/Institutions/Elon-University/json/2024-2025/Faculty-Handbook-local.json

/Institutions/Elon-University/json/2024-2025/Faculty-Handbook.json

Employment

E22M

The teaching faculty determines and recommends to the Board of Trustees standards for selection and retention of faculty members. The faculty searches are cooperative endeavors of the faculty and the administration based on a shared sense of responsibility. This cooperation begins before the search is authorized, with a thorough understanding of the nature of the position to be searched and the desired qualifications of the successful candidate. Faculty members are recruited and selected through the cooperative efforts of Department Chairs, Deans, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Department Chair will involve department members, where appropriate, in making selection recommendations.

The Department Chair, Dean, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs must establish the case for the recruitment of a new teaching faculty member, stating the nature of the need, area of competence, and recommended rank. The search may commence when the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs approves the position.

The Chair, department colleagues, the Dean, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs cooperate in the search for candidates. Where possible a national search should be undertaken through professional networks, graduate schools and advertisements.

Candidates for teaching positions should be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

• Demonstrated academic and professional preparation and experience in the discipline concerned
• Fundamental sympathy with the established aims and objectives of Elon University as stated in the catalog
• Capacity for, skill in, and devotion to teaching
• An interest in intellectual life and scholarship
• Willingness and ability to teach in Elon’s interdisciplinary core curriculum program

Elon’s President makes the official offer of employment to the candidate. The Department Chair is responsible for seeing that expenses of candidates are paid. After the Department Chair receives an official acceptance from the candidate, the Department Chair, in coordination with the search committee chair, should write all other candidates, indicating that the position has been filled.

E23F

Responsibilities for recruitment of full time teaching faculty are outlined below for department members and elsewhere in this handbook for the Department Chair, Dean, and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Department members share the responsibility for the following in identifying and selecting candidates for full time teaching faculty positions:

• Working with the department chair to define the position and organize a search committee
• Following the selection of the candidate pool by the department and/or search committee, reviewing candidates’ supporting documents, discussing candidates’ relative merits, and recommending candidates to the department chair for a campus visit
• Observing and interacting with candidates during campus visits
• Discussing candidates’ relative merits and recommending a final candidate to the chair

E32T

Responsibilities for recruitment of part-time faculty includes roles for the Department Chair, Dean, and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs can be found elsewhere in this Handbook.

E35E

The Director of the Graduate Program will recommend faculty for approval to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Criteria for approval of graduate faculty include a terminal degree in the field in which the faculty member will teach, two years of effective full time university teaching, and evidence of productive scholarship. Approval, once granted, will be effective continuously unless revoked by the institution.

In exceptional situations, a faculty member who does not meet the above criteria may be approved to teach. The faculty member must have a master's degree and should have substantial teaching experience and/or related professional qualifications. Such approval will be on semester-by-semester and course-by-course basis.

 

Part-time faculty will meet the same criteria as full time faculty.

 

E28X

The University offers the types of appointments described below, and summarized on the Specifications for Appointment chart.

Specifications for Appointment Categories
Categories of Appointment	Minimum Degree Required	Category of Position Type	Standard load (per year)	Length of appointment during probationary period	Length of Probationary Period	Eligible for Change in Status	Eligible for Promotion	Eligible for Travel Funds/ FR&D Funds
Tenured	Doctorate*	Permanent	24 Hours	n/a	n/a	n/a	To Professor	Yes
Tenure Track	Doctorate*	Permanent	24 Hours	1 year	4, 5 or 6 years	Tenure	To Associate Professor	Yes
Continuing	Doctorate*	Permanent	24 Hours	1 year	4 years	Continuance Decision	To Associate Professor and to Professor	Yes
Lecture Track	Masters	Permanent	26-28 Hours	1 year	4 years	Continuance Decision	To Senior Lecturer	Yes
Visiting Appointment	Masters	Permanent	24 Hours	Annually for up to 3 years (May be renewed annually for up to 3 additional years)	n/a	May apply for Tenure Track, Continuing Track or Lecture Track, if available	n/a	Travel and FR&D non-sabbatical funds
Limited Term	Masters	Temporary	24 Hours	Annually for up to 4 years total	n/a	May apply for Tenure Track, Continuing Track or Lecture Track, if available	n/a	Travel funds at Dean’s discretion
Part-Time	Meet SACS requirements	Temporary	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Librarian	ALA Accredited MLS or MSIS	Permanent	n/a	3 months	4 years	Continuance Decision	To Associate Librarian and to Senior Librarian	n/a

*Or terminal degree in the field or unusual experiences/accomplishments

E25N

As set forth in policies established by the Board of Trustees, Elon University seeks to appoint and maintain a full time permanent teaching faculty that is 85-90% tenured/tenure track.

