608.01: Instructor Load and Hours

1.     The duties of an instructor will be determined by the President.

2.     The number of preparations, the number of students taught, total credit hours produced, complexity of grading required, and the number of direct student contact hours should be considered in determining instructor loads.

3.     No distinction is made between day, extended day, weekend, evening, online, or off-campus programs. Personnel will be employed to provide education for those enrolled, regardless of the day and time of day.

4.     Each full-time instructor at ESCC shall teach fifteen to sixteen (15 to 16) credit hours per term or the equivalent for the academic year, fall and spring semesters. In using the contact hour method of calculation, no single faculty member shall have a direct student contact hour assignment that is less than twenty-four (24) hours or exceeds thirty (30) hours per week. Full­time faculty members must work a minimum of thirty-five (35) hours per week.

·       If approved by the President, a full-time instructor may be employed to additional courses and/or labs each term for pay. The overload course should be taught outside the normal workweek of the instructor, and the pay will be the prevailing part-time salary rate.

·       A full-time teaching load during the summer term is twelve to thirteen (12-13) credit hours or the equivalent. Using the contact hour calculation for summer term, a full-time faculty member should not exceed thirty (30) direct student contact hours per week.

5.     The President will determine equivalent credit hours for non-teaching assignments in accordance with guidelines established by the Chancellor.

·      ESCC emphasizes credit hours taught rather than FTE or credit hour production in determining full-time status of faculty. 

·      Release time is granted under certain circumstances.

a.  A full-time instructor with athletic coaching responsibility shall teach 12 credit hours (or the equivalent) with 3 hours of additional release time in the term his/her team is in competitive season.

b.Division chairs will be given release time each semester to perform administrative duties.

c.  A full-time instructor with major extracurricular responsibility, as determined by the President, shall be given release time.

·      The responsibility of supervising students enrolled in internships, preceptorships, or apprenticeships is considered in a faculty member’s assigned course load. These duties do not           result in equivalent credit hours or release time.