The credit hour is the recognized standard by which faculty teaching load is measured. The traditional twelve (12) semester credit hours is the maximum required undergraduate teaching load for all full-time tenure-track faculty. Individual departments/schools may propose their own credit hour equivalencies and reassigned-time policies. Such policies must be in writing and must be approved by a majority of the tenure-track departmental/school faculty, the chair/school director, the appropriate dean, and the provost. In colleges where there is no department or school, the dean will function as department chair in these processes and approval must be given by a majority of the tenure-track faculty in the college. Regardless of external funding for research or other grant activities, faculty will normally teach a minimum of 50% time in a given academic year. The provost may grant exceptions to this policy on a semester-by-semester basis.
The university recognizes the need for tenured and tenure-track faculty to balance professional and personal commitments. Special family circumstances, for example, the birth or adoption of a child, severe illness or death of an immediate family member, or even issues of personal health, can create the need for a modified workload and flexible schedule for a period of time.
Since the circumstances may vary widely, this policy does not prescribe the exact nature of the accommodation. In many cases, it may be a reduction or elimination of a teaching assignment while the faculty member continues to meet ongoing, but more flexible research and service obligations. In general, the commitment is to work with a faculty member to devise a modified workload and schedule that enables the individual to remain an active and productive member of the department/school. Because there is no reduction in salary, the faculty member is expected to have a set of full-time responsibilities.
The modified duties policy applies only to tenure and tenure-track faculty and is available upon employment. An eligible faculty member should speak with his or her
