Provost

3.12 Workload and Compensation

Expectations regarding teaching, research/scholarship, and service workloads are noted below. Refer to each academic college for specific workload standards.

3.12.1 Teaching Workload Expectation

The teaching workload expectation for tenured and tenure-track faculty, as well as lecturers, senior lecturers, teaching faculty, and clinical faculty, is 12 semester hours of course instruction or its equivalent (e.g., advising students, directing independent studies and theses, and developing curriculum). Colleges are responsible for providing more specific guidance for meeting these expectations. This standard may be modified only with the dean’s approval; however, each faculty member paid full time from the appropriations item "Faculty Salaries" shall report no less than nine hours of course instruction or its equivalent each semester.

Tenured and tenure-track faculty who are meeting research expectations, though, will be released from one three-credit hour or three-contact hours course, and assigned a nine-hour semester load. Research expectations can vary by college, and even by discipline, and thus each college is responsible for providing more specific guidance regarding these expectations.

The college shall maintain credit generation at the existing or expected level or above, based on expected teaching loads for each full-time faculty member.

3.12.1.1 Minimum Course Enrollments

Classes may be cancelled if they do not meet the State funding formula of ten undergraduate students or five graduate students. However, at UHV the class size expectation will be decided annually by the provost based on institutional necessity and financial considerations. Minimum class size will be communicated to the deans and shared with the faculty. The provost decides exceptions, based on a recommendation by the dean.

3.12.1.2 Overload Teaching

Tenured and tenure-track faculty who typically are granted a course load reduction (from twelve credit hours per semester to nine), and who are meeting research expectations (as defined by each college), will receive overload pay when teaching an additional course.

Lecturers, senior lecturers, teaching faculty, and clinical faculty who teach an additional course(s) shall also receive overload pay.

For tenured and tenure-track faculty, an overload is considered to be an infrequent and temporary recourse, and typically shall not exceed one three-credit hours or three-contact hours course, or the equivalent, per semester. This restriction though does not apply to lecturers, senior lecturers, teaching faculty, and clinical faculty. Tenured and tenure-track faculty, lecturers, senior lecturers, teaching faculty, and clinical faculty shall be paid at a rate of 1/12 of the faculty member's nine-month base salary, up to a maximum of $6000, for each overload class.

3.12.1.3 Summer Scheduling and Compensation

Expectations for summer school scheduling and compensation are subject to change in accordance with university, UH System, or state mandates; the availability of funds; and curricular needs. Faculty members are not obligated to accept summer teaching assignments, and the university is not obligated to make them available.

If available, summer teaching rates for full-time faculty members are currently set at one-twelfth of the member's nine-month base salary for each three-credit summer course that meets minimum enrollment standards. Based on availability of funds, two courses are considered a normal summer teaching load. The third course will be paid at adjunct rates. Faculty members on modified contracts are paid in accordance with their contracts.

Most faculty members can anticipate at least limited summer teaching opportunities, depending on enrollment demand in their field, but summer teaching assignments are not guaranteed and are subject to cancellation.

Faculty employed during the summer are not eligible for summer release time, and they are expected to maintain service and research obligations during the summer.

3.12.1.4 Faculty Availability

All full-time faculty shall be available for university activities during the academic year. Services shall include, but are not limited to, committee meetings, faculty meetings, student advising meetings, commencement attendance at least once per year, and meetings with UHV administrators. Faculty are expected to be available one week prior to the start of each semester.

3.12.1.5 Academic Advising

Each college shall establish a procedure for advising both new and continuing students at regular intervals and at designated times during the academic year. Although all faculty members may not always be directly involved in the advising of students, it is the responsibility of all faculty members to know the rules and regulations applying to the admission, enrollment, and degree requirements. The appropriate college administers and coordinates all advising assignments and activities.

3.12.1.6 Office Hours

Faculty members shall maintain regular face-to-face or virtual office hours when students, staff, or colleagues may contact them. Although office hours may vary depending upon the nature of the individual's assignment and upon the number of student advisees, the following expectations apply to all full-time, part-time, and adjunct faculty:

1. Faculty shall schedule and maintain a minimum of one office hour per week, per course, at times convenient to students and be available by appointment.
2. Faculty shall post office hours on or near the faculty office door and in syllabi. Faculty are required to notify the college dean’s or department chair’s office of office hours.
3. When office hours cannot be kept as scheduled or must be changed, college administrative assistants shall be informed, and notices shall be posted in the on-line class, on the classroom door, or near the faculty office door.
4. Faculty will indicate in the course syllabus the expected time frame for responding to online student inquiries. When unusual circumstances prevent regular access, faculty will post this information in the online course(s) affected.

