Teaching Workload Guidelines

 

a. Load will be based on the number of equivalent 50-minute lecture periods per semester.

 

b. The faculty teaching BASE load of twelve semester hours per semester is equivalent to 180, 50-minute lecture periods per semester.

 

c. ELECTIVE load is generally based on courses normally conducted on an individual basis (Special Problems, Special Topics, Readings, Thesis, etc.) and is normally not counted as a part of the BASE load of teaching staff.

 

d. If five or more students are enrolled in arranged classes normally designated as part of ELECTIVE load, the workload will be determined as if the class were a regular lecture class (15, 50-minute periods for each semester hour) and will be reported as ELECTIVE LOAD.

 

e. When two (or more) factors apply in determining relative workload for one particular class, the factors will be additively combined to determine relative credit.

 

f. When classes or laboratories meet together, the teaching load will be figured on the basis of the class granting the greater relative credit. For example, a 3 semester hour class and a 2 semester hour class meeting at the same hour would be calculated on the 3 hour class with the combined enrollment.

 

Base Load

 

Faculty should get credit for supervising laboratories; supervising laboratories should not be in addition to teaching 12 credit hours per semester. Depending upon whether the laboratories are "structured," "arranged" or "open", faculty should receive credit as described in "A" through "I" below.

 

Class Types for Regularly Scheduled Classes

 

Any appropriate combination of types may be used to show how class time is divided for each credit.

 

A - Lecture (1.0 relative credit per 50-minute period)

 

B - Structured Laboratory, includes natural and applied sciences (1.0 relative credit per 50-minute period)

A structured lab (1) is listed on the schedule of classes as a lab section for a specific time and location, (2) is scheduled for all students in that lab section to meet simultaneously, and (3) requires normal preparation, demonstration and/or supervision, and evaluation of student work by the instructor.

 

C - Arranged Laboratory or Art Studio (.67 relative credit per 50-minute period)

An arranged lab (1) may be listed on the schedule of classes as a lab section for a specific time and location or may be listed as "arranged" on the schedule of classes and scheduled by the department. (2) is scheduled as several subsections throughout an extended period of time each day or week for individuals or small groups of students, (3) includes only classes which have insufficient specialized equipment for an entire section to meet simultaneously, and (4) requires less than normal preparation, normal to less than normal demonstration and/or supervision, and normal evaluation for each arranged period of instruction. An arranged lab may be scheduled to meet with other arranged labs which require the use of other specialized equipment.

 

D - Physical Education Activity (.75 relative credit per 50-minute period)

 

E - Writing Tutorial, Music Lesson (.67 relative credit per 60-minute period per student)

 

Class Type for Computer or Other Classes with Open Laboratory

 

F - Computer Programming Courses and Other Courses with Open Labs where there is much unofficial lab contact with students (1.33 relative credit per 50-minute lecture period)

An open lab (1) is not listed as a lab section on the schedule of classes, (2) includes classes which require the use of laboratory equipment and/or facilities provided by the university, (3) allows students to use the laboratory facilities throughout the day, generally at their convenience except when other classes are in session, (4) requires less than normal preparation, normal or more than normal demonstration and/or supervision, and normal or more than normal evaluation for the total laboratory effort, and (5) requires coordinated supervision of each laboratory facility by the faculty for the entire day (and sometimes evenings and weekends).

 

Class Type for Arranged Classes

 

G - Internship (3.50 relative credit per student)

 

H - Student Teaching Current Central practice is based upon NCATE guidelines. For example, supervising 18 student teachers is typically a full teaching load (12 credit hours). Therefore, supervising 4 (or 5) student teachers are usually equal to teaching 3 credit hours, supervising 6 student teachers is usually equal to teaching 4 credit hours, etc.

 

I - Aviation Flight Course (25.00 relative credit per student per semester hour credit)

 

Base Load Relative Credit Additives for Class Size and Graduate Classes

 

The computer has been programmed to calculate these relative credits.

 

Class Size -- Lecture Classes Only (Types A and F)

50-99 students (.25 relative credit per 50-minute period)

100-199 students (.50 relative credit per 50-minute period)

over 200 students (.75 relative credit per 50-minute period)

Graduate Classes -- 5000 and 6000 level (.33 per 50-minute lecture period)

 

Elective Load

 

J - Readings, Special Problems, Special Topics, etc., and other courses normally conducted on an individual basis. (3.00 relative credit per semester hour per student from one to five. For six or more students an enrollment factor of five will be used.)

 

K - Thesis (12.00 per student) since the formula is based on class enrollment, the credit can be calculated only when students are enrolled.

 

Faculty Workload Guidelines As Interpreted for Performance of Tasks Other Than Teaching

 

Credit for performance of certain tasks is stated as a percentage of the normal workload (generally equivalent to 12 semester hours per semester or 180 50-minute lecture periods per semester) for a full-time faculty member.

 

Normal workload for summer full-time appointment is generally equivalent to 6 semester hours or 90 50-minute lecture periods per summer sessions.

 

Reduction in workload for research and publications can be arranged through consultation among the faculty member, Department Chair, Dean and Provost, based on specific project proposals and department need.

 

In general, full-time positions in a department should overall average approximately 600 semester hours during a regular academic year. While it is recognized that maintenance of this standard depends on a variety of factors which are difficult to control, on balance and over a period of time this standard should apply for the majority of the positions in the university.

 

Special faculty activities should be negotiated individually within departments with approval of the Dean and the Provost.

 

Revision History:

Established and archived prior to 1999

Edited by Human Resources 2010.

Reviewed by Human Resources December 2014.

Edited for web links, formatting and plain language. Approved December 2015.

III.A.1. Employment: Nondiscrimination/Equal Opportunity Statement – removed duplicate language retaining link to original language in Board of Governors Policy 1.2.150 December 2016

III.A.2 Employment: Procedures for Employment of New Faculty/Academic Staff – removed reference to AP&R 1 and 2 and redirected using a link to Human Resources’ Faculty Search Guidelines document December 2016

III.A.5. Faculty Identification Card - information available through Human Resources. This section deleted from the Academic Policy and Procedure December 2016

III.A. Employment – Table of Contents expanded to reflect the subsections of this section in order to improve transparency of the content of this section December 2016

Previously annotated as III.A.4. Teaching Workload Guidelines. Renamed Teaching Workload Guidelines for alphabetical listing, grammar and spell check, and transitioned into policy library April 2017