Target Loads

Target loads are established by the needs of the academic program. At the time of hire, the dean in consultation with the program director, establishes the target load, and remuneration will be based on this number. The number of semester hours for which a faculty member will be loaded is expected to remain the same from year to year. This may be adjusted because of institutional needs. All overload hours which exceed the target load will be paid at the overload rate.

If a faculty member reduces their target load for personal reasons this becomes their preferred load. If they are teaching over their preferred load it will be at the full pay rate (up to the original set target). The dean’s approval is required if the faculty member requests a change to the target load.

Target loads are recorded in offer letters and faculty information in J1.

Approved by Provost’s Council Updated: November 1, 2022

Faculty Overloads

Overloading of faculty members should occur only in circumstances in which such an arrangement fits within the university budget and is agreeable to the faculty member. For ease of budgeting and salary determination, compensation for all overload teaching (that is, teaching hours that are above the target load) should be calculated using the following guidelines.

1. In order to allow adequate time for meeting service and scholarship expectations, tenure-track faculty overloads are limited to 6 SH of overload within a twelve-month academic calendar.
2. Overload hours will be compensated at the Lecturer rate (75% of the regular rate), with a cap of $1700/SH. [Note: $1700/SH is slightly more than the Lecturer rate for a Category 1 Associate Professor with 5 steps.]
3. In order to receive full pay at Lecturer rate (item 2. above) for an overload course, the course enrollment must be 8 students or greater; if a course is taught with fewer than 8 students, pay will be prorated.

Approved by Provost’s Council Updated: February 4, 2020 & November 1, 2022

Fiscal Year / Academic Year Loading & Summer Term Guidelines*

• Carry-over loading options between fiscal years is a retired practice. Any exceptions need to be approved by the dean.

• Loading Parameters

~ Faculty Annual Salary Statement will be calculated based on faculty target load.

~ All overload (OL) hours which exceed the target load (even if under 24) will be paid via a separate contract during the corresponding teaching term.

~ Overload contracts are calculated at the rate agreed upon and documented with the appropriate dean office during the loading and budget processes. Rate options include: Lecture rate (75% of regular rate, maximum of $1700), Adjunct rate or special project or pro-rated for under enrollment.

• Wage Allocation

~ Faculty annual 10-month contract wages are allocated August 1 - July 31.

NOTE: a year-end adjustment is used to transfer July wage payment of annual contracts to prior fiscal year budget.

~ Adjunct contracts follow fiscal year wage allocation [July 1 - June 30].

Summer term wages are split between fiscal years [May-June /July-Aug].

Contracts are processed prior to start of each term.

~ Program Admins/Directors with Faculty loads follow fiscal year wage allocation (July 1 - June 30).

Summer term wages are split between fiscal years [May-June /July-Aug].

• Summer Term Planning

~ Summer term is ALWAYS the last term of a fiscal year loading [FA, SP, SU].

~ Summer contracts may reflect LD (in-load rate), OL (overload/lecturer rate) or AD (adjunct rate) based on budget and target load status for the fiscal year. Cross-departmental and special pay arrangements made during budget planning should be communicated and documented with the dean office.

Adjunct Faculty Loading Considerations & Guidelines*

In order to receive full pay at the adjunct rate, the course enrollment must be 6 students or greater; if a course is taught with fewer than 6 students, pay will be prorated.

Adjunct Faculty Load Parameters: less than 10 SH per fall, spring or summer term.

The university will allocate adjuncts with 3.0 hours of work per week of class for every 1 hour of course credit (SH) taught and every 1 hour of lab contact taught.  

Accordingly, full-time adjunct faculty may become eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance under the ACA if they teach at least 10 or more credit hours per semester (30 work hours/week) or combination of credit hours and lab contact hours. In some exceptional cases, departments may need to increase an adjunct faculty member's hours of work credited to take into account non-credit labs, advising, outreach, or other departmental assignments beyond the normal expectation for adjunct faculty.  

The Provost’s Office will make determinations related to adjunct eligibility for health coverage in conjunction with Human Resources according to the average number of hours worked per week

COBRA will be offered to any employee who currently has medical/dental/vision benefits and who changes status from full time to part time, resigns, or is terminated. COBRA acceptance/declination must take place within 60 days of the date of the change in status. 

*Reviewed and approved by Provost Council, January 9, 2020

Combined Instruction of Graduate and Undergraduate Students

Course Loading Policy

Combined Instruction courses are courses that are listed as UG and Graduate.  The course syllabi are generally focused on the needs of the UG program, with elements - especially extra assignments - added that require graduate students to engage the content at a graduate education level. (See curriculum standards).  The relevant dean(s) and Program Directors decide to offer a combined instruction course based on the needs of the two programs and generally because one or both programs expect low enrollment.

Process: Courses to be offered as both UG and Graduate must be approved by the Academic Council. Faculty are expected to demonstrate, through separate course syllabi (one for undergraduates and another for graduate students), that graduate level expectations are substantially different. All cross-listed courses must be approved through the regular curriculum approval process.

Faculty Expectations: Faculty will prepare a UG syllabus and a Graduate syllabus.  The graduate syllabus must articulate how the additional learning activities and/or requirements represent the increased rigor, content and scope to meet graduate-level standards.

Faculty Loading: Pre-semester loading: If a faculty member is asked to teach a combined instruction course, the additional faculty workload required by dual enrollment of the course may be recognized with additional loading or a stipend. The additional load will be determined by the dean(s) in conversation with the program director(s) and will take into consideration such factors as course enrollment, laboratory or applied learning requirements, etc.

Changes in enrollment: If enrollment falls below a certain minimum, deans may prorate the instructor’s pay in recognition of the reduced enrollment.

Budget Implications: The costs to the respective undergraduate and graduate programs will be apportioned in a ratio reflecting the actual enrollment in the course.

Approved by Provost Council, December 15, 2020
Updated April 19, 2022

Responsible party

The provost is responsible for this policy.

Policy Review

This policy is to be reviewed every three years.

Distribution

Employee Handbook