Faculty Assembly
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT COLORADO SPRINGS
NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY
BILL OF RIGHTS
Prepared by the CU-Colorado-Springs NTTF Committee
May 1,1999
This document is intended to promote fair and consistent treatment of the non-tenure-track
faculty (NTTF) who, on average, teach over 48% of the total SFTE at the University of
Colorado at Colorado Springs and over 70% of the SFTE in the College of Letters, Arts, and
Sciences. It endorses the principle that the NTT faculty should be recognized for their
contributions to the campus and that they should be compensated fairly for their efforts
on behalf of CU-Colorado Springs and its Total Learning Enviornment goals. The NTT faculty
are a critical part of the University's ability to "provide a comprehensive,
personalized, educational experience that prepares graduates to excel personally,
professionally, and as citizens" and to "grow in order to meet the needs of the
students, the community, and the state."
We wish to emphasize that lecturers, instructors, and senior instructors are particularly
committed to teaching, a fact clearly demonstrated by their willingness to work under such
adverse conditions. This commitment includes not only their work in the classroom, office
hours, and grading, but thorough preparation for class, on-going research, student
mentoring, and service to their departments, to the University , and to the Colorado
Springs community.
The NTT Faculty Bill of Rights addresses specific areas of concern for three types of
non-tenure
track faculty: lecturers (a title to replace the term "honoraria"), instructors,
and senior
instructors. These specific areas of concern are:
1. Definition of each position
2. Salary
3. Instructional Support and Benefits
4. Evaluation
5. Promotion
In addition, we address the issue of growth and the specific role we suggest NTTF should
play in the overall academic mission of CU-Colorado Springs.
We hope that this document, in conjunction with the recommendations of the CU system-wide
Task Force on NTTF issues, will establish basic principles and guidelines that will help
the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and its individual schools and colleges,
ensure equitable treatment of all current NTT faculty as well as those hired hereafter.
Many of the NTT faculty have been teaching at CU-Colorado Springs for over ten years, some
for over twenty years. We urge that the dedication, service, and experience of the NTT
faculty be recognized.
LECTURER (to replace the term "Honoraria")
1. Definition
The title 'lecturer' is granted to a scholar hired by the University to teach on a
course-by-course basis.
Normally, lecturers should possess at least the Master's degree or its equivalent, but the
title may also be granted to a person of high repute in a field related to an academic
discipline and/or to a person with professional experience relevant to an academic
discipline. Lecturer is a non-tenured position and years as a lecturer may not be counted
toward tenure for any other position.
Lecturers are not members of the 'ranked' or 'regular' faculty . The term 'ranked'
replaces the term 'regular' and includes instructor, senior instructor, associate
professor, assistant professor, and professor. While not members of the Faculty Senate,
lecturers are represented on the system-wide Faculty Council and, at the discretion of
individual campus Faculty Assemblies, may be represented on those Faculty Assemblies. We
recommend that lecturers at UCCS be given some kind of representation on Facult y
Assembly.
2. Salary
Lecturer salaries should be set at the corresponding.on of the instructor base salary
(full-time NTTF salary) represented by one course within the same unit*. For
example, if the base salary for an instructor is $30,000 for a 4-4 teaching load, the
lecturer salary in that unit should be l/8 of $30,000, or $3,750 per course. This formula
reflects market and disciplinary differences in salary structure across the university.
*college average or area average
The percentage of employment for lecturers who teach courses in more than one unit should
be determined by the total number of courses they teach, not by unit.
Lecturers should be eligible for annual merit raises.
3. Instructional Support and Benefits
Full instructional support should be provided to Lecturers, including, but not limited to:
supplies, staff support, office space, keys, a University ID, a telephone, and access to a
computer with e-mail and Internet capability . Lecturers should be listed in the faculty
directory, on the web directory, and at the switchboard.
Lecturers are eligible for teaching awards.
Lecturers are not eligible for tuition benefits.
Lecturers who teach half-time or more are eligible for health benefits.
Lecturers who teach half-time or more on a regular basis should be converted to half-time
instructorships, so that they will have a yearly contract. 'Half-time' is defined as half
of the usual full-time NTTF load within the same unit.
4. Evaluation
Lecturers should be evaluated regularly as an important component of their employment.
Lecturers should be evaluated solely on their teaching performance. Units may evaluate in
a variety of ways, including the use of Faculty Course Questionnaires and class visits. A
written statement of the evaluation policy should be provided to the lecturer at the
beginning of employment. Evaluations should be considered in rehiring decisions.
The grievance procedures available to TT faculty are also available to lecturers.
5. Promotion
There is no promotion within this job class. Qualified lecturers may apply for any
position within any department at any time and will be considered equally with all other
candidates.
