| Title | Adjunct Faculty | Number | 639 |
| Section | Academics | Approval Date | Feb 12,2009 |
| Subsection | Faculty | Effective Date | Feb 12,2009 |
- Adjunct faculty are a valued and essential component of UVU, providing a wealth of practical experience and work in conjunction with salaried faculty members in teaching the many and varied courses offered by UVU. By definition, adjunct faculty are hired on a per-semester basis and their responsibilities are limited primarily to those duties directly related to classroom instruction and student assessment. This policy governs adjunct faculty in terms of professionalism, teaching load, employment eligibility and requirements for on and off-campus sites.
A. Utah Board of Regents Policy R312, Configuration of the Utah System of Higher Education and Institutional Missions and Roles
B. UVU Policy #325, Workload for Full-Time, Non-Faculty Employees
C. UVU Policy #327, Overload for Exempt, Non-Faculty Employees
D. UVU Policy #333, Criminal Background Checks
E. UVU Policy #363, Supplemental and Adjunct/Overload Pay Methods
F. UVU Policy #631, Instructor and Course Evaluations
G. UVU Policy #641, Salaried Faculty Workload – Academic Year
A. Academic year: Fall and spring semesters combined.
B. Adjunct faculty: Part-time, temporary, on-call faculty hired on a semester basis to perform specific faculty duties, primarily instruction, course development, and/or concurrent enrollment.
C. ICHE (Instructional Credit Hour Equivalents): ICHE is the unit of measure for instructional activity as defined by Regents' policy and guidelines. ICHE incorporates credit, lecture, and lab hours, plus factors including, but not limited to, mode of instructional delivery, class size, and individualized instruction.
D. Student Rating of Instruction (SRI): The standard, university-wide instrument used for collecting information from students on the quality of instruction in a section taught by a faculty member.
- Adjunct faculty members serve under the direction of department chairs or their designees, who offer supervisory feedback and designate or coordinate orientation, required training sessions, and conditions necessary for adjunct faculty to perform their assigned duties in a professional manner. Department shall determine professional criteria for employment of adjunct faculty.
- UVU shall provide appropriate support for adjunct faculty to perform their assigned duties in a professional manner, including supervisory feedback.
- The total UVU teaching load of an adjunct faculty member shall not exceed 11 ICHE, which is less than 75% of the maximum of 15 ICHE for a single semester. The teaching load of staff and other UVU employees is covered under UVU policy #325 Workload for Full-time, Non-Faculty Employees and UVU policy #327 Overload for Exempt, Non-Faculty Employees.
- Adjunct faculty are at-will employees and are not benefits eligible.
A. Professionalism
1. Professional Conduct
In common with salaried faculty, adjunct faculty shall conduct themselves as professionals by:
a. providing a method for student contact, such as campus email or individual meeting times;
b. maintaining timely communication with appropriate supervisors regarding exceptions to standard classroom practices, absences, guest speakers, and other exceptions;
c. encouraging student inquiry and learning;
d. improving teaching methodology on a continuing basis, and improving teaching methods as indicated by scholarly trends and/or the supervisor's feedback;
e. maintaining currency in their chosen discipline;
f. supporting the mission and goals of UVU and the department;
g. representing UVU in a professional manner;
h. all institutional employees shall avoid creating the impression that they are officially representing the university in public appearances or statements unless they are authorized to do so.
B. Orientation and Training
1. Human Resources, in partnership with the departments, shall arrange for adjunct faculty to receive orientation regarding policies and procedures and federally mandated training sessions.
C. Student Evaluations
1. To ensure course integrity and to facilitate the on-going improvement of teaching, adjunct faculty shall participate, at the direction of the department chair, in Student Ratings of Instruction (SRI).
D. Course Materials
1. Departments shall provide the official course outline, expected outcomes, and course objectives for each class taught and provide access to department held course materials, tests and teaching resources. Departments shall provide the adjunct faculty with a current textbook(s) and, as appropriate, invite adjunct faculty to participate in the choosing of a new text.
E. UVU Handbook
1. Additional policies that apply to all UVU employees can be found in the UVU Policy and Procedures manual on the UVU website.
F. Employment Eligibility and Requirements
1. Credentials
a. Adjunct faculty hired at UVU shall possess appropriate credentials for the courses they teach as determined by the department.
2. Applications
a. Applicants for adjunct faculty positions must complete the adjunct faculty Employment Application and submit it to the Human Resources, which will clear the applicant for employment eligibility according to UVU policy #333 Criminal Background Checks.
G. Off-campus Sites
Departments establish professional criteria for screening and hiring adjunct faculty. Chairs of departments with courses offered via off-campus sites, continuing education, concurrent enrollment or distance education programs screen and hire adjunct faculty according to established criteria.