Tenured appointments are for full time teaching faculty members who have been tenured.

(See section on Elon University’s process for hiring with tenure )

On the 4-1-4 calendar, the standard load for faculty with tenure will be 24 semester hours.

Faculty members on tenured appointments are eligible for travel funds and are eligible to compete for Faculty Research and Development funds.

Faculty on tenured appointments may stand for promotion from Associate Professor to Professor after at least six years in rank, of which at least four are at Elon University. Additional information on promotion may be found elsewhere in this Handbook.

E34W

As set forth in policies established by the Board of Trustees, Elon University seeks to appoint and maintain a full time permanent teaching faculty that is 85-90% tenured/tenure track.

Tenure track appointments are for full time teaching faculty in tenurable positions. Only full time faculty with tenure track appointments will be eligible for tenure. (see section on Elon university’s process for hiring with tenure.

The doctorate, or highest degree in the discipline or field, will be a basic criterion for tenure. Exception to this standard may be made in unusual cases where work experiences and accomplishments in the discipline or field outweigh the terminal degree.

On the 4-1-4 calendar, the standard load for tenure track appointments will be 24 semester hours.

Tenure track appointments include a probationary period of four, five, or six years. During the probationary period these appointments are of a fixed term length, normally one academic year with no guarantee of reemployment. Following the probationary period and the tenure review process, the President may recommend tenured appointments to the Board of Trustees. The authority to grant tenure rests solely with the Board of Trustees. Those individuals not awarded tenure may be given one additional year of employment.

Faculty members on tenure track appointments are eligible for travel funds and are eligible to compete for Faculty Research and Development funds.

E24T

The doctorate, or highest degree in the discipline or field, will be a basic criterion for continuing track appointments. Exception to this standard may be made in unusual cases where work experiences and accomplishments in the discipline or field outweigh the terminal degree.

Continuing track appointments are for full time teaching faculty (24 semester hours/year) and provide for fixed term periods of employment with no expectation of tenure.

Continuing track appointments include a probationary period of four years. During the probationary period, continuing track appointments are of fixed term length, normally one academic year, with no guarantee of reemployment. Information on the continuance decision may be found elsewhere in this Handbook.

Faculty on continuing track appointments are eligible for travel funds equal to that of tenure/tenure track faculty and are eligible to compete equally for Faculty Research and Development funds.

Faculty on continuing track appointments may stand for promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor after at least six years in rank. They are also eligible to apply for promotion from Associate Professor to Professor.

E26F

The master’s degree will be the minimum criterion for lecture track appointments.

Lecture track appointments are for full time teaching faculty (26-28 semester hours/year) and provide for fixed term periods of employment with no expectation of tenure.

Lecture track appointments include a probationary period of four years. During the probationary period, lecture track appointments are of a fixed term length, normally one academic year, with no guarantee of reemployment. Information on the continuance decision may be found elsewhere in this Handbook.

Faculty on lecture track appointments are eligible for travel funds equal to that of tenured/tenure track faculty and are eligible to compete equally for Faculty Research and Development funds.

Faculty on lecture track appointments may stand for promotion from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer after at least six years in rank. Additional information on promotion may be found elsewhere in this Handbook.

E29R

The master’s degree will be the minimum criterion for visiting appointments.

Visiting appointments are for full time teaching faculty (24 semester hours/year) and provide for fixed term periods of employment with no expectation of tenure.

Visiting appointments are of fixed term length, normally one academic year, with no guarantee of reemployment, and can be renewed for a maximum of three years. If needed, a visiting appointment can be renewed up to an additional three years.

Faculty on these appointments are eligible for travel funds equal to that of tenured/tenure track faculty and are eligible to compete equally for non-sabbatical Faculty Research and Development funds.

Faculty on visiting appointments may apply for lecture track, continuing track, or tenure track appointments when they become available through the regular faculty recruitment process.

E33K

The master’s degree will be the minimum criterion for limited term appointments.

Limited term appointments are for full time teaching faculty (24 semester hours/year) and provide for fixed term periods of employment, normally one academic year with no guarantee of reemployment.

Limited term appointments can be renewed for a maximum of four years.

Faculty on these appointments may be eligible for travel funds at the Dean’s discretion.

Faculty on limited term appointments may apply for lecture track, continuing track, or tenure track appointments when they become available through the regular faculty recruitment process.

E35W

E25V

Elon librarians are hired as staff with faculty rank with accompanying privileges and responsibilities.

Librarians will hold a Masters of Library Science or Information Science degree from an American Library Association-accredited program (considered the terminal degree).

All staff with faculty rank are subject to an initial three month probationary period.

Librarians undergo an annual performance review and evaluation as required for renewal of appointment.

New librarian appointments include a probationary period of four years. During the probationary period these appointments are of a fixed term length, normally one academic year with no guarantee of reemployment.

