SUBJECT: Proposed Amendments to Policy D-3, Faculty Workloads

PROPOSED ACTION
That the Board discuss the draft amendments to the policy. (As this is the first meeting at which this policy-development topic is on the agenda, it can not be acted on until a subsequent meeting.)

RELATED BOARD POLICY OR RESOLUTION
The existing version of this policy was adopted in early 1997 as part of the policy-consolidation process. The draft amendments respond to a request from Board members to address the issue of a 40-hour work week.

RATIONALE
The proposed amendments would implement the conversion to a 10 1/2-month pay scale called for in the President's budget proposal.

They would also change the declared workload from "at least 35 hours per week" for full-time faculty to "at least 40 hours per week" for all full-time employees. This changed value better matches the general community standards for full-time work, and still remains below the typical actual level of work by the faculty/staff professional-level College employees who are not covered by legal overtime requirements on their workload.

The draft amendments would also direct the administration to organize the work of the college so as to make it usually possible for employees to get assigned work done satisfactorily in a reasonable amount of time.

This draft is derived from initial drafts developed and circulated for comment by the administration. Several of the criticisms of the initial drafts have been addressed by provisions in the current proposal.

BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS
The policy has no direct budgetary impact.

POLICY REVIEW REQUESTERS
Carol Nasworthy, Trustee
Della May Moore, Trustee

RESOURCE PERSONNEL
Richard Fonte, President
Frank Freidman, Executive Vice-President

ATTACHMENTS
Draft policy with proposed amendments
Draft Policy [Initial draft, June 19, 1998]
Current Policy
Full-Time Faculty Senate Resolution [Page 1; Page 2]

The successful operation of the College is based on the work of its employees, whose dedication to serving student needs is the basis for the good reputation the College has in its community. But while the task of education often inspires extraordinary efforts, it shares with all individualized and creative professional work the potential for misunderstanding from members of the community with more structured jobs. As a governmental entity, the college is also subject to the general skepticism about the efficiency of non-market institutions. Thus, in order to assure the community that the College is making effective use of the public resources provided to it, this policy sets forth the minimum mutual commitments required for employee workloads.

A. Full-Time Employment:

The total responsibilities of full-time faculty and staff positions shall require at least 35 40 hours per week on a full-time basis.

B. Faculty

[1] In this and all other Board policies, the term "faculty" does not refer to adjunct faculty or faculty paid hourly unless specifically indicated. It includes all positions filled by the faculty appointment process described in Policy F-4, including any librarians and counselors.

[1] [2] Faculty contracts are for a 10½-month period which generally includes Fall Semester, Spring Semester, and six weeks of the Summer Semester. Faculty have the option of choosing a nine-month contract, at 6/7 of the 10½-month pay, if they so desire. Such positions are filled by the faculty appointment process described in Policy F-4. They will typically be on a full-time basis with an optional half load in the summer, but The President may establish fractional faculty positions when deemed appropriate, in which case both the salary and all the responsibilities described below are reduced proportionally.

[2] [3] The workload for classroom faculty will typically include a teaching courseload of 30 lecture equivalent hours (LEH) for an academic year (an average of 15 hours per week), with an option of and 5 or 6 additional LEH in a the Summer Semester compensated at 1/6 of the rate for a 9-month academic year. Classroom faculty members shall schedule at least five office hours per week for consultation with students, and shall make at least five additional office hours per week available by appointment.

[3] [4] The President shall set equivalency rules for faculty workloads to determine how labs, unusual teaching situations, and other modes of direct student contact will be counted toward this courseload. These rules may also provide that only partial credit is given for sections substantially smaller than the target size for that course.

[4] [5] The President shall specify workload, scheduling, and vacation rules for faculty whose primary responsibilities are other than classroom teaching, such as librarians and counselors with faculty status. These rules shall be based on assignment of faculty duties to best meet the needs of students.

