Instruction and Research

Academic Freedom  The University System is committed to the principle of academic freedom. This principle acknowledges the right of a teacher to explore fully within the field of assignment and to give in the classroom and elsewhere such exposition of the subject as the teacher believes to represent the truth.  This principle also includes the right of a member of the academic staff of the University System to exercise in speaking, writing, and action outside the University the ordinary rights of a citizen, but it does not decrease the responsibility which the member of the academic staff bears to the University System, the state, and the nation.  When a member of the academic staff is not officially designated to represent the University System, the staff member must indicate clearly that he or she is speaking as an individual citizen.

Among the many implicit responsibilities that must be assumed by those enjoying the privileges of academic freedom shall be that of refraining from insisting upon the adoption by students or others of any particular point of view as authoritative in controversial issues.  For Board of Regents' statement on Academic Freedom, Tenure, and Responsibility, see Appendix.

Teaching Load  The normal minimum teaching load is 12 faculty hours or the equivalent.  Each lecture hour is counted as one faculty hour and each laboratory clock hour is counted as two-thirds of one faculty hour.

In research or seminar courses the assignment of faculty hours will be made by the appropriate dean in cooperation with the department chair.  Adequate justification must exist in each case based on such factors as number of formal meetings, the amount of individualized instruction or supervision, the number of students, grading practices, and the number of research reports or papers required.  The time and work required for one faculty hour for this type of teaching responsibility should correspond to that for one faculty hour of lecture.

Chairships and certain other administrative assignments are the basis of a reduction in teaching load.  Other reductions, such as research, training, or service grants, are permitted with the expectation that externally funded salary support will be provided equal to the accompanying reduction of expectations for service or instruction.  In all cases a reduction in teaching load is made by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs acting on a fully justified request from the dean.

Under certain conditions and with the recommendations of the chair and the dean involved, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will consider and sometimes will agree to grant an overload for extra compensation.  The compensation will normally be on a par with that paid to part-time persons of similar service and academic credentials.  Among the conditions will be the consideration of whether such a load is in keeping with the university's mission; that is, the university assumes and expects not only that a faculty member is a worthy and competent teacher but also that the faculty member is doing the research and service conventionally expected in a senior university. 

Periods of appointment  Academic year appointments start with the “Semester Begins” date for the fall semester.  New and continuing faculty are on duty from that date forward.  Spring term appointees also begin on the “Semester Begins” date of that semester.  Each semester ends with Commencement for that period.  Summer terms extend from the “Semester Begins” date through the date for turning in grades.

Registration  Full- and part-time faculty may be assigned specific responsibilities and instructions during registration periods.  A faculty adviser is responsible for seeing that each advisee is scheduled for courses that will fulfill general and specific degree requirements and which are of the number, type, and level commensurate with the ability and academic status of the student. 

Commencement Exercises  Faculty members are expected to participate in each Commencement ceremony.

Classroom Rosters  Only students whose names appear on the official roster may attend a class. Instructors must not allow students to attend classes unless they have been officially added to a roster on which they did not appear originally.  Students must be sent to the Registrar's Office immediately if they do not appear on a roster.

Grading System  The University uses the letter system of grades, with "A" representing excellent work, "B" good work, "C" average performance, "D" barely passing, and "F" failure.  Advanced standing examinations, some courses, and certain elective courses in some curricula are recorded as "P" pass, or "NC" no credit.  Additionally, an "I" grade is given in those cases where a student because of circumstances beyond his/her control has not completed all of the required work (including the final examination).  The "I" grade regulations are published in the catalog, which should be consulted for details.  A grade of "I" will be converted to "F" unless the student completes the requirements for removal of an "I" within 60 days from the end of the semester in which it was received.  If the student's circumstances preclude removal of the "I" grade by that time, the student or the instructor may, before the deadline, petition the student's dean for an extension of sixty days.

Any course may be dropped in accordance with the dates indicated in the Academic Calendar.  No record is maintained of courses dropped during the first three weeks of the semester (1 ½  weeks of a summer term).  During the next seven weeks, a “W” (withdrawal) is assigned for courses dropped. During the final five weeks, no withdrawal is permitted except as authorized by the student's dean in unusual circumstances.  In this case a “W” will be assigned for the course work.

A student may resign at any time before the final date for resigning (see the Academic Calendar).  A grade of “F” is recorded for each course not completed and from which a student does not resign by that final date.  No record is maintained of courses carried when a student resigns during the first 15 class days of the semester (1 ½  weeks of a summer term).  During the next seven weeks (summer, 3 ½  weeks), a “W” (withdrawal) is assigned for course work when a student resigns.  During the final five weeks (summer 2 ½  weeks), no resignation is permitted, except as authorized by the student's dean in unusual circumstances.  In this case, a “W” would be assigned for the course work.

After a grade has been turned in to Admissions and Records by an instructor, it can be changed only upon certification of error by the instructor.  The error must be explained in detail, and the certification must be approved by the instructor's department chair and dean and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Examinations and Other Written Work  The University requires that a grade be given each student in each course at the close of the semester.  To this end it is also required that examinations be given, and it is presumed that enough additional written work (tests, homework and/or reports) will be required to permit a reasonably valid assessment of the student's performance in the course.  This written work is also desirable so that the student may have a basis for estimating his or her standing in the course.  In order that these assignments may have real merit, for the latter purpose especially, it is expected that all written work will be graded and promptly returned to the student.  If the faculty member, or the department, prefers to retain the written work, this is permitted.  However, the student must be made aware of course grades and must be given an opportunity to examine the graded work.

