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Faculty Handbook

General Policies Affecting Faculty?

Each faculty member is responsible for complying with the policies, regulations and directives of the University as they now exist or may hereafter be amended. Disagreement with a policy, regulation or administrative directive does not relieve a faculty member from the duty of compliance. Policy changes must be instituted through the administrative channels of the University, as shown on the official organizational chart and discussed below.

All official administrative matters such as requests, recommendations, reports and grievances are conducted through regular University channels. For a faculty member, these channels begin with one’s department head and continue to or through appropriate administrative offices. In no case should a faculty member contact the chancellor or a regent on official matters without first discussing the issue with the president. For matters that do not require official action, faculty members are welcome to visit any University administrator.

Primary policies and regulations of the University are located in the Faculty Handbook, the current West Texas A&M University Catalog and the System Policies and Regulations Manual (SPRM 07.01), which sets forth the policies and procedures for The Texas A&M University System. Copies are available in the offices of academic deans.

Faculty are expected to demonstrate professionalism in the execution of their assignments. Examples of responsibilities follow:

1. Faculty members shall advise students concerning course selection and career opportunities. Faculty members who teach during the summer are expected to assist with advising and other duties during summer orientation sessions for new students (New Student Conferences).
2. Faculty members should serve on University, departmental, college or special ad hoc committees.
3. Faculty members are subject to duties during priority registration or late registration periods, as assigned by department heads.
4. Faculty members shall attend faculty meetings called during the year by the department head, dean, provost/vice president for academic affairs or president.
5. Graduate faculty members shall participate on thesis and/or dissertation committees for graduate students where appropriate.
6. Faculty members shall be subject to assignment and reassignment of position or duties. Such duties and changes in responsibilities may include teaching off-campus, teaching overloads when necessary, sponsoring WTAMU academic organizations, assisting with administrative duties in their departments, consulting in areas of professional expertise and serving as officers in professional organizations. No property right to continued employment exists in supplemental duties, and supplemental assignments may be terminated at the sole discretion of the University president.

1. Full-time faculty must participate in two of the three (May, August, December) graduation ceremonies and must participate in the Freshman Convocation.
2. Faculty must follow ethical guidelines established by The Texas A&M University System.
3. The University must remain neutral in partisan political activities as stated in System Policy 33.01.01 Political Campaign Events on Property Under the Control of the Texas A&M University System. The use of any University vehicles, equipment, letterhead, etc. for campaign purposes is strictly prohibited. Matters relating to political campaign events are discussed in University Regulation 33.01.01.W1/SS within the System Manual.

Consultation and Outside Employment

If certain conditions are met, full-time faculty members may be allowed up to 10 workdays a semester to engage in outside employment. Faculty members who participate in outside employment, including consultant work, must follow the policy established by The Texas A&M University System. 31.05, 31.05.01, 31.05.02

Faculty members who engage in internal consulting must follow the policy established by The Texas A&M University System. 33.99.07

Employee Time and Attendance Records

The Texas Legislature has directed that the “administrative head of each agency of the state shall require a record to be kept of the vacation and sick leave accrued and absences of each employee and the reasons therefore whether from sickness, vacation or leave of absence without pay. Such records shall be available for public inspection.” Faculty with appointments of less than 12 months do not accrue vacation time.

The pink Teaching Faculty Attendance Record form must be filled out monthly for each employee without exception.

1. All entries are to be in hours. Sickness on any Monday through Friday on which classes are in session or on which the faculty member has duties assigned between the beginning and ending dates of the appointment should be charged. The number of hours absent, based on a normal 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday, should be charged regardless of whether or not a class is missed. Absences of more than three consecutive days for sickness require a doctor’s statement.
2. Faculty taking emergency leave should consult the “Family and Medical Leave Usage and Obligations” statement located on the back of the Notification of Absence/ Request for Leave form. (This form may be found immediately following the appendices.)
3. The fact that one faculty member performs the duties of another during sick or emergency leave does not alter the need to enter hours of leave taken.

Freshman Convocation

Faculty members must participate in Freshman Convocation which is a special event to welcome new students, introduce them to the traditions of the University, encourage students to become engaged members of the student body and provide suggestions for successfully completing a degree.

Leave of Absence

Upon recommendation of the appropriate department head, dean and the provost/vice president for academic affairs, and with approval of the president, a one-year leave of absence without salary may be arranged by faculty member request. Leaves may be granted for a maximum of two consecutive years when approved on an annual basis by the president. 31.03, 31.03.04

Non-Renewal of Employment

The University may elect not to renew the employment of any non-tenured faculty member. The University may also elect not to renew the employment of a faculty member with tenure pursuant to the policy entitled “Termination Without Prejudice” hereinafter. Notice of non-renewal of employment shall be given in writing in accordance with the following standards:

Faculty members designated as “temporary” in their letters of appointment are not entitled to notice prior to non-renewal.