[5] [6] Each faculty member shall be expected to share responsibilities related to the total concerns of the College. Such responsibilities include instructional development, faculty meetings, committee and task-force assignments, registration duties, student advisement, other assigned responsibilities, and appropriate self-directed professional activities. The President may correspondingly reduce courseloads and/or provide stipends to faculty members whose non-teaching assignments substantially exceed the typical amount.

[6] [7] Faculty members who, with appropriate approvals, teach more than a full courseload (with appropriate additional office hours) will be paid for the excess at adjunct-faculty rates.

[7] [8] Each faculty member shall be consulted prior to the determination of his or her teaching schedule and work assignments; however, the administration may make work and class assignments as needed.

C. Adjunct Faculty

[1] Adjunct faculty are hired by the College on an as-needed basis for direct instruction. Their course-based compensation, which is proportional to the number of lecture hours taught (or equivalent), covers the time used for direct instruction, course preparation, grading, and at least one office hour per course per week for individual consultation with students. Any additional work asked of people serving as adjunct faculty, such as service on official instructional or governance committees, task forces, or councils (including the Adjunct Faculty Council), is not part of the standard adjunct-faculty job and shall be compensated separately.

[2] The President shall ensure that the College's use of adjunct faculty is not excessive or poorly controlled, and that the College does not usually permit adjunct-faculty workloads in excess of 9 credit hours or 11 LEH per week.

D. Reports

The President shall report to the Board during the annual budget process on the recent and projected pattern of faculty courseloads, including overloads and courseload reductions, on the recent and projected level of use of adjunct faculty, and on any planned changes in workload rules or practices which would result in a change in expenditure of more than $100,000/year.

[New text is shown in bold typeface and deleted text shown by strikethrough]

A. Definition of Faculty:

In this and all other Board policies, the term "faculty" does not refer to the adjunct faculty or faculty paid hourly unless specifically indicated. The term "faculty" refers to both classroom and non-classroom faculty, including librarians and counselors.

B. Faculty[1] The total responsibilities of faculty positions shall require at least 40 hours per week on a full-time basis. Such positions are filled by the faculty appointment process described in Policy F-4. They will typically be on a full time basis with an optional half load in the summer, but Faculty contracts are for a 10 1/2 month period which generally includes Fall Semester, Spring Semester, and six weeks of the Summer Semester. Faculty have the option of choosing a nine month contract if they so desire. The President may establish fractional faculty positions when deemed appropriate, in which case both the salary and all the responsibilities described below are reduced proportionally. Exceptions to the above must be approved by the President.[2] The workload for classroom faculty will typically include a teaching courseload of 30 lecture equivalent hours (LEH) for an academic year (an average of 15 hours per week), with an option of and 5 or 6 additional LEH in the Summer Semester. Classroom faculty members shall schedule at least five office hours per week for consultation with students, and shall make at least five additional office hours per week available by appointment. Non-classroom faculty work 40 hours per week on campus on a schedule developed to meet the needs of students. [3] The President shall set equivalency rules for faculty workloads to determine how labs, unusual teaching situations, and other modes of direct student contact will be counted toward this courseload. These rules may also provide that only partial credit is given for sections substantially smaller than the target size for that course.[4] The President shall specify workload and vacation rules for non-classroom faculty whose primary responsibilities are other than classroom teaching, such as librarians and counselors with faculty status. [5] Each faculty member shall be expected to share responsibilities related to the total concerns of the College. Such responsibilities include instructional development, faculty meetings, committee and task-force assignments, registration duties, student advisement, other assigned responsibilities, and appropriate self-directed professional activities. The President may correspondingly reduce courseloads and/or provide stipends to faculty members whose non-teaching assignments substantially exceed the typical amount.[6] Faculty members who, with appropriate approvals, teach more than a full courseload (with appropriate additional office hours) will be paid for the excess at adjunct-faculty rates. [7] Each faculty member shall be consulted prior to the determination of his or her teaching schedule and work assignments; however, the administration may make work and class assignments as needed.