Academic Year 2006-07
MEMORANDUM FOR: All Faculty, Deans, Department Chairs, Centerheads,
and Program Directors
FROM: Paul Fonteyn, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
SUBJECT: Minimum Faculty Responsibilities
The following are guidelines for course procedures. I encourage you to make use of the guidelines when preparing for and teaching your courses. In addition, I remind you that every faculty member is responsible for conforming to certain basic practices that promote meaningful educational experiences for our students. Most faculty members carry out these practices as a matter of course. I list them here to reaffirm their importance to students, faculty and the University.
OFFICE HOURS
All full-time faculty must schedule, post and keep regular office hours. A minimum
of three hours per week is required, with additional hours to be offered during
peak advising times. Part-time faculty members should schedule office hours
in proportion to the number of courses taught (e.g., one hour per week for those
teaching one course). Additional office hours may be scheduled by appointment.
COURSE SYLLABI
Faculty members are required to provide a syllabus for each course that they
teach. Please see the attached memorandum for suggestions about the content
of syllabi.
MISSED CLASSES
All planned absences for legitimate professional or personal reasons must be
approved in advance by the Department Chair/Centerhead. In such cases, the instructor
is responsible for arranging for a makeup class or for alternative instructional
activities. When an illness or unforeseen emergency results in the cancellation
of a class, the instructor should notify the Chair/Centerhead as soon as possible
and arrange for notices to be posted informing students of the cancellation.
In the event of an extended absence of the instructor, the Chair/Centerhead
is responsible for arranging for continuing instruction in the course.
FINAL EXAMINATIONS
Faculty members have the obligation to restrict the administration of final
examinations to the official examination period, which for the fall semester
is December 16 through December 20, 2002 and the spring semester is May 19 through
May 23, 2003. Final examinations may not be administered during the last week
of classes or during the study period. The Academic Calendar for the coming
year is available on the UMass Boston website.
Thank you for your cooperation in supporting and adhering to these practices. I know that the faculty as a whole takes its responsibilities very seriously. At the same time, I view the requirements for holding office hours, distributing course syllabi, making arrangements for missed classes and administering final examinations only during the designated examination period as falling under the "minimum assigned duties" as defined by the faculty collective bargaining agreement, and I am asking the cooperation of the deans in ensuring that these duties are being fulfilled in all instances.