E28H

Most initial full time librarian appointments are made at the Assistant Librarian rank. Librarians hired with more than 10 years of professional experience in other academic libraries may be hired at Associate Librarian rank.

Librarian ranks include: Assistant Librarian, Associate Librarian, and Senior Librarian, as described elsewhere in this Handbook.

E23M

Academic Associate Deans are appointed by the Dean of the college/school, subject to the approval of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The selection of an Academic Associate Dean includes the following:

1. Communication with faculty about the process, followed by an appropriate open application period
2. Participation of a faculty search committee
3. Announcement of the finalists
4. Opportunity for faculty and staff to offer feedback to the search committee on the finalists

Appointment does not confer an expectation of continuous appointment as Associate Dean.

Associate Deans of the college/schools serve and support the Dean of the college/school, carrying out specific responsibilities assigned by the Dean, as well as assuming other duties in support of academic affairs, specifically, and the University, more generally. Duties vary and range within the scope of the Dean’s responsibilities as outlined in the Faculty Handbook. Though the Associate Deans may be called upon to assist their Dean in personnel matters, decisions concerning faculty evaluation with regard to raises, promotions, and tenure, rest solely with the Dean.

Academic Associate Deans normally teach two courses (8 shs) per academic year; are evaluated as teaching faculty and, like Department Chairs, have their Unit IIIs completed by the Dean of their college/school. Academic Associate Deans remain eligible for promotion in rank.

Academic Associate Deans continue to be eligible for teaching faculty professional development supports, excluding reassigned-times distributed either through departments or FR&D, summer fellowships, and year-long sabbatical options.

E27E

At Elon University, people holding administrative or academic support positions are appointed to faculty rank on the basis of three criteria, described below. Generally, those appointed to faculty rank should meet all three criteria.

Individuals considered for faculty rank must hold professional degrees from accredited colleges or universities. These degrees are to be appropriate to a field of academic specialization or to a position of program leadership. Normally, these degrees should be at the master’s degree level or above.

Candidates for faculty rank must occupy positions that are central to the broader educational goals of the University as reflected in the institutional Mission Statement. This connection should be made clear as grounds for the appointment.

Normally, those appointed to faculty rank should have clear supervisory status, understood as educational leadership of other faculty or staff with faculty rank. In general, faculty status is appropriate only for those who hold key positions of academic program leadership or coordination.

Letters of Agreement for administrative staff and staff with faculty rank are mailed on or before April 15 to be returned no later than April 30. Letters not accepted within this period and other letters not signed and returned by April 30 are void and the position is considered vacant.

E29D

The University seeks to appoint and maintain a full time permanent teaching faculty that is 85-90% tenured/tenure track. Normally, tenure track and tenured appointments should be maintained at 85-90% departmentally and institutionally. These two percentage guidelines will enable the University to benefit from the stability of a core of tenured faculty and from the influx of new faculty. These guidelines will also provide flexibility to respond to enrollment and program changes that occur in the course of time. The administration is principally responsible for allocation of positions in accordance with the long-term direction of the institution and its obligation to manage resources so as to maintain the mission of the University. The faculty is principally responsible to provide information and evaluation regarding the individual’s competence and relevance of training and skills to the present and short-term programmatic needs of the University.

Additional information on tenure may be found elsewhere in this Handbook.

E34B

Tenure track positions are allocated to departments or programs by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in consultation with the Deans and Department Chairs. If a tenure track position is available, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and the appropriate Dean, following consultation with the Department Chair and considering the overall needs of the University, determine that the position either be offered to a current member of the faculty or be advertised externally. When a tenure track position is offered to and accepted by a current member of the faculty, standard tenure review procedures will be followed.

When tenure track positions are announced by a department, qualified faculty members from continuing track, lecture track, and visiting appointments may submit their name as applicants. If successful in securing the tenure track position, faculty should consult the Chair and Dean to determine the length of the probationary period prior to their tenure decision.

For faculty on continuing track who accept a tenure track position, the annual cash supplement will terminate at the beginning of the tenure track appointment period.

The University recognizes the importance of having high quality faculty performance that is clearly demonstrated before tenure is awarded. For tenure, the burden of proof rests with the faculty member. The candidate is responsible for knowing the process and the requirements for tenure and for ensuring that their personnel file is complete. The process  and criteria associated with tenure may be found elsewhere in this Handbook.

Only the Board of Trustees of the University can grant tenure. The granting of tenure is reserved for those probationary faculty who have met the following University standards in the tenure process:

• Possesses the terminal degree and at least six years’ experience as an Assistant Professor or, for people on tenure track without the terminal degree, at least six years’ experience as an Assistant Professor and significant professional experience
• Serves at least four years on tenure track at Elon University
• Demonstrates clearly an ongoing record of high quality in each of the following areas: teaching, contributions to the life of the University, and professional activity.

