The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Policy # [####]
Faculty Workload Policy
Original Issuance Date: May 3, 2022
Last Revision Date: Formerly FAC 7.A and 7.B
Next Review Date: TND + 5 years
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to describe (1) faculty responsibilities and expectations in the areas of teaching, scholarly and creative activities, and service, and (2) how organizational unit policies may provide for alternative distributions of faculty time commitment across these three areas.
2. RESPONSIBLE OFFICER
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. This office is also responsible for budgeting funds to support ongoing implementation of the policy.
3. SCOPE
This policy applies to all probationary and tenured faculty members of the University community.
4. BACKGROUND
The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (UWO) is a Carnegie designated R3 Doctoral/Professional institution and a research-enhanced comprehensive university. Our dedicated faculty are committed to innovative teaching, scholarly and creative endeavors, and service to our institution and the community in which we live and work. We provide students opportunities to discuss and debate important questions, solve problems, do science, study abroad, explore new questions through undergraduate research, and express themselves through a vast array of artistic and creative endeavors. UWO students develop professional and technological expertise and a sense of purpose that advances the economic, civic, and cultural well-being of our region.
The scholarly and creative work of the faculty embraces a vast diversity of pursuits that further the human search for truth, allow us to make meaningful contributions to our fields of expertise and the communities in which we live, and enhance student engagement and success.
The faculty are charged with serving our departments, our colleges, and the university, our professional communities, and our region to further advance our mission and values of the institution: student success, inclusivity, sustainability, shared governance, community partnerships, creativity, and workplace joy.
In this policy we specify the time allotted for teaching, scholarly and creative activity, and service.
5. DEFINITIONS
Faculty as defined in Wis. Stat. § 36.05(8) means persons who hold the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor in an academic department or its functional equivalent in an institution, and such academic staff as may be designated by the chancellor and faculty of the institution.
Reassigned time means shifting teaching workload, measured in student contact hours (SCH), to other workload areas.
6. POLICY STATEMENT
1. Scope of Faculty Workload Responsibilities
The workload of University of Wisconsin Oshkosh tenured and tenure-track faculty includes activities in each of the following areas: teaching, scholarly and creative activity, and service during each annual contract period.
The contractual academic year shall consist of a full nine months (39) weeks and shall include not fewer than 34 weeks of organized services for students including delivering classes through various modes of instruction and advising. The standard/base teaching load for faculty members is 24 student contact hours (SCH) per academic year.
Faculty members will establish, on an annual basis and with the approval of their unit head and/or dean as appropriate, the apportionment of their total workload among the three areas of teaching, scholarly and creative activity, and service. University of Wisconsin Oshkosh faculty exercise a high degree of autonomy in carrying out their agreed-upon duties in each annual contract period.
2. Scope of Faculty Expectations in Teaching
a. The teaching load for faculty with a typical full-time instructional assignment is 24 SCH. This 24 SCH load may be distributed in any fashion acceptable under the institution’s academic calendar system. Additional portions of this load may be reassigned to accommodate other duties as indicated in Sections 3 and 4 of this policy.
b. Activity that may count toward the SCH load of a faculty member in a given academic year includes:
i. Teaching approved courses in approved delivery modes
ii. Advising students
iii. Time intensive high-impact practices such as mentoring student research projects
iv. Supervising independent studies or theses, including Honors College theses.
c. Colleges and departments will establish standards for the SCH equivalent of Teaching activities other than the delivery of courses.
3. Scope of Faculty Expectations in Scholarly and Creative Activity
a. Faculty are expected to remain current and productive in their areas of expertise. Appropriate activities (listed as examples) include research, publication, creative and artistic endeavors, grant-related activity, and attendance and participation at professional conferences.
b. To support the University’s mission, a portion of faculty teaching workload may be reassigned to support enhanced scholarly and creative activities that produce peer-reviewed or peer-recognized outcomes. Each academic unit (college and department) shall have policies and procedures in place to reassign up to six (6) SCH of the standard 24 SCH teaching load each academic year to support such scholarly activities. Faculty members with extramural grant funding may use such funding to further reduce the Teaching SCH in a given academic year, with the approval of their unit head. (See Recommendations supporting reassigned faculty workload at UW Oshkosh in References below.)
i. Eligibility for reassigned workload for scholarly and creative activities
a. Faculty automatically receive six (6) SCH of reassigned teaching load for scholarship and creative activities for each of their first four years as probationary tenure-track faculty. Department chairs and/or deans may increase the reassigned time as part of negotiations with faculty candidates.
b. Unit (college and department) policies must clearly state criteria for eligibility, continuing eligibility, and renewed eligibility for up to 6 SCH of reassigned time for tenured faculty. Department chairs and/or deans may increase the reassigned time as part of negotiations with faculty.
c. Criteria for eligibility, continuing eligibility, and renewed eligibility must be linked explicitly to peer-reviewed and other peer-recognized outcomes that reflect the diversity and full array of outcomes appropriate to the faculty member’s discipline, as defined by the individual’s unit. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) work that culminates in peer-reviewed or peer-recognized outcomes is valued equally with traditional, disciplinary scholarship. Unit (college and department) criteria must specify the work required, quantifying the demonstrable outcomes within an established timeframe (e.g., three to five years). Policies should address whether high-risk scholarly or creative projects can be allowed timeframe flexibility provided the projects involve disciplinarily appropriate peer-reviewed outcomes.
