FHSU-AAUP Article XIII: Workload

The following is not intended to delineate all workload requirements and responsibilities of a faculty member. It is, instead, an outline of the types of responsibilities that are generally performed by faculty members in order to serve the students. Demands of the faculty member’s discipline, variations in the types of classes taught, interests of the University, college and department, among others, may add to or vary these outlined responsibilities.

I. WORKLOAD

Returning or continuing nine-month faculty member’s term of employment will begin with the Wednesday of the week prior to the beginning of when classes begin on Monday in the fall academic semester and end on the Monday following commencement, held following the spring academic semester. New faculty member’s term of employment will begin on Thursday of the week preceding the campus return date for returning faculty. Faculty members are to be available on the campus on the Monday before classes begin for the spring academic semester when the first day of classes is Wednesday or Thursday.

II. FACULTY WORKLOAD

A. The normal components of the faculty member’s workload are instruction, scholarly activity and service, with a standard responsibility “weighting” of 60%/20%/20% committed to each component, respectively. The workload components for bargaining unit faculty members encompass many professional duties and responsibilities necessary to their varied roles as a faculty member at Fort Hays State University (“FHSU”), including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Instruction

The instructional component of a faculty member’s responsibilities may include both traditional and electronic learning environments, classroom and non-classroom teaching activities, and may include, but not be limited to, development of new courses or new instructional materials including software. Academic advising, supervising, mentoring, and consulting with on and off campus students and assessment of teaching and learning activities are generally considered a part of instructional activity.

2. Scholarly Activity

Scholarly activities include research; writing, publication and creative activities appropriate to the faculty member's discipline or interdisciplinary work in either traditional or electronic publications of recognized value to the University and the faculty member’s discipline.

3. Service

There are three general categories of service for faculty members: service to the faculty member’s profession, service to Fort Hays State University, and service to the community.

Service to the profession includes, but is not limited to, state, regional, or national offices held in professional organizations, organiz­ing a professional workshop or meeting, and other related activities.

Service to Fort Hays State University includes, but is not limited to, committee assignments (chair or member), offices held (elective or appointed), involvement in campus activities (Parents’ Day, high school workshops, etc.), part-time administrative assignments, sponsoring or advising a student organization, contributions to recruitment or retention of students. This service includes activities in support of the department, the college, and the University.

Community service that is a part of the evaluation process should be related to one's professional expertise.

B. Instructional workload definitions

The full-time faculty instructional workload will generally be twenty-four (24) credit hours of regularly scheduled courses in any one (1) academic year. For twelve-month faculty, an additional six (6) credit hours are considered a full instruction workload in the summer session. It shall be possible for a department chair to balance a faculty member’s schedule if the faculty member teaches fewer than twelve (12) credit hours (or equivalent workload) in one semester with more than twelve (12) credit hours (or equivalent workload) in another semester. Specific departments may delineate variations, with faculty input, to the “hourly” workload, depending on the type of credit offered, such as laboratory assignments or private instruction. Modified instructional assignments are available to faculty members through Track I and Track II reassigned time policies.

C. Other workload requirements and issues

1.Teaching Responsibilities

Each faculty member is responsible for meeting all scheduled classes. Each faculty member is also responsible for planning, organizing and informing students of the course content, texts, readings, assignments, attendance regulations and methods of evaluation including grading scales. Faculty members are also responsible for turning in grades according to the deadline established by the registrar's office. Faculty members are responsible for the final grading or any other activities related to “incompletes” or other grace periods granted to students for coursework by the faculty member.

Faculty members who make commitments for independent research, advising, or thesis supervision shall either work with students or make other arrangements that the faculty member deems appropriate to fulfill the responsibilities associated with the assignment which fall outside of the academic-year calendar or occur during a period in which the faculty member is not on the active payroll or otherwise available.

2. Advising

Academic advising of both on and off campus students, whether traditionally and/or electronically, and as related to those currently enrolled, is a regular part of the faculty member’s responsibility. Faculty are responsible for advising students who are declared majors in their department on departmental, college and University requirements and career opportunities in their disciplines and may be assigned additional advisees who are undeclared or undecided in that student’s academic major.

3. Office Hours

Each faculty member shall post and hold a reasonable number of regularly scheduled office hours. The department chair will approve the faculty member’s office hour schedule, with a copy retained in the department office. Faculty members must maintain office availability both physically and electronically, as appropriate. Faculty members who teach in the virtual or electronic learning environments, in addition to regular office hours, will provide students with electronic access to the faculty member in a timely fashion.

4. Class Scheduling

The University is responsible for developing the course schedule for each academic term. Once the department or college has established a tentative class schedule, faculty shall be notified of their course assignments so that they may discuss them with the department chair prior to submitting the schedule to the University for publication. Though the University may consider faculty member’s scheduling preferences, final determination of teaching assignments and schedules shall be made by the University.

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