6.60 – Faculty Assignments – General

It is the policy of the university to provide conditions under which high quality instruction, research and service may be expected to occur.  The faculty and administration recognize that quality education is based on and will occur as the result of interaction and contact between professionally competent faculty and adequately prepared students.  Statements in this manual which are concerned with assignment of faculty load and with the award of academic credit are expressed generally in terms of the amount of contact occurring between faculty and students.  In practice, many academic efforts, having little or nothing to do with the amount of contact per se, are nevertheless quantified and rewarded in terms of the credit hours.  Such cases are covered by prior approvals among students, faculty and administrators.  This Rule is based on the following:

PART 1: TEACHING

Refers to activities related to courses given in a current term, such as meeting scheduled classes, grading, preparing lectures, evaluating students, reading student papers, academic advising, supervising teaching assistants, and supervising laboratories. Ordinarily, scheduled class meetings will equal at least 750 minutes per semester per credit hour.

Refers to the statewide non-credit teaching activities of members of the Cooperative Extension Service, and other university faculty members, such as conducting seminars, meetings, workshops and consultations with ranchers, farmers, businessmen, homemakers, community leaders and other citizens of the State, and the preparation of educational materials-bulletins, newsletters, news articles, radio and television programs, and self-teaching programs.

PART 2: RESEARCH AND OTHER CREATIVE ENDEAVORS

Refers to activities in the faculty member’s area of responsibility related to a specific project, such as performing a professional skill, writing or developing research proposals, statistical consulting, writing articles and/or books and/or reviews, creating a new art form(s), performing departmental and/or sponsored research, giving recitals, maintaining an artistic skill.

PART 3: PROFESSIONAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE

Refers to activities related to maintaining expertise in a professional field and activities performed to benefit the community outside the institution, respectively.  Specific activities in this category include attending professional meetings and/or seminars, editing a journal, serving as an officer in a professional society, consulting, performing professionally as in plays or orchestras, participating in lectures or seminars for the public, and involving oneself in community activities such as civic clubs, agricultural or urban extension services.

PART 4: INTERNAL UNIVERSITY ACTIVITIES

1. General contact with students, such as: counseling; preparing recommendations; participating in social interaction; recruiting students; sponsoring student organizations; meeting with parents; attending student recitals; coaching intramural or intercollegiate athletics; directing the band, orchestra, student plays, debate team, or other student groups.
2. Committee participation, such as: attending departmental meetings; Faculty Senate; promotion and tenure committees; planning committees; or admission committees.
3. Administrative duties, such as: performing the duties of a department head, dean, vice president, or any other administrator; keeping records; preparing minutes; writing and answering memoranda; assigning faculty course loads; preparing budgets; gathering data; helping during registration; interviewing candidates for faculty positions; advising on library purchases; escorting visitors.