Provost

 Teaching Code Policy

Welfare Council #4-90/91

This policy establishes guidelines for faculty teaching load assignments. Curricular diversity prevents teaching load guidelines that apply uniformly to all programs and units. Teaching loads vary widely, reflecting research, service, and administrative obligations as well as factors such as class size, number of preparations, course level, and associated laboratory and clinical experience requirements.

Each faculty member will assume responsibility in the work normally associated with teaching and service to his/her academic unit (e.g., course preparation and evaluation, conferring with students, committee work, and so forth). A faculty member on continuing or permanent appointment is expected to engage in research, scholarly or creative activities and service as part of his/her continuing professional development. Deans, in consultation with the Provost, are responsible for identifying normative expectations regarding research, scholarly or creative activity and service.

Chairs and deans are responsible for determining teaching load assignments that reflect the preceding considerations and that accord with the general guidelines below:

1. Teaching load guidelines for faculty on continuing or permanent appointment are:
2. • The maximum teaching load for faculty meeting normative research and service expectations will be three courses, not to exceed twelve hours per semester.
   • This maximum may be reduced for faculty engaging in research and service to the academic unit or the University exceeding normative expectations following mutual agreement with the department chair and dean. Examples of such activities are:
   • • research and scholarly or creative activities
     • undergraduate and graduate student advisement,
     • University service (as defined by the University and Promotion and Tenure Guidelines), and
     • administration.
   • Tenured faculty may elect to have a reduction in research and service expectations with an increase in teaching. For such faculty, the maximum teaching load will be four courses, not to exceed twelve hours per semester.
3. The typical teaching load for faculty on term appointments will be four courses, normally not to exceed twelve hours per semester, with an expectation of research and service defined by the Dean in consultation with the Provost.