Introduction

General Policy Statement

The distribution of workload assignments for a tenure-track academic faculty member will be determined in accordance with the mission and priorities of the University and the goals and needs of that faculty member’s governing Unit. All workload assignments shall be consistent with the UNLV Workload Assignment Policy and Guidelines, the applicable sections of the Board of Regents’ Handbook, and the bylaws of the University, as well as the bylaws of the faculty member’s governing Units. Each faculty member’s workload will be distributed over an agreed-upon allocation of activity in the areas of teaching, research or creative activity, and service. It is the responsibility of all faculty members to be engaged in the pursuit of excellence in generating, transmitting, applying, and preserving knowledge.

The standard University instructional requirement for all full-time, tenure-track faculty is three (3) courses per semester (one course equals three credits). Some Units may define workload assignments in terms of contact hours rather than credit hours. The specific formula based on contact hours must be specified in the applicable governing Workload Policy(ies). The nature of academic work dictates against a standardized definition of work in terms of hours (e.g., 40-hour work week).

Faculty in the Schools of Dental Medicine and Law shall be exempted from the standard University instructional requirement of three (3) courses per semester (one course equals three credits) in accordance with the Board of Regents’ Faculty Workload Guidelines (see Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 3). It is recognized that the unique nature of the teaching programs in the professional schools does not fit into these standardized credit-hour guidelines. The Workload Policies for these schools shall parallel the University Workload Policy and Guidelines, differing where appropriate and justified.

In recognition of the fact that there is a great diversity among Units as to the specific nature of their work, the UNLV Workload Assignment Policy and Guidelines is intended to provide the basic principles on which faculty workload assignment and distribution decisions are based. Each Unit shall develop a Workload Policy consistent with these guidelines; except for Departments, Schools, Programs, or equivalent Units that choose to defer in writing to their governing Unit’s Workload Policy (i.e., College, Division, or equivalent Unit). All Workload Policies for Colleges, Divisions, or equivalent-level Units must be approved by the Executive Vice President and Provost and the President of the University. All Departments, Schools, Programs, or equivalent Units’ Workload Policies or deferrals must be approved by its Dean, Vice Provost, or School Director. Copies of all workload policies will be kept on file in the Executive Vice President and Provost’s Office. These policies will be accessible to members of the President’s Office at all times.

The workload policy guidelines below shall apply to full-time, academic tenure-track faculty, with teaching responsibilities. Part-time tenure-track faculty with teaching responsibilities will have workload assignments prorated to the percentage of their appointment. It shall not apply to nontenure-track (Rank 0) appointments, those who have administrative or nonteaching appointments, part-time instructors, or support staff. Nontenure-track (Rank 0) employees with teaching responsibilities generally will teach four courses per semester. Nontenure-track workload assignments, however, may be negotiated to include other responsibilities, such as directing a laboratory, advising, or other duties. The reassignment and other teaching assignment categories may be used to designate the other responsibilities negotiated in the nontenure-track employees’ workload assignments.

Under very limited circumstances, a tenured faculty member may request a four (4) course (one course equals three credits) per semester teaching load in lieu of any requirements for research or creative activity. This is known as a Teaching-Track Assignment. Assignments for teaching-track faculty must be approved by their immediate Supervisor; Dean, Vice Provost, or School Director; and the Executive Vice President and Provost. Annual evaluations will be based solely on teaching and service activities. A return to regular faculty status, and the return to the standard University instructional requirement for all full-time, tenure-track faculty of three (3) courses per semester, can be negotiated at any time.

Faculty Responsibilities Related to Policies and Guidelines

See UNLV Bylaws, Chapter 3, Sections 2.4 and 5.1.

It is understood that all faculty members will fulfill their individual obligations as detailed in the UNLV Bylaws and all other applicable governing documents.

Basic Principles of UNLV Workload Assignment Policy and Guidelines

Seminal activities to the Mission of the University (see Section V) are teaching; research; artistic, creative, cultural exhibition, and performance activities; advising; administrative and governance service; professional development; maintaining currency in academic discipline; public, professional, and institutional service; developing curriculum and other instructional enhancements; and resource procurement. Any of these would serve as justification for requesting and/or being assigned workload reassignments and/or other teaching assignments.

All workload assignments must be consistent with the standard University instructional requirements; and the applicable workload guidelines, procedures, and policies at all required governing levels. In addition, all reassignments and other teaching assignments must be requested and/or assigned, documented, and approved each semester as outlined in this document, with the respective bylaws and Workload Policy(ies) governing each faculty member detailing the specific requirements. These requests and/or assignments will be documented and approved when the schedules are finalized each semester. Reassignments and other teaching assignments are made on a case-by-case basis, and are not automatic. Faculty can expect that the inability to complete proposed activities may result in denial of future requests, or cancellation of reassignments and or other teaching assignments that may have been pre-approved.

