1. COLA Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty Workload Policy

Purpose: The College of Liberal Arts (“College”) is required to establish and maintain a faculty workload policy consistent with HOP 2-2170 and Regent’s Rules 31006 and 31001.

Updated: December 2021

Effective: Starting academic year 2022-23

Click the link to download a PDF of the COLA Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty Workload Policy

Scope: This policy applies to tenured and tenure-track faculty (“Faculty”) who hold primary or joint appointments within the College.

Principles: The College endeavors to hire, promote, and retain faculty who produce meaningful and impactful scholarship and/or creative work, who provide effective and innovative instruction, and who strengthen the programs and services of the University and beyond. Faculty play a fundamental role in advancing an institution of higher education and in fostering student success. The quality and value of a university education are in large part defined by the faculty. The curricula the faculty design, the programs they offer, the learning environment they create, the instructional methods they employ, the research they conduct, the creative works they produce, the service they provide, and their professional engagement with students inside and outside of the classroom, including advising, are important components of the educational experience.

Implementation: The revised policy will go into effect September 1, 2022 and supersedes the Fall 2016 policy.

Expectations and Workload Standards

General

• All Faculty have workload expectations in the areas of teaching and advising; research, scholarship, and/or creative work; and service. Individual efforts within each broad area of teaching, research, and service may vary over time. Departments are expected to monitor and balance Faculty workloads such that Faculty meet individual goals as well as accomplish department and program objectives.

• Sustained and productive scholarly engagement, along with a strong teaching record and service contributions, serve as the basis for promotion and tenure.

• Faculty who achieve tenure are expected to actively engage in scholarly activities to establish a record commensurate with promotion to Professor and to contribute to the leadership and enhanced reputation of the University and to their disciplines at large.

  • Associate Professors are expected to establish a promotable record within twelve years in-rank as Associate Professor.

  • Professors are expected to continue the scholarly trajectory which served as a basis for their promotion, and to mentor and develop the next generation of senior faculty.

Research

• As an R1-designated research university, The University of Texas at Austin (“UT”) expects all tenured and tenure-track faculty to devote a substantial effort to research and scholarly productivity, referred to hereafter as “research-intensive.”

• For faculty in all ranks, research-intensive means demonstrating significant research productivity consistent with the norms and expectations of their discipline, including the regular publication of peer-reviewed articles, book manuscripts, chapters, essays, translations, reviews, and edited pieces and collections, as well as the preparation and presentation of conference papers, public and academic presentations and talks.

Service

• UT expects all faculty to participate in essential university service work, including departmental, college, and university committee service, undergraduate and graduate student supervision, and participation in commencement ceremonies.

• Some faculty hold administrative positions that carry a higher service obligation, referred to hereafter as “service-intensive.” Service-intensive positions include those held by all individuals paid in their administrative titles (e.g., vice provost, dean, associate dean), department chairs, academic program directors, or, with prior approval of the Dean, other college- or university-level administrative positions.*

Teaching

• Faculty are expected to teach and advise students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, to deliver effective classroom instruction, and to help to meet curricular requirements. Faculty are encouraged to offer additional educational enrichment, such as providing opportunities for students to participate in research activities.

• Faculty should obtain peer observations of their teaching on a regular basis. The College recommends at least one per year for Assistant Professors, one every two years for Associate Professors, and one every six years for Professors. Best practice is to have longitudinal observation of teaching so that changes and responses to prior observations can be observed and noted.

Teaching Load Standards

• Faculty who are research-intensive generally carry a 2-2 teaching load (equivalent to a minimum average of 6 contact hours per semester and a maximum average of 9 contact hours per semester).

• Faculty who hold a service-intensive position carry a variable teaching load dependent upon the breadth of their responsibilities in their administrative position.

• Faculty who do not meet department expectations for research-intensive and who do not hold a service-intensive position are expected to adjust their workload duties so as to continue providing additional contributions to the University in their role as a faculty member. Adjusted duties may include, but are not limited to:

  • Increased teaching load of 3-3 (equivalent to a minimum average of 9 contact hours per semester and a maximum average of 12 contact hours per semester)

  • Increased mentorship and supervision of undergraduate and/or graduate students

  • Substantially increased service contributions

Workload Review Procedures

Associate Professors

• Associate Professors are expected to meet the expectations of research-intensive faculty. Associate Professors should collaborate with their department chairs and faculty mentors to plan for their successful promotion to Professor before their twelfth year in rank.

