PERSONNEL
EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES
FACULTY TEACHING LOADS
Procedure
DEFINITIONS
“Faculty” is defined as employees of the College whose duties are primarily instructional in nature. Faculty members may also have other responsibilities as assigned. Librarians are included in the definition of “faculty”.
Teaching Load for faculty is defined as the number of courses and/or load hours that a faculty member may teach during a semester. Minimum and maximum teaching assignments will differ between fulltime and adjunct faculty.
Lecture courses: One (1) hour lecture equals one credit hour.
Scheduled laboratory courses: Two (2) hours laboratory equals one load hour.
Laboratory courses are:
(1) scheduled at a specific time;(2) taught and set-up by an instructor; (3) structured with specific assignments and projects to be completed each period;(4) a continuation of the lecture.Extensive one-on-one instruction or tutoring is required.Lectures or demonstrations to the class are common.
Non-scheduled laboratory courses: In the event one (1) hours lab equals .33 load hours:
- Laboratory courses may or may not be scheduled at specific times.
- Instructor’s duties are generally limited to making assignments and answering questions.
- Lab assignments may be assigned and completed online via software.
- The laboratory is basically a means to provide the student the necessary information to complete class or homework assignments and to give tutorial assistance where needed.
- Students may complete lab assignments in a computer lab, in the Learning Commons, or on their personal computers.
Computer Based Training (CBT) Classes: a full-load for a CBT instructor is twenty-four (24) clock hours.
Practicum or Co-op.: The instructor will be paid at the rate of $100 per student, not to exceed 30 students.
Independent Study: The instructor will be paid at the rate of 1/10 of course for the student; independent study courses should only have 1 student enrolled.
Instructional contracts in specialized areas (such as nursing) may reflect different loads related to the unique discipline.
Private instruction: Three (3) hours equals two (2) credit hours as part of load (1) hr. private = 2/3 credit). Overload hours paid at an hourly rate established by the College.
Accompanying:
Choir – two (2) hours equals one (1)load hour;
Musical – two (2) equated credits.
Accompanying student recitals and juries - three (3) equated credits
Head Coaching: Season: Nine (9) equated credits; Off-season: Six (6) equated credits.
Major Ensemble Director: Six (6) equated credits (may only have one major ensemble); 3 recruiting hours per fall/spring semester
Drama/Musical Production Director: Three (3) equated credits
Assistant Marching/Concert Band Director: Three (3) equated credits; 3 recruiting hours per fall/spring semester
Band Director/Musical: One (1) equated credit
Education Department Chair: One (1) course reduction fall/spring to compensate for recruiting and coordination of education observations.
STANDARDS AND CRITERIA
A full-time teaching load for faculty equals fifteen (15) non-prorated credit hours per fall/spring semester. The 15 hours may be composed of 16-week or 8-week classes. Courses vary in instructional composition, creating varying load calculations.
If a faculty member does not meet the 15-hour minimum load, no prorated amounts will be paid and the faculty member should work with his/her dean to find ways to compensate for the load hours. Credit hours may be earned for actual hours worked per week in areas such as:
- Tutoring in the Learning Commons
- Advising in the Academic Advising office
- Working in another area of the College as needed (i.e.: Recruiting, OneStop Center, Pearce Museum, Institutional Effectiveness)
- Teaching a Continuing Education Course
- Researching/developing/leading faculty/staff professional development sessions
All substitutions for load hours must be approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. After 2 consecutive semesters of alternative load, the program and/or position will be evaluated for continued sustainability. Appropriate actions will be taken as deemed necessary by the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Full-time faculty will be scheduled to teach a minimum of 15 hours lecture course equivalent unless a departmental need arises and the exception is approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs or his/her designee.
At least nine (9) of the fifteen (15) hour lecture course equivalent will be taught face to face. The remaining six (6) hours may be taught online.
Full time instructors may be assigned to teach a limit of eight (8) courses per semester. Situations where full-time faculty are assigned classes above the eight (8) course limit are exceptions and must be approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The minimum full-time assignment is 15 equivalent load hours.
Small classes that are prorated for compensation, practicum classes, independent study and private lesson classes will not count toward a full-time faculty member’s load.
Adjunct instructors may be assigned to a maximum limit of three (3) courses up to 9 load hours per long semester, except for face-to-face Science classes with labs, which equate to 10 clock hours per week. Any exceptions must be approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
The following chart indicates how many face-to-face or internet classes an adjunct instructor may teach per 16-week semester. Internet/hybrid course clock hours equate to the number of course hours. Any combination of face-to-face and internet/hybrid courses must stay below 19 clock hours per week. Any exceptions must be approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
| COURSE LOAD HOURS | FACE-TO-FACE CLOCK HOURS |
FACE-TO-FACE # ALLOWED |
INTERNET CLOCK HOURS |
INTERNET/HYBRID # ALLOWED |
| 5 | 11.66 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 4.5 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 4 | 6.67 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| 3.5 | 6.67 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 3.33 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 or less | 5 or less | 3 | 3 | 3 |
All full-time faculty on a nine (9) month contract shall be equated as adjunct instructors during the summer and mini-mesters for any classes taught. Load hours shall not exceed one (1) class or three (3) hours per mini-term. Instructor loads will not exceed two (2) courses during a summer six-week term, with no more than four (4) total courses taught during the entire summer session.
Overload and adjunct pay will be at the “per equated credit hour rate,” established in the annual budget.
Instructors who teach summer courses will be paid at the adjunct rate.
Instructors may be employed to teach adjunct or overload courses at a reduced payment rate if enrollment in the course does not meet the minimum number required for the course to be taught.
SMALL CLASSES
Small classes which meet the requirements for any one of the criteria listed below are authorized to be taught as small classes by Navarro College:
- Required course for graduation (the course is not offered each semester or term, and, if cancelled, may affect the date of graduation of those enrolled);
- Required course for majors in this field and should be completed this semester (or term) to keep proper sequence in courses;
- A course in a newly established degree program, concentration, or support area;
- Interdepartmental (cross-listed) courses taught as a single class by the same faculty at the same location, provided that the combined courses do not constitute a small class;
- First-time offering of the course;
- Class size limited by accreditation or state licensing standards;
- Class size limited by availability of laboratory or clinical facilities;
- Voluntarily offered by a faculty member in excess of the institutional teaching load requirement and for which the faculty member receives no additional compensation;
- A course offered at the discretion of the Vice President for Academic Affairs due to unique circumstances which justify offering the small class;
- Developmental studies course required by the Texas Success Initiative (TSI).
Faculty will be compensated for small classes at a prorated rate of 1/10th the normal compensation for each student registered, up to 10 students. No additional compensation will be made for more than 10 students.
Approved: May 7, 2015
Updated: February 11, 2020
