2024-2025 Faculty Handbook
Chapter 5. Faculty Rights, Duties, and Responsibilities
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5.1
Members of the faculty include all full-time, part-time, and joint administrative/faculty personnel holding instructional responsibilities with one or more of the University’s educational modalities.
5.2
Through its governance structure, the faculty actively participates in and cannot be excluded from the creation, revision, and recommendation of academic policies and procedures to the Upper Iowa University administration. Generally, Upper Iowa University faculty members are responsible for satisfactorily carrying out the duties agreed to in the individual faculty appointment letter. Paramount among these responsibilities for full-time faculty at Upper Iowa University is teaching. In addition, unless a faculty member’s appointment letter so states, a full-time faculty member shall also meet certain scholarship and professional development responsibilities, as well as service responsibilities, as further described in this Handbook.
5.3
Upper Iowa University is strongly committed to principles of shared governance and participatory collaboration. In this spirit, decision makers shall afford considerable deference to the recommendations of the Upper Iowa University faculty in the areas of the faculty’s primary responsibility:
5.3.1
Oversight of curriculum-its development and implementation, academic substance, currency, and relevance for internal and external constituencies;
5.3.2
Assurance of consistency in the level and quality of instruction and in the expectations of student performance;
5.3.3
Establishment of academic qualifications for the instructional faculty;
5.3.4
Selection and evaluation of instructional faculty, including making recommendations for renewal, tenure, and promotion of faculty members, and;
5.3.5
Analysis of data and appropriate action on assessment of student learning and program completion.
5.3.6
Providing consultative input into any and all matters that affect the character of the learning environment and the quality of scholarly and creative activities.
5.4
Upper Iowa University and its faculty affirm their strong commitment to the principle of academic freedom. The University respects the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom (with the 1970 Interpretive Comments) co-authored by the American Association of University Professors and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. At Upper Iowa University, faculty academic freedom is defined by the following principles:
5.4.1
Members of Upper Iowa University’s faculty are entitled to full freedom in research and publication of results. Research for pecuniary return shall be conducted only with the full knowledge and advanced consent of the University.
5.4.2
Members of Upper Iowa University’s faculty are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject, but they shall exercise care to avoid introducing into their teaching controversial matter that has no relation to their subject. Faculty members should also ensure that they meet the reasonable expectations of students with regard to course content, consistent with information provided to the students in the syllabus and course catalog.
5.4.3
Members of Upper Iowa University’s faculty are responsible for conducting themselves, both as teachers and as members of the community, in a manner consistent with professional standards; federal, state and local laws; rules and regulations; and University policies and procedures, including those University and legal requirements that prohibit discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, and that require reasonable accommodation.
5.4.4
Members of Upper Iowa University’s faculty are citizens, members of a learned profession, and representatives of an educational institution. While free to speak or write as citizens, their special position in the community imposes special obligations. As scholars and institutional representatives, they should remember the public may judge their profession and their institution by their utterances. Hence they should at all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others, and should make every effort to indicate they are not speaking for the institution.
5.5
Members of Upper Iowa University’s faculty have the responsibility to conduct themselves in an ethical and professional manner, not only in their interactions with each other but also in their engagement with students and all members of the University community. No set of rules or professional code can guarantee or take the place of a faculty member’s personal integrity; however, the University expects faculty members to abide by the Code of Ethical Conduct Policy. In addition, the University and its faculty members abide by the American Association of University Professors Statement on Professional Ethics in their interactions with colleagues, students, and their professional communities. Faculty members subject to the ethical requirements of licensure or professional associations are also expected to comply with those provisions and to model compliance in their interactions with students.
5.6
Full-time faculty members may engage in outside employment or other activities as long as these activities do not interfere or conflict with any University-related duties, responsibilities, or normal hours of employment. To ensure that there are no such conflicts, a full-time faculty member shall disclose to the academic Dean any outside employment opportunities, other significant charitable or community service activities, or potential conflicts of interest, including, but not limited to, remunerated opportunities. Such disclosures shall be made in writing no later than the first day of classes at the beginning of each academic year. Outside employment or other activities that may interfere or conflict with University-related, full-time faculty member commitments must be approved by the CAO in writing before being undertaken. If the CAO or Dean believes that a faculty member is involved in outside employment or other activities that are interfering or are in conflict with any of the faculty member’s University-related duties, responsibilities, or normal hours of employment, this matter will be addressed immediately with the faculty member and the faculty member may be required to cease outside employment or other activities deemed by the University to interfere or conflict with the faculty member’s responsibilities to the University.
5.7
A faculty member with a full-time, tenure-track, or tenured appointment is obligated to perform a combination of duties and responsibilities, including teaching, scholarship, professional development, and service to the University and community. At Upper Iowa University, teaching is a faculty member’s primary assignment and, as noted in Chapter 6 below, faculty members are evaluated primarily on the basis of teaching effectiveness.
5.7.1.1
Teaching duties for a full-time faculty appointment fall into one of three categories:
5.7.1.1.1
Teaching 24 credit hours during the nine-month academic year (two semesters/four sessions), or the equivalent in instruction-related activities or administrative service as may be designated specifically in individual appointments.
5.7.1.1.2
Teaching 24 credit hours during a twelve-month academic year over four or five sessions, or the equivalent in instruction-related activities or administrative service as may be designated specifically in individual appointments.
5.7.1.1.3
Teaching 30 credit hours during a twelve-month academic year. This consists of six sessions, teaching two courses per session during five sessions, or the equivalent in instruction-related activities or administrative service as may be designated specifically in individual appointments.
