[Moderate revision–posted 10/9/24 (replaces 10/4/22 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 32.06: Faculty Responsibilities

DATE: October 9, 2024

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to ensure understanding and a standardized approach in the handling of faculty responsibilities.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed every two years after publication by the Vice Provost for Faculty Success with substantive revisions presented to the Provost and Senior Vice President (PSVP).

POLICY/PROCEDURE

Texas Tech University is a publicly supported institution that is obligated to provide instruction in higher education, to advance knowledge through scholarship and research, and to provide related services to the community, the state, and the nation. As a center for learning, the university has the obligation to maintain conditions that are conducive to freedom of inquiry and expression in the maximum degree compatible with the orderly conduct of its functions.

The responsibilities of the university dictate, to a major extent, the responsibilities of the individual faculty member. The faculty member is properly concerned with the whole process of education and is aware of the responsibilities of the university in a free society. Responsibility is assumed for performing several essential functions including teaching, research or creative activity, university service, professional service, and community engagement.

1.  Teaching

As a teacher, the faculty member has responsibilities to students, to a discipline, to a profession, and to the university. These responsibilities entail facilitating the intellectual and emotional growth of students, encouraging free inquiry in the classroom, and striving to create and maintain a climate of mutual respect that will enhance the free interplay of ideas. A faculty member has a responsibility to recognize the varying needs and capabilities of students and to make every effort to assure that evaluation of a student’s work reflects the student’s level of achievement. The faculty member as a teacher also has the responsibility to uphold the highest scholarly standards and encourage respect for such standards in the classroom.

Teaching responsibility also includes regular conduct of classes at scheduled periods. Faculty members who occasionally cannot meet classes at scheduled periods because of professional responsibilities or illness must arrange for substitute instructors or alternative academic experiences. Faculty members also have the responsibility to engage in a continual and critical study of the subject matter of one’s discipline to ensure that class presentations contain the most current and useful knowledge and that the course being taught is consistent with the course of study outlined by a department or college.

Faculty members must also recognize the responsibilities of a teacher as a counselor and devote a reasonable portion of time to aiding, guiding, and counseling students outside the classroom. Under no circumstances may a faculty member charge a fee for tutoring students enrolled in the faculty member’s classes. Finally, the faculty member has a responsibility to maintain those skills and values that ensure the continuation of free and open inquiry.

Specifically, within the first week of the semester, faculty members must provide, either physically or online, a course syllabus to students that includes:

a.    The course outline;

b.    The expected learning outcomes from the course;

c.    The methods of assessing those outcomes; and

d.    The criteria for grade determination.

Additionally, the faculty member must:

a.    Either through links on Blackboard; links to the required statements on the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development website; or inclusion of university policy statements on the course syllabi, include required policies concerning academic honesty (OP 34.12, Grading Procedures, Including Academic Integrity), special accommodation for students with disabilities (OP 34.22, Establishing Reasonable Accommodation for Students with Disabilities), and student absence for observance of a religious holy day (OP 34.19, Student Absence for Observance of Religious Holy Day);

b.    Provide feedback to students on their progress before the last day to withdraw from class;

c.    Check the class attendance roll for the first two weeks of class and recommend that students not listed on the roll verify their registration; and

d.    Submit grades to the Registrar on or before the due date.

2.  Research/Creative Activity

A faculty member must strive constantly to contribute to the growth and understanding of knowledge in their particular field through research, scholarship, and creative activity. The faculty member has an additional responsibility to share the results of study by disseminating it to students, colleagues, professionals in their discipline, and to the public.

3.  University Service

A faculty member has a responsibility to participate in the various activities, programs, and functions related to the enhancement of the university such as participating in the formulation of academic policies, serving on university committees, and taking part in other assignments.

4.  Professional Service

Within their field of competence, and as time and resources permit, the faculty member has a responsibility to respond to requests for advice and aid and to participate in the activities of their profession. The faculty member must exercise care to avoid infringement upon obligations and responsibilities to the university.

5.  Community Service and Engagement

As members of the community, faculty members may volunteer service to the community and engage in activities, programs, and/or events that benefit the larger local community. If faculty members are engaging in community service as representatives of the university, then such service must be consistent with regulations of the university and the state.

6.  Exercise of Discretion

In the case of both professional and community service, the faculty member must exercise discretion in distinguishing between acts carried out or statements made as an individual or a professional and those carried out or made as a representative of the university. When the faculty member is acting as a representative of the university, the faculty member should ensure that actions and/or statements do not reflect poorly on the university.

OP Categories

01 Chancellor
02 Development
04 Audit Services
10 President
30 Academic and Student Affairs – General
32 Academic Policies – Faculty
34 Academic Policies – Students
36 Academic Programs
40 Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
48 Communication Services
52 Information Technology
60 Environmental Health and Safety
61 Facilities Management
62 Financial and Accounting
63 General Services
64 Graduate Programs (Faculty and Students)
65 Research Accounting
66 Libraries
67 Mail Services
68 Communications and Marketing
69 Payroll and Tax Services
70 Human Resources
72 Purchasing, Contracting, and Payables
74 Research
76 Security
77 Student Services and Registrar
78 Traffic and Parking
79 Travel
80 Vehicles