Students may need to know their grades at any point during the semester, especially near the deadline for dropping a course.  (See the academic calendar in the catalog.)  It is expected that each instructor will have given sufficient examinations and other work to permit the assigning of a valid grade after at least the first month of a regular semester.

Final examinations are required in all courses and are given in accordance with the schedule published in the Bulletin.  Variations from this schedule are allowed only by specific permission from the dean of the student's college.  Take-home final examinations, if approved by the instructor's chair, should not impose undue burdens on a student who must prepare for other final examinations at the same time.  Instructors may not waive final examinations.  A student having three or more final examinations scheduled for the same day may request permission from the student's dean to take only two examinations on that day.  Faculty members are asked to retain final exams at least one year after they are given.

Course syllabi  Faculty members are to file with their chairs copies of their course syllabi every semester.  Students should be apprised early in the course of the instructors' expectations through syllabi or similar means. 

Research Training and Service Grants  Although the primary mission of LSUS is instruction, and therefore the principal responsibility of its faculty is teaching, the University supports and encourages research and service.

The faculty is encouraged to seek funding sources from granting agencies.  To that end, the Office of Sponsored Research assists in processing all grants and contracts to both public and private agencies.  That office will maintain complete and current records of all proposals as well as assist the departments in locating appropriate agencies and expediting proposals and applications.  LSU System policies concerning copyright on grants and patents are available in the Office of Sponsored Research.

Funds from grants are permitted to buy-out faculty time during the academic year with the expectation that the externally funded salary support will equal the accompanying reduction of expectations for instructions, scholarship, or service.  Management of grants (i.e., serving as the project director) is considered a normal responsibility of faculty and extra compensation is not appropriate.  Grant funds may be used for summer salary at the same rate of pay as during the academic year.  Therefore, the maximum possible summer support is 3/9's of the academic year salary.

Procedures for processing grant and contract proposals to federal and non-federal agencies is the subject of PS 2 03.02.

Office hours  Being available for consultation with students is a major part of a teacher's responsibilities.  It is therefore expected that each full-time faculty member will post a schedule showing a reasonable number of office hours (at least ten per week are required) when he or she will be available to students.  The hours should be chosen to encourage students to take advantage of the opportunity, and faculty members should also stress their willingness to make special appointments for students who are unable to come at the posted hours.  Part-time faculty will post 2 ½ office hours for each three-hour credit course.

Faculty members with approved reduction in teaching loads and administrators who are teaching less than full loads will adjust office hours accordingly and/or make arrangements through departmental administrative assistants so that their students have sufficient access to them.

Faculty Leave  Faculty are employed as professionals, are given teaching and other university assignments, and do not report work hours.  Faculty are deemed to be fulfilling their responsibilities if they show satisfactory and timely progress toward completion of their assignments.  Faculty are expected to schedule personal business, personal family matters, non-university related events, and vacations at times which do not interfere with university assignments.

Faculty are expected to work a minimum of 40 hours in a seven-day period.  Faculty are allowed flexibility in accomplishing their assignments and may be authorized to reschedule a class meeting/office hour or miss a class meeting (if appropriately covered), provided it does not impose a hardship on students or colleagues.  Rescheduling which creates an absence of more than one day must be handled by the appropriate leave.

The University is required to certify that ALL absences are approved.

1. SICK LEAVE.  The purpose of establishing the forty-hour week is to provide a system of accounting for and the taking of sick leave.  Sick leave may be used ONLY for personal illnesses or injury (or medical consultation) of the employee and may NOT be used for any other purpose.  Failure to report absences and/or sick leave usage as required constitutes payroll fraud.
2. FUNERAL LEAVE.  Funeral leave may be granted to attend the funeral or burial rites of a parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, brother, stepbrother, sister, stepsister, spouse, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandparent, or grandchild.  A maximum of two days leave may be granted on any one occasion.
3. LEAVE WITHOUT PAY.  Leave without pay is appropriate for absences (not filling other types of leave) that interfere with the satisfactory and timely progress of duties and/or impose upon colleagues.  Leave without pay for personal reasons MUST be approved in advance by the faculty member’s immediate supervisor.
4. OTHER.  Any absences not reported in another manner shall be recorded and reported on the leave request/report form.

See PERSONNEL POLICIES in this Handbook and PS 3 04.01 for further information.

Instruction in Summer Session.  Instruction of classes is available to faculty members as circumstances permit.  Instruction in summer terms is not guaranteed, however, even though faculty members may be tentatively assigned to certain courses/sections.  Decisions are made only after budget and enrollment matters are clarified in the first days of the summer session.

Part-Time Faculty

The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and School in Principles of Accreditation:  Foundations for Quality Enhancement (2004) states the following principles for the use of part-time faculty:

(3.7.2)  The institution regularly evaluates the effectiveness of each faculty member in accord with published criteria, regardless of contractual or tenure status.

Beyond this standard, LSUS holds that there is no substitute for enthusiastic instructors who provide an atmosphere of caring and commitment.  Part-time faculty are recruited, hired, and reviewed with these qualities in mind.

The department chair assumes the primary responsibility for coordination, oversight, and support of part-time instructional activity.  The chair should be consulted by part-time faculty members on all instructional needs.

As with full-time faculty members, part-time faculty are reviewed by department chairs on a regular basis, at least once a year. These reviews are opportunities for constructive suggestions for the improvement of the University/ professional service of the faculty member.

Part-time members meet with their departments according to policies of individual departments.  (For additional information directly applicable to part-time faculty, see the Part-time Faculty Handbook.)