Faculty members designated as “probationary” in their letters of appointment are entitled to the following notice:

1. Not later than March 1 of the first academic year (fall and spring semester, excluding summer) of probationary service, if the appointment expires at the end of that academic year; or, if one year appointment terminates during an academic year, at least six months in advance of its termination.
2. Not later than December 15 of the second academic year of probationary service if the appointment expires at the end of that academic year; if the probationary appointment terminates during an academic year, at least six months in advance of its termination.
3. By June 1 of current appointment, at least 12 months before the expiration of a probationary appointment after two or more consecutive years with the University.

The period of employment of non-renewed faculty shall be as follows:

1. For those entitled to notice not later than March 1 of the first academic year, employment shall continue until the end of the academic year.
2. For those entitled to notice not later than December 15 of the second year of probationary service, employment shall continue until the end of that academic year.
3. For those entitled to notice of 12 months, employment shall continue for one academic year following the official notification (by June 1 of current appointment).

Non-renewed faculty, both temporary and probationary, may appeal their non-renewal to the provost/vice president for academic affairs. Such appeal must be filed in writing with the Office of Academic Affairs within 30 days of notification of non-renewal.

Exceptions to the policies concerning non-renewal of faculty may be made by the University administration if conditions make the exceptions necessary. 12.01

Notification of Absence

Current state law requires that the University maintain records for public inspection of all faculty absences. Faculty members who are absent from any class or who are absent from the campus one full class day or more must complete a Notification of Absence form. The form should be submitted to the department head well in advance of the absence and must be completed whether or not reimbursement is requested. Domestic travel must be approved by department head.

All foreign travel at West Texas A&M University will require advance written approval by the University president. In order to obtain this approval, the traveler must write a detailed letter of explanation on the purpose and expected benefits of the trip to the University and attach with the Request for Foreign Travel. After getting all departmental signatures, request for foreign travel and the notification of absence should be sent to the travel coordinator (Office of Business and Accounting) to ensure that all remaining signatures and paperwork are in place.

Records and Reports

Each faculty member has the responsibility of providing the provost/vice president for academic affairs with official transcripts of all personal college records and a vita on the University form and of keeping departmental faculty files current with official transcripts of subsequent college work.

From time to time, additional reports from faculty members will be necessary. A faculty member shall complete all official reports accurately and furnish all necessary records upon request.

Required Training

1. Employee Training Programs

a.

Component Training Programs—The chancellor and each component chief executive officer shall establish training programs to ensure that training is provided to personnel at all levels of their organizations. Training shall include the duties and responsibilities of their positions and the various policies, rules, regulations and procedures related to their employment in addition to those listed below.

b.

Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Training— Training on policies, regulations, rules and procedures related to discrimination and sexual harassment will be provided to each new employee within 30 days of hire. Supplemental training on policies, regulations, rules and procedures related to discrimination and sexual harassment will be provided to each employee biennially.

c.

Ethics Policy Training and Distribution—All new employees of the A&M System will be provided a copy of the Ethics Policy upon employment and will receive ethics training as part of the employee’s orientation. Copies of the Ethics Policy shall be distributed to employees annually and/or whenever the policy is amended.

d.

Animal Care and Use Training—All faculty and students involved in the care and use of animals in research must complete Animal Care and Use Training, administered by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, or provide sufficient documentation to the committee that comparable training has been completed elsewhere.

e.

Documentation—All training required by this policy shall be documented in the employee’s permanent personnel file or stored electronically.

2. The chancellor is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations for the training and education of administrators and employees pursuant to provisions of the State Employees Training Act.

Research Involving Human Subjects

Anyone conducting research which involves human subjects must contact the Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects, a University standing committee, through the dean of the graduate school and research for guidelines and permission to proceed with the research. (See wtaccess, “University Forms” for additional information.) 15.99.01

Teaching

Each faculty member is expected to make effective teaching in a quality environment the highest priority. Faculty members should continually seek new ways to achieve this goal. The statement on academic freedom, responsibility and tenure is contained in Appendix I, and the teaching load policy is contained in Appendix VII.

Termination

Any faculty member, including a tenured faculty member, may be dismissed for cause before completion of the term fixed in the member’s letter of appointment. The following conditions constitute cause for dismissal:

1. Professional incompetence—defined as demonstrated inability to perform, at an acceptable level, the duties required of a position.
2. Neglect of professional responsibilities—defined as failure to comply with official directives and established University policies; neglect of departmental and University duties; failure to keep current and maintain competency in one’s field; general inaccuracy, ineffectiveness and dishonesty in performance of teaching and/or research duties; or failure to comply with such reasonable requirements as the University may prescribe for achieving professional improvement and growth.
3. Moral turpitude—defined as any personal misconduct which impairs fulfillment of institutional responsibilities. While the ultimate interpretation of this provision rests with the University administration, moral turpitude is considered to include, but is not limited to, the following: immorality, conviction of a felony or illegal use of a controlled substance.
4. Sexual harassment—see Appendix VIII.

