Common use of Course Release Clause in Contracts

Course Release. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ may approve a request for a course release that permits a faculty member to have a reduced teaching load within their normal academic year appointment. The purpose of course releases is to provide faculty members with time to undertake important activities such as scholarship, professional development, or other service for the University. The following are general areas in which course releases may be awarded subject to the University’s operating needs: 1. Professional/scholarly development (advancement through probationary or developmental faculty status, degree advancement, PI on a large grant proposal, externships); 2. Leadership or service duties (serving as Faculty Senate president, course coordination, significant program/school/institute related service, leading programmatic accreditation efforts, developing a study abroad course/program); 3. Sponsored-project research activities (grant buyout, professorships, working on and/or managing an industry related project); 4. Strategic initiatives (accelerated course development, leading the development of a new degree program, leading an institute or school strategic initiative) Course releases do not relieve the faculty member from other responsibilities to the University such as advising, serving on committees, or participating in school/program business, events, and activities. Faculty members are expected to continue to carry out their other duties during the term in which they have a course release. All course release request(s) shall include: 1. A specified detailed description of the work to be performed, the expected time to be spent on that work, and how the accomplishing of that work will benefit the faculty member and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇; 2. The reduction in credit hours requested 3. The specific means by which the supervisor of the work will verify that the work has been completed as set forth in the request. 4. Signature of the supervisor, the supervising ▇▇▇▇ (if not the supervisor) and the faculty member.