• The first Comprehensive Periodic Review (“CPR”) in-rank, conducted six years after tenure, must include an assessment of the faculty member’s progress toward promotion to Professor:

  • The department shall offer written suggestions and/or mentorship guidance that supports the faculty member’s progress toward successful promotion.

  • If, according to the Department Governing Body and Chair (following department governance and review practices), the Associate Professor does not appear to be on-track for a timely promotion to Professor prior to the next CPR, the department shall offer additional guidance to improve the faculty member’s trajectory toward successful promotion.

  • Promotion plans represent an agreement between the Department Governing Body and Chair and the faculty member, and will include at minimum:

    • A candid assessment of progress toward promotion;

    • Helpful feedback on the faculty member’s strengths;

    • Suggested areas of improvement; and

    • Department support mechanisms and mentorship opportunities, including regular meetings between the faculty member and Chair.

    • Promotion plans may not coerce or otherwise inhibit the academic freedom of the faculty member, dictate specific requirements, nor offer guarantees that following the plan will result in a faculty member’s successful promotion.

  • If a faculty member is rated as “meets expectations” (overall) on their CPR but is not considered on-track for timely promotion, the department must articulate the rationale as it related to the norms and expectations of their discipline.

• The second Comprehensive Periodic Review in-rank, conducted twelve years after tenure, will serve as a decision point governing the faculty member’s workload duties:

  • The CPR shall assess the consistency with which a faculty member has demonstrated an ability to publish and the viability of any current research projects leading to promotion.

    • If the faculty member is not ready for promotion in the upcoming Fall semester, the CPR shall either recommend an adjusted workload (specified in the report) or propose an action plan, effective September 1 of the upcoming academic year.**

    • If the faculty member is expected to go up for promotion in the upcoming Fall semester, the CPR shall state this. If the case does not go up, an action plan will be submitted by February 1 in the current academic year, effective September 1 of the subsequent academic year.

    • If the faculty member goes up for promotion but is denied, an action plan will be submitted by February 1 in the subsequent academic year, effective September 1 of the following academic year.

  • Action plans represent an agreement between the Department Governing Body and Chair and the faculty member, and must be submitted to the Dean’s Office for final review and approval. Action plans will include at minimum:

    • Specific and reasonable goals from the faculty member that would strengthen their case for promotion to Professor;

    • Specific commitments from the Department as to how it can support those goals;

    • Description of adjusted workload duties if the faculty member is not promoted;

    • Specific date by which the faculty member will assume adjusted workload duties if they have not successfully been promoted to Professor; and

    • A statement, endorsed by the Department Governing Body and Chair, explaining the department’s assessment of the action plan’s viability.

• An Associate Professor with adjusted workload duties must be successfully promoted to Professor before resuming a research-intensive workload.

Professors

• Professors are expected to meet the expectations of research-intensive faculty.

• Each Comprehensive Periodic Review (CPR), conducted every six years after promotion, must include an assessment of the Professor’s scholarly trajectory and whether it meets the expectations of research-intensive faculty. Assessments should be holistic, factoring in service, advising, mentoring, and other contributions to the University and profession. These assessment factors must be articulated in the CPR report. Holders of endowed chairs or professorships will be assessed according to the expectations set forth in COLA’s Endowment Policy.

  • If, at the time of the first CPR in-rank, a Professor does not meet the expectations of research intensive faculty, the Department shall work with the Professor to determine how to foster a return to greater productivity. The Department may also consider adjusted workload duties if deemed appropriate and/or requested by the Professor.

  • If, at the time of the second CPR in-rank (or any subsequent CPR), a Professor does not meet the expectations of research-intensive faculty, the Department shall recommend an adjusted workload (specified in the report) or proposed action plan effective September 1 of the upcoming academic year.**

  • Action plans represent an agreement between the Department Governing Body and Chair and the faculty member, and must be submitted to the Dean’s Office for final review and approval. Action plans will include at minimum:

    • Specific and reasonable goals from the faculty member that would encourage greater productivity that meets expectations of research-intensive faculty;

    • Specific commitments from the Department as to how it can support those goals;

    • Description of adjusted workload duties;

    • Specific date by which the faculty member will assume adjusted workload duties; and

    • A statement, endorsed by the Department Governing Body and Chair, explaining the department’s assessment of the action plan’s viability.

