3359-20-04. The faculty: personal matters and special instructions

(A) Salary payments.

(1) Salary checks are distributed by the associate vice president/controller on the last banking day of each month. For those regular or full-time auxiliary faculty who desire a twelve months' pay schedule, options are available through the university and selected financial institutions. The associate vice president/controller can provide details. Salary checks for part-time day and evening teaching and summer session teaching are distributed according to a schedule circulated by the associate vice president/controller. Upon request, a faculty member may have the salary check automatically deposited at a selected bank or other financial institution.

(2) Extra compensation earned for overload teaching during the regular semester is included in two installments in the spring semester salary checks.

(B) Salary deductions.

(1) Withholding tax and state and local income tax deductions are made each month as required by law. Each faculty member is required to complete form W4, employee's withholding allowance certificate, and have it filed in the payroll office of the associate vice president/controller so that the proper number of allowances are used. The faculty member should report any changes in allowances by filing a new form W4 in the office of the associate vice president/controller.

(2) All full-time and most part-time faculty or administrators are required by state law to contribute to an appropriate state retirement system. A percentage of a faculty member's salary determined by the state legislature is deducted from the gross salary, picked up by the university, and credited to the faculty member's retirement account. The university's contribution varies from year to year, as required by law, but always exceeds the amount contributed by the member.

(3) The state retirement plans provide for survivor benefits to eligible designated beneficiaries, for an income to a member of the plan who suffers a permanent disability, and for a retirement income in accordance with age and service. A detailed description of benefits is available from the office of benefits administration.

(4) If an individual ceases to be a member of the retirement system-that is, ceases to be employed by a member institution of the plan-all the money contributed individually to the account can be recovered, but not the amount contributed by the university unless the same shall be vested to the individual by law.

(C) Insurance.

The university has established an insurance program for the regular full-time faculty, auxiliary faculty and full-time staff. This includes group life, accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability, and comprehensive medical and dental insurance plans. Complete information concerning the program may be obtained from the office of benefits administration.

(D) Attendance at professional meetings.

(1) The university encourages faculty members to attend such educational or professional meetings related to their fields of work as will benefit both them and the university. To aid faculty members attending these meetings, the university helps to pay their travel expenses, subsistence costs, and special fees. The following instructions are included here so that faculty members can make full use of the financial assistance offered them. Faculty members should also consult the university travel policy.

(2) A faculty member wishing to attend an educational or professional meeting should request approval from the department chair and the dean of the college. The faculty member must provide information concerning the nature of the meeting and an estimate of expenses. The dean, weighing the value of the meeting to the faculty member and to the university, either approves or disapproves the request. Within a reasonable time following the completion of the approved trips, expenses incurred are submitted to the dean for approval. Upon approval of the expense statement, the university reimburses the faculty member to the extent agreed upon when the trip was approved.

(3) Faculty members should note that approval for such travel is necessarily governed by the availability of funds, that they may be limited to one such trip a year, and that they must be employees of the university at the time payment is made. At times the president or the dean may request a faculty member to attend a particular meeting or function. Such trips are considered "official visits," and the university bears the total proper expense of such visits.

(E) Reporting illness or other absences.

If illness forces a faculty member to be absent from duties, the faculty member's department chair and dean should be notified as soon as possible. If a faculty member is to be absent from the university for more than a day, an address should be left with the dean or other appropriate administrative officer.

(F) Attending commencement exercises.

Participation in commencement exercises should be regarded as a professional responsibility of all faculty members.

(G) Attending faculty meetings.

Each college faculty meets at the call of its dean; each department faculty meets at the call of its head; each school faculty meets at the call of its director; and the university faculty meets at the call of the president. All faculty members are expected to attend all meetings of their department, their school, their college, and the university faculty.

(H) Professional responsibilities.

(1) To the students.

(a) In-course grading.

(i) In-course grading procedures and standards shall be clearly formulated by the instructor and these procedures and standards, including class attendance, shall be distributed to the students in writing and be explained to each class at the beginning of the course.

(ii) All work performed by students in the course (including oral participation where appropriate) shall be seriously considered and evaluated; written work should be returned promptly.

(iii) The instructor shall provide opportunities for review of grades in order that students may understand the reasons for particular grades and obtain guidance toward improvement.

