Faculty Release Time for Educational Activities

Faculty who are in tenure track positions and who seek to develop a new area of expertise to meet the academic goals of the college/school to offer different or new courses of study to meet changing needs and directions, may be given a reduced teaching assignment which may necessitate the hiring of an adjunct faculty to fulfill part of the normal teaching assignment or the reassignment of existing faculty. If such arrangements are made, the following factors will be taken into account.

The educational program being attended must be for the purpose of developing a new area of expertise that has been determined to be needed to meet the goals of the college/school and is subject to approval of the dean. Release time is not permitted to pursue education that meets basic job requirements (such as doctoral education).

The faculty member must be in a tenure track position and must have been on the faculty for a minimum of two years.

The faculty member must make a commitment to remain at TWU for one year for each semester in which an adjunct faculty is hired to fulfill part of that individual's normal teaching load or other faculty assigned to pick up additional courses. Normally, faculty release time may be no greater than one half the normal teaching load.

The teaching assignment is to be negotiated with the assistant dean/department chair. In making a decision, the assistant dean/department chair will consider the impact of the individual's absence on the current program.

This arrangement can be made only when there are adequate funds available to cover the cost of the adjunct faculty or reassignment of teaching responsibilities among current faculty is possible.

APPROVED: 6/94