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938
DOCUMENTS OF THE GENERAL FACULTY
POLICY ON TEACHING CONTINUITY AND RESTRUCTUREDFACULTY
WORKLOAD UPON THE BIRTH OR ADOPTION OF A CHILD
Executive Vice President and Provost Sheldon
Ekland-Olson has provided the policy, reproduced below, concerning teaching
continuity and restructured faculty workload upon the birth or adoption
of a child. This policy is proposed in response to the Faculty Council's
resolution concerning family leave policy (D&P
16965-16966). The secretary has classified this item as general legislation.
The Council can take action on the legislation at its meeting on November
20, 2000.
<signed>
John R. Durbin, Secretary
The Faculty Council
This legislation was posted on the Faculty Council web
site (http://www.utexas.edu/faculty/council/) on November 16, 2000. Paper
copies are available on request from the Office of the General Faculty,
FAC 22, F9500.
939
POLICY ON TEACHING CONTINUITY AND RESTRUCTUREDFACULTY
WORKLOAD UPON THE BIRTH OR ADOPTION OF A CHILD
| A. |
Policy Statement
The University of Texas at Austin recognizes the importance
of teaching continuity during the semester-long duration of scheduled
classroom instruction. Therefore, it is the policy of The University
of Texas at Austin to require departments to ensure continuity in
classroom instruction in the event of a disruption in instruction
caused by pregnancy and childbirth or by adoption of a child under
the age of three. This policy will permit under appropriate circumstances,
and with the approval of the executive vice president and provost,
the restructuring or modification of faculty classroom teaching responsibilities
in order to allow faculty to maintain full-time employment status
when pregnancy and childbirth or adoption of a child under the age
of three years will prevent the faculty member from being able to
perform regularly-scheduled classroom teaching duties during a long
semester.
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| B. |
Scope
This policy applies to all faculty (tenured,
tenure-track, and non-tenure track) who are appointed full time on
the instructional budget in a long-session semester.
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| C. |
Purpose
This policy is to ensure continuity in classroom teaching.
The policy provides an opportunity for a restructured workload during
the time in which the faculty member gives birth or adopts a child
under the age of three and is available for full-time employment
responsibilities
to the University. During a restructured workload, the faculty member
is released from regularly scheduled classroom teaching and has duties
restructured in form and schedule.
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| D. |
Notice of Disruption in Teaching Continuity
The faculty member shall notify the department at the
earliest possible date when there is, or is anticipated to be, a
disruption in the teaching continuity of scheduled classroom teaching
duties
due to pregnancy and childbirth or adoption of a child under the
age of three years.
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| E. |
Use of Sick Leave
Faculty shall use available sick leave, pursuant to
the University Sick Leave Policy, while recovering from pregnancy
and childbirth, or when providing full-time care for an adopted child
under the age of three. Under normal circumstances, up to six weeks
of sick leave may be used for these purposes.
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| F. |
Application and Review Process
| 1. |
Faculty members who wish to request a restructured
faculty workload should contact their departmental chair. Specific
guidelines, procedures, and application materials will be available
through the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.
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| 2. |
Requests shall be in writing and submitted
to the appropriate departmental chair. The request shall describe:
a) the non-classroom instructional activities, research, and
other scholarly academic activities that the faculty member
proposes to perform during the period of restructured workload;
and (b) how these activities contribute to the mission and goals
of the department. The period of the restructured faculty workload
must continue to the end of the applicable semester. |
| 3. |
The chair will review the proposed plan and
scope of activities and forward a recommendation to the dean
of the college or school. The dean, in turn, will review the
proposal and forward a
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recommendation to the Office of the Executive
Vice President and Provost for review and final decision. The
Office of the Provost will notify the parties of the final decision.
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| 4. |
A faculty member approved for a restructured
faculty workload will continue as a full-time employee during
the period of this assignment and will complete the agreed-upon
plan.
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| G. |
Qualified Replacement Instructor
When a faculty member is using available sick leave
and/or assumes a restructured workload under this policy, the department
chair is responsible for securing the services of a qualified instructor
to teach the appropriate classes. When adequate departmental or college
funding is not available, requests for supplemental funds to cover
any additional instructional costs may be submitted by the dean to
the executive vice president and provost.
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For assistance: Questions regarding the Policy
on Teaching Continuity and Restructured Faculty Workload upon the Birth
or Adoption of a Child should be directed to the Office of the Executive
Vice President and Provost.
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