Faculty Workload
Faculty Workload
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Document Number: FacHR-120
Date Originally Created: 01/20/2012
Revised: 07/11/2018
Revised: 09/03/2019
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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 (e.g. Program Director).
1.1 Teaching Load
The teaching load at Cumberland is typically the equivalent of twenty-four (24) to thirty (30) hours per academic year. If faculty are teaching graduate courses as part of their schedule, the total hours expected per semester may be reduced at the discretion of the dean. Faculty may teach reduced or increased loads due to additional responsibilities. A faculty member may be assigned evening, weekend, and off-campus courses as part of his or her regular teaching load. In assigning faculty workloads, attention is given to both instructional and non-instructional factors.
Instructional factors to be included in determining faculty workload 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 workloads are evaluated and approved on an individual basis by the school dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Adjustments are made in the teaching load for School Deans, faculty with additional administrative responsibilities (i.e. UCC Chair, Faculty Senate President), and faculty teaching clinical, laboratory, or studio Art classes.
The Office of Academic Affairs must approve changes of teachers or class meeting times and the University Registrar must approve classroom changes.
1.2 Teaching Overloads
Any overload teaching by faculty requires the prior approval of the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, and will be compensated at the adjunct faculty rate of pay.
1.3 Summer Teaching
Final approval of courses to be offered during the May-mester and the summer sessions are made by the Provost and 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 program. Faculty advisors must use their knowledge, experience, and concern to assist the student in the following ways:
● Outline courses to be taken to meet curriculum and graduation requirements;
● Outline procedures that students must follow for graduation;
Be available for answering questions and helping advises during scheduled office hours;
● 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 or she should refer the advisee to the school dean, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, or the Dean of Students;
● Refer students to university counselors regarding personal issues and/or 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 and observed to facilitate student advising and conferences.
1.6 Outside Employment Policy
Full-time faculty should be aware at all times that their primary place of employment is Cumberland University. Additional work should be of the nature to enhance, not detract from their full-time Cumberland assignment. Faculty must notify and receive approval of their school dean of any work for other agencies or institutions for which they are paid.
Deans who feel that outside employment is detracting from the role of a faculty member or interfering with a faculty member’s scholarly development, academic duties 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 Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. 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 school 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.