Only in exceptional cases will faculty members be granted tenure who have not met the preceding standards.

In exceptional circumstances a faculty member may request a one-year extension of the probationary period. The faculty member, following consultation with the Department Chair and Dean, must submit this request to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who makes the final determination.

E24K

In some unusual cases, tenure may be granted upon hiring. In the case where a candidate may be under consideration to receive tenure upon hiring, they must satisfy the criteria outlined in the Elon University Faculty Handbook for Associate Professor  or Professor  and be under consideration for hire at that rank. Additionally, they must have earned tenure or the equivalent at their prior institution.

The procedure for hiring with tenure involves the following steps:

1. Following consultation with the department, the Dean of the hiring school/college and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will have a meeting to discuss the rationale for hiring with tenure.
2. The search is initiated.
3. The candidates meet with the President.
4. The search committee makes a recommendation for hiring on behalf of the department/program to the Dean.
5. The selected candidate’s commitment to pursuing the position is ascertained.
6. The candidate is asked to provide the appropriate documentation for supporting tenure. These documents should mirror those outlined in the Elon University Faculty Handbook.

• A current curriculum vita
• A statement of teaching and evidence of effective and engaged teaching
• A statement of scholarship and supporting pieces of recent scholarly work
• A statement of service and documentation supporting a history of service

7. The Dean consults with all post-probationary faculty from within the hiring department/program regarding the granting of tenure to the candidate.
8. The Dean communicates their recommendation to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
9. The applicant’s supporting materials are sent to the Promotions and Tenure Committee for review.
10. The Promotions and Tenure Committee sends its recommendation to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
11. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs makes their recommendation to the President.
12. The President’s recommendation is sent to the Board of Trustees for approval.
13. The offer is finalized.

E22D

E33Z

The following section describes each of the faculty and librarian ranks available at Elon University. Additional information on moving through ranks, may be found in the section on Promotions. For teaching faculty, promotion will not occur prior to a probation or tenure decision. Under normal circumstances there should not be split decisions where a faculty member is tenured but not promoted to Associate Professor.

E22X

In order to be eligible for appointment as an Assistant Professor, the applicant will have a terminal degree and typically some teaching experience, while an applicant without the terminal degree will have significant professional experience.

Assistant Professors are expected to be effective teachers, advisors, and departmental members and to be engaged in serious, continuing scholarly study which will permit them to increase their competence in their fields and/or other fields and which will qualify them for promotion to a higher rank.

Assistant Professors should expect to serve six years in rank, of which at least four are at Elon University, before becoming eligible for promotion. During this time, Assistant Professors, planning to stand for promotion to a higher rank, are expected to continue to develop their skills and record in a manner that will qualify them for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor.

E26A

In order to be eligible for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor, faculty members are expected to have met the following standards by the time the promotional rank is sought:

• Have a terminal degree and at least six years’ experience as an Assistant Professor or, for persons without a terminal degree, at least six years’ experience as an Assistant Professor and significant professional experience
• Be actively engaged in teaching, advising, service, professional activity, and scholarly activities of a high quality

Only in exceptional cases will people who have not met the preceding standards be appointed to this rank.

Associate Professors should expect to serve six years in rank, of which at least four are at Elon University, before becoming eligible for promotion to the rank of Professor. During this time, Associate Professors, planning to stand for promotion to a higher rank, are expected to continue to develop their skills and record in a manner that will qualify them for promotion to the rank of Professor.

E32H

In order to be eligible for promotion to the rank of Professor, faculty members are expected to have met the following standards by the time the promotional rank is sought:

• Have the terminal degree and at least six years of experience as an Associate Professor or, for persons without the terminal degree, at least six years’ experience as an Associate Professor and significant professional experience
• Have established sustained records of teaching, professional activity including scholarship, and institutional service that surpass the high quality standard for faculty at other ranks. They should be exemplary teachers and advisors. They should be currently engaged in scholarly work that extends past achievements. Their contribution to the life of the University should reflect understanding of its mission and goals and demonstrable leadership in serving the University.

Only in exceptional cases will persons who have not met the preceding standards be appointed to this rank

E34M

This appointment is for people who have a degree at the master’s level or higher.

Lecturers are expected to be effective teachers, to be actively engaged in service to the institution, and to participate in professional activities that keep them abreast of current developments in their fields.

Faculty on lecture track may stand for promotion to Senior Lecturer. Lecturers should expect to serve six years in rank, of which at least four are at Elon University, before becoming eligible for promotion to Senior Lecturer. During this time, Lecturers are expected to continue to develop their skills and record in a manner that will qualify them for promotion to the rank of Senior Lecturer.