Any faculty member may be suspended with pay pending the outcome of an academic due process hearing as provided hereinafter.

Termination Without Prejudice

Nothing herein contained shall be construed as preventing the president from terminating the appointment of a tenured faculty member in the event of a bona fide financial exigency or the phasing out of institutional programs requiring reduction of faculty. Termination will be based on the recommendations and consultation provided through the administrative channels of department head, dean and provost/vice president for academic affairs. A tenured faculty member may appeal a decision to terminate to the president and through the president to the chancellor and to the Board of Regents. A faculty member involved in such adjustments of personnel shall be offered an appointment in a related work area provided the faculty member is qualified professionally to teach in such area and such a position is available. The University has no duty to create by assignment, restructuring or otherwise such a position. The faculty member also has the right to reappointment to the previous position if it is re-established within two calendar years. Tenured faculty members who are terminated without prejudice are entitled to notice at least 12 months before termination of employment, and employment shall continue for one academic year following official notification. 12.01

General Information Authoring Textbooks

Proposals to require students to purchase instructor-generated publications must be submitted to the department head for approval. (Recognized publishers referenced in Books in Print are exempted from the approval process.) If approved, the material can be forwarded to the dean and to the provost/vice president for academic affairs for review and approval. The approval sequence must be complete by the following dates in order to inform the University Bookstore of an approved text: for the fall semester, the third week in March; spring semester, second week in October; summer, third week in February. The instructor(s) or department generating the publication will sign a liability waiver form at the bookstore stating that all relevant permissions have been secured and release WTAMU from any liability related to the use of copyrighted material. The approval process is not intended to infringe upon the pedagogical integrity of the material. The producer(s) of the material shall be limited to a maximum profit of 25 percent of the sale price. The form for submission may be found at the end of the handbook. 61.01.01

General Policies Affecting Faculty

Enrollment in Course Work

Full-time faculty may register for three semester hours a semester unless special authorization for additional hours is granted by the academic dean of the college. 31.99.01

Faculty Development Leave

Faculty development leave may be provided by the University. Faculty Senate has the responsibility of evaluating applications for faculty development leaves for the purpose of study, research, writing or similar projects. The plan to implement faculty development leaves, which was formulated by Faculty Senate and approved by the Board of Regents, will be followed. This plan is included in Appendix VI. 31.03.03

Photography and Recording of Faculty Members and Students

West Texas A&M University reserves the right to photograph and record (by use of still, video, audio or other medium) faculty members and students on campus and at University-sponsored functions and events. The University reserves the right to use, broadcast, distribute and/or publish any part of such images, likenesses, voices, appearances and/or performances for promotional, advertising, educational or other honorable purposes.

Research Enhancement Grants

Research and scholarly activity should be a regular endeavor of each faculty member. The University provides limited support for research through faculty research enhancement grants. (See Appendix V). The University also encourages faculty members to seek outside funding for research. Additional information regarding outside funding for research can be obtained from the director of grants and special projects. All requests for funded research should be discussed with the department head or the appropriate dean. 15.01

Retirement

In accordance with federal legislation, there is no mandatory age for retirement of faculty. 31.07, 31.07.01

Travel

To secure approval for official travel, whether reimbursed by the state or not, the faculty member must complete a Notification of Absence form, which must have the department head/supervisor’s signature two weeks in advance of the absence. Short trips related to normal teaching activities may not require a Notification of Absence. Only persons whose names appear on the University-approved driver list maintained by the vice president of business and finance shall operate a state vehicle.

Each department has limited funds for reimbursement for faculty travel. Reimbursement can be secured only for that travel which state travel regulations, as interpreted by the state comptroller, recognize as necessary and official business for the State of Texas.

To request reimbursement for travel, the faculty member must, after the travel is completed, file a request for reimbursement with the Office of Business and Accounting on Travel Voucher forms available from departmental offices, in the Office of Business and Accounting or online at wtaccess, “University Forms.” For further information, consult department heads concerning travel regulations. 25.02, 25.02.01

Student/Group Travel. Faculty members who will be accompanied by students should complete and attach to the Notification of Absence (1) Student/Group Travel Manifest; (2) Student Activity Release Forms; and (3) Authorization for Student Travel in Personal Vehicle Forms, as applicable. These forms are required for travel that is undertaken by one or more students under certain conditions as outlined in the Student Travel Rule and the supplemental Student Travel Procedures. See Appendix XIX. Student Travel for pertinent rules and procedures. Required forms are in the forms section immediately following appendices. 13.04, 13.04.99

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