors, Deans, and Vice Presidents are not permitted to make commitments requiring them to render their services to another employer on a regular or extended basis without first having the approval of their immediate supervisor, and in all cases such employees shall avoid all conflict of interest between Cumberland and any outside institution.
________________________________________
Performance Evaluation
Performance Metrics:
Compliance with standard policy and procedure
Consequences:
Further training
Job Termination
Suspension
Loss of privileges
________________________________________
Subject Experts
The following may be consulted for additional information.
VP for Academic Affairs
Director of Human Resources