Faculty Policies for the College of Education

General Duties and Responsibilities

Annual Reports

Faculty are required to submit an annual report of their involvement in teaching, research, and service activities (HOP[1], Section 3.17). The annual reporting requirement applies to all ranks, including Specialist, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Clinical, Research, and Adjunct faculty titles. Recommendations for salary advancement, promotion in rank, tenure, renewal of appointment, or nonrenewal of appointment, are based on excellence in performance in these areas. The final results of the annual evaluation shall be communicated to each faculty member by the Department Chair. This communication may be oral or written and it shall advise the faculty member of any areas that need improvement.

Assignment of Faculty Mentor

Each new Assistant Professor hired by the College of Education is assigned a faculty mentor typically within the first three months of his/her appointment. In some departments, a senior, tenured faculty member (usually a full Professor) serves as the mentor. Other departments use a mentor committee, composed of a Professor from the Assistant Professor's program area and an Associate Professor with recent experience in the promotion and tenure process.

The policy grants departments considerable flexibility, but ensures that all Assistant Professors have an assigned faculty mentor. While there is much in common across departments, there are also some variations in mentor roles and responsibilities. Typically, the mentors assist the Assistant Professor in establishing a research program; publishing; developing funding sources; teaching; reviewing service activities and balancing service with teaching and research activities; and preparing for the promotion/tenure review process. Mentoring continues until the Assistant Professor submits the dossier for promotion to Associate Professor.

Mid-Point Review of Untenured Faculty

As a regular part of the annual review and evaluation process for all faculty every fall, department Budget Councils or Executive Committees provide written feedback through the Department Chair to each Assistant Professor regarding their performance in teaching, research, advising and student services, committee and public service, and other categories. In some departments, the Chair holds a conference with each Assistant Professor to review strengths and weaknesses, progress toward promotion and tenure, and areas of needed improvement.

During the spring semester of the third year of appointment, or in the fall of the fourth year, a more comprehensive review of Assistant Professors is conducted. The College policy grants departments considerable flexibility, but ensures that all Assistant Professors receive a formal evaluation near the midpoint of the probationary period. The review covers the criteria that are typically considered in the promotion process. The department Budget Councils/Executive Committees, sometimes initially through appointed faculty subcommittees, review the Assistant Professor's vita; annual reports; teaching evaluations, including peer evaluations of teaching; advising and student services; scholarly progress; community, university, and professional service; and recognitions. The review, which addresses the accomplishments of the Assistant Professor in the areas of research, teaching and service, is intended to be consultative and corrective. In some departments, the chair drafts a written report based on the evaluation of the Budget Council or Executive Committee. In other departments, the Budget Council/Executive Committee or an appointed subcommittee drafts the report for review and revision by the entire Budget Council/Executive Committee.

In all cases, the Department Chair provides a copy of the report and holds a conference with the Assistant Professor to give an assessment of progress on each of the criteria for promotion and tenure. The chair also advises the Assistant Professor on areas that need improvement before the formal promotion/tenure review. If progress is satisfactory in the criteria areas, the Assistant Professor is advised to continue the progress.

The report is maintained in department personnel files and a copy is sent to the Dean's Office.

Promotion and Tenure

The policies related to recommendations for promotion in rank and recommendations for tenure are described in the Handbook of Operating Procedures 3.17. General Guidelines for the Preparation of Supporting Materials and the Management of Candidate Files are available on the home page of the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost at http://www.utexas.edu/admin/evpp/faculty/tenure/tenure/html.

Post Tenure Review

Tenured faculty are evaluated every six years, in combination with the annual review. Individual notice of at least six months of intent to evaluate is provided by the Department Chair. The six-year evaluation is carried out by an appropriate faculty committee at the level of the department. The Chair of the department communicates the result of the evaluation in writing to the faculty member and to the Dean. The Dean reports the results to the Provost's Office. Detailed procedures and guidelines related to post-tenure review are described in HOP, Section 3.14 and at web site http://www.utexas.edu/provost/policies/evaluation/tenure/.

