Sam Houston State University
Academic Policy Statement 790601
Faculty Workload Policy
Revised April 4, 2001
Page 1 of 5
1. AUTHORITY
  1.01 The faculty workload policy for Sam Houston State University is designed to comply with V.T.C.A., Education Code §51.402 and will be reported to the Texas Higher Coordinating Board and included in the operating budget for the university.  These guidelines reflect the essential nature of the university as a teaching institution but provide flexibility to permit accommodation of related activities essential to the effective operation of a multipurpose regional university. 2. WORKLOAD POLICY
  2.01 The normal teaching loads for faculty members paid from appropriated funds defined as Faculty Salaries within the Elements of Institutional Costs shall be:
  a. Twelve semester hours (usually four courses) of undergraduate instruction or combination of undergraduate and master's level graduate instruction.

b. Nine semester hours (usually three courses) of master's level graduate instruction.

c. Six semester hours (usually two courses) of doctoral level courses or other graduate courses that enroll a majority of doctoral students.

d. Instructional assignments that do not conform to the usual concept of lecture-discussion courses will be expected to meet the following minimum criteria:
 

 (1) Two clock hours will equate to one semester hour equivalent in activity physical education, a one-hour dance course, and laboratory supervision.

 (2) Supervision of one student teacher will equate to one-half semester hour.

 (3) Eighteen contact hours yielding nine semester credit hours of Studio Art.
 
 
Sam Houston State University
Academic Policy Statement 790601
Faculty Workload Policy
Revised April 4, 2001
Page 2 of 5

 e. Music courses other than the usual three semester hour courses will be equated as follows in computing normal load:
   (1) Lecture class of two semester hours, three hours contact: .25 FTE

 (2) Instrumental Techniques of one semester hour, three hours contact: .25 FTE

 (3) Singers Diction of one semester hour, two hours contact: .20 FTE

 (4) Private Applied Music:
 

a. one semester hour, one-half hour contact: .0275 FTE

b. two, three, or four semester hours, one hour contact: .055 FTE
 

  (5) Music Composition of two, three or four semester hours, one hour contact: .55 FTE

(6) Major ensembles of one semester hour, six hours contact: .50 FTE

 (7) Minor ensembles of one semester hour, three hours contact: .25 FTE

 (8) Chamber Music and Practicum in Music Therapy and Graduate Ensemble of one semester hour, one hour contact: .20 FTE

 (9) Advanced Conducting of three semester hours, six hours contact: .25 FTE

 (10) Class piano of one semester hour, two hours contact: .125 FTE

(11) Recital of one semester hour, one-half hour contact: No load credit
 

 f. Instructors in the above music activities may deviate from a total of 100% any particular semester, but it is expected that the two semesters each will total at least 200%.
 
 
Sam Houston State University
Academic Policy Statement 790601
Faculty Workload Policy
Revised April 4, 2001
Page 3 of 5

  2.02 Instructors of organized classes that are team-taught will proportionally share the workload credits allowed for those classes in accordance with their distribution of responsibilities.

2.03 As the need dictates, faculty members may be required on occasion to exceed normal teaching loads. Nothing in this workload policy should be construed to prohibit the President of the university or the Vice President for Academic Affairs from making this determination. A faculty member may be given an assignment that exceeds the normal load as defined in paragraph 2.01 either by assignment of an extra class or by assignment of a combination of courses from different levels. In such instances, compensation for such overload will be granted in accord with established university policy or, subject to the policies and at the convenience of the affected college, equivalent released time. A faculty member may not be paid for an overload during the semester he/she is granted released or reassigned time.

2.04 Released time accrues at the forbearance of the university and is not reimbursable by the university should an instructor terminate or have his/her employment with the university terminated prior to the utilization of said released time.
 

 3. ADJUSTMENTS TO THE NORMAL LOAD
  3.01 During the academic year, the dean of a college may grant teaching load reductions for the following reasons and to the extent specified:
  a. Full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member for whom a scheduled class does not materialize and for whom an appropriate alternate assignment is not available. This exception is not permissible for any individual beyond two consecutive semesters without a pro-rated reduction of salary.

b. Full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty member for whom enrollment in a scheduled class reduces to zero after the twelfth class day. In this event, the dean of the college may assign alternative responsibilities related to the programs and purposes of the college.

c. Faculty member given an administrative, supervisory, or coordinator assignment directly related to the instructional programs and purposes of the university and whose assignment is subordinate to that of department chair. Those listed are illustrative, but not intended to constitute a complete list of possibilities.
 
 

Sam Houston State University
Academic Policy Statement 790601
Faculty Workload Policy
Revised April 4, 2001
Page 4 of 5

   (1) Coordinator of a program, multiple section course, or other similar responsibilities;

 (2) Developer of a significant new academic program;

 (3) Supervisor of forensic activities, radio and television programming, news gathering and transmission, and other program production in the Department of Public Communication;

 (4) Director of major musical, dramatic, or dance stage production or the designer/director for lighting, scenes, costumes, and properties for such major productions;

 (5) Special Faculty in Music whose professional assignments include participation in the SHSU Faculty Brass Quintet, SHSU Faculty Woodwind Quintet, and/or the SHSU Trio.
 

 d. Instructor of one or more large classes whose total student load and semester credit hour production are significantly in excess of that typical of faculty members generally.

e. Faculty members with miscellaneous assignments such as:
 

 (1) Chair of a major accreditation evaluation committee;

 (2) Holder of a major office in a national professional organization.
 

 f. One or two course reduction or the equivalent for chairing an academic department offering one or more major programs or for coordination of a program that offers one or more majors.

g.  One course reduction or the equivalent for direction to completion of five master's theses or three doctoral dissertations.
 

 (1) Released time accrued in accordance with Section 3.01f and that accrued in accordance with Section 2.03 should apply during the semester immediately following the completion of the qualifying thesis, dissertation, or graduate course, or during the earliest possible long semester thereafter. Reduced loads for graduate courses apply only to courses taught during the nine-month contract period, i.e, the fall and the spring semesters.
 
Sam Houston State University
Academic Policy Statement 790601
Faculty Workload Policy
Revised April 4, 2001
Page 5 of 5


 4. ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS
 

4.01 Assistant Instructors are graduate students who are pursuing degrees and are assigned part-time instructional duties commensurate with their academic preparation and experience. Such duties for which prorated salaries are paid include responsibility for organized classes; regularly scheduled discussion, quiz, or laboratory sections; or other duties directly involved in instructional activities. 5. MONITORING FACULTY WORKLOAD POLICY
   5.01 It is the responsibility of each department chair at the beginning of each instructional period to report to the appropriate dean the workload assignment of each faculty member within his/her academic unit.

 5.02 It is the responsibility of each dean to review and to transmit to the Vice President for Academic Affairs a report of workload assignments of all faculty members within his/her academic unit, to specifically note each instance in which a faculty member's assignment deviates from the general workload policy, to explain the basis for such deviation, and to recommend approval or disapproval of the deviation.

 5.03 The Vice President for Academic Affairs will have final responsibility for the approval of faculty workloads in conformity with adopted university policy subject only to review by the President and final action by the Board of Regents, The Texas State University System.
 

 6. EFFECTIVE DATE
  6.01 This revised policy becomes effective September 1, 2001.

                                                               APPROVED:          /s/
                                                                                   Bobby K. Marks, President

                                                               DATE:                  April 12, 2001