Workload and Evaluation

Categories of Faculty Activity

The three major areas of faculty activity are (1) Teaching and Instruction; (2) Scholarship and Research; and (3) Public, Professional and University Service. Precise demarcation between the three major areas is often difficult and sometimes impossible; in any case, all activities of a faculty member must be considered as an integrated whole. Faculty activity in each of the areas may vary from year to year, or even semester to semester, according to the interests and abilities of the faculty member, and according to the needs of his or her department, college, or the University as agreed to by the chairperson and dean.

Teaching: Under this category shall be included all scheduled classes (and academic advising involved therein), seminars, laboratories, thesis and research supervision, clinical and field activities, advisement and any other instructional activity.

Scholarship and Research: Under this category shall be the following:

Research, usually presented through publication of scholarly work or through appropriate colloquia, seminars, conferences, and lectures.
Creative development in those fields in which the faculty member receives public recognition for his or her professional contributions to society or to the University. Included are such activities as plays (composition or production), music (composition or performance), art exhibitions, patents, etc.
Professional development involving the presentation of papers or chairing sessions at professional meetings, serving as an officer or committee member of a professional organization, editorial duties, professional consulting, and other similar activities. Alternatively these activities can be considered under the Service section for those units that specify such professional development activities under Service in their P&T document.

Public, Professional and University Service: Included in this category shall be:

University service, such as nonacademic advisement of students (career, professional, or personal); activities such as living/learning experiences, for which no academic credit is given; departmental committees and special assignments; college senates, committees, and special assignments; University Senate, committees, and special assignments; service to the University of Delaware Chapter of the AAUP; administrative and quasi-administrative appointments; and participation in student affairs related activities (Rev. 5/02)
Public and Community service (local, state, regional, national, international), such as technical assistance or consultation for public or community organizations, election or appointment to boards, commissions, committees, legislative bodies, or the like outside the normal professional calling of the faculty member in the teaching or research function.
Professional service to the faculty members' discipline and its organizations such as service for professional associations.
Creative activities outside the normal professional calling of the faculty member; for example, participation in orchestras or ensembles, shows of paintings, musical or literary productions, and the like, which enhance or improve the University as a community of learning.

Workload Adjustments for Faculty Senate Responsibilities: In April 1991, the Faculty Senate recommended "that the President of the Faculty Senate receive a one-course load reduction each semester and the President-elect receive a one-course per year reduction as long as these reductions do not result in the elimination of all classroom teaching duties for the individuals in question." Whether such reductions are appropriate in the context of a department's teaching needs for a given year should be discussed at the time the faculty member and chair undertake conversations about the faculty member's workload for the upcoming year. The final decision rests with the chair who may find consultation with the dean valuable when making such a judgment.