Faculty Workload

1. Purpose

The mission of East Carolina University (ECU) is to be a national model in student success, public service, and regional transformation. As the heart of our institution, our faculty contribute to this mission through an array of work activities. At East Carolina University this work, while widely varied, generally falls into the categories of teaching, research/creative activity, service, and patient care and related duties.

The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for the institution and constituent units to define faculty workloads in a way that is comprehensive, transparent, accountable, equitable, and in compliance with the Policy on Faculty Workload, The UNC Policy Manual 400.3.4, and its implementing regulation 400.3.4[R]. This policy establishes the general standards for ordinary percentages for ECU faculty workload in the areas of teaching, research/creative activity, and service, for each academic unit and for each faculty appointment type in a manner consistent with ECU’s mission and the needs of the academic unit. In addition, this policy directs that personnel developing and reviewing faculty workload plans receive annual training aligned with UNC System Office guidance, as directed by the Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

2. Scope and Definitions

• 2.1 Employees covered under this regulation are faculty appointed to carry out responsibilities such as instruction, research/creative activity, service, patient care and related clinical responsibilities, and/or administrative duties. This policy applies to all faculty, including tenured, tenure-track, and fixed-term faculty.
  
  Tenure track faculty members and full-time faculty members who are appointed for longer than one year must have an annual workload plan. One year, as used in this policy, equates to 9 months for 9-month faculty and 12months for 12-month faculty. A fixed term faculty member with consecutive one year contracts must have an annual workload plan after the conclusion of the first one year contract.
  For faculty members who are appointed for one year or less, or who are less than full-time, workload plans are ordinarily not required, but a workplan may be implemented at the discretion of the appropriate administrator. Faculty with a joint appointment with an administrative role must also have a workload plan.
• 2.2. Contract Period – For 9-month faculty the contract period is typically August 16 through May 15. For 12- month faculty the contract period is typically July 1 through June 30. The specific dates for individual employees are based on the actual employment contracts.
• 2.3. Faculty Workload – the entirety of a faculty member’s duties for the relevant period. This may include teaching, research/creative activity, patient care and related clinical responsibilities, service, and other duties as assigned.
• 2.4. Full Time Equivalent (FTE) means a workload that represents a full-time effort. A teaching load of 24 credit hours (or contact hour equivalents per academic year), along with other routinely expected duties, generally constitutes a full workload and a 1.0 FTE appointment.
• 2.5. Relevant Period – academic year (9-month or 12-month), contract period, or timeframe for special duties formally or informally assigned.
• 2.6. The academic unit – the academic department, professional school, or coded unit.
• 2.7. The unit administrator – department chair or director.
• 2.8. Course Reduction – a reduction in the instructional load to allow time for work on non-instructional activities.
• 2.9. Overload – a workload assignment that exceeds 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE).
• 2.10. Faculty Scholarly Reassignment – an approved reassignment for a defined period of time in order for a faculty member to pursue a project involving research or creative activity as addressed in UNC Policy 300.2.6 [G]
• 2.11. Teaching – Consistent with N.C.G.S. 116-1(b), teaching and instruction are the central responsibilities of the UNC System and form a critical base of workload expectations for faculty. In addition to organized courses, the faculty member’s instructional workload also includes but is not limited to, other instructional efforts such as developing materials for a new course, updating materials for an existing course, weekly course preparation activities, developing courseware or other materials for technology-based instruction, supervising undergraduate research and masters’ theses and doctoral dissertations, directing students in co-curricular activities such as plays, preparing and equipping new laboratories, supervision of teaching assistants, supervision of internships, academic advising, mentoring, and other activities that support student success. In the clinical setting, teaching may also include supervising students performing clinical care, providing Grand Rounds presentations and other relevant clinical teaching duties.
• 2.12. Research/Creative Activity — Faculty members engage in the work of discovering, disseminating, and applying knowledge and professional expertise. These activities may include but are not limited to working in laboratories, studios, clinical or community settings, conducting empirical and/or theoretical research, engaging in development or translational work, and/or producing creative works. Toward that end, faculty write articles, books, monographs, and grant proposals, write patents, develop intellectual property, edit scholarly journals and books, prepare juried art exhibits, direct centers and institutes, or perform in plays, concerts, or musical recitals. These research/creative activities have significant implications for teaching. They enable faculty members to design course materials that reflect their respective fields’ state-of-the-art and cutting-edge knowledge.
• 2.13. Service — As a public university, ECU provides substantial benefits to the people and State of North Carolina. Faculty members engage in service that advances the work of the institution and the institution’s role in supporting North Carolina. Service work of faculty may include activities which enhance the scholarly life of the university or the discipline, improve the quality of life or society, or promote the general welfare of the institution, professional and academic societies, the community, the state, the nation, or international community. Faculty members may also be assigned administrative responsibilities, including but not limited to, department chair/head, program director, and center director.
• 2.14. Patient Care and Related Clinical Responsibilities – Refers to the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of physical and mental well-being through services offered by licensed healthcare professionals (Health and Human Rights Resource Guide) conducted on behalf of ECU. At ECU, these duties will be further defined by applicable Unit Codes and Department guidelines but include activities related to direct patient care.