Travel

A Request for Travel Authorization must be submitted in advance for each travel related absence of a faculty member from their regular duties (HOP, Section 7.28). All requests for reimbursement require authorization, even if the individual is not on the payroll during the period of travel (e.g., a faculty member not teaching during the summer session). This applies to reimbursement from any funds handled by the University, not just state funds.

Approval of domestic travel is delegated to an employee's immediate supervisor. It is the policy of the College of Education that all travel, including that of directors of centers and offices, must be authorized by a Department Chair.

All requests for travel must indicate appropriate arrangements for disposition of the faculty member's normal duties. If classes are to be missed, the faculty member should indicate the name of the person who will serve as a substitute instructor. Substitute instructors must be of faculty rank and approved by the Department Chair. Under normal circumstances, classes should not be rescheduled because of faculty travel.

Faculty Travel Grants

Faculty Travel Grants are available to support tenured and tenure-track faculty (including emeritus faculty) or senior lecturers with at least five years service at The University of Texas at Austin to present their original research or creative effort at an appropriate organized conference or professional meeting. The presentation will usually be in the form of an oral or poster presentation, but can vary with field (example: performance of a new musical work or art exhibit). Travel grants may be used for foreign or domestic travel.

The Faculty Travel Grant maximum is $1200 per faculty member.  Faculty Travel Grants may be used to cover both registration costs and transportation costs (to and from the designated meeting city) for up to two meetings per academic year, subject to the eligibility rules and the $1200 total per faculty member per year. The application form is available in .pdf format on the Graduate School website and can be completed online and then printed to include with the required attachments and mailed to the Office of Graduate Studies Office for approval.

Once a College of Education faculty member has been approved for an Office of Graduate Studies Faculty Travel Grant, the faculty member's Chair can request up to an additional $1,000 in travel money from the College of Education Dean's Office upon presentation of the approved Travel Grant application and approved VE5 Request for Travel Authorization. This $1,000 can go toward additional registration fees and transportation (including direct billed airfare expenditures) and hotel expenses. If the entire $1,000 is not used on the approved trip it can be applied to a second trip taken in the same fiscal year if the faculty member is again presenting their original research. In order to maximize the College of Education funds, please use the Office of Graduate Studies funds toward all eligible transportation and registration fees before funding the balance of the trip from the Dean's funds.

Please note that foreign travel on state funds must be approved by the Dean in writing. The Dean of the College of Education also requires that faculty traveling to foreign destinations, who are being reimbursed from College of Education accounts, must be presenting a research paper.

Faculty Merit Policies

Merit money generated by faculty (i.e. equivalent to the appropriate percentage allocated by the University) who do not submit required materials for participating in their departmental merit review process will revert back to the Dean's Office Reserves to be used for salary inequity, compression, and other College-wide priorities. More specifically, not participating in the department's merit review process precludes a faculty member from receiving any raise, whether a flat amount or merit based, for the next academic year (Policy adopted by College's Management Team on 6/22/04)

Equity and Compression Policy

At its June 22, 2004 retreat, the College's Management Team adopted policies to address faculty (tenured/tenure-track) salary inequity and compression:

1. When a tenured faculty position in the College becomes vacant, a portion of the salary for that position will revert back to the Dean's Office Reserves to be used to address faculty salary inequity/compression and other College-wide priorities. The portion to be held back will be negotiated and could result in replacing the position at a lower academic rank.
2. The Department Chair will develop a plan for adjusting the salaries of meritorious faculty identified as experiencing salary inequity or compression, with appropriate justifications and priorities.

