ACADEMIC POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Faculty Personnel Policy

Faculty Load

University faculty may have responsibilities in four areas:

1. Instruction
2. Scholarship/research
3. Contributions to the institution and to the profession
4. Non-teaching or administrative duties

The scope and variety of service and non-teaching or administrative assignments will depend upon the needs of the departments, schools, and university at large.

Faculty load assignments will be monitored each semester by the department head, reviewed by the dean of the school, and approved by the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Teaching

Instructional assignments are based upon the expertise of the faculty member and needs of the academic department. The assignments are made by the department head in collaboration with the faculty member.

Scholarship/Research

Individual faculty scholarly activities are defined by the professional interests of the faculty member. While the scope and nature of faculty scholarship/research will vary among departments, university faculty shall be involved in scholarly activities, individually or collaboratively, which advance the state of knowledge or performance levels of their respective fields. Both the pursuit of new knowledge or techniques and the application of knowledge in creative ways are valued.

Contributions to the Institution and to the Profession

1. Student Advisement: Academic advisement is a very important service responsibility for faculty. Advisors are expected to assist students with enrollment, to counsel them about career options, to provide them information about deadlines and checkpoints, and to monitor their progress through programs. The department head selects faculty to serve as advisors. A recommended maximum advisement load is approximately forty students.
2. Committees and Advisory Service: Institutional service activities include sponsorship of student organizations, membership on ad-hoc and standing committees, consultation to other areas of the university, and participation in activities that advance the academic programs of the university.
3. Professional Activities: Membership in selected professional organizations appropriate to a faculty member’s assignment is a basic responsibility. Involvement in professional organizations at local, state, regional, and nationwide levels consists of attendance of meetings, holding offices, and serving on committees.
4. Public: Service to the community at large occurs when a faculty member contributes professional expertise pro bono to the activities of governmental, public schools, or other public and service agencies. The contribution may be in, but is not limited to, the following roles: consultant, program participant, member of a board or task force, or advisor.

Performance of Non-teaching or Administrative Duties

These assignments are based upon the needs of the department, school, and university. Such assignments will be developed cooperatively between the faculty member and department head or appropriate administrative officer.

The continued education of the faculty of Rogers State University will be based on the individual circumstances of each faculty member. While the needs of each faculty member will vary, a menu plan that includes a financial and/or time option will be considered. Financial options such as tuition reimbursement and sabbatical leave, or time options such as flexible teaching schedules and reduced office hours are some of the possible choices.

Specifically, a faculty member can select from the following options or may propose other options while developing an individualized plan with the appropriate administrator.

1. Financial Option:
   • Tuition reimbursement
2. Time Option:
   • Flexible teaching schedule
   • Evening classes
   • Hire adjunct for partial loads
   • Reduced teaching load
   • Faculty members work together to spread out the work load
3. Sabbatical Option:
   • One year off with half pay
   • Half year off with full pay