• Professors with adjusted workload duties may request reassignment to a research-intensive teaching load at any time, but must have demonstrated significant research productivity consistent with the norms and expectations of their discipline. Requests will be reviewed by the Department Governing Body and Chair and must be submitted to the Dean’s Office for final review and approval.

Procedural Notes

• Tenured faculty undergoing CPRs are meant to be reviewed in the context of their assigned responsibilities during the period in question. Nothing in this policy is meant to conflict with the UT policy and guidelines for Comprehensive Periodic Review of Tenured Faculty (HOP 2-2150).

• Associate Professors who have already served twelve or more years in-rank as of September 1, 2022 and have established workload plans or timelines to promotion under the previous version of this policy shall proceed according to previous agreement unless or until they reach another CPR in-rank as Associate. At that time, the department should proceed as for a “2nd CPR” above.

• Requests for exceptions to this policy or disputes regarding workload duties should be referred to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

• Faculty performance issues outside of the scope of this policy should be referred to the Associate Dean for Academic & Faculty Affairs.

*Per HOP 2-2120 and HOP 2-2140, UT recommends that, unless unavoidable, department chairs and center directors should hold the rank of Professor. Tenure-track faculty are not eligible to hold a service intensive position.

** If the tenured faculty member holds, or has recently held, a service-intensive position, this can affect the implementation timeline for adjusted workload duties. Departments should consult with the Dean’s Office prior to finalizing or communicating workload decisions.

Previous policy: COLA Faculty Workload Policy 2016-Aug. 31, 2022 (PDF)

2. COLA Professional-Track Faculty Workload Policy

Purpose: The College of Liberal Arts (“College”) is required to establish and maintain a faculty workload policy consistent with HOP 2-2170 and Regent’s Rules 31006 and 31001.

Updated: December 2023

Effective: Starting January 1, 2024.

Click the link to download a PDF of the COLA Professional-Track Faculty Workload Policy

Scope: This policy applies to Professional-Track (non-tenure track) Faculty (“PTF”) who hold primary or joint appointments within the College. This policy is primarily focused on benefits-eligible employees in instructional roles who are expected to continue, but may be applied more generally where appropriate.

Principles: The quality and value of a university education are in large part defined by the faculty. The curricula the faculty design, the programs they offer, the learning environment they create, the instructional methods they employ, and their professional engagement with students and colleagues inside and outside of the classroom, including advising and mentoring, are important components of the educational experience.

The College endeavors to hire, promote, and retain Professional-Track Faculty who provide effective and innovative instruction, and who strengthen the programs and services of the University and beyond. PTF should be included in regular faculty-related affairs within departments and regarded as full and equal participants in the faculty’s mission to the University.

Implementation: This revised policy goes into effect January 1, 2024 and supersedes the Spring 2011 and Fall 2012 policies.

Expectations and Workload Standards*

General

• The primary responsibility of Professional-Track Faculty is to enhance instruction. Their teaching is essential to the success of the University’s educational mission, providing continuity and stability in required curriculum, and offering expertise to our students that complements the strength of the tenured and tenure-track faculty. Primary duties for all faculty are specified in Regents’ Rule 31004 (sec. 4).

• Departments and academic units (“departments”) are expected to provide ongoing communication and support to PTF to foster instructional excellence and professional development. PTF should be included on all applicable faculty communications, invited to faculty events, and be eligible for other faculty opportunities when possible, such as travel grants and teaching awards.

• Departments are responsible for communicating with PTF regarding their eligibility for promotion and providing resources to support those interested in pursuing promotion.

• PTF interested in pursuing promotion must have a strong and sustained teaching record along with an established record of contributions to the academic enterprise, including research, mentoring and/or service. PTF who are promoted are expected to continue the trajectory that served as a basis for that promotion, as well as to provide mentorship and leadership and thereby develop the next generation of faculty (see Promotion and Tenure Review Guidelines for Professional-Track Faculty for details).

• PTF may engage in service, research, and other academic activities; however, they fulfill their minimum workload expectations through classroom instruction.

• For PTF who are jointly appointed in more than one department, those departments are all responsible for coordinating appropriate workloads across units to determine reasonable teaching assignments and other departmental duties.

Teaching

• Professional-Track Faculty are expected to teach and advise students at the undergraduate level and deliver effective classroom instruction, and to help meet curricular requirements.