Faculty Leave

Faculty members may request two types of leave: (1) leave without pay and (2) leave from the instructional budget. A "leave without pay" is defined as a period of leave during which the faculty member does not receive compensation from any source of funds administered by the University for either all or part of his or her regular appointment. A "leave from the instructional budget" is defined as a period of leave during which the faculty member is released from the faculty salaries budget and is paid from another funding source(s) administered by the University. In both cases, or for any combination of the two leave types, the form Faculty Request for Leave must be completed and submitted (HOP, Section 3.10).

Faculty Leave Request

Provost's Office Deadlines

Fall Semester and Long Session:	August 1st
Spring Semester:	Mid December

Exact date is available at www.utexas.edu/provost/about/dates/index.html

Faculty who have not received notices of award from contract and grant sponsors by these deadlines are encouraged to process a leave request and indicate on the form that funding is pending. When notice is received that the award has either been, or not been, funded, the department should send the form, Faculty Request for Leave, to the Provost's Office via the Dean asking, as appropriate, that the funding contingency be removed or the leave request cancelled.

Department Meetings

Faculty are expected to participate fully in the governance activities of the department. All faculty are expected to attend departmental, Budget Council or Executive Committee meetings of the department, or they should make prior arrangements with the chair if they must be absent.

Sexual Harassment

It is the policy of the University to maintain an educational environment free of sexual harassment and intimidation (Rev; HOP, 4.A.3, June 3, 2003). The General Policy Guidelines and Procedures for Reporting and Responding to Sexual Misconduct can be found at http://www.utexas.edu/policies/hoppm/04.A.03.html.

Reporting of Expert Witnesses

State law requires that the University file annually a report regarding faculty and professional staff who have served that year as paid consulting or testifying expert witnesses in lawsuits in which the State of Texas is a party. Faculty who serve in this capacity should provide the Department Chair with the names of the case and the number of hours spent on the case.

College Web Site

Web publishing on the College of Education server is limited to administrative and instructional purposes only. Faculty wishing to publish on the COE web server should contact the Webmaster on TeachNet or at webmaster@teachnet.edb.utexas.edu to receive access. Faculty are encouraged to publish course information, class assignments, instructional materials, and syllabi.

Faculty Policy on Media Contacts

Written press releases or other written statements to the media concerning programs, research, activities and the like should be channeled through the Office of the Dean for review and approval prior to dissemination.

Editorship of Professional Journals

Faculty who edit professional journals are not entitled to a course release from their departmental teaching responsibilities. In special cases, the Department Chair may request an exception to the Dean and Management Team of the College.

Policies Related to Teaching

Faculty Workload Guidelines

The College of Education has an expectation that each full-time tenured/tenure track faculty member will teach two organized courses each long semester. There is also an expectation that each full-time tenured/tenure track faculty member will teach at least one organized undergraduate course each 9-month academic year. The exception is the Department of Educational Administration. Department Chairs may negotiate with faculty on a short-term basis for unbalanced teaching loads or course reductions for special assignments or service responsibilities. New tenured/tenure track faculty teach one organized course per long semester their first year.

Obligation to Meet Classes

Students have the right to instruction from the professor or staff member assigned to the course. Therefore, it is the faculty member's obligation to meet his/her scheduled classes, making a reasonable effort to avoid unscheduled dismissal of any classes (PM 3.203, January 23, 1974). If a faculty member is unable to meet teaching responsibilities, University policy must be followed in making arrangements to cover the course.

This policy requires that classes be covered by regular members of the faculty. In cases where a guest lecture/presentation by someone who is not a member of the faculty is deemed necessary and/or appropriate to the academic purpose of a class, the faculty member responsible for the class shall advise, and seek in advance, the approval of the Department and the dean (Fonken Memo, March 4, 1993).

Unless on authorized leave, the faculty member is expected to meet with the class, even though that class is being taught by a guest lecturer. Under no circumstances can a faculty member subcontract the teaching of an assigned course or a portion of a course.

Class Schedules

It is the policy of the College of Education that courses meet the standard of 15 contact hours per credit hour during the long session (45 contact hours for 3-hour courses). In the summer, 3-hour classes normally are scheduled for a total of 37.5 hours in a 6-week term.