3.12.1.7 Faculty Load Monitoring and Reporting

The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness is designated as responsible for monitoring individual faculty workloads and preparing an annual faculty workload report. This report is reviewed and approved by the Provost in preparation for submission to the UH System Board of Regents by the UH System Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

3.12.2 Research/Scholarship Workload Standard

Research/scholarship activities include the work done by faculty members outside the classroom. All faculty members at UHV are expected to participate in scholarly activities, such as, engaging in the design and implementation of new studies and publication of results, grant proposal submission, contributions to knowledge in their professional fields, or creative activities that are closely connected and appropriate to their disciplines.

3.12.3 Service Workload Standard

Faculty members are expected to participate in service to the college, university, profession, and the community. Service may contribute to teaching or scholarly activities. Examples of service activities include participation in program development and assessment, service to students and student organizations, service to professional societies, and service to the greater community.

3.12.4 Salary and Method of Payment

Appointments of full-time faculty are based on nine months of teaching. All full-time faculty have the option of being paid in nine or 12 equal monthly payments; this option shall be exercised at the beginning of each fiscal year, and the election of either option is irrevocable for that fiscal year. Employees on grants shall comply with the expiration date for the fiscal year.

Full-time faculty members employed during the summer are paid on a per-semester credit-hour basis. Salaries for summer teaching are based on the salary rates of the previous academic year.

3.12.5 Salary Supplementation from Research Funds or External Grants

Faculty members whose compensation includes funds from external grants administered by the university shall not exceed 100% of their annualized salary. This provision includes compensation for assisting grant projects directed by other UHV employees, unless under justifiable circumstances as allowed by the grantor and approved by the dean or supervising administrator. Faculty members are free to serve as paid consultants or evaluators, as well as in other capacities, on grant projects administered by other institutions, so long as they comply with Board of Regents' policies governing conflicts of interest, disclosures, and external compensation. 

3.12.6 Conflicts of Interest

Failure of any employee to comply with the foregoing shall constitute grounds for discharge or other disciplinary action. (05/17/07). See UHV Policy E-07 for guidance in related party disclosures.

This section is taken directly from the UH System Board of Regents Policies, Section VI, 57.08: Conflicts of Interest.

All members of the board and employees of the system and its component institutions shall adhere to and be furnished a copy of the Statutory Standards of Conduct for State Employees, Section 572.051, Texas Government Code, and shall avoid conflicts of interest, generally described as the use of one's university employment or position to
obtain unauthorized privileges, benefits, or things of value for oneself or others, including the following:

57.08.1 No board member or employee shall solicit, engage, or agree to accept any privilege, benefit or thing of value for the exercise of his or her discretion, influence, or powers as an employee or regent, except as is allowed by law.

57.08.2 No board member or employee shall accept any privilege, benefit, or thing of value that might influence him or her in the discharge of his or her duties as an employee or regent.

57.08.3 No board member or employee shall use his or her position to secure special privileges or exemptions for himself or herself or others, except as is allowed by law.

57.08.4 No board member or employee may be an officer, agent, employee, or member of, or own an interest in a professional activity that foreseeably might require or induce him or her to disclose confidential information acquired by reason of his or her system position.

57.08.5 No board member or employee shall accept employment or engage in any business or professional activity that foreseeably might require or induce him or her to disclose confidential information acquired by reason of his or her system position.

57.08.6 No board member or employee shall disclose confidential information gained by reason of his or her system position, nor shall he or she otherwise use such information for his or her personal gain or benefit.

57.08.7 No board member or employee shall transact any business for the system with any entity of which he or she is an officer, agent, employee, or member, or in which he or she owns a significant interest.

57.08.8 No board member or employee shall make personal investments in any enterprise that foreseeably might create a substantial conflict between his or her private interests and the system's interests.

57.08.9 No board member or employee shall accept other employment that might impair his or her independence of judgment in the performance of his or her system duties.

57.08.10 No board member or employee shall receive any compensation for his or her services to the system from any source other than the State of Texas except as is allowed by law.

