Faculty Workload Policy

Chapter 5025

Issued June 17, 2026; Last reviewed June 17, 2026

.010 Responsible Office
.020 Applies To
.030 Policy Supremacy
.040 Policy Type
.050 Review Cycle
.060 Sunset Clause
.070 Notes
.080 Purpose
.090 Definitions
.100 Policy
.110 Workload Categories: Teaching, Research / Creative Activity, Service, and Extension
.120 KBOR Institutional Workload Ranges
.130 Faculty Title Series × Workload Matrix
.140 Course-to-FTE Conversion
.150 Minimum Workload Floors
.160 Course Buyouts and Release Time
.170 Salary Recovery Policy
.180 Faculty with Administrative Appointments
.190 Annual Faculty Workload Plan, Justification, and Approval Process
.200 Relationship to Annual Evaluation
.210 Improvement Plans
.220 Academic Supervisor Training Requirement
.230 Appeals and Disagreement Resolution
.240 Annual Reporting
.250 Required Contents of Unit Departmental Document
.260 Effective Date and Periodic Review

.010 Responsible Office

Office of the Provost with Faculty Senate

.020 Applies To

All active, full-time faculty

.030 Policy Supremacy

This policy supersedes any and all previous academic policies, guidelines, procedures, or practices that are inconsistent with its provisions.

In the event of a conflict between this policy and any earlier policy or unit level guidance, the provisions of this policy shall govern.

Units may not adopt or enforce policies or practices that contradict this policy unless explicitly authorized in writing by the Provost.

.040 Policy Type

This is classified as an Academic Policy.

This policy falls under the purview of shared academic governance. The following requirements apply to all future amendments:
Faculty Senate Review Required: Any amendment, revision, or deletion of this appendix must be reviewed through the Faculty Senate governance structure.
Compliance Review Required: All proposed changes must undergo review by the Office of Provost and Office of General Counsel to ensure alignment with KBOR policy, federal/state law, accreditation requirements, and university policy development protocols.
Provost Approval Required: Final approval authority for publication or revision of this appendix rests with the Provost.

No revisions to this appendix may be made without Faculty Senate review, compliance verification, and Provost approval.

.050 Review Cycle

This policy shall remain in effect until amended or rescinded through the standard policy approval process. The policy shall undergo review at least every two (2) years from its effective date.

Renewal of the review requires:

Review and endorsement by the Faculty Senate, and
Review and approval by the designated policy owner.

Failure to complete the required review by the two-year interval shall not invalidate the policy; however, the policy shall be flagged for priority review until such time as the required endorsements are completed.

.060 Sunset Clause

This workload policy provision is adopted on an interim basis to ensure institutional alignment with current Kansas Board of Regents requirements and expectations. The policy shall remain in effect until May 31, 2027, unless superseded earlier by a permanent workload policy developed through the university’s shared governance processes and formally adopted by the institution. During this interim period, Faculty Senate and the Office of the Provost will continue collaborative review and development of a long-term faculty workload policy framework consistent with KBOR policy requirements and institutional priorities.

.070 Notes

Accreditation & Regulatory Compliance Note. This policy has been developed to satisfy requirements of the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) Policy Manual Section II.A.12 (Faculty Workload). All personnel responsible for supervising faculty and/or administering faculty evaluations are expected to be familiar with this policy and its underlying regulatory basis.

Implementation Note. Recognizing that same college units may not yet meet the minimums described in the KBOR policy, the Provost’s office will work with each of those units’ deans to create an on-ramp plan to gradually increase in the expected areas.

Logistics Note. A separate guidelines document is being created to help establish the workflow processes for the approval of the annual workload plan. Academic Year 2027 will use an internal database process relying on service area codes from Academic Year 2026 to help jump start implementation. In Spring 2027, Faculty Workload module will launch in Coursedog and the workflow process will occur in Coursedog for Academic Year 2028 and beyond. Academic Year 2026 source of truth is service code allocation from the fall faculty snapshot and stored in the Faculty Database. Academic Year 2027 source of truth will be stored in the Faculty Database. Academic Year 2028 and beyond source of truth will be the Faculty Workload module in Coursedog.