Summer assignments are not considered part of the academic year workload assignments for a B-contract faculty member. A faculty member who assumes additional teaching, advising, or other responsibilities during the summer may be compensated by means of a Letter of Appointment (LOA) for an agreed-upon amount, a supplemented contract, or in exceptional circumstances request reassignment during the academic year. Faculty members may request to do additional work in the summer for no additional remuneration, and request that these additional summer assignments offset their fall or spring semester workload assignments in exceptional circumstances depending upon the curricular needs of the students. This would include those faculty members who teach in alternative summer semester programs. These requests must be approved in advance by the faculty member’s Supervisor; Dean, Vice Provost, or School Director; and the Executive Vice President and Provost.

Teaching assignments will not be reduced to zero over an academic year except in the case of sabbatical leave, professional development leave, research buy-out, fellowship leave (e.g., Fulbright), temporary assignment to a major university position (e.g., Interim Dean, Assistant to the President), or other approved assignments. Any assignments, reassignments, and / or other teaching assignments which bring the faculty member’s teaching assignments to zero must be approved in advance by the faculty member’s Supervisor; Dean, Vice Provost, or School Director; and Executive Vice President and Provost.

A reassignment will not be automatically granted if a faculty member’s course fails to enroll a sufficient number of students as defined by the University. The faculty member may be assigned to teach a course ordinarily taught by a part-time instructor or by a graduate assistant; or, the faculty member may request to teach an overload the following semester without additional compensation or request another type of reassignment. These assignments and/or reassignments must be approved by the faculty member’s Supervisor and their Dean, Vice Provost, or School Director.

Teaching in Interdisciplinary Programs and/or Other Departments, Schools, Programs, Units

A faculty member may teach a classroom, laboratory, or equivalent course for a Unit other than their own; such as Women’s Studies, the Honors Program, or in any other Department, School, Program, or interdisciplinary program; and that course will be considered part of the faculty member’s standard University instructional teaching assignment. The faculty member’s Supervisor must approve this assignment.

Overload

Overload teaching assignments must be approved by the faculty member’s Supervisor and their Dean, Vice Provost, or School Director. Faculty with approved teaching overload assignment contracts must continue to fulfill service and research or creative activity obligations. Faculty may not request overload teaching assignments if they have also requested and been approved for reassignment(s) and/or other teaching assignment(s).

Workload Assignments and Distribution of Responsibilities

Individual workload assignments and distribution of responsibilities will be determined each semester for faculty members in accordance with the mission and priorities of the University, and the goals of that faculty member’s governing Units. All faculty who are governed by the UNLV Workload Assignment Policy and Guidelines must follow the practices and procedures for implementation and record keeping in accordance with the general guidelines of this Policy. The faculty member requesting each reassignment and/or other teaching assignment must complete the required documentation and obtain approval of all administrators, as required, within their reporting structure. Each request for reassignment and/or other teaching assignment must be documented and approved, and meet the policy and reporting policy requirements appropriate to their governing Units. In addition, faculty members will be required to report the results of their reassignment(s) and/or other teaching assignment(s). Faculty can expect that the inability to produce results may result in the denial of future requests and/or the cancellation of reassignments and/or other teaching assignments that may have been pre-approved. All documentation regarding these requests and/or assignments, as well as the results, must be in writing and maintained for purposes of audit by the Unit designated by the University.

Other Teaching Assignments

Teaching, or instructional, assignments approved for academic faculty cannot be defined by only using the framework of standard lecture and laboratory courses. There are many other types of teaching assignments that are considered part of the students’ educational experience. Students are either learning when taught within these other structures, or students will benefit from the faculty member’s involvement in these other teaching assignments. These other teaching assignments include, but are not limited to: laboratory teaching and/or supervision, practicum or clinical teaching and/or supervision, field experience, direction of independent study, supervision of internships/externships, thesis and dissertation supervision, involvement with Doctoral and Master’s programs/students, course and curriculum development, and student advisement. These other types of teaching assignments will be requested and/or assigned each semester, and must be documented and approved in writing as detailed in the respective governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies) and Bylaws. For consideration of credit towards the faculty member’s standard instructional requirements, these other teaching assignments must be approved. They are determined on a case-by-case basis, and are not automatically considered part of the full-time, tenure-track faculty member’s standard University instructional requirement of three (3) courses per semester.