5.7.1.2
Administrative assignments may include a reduction in the number of credit hours taught by the faculty member. The responsibilities of these assignments and their impact on the number of credit hours taught will be determined by the CAO in collaboration with the faculty member and academic Dean, recorded in writing, and signed by the faculty member and the Dean at the time the faculty member’s responsibilities are modified to include administrative assignments. Subsequent modifications, including the faculty member’s relinquishment of administrative assignments and return to full-time teaching responsibilities, shall likewise be reflected in writing and signed by both parties. Where individuals are hired into the University on joint administrative/faculty appointments, reductions in teaching assignments and credit hours taught shall also be set forth in writing and signed by the faculty member and the University, with any subsequent changes also reflected in a signed modification to that writing.
5.7.1.3
A faculty member whose teaching load exceeds the credit requirements in his/her respective appointment category will qualify for overload pay.
5.7.1.3.1
All overloads require prior approval of the academic Dean and will be reflected in a letter or agreement that specifies the details of the overload assignment, duration of the assignment, and compensation due.
5.7.1.3.2
Teaching overloads for faculty members who are supervising and arranging internships, special projects, and/or seminars will be paid at the prevailing university rate.
5.7.1.4
A full-time faculty member is expected to maintain a minimum of six regularly scheduled hours per week in which he/she is personally available to students for individual academic support. A faculty member shall publish available hours to students and advisees at the start of every session.
5.7.1.5
Final Examinations
5.7.1.5.1
Faculty members may not offer scheduled final examinations on any other date or at any other time than the date and time scheduled by the University or provided for in the course syllabus, unless dictated by extenuating circumstances and also subject to prior written authorization of the academic Dean.
5.7.2
Scholarship and Professional Development
5.7.2.1
Upper Iowa University faculty members are highly committed to advancing scholarship and continuing professional development.
5.7.2.2
Such matters as course and curriculum revision, integration of technology into the curriculum, syllabus updating, new course development and professional research, personal enrichment, and all of the attendant activities of these elements are integral parts of the careers of all University faculty members.
5.7.2.3
Faculty members are expected to maintain a high level of professional competence. To the extent that funding is available, the University will pay for attendance at conferences, symposia, and similar activities, giving particular attention to the travel requirements of faculty who are actively involved in presenting at such sessions.
5.7.2.4
Scholarship and professional development may be demonstrated in many ways, including but not limited to:
5.7.2.4.1
Peer-reviewed journal publication;
5.7.2.4.2
Active conference participant (Attendance at local, state, or national conferences that contribute to keeping UIU current with requirements, or contribute to program development or curriculum revision);
5.7.2.4.3
Presentations of scholarly work (Making a presentation at a regional or national conference, where one’s name appears on the program as a presenter);
5.7.2.4.4
Mentoring of student research in any of the areas;
5.7.2.4.5
Books or book chapters, as author or editor;
5.7.2.4.6
Exhibition or publication of artistic work;
5.7.2.4.7
Reviews/referee reports done by request;
5.7.2.4.8
Grant involvement;
5.7.2.4.9
Professional practice or certification(s).
5.7.2.5
Professional development funding, when available, may be requested by submitting a written request to the academic Dean for initial approval. The following process will be used for professional development funding requests:
5.7.2.5.1
The university approved Professional Development Request Form will be made available by the academic Dean.
5.7.2.5.2
Requests for funding should include anticipated expenses for conference registrations, travel expenses or mileage, publication funding, hotel accommodations, parking fees, and other miscellaneous expenses, as well as any anticipated honoraria.
5.7.2.5.3
At its sole discretion, the University may approve or deny a request for professional development funding or grant a level of support that differs from the amount originally requested.
5.7.3
Service to the Department/Program University, and Community
5.7.3.1
Service to the Department or Program may be demonstrated in a number of ways, including but not limited to:
5.7.3.1.1
Active engagement in department/program service;
5.7.3.1.2
Participation in the recruitment and retention of students;
5.7.3.1.3
Participation in OAR days, visit days, open houses, graduate fairs, career fairs, as appropriate per faculty location;
5.7.3.1.4
Active participation in department/program meetings and committees;
5.7.3.1.5
Engagement in program assessment;
5.7.3.1.6
Service as an academic advisor. Academic advisors serve as dedicated resources for academic knowledge, experience and insight. Academic advising is a collaborative relationship between the student and advisor. Advisors collaborate with students to develop strategies for degree planning and progression, as well as meaningful educational goals that are consistent with personal interests, values and abilities.
5.7.3.1.7
Service as an academic mentor. Academic mentors guide students in achieving educational, career, and personal goals through the use of the full range of institutional resources and the faculty member’s experience and content expertise.
5.7.3.2
Service to the University may be demonstrated in a number of ways, including but not limited to:
5.7.3.2.1
Active engagement in University service;
5.7.3.2.2
Service on University committees or task forces;
5.7.3.2.3
Service as an advisor for student organizations or initiatives;
5.7.3.2.4
Representing the University to external stakeholders (e.g., serving on an advisory committee for a program at a community college);
5.7.3.2.5
Attending University functions.
5.7.3.3
Service to the community may be demonstrated in a number of ways, including but not limited to:
5.7.3.3.1
Chairing or serving on a community or organization board;
5.7.3.3.2
Outreach instruction for area school districts;
5.7.3.3.3
Participation in an organized volunteer relief effort (e.g., Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity);
5.7.3.3.4
Serving on advisory committees to external entities;
5.8.3.3.5
Active participation in a professional board or committee.
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