Lecturers will not be considered for promotion to the ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor.

E23X

In order to be promoted to Senior Lecturer, faculty members are expected to have established ongoing records of excellent teaching and significant service to the institution, as well as other professional activity that promotes professional development.

Only in exceptional cases will people who have not met the preceding standards be appointed to this rank.

Senior Lecturers will not be considered for promotion to the ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor.

E27R

This appointment is for people without the terminal degree serving in a visiting or limited term appointment.

E29J

Most initial full time librarian appointments are made at the Assistant Librarian rank. Assistant Librarians are expected to be effective librarians who are engaged in serious disciplined and continuing study which will permit them to increase their competence in their field. They are in the process of developing professional identities and specialized competences in technical, subject or administrative areas of librarianship. A librarian at this rank participates in the development and implementation of new programs, services, and policies, and contributes to the mission and goals of Belk Library and Elon University.

Appointments for Assistant Librarians prior to the decision on continuance are of a fixed term length, normally one academic year with no guarantee of reemployment.

E35N

Associate Librarians are consistently engaged in high quality librarianship, service, and scholarly/professional activities. They have made creative contributions to the programs and services of Belk Library. They have demonstrated professional achievement through leadership in professional organizations and/or scholarship and have provided sustained service to the University supporting its overall mission and goals.

While at the Associate Librarian rank, librarians have appointments of a fixed term length, normally three academic years with no guarantee of reemployment.

Librarians hired with more than 10 years of professional experience in other academic libraries may be hired at the Associate Librarian rank. These appointments are of a fixed term length, normally three academic years, and with no guarantee of reemployment.

E33C

Senior Librarians have established ongoing records of exceptional librarianship, professional activity, and institutional service that surpass what is expected of librarians at other ranks. They should be recognized as exemplary librarians who uphold high professional and ethical standards. They should be currently involved in professional work that extends past achievements. Their service to the University should reflect understanding of its purposes and demonstrable leadership in fulfilling these purposes.

Senior Librarians:

• demonstrate the highest degree of independent responsibility, judgment, and accountability within all areas of job assignment;
• demonstrate significant and acknowledged expertise in their area of specialization;
• achieve an established reputation as an academic librarian within the library profession and/or an academic discipline through substantial scholarly research, instruction, and/or professional activity; and
• provide long-term leadership and contributions within Belk Library, the University and the library profession.

E35A

Retired faculty members who were members of the faculty at Elon University for at least 10 years and whose service to the institution exceeded the expected norm of performance are eligible for Emeritx Status.

The members of the retired faculty person's department should initiate the procedure by formally recommending the faculty member be granted Emeritx Status. The recommendation is sent to the appropriate Dean, who submits it, along with their recommendation to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in turn forwards a recommendation to the President, who makes the final decision.

Perquisites granted to Emeritx faculty are:

• Eligibility to maintain Web pages on university server
• Eligibility to apply for use of the university flats in London and apartments in Florence
• Invitation to faculty meetings and lunches
• Continuation of email
• Phoenix ID Card use
• Continuation of parking permit usage
• Use of Belk Library
• Use of fitness center
• Tuition remission for one course per semester
• Free flu shots
• Employee discount program
• Admission to cultural events
• Admission to athletic events
• Invitation to campus events

E25F

E24D

Faculty members periodically receive reassigned time to support their teaching, university service and professional activities. In the event of an accumulation of reassigned time (including 499 and other accrued supervision), all full time teaching faculty are expected to teach a minimum of three courses (12 shs) each academic year with at least one course (4 shs) each fall and spring semester except in the case of a sabbatical or teaching sabbatical. Utilizing post-probationary reassigned times, full professors and post-probationary faculty with significant administrative responsibilities (two [8 shs] or three [12 shs] reassigned times) may be eligible to drop below the minimum standard within some constraints: faculty may not create a zero-course semester load, except when eligible for a teaching sabbatical, and faculty are not allowed to create back-to-back sabbaticals. Additional exceptions may exist for extraordinary University duties or projects and, occasionally, for teaching faculty holding significant leadership positions of four or more years’ duration with approval of the appropriate Dean. If such an exception is granted, the full time faculty member receiving the reduced load must teach at least one course in the fall semester and one course in the spring semester.

In calculating the workload for faculty members teaching graduate courses as part of their instructional duties, a three semester hour graduate-level course will count as four and one-half semester hours.

(Information below in italics is reprinted from the Faculty Bylaws, Article X, Section 2)

The holding of public office is consistent with the principles of academic freedom, but intensive campaigning or a significant time requirement to perform the public duties may constitute interference with the faculty member’s loyalty to the University and to students. The amount and type of outside employment, especially with respect to outside teaching, consistent with the teaching objective is a matter to be resolved between the individual faculty member, the department chair, and the vice president for academic affairs. Research for monetary gain should be based upon an understanding between the individual faculty member and the University administration.