INSTRUCTOR
1. Definition
Instructors hold at least a Master's degree or the equivalent and should be well qualified
to teach at the undergraduate level. The appointment is normally for full-time, as defined
by the hiring unit, but can be for less than full-time. The predominant full-time
appointment for NTT faculty at CU-Colorado Springs has been for 100% teaching with a 4-4
load. While most instructors are appointed for teaching only, in some units it may be
appropriate for service and/or research responsibilities to be included in the
instructor's workload. Such components should be compensated by a teaching off-load. This
differentiated work load should be negotiated with the chair of the unit and with the
dean.
Instructors are members of the ranked or regular faculty and are voting members of the
Faculty Assembly after two years of full-time apointment in rank.
2. Salary
The minimum salary for a full-time instructor should be set at 80% of the average starting
salary of a new assistant professor within that unit for that year. We recommend that
theVCAA determine how these annual average salaries will be calculated.
All instructors are eligible for annual merit increases.
3. Instructional Support and Benefits
Full instructional support should be provided, including, but not limited to: supplies,
staff support, office space, keys, a University ID, a telephone, and a computer with
e-mail and Internet access. Instructors are eligible for faculty teaching awards and
for travel and research money.
Instructors are eligible for tuition benefits.
Instructors receive retirement benefits after one year of full-time appointment at the
University.
Instructors should participate in faculty department meetings, with the exception of
voting on certain issues, determined by the department, such as promotion and tenure of TT
faculty . As part of the 'regular' or 'ranked' faculty , instructors have a representative
voice on all faculty governing bodies, are included in all surveys of faculty opinion,
attend Faculty Assembly meetings with full voting privileges after two years of full-time
appointment in rank, and may serve on faculty committees, if they wish to do so.
Full-time instructors receive full benefits on a par with TT faculty , including the
title. emeritus and all rights given to TT faculty members at retirement.
4. Evaluation
Most instructors are evaluated solely on their teaching performance. They will be
evaluated on their service/research performance only if the appointment is for a
differentiated workload.
Teaching: Units may evaluate teaching in a variety of ways, including the use of Faculty
Course
Questionnaires and class visits. A written statement of the teaching evaluation policy
should be provided to the instructor at the beginning of the appointment.
Service and/or research: Terms of a differentiated workload must be agreed upon by the
instructor, the department chair, and the dean. A written statement of the service and/or
research evaluation policy should be provided to the instructor at the beginning of the
appointment.
The grievance procedures available to TT faculty are also available to instructors.
5. Promotion
Instructors should be considered for promotion to senior instructor after 5 years of
meritorious performance in rank. This promotion should include a raise proportional to the
raise given for promotion from assistant professor to associate professor within the same
unit. Promotion to senior instructor may also occur under other circumstances, as
determined by schools and colleges.
SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
1. Definition
Senior instructors hold at least a Master's degree or the equivalent and have usually
taught for five years. Senior instructors are members of the ranked or regular faculty
rank. The appointment is normally for full-time, as defined by the hiring unit, but can be
for less than full-time.
Senior instructors have the same rights as Instructors with the following additions:
2. Salary
Senior instructors should be paid more than instructors. The promotion should include a
raise proportional to the raise given for promotion from assistant professor to associate
professor within the same unit.
3. Instructional support and benefits
After seven years of full-time appointment, including time in rank as an instructor, a
senior instructor may apply for one semester of professional development leave, as a means
for researching and updating pedagogy and course-related subjects. A detailed plan for
development leave must be approved by the chair and the dean. During this leave, senior
instructors should receive their full-time salaries.
Full-time instructors receive full benefits on a par with TT faculty.
4. Evaluation
Same as instructors.
5. Promotion
Senior instructors are at the top of their job class. They are eligible for emeritus
status upon retirement.
Appendix A
Average INSTRUCTOR salaries at comparable Colorado institutions
and the CU Regents' UCCS peer institutions
Colorado Institutions
Adams State
30,300
UCCS
20,400
CU-Denver
36, 100
CU-Boulder
34,800
CU-Health Sciences
45,300
USC
28,600
Average
$35,000
UCCS Peer Institutions
Wichita State, KS
27,300
Oakland University, MI
44,900
U. of Michigan, Dearborn
NA
U. ofNC at Charlotte
NA
Cleveland State, OH
32,600
Portland State, OR
30,100
U of Tennessee, Chattanooga
26,300
U. of Memphis, TN
26,200
U. of Houston at Clear Lake
NA
U. of Texas at Dallas
NA
U. of Texas at El Paso
NA
Old Dominion University , VA 33,500
Average $31,500
>Overall average Instructor salary $33,250
Appendix B
1999 UNDER REVISION
Annual funds needed to meet salary requests in the UCCS NTTF Bill of Rights
To bring existing Instructors to $33,500 $295,000
To bring existing Senior Instructors to $35,000 $ 9,500
Instructor Total $304,500
To bring existing Lecturers to $4000/course $440,000
TOTAL FOR ALL UCCS NTT FACULTY $744,500
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