Chapter 4: Faculty Appointments, Assignment, and Workload Policies

The University is committed to achieving equality of opportunity in education, professional training, career advancement, and university employment. Specifically, the University's Equal Opportunity and Inclusion policy 1.0040R,  prohibits discrimination or harassment against any individual for reasons of race, color, religion, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, or veteran status in any educational, employment, social or recreational program or activity offered by the University. The principle of equality is provided by law and is consistent with the ideals and mission of the University. Equal opportunity in employment is assured all candidates when the search, screen, and selection process is uniform and nondiscriminatory.

The University will continue to promote and provide equal opportunity in education and training programs, employment, admissions, and all other activities for faculty, staff, and students. All personnel actions, such as hiring, compensation and fringe benefits, promotion, transfer, terminations, and layoffs, as well as all university-sponsored social and recreational programs, will be administered in accordance with the University's Equal Opportunity and Diversity Regulation.

Responsibility for communicating, interpreting, and monitoring the University's Equal Opportunity and Diversity Regulation rests with the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity. This office has developed and maintains an Affirmative Action Plan, which is composed of specific results-oriented procedures designed to achieve equal employment opportunity. The Plan is available for inspection by faculty, staff, students, and members of the public. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity is located in J.J. Daniel Hall, suite 1201; (904) 620-2507.

It is vital that hiring officials and members of university search committees embrace the University's effort to create a diverse and dynamic workforce, as they are the key persons, here at UNF, whose decisions actually implement the hiring goals detailed in the University's Affirmative Action Plan.

The University's established policies and procedures associated with the search and screen process are set forth and fully detailed in the Search and Screen Procedures Manual. The information contained in this manual is intended to assist hiring officials and university search committees in conducting employment searches which meet the requirements of federal nondiscrimination legislation, state laws, the University Affirmative Action Plan, and the spirit of the UNF Constitution.

In part, the University's Affirmative Action Plan requires the following actions with regard to the employment process:

1. any qualifications, skills, and experience associated with a particular position vacancy must be job-related and necessary for achieving successful performance;
2. any and all announcements of position vacancies must be disseminated among recruitment sources oriented to under-represented groups: i.e., minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities;
3. all advertising media and job announcements shall contain the following language: "UNF is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. Individuals who require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application and or selection process must notify (person) at (address and telephone number), a minimum of five working days in advance." In addition, Section 12.2 of the BOT-UFF Agreement specifies that announcements for faculty positions shall include a statement that the salaries of University faculty are public record and that such information is available in the UNF Library;
4. special recruitment and hiring efforts should be undertaken by departments/units where minority and female representation is less than their availability in the labor market;
5. only job-related questions should be asked during employment interviews;
6. records denoting "applicant flow" data must be maintained throughout the process and retained by the University for two years. Information on all applicants including reasons why they were not considered for employment, must be recorded and retained by the University for two years following any given search.

Additional information regarding the search and screen process at the University may be obtained from the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs.

(For in-unit faculty, refer to the BOT-UFF Agreement, Article 12)

All appointments are made on a University employment contract and signed by the University President or designee and the faculty member. The regular faculty appointment is for the fall and spring terms. Supplemental contracts for the summer term are available but subject to department bylaws, budgetary restrictions, and student demand.

The professional obligation of faculty is comprised of both scheduled and non-scheduled activities. It is a part of the professional responsibility of faculty members to carry out their duties in an appropriate manner and place. For example, while instructional activities, office hours, and other duties and responsibilities may be required to be performed at a specific time and place, other non-scheduled activities are more appropriately performed in a manner and place determined by the faculty member, in consultation with his/her supervisor.

A non-unit faculty member shall, at the beginning of employment and each year thereafter when a change occurs, be apprised in writing by his or her departmental chair or other appropriate University administrator of the duties and responsibility in teaching, research/scholarship and other creative activities, services, and any other specific duties and responsibilities assigned for that year. Assignments for in-unit faculty member are made in accordance with Article 14 of the Agreement.

(Reference: Florida Statutes 1012.945)

As used in this section:

1. "State funds" means those funds appropriated annually in the General Appropriations Act.
2. "Classroom contact hour" means a regularly scheduled 1-hour period of classroom activity in a course of instruction which has been approved by the university.

Each full-time equivalent teaching faculty member at a university who is paid wholly from university funds shall teach a minimum of 12 classroom contact hours per week at such university. However, any faculty member who is assigned by his/her departmental chair or other appropriate university administrator professional responsibilities and duties in furtherance of the mission of the university shall teach a minimum number of classroom contact hours in proportion to 12 classroom hours per week as such especially assigned aforementioned duties and responsibilities bear to 12 classroom contact hours per week. Any full-time faculty member who is paid partly from university funds and partly from other funds or appropriations shall teach a minimum number of classroom contact hours in such proportion to 12 classroom contact hours per week as his/her salary paid from state funds bears to his/her total salary. In determining the appropriate hourly weighing of assigned duties other than classroom contact hours the universities shall develop and apply a formula designed to equate the time required for non-­classroom duties with classroom contact hours. "Full-time equivalent teaching faculty member" shall be interpreted to mean all faculty personnel budgeted in the instruction and research portion of the budget, exclusive of those full-time equivalent positions assigned to research, public service, administrative duties, and academic advising. Full-time administrators, librarians, and counselors shall be exempt from the provisions of this section; and colleges of medicine and law and others which are required for purposes of accreditation to meet national standards prescribed by the American Medical Association, the American Bar Association, or other professional associations shall be exempt from the provisions of this section to the extent that the requirements of this section differ from the requirements of accreditation.

