Teaching Assignments

Unit heads are responsible for ensuring that faculty members have equitable teaching assignments. Within the framework of the department’s needs and enrollment patterns, unit heads make course assignments in consultation with individual faculty members.

Each department should have a written policy that sets clear expectations for the teaching assignments of their faculty, stating the criteria for research-active faculty, and strictly adhere to it.

LAS Tenure-System Faculty

SUBJECT AREA TEACHING LOAD
Humanities, Social Sciences 4 courses/year
MSCS, Psychology 3 courses/year
Natural Sciences 2 courses/year

Research Expectations: Because UIC is a Research I institution, a significant portion of a faculty member’s activity is dedicated to the research mission. If a tenured faculty member does not contribute significantly to this part of the university mission, then there should be a greater contribution to teaching or service. Each department should have a written policy that states the criteria for research-active faculty and strictly adhere to it.

 

Non-Tenure-System Faculty

Teaching assignments for non-tenure-system faculty (clinical, research, lecturer, adjuncts, etc.) are determined at the departmental level in consultation with the Dean’s Office.

Any deviations from these teaching assignments require the approval of the dean.

Funds to pay the College’s expenses for release time may come from a research grant or from another (non-LAS) unit in the university.

Normally, buyouts are calculated at 20% of the faculty member’s academic year salary per course. Barring rare exceptions, every faculty member should teach each academic year. Course buyouts should normally not exceed 50% of the faculty member’s required teaching load.

While team teaching may be beneficial to students in some instances, executive officers should remember that team-taught courses are costly. The college, therefore, encourages departments to phase out team teaching by making curricular changes wherever possible.  The college requires that Executive Officers consult with the Associate Dean for Students Affairs before developing proposals for new courses that may be team-taught.

Information about workplace flexibility and modified teaching duties for faculty with life-changing events can be found here: Workplace Flexibility.

Under-Enrolled Courses Heading link

Although the College recognizes that some courses may regularly attract few students, its goal is to minimize the number of very small courses without damaging the scope and variety of the program. The policies are:

  1. A 100-, 200-, or 300-level course NOT counting toward general education should not have fewer than 18 students.
  2. An undergraduate course counting toward general education should not have fewer than 22 students.
  3. Courses at the 400-level should not have fewer than 10 students.
  4. Graduate courses at the 500-level enrolling fewer than five students should be offered only under unusual circumstances and with the approval of the Executive Associate Dean of the College, Dave Hofman.

When multiple sections of a course are offered, small sections should be combined. Courses with insufficient enrollment two weeks prior to the first day of the semester will be canceled. Departments are responsible for notifying the affected students. Unit heads should regularly review course offerings to eliminate courses that consistently under-enroll.

Grades and Grading Heading link

The College urges that departments encourage their faculty to be familiar with the Grading Manual made available by the Office of the Registrar.

This document covers grading policies, submission of grades, incomplete grades, course withdrawals, grade disputes, etc.