Summer and Intersession Workload

The intersession and summer period is not part of the regular academic year, and the University does not offer a normal range of coursework. Because of this, the number of courses may vary widely between

academic units and among the eight campuses of Kent State University. In addition, certain intersession and summer academic programs may require particular expertise not normally present, or present only to a limited extent, in an academic unit or at a specific regional campus. It is understood that summer and intersession teaching is not a right and no member of the Faculty is required to accept a summer or intersession offer of employment. However, to the extent possible within the above parameters, the academic units and the individual regional campuses will endeavor to distribute equitably these

opportunities to work among members of the bargaining unit without regard to academic rank. If summer or intersession employment is offered to a Faculty member he/she will be provided a workload statement no less than five (5) days prior to the start of the summer term or intersession in which load is assigned.

If a Faculty member’s instructional assignments and/or workload equivalencies change after the initial workload statement has been issued, the Faculty member will receive an updated statement as soon as possible.

A. Intersession(s). A limited number of regular courses and special purpose workshops of a credit or non-credit nature are offered, or may be offered, during the intersessions between the Fall and Spring semesters and between the Spring semester and the formal summer school term(s).

1. Assignments accepted during the intersessions shall be separate and apart from the summer school offerings in Summer Sessions I, II, and III in terms of defining both summer workload and eligibility for compensation.

2. Compensation for intersession courses shall be at the same rate of pay as for summer session courses, as described in B.1., below.

B. Summer Sessions.

1. Workload and Compensation. The normal summer school load for full pay (one-sixth of the academic year salary) shall be six (6) hours per term as adjusted in accordance with the teaching load policy referenced in the above Section 2. Exceptions to the six (6) hour per term limit may be granted in cases of demonstrable programmatic need. Such exceptions will be made upon the recommendation of the academic unit administrator and approved by the College Dean or in the case of the regional campuses, the Provost or his/her designee. Within these parameters, the rate of compensation shall be one thirty-sixth (1/36) of the academic year salary for each workload credit hour. The instructional overload rate (as defined in Section 5 of this Article) does not apply during the summer terms.

a. Accordingly, the maximum summer school workload for which compensation may be made available shall be twelve (12) hours for Summer Sessions I, II, and III in any combination. Exceptions necessitated by extraordinary circumstances deriving from demonstrable programmatic need that cannot be met within the instructional resources available to the academic unit or regional campus shall be made only on the basis of a written recommendation and rationale from the academic unit administrator or Regional Campus Dean. In the case of departments or schools, such exceptions shall also require the explicit

authorization of the recommended exception by the College Dean. In the case of regional campuses such exceptions require the explicit authorization of the recommended exception by the Provost or his/her designee.

b. Workshops offered for academic credit, as well as regular instructional course offerings, shall be regarded as part of the maximum compensable summer workload(s) referenced above and compensated proportionate to regular

academic year salary in accord with the credit hours assigned for the instruction.

c. Regulations and understandings associated with external grants and research, teaching or professional development awards provided by the University shall also constitute a part of the maximum compensable summer workload to the extent and as defined by the terms and conditions of the grant or award.

2. Enrollment-Contingent Courses. The University, in its sole discretion, may offer summer courses on an enrollment contingency basis. The specific minimum enrollment for the enrollment contingent course will be communicated to the Faculty member at the time the course assignment is offered to the Faculty member, and noted on the summer

workload statement. In the event that the student enrollment does not reach the minimum established by the University and with the voluntary written agreement of the Faculty member, the University may provide compensation proportionate to the number of students enrolled in the class by the relevant census date as determined by the University.

In the event that the student enrollment does not reach the minimum established by the University and the Faculty member does not agree to compensation proportionate to the number of students enrolled in the class, the University may offer the course to someone else or the University can cancel the course. If a course is canceled after its first meeting, the Faculty member shall be compensated proportionate to the number of class sessions and number of students, if applicable, conducted prior to the cancellation decision and notice. In no case, will a new section of a course that has been cancelled due to low enrollment be opened after the cancellation and offered to a different instructor.

3. Flat-Fee Compensation. It is further recognized that there are other forms of

employment that, at the sole discretion of the University, may be offered to or requested of Faculty during the intersession or summer period(s) which are not necessarily related to academic year or summer session instructional responsibilities and compensation-base.