Classes should meet as designated in the course schedule. Any variation in meeting times or arrangements must have the written approval of the Department Chair.

Summer Teaching

Summer teaching assignments are not an entitlement of the faculty. Preference will be given to faculty who have a record of good teaching performance and who are good citizens of the department. Summer teaching assignments are made at the discretion of the Chair based on department needs and priorities.

Programmatic needs must be considered first in making summer teaching assignments, e.g., required courses for a program, prerequisites for higher level required courses, courses with typically healthy enrollments.

In making summer teaching assignments, the Chair will aspire to meet the College's minimum enrollment standards of 10 for a graduate organized course and 20 for an undergraduate organized course. Courses that fall below the University's minimum enrollment standards (5 for a graduate course, and 10 for an undergraduate course) will be cancelled, unless the Department Chair can make a compelling argument to the Dean for changing the course to individual instruction. [Management Team Meeting 5/3/99]

Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness/Course Instructor Surveys

By University policy, evaluations by students are required of all teaching faculty. It is the policy of the College that all organized courses, including those offered in the summer, will be evaluated, using an appropriate Course Instructor Survey arranged through the University's Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment.

Student evaluations remain anonymous. Neither the instructor nor the Teaching Assistant should be present during the evaluation and neither is to see the response sheets until grades have been officially reported.

Course Instructor Surveys should be administered at the beginning of the class period to increase the likelihood that all students will participate in the evaluation process.

Advising

Faculty are expected to be available for advising, counseling, registration, and other regularly scheduled departmental duties (HOP, Section 3.17). Faculty should consult the Department Chair for any specific departmental policies and procedures related to advising and availability for advising prior to the start of the semester.

Appropriate Use of TAs

Teaching assistants may only be assigned duties which are adjunct to regular classroom instruction (HOP, Section 8.01). All duties performed by teaching assistants shall be under the supervision and direction of the instructor of record or the designated member of the faculty.

Teaching assistants may not serve as an instructor of record for any instructional activity. Under no circumstances can a teaching assistant be responsible for graduate instruction. Under no circumstances can a graduate student hired under the title of Teaching Assistant be assigned to serve as a Research Assistant for a faculty member.

The supervising faculty shall, at the end of each semester, file with the Department Chair of the employing department a written evaluation of the performance of teaching assistants under the supervising faculty's direction. The evaluation shall become a permanent part of the teaching assistant's permanent file.

Course Syllabus

In compliance with this University policy, the following are the policies of the College of Education:

On the first day of class, the faculty member responsible for that course must provide to students a Course Syllabus. A syllabus has the primary purpose of letting students know what they can expect during the course in terms of the material they will cover, what they must do, and how they will be graded. Courses in the teacher certification program should also address and ensure that our students master the State educator standards, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) as assessed in coursework and field experience performance indicators.

The course syllabus should include at least the following items:

• Topical outline, text, and prerequisites for the course;
• Homework, attendance, testing and examination plan and policies, and any required meeting times outside of regularly scheduled classes;
• Grading policy;
• Listing of office hours for the professor and for the teaching assistant if one is assigned to the course;
• Plan for student evaluation of the course and instructor;
• Special departmental and College requirements and recommendations including the appropriate course drop dates;
• The date and time for the final exam as scheduled by Official Publications if one is given (see Course Schedule);
• The following statement: "The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641 TTY."
• The following statement of the University's Honor Code: "The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity and responsibility. Each member of the University is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community."

A copy of each course syllabus will be filed with the Department Chair each semester.

The Ombudsman's Guide to Writing an Effective Syllabus can be found at http://www.utexas.edu/student/ombuds/. (Go to "Ombuds Publications," pull down to "Writing an Effective Syllabus.")