• PTF generally carry a 3-3 teaching load based on a 100% full-time academic year appointment (equivalent to a minimum average of 9 instructional hours per semester and a maximum average of 12 instructional hours per semester over an academic year). This distribution assumes no less than one course in any given semester.

• PTF are eligible for departmental course reductions based on additional academic duties. Eligibility is determined by departmental policies on Faculty Workload and College policies on departmental teaching loads. Any course reduction assumes a teaching load of no less than one course in any given semester.

• Departments are required to provide PTF with adequate teaching support, including assigning Teaching Assistants (TA’s) based on enrollment needs, providing equal opportunity to express preference in course selection and instructional days, and should regulate the distribution of higher-workload courses when determining teaching assignments and other departmental duties.

• PTF who are asked to teach an overload beyond their standard teaching load should receive appropriate compensation, typically defined as 1/6 of a faculty member’s 9-month academic rate per course. Exceptions require Dean’s approval.

• Departments should conduct peer teaching observations for PTF on a regular basis. The College recommends at least one per year for Assistant Professors of Instruction, one every two years for Associate Professors of Instruction, and one every six years for Professors of Instruction (or equivalent ranks). Best practice is to have longitudinal observation of teaching so that changes and responses to prior observations can be observed and noted.

Service, Research, and Additional Contributions to the Academic Enterprise

• Departments should provide PTF with access to service and research opportunities to facilitate professional development, allow for fuller participation in university life, and provide means for PTF to advance their careers over the long term.

• Activities may include serving on department-, college-, and university-level committees, undergraduate thesis supervision, and participation in commencement ceremonies; publishing peer-reviewed articles, book manuscripts, chapters, essays, translations, reviews, and edited pieces and collections; preparing and presenting conference papers; student mentorship, advising, and recruitment; promoting growth or innovation in curriculum and/or program development; community or public outreach; and other services to the profession.

• PTF may be appointed to service-intensive positions including academic program directors, assistant or associate deans, or other college- or university-level administrative positions. PTF in these positions may have a lower teaching load dependent upon the breadth of their responsibilities, as determined by the Dean. The College recommends that unless unavoidable, service-intensive positions be restricted to PTF who hold the equivalent rank of Associate Professor of Instruction or Professor of Instruction.

Workload Review Procedures

Faculty Reviews

• PTF are required to participate in faculty annual reviews conducted by their department or academic unit unless they qualify for an exception under University guidelines (sec. 3.b.). These reviews are not only mandatory under university policy but also inform the faculty merit process.

• Per University guidelines (sec. 3.d.), annual reviews shall focus on individual merit relative to assigned responsibilities, and the basis of the review is the record of teaching, scholarship, and service consistent with workload expectations outlined above.

• Departments are responsible for establishing a faculty merit process that includes PTF as well as tenured and tenure-track faculty, and for communicating merit review procedures and eligibility requirements to their faculty. Annual reviews should be used as the basis for the merit review process.

• PTF and departments should use the annual review process as an opportunity to discuss current teaching load and course assignments, possible adjustments if needed, interest in or progress toward promotion, participation in service or research activities, and other opportunities for professional engagement.

• Departments are encouraged to offer written suggestions and/or mentorship guidance that supports the faculty member’s success in their position. Feedback may include:

  • a candid assessment of progress toward promotion, if desired;

  • helpful feedback on the faculty member’s strengths;

  • suggested areas of improvement;

  • department support mechanisms and mentorship opportunities; and/or

  • access to resources for professional development (e.g., faculty meetings, support for conferences or workshops, departmental/college travel grant access, etc.)

• The Faculty Ombuds Office is available for all UT Austin faculty, including PTF, to assist with any work-related difficulty, including interpersonal conflict or misunderstandings, as well as academic or administrative concerns.

*Workload standards for Research PTF should be consistent with established University guidelines; College-specific expectations may be detailed more explicitly in a future version of this policy, but there is an expectation that Research Faculty contribute to the academic mission of their department, even if they do not teach organized courses.

Previous policy: COLA Non-Tenure Teaching Load Policy (Fall 2013-Fall 2023)

3. Provost’s Office Tenured and Tenure-Track Workload Policy

The College of Liberal Arts adheres to the following policies on Workload for tenured and tenure-track faculty: Provost's Office Faculty Workload Policy (PDF)

Contact

For questions, contact Jennifer Nailos at la-academic@austin.utexas.edu