Other Teaching Assignments may be requested and/or assigned for the following activities with the approval of the faculty member’s Supervisor and Dean, Vice Provost, or School Director. The guidelines and the credits to be assigned for each of these will be detailed in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Supervision and/or Teaching of Students in Laboratories, Clinics, Practicums, Internships, Externships, Field Experience, Workshops, Seminars, and/or Other Similar Educational Settings

Other teaching assignment credits may be requested and/or assigned for these responsibilities. The credits approved for these duties would be determined by the number of credit hours and/or required student contact hours as specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Teaching Assignment Offset in Another Semester or Summer Term

Other teaching assignments may be requested and/or assigned for teaching an overload in another semester or in an alternative summer semester program, without additional compensation under exceptional circumstances depending upon the curricular needs of the students. This other teaching assignment would compensate for the additional assignment/overload in another semester. The guidelines for these assignments must be specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies). Such an exchange must be approved by the faculty member’s Supervisor and Dean, Vice Provost, or Director and the Executive Vice President and Provost.

Teaching of Large Sections

Other teaching assignment credits may be requested and/or assigned for teaching large sections. The credits approved for this assignment must be based on a formula established using the class size and/or other variables as determined by the faculty member’s governing Units and detailed in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Doctoral Program Involvement

Other teaching assignment credits may be requested and/or assigned based on the faculty member’s involvement with the Unit’s Doctoral programs. This could include, but not be limited to: development of a new Doctoral Program; working with and/or advising a number of Doctoral students; responsibility for interviewing prospective Doctoral students, evaluating Doctoral-program admission applications; and/or the successful completion of a specified number of dissertations or equivalent projects/documents by a faculty member’s Doctoral students. The faculty member’s role and responsibilities with the Unit’s Doctoral students and/or Doctoral program(s) must be detailed in order to request this other teaching assignment. Guidelines for the approval of these assignments and the credits to be assigned must be specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Master’s/Specialist’s Program Involvement

Other teaching assignment credits may be requested and/or assigned based on the faculty member’s involvement with the Unit’s Master’s/Specialist’s programs. This could include, but not be limited to: development of a new Master’s/Specialist’s Program; working with and/or advising a number of Master’s/Specialist’s students; responsibility for interviewing prospective Master’s/Specialist’s students, evaluating Master’s/Specialist’s-program admission applications; and/or the successful completion of a specified number of theses/equivalent projects by a faculty member’s Master’s/Specialist’s students. The faculty member’s role and responsibilities with the Unit’s Master’s/Specialist’s students and/or Master’s/Specialist’s program(s) must be detailed in order to request this other teaching assignment. Guidelines for the approval of these assignments and the credits to be assigned must be specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Course and Curriculum Development

Other teaching assignment credits may be requested and/or assigned for extensive or unusual demands in the development of new courses or responsibility for the evaluation of and/or the restructuring of a Unit’s curriculum. Guidelines for the approval of these assignments and the credits to be assigned must be specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Innovative Teaching

Other teaching assignment credit may be requested and/or assigned for team teaching, group-based instruction, and other nontraditional approaches to classroom instruction where extra preparation time or a higher than normal rate of student contact hours is required. Guidelines for the approval of these assignments and the credits to be assigned must be specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Independent Study

Other teaching assignment credits may be requested and/or assigned based on a specified number of student credit hours in independent study. Guidelines for the approval of the number of credits for this assignment must be based on a formula (i.e., number of independent study credits equivalent to one [1] credit of classroom lecture credit) established and detailed in the faculty member’s governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Reassignments

These may include, but are not limited to the following: research related to scholarly and creative work in the faculty member’s discipline aimed at specific results (e.g., books, articles, reports, and artistic creations or performances); and/or service to the University community, and/or profession, including research, creative activity, consultation, administration, or other services directed toward the University or professional association to which the faculty member belongs and for which the faculty member is not compensated monetarily.

Reassignments and/or other teaching assignments shall not be requested, assigned, and/or approved for the following:

• Any private, professional services including, but not limited to, consulting, performance/exhibits, expert witness services, contract work, or other employment where there is remuneration over and above the faculty member’s University compensation.
• Community service activity that is not consistent with a faculty member’s area of teaching and/or research or creative activity expertise.
• Instruction, workshop organization, conference planning, curriculum development, clinical work for licensing requirements, and/or creative performance for any program where there is remuneration over and above the faculty member’s University compensation.