Evaluation of Student Performance

Faculty members are free to develop their own methods of evaluating the performance of students in their courses, but they are required to make the methods of evaluation to be used known to their students in writing before the end of the first four class days of each long-session semester and the first two days of the summer terms. Responsibility for assuring adequate methods of evaluation rests with the departmental faculties and is subject to administrative review. In courses with multiple sections, the departments should provide for necessary coordination. In any event, materials to be used in evaluating the student's performance must be collected by the instructor at, or prior to, the time of the regularly scheduled final examination (HOP, Section 3.22)

Privacy Act

Faculty members are responsible for being familiar with the University's policies related to confidentiality of records, directory information, transcripts, and disciplinary records, which can be found in Chapter 9 of Appendix C to the General Information Catalog. These policies and procedures are in full accord with the final regulations implementing The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Copies of this act and its implementing regulations are on reserve in the Undergraduate Library. They can also be found at http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guide/fpco/index.html.

Office Hours

Members of the teaching staff are expected to post on/by their office doors, and publish in any other manner required by the chief administrative officer, office hours and conference periods most advantageous to students (RR[2], Chapter III, Section 12). Office hours must be observed. The recommended minimum for office hours is one hour of office time for every one course credit hour.

Observation of Religious Holy Days

By Students: Religious holy days sometimes conflict with class and examination schedules. Section 51.911 of the Texas Education Code states that a student who misses an examination, work assignment, or other project due to the observance of a religious holy day must be given an opportunity to complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence, provided that he or she has properly notified each instructor. It is the policy of the University of Texas at Austin that the student must notify each instructor within fourteen days of the classes scheduled on dates he or she will be absent to observe a religious holy day. For religious holidays that fall within the first two weeks of the semester, the notice should be given on the first day of the semester. The student may not be penalized for these excused absences but the instructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to complete satisfactorily the missed assignment or examination within a reasonable time after the excused absence.

By Faculty: Section 51.925 of the Texas Education Code prohibits the University from discriminating against or penalizing an instructor who is absent from class for the observance of religious holy days. Proper notice must be given to the Department Chair. Prior to the beginning of classes each semester, the instructor must provide the Chair a list of classes that will be missed due to observance of a religious holy day. The list must be either personally delivered, acknowledged and dated by the chair, or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. Consistent with University policy, the instructor is responsible for finding a qualified substitute for any such class(es).

Students with Disabilities

Services for Students with Disabilities is the area on campus responsible for determining eligibility and implementing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities at the University of Texas. Federal law is clear on this matter and applies to all students with disabilities. SSD works with undergraduate and graduate students and serves as a resource to faculty, other University departments, agencies, and the Austin area community. Housed in the Office of the Dean of Students, located on the fourth floor of the Student Services Building, the staff (471-6259; TTY471-4641) can assist both students and faculty or staff who have questions about these obligations.

Academic Dishonesty

All faculty should inform students at the beginning of the semester that scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and that incidents of dishonesty will be reported. When a faculty member suspects a student of cheating, published guidelines (available from the Office of the Dean of Students) should be followed. Faculty can virtually eliminate cheating by specifying the ground rules, by challenging students to practice education ethics, and by creating environments that discourage cheating. It is recommended that faculty include the Honor Code in course syllabi. The Honor Code can be found at http://www.utexas.edu/welcome/mission/html.

Textbooks and Other Course Materials

Textbooks, notebooks, manuals, or other materials for the use of students which are written or prepared by a member of the faculty shall not be prescribed for the use of students or sold to them until approved by the Dean, Chief Academic Officer and Chief Administrative Officer, pursuant to policies included in the institutional Handbook of Operating Procedures. At a minimum, consultation with departmental faculty is required (RR, Chapter III, Section 25.2).

Mid-Semester Failing Notices

Many faculty find it advantageous to notify undergraduate students if they are currently earning a grade of "D" or "F" in the course or they are failing the course due to excessive absences. There are forms available for this purpose in each Department or faculty can send a list of students (either hard copy or electronic) to the Office of the Dean/Student Division, SZB 216 (or, in the case of an undergraduate student in a college other than the College of Education, to the Dean's Office of that college). If you send a list please include each student's UTEID and each student's status. An instructor of record may also submit the absence/failing report on the web at https://utdirect.utexas.edu/ns.ns.uniqueWBX. A UTEID is required.