(iv) All grades and graded work will be privately distributed to the individual student. Grades cannot be publicly posted. Graded work cannot be publicly disseminated.

(b) Office hours.

(i) Hours shall be reasonable in quantity, time of day, and campus location.

(ii) Hours shall be posted near the instructor's office and listed with the appropriate secretary.

(iii) Provision shall be made for special appointments wherever hardship or difficulty arises.

(iv) Scheduled office hours shall be observed.

(c) Classes.

(i) The instructor shall prepare conscientiously for each class session (including arrangements of teaching aids, guests) etc., whenever applicable.

(ii) The instructor shall meet classes promptly and shall, out of consideration for both students and colleagues, dismiss not later than the scheduled time.

(iii) Whenever any change is anticipated in the scheduled time or place of meeting, the instructor shall provide adequate notice to the class. Where appropriate (e.g., small classes, evening classes which frequently involve considerable travel for some students), some procedure should be established for emergency notice to students.

(iv) The instructor shall provide valid means for course evaluation by students.

(v) The instructor shall strive continuously and conscientiously to improve teaching effectiveness, and to this end should seek counsel and constructive criticism from colleagues.

(d) Tests and examinations.

(i) The instructor shall make clear in advance the areas (lecture, text chapters, other) to be covered on any test or examination.

(ii) The instructor shall, by explicit word and implicit classroom conduct, make clear to students what emphasis the instructor places upon facts or data and what upon synthesis or thought.

(iii) It is the instructor's responsibility to promote high standards of linguistic expression (e.g., spelling, general grammatical and syntactical clarity, organization, and form).

(iv) The instructor must assure before, during, and after tests an atmosphere conducive to the highest standards of honesty.

(e) Counseling and advising.

(i) While the university provides both general and specific counseling services as a discrete function, the instructor will often have more intimate knowledge of the college, department, and field. Such knowledge provides the instructor with unique insights and the instructor has, therefore, a right and an obligation to counsel and advise students within the instructor's area of competence.

(ii) In general, the instructor is obligated to respect each student as a human being, to recognize that the student has both human and civil rights. The instructor is expected to adhere to the university's non discrimination policies including the prohibition against sexual harassment.

(2) To the university and to colleagues.

(a) Records.

(i) The instructor is responsible for maintaining adequate records of student performance in courses as may be required by the university and/or any accrediting authority.

(ii) The instructor is responsible for keeping adequate records of course content and assignments.

(b) The faculty member shall endeavor to maintain and develop awareness and understanding of areas impinging upon the faculty member's field.

(c) The faculty member shall willingly serve on a reasonable number of committees concerned with curricular development and general university governance at departmental, collegiate, and university levels.

(d) The faculty member shall contribute to the continuance and improvement of educational quality within the university through strong and active participation in selection of new faculty, and in decisions on promotion, tenure, and other recognitions of merit.

(e) The faculty member is obligated to promote, by precept and example, a general atmosphere within the university of respect for knowledge, thought and inquiry, even when--indeed especially when--such may be at variance with the faculty member's ideas.

(i) The faculty member respects colleagues and students, without reservation or favor because of age, color, creed, handicap, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, degree or rank, discipline, or political sentiments.

(ii) The faculty member contributes positively to reasonable orderliness within the university community.

(3) To one's discipline.

(a) The faculty member continues growth within the faculty member's field and related areas.

(b) The faculty member shares concepts with others through teaching, creative endeavors, research, and attendance at and participation in professional associations and meetings.

(4) To oneself.

(a) The professional seeks continuously to improve in value as a teacher and as a citizen.

(b) The professional seeks diligently to improve the teaching working environment within the university structure:

(i) By promoting a general atmosphere of intellectual and social growth, and

(ii) By seeking just and equitable compensation, including the concept of released time for professional growth.

(c) The faculty member actively contributes to the education and development of persons and groups outside the university proper, in order to promote improved reciprocal understanding and acceptance of the roles of education, the university itself, the individual discipline, and the profession in American and world society.

Replaces: 3359-20-04

Effective: 1/31/2015
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 3359
Rule Amplifies: 3359
Prior Effective Dates: 11/27/89, 07/20/90, 05/22/91, 09/16/96, 09/11/00, 10/14/01, 12/28/01, 06/25/07