4.9 Faculty Appointment Terms and Compensation

Full-time Faculty:

Full-time teaching faculty may be appointed on a 9-month or 12-month basis.  Regardless of the length of appointment, salary is payable in 12 equal monthly installments.

9-Month Appointments:

Appointments for 9-month, full-time teaching faculty begin August 1 and end May 15th of the following year. Outside of the academic year of the appointment period, full-time teaching faculty are on call for advising, meetings, and other duties. Compensation for full- time tenure track and non-tenure track appointments is based on a normal teaching load of 24 semester hours for the academic year. Some faculty may have a reduced teaching load if warranted by other duties.

12-month appointments:

Appointments for 12-month, full-time teaching faculty begin on August 1 and end July 31st of the following year.  Compensation for 12-month, full-time tenure track and non-tenure track appointments is based on a normal teaching load of 30 semester hours for the calendar year. A 12-month faculty member may be asked to teach up to four additional hours per semester (fall, spring and summer).  Some faculty may have a reduced teaching load if warranted by other duties.

Overload and occasional faculty pay:

A 9-month faculty member may be asked to teach up to four additional hours per semester during the academic year for which he or she will receive extra compensation.  12-month full-time staff serving as occasional faculty are eligible for overload pay. Overload pay/occasional faculty pay are remunerated on the Adjunct/Overload pay schedule.  Only full-time staff who are classified as exempt and hold appropriate credentials may be considered to serve as occasional faculty under this policy. Unless specifically exempted by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, compensation for overload courses falling below the minimum expected student enrollment is prorated on a per-student basis.  The minimum number of expected students for undergraduate and graduate courses is eight (8).

1. Tenure track: There are no maximum time limitations for service in positions in this category. There is a probationary period before the faculty member is eligible for tenure review. (For more specific information concerning tenure eligibility, see policy 4.13 Tenure.)Non-tenure track: There are no maximum time limitations for service in positions in this category. They are recommended for rank commensurate with their training and experience. Individuals employed in non-tenure track positions are not eligible for consideration for the award of tenure but they may apply, on an equal basis with other candidates, for tenure track positions which become available. Probationary credit toward tenure shall not be awarded for service in non-tenure track positions.
2. Leave without pay: Full-time faculty members who desire leave for study, research, or other pursuit expected to promote their professional standing and value to the university should inform the dean of their respective school. If the dean, through the department chair, can arrange the department work load to accommodate the request, and the purpose of the leave is judged to be beneficial to the interests of the university, the dean submits a recommendation to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, who makes a recommendation to the President for leave without pay.
3. Leave with pay: Requests for leave with pay will be granted only when applicants demonstrate they will be able to: a) accomplish the purpose for which the leave is granted; b) the purpose will be of benefit to the University; and c) they sign an agreement to reimburse the University for the full amount of the compensation received while on leave should they fail to complete a full year of service at Piedmont University after returning from paid leave. Requests for leave with pay should be submitted to the dean of the respective school. The dean submits a recommendation to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, who makes a recommendation to the President for leave with pay.
4. Resignation: A faculty member who has accepted an appointment for a definite period may not, as a matter of right, leave the university before the expiration of that period of service. It is expected that faculty members who plan to leave the university at the expiration of their appointment or at the end of the academic year, shall submit in writing a notice of intention to leave as early as possible prior to the time of severing their relationship with the university. This notice should be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, with copies to the department chair, dean of the school, and Human Resources.
   1. Faculty who are retiring from the university at the end of the academic year should inform these university officials by September 1 of their final year.
   2. Faculty who are resigning from the university should notify the university officials at the earliest possible opportunity, but no later than April 15 of their final year.
5. Summer Semester Compensation: Full-time 9-month faculty who teach summer semester courses beyond those included in their full-time teaching load receive extra compensation at a rate established annually by the Vice President for Academic Affairs with the approval of the President. Summer semester teaching assignments are determined by the dean of the respective school in consultation with the department chairs. The schedule and nature of summer semester courses is established by the deans of the academic schools in consultation with the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
6. Part-time Faculty: Appointments for part-time teaching faculty are for one year. Appointments for adjunct teaching faculty are for one semester. Part-time personnel hold their employment at the pleasure of the President or Vice President for Academic Affairs, either of whom may discontinue the employment of such employees without cause or advance notice.