E32E

Annual faculty salary increases are distributed according to an overall base increase, a merit increase, and adjustments. A merit increase is based on the criteria for evaluation of Teaching Faculty in this Handbook. A letter describing salary increases is included with each faculty member’s annual Letter of Appointment.

In calculating salary for faculty members teaching graduate courses as part of their instructional duties, a three semester hour graduate-level course will count as four and one-half semester hours.

E33T

Elon University values experiential learning and desires that schools, departments, and programs provide students with internship opportunities that are of high quality. Maintaining an internship program which is exemplary requires that faculty have adequate time and resources to plan, implement and assess internship experiences and that faculty are fairly compensated and recognized for their work. The University acknowledges that variation in size, structure, and intent among schools, departments, and programs necessitates some flexibility in a faculty internship compensation policy.

Departments, schools and programs are encouraged to offer internships on a course-basis with the faculty sponsor compensated as part of their standard teaching load. Actual faculty load for course-based internships is generally determined using the following ranges of internship hours supervised.

10 – 23 hours of student internship = 1 faculty load hour

24 – 35 hours of student internship = 2 faculty load hours

36 – 47 hours of student internship = 3 faculty load hours

48 – 60 hours of student internship = 4 faculty load hour

Schools, departments, and programs using the course-based approach should pay close attention to the quality of the experience for the individual student. As a general rule, 12 students per course is the recommended upper limit for a single faculty supervisor to ensure high quality experiences for all students. Faculty supervising more than 12 students should consult with their Department Chairs to discuss their course and supervision methodology.

Internships may be offered on an individual basis with a faculty member receiving compensation above their annual contracted salary, particularly in situations where the number of student intern credit hours is low. The amount of compensation will be computed as overload pay when internship supervision causes a faculty member’s annual load to exceed the standard load. Overload pay is calculated using current overload pay rates and the formula of 10 hours of student internship equals one faculty load hour. Faculty should supervise no more than 20 student intern credit hours (or 5 students) in any given semester. During winter term, faculty should supervise no more than 12 student intern credit hours (or three students) if they are also teaching a course. Faculty will receive overload pay in the spring semester for all internship hours supervised as overload during the academic year.

When internships are offered on an individual basis, faculty may elect to accrue internship supervision hours for a future course release. The course release is determined using the formula of 10 student internship hours equals one faculty load hour. Faculty may bank intern credit hours over a two-year period; if they have not accumulated sufficient credit hours for a course release in the second year, they will be compensated with overload pay. Faculty should work with their Department Chairs in determining the appropriate time for the course release.

In schools with an internship coordinator, faculty members are not compensated for internship supervision.

Faculty who supervise internships in the summer semesters are compensated by pay for all internship hours according to the ratio of 10 student internship hours equals one faculty load hour applied to the standard formula for determining summer school compensation.

1. Faculty supervising individual internships must inform their Department Chairs of their intentions to seek annual overload pay or to accrue hours for course release.
2. Faculty supervising individual internships should document their hours.
3. Faculty seeking annual overload pay for internship supervision must submit a report of annual internship hours to their Department Chairs by the first day of classes in the spring semester so that overload may be applied to the spring salary.
4. Faculty seeking a course release for internship supervision must submit a report of their supervision hours to their Department Chairs and work with their Department Chairs to arrange the future course release.
5. Department Chairs must verify faculty internship hours and make faculty aware of the compensation policy and procedures.
6. Department Chairs must submit projected overload and course release information to the Dean in a timely fashion to permit salary, schedule, and hiring adjustments.

E22A

Elon University supports faculty in providing students with high quality, intensive research experiences. Developing and maintaining a premiere undergraduate research program requires that faculty have adequate time and resources to mentor students and to maintain active research programs, and that faculty are fairly compensated and recognized for this important work. As part of an ongoing effort to support, compensate, and recognize the intensive work of mentoring, the faculty approved the 4999/4998 course designation for research in each discipline and the University has developed a compensation program based on 4999/4998 credit hours.

The Undergraduate Research Program shares with individual faculty members the responsibility for tracking the number of student hours earned. The Undergraduate Research Program will provide Deans, Department Chairs, and individual faculty with 499/4998 mentoring reports in February, at which time, faculty will choose between compensation by course reassigned time or compensation by overload pay. If faculty do not indicate which they would prefer, then the hours are automatically banked for future use.

