February 25, 2003 (revised)

To: CFR Faculty, Chairs, and EFC

As we proceed with the transformation of our College, we need to carefully think about many issues related to instructional work load. Under procedures described in the Faculty Handbook, our division Chairs regularly confer with all faculty and discuss: 1) the division's and College's present needs and goals with respect to our mission statements and the faculty member's present teaching, scholarly and service responsibilities and accomplishments; 2) shared goals for the faculty member's teaching, scholarship and service in the forthcoming year (or years, as appropriate) in keeping with the division's and College's needs and goals for the same period; and 3) a shared strategy for achieving those goals.

I believe that we need to review our current workload expectations in light of the on-going transformation of our undergraduate and graduate programs as well as our research and service goals. The College needs a policy that provides guidelines to get us through the transitional period between many highly differentiated courses and curricular requirements to the streamlined model and distributes teaching obligations and opportunities fairly. In order to start this conversation I attach a DRAFT proposal which I would like to see widely discussed by the EFC, Chairs, and all faculty. As the discussion matures it is likely that changes in current policy will be required.

Discussion DRAFT for review:

In our College, the standard classroom load for faculty members in regular pay status on 9-month appointments that are fully funded by instructional budgets is three substantial courses -- a regularly scheduled course consisting of 3-5 credits at the undergraduate or graduate level -- leading to a minimum of 450 SCH's. Each full time state faculty member is also expected to financially support 2-3 graduate students and generate $120,000 of external research grants and contracts. Annual work planning with the Chairs will elucidate trade-offs between teaching load and research funding following the above schedule. As we move to increase the efficiency of our curriculum, we need to ensure that all state funded faculty are contributing to the College's educational mission while simultaneously satisfying all University obligations.

Exceptions to the above workload can be granted under the following circumstances, if all costs to the instructional program can be mitigated through other means:

1. Significant administrative responsibilities in the positions of: Dean, Associate Dean, Chair

2. Temporary relief for one quarter (one course) as part of an approved plan to develop new courses in support of the mission of providing high-enrollment service courses to the University, tooling up to teach courses critical to the new College undergraduate program in areas outside current disciplinary expertise, or retooling graduate level programs. The new course must be approved by the College curriculum committee and taught no later than the Autumn quarter following the academic year in which the quarter off is granted. As with all course offerings, student and collegial course evaluations will be required of the new course.

3. Temporary relief for one course renewable annually up to three years on review and approval by the CFR New Initiatives Team may be granted to develop a substantial and significant new research proposal in support of the College research or teaching mission. Proposals that engage colleagues from other units, develop new funding sources for the PI, and/or pursue exciting developments at the cutting edge of disciplinary interest will receive particular consideration.

4. Temporary instructional buyout. A faculty member may elect to reduce his/her classroom load by transferring part of his/her salary to a research budget, self-sustaining instructional budget, or by taking leave without pay (see below). In the first two instances, the rate is a maximum of 25% on state funds of annual compensation per course relinquished, up to two courses per year.

5. Sabbatical. A faculty member on sabbatical for one quarter at 100% FTE compensation is relieved of one course in the annual course load of three. A faculty member on leave for two quarters at 75% is relieved of two courses out of the three. A faculty member splitting a two or three quarter sabbatical at reduced compensation over two or more years will negotiate the annual teaching load with the chair.

6. Leave Without Pay. A faculty member may apply to go on leave without pay for up to two consecutive years. If the faculty member negotiates a certain level of instructional responsibilities with the chair, to take place during the LWO period, the faculty member may be eligible for 5% salary during the leave quarters. Depending on the level of state funds available and the actions necessary to cover the faculty member's teaching responsibility, it may not be possible to pay the 5% from state funds in which case the request may be denied or the faculty member may, if the workload is appropriate, pay him or herself out of research funds.

7. No combination of options 2 through 5 shall result in less than a 50% appointment in any quarter.

8. The A/B Salary Model. This model is under development and will be distributed for review when available

All of the above items are preliminary suggestions that require careful thought and deliberation prior to adoption and implementation. I ask that all faculty, chairs and the EFC submit their views and suggestions in writing so that this conversation can be as productive as possible. Please share your views with each other. Written comments should be directed to me by March 15, 2003. Thank you.

B. Bruce Bare, Dean


To Return to:Prof Bare's Page, Dean's Office, College of Forest Resources