57.08.11 No board member or employee who exercises discretion in connection with contracts, purchases, payments, claims, or other pecuniary transactions shall solicit, accept, or agree to accept any benefit from a person or entity the employee knows or should know is or is likely to become financially interested in such transactions.

Failure of any employee to comply with the foregoing shall constitute grounds for discharge or other disciplinary action. (05/17/07)

3.12.7 Consulting and Paid Professional Service

This section is taken directly from the UH-System Board of Regents Policies, Section VI, 57.02, Consulting and Paid Professional Service.

Full-time members of the faculty and professional or administrative staff may engage in external consultation or other paid professional services, provided such activities benefit the system and contribute to the professional development of the individual. This privilege is subject in all instances to the conditions set forth below. Failure to comply with this policy may subject an employee to disciplinary action including reprimand, suspension, or termination.

57.02.1 The first responsibility of the individual is to the system, and outside professional commitments should not interfere with the person's full-time responsibility to the system.

57.02.2 No outside obligation should result in any conflict of interest involving the individual's responsibilities to the system or to its programs, policies, and objectives. Consulting and other professional agreements that represent actual or potential conflicts of interest must be avoided.

57.02.3 Use of system facilities, space, equipment, or support staff for consulting or other paid professional activities is permitted only if a financial arrangement has been concluded between the individual and the administration prior to the employee's beginning the outside consulting or other paid professional service.

57.02.4 Individuals may not represent themselves as acting in the capacity of system employees when conducting consulting or other paid professional activities. The system bears no responsibility for any actual or implied obligations or liabilities incurred by the individual resulting from a consulting or other paid professional agreement or activity.

57.02.5 Faculty who wish to arrange consulting or other paid professional activities must provide prior written notification to their dean. Review by their dean of such activities will include consideration of any real or apparent conflict of interest and the benefit of the proposed service to the system and the component university. Each faculty member who engages in consulting or other paid professional service, including teaching on a temporary basis at other institutions, must ensure that such activities do not require commitments of time averaging more than one day per calendar week, and must arrange such activities so as not to interfere with regularly scheduled classes.

57.02.6 Professional or administrative staff who wish to arrange consulting or other paid professional activities must obtain prior written approval from the appropriate supervisor. While consulting is a recognized aspect of faculty activities with the limitations noted in this document, consulting by professional or administrative staff must be justified on an individual basis by clear and direct benefit to the system.

57.02.7 When any of an individual's salary is paid from funds for externally sponsored activities, the time allowable for consultation or other paid professional activities must comply with sponsor requirements.

Unpaid public service is not included in this policy, nor are occasional lectures that include fees, unless these activities require significant amounts of time or otherwise conflict with regular system obligations.

Each president and the chancellor will establish a process for monitoring outside paid professional activities of their faculty and staff in order to ensure that such activities are consistent with the above policy and also serve system purposes. The chancellor will report to the board annually on such activities. (05/17/07)

3.12.7.1 Outside Teaching

According to the policy of the UH Board of Regents Policy, outside employment for pay must be disclosed; must not interfere or conflict with university duties; must be in some measure beneficial to the university; and must be limited to no more than an average of one day a week.

In the case of UHV faculty carrying a standard four-course load, teaching a course “on a temporary basis” for another institution for pay is allowable. As the Board’s language indicates, such teaching is expected to be occasional rather than continuing and to be in some measure beneficial to faculty development and to the university.

However, as stated in Section 3.11.1.2, faculty carrying a reduced teaching load with time reassigned for the purpose of research may not teach courses for pay at other institutions. In justifiable cases with the consent of both institutions, a UHV faculty member may teach a course at another institution as part of the member’s regular teaching load without additional compensation.

Other forms of outside employment for pay are not prohibited so long as they conform to Board policy. The difference is that teaching is the basic faculty duty and that time reassigned for research purposes represents specifically a reduction in teaching load, not in any other duties assigned or expected, and it does not serve the university’s interest to reduce a faculty member’s teaching load to provide time for research only to have the member add a course for pay at another institution.

3.12.8 Notification Forms

UHV’s Annual Notification and Approval for Outside Consulting or Other Employment Form is available upon request from the Office of the Provost.  A reminder email is sent to all faculty from the Office of the Provost in September of each academic year.  Failure to submit the Annual Notification and Approval for Outside Consulting or Other Employment form and/or providing incomplete or inaccurate information may result in disciplinary action.