Teaching Reassignment (Policy #371)

Office of the Provost

At the University of Wisconsin-­‐Whitewater, faculty and academic staff members who are assigned to teach courses may have some or all of their teaching duties reassigned to perform important functions that support other aspects of the mission, goals, and/or strategic plan of the university.

With appropriate approval, and as resources allow, faculty and academic staff may receive reassignments from teaching to support projects and activities related to:

• campus administration (e.g., serving as department chair, serving as chair of Faculty Senate, serving an administrative fellowship, or directing or coordinating a university program or project),
• research (e.g., intensive work on a research project, including scholarly and creative activity),
• external funding (e.g., work funded by federal or other research grants; work related to projects or programs funded by the University of Wisconsin System or by private or government agencies), or
• service to the community and region (e.g., intensive work on one or more projects related to workforce development, innovation, entrepreneurship, or civic or community engagement).

Reassignments may be granted for other purposes, with appropriate approval.

Requests for reassignment must be made in writing and include the following information:

1. Amount of the course reassignment (e.g. 25%, or one course),
2. Duration of the course reassignment (e.g. academic year),
3. A full explanation of the purpose of the reassignment, including the duties to be performed in lieu of teaching, and
4. Reference to the university mission, goals, and/or strategic plan supported by the reassignment

All requests must be:

1. Acknowledged by the faculty member or teaching staff
2. Approved by the department chair/supervisor and by the dean, and
3. Approved by the Provost

Each request must be submitted and approved in time to properly accommodate the course reassignment. The integrity and quality of the affected courses and service to the students must be important considerations in approving course reassignments.

With appropriate approval, and when resources allow, it is also customary for probationary faculty members to receive a course reassignment for at least one semester during their first year of appointment. The purpose of first-year course reassignment is to enhance the success of new faculty members by allowing them additional time to prepare courses, learn effective advising processes, and develop research programs and service activities. Approval for first-year course reassignments is initiated by the dean approved by the Provost.

Exceptions to this reassignment policy and approval procedures must be approved in advance by the Provost.

A list of all teaching reassignments must be maintained by the dean in each college and updated and forwarded to the Provost on a regular basis.

First Approved: September 24, 2013

Questions regarding the interpretation of this policy should be directed to:

Office of the Provost
Phone: 262-472-1672
Email: provostoffice@uww.edu