(For in-unit faculty, refer to the BOT-UFF Agreement, Article 14)

Annual Assignment

Faculty members shall be apprised in writing, at the beginning of their employment and at the beginning of each year thereafter when a change occurs, of the duties and responsibilities in teaching, research and other creative activities, service, and of any specific duties and responsibilities assigned for that year. More information on in-unit faculty assignments can be found in Article 14 of the current Agreement.

(Refer to the BOT-UFF Agreement, Article 26 and Policy 4.0170R.

Policy

1. A faculty member is bound to observe, in all official acts, the highest standards of ethics consistent with the code of ethics of the State of Florida (Chapter 112, Part III, Florida Statutes), the advisory opinions rendered with respect thereto, Board rules, and University rules. Other provisions of State law govern obligations and responsibilities of faculty members who receive State compensation in addition to their annual salary.
2. Nothing in this article is intended to discourage a faculty member from engaging in outside activity in order to increase the faculty member's professional reputation, service to the community, or income, subject to the conditions stated herein.

Definitions

1. "Outside Activity" shall mean any private practice, private consulting, additional teaching or research, or other activities, compensated or uncompensated, which is not part of the faculty member's assigned duties and for which the University has provided no compensation.
2. A Conflict of Interest" shall means:
   1. any conflict between the private interest of the faculty member and the public interests of the University, the Board of Trustees, or the State of Florida, including conflicts of interest specified under Florida Statutes; or
   2. any activity which interferes with the full performance of the faculty member's professional or institutional responsibilities or obligations.
    

Conflicts of Interest Prohibited

Conflicts of interest, including those arising from University or outside activities, are prohibited. Faculty members are responsible for resolving such conflicts of interest, working in conjunction with their supervisors and other university officials.

Report of Outside Activity

1. Any faculty member who proposes to engage in any outside activity which the faculty member should reasonably conclude may create a conflict of interest, or in any outside compensated professional activity, shall report to the faculty member's supervisor, in writing, the details or such proposed activity prior to engaging therein. (Forms are available on the Human Resources' form page.
2. The report, as described in the above paragraph, shall include, where applicable, the name of the employer or other recipients of services; the funding source; the location where such activity shall be performed; the nature and extent of the activity; and any intended use of university facilities, equipment, or services.
3. A new report shall be submitted for outside activity previously reported at:
   1. the beginning of each fiscal year for outside activity of a continuing nature; and
   2. such time as there is a significant change in the outside activity (nature, extent, etc.).
   3. The reporting provisions of this section shall not apply to activities performed wholly during a period in which the faculty member has no appointment with the university.

Use of University Resources

A faculty member engaging in any outside activity shall not use the facilities, equipment, or services of the University in connection with such outside activity without prior approval of the President or representative. Approval for the use of university facilities, equipment, or services may be conditioned upon reimbursement for the use thereof.

No University Affiliation

A faculty member engaging in outside activity shall take reasonable precautions to ensure that the outside employer or other recipient of services understands that the faculty member is engaging in such outside activity as a private citizen and not as a faculty member, agent, or spokesperson of the University.

4.8 (1) In-Unit Faculty (Refer to the BOT- UFF Agreement, Articles 13 and 30).

4.8 (2) Non-Unit Faculty

(Refer to UNF Personnel Program Policies and Regulations Effective February 1, 2006. Approved regulations may also be found on Human Resources' Policies and Regulations page).

4.8 (3) Exit Interview

Each faculty member who separates from employment with the University is encouraged to complete an Exit Interview Questionnaire, which can be found on Human Resources' Forms page and/or request a personal interview through the Office of Human Resources. Exit Interviews are an opportunity to provide information that may assist in making the University a better place to work. To schedule a personal exit interview, please contact the Office of Human Resources at extension 2903.

4.8 (4) Separation Clearance

1. All persons separating from employment with the University shall return to the University all University property in their possession and settle their financial accounts with the University prior to receipt of any final payments due them. The department head shall work in collaboration with the Office of Human Resources to ensure the timely return of all University property and/or to activate the appropriate measures to collect such.
2. The University reserves the right to subtract any amounts owed to the University or to subtract an amount to compensate for unreturned property from any funds which may be due the faculty member (i.e., final pay, leave payoff) and may delay or withhold the issuance of transcripts where applicable.
3. The faculty member's immediate supervisor is responsible for ensuring proper separation procedures are followed, notifying the department head if property or keys are not returned or accounts are not settled, and completing the Personnel Action Form and submitting it to Human Resources in a timely manner.
4. Final payments to faculty members shall not be processed without verification that all outstanding accounts are settled.