R485.1. Introduction
1.1. Each full-time faculty member paid with instructional Education and General funds is expected to teach classes and to assume a reasonable workload of related instructional activities that constitute a fulltime instructional load.
1.2. The nature of a full-time instructional load will vary according to the mission and roles of USHE institutions, the nature of instructional programs, and variations in student populations being served. In all institutions, faculty paid with instructional Education and General funds are expected to teach classes, conduct other instructional activities including advising, grading and preparing for classes, and developing curriculum, as well as scholarly study and/or research, public service, involvement in academic governance, and similar academic activities. These duties are essential elements of the work of the faculty and are taken into account in making promotion, tenure, and salary decisions.
1.3. The Presidents and faculties of USHE institutions are urged to use innovative methods to increase faculty productivity while at the same time maintaining and improving educational quality.
R485-2. Purposes
2.1. To provide standards for average teaching workloads for all full-time faculty at USHE colleges and universities that reflect differing institutional missions and roles, and that reflect appropriate national standards of teaching excellence.
2.2. To assure equitable distribution of responsibilities and to take maximum advantage of the talents of individual faculty.
2.3. To provide accurate information regarding faculty teaching workloads so the Board of Higher Education; the State Legislature; the Governor; faculty; academic, institutional, and system administrators; and other concerned citizens may make valid and informed judgments about the extent of teaching done by USHE faculty.To provide standards for average teaching workloads for all full-time faculty at USHE colleges and universities that reflect differing institutional missions and roles, and that reflect appropriate national standards of teaching excellence.
R485-3. References
3.1. Utah Code §53B-16-102 3.2. Policy and Procedures R481, Academic Freedom, Professional Responsibility and Tenure
3.3. Policy and Procedures R483, Award of Tenure
R485-3. Policy
4.1. Average Teaching Workload: The institutional average teaching workload for full-time faculty shall be as follows:
4.1.1. At Research/Teaching universities, 18 credit hour equivalents each year, or 9 credits each semester. Recognizing the diverse mix of teaching assignments that require differing levels of preparation, it is expected that faculty contact hours in credit-bearing teaching activities shall average approximately 10 hours per week.
4.1.2. At Metropolitan/Regional universities, 24 credit hour equivalents each year, or 12 credits each semester. Recognizing the diverse mix of teaching assignments, faculty contact hours in credit-bearing teaching activities at Metropolitan/ Regional universities shall average approximately 13 hours per week.
4.1.3. At State and Community colleges, 30 credit hour equivalents each year, or 15 credits each semester. Recognizing the diverse mix of teaching assignments, faculty contact hours in credit-bearing teaching activities at State and Community Colleges shall range from about 16 to 19 hours per week, depending on the mix of lower division transfer and applied technology programs at the institution.
4.2. Annual Reports: The Commissioner shall provide an annual report on faculty workloads at USHE institutions, based on reports prepared by all USHE institutions during Fall term of each academic year. The report shall be provided to the Board of Higher Education, the Legislature and to the Governor, and be included in USHE Assessment and Accountability reports. Using standardized definitions and conventions, the following information shall be included:
4.2.1. Averaged by institutional type, instructional level, and faculty rank: faculty contact hours per full-time faculty FTE in regular classes and laboratories, and in such activities as student teaching and clinical instruction, supervision of dissertations and theses, and other individualized teaching assignments.
4.2.2. Average weekly teaching contact hours per full-time faculty divided by the standard faculty teaching contact hour load, as described in 4.1.1. through 4.1.3.
4.2.3. Averaged by institutional type, instructional level, and faculty rank, the proportion of credit hours taught by full-time and part-time faculty, and by teaching assistants.
4.2.4. Survey of faculty workload in non-teaching activities, including time spent and proportion of total time in preparation for teaching, scholarship, research, and service.
4.3. Institutional Faculty Workload Policies: It shall be the responsibility of the President of each USHE institution to prepare and implement, in consultation with the faculty through regular institutional shared governance procedures, a faculty workload policy for that institution. The policy shall reflect the teaching standards of sections 4.1.1 through 4.1.3 of this policy. It is expected that institutional policies will provide detailed guidelines for adjustments of workloads that reflect different kinds of instruction,, and that provide equivalent teaching load credit to assure that workloads are equitably distributed.
4.3.1. Institutional workload policies should take into account non-instructional activities that may be essential to the work of the faculty in particular disciplines, departments, and institutions.
4.3.2. Institutional policies are to provide for equitable recognition for extra contact hours that faculty spend with students in courses that involve studios, laboratories, clinics, independent study, thesis and dissertation, internships, and similar activities.
4.4. Review and Approval of Policies: After the approval of institutional faculty workload policies by Boards of Trustees, the policies shall be submitted for review and approval by the Board of Higher Education.
Adopted August 28, 1998.
