Preamble
The purpose of this policy is to establish a common and transparent framework of rules to govern the use of external funds for teaching release purposes. Over time the conditions for course releases have changed, as have the sources for funding. This policy is intended to offer guidance to the Chair of the department in granting course releases.
Externally funded course releases facilitate research and publication. They are therefore valuable for faculty members, as well as the department.
Nothing in this policy is intended to affect the general policies at the university with respect to sabbatical leaves and leaves without salary. Nor is this policy intended to affect policies relating to other kinds of teaching releases, such as third-year teaching release for assistant professors, teaching release associated with administrative duties, or teaching release associated with named chairs.
Policy
As the person who assigns academic duties for professors in the department, the Chair grants permission for teaching releases. In the event that an external grant fully funds a teaching release, the Chair will make every effort to ensure that releases are granted. The Chair may deny, approve, or ask for a deferral of a teaching release. In granting permission, the Chair will consider an ensemble of factors, including but not limited to the impact of a teaching release on course offerings and the curriculum in the department.
A faculty member may not use external funds to support teaching release, unless such use is explicitly allowed by the rules of the granting agency or foundation. It shall be the faculty member’s responsibility to demonstrate that the grant in question allows and funds a teaching release.
A faculty member may not use personal financial resources to fund a teaching release.
A faculty member granted teaching release under this policy is obliged to fulfil other departmental duties.
Under this policy, a faculty member may have release from a maximum of two courses per year or a maximum of six courses in any three-year period. If an external grant makes provisions for course releases that exceed this number, the Chair will make every effort to accommodate the provisions set forth by the grant.
No course release can be granted unless a replacement course is fully funded, including salary and benefits as applicable. The cost of replacement courses will be adjusted as necessary by the
Chair to reflect changing compensation levels for course instructors as set by the university.
An unused teaching release in any year cannot carry over to subsequent periods. Nor can a teaching release that falls during a sabbatical or other leave be carried over to the following year or years.
Approved: 18 September 2012