3120 - Faculty Obligations During Period of Appointment

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Last updated: July 1, 2024

CONTENTS:

A. PURPOSE. This policy sets forth the obligations of faculty during their periods of appointment.

B. SCOPE. This policy applies to all faculty at the University of Idaho.

C. PERIODS OF APPOINTMENT. Professional academic personnel are regularly appointed for service either (1) during the academic year (in this context, the "academic year" encompasses the nine full months ending the day after the close of the spring semester) or (2) for the fiscal year beginning on July 1. Faculty salaries are detailed in FSH 3420.

D. SERVICE OBLIGATION

D-1. Service and faculty workloads. Assignments of duties to academic personnel are made by college deans (FSH 1420 D) and departmental administrators (FSH 1420 E) in such a way that the schedule of course offerings will permit each student to complete their curriculum in the time prescribed in the catalog and so that the research and service functions of the college and department can be carried out. Full‑time appointments assume full‑time service, but faculty members may engage in outside consulting as provided in FSH 3260.

D‑2. Academic‑year appointments (see FSH 3710 B-1.c). Academic‑year appointees are liable for duty assignments and are accountable for their service to UI throughout the nine‑month period specified in A. This period normally begins before the official opening of the fall semester and before the date that is set by the appointee's dean for mandatory return to on‑campus duty. These employees may, alternatively, be permitted to account for service during some mutually agreed different, but equivalent, period (i.e., to engage in research, prepare for classes, advise students, participate in new student orientation, or perform similar academic functions). The work period for academic year appointments falls within 19.5 bi-weekly pay periods and faculty with this type of appointment will be compensated over 20 bi-weekly pay periods.

D‑3. Fiscal year appointments (see FSH 3710 B-1.b). Fiscal year appointees are obligated to perform services for UI throughout the year. Taking eligibility for vacation leave into account, this amounts to approximately 11 months of service each year.

D‑4. Summer session obligations for faculty with academic year appointments

a. In general. Summer and other off-contract activities are not required for University of Idaho faculty. With or without additional compensation, agreeing to perform any duties outside of the normal academic calendar is entirely optional and at the discretion of each individual faculty. Faculty should consult with their associated advisory committees on efforts related to expectations under FSH 3500 but are not required to use off-contract time to meet those expectations. Regardless of whether a summer appointment exists, academic year faculty retain access to essential University services such as email, access to their respective offices, and, where applicable, access to research facilities, outside the normal academic calendar.

b. Changes in academic policy and procedure. Administrators should, if possible, avoid using the time outside of the contract term for academic-year faculty to engage in decision making processes that significantly affect faculty and in which academic-year faculty would normally participate if the processes occurred during the academic year. Administrators should use forethought and sensitivity in asking faculty to devote any time outside of their contract terms for institutional outreach and service, whether compensated or not. They should be especially mindful of actual or perceived imbalances of power between them and faculty members arising from the latter’s degree of job security, time at the University, tenure or non-tenure status, or belonging to any group protected by the University’s anti-discrimination policies.

c. Summer session teaching obligations for academic year appointments

1. Summer session teaching appointments. Full‑time summer appointments generally call for a basic teaching load of six or seven credits during eight weeks of service. These summer appointments are entirely optional. If the basic teaching load is less than six credits or requires less than eight weeks of service, the summer salary may be prorated accordingly. In addition to the basic teaching load of six or seven credits, faculty load may be increased by the assignment of students registered for research and thesis, directed study, etc.

2. Selection of summer session teaching faculty. The selection of faculty members to teach during summer session is based on program needs. In some cases it may be desirable to appoint temporary faculty instead of resident faculty members.

3. Timeline for summer session teaching appointments. Summer appointments are made as soon as practicable following final development of the summer program. This generally means that a faculty member may be approached by the departmental administrator or dean as early as the preceding September to ascertain the faculty member's interest in teaching during the following summer session. The plan for the summer program is generally completed by February 1, and recommendations for summer appointments are normally submitted to the president in March or April.

d. Summer session non-teaching appointments for academic-year faculty

1. Faculty working on non-teaching duties such as unit, college, or university committee assignments, recruitment initiatives, outreach, extension, administration, sponsored projects, etc., are eligible to receive a contract for the outside-of-contract period if the work is above .125 FTE in a pay period.

2. Additional responsibilities and assignments of a more permanent nature may be considered justification for adjustment of the employee’s contracted salary or responsibilities during the academic year, rather than justification for supplemental compensation.

Version History

Amended July 2024. Description pending.

Amended 2020. Moved 3240 Section A: Faculty Workloads, which was already cross-referenced with 3120 B, to that section, which also necessitated some renumbering within that section.

Amended January 2012. Editorial changes.

Amended July 2002. Section C was removed with approval of new language in 3480.

Amended July 2000. Editorial changes.

Adopted July 1979.