3. Faculty Annual Work Plan

• 3.1 All University faculty workload plans must comply with the following minimum requirements:
  • 3.1.1. Account for 1.0 FTE by assigning duties to teaching, research/creative activity, patient care and related clinical responsibilities (if applicable), and service on a percentage basis totaling 100%;
  • 3.1.2 Include the specific outputs and efforts a faculty member is planning to complete in the next academic year, with a clear linkage towards long-term evaluation (e.g., reappointment, promotion, tenure, post-tenure review); and
  • 3.1.3 Offer options for both 9- and 12-month periods, as appropriate, to accommodate different employment arrangements.
    Each coded academic unit must have written criteria that: (1) establish ordinary percentages for faculty workload in teaching, research/creative activity, patient care and related clinical responsibilities (if applicable), and service for each faculty appointment type which together constitute the 1.0 FTE in a manner consistent with the missions of ECU and the academic unit; and (2) identify with reasonable particularity guidelines under which deviations in the ordinary percentages of a given academic unit may be approved.
• 3.2 Faculty with appointments in more than one department
  For faculty with appointments in more than one department, the Department Chair (or Dean as appropriate) of the department where the faculty member has their primary appointment is responsible for planning the faculty member’s workload; however, the workload planning shall be made in consultation with the heads of the other appointing units.

4. Workload Ordinary Percentages

• 4.1 As provided by UNC Policy 400.3.4, teaching and instruction are the central responsibilities of the UNC System and form a critical base of workload expectations for faculty; therefore, while neither teaching nor service nor research nor patient care and related clinical responsibilities is the sole measure of a faculty member’s competence and contribution, teaching should be the first consideration.
• 4.2. The coded academic units will establish ordinary faculty workload percentages for each faculty appointment type based on disciplinary standards, accreditation requirements, student success, financial implications, productivity criteria, the missions and strategic plan of the university and the academic unit.
• 4.3. The duties that commonly constitute a full-time faculty member’s workload fall under the areas of instruction, research/creative activity, service, patient care and related clinical responsibilities, community engagement and/or administration which together constitute 1.0 FTE.
• 4.4. In general, ordinary percentages for full-time faculty shall be within the following ranges:
  • teaching range from 20% to 80%.
  • research/creative activity range from 20% to 80%.
  • patient care and related clinical responsibilities range from 20% to 80%.
  • service range from 5% to 30%.
• Teaching expectations for full-time fixed term faculty should be specified in the faculty member’s contract. Assigned percentages, when added together, must total 100%. In no case, however, shall service (exclusive of administrative duties) be weighed more heavily than either teaching, research/creative activity, or patient care and related clinical responsibilities (if applicable).

5. General Guidelines for Deviations in Ordinary Percentages

• 5.1 As teaching and instruction are the primary mission of the constituent institutions, teaching shall serve as the first component of determining faculty workload expectations. In general, a teaching load of 24 credit hours (or contact hour equivalents per academic year), along with routinely expected faculty duties such as advising, committee work, and professional development together constitute a full workload and a 1.0 FTE appointment. Faculty members holding additional responsibilities for research/creative activity and service, and/or patient care and related clinical responsibilities as identified in their annual work plan can have their teaching workload adjusted on a commensurate basis.
• 5.2 Differential teaching loads may be authorized in accordance with unit guidelines in recognition of differing individual circumstances including but not limited to student success considerations, course level (bachelors, master’s, doctoral), course/curriculum development, class size, course pedagogies, programmatic accreditation requirements, team-taught courses, co-curricular activities, research/creative activity, patient care and related responsibilities, time bought out by grants, significant administrative or service assignments, significant advising responsibilities, or other activities aligned with the missions of the unit and institution and critical to student success as provided for in this policy and identified in the faculty member’s work plans.
• 5.3 Other Special Considerations
  • 5.3.1. ECU limits a faculty member to teaching no more than three (3) undergraduate independent study sections in a semester or summer session without written approval from dean.
  • 5.3.2. A faculty member who is granted a course reduction may not receive an instructional overload assignment for additional compensation without approval from the dean and the provost.
  • 5.3.3. ECU Supplemental Pay for EHRA Employees Policy provides authority for overload compensation, if applicable.
  • 5.3.4. Administrators shall adhere to guidelines established for 100% Faculty Scholarly Reassignments as provided by ECU’s Faculty Scholarly Reassignment Regulation.

6. Workload Training Processes

• 6.1. Training for all personnel who develop and review faculty annual workload plans shall be offered annually.
• 6.2. The Provost shall ensure that all new personnel receive this training before workload plans are developed and/or reviewed.
• 6.3. The training will be aligned with guidance provided by the System Office.
• 6.4. A copy of this policy should be made available to all existing faculty and candidates.

7. Annual Reporting Requirements

• 7.1. At the end of the academic year, each academic unit will generate a report which will identify:
  • 7.1.1 percentage of faculty efforts across the following categories: teaching, research/creative activity, service, and patient care and related clinical activities (if applicable). Taken together, the percentages must total one-hundred.
  • 7.1.2 number of organized course sections taught, student credit hours produced, and faculty contact hours;
  • 7.1.3. measures of research/creative activity, service, and/or patient care and related clinical activities according to the mission, strategic plan and goals of the university, college/school, and academic unit;
  • 7.1.4 information regarding the process by which the unit implemented the provisions of the policy and evaluated individual faculty workloads relative to the standards therein; and
  • 7.1.5 additional quantitative or qualitative information that provides context for faculty impact and productivity in the various realms of faculty workload in accordance with the ECU’s mission.
• 7.2 The Board of Trustees will approve the report by September 30th following the academic year. After being accepted by the Board of Trustees, ECU will submit its annual report to the System Office President by October 15th following the academic year.

8. Effective Date

This policy shall be effective with the 2024-2025 academic year.