.080 Purpose

To establish the University-level workload policy for all benefits-eligible faculty at all Kansas State University campuses and reporting units. The workload reflects the University's status as a research-intensive University and operates in alignment with the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) Faculty Workload Policy and the K-State faculty annual evaluation process.

.090 Definitions

SCH is defined as "student credit hours" or the number of credits listed in the course catalog. See University Handbook F115 and F115.1.
ESCH means an "equivalent section credit hour," which is defined in the Course-to-FTE Conversion section of this policy and may be supplemented for studio, laboratory, clinical, and performance-based instruction as approved by the Provost.
Workload means the respective fraction of faculty time spent performing duties in the areas of teaching, research, service, and extension during the period covered by the faculty member's contract. Workload is often presented as a percent.
Annual Work Plan means the forward-looking statement of category percentages, course assignments, and expected activities developed jointly by the faculty member and unit lead as part of the annual evaluation cycle, per KBOR Faculty Workload Policy II.A.12. The Annual Faculty Workload Plan replaces the prior separate "different allocation of workload (DAW)" process; any allocation differing from the unit's Standard Departmental Workload is justified within the Annual Faculty Workload Plan.
Academic Supervisor means the unit head, department chair, school director, or other faculty supervisor responsible for developing and approving the Annual Faculty Workload Plan and conducting the annual evaluation.
Improvement Plan means a written plan with specific steps, a timeline, and stated consequences, developed when a faculty member does not satisfactorily meet workload expectations, per KBOR Faculty Workload Policy §c.iii.
Faculty Title Series means the appointment category for purposes of workload, including tenured and tenure-track faculty series, teaching professor series, research professor series, clinical professor series, professor of practice series, extension faculty series, and instructor series.
A "unit" or "academic unit" indicates an academic department, division, or school embedded in a college as defined below.
The term "college" refers to an entity led by a dean.
"University" refers to "Kansas State University."
“Engaged scholarly activity” is research, teaching, or service in which the University collaborates with public or private sector partners in scholarly activity that benefits individuals and communities, as defined in the K-State Scholarly Engagement Guide. Engaged scholarly activity is characterized by collaboration, reciprocity, and application of university expertise to community or industry needs, and may be embedded within Teaching, Research / Creative Activity, Service, or Extension FTE as specified in the unit departmental document.

.100 Policy

Kansas State University is a public land-grant institution that holds the Carnegie Classification of "R1: Doctoral Universities -- Very High Research Activity", meaning it is among the highly active graduate degree granting institutions in higher education. Faculty are leaders in research, creative activity, discovery, innovation, and scholarship and they are active in the dissemination of knowledge in their respective disciplines. Kansas State University also expects its faculty to produce engaged scholarly activity that contributes to the greater good on a global scale.

Acknowledging the complexity and diversity of faculty workload, and recognizing how workload affects Carnegie R-1 designation, the University representative workload distribution for tenured and tenure-track faculty on nine-month contracts falls within the KBOR Doctoral Universities ranges of 40–55 percent teaching, 35–45 percent research, and 5–20 percent service, with a typical instructional load of 6–9 credit hours per semester as these areas are described in the University Handbook Section C.1-C7. Other contract lengths such as twelve-month appointments may include proportional workload distributions. In addition, engaged scholarly activity can be embedded in teaching, research, extension, and service percentages.