Dropping Courses

A student may not drop a course after the twelfth class day in the long session except for good cause (e.g., health or serious personal problems, or a demonstrated need to work more hours). An undergraduate student seeking to drop a class after the twelfth class day should go to the Office of the Dean/Student Division (SZB 216) for necessary approvals. Graduate students should go to the department offering the course.

Faculty Presence on Campus During Final Examination Periods

A faculty member is responsible for ensuring that final examinations for his or her courses are adequately staffed, that he or she is available for related questions and to resolve problems, and that final course grades are turned in on time. Unless a faculty member has received approval for travel under regular University policy, he or she must be available on campus during final examinations in his or her courses, or available in the Austin area and easily reachable by telephone or e-mail. The faculty member must remain in the Austin area until his or her grades are finalized. If a faculty member must travel during this time, he or she must include on the request for travel authorization how final examination matters will be handled and how he or she can be reached in case of an emergency.

Final Examination Policies

Class-related activities, with the exception of office hours, are prohibited on designated no-class days and during the final examination period. These dates are set aside for students to prepare for and take scheduled final examinations. During this period, papers and projects are not to be due, review sessions are not to be scheduled, quizzes are not to be given, and there are not to be any other class-related activities, with the exception of office hours (PM 3.201). For the 2004-2005 Final Exam and no class schedules, go to utdirect.utexas.edu/rgexam/getyys.WBX.

No final examinations may be given before the examination period begins, and no change in time from that printed in the office schedule is permitted (see Course Schedule). An instructor with a compelling reason to change the time of an examination must obtain the approval of the Department Chair and the Dean of the college in which the course is taught before announcing an alternative examination procedure to the students. A change in the room assignment for a final examination may be made only with the approval of the registrar.

No substantial examinations may be given during the last class week preceding the final examination period. An examination counting for more than 30 percent of the final course grade is considered to be substantial.

The Ombudsman's Faculty Guide to Final Examinations can be found at http://www.utexas.edu/student/ombuds/. (Go to "Ombuds Publications," pull down to "Faculty Guide to Final Exams.")

Grade Submission

Instructors should use the new online grade submission system to enter and submit final grades for organized courses. An organized course is defined as a course with a regularly scheduled meeting time and a specified instructor. Although instructors may designate another person to enter the grades into this system, only the instructor of record may submit final grades online. Anyone entering or submitting grades online must have a high assurance UT EID. Information about the online grade submission system and a demo of the system are available at http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/egrades/online.html. Questions about the online grade submission system may be addressed to the Student Academic Records Section of the Office of the Registrar at 475-7644

Posting of Grades

Posting students' grades by student name, social security number, UT EID, or other identifiable information constitutes a violation of federal law, namely, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA"). When posting grades and returning graded work, faculty should do so in a secure manner that allows students only to see their own grade. Papers and exams should be in individual sealed envelopes if left for students to pickup. Confidential student information such as grades may be posted on the web only using an approved secure method such as eGradebook, https://utdirect.utexas.edu/diia/egb/, which ensures that students may only see their own information.

Grade Inflation

Chairs are to monitor faculty grading practices, to identify courses/faculty in which grade inflation may be an issue, and to take corrective action.

Student Organizations

The College has several student organizations, including student chapters of professional and honorary societies for the disciplines, and organizations that cover the entire education profession. By being active in these organizations, students develop a sense of professional service, develop organizational and leadership skills, and provide valuable services to the College of Education. Faculty are encouraged to promote membership in these organizations and to participate as sponsors and advisors. Information about these organizations can be obtained from the Office of the Dean/Student Division, SZB 216.