These include, but are not limited to, assumption of responsibilities which are essentially administrative or supervisory in nature; special assignments not related to summer instructional responsibilities in areas such as academic advising, student

recruitment/retention, and outreach activities; appointments/awards designed to foster research, professional development, or teaching/curricular development in lieu of

summer instructional appointment; and the offering of non-credit workshops. In any case in which the University offers to or requests such employment of a Faculty member during the intersession or summer period(s), such duties will be compensated on a flat-fee basis mutually agreed to in writing prior to commencement of the employment.

4. Individual Investigations. Unless undertaken as part of the assigned summer workload for which compensation is already provided, Faculty shall be compensated, upon prior written request, for individual investigations, honors thesis direction and other similar individualized instruction at the rate of one-tenth (1/10) hour of workload equivalency per student credit hour, provided that the individualized instruction is a programmatic requirement and/or is being taken by the student as a substitute for a programmatic requirement and with prior approval by the academic unit administrator or Regional Campus Dean, as appropriate. Such approved assignments will appear on the Faculty member’s summer workload statement. Normally, Faculty shall be compensated to a

maximum of four (4) students registered in a given summer; however, this number may be exceeded in unusual circumstances and with prior approval of the academic unit administrator or Regional Campus Dean. In the case of departments or schools, such exceptions to the maximum number of students registered for individual investigations in a given summer shall also require the explicit authorization of the recommended

exception by the College Dean or the Provost, or his/her designee, in the case of Regional Campuses.

5. Dissertation/Thesis Direction. Within the twelve-hour maximum compensable workload for Summer Terms I, II, and III combined, as referenced above, Faculty actively engaged during the summer terms in dissertation or thesis direction of students actively enrolled and registered for that purpose and who are in "good standing" as far as program

progress, as certified by the academic unit, is concerned shall be compensated on a basis of up to four (4) dissertations directed for each credit hour of compensable workload (one-fourth of a summer credit hour for each dissertation directed) to a maximum of three (3) summer credit hours of compensation. Thesis direction shall be compensated on the basis of one-eighth (1/8) of a compensable summer credit hour for each thesis direction of an enrolled student.

a. Compensated dissertation direction shall be available to Faculty members who request such compensation on the basis of eligibility for compensation for four (4) dissertations for each available workload hour within the defined maximum summer term(s) workload.

b. Workload credit and the specified compensation for dissertation or thesis direction may be shared by co-directors. Where the workload credit and the compensation are to be pro-rated on other than a 50-50 basis between two Faculty members, the pro-ration is to be initiated by the affected Faculty members, subject to the concurrence and authorization of the academic unit administrator(s).

c. In conjunction with the directing Faculty member(s), the enrolled student for the direction of whose thesis/dissertation compensation is to be requested shall prepare a brief Program Statement. This written plan for the anticipated progress to be made as a result of thesis/dissertation registration for the Summer term(s) is to be signed by the student and by the directing Faculty member(s) and submitted to the appropriate academic unit or college administrator for placement into the student's program file. The filing of the plan shall become a basis for

authorization of payment of the compensation for direction of the thesis/dissertation. Not later than the last day of Summer Session III, the directing Faculty member(s) will file with the appropriate academic unit or college administrator a brief statement of the student’s progress.

d. A Faculty member may receive compensation within the parameters described above for direction of the thesis of an individual student and/or the dissertation of an individual student, provided that the student is enrolled, is actively engaging the services of the directing Faculty member, and remains in good standing as far as program progress is concerned for each of the summers for which

compensated direction of the thesis/dissertation is requested. The maximum number of summers allowable for compensated dissertation direction is four (4).

Normally, the maximum number of summers allowable for compensated thesis direction is two (2) summers.

6. Priority of Summer and Intersession Assignment.

a. Kent Campus.

Consistent with the principles and parameters stated in Section 4, priority for assignment to Intersession and Summer Session Courses shall go to Kent Campus Faculty of the academic unit.

b. Regional Campuses.

i. Consistent with the principles and parameters stated in Section 4, priority for assignment to Intersession and Summer Session Courses shall go to Faculty members at the Campus where the course is scheduled and then Faculty of the Regional Campus system.

ii. A Faculty member seeking, within the maximum compensable workload defined in 4.B.1.a. above, assignment to courses at more than a single campus has an obligation to inform the offices of the campus Deans of the respective campuses of the courses to which he/she has been assigned or is seeking assignment at other campus(es).