Reassignments may be requested and/or assigned each semester, and must be documented and approved in writing as detailed in the faculty member’s respective governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies) and Bylaws. They are determined on a case-by-case basis, and are not automatically considered part of the full-time, tenure-track faculty member’s standard University instructional requirement of three (3) courses per semester. Reassignments may be requested and/or assigned for one or more of the following activities:

Scholarship

Reassignments may be requested and/or assigned for the preparation of articles, books, reports, and other manuscripts for publication, and the preparation of creative performances or exhibits. Guidelines for approving these reassignments must be specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Professional Development Related to Research or Creative Activity and/or Instruction

Reassignments may be requested and/or assigned for the purposes of ordering, installing, and/or testing new laboratory equipment, studio facilities, or instrumentation related to research, creative activities, and/or instruction; preparing a new area of research, creative activity, and/or instruction; and/or enhancing instruction skills or learning new material in order to stay current in the faculty member’s established field. Guidelines for approving these reassignments must be specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Participation in Performance Groups and/or Creative Exhibits

Reassignments may be requested and/or assigned for participation in performance groups (e.g., Sierra Wind Quintet, Mariposa Trio) and/or creative exhibits related to the faculty member’s field. Guidelines for approving these reassignments must be specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Research and Development Related to Proposal Preparation

Reassignment may be requested if a faculty member is preparing a proposal for which the faculty member would be the Project Director. It is not necessary that the proposal be funded during the semester a reassignment is approved, but it should be submitted for review to a funding agency during that semester. Guidelines for approving these reassignments must be specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Research or Creative Activity Supervision/Project Director

Reassignment may be requested if the faculty member is the Principal Investigator, Chief Administrator, or Director/Supervisor of a Creative Activity supported by a grant or contract funded by extramural sources for which the University receives indirect cost remuneration. Whenever possible, compensation must be returned to the University to cover costs of replacing the faculty member with the grant or contract funding. Reassignment would not be approved for summer research. Guidelines for approving these reassignments must be specified in the applicable governing Units’ Workload Policy(ies).

Department Chair, School Director, Program Director, Institute Director, or other administrative assignment

Reassignments may be requested by these faculty members for their administrative duties. Reassignment credits will vary depending on the size/complexity of the Department, School, Program, Institute, or Unit; the number and level of degree programs offered; and/or whether the faculty member has the major responsibility for the administration and supervision of a Facility or Unit. Faculty will negotiate this reassignment with their Supervisors.

Graduate Coordinator/Undergraduate Coordinator

Reassignments may be requested and/or assigned for this category and will vary depending upon the number and level of degree programs offered; if the faculty member has the major advising responsibilities for the Unit’s graduate or undergraduate program(s); the number of students actively enrolled in the program(s); and/or if the faculty member has major advising responsibilities and/or is responsible for scheduling (classes and/or faculty) and curriculum development for the Unit’s graduate or undergraduate program(s). Faculty will negotiate this reassignment with their Supervisors.

Other Administrative Assignments and/or Other Major University or Unit Service

Reassignments may be requested and/or assigned for other administrative assignments/duties (e.g., Director of Internships, Curator, Computer Coordinator); and/or for serving as Chair of a significant committee/task force, serving on multiple committees/task forces (for faculty member’s Unit[s], College/Division, and/or University), serving as Faculty Senate Chair, serving as NCAA representative, or other similar service-intensive positions. Faculty will negotiate this reassignment with their Supervisors.

Service to Profession

These reassignments would include Editor/Associate Editor of a Professional Journal; Convention/Program Chair; Officer of a Professional Association; and/or other comparable service to the faculty member’s profession. Reassignments may be requested if the faculty member has primary responsibility for the review and selection of manuscripts; or if it appears the scope and responsibilities of the journal position warrant reassignment. Reassignments may be requested for service as the Program Chair or local arrangements Chair of a major convention of the discipline; and/or for service as an officer of a regional or national professional association, depending upon the scope and responsibilities of the position. Faculty will negotiate this reassignment with their Supervisor.

Newly Hired Faculty

Newly hired faculty in tenure track-positions, who are not hired with tenure, may negotiate a one-time reassignment of a three-credit course (or its equivalent) during the first three years of employment. The documentation for these requests must detail the purpose using one of the other categories of reassignments and/or other teaching assignments. Faculty will negotiate this reassignment with their Supervisors.

Leave

This category of reassignment is used when a specific type of leave has been approved by the applicable Unit and/or Supervisor (e.g., sabbatical, faculty development, medical).

Private Professional Work, Consulting, and Outside Employment

Private professional work, consulting, outside employment, and other bases of supplemental compensation should not be a factor in workload assessment and determination in any University of Nevada, Las Vegas workload assignments, requests for reassignments, and/or requests for other teaching assignments. Workload reassignments and/or other teaching assignments shall not be requested, assigned, and/or approved for any extra-compensation activities.