d. College and departmental policies must provide a means for faculty to gain or regain eligibility for reassigned time. Policies may require faculty to demonstrate their commitment to and feasibility of their planned scholarly or creative activity (e.g., as evidenced by a past record of work, a grant application to the Faculty Development Board or other granting entity, or a description of background work or preparation for the proposed activity).
e. Unit/Department-level criteria, policies, and procedures for eligibility, continuing eligibility, and renewing eligibility must be approved by the appropriate college dean and the provost.
f. Deans are responsible for ensuring that policies and procedures, including criteria for eligibility, continuing eligibility, and renewed eligibility, across departments within their college are not widely disparate. The provost is responsible for assuring consistency of processes and procedures across colleges.
ii. Evaluation of outcomes of reassigned workload
a. Department chairs and college deans/associate deans are responsible for holding faculty accountable for the agreed-upon outcomes on which their eligibility for reassigned time for scholarly and creative activity is based.
b. Unit (college and department) evaluation processes for tenured faculty should be aligned with annual performance review. The evaluation process shall not require the submission of documents outside a short narrative, an updated CV, or a list of scholarly activities.
c. Evaluation processes for probationary faculty may be aligned with either the annual performance review or with the submission of materials for renewal, promotion, and tenure. The evaluation process shall not require the submission of documents outside a short narrative, an updated CV, or a list of scholarly activities.
d. Faculty must be informed annually of the status, including time remaining, of their reassigned time.
4. Scope of Faculty Expectations in Service
a. Faculty are expected to provide service to their department, college, university, community, and professional organizations. Appropriate activities (listed as examples) include serving on committees, working groups, or taskforces; serving as a member, advisor, or leader to professional, student, or community organizations; conducting seminars and workshops (including outreach in the community); service to disciplinary associations (including serving as a reviewer or editor); and providing unremunerated professional expertise to the institution or community. (College and department policies will describe the types of remunerated work that count as service.)
b. Substantive service requirements relating to faculty appointment, renewal, tenure, promotion, and merit are developed at the college or department level. Faculty should consult their specific college and departmental requirements for these personnel policies.
c. To support the University’s mission, a portion of faculty teaching workload may be reassigned to support service that requires a time commitment significantly greater than that expected in 4.a. above. Each college must have policies and procedures in place to reassign up to six (6) SCH of the standard 24 SCH teaching load each academic year to support such activities. Additional load may be reassigned if supported by extramural grant funding. Special service projects may also arise from the Chancellor’s Office, the Provost’s Office, or other university divisions. The university division head will work with the faculty member and their dean to establish the reassigned time contract.
d. College deans/associate deans are responsible for holding faculty accountable for accomplishing professional activities and outcomes outlined in their college standards for significant service.
e. College policies must clearly describe:
i. Criteria for a faculty member to be eligible for such reassigned time (e.g., tenured; rated as “solid performer” in prior annual review; adequate service contributions under 4 A).
ii. Criteria for service activities to qualify for reassigned time. Criteria must include the requirement of contributions significantly greater than those expected under 4 A. Outcomes must be linked explicitly to the mission of the University and College. Appropriate activities include, but are not limited to, those advancing student recruitment and retention; administration of events that bring large numbers of prospective students to campus; the creation of innovative programs; development of relationships with community or business partners that support student scholarships, internships, and other high-impact learning practices; development of relationships with community or business partners that support faculty scholarly and creative activity; activity to address substantive needs related to accreditation requirements; or other outcomes that substantively advance the mission of the University.
iii. Evaluation criteria for outcomes of reassigned time. College evaluation procedures must specify the work achieved, quantifying the demonstrable outcomes within an established timeframe. College evaluation processes may be aligned with annual performance review, tenure, and promotion. The evaluation process shall not require the submission of documents outside a short narrative, an updated CV, or a list of service activities and outcomes.
5. Reassigned Time for Substantial Leadership Activity
a. Reassigned time will be provided by the Provost or Chancellor for significant university-level service leadership positions. The Provost or Chancellor must describe release time for the Faculty Senate President, the Graduate Council Chair, and other significant standing university-level service positions.
b. Reassigned time will be provided by the deans for significant college-level service leadership positions. College policies must describe release time for Department Chairs, Graduate Program Coordinators, Departmental Coordinators for the Cooperative Academic Partnership Program (CAPP), and other significant standing college-level service positions.
7. REFERENCES
[reference the white paper supporting reassigned time for scholarship and creative activity].
8. PROCEDURES
The Responsible Officer (or designee) will conduct a review of this policy every five years. The Faculty Senate will have the opportunity to participate in the review, discuss proposed changes to this policy, recommend changes, and vote to endorse the proposed changes.
9. REVISION HISTORY
4/26/22 Passed by the Faculty Senate
5/3/22 Signed by Chancellor Leavitt