Faculty Load Hours

Faculty load hours for 4999 is based upon the following:

6 student hours of 4999 = 1 faculty load hour

12 student hours of 4999 = 2 faculty load hours

18 student hours of 4999 = 3 faculty load hours

24 student hours of 4999 = 4 faculty load hours

 

Faculty load hours for 4998 is based upon the following:

4 student hours of 4998 = 1 faculty load hour

8 student hours of 4998 = 2 faculty load hours

12 student hours of 4998 = 3 faculty load hours

16 student hours of 4998 = 4 faculty load hours

Faculty select one of the following two options:

 

Compensation by Overload Pay

• Compensation for 4999/4998 is based upon the accrued faculty load hours in 4999/4998 as described above. 
• Faculty must inform the Director of Undergraduate Research of their intent to seek annual overload pay in February.
• There are two different banks (4999 and 4998). Faculty can choose to payout the current year’s credits for one of these (e.g., only 4999), both of these, or neither (by banking). Faculty cannot partially payout within the same bank (e.g., cannot payout 2 credits of 4999 and bank 2 credits of 4999).
• The Director of Undergraduate Research will notify faculty, Department Chairs, and Deans by late February of their hours for overload pay for the academic year.
• Faculty should also keep track of their 4998 and 4999 hours.
• Compensation is based on current overload pay rates and will be made in the spring semester.

 

Compensation by Course Reassigned Time

• Course reassigned times are based on accrued faculty load hours in 4999/4998 as described above.
• Faculty must inform the Director of Undergraduate Research of their intent to accrue current year’s faculty 4999/4998 load hours for course reassigned time in February. 
• There are two different banks (4999 and 4998). Faculty can choose to bank the current year’s credits for one of these (e.g., only 4999), both of these, or neither (by seeking payout). Faculty cannot partially retain hours within the same bank (e.g., cannot payout 2 credits of 4999 and bank 2 credits of 4999).
• The Director of Undergraduate Research will notify faculty, Department Chairs, and Deans by late February of hours accumulated to date.
• Faculty should also keep track of their 4998 and 4999 hours.
• Faculty will work with their Department Chairs to schedule the course reassigned time.

   

  Limitations on Compensation

   

  In order to maintain budgetary operations of the various programs compensating faculty for undergraduate research, the following compensation limits apply:

   

• Compensation for undergraduate research using the above options is limited to a total of 18 student research credit hours of 4999/4998 (combined) across the academic year. 
• The maximum compensation by overload pay in a given year is equivalent to eight faculty load hours. All other accrued hours beyond that maximum level will be paid out in the following academic year.
• Twelve faculty load hours are the maximum number of hours that faculty can have in their bank for compensation by reassigned time at any one time (combined 4999/4998). Accrued faculty load hours beyond this limit will be paid out, subject to the timing conditions above. 
• Exceptions to these limits require approvals from the faculty member’s department chair and either the appropriate 4999/4998 director or the faculty member’s academic dean. Exceptions require a programmatic justification. Ending employment at the university is an exception to these limits.

 

Faculty supervising 4998 or 4999 credit during the summer will be paid based upon the current formula for summer pay.

E26U

Each academic department will administer reassigned course time proportional to the number of its full time, probationary faculty. Only probationary faculty are eligible to receive departmental reassigned times. Probationary in this context includes all tenure-track faculty who have yet to stand for tenure, and all continuing- and lecture-track faculty with six or fewer years in rank, unless both successfully continued and promoted in rank prior to their seventh year. Reassignments will be given for teaching activities that are not counted as part of the course load, for service (contributions to the life of the University), and for professional activity/scholarship. Examples of these activities are described in the Criteria for Evaluation of Teaching Faculty. To request reassignment, members of the faculty must submit reassigned-time proposal forms to their Department Chairs by the fall deadline for all requests for University releases, the third Friday of September. Department Chairs will recommend appropriate requests for approval by the Deans. Department Chairs will list faculty granted reassigned times by their departments in their annual reports and explain, collectively, how faculty within the department have used reassigned times. Faculty who receive departmental reassigned time course releases are eligible to receive FR&D reassigned course releases during the same academic year, provided the multiple releases meet the criteria for Minimum Teaching Expectation found in this Handbook.

To request reassignment, members of the faculty must submit reassigned-time proposal forms to their Department Chairs in the fall and include the proposals as part of their Unit I development plans. Department Chairs will recommend appropriate requests for approval by the Deans.

TIME SCHEDULE

The deadline for submissions of reassigned time requests will be the deadline for all requests for University reassigns, the third Friday of September. Department Chairs will meet with their Deans to review proposals during October. Reassigned time proposals are approved in early November.

EVALUATION

Department Chairs will list faculty granted reassigned times by their departments in their annual reports and explain, collectively, how faculty within the department have used reassigned times.

E29Z

Except under unusual circumstances, Department Chairs will not be allowed to carry overloads resulting in additional compensation. Approval to do so must be obtained from the Dean prior to the start of the semester in which the overload is to occur.

