Summer Teaching Policy

Issue No. 01 

Effective Date: August 1, 2024 

Next Review: August 1, 2029 (E5Y) 

Senior Reviewer: Dean 

POLICY STATEMENT 

This PPS guides the organization and development of summer teaching schedules within the College of Liberal Arts and its departments and college centers. 

01. GENERAL INFORMATION 

01.01 The number of summer courses that can be offered is limited by university funding. Instructor demand for these opportunities can outstrip the number of courses available. The following policy will guide departments in making summer teaching assignments with transparency and consistency. 

02. PROCEDURES FOR DEVELOPING THE COURSE SCHEDULE 

02.01 The priority of summer teaching is supporting student success. This will include meeting departmental need for the course(s) and providing courses that support students in other programs, including those needing General Education courses to continue progress toward their degree.  

02.02 Typically, departmental need will focus on courses required to complete degree requirements in the departmental majors. If funding allows, then opportunities for elective courses may arise. However, priority for elective courses should be given to those required for departmental minors or other departmental priorities (such as internship or other experiential learning classes).  

02.03 In all cases, the department chairperson will make the final decision as to when and where the course is offered as well as the mode of instruction based on the best interest of the department and to best support students. 

03. PROCEDURES FOR ASSIGNING INSTRUCTORS 

03.01 After determining the courses to be covered, assignment of instructors should proceed in such a way that all eligible faculty members (as determined by departmental policy) receive an opportunity to be included in summer teaching over a three-year cycle. To address budgetary issues, faculty with higher ranks and/or larger salaries may receive lower priority for teaching assignments. For example, if the summer budget is not sufficient to accommodate all faculty requests, then higher salaried tenured full professors may be restricted to one course per summer term. Instructors must be qualified to teach the course as determined by the department chairperson. 

03.02 In keeping with the focus on student success, if a tenured full professor is the only faculty member qualified and/or willing to teach a course that is crucial for student success, then that professor may be assigned more than one course per summer term. Likewise, if no one from the tenure-track, instructional-track groups, or clinical-track groups is qualified and/or available to teach a needed course, then qualified Lecturers may be hired from the pool. However, this option should only be used in emergency situations. 

04. LIST OF REVIEWERS OF THIS LAPPS 

04.01 This PPS has the following reviewers and cycle. 

05. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT 

This LA/PPS has been approved by the following in their official capacities and represents College of Liberal Arts policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded. 

Liberal Arts Council 

Dean, College of Liberal Arts