Faculty Professional Obligation

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Full-Time Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty Professional Obligation - Defined

The SUNY Board of Trustees Policies states that the “professional obligation of an employee’s academic rank … shall include teaching, research, and University service and other duties and responsibilities of the employee during the term of the employee’s professional obligation” (Article XI, Title H, section 2).  

The President (or designee) has the right to determine the professional obligation of employees in accordance with the Policies in order to achieve fair, equitable, and fiscally responsible institutional practice.  

Expectations for faculty instructional load, service, and research shall be codified in departments’ handbooks, and approved by the dean and the provost.  In accordance with Fredonia’s mission, teaching must be the primary component of the professional obligation, with a minimum teaching load of 18 credits, or the equivalent, for the academic year, and a maximum of 24 credits, or the equivalent, for the academic year. 

Full-time faculty shall receive a tentative instructional load plan before the beginning of the academic year to be approved by the chair, dean, and the provost.  Full-time faculty shall submit an annual activity report based on their instructional load plan, service activities, and research in accordance with annual reporting formats and deadlines; a faculty’s future plan may be adjusted in order to maintain a full professional obligation.

The President (or designee), based on individual review has the right to redefine an employee’s balance of teaching, research, and service in order to maintain a full professional obligation.  

However, if an employee consents to a balance of teaching, research, and service that exceeds the employee’s full professional obligation, the employee shall be compensated appropriately according to campus practice. 

Faculty Professional Obligation - Dates

1. Full-Time Faculty (Tenured, Tenure-Track, and Contingent)

The appointment year for full-time faculty is defined in Policies as follows: “the normal appointment year shall be from September 1 to August 31, regardless of payroll mode; provided, however, that an academic year employee may be required to commence the employee’s professional obligation at a date reasonably prior to September 1 as may be necessitated by a college’s operating requirements.” (Article XI, Title H.3) Policies defines an academic year obligation for all full-time faculty as “an annual obligation of service for the academic year, not to exceed 10 months.” (Article XI, Title H.1.b 

Fredonia’s academic year obligation for all full-time faculty will commence one week prior to the start of the academic year classes, but no sooner than August 15, and will conclude one week after the end of final exam week. During that period, and consistent with Article XI, Title H.2 of Policies, faculty members are expected to fulfill their professional obligation by “teaching, research, University service and other duties and responsibilities required of the employee during the term of the employee’s professional obligation.” As such, faculty need to be available consistent with their departmental assignments, program responsibilities, and the academic calendar. 

2. Part-Time Contingent Faculty

The fall semester appointment period for all part-time contingent faculty begins the first day of classes and ends January 15. The spring semester appointment period for all part-time contingent faculty begins the first day of classes and ends May 31.

The teaching obligation for both semesters for all part-time contingent faculty begins the first day of classes and ends when final grades are due.