E23W

E28Q

Faculty in their first year of full time teaching at Elon will be notified by January of the current academic year if their appointment will not be renewed for a second year.

After completing the first year, faculty will be notified by April of the current academic year if their appointment (employment) will not be renewed beyond the next academic year.

E22T

The President of the University, in consultation with the Dean and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, may remove a faculty member for cause without regard to the faculty evaluation schedule. “For cause” may include any or all of the following:

• Illegal activity
• Bona fide financial exigency
• Abolition of the faculty member’s discipline or department
• Action inconsistent with the University goal of maintaining fairness with regard to sex, race, religion, national origin, and individual disabilities
• Professional incompetence
• Gross personal or professional misconduct
• Other actions by a faculty member that are detrimental to the goals and missions of the University and which require prompt removal

Faculty members who believe that a decision has been wrongfully made in their case may request a hearing as described in this Handbook.

E35H

When reason arises to question the retention of a teaching faculty member who has tenure, the Department Chair, the Dean, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will discuss the matter with the faculty member. The procedure may be terminated at this point by mutual consent.

If the issue is not resolved by mutual consent, the faculty member has the right to request a hearing by the Academic Council. The faculty member requesting the hearing may present the grievance and/or may be represented by any other faculty member they select. The faculty member has the right to secure counsel and the right to question witnesses.

Recommendations of the Academic Council concerning disposition of the case will be made to the President of the University.

If requested by the faculty member, the President shall take the full report of the Academic Council to the Board of Trustees stating the Council’s recommendation, together with the President’s own recommendation. The Board may accept the President's recommendation or the recommendation of the Council, or the recommendation may be returned to the Council for reconsideration.

E24P

Faculty members are eligible for retirement when they have reached 59.5 years of age and have at least 10 years of service at Elon University. There is no mandatory retirement age. Faculty members considering retirement should consult with their Department Chairs and Deans and contact the Office of Human Resources.

E27K

Phased retirement is an arrangement for reducing a faculty member’s workload prior to retirement, as provided in a phased retirement agreement between the University and the faculty member. This transitional reduced-load phase will normally extend for a two year period prior to retirement. During phased retirement, the faculty member’s appointment will be as a Senior Faculty Fellow, defined as a full-time teaching faculty member whose overall workload has been reduced as a means of transitioning into retirement. The reduced teaching load, ordinarily consisting of three courses, is expected to be carried out over the full academic year. Other Senior Faculty Fellow responsibilities include advising and service to the department and institution. The Senior Faculty Fellow will draw half of normal salary during the phased retirement period.

To be eligible for participation in phased retirement a faculty member must:

• Be a full-time teaching member of the University faculty
• Be at least 59½ years of age
• Have completed at least 10 years of service to the University immediately prior to entering into the phased retirement program

While participation in the phased retirement program is not a right automatically available to all people who meet the eligibility criteria, the University will give serious consideration to all requests. Factors that will guide these decisions include:

• The faculty member’s most recent reviews (Unit Is and Unit IIIs)
• Departmental needs
• Institutional needs and resources

Replacements for faculty who are granted phased retirement will be determined based on department needs and institutional resources.

Eligible faculty members may initiate the application process by submitting a letter of intent to their Dean and Department Chair. Ordinarily, this letter will be submitted one year prior to the faculty member’s anticipated entry into the phased retirement program in order to facilitate department planning.

The Department Chair will consult with the Dean regarding the impact on departmental resources.

In the case of joint appointments, both Department Chairs must receive the written request and consult with their appropriate Deans.

If approved, the Dean will forward the request to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for final review and approval. After which the applicant will be informed whether their request has been approved.  Upon receiving approval, the applicant should make an appointment with the Human Resources Department to obtain complete details of phased retirement. The Office of the Provost will prepare a phased retirement agreement between the applicant and the University during the annual letter of agreement (LOA) process, to be signed by the President.

The decision of the University to permit phased retirement in each case is at the University’s discretion, and its decision is final. Denial of a request, however, does not preclude the approval of a subsequent request.

The written phased retirement agreement will contain the following provisions:

• The faculty member agrees to formally retire from Elon University on an agreed-upon date (usually the end of the appropriate academic year).
• Unless specific provisions to the contrary are included in a Senior Faculty Fellow’s agreement with the University, that person will retain faculty privileges, responsibilities, and benefits as outlined in this Faculty Handbook. During the phased retirement period, faculty members will be considered full-time faculty and will receive all appropriate fringe benefits.
• The faculty member, Chair, and Dean will mutually agree on the responsibilities for teaching, service, and advising during the Senior Faculty Fellow’s phased retirement.
• The faculty member will draw half of their normal salary.
• Phased retirement cannot begin until it has been recommended by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and approved by the President.