Policies Related to Research

Research

All tenured/tenure-track faculty are expected to participate in active research programs, creative activities and other scholarly efforts (HOP, Section 3.17). This activity will do much to further the professional stature of the faculty member, enhance the national and international reputation of the College, and improve the faculty member's teaching effectiveness.

Tenured/tenure-track faculty who are not engaged in an active research program may be required to develop an Individual Faculty Research Productivity Plan.

Faculty are encouraged to submit proposals for external funding to their Department Chair for review and approval before the proposal is submitted to the Office of Sponsored Projects.

Signature Delegation and Account Responsibility

A faculty member may delegate signature authority to an office manager, for either paper or electronic documents, but this does not relieve the faculty member of his/her fiscal responsibility and accountability for accounts under his/her control. All faculty are encouraged to develop adequate accounting systems that meet these requirements. Rules regarding the delegation of signature authority are found in PM 7.215 (dated March 16, 1992) and in RR, Part Two, Chapter II, Section 2.7: "Each person directly responsible for a department or other administrative unit shall keep an account of funds and property for which he or she is responsible, as detailed as necessary to supplement the business office records."

Research Assignment, Leave Without Pay, and Reduced Appointments

A tenured/tenure-track faculty member may request a research assignment, leave without pay, or a reduced appointment for one or both semesters of an academic year during which a part or all of the faculty member's salary is paid from research funds or an outside funding source and the minimum required teaching load is reduced accordingly (HOP, Section 3.10). When contemplating a research assignment, leave without pay, or a reduction in percent time, a faculty member should first consult with the Department Chair to be sure that the teaching load planned for that faculty member can be adequately covered.

Each request must be accompanied by a justification explaining why the leave, research assignment, or reduced appointment is in the best interest of the University and how it will increase the teaching effectiveness or scholarly productivity of the faculty member. It should also specify what the faculty member will be doing while on leave or on a reduced time appointment and from where she or he will be receiving compensation, if any. Written requests must be submitted through the Chair and Dean for their endorsements and transmission to the Executive Vice President and Provost for approval.

The maximum leave or reduced appointment period that can be approved is one academic year. Requests for extensions for a second academic year must be fully justified; in no case should a faculty member expect an extension for more than one year.

Policies Related to Service

Service

In addition to their teaching and research responsibilities, faculty are also expected to be involved in advising, counseling and other student services, administrative and committee service at the department, college, and university level, along with public service activities (HOP, Section 3.17).

Consulting and Outside Employment

Outside employment is defined as any remunerative activity such as, but not necessarily limited to, consulting, advising, testing or assaying, performing analyses or examination, the practice of one's profession, or similar work performed in addition to the official responsibilities of a full-time employee (HOP, Section 3.19, III B). Outside employment is considered an overload and must not exceed 20% of the faculty member's full-time obligation (HOP, Section 3.19, III D).

Even though there is no cost to the University, absence from the campus or other regular place of work for periods of half a day or more during the normal working period must be preceded by an approved Travel Authorization (HOP, Section 3.19, III F).

Conflicts of interest shall be avoided in all instances of outside employment.

No full-time faculty member shall be employed in any outside work or activity or receive remuneration from an outside source until a description of the nature and extent of the employment has been filed with and approved by appropriate administrative officials as set forth in the institutional HOP (Section 3.19, III E).

Short Term or Ad Hoc Employment

Before any faculty member or professional staff member may engage in short term or ad hoc employment, prior approval of the Department Chair is required (HOP, Section 7.28). Approvals are obtained by filing a "Request for Travel Authorization." Please review the policies governing travel, which are delineated on page 2.

Continuing Employment

Faculty involved in continuing employment must file a "Request for Approval of Outside Employment" form describing the nature and duration of the employment activity. In addition to approval of the Department Chair and the Dean, continuing outside employment also requires the approval of the President. The "Request for Approval of Outside Employment" must be kept current and amended to reflect all outside employment occurring during a fiscal year.