UNC Charlotte Academic Guidance: Faculty Roles and Responsibilities

I. Executive Summary

This guidance outlines the expectations of faculty at UNC Charlotte.

II. Guidance Statement

Guiding principles:

  1. Technology and Flexibility: Computing and communication technologies allow much greater flexibility to our faculty, staff, and students. We encourage and support its use whenever this does not interfere with delivering our mission, nurturing our culture, and ensuring fairness among faculty and staff.
  2. Mission:
    1. We are an urban university serving the students in our region. A large part of our educational mission is accomplished through the many in-person interactions that we create for our students in and outside of class. Faculty are some of the most important mentors and role models that students have.
    2. UNC Charlotte is North Carolina’s Urban research university. We are strongly grounded in a sense of place. We serve our community by being embedded in it.
  3. Culture: The culture and community we create are an important asset to our faculty, staff, and especially students. We create that culture in face-to-face interactions.
  4. Fairness: While we value the flexibility our faculty profession affords, especially when we go through special circumstances, accommodating these needs need to be balanced with the sense of fairness over time.
  5. Full Time: This is a full time commitment.

Minimal Expectations:

  1. Expectations related to teaching and student mentoring
    1. Faculty are expected to post and maintain regularly scheduled face-to-face office hours for purposes of advising students. Some faculty who teach completely online may negotiate with their department chairs for online only office hours.
    2. Office hours should be scheduled at times convenient to students.
    3. Faculty must publish their office hours on course syllabi, on their office doors, in the Connect profile, and with their departmental staff.
  2. Expectations of service
    1. Faculty members should have regular availability for engagement with colleagues, students, and staff to serve on committees, task forces, curricular work, or other service for their department, college, University, and community.
    2. Faculty members are expected to attend departmental and College meetings whenever they are not in travel or have other conflicting professional commitments such as approved travel.

Exceptions:

There may be instances in which faculty members have exceptional professional opportunities that entail the need to work remotely. Special personal circumstances may also necessitate remote work. Requests for accommodation must be submitted ahead of time and written approval received in advance from a department chair. Ideally, this means the prior semester in order to permit adequate time for changes in class schedules. These are exceptions and should not be construed as routine or continuing arrangements.

III. Definitions

  • Faculty – All persons who hold Professorial Rank (Professor, Associate Professor, and Assistant Professor) or a Special Faculty Appointment (Visiting Professor, Adjunct Professor, Instructor, Assistant Professor (Library), Assistant Professor (Military), Lecturer, Assistant Research Professor, or Artist-in-Residence).

IV. Guidance Contact(s)

V. History

  • Endorsed: April 18, 2019 [by Faculty Council]

VI. Related Policies, Procedures, and Resources

VII. Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where is this guidance referenced?
    The guidance is published on the Academic Policies & Procedures webpage of the Provost website.