As a Carnegie R1 (Very High Research) Doctoral University, the University adopts the KBOR Doctoral Universities workload ranges as the baseline framework for tenured and tenure-track faculty. Within these ranges, individual faculty workload allocations are determined and approved annually through the Annual Faculty Workload Plan described below; any allocation that differs from the standard faculty workload is justified within the Annual Faculty Workload Plan rather than through a separate process. The typical instructional load for T/TT faculty is 6–9 credit hours per semester, consistent with KBOR. Reductions below the low end of the typical instructional load (6 credit hours per semester) require dean and provost approval and occur only through approved course buyouts, Temporary or Standing Reassignments justified within the Annual Workload Plan, or administrative appointments. Non-tenure-track instructional series carry higher instructional loads as established in the Faculty Title Series × Workload Matrix below.

The University recognizes differing expectations in research, creative activity, discovery, innovation and scholarship, extension, engagement, and service across disciplines. The Faculty Title Series × Workload Matrix below establishes consistent University-level expectations across all colleges and units. Differences in class size and level, instructional modalities, undergraduate mentoring, graduate student mentoring, advising hours, lab instruction, studio sections, and other applied or engaged learning activities are addressed through the Course-to-FTE Conversion section and, where individual circumstances warrant, through justification within the Annual Faculty Workload Plan.

As an example, a teaching allocation within the KBOR Doctoral range commonly translates to 6–9 section credit hours per semester (12–18 credit hours per academic year) or equivalent contact hours which could include undergraduate mentoring, graduate student mentoring, advising hours, lab instruction, professional or continuing education, zero- or nonzero-credit micro credentials, studio sections, and other applied or engaged learning activities.

In place of the prior requirement that each college and unit develop a separate, full workload policy, this policy establishes consistent University-level workload expectations through the Faculty Title Series × Workload Matrix and Course-to-FTE Conversion below. Variation from the University ranges for an individual faculty member is addressed through justification within the Annual Faculty Workload Plan. Each unit shall maintain a brief unit departmental document covering the limited contents specified in the Required Contents of Unit Departmental Document section below — including Standard Departmental Workload(s) within the matrix ranges, any unit-specific Course-to-FTE conversions, and unit standing-reassignment criteria — for submission to the dean and Provost.

.110 Workload Categories: Teaching, Research / Creative Activity, Service, and Extension

This section establishes University-level definitions of the core workload categories, consistent with the KBOR Faculty Workload Policy and K-State's land-grant mission. Teaching, Research / Creative Activity, and Service apply to all faculty appointments. Extension applies to faculty with appointments in K-State Extension and other faculty whose duties include formal extension effort. Discipline-specific criteria for what constitutes meritorious work in each category — including the activities counted, productivity expectations, evaluation rubrics, and weighting within categories — rest with each unit and shall be specified in the unit departmental document (see Required Contents of Unit Departmental Document below).

Teaching

Teaching includes direct instruction in undergraduate and graduate courses as well as the broader instructional responsibilities supporting student success. Per KBOR, teaching activities recognized within Teaching FTE may include: developing new courses and instructional materials; updating existing content; creating courseware and other resources for technology-based teaching; supervising directed readings, independent studies, and undergraduate research; serving as major professor of master's theses and doctoral dissertations; mentoring students in co-curricular activities (e.g., plays, exhibits, performances); preparing and setting up laboratories or studio spaces; managing teaching assistants; overseeing internships; teaching scholarship; directed service (i.e., librarians) and providing academic advising, mentoring, and other student-success activities.

Discipline-specific definitions of teaching activities — including how non-classroom instructional contributions (e.g., graduate supervision, multi-section coordination, lab and studio supervision, advising) are credited within Teaching FTE — shall be specified in the unit departmental document.

Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Research, scholarship, and creative activity include the discovery, integration, application, and dissemination of knowledge consistent with K-State's R1 Doctoral mission. Per KBOR, activities recognized within Research / Creative Activity FTE may include, but is not limited to: writing and securing grants; applying for and receiving fellowships; innovation in research/creative activities, partnerships that support research/creative activity, and licensure; supervising graduate students and postdoctoral associates in research/creative activity; and sharing scholarship through peer-reviewed journal articles, book reviews, monographs, book chapters, textbooks, conference papers and presentations, producing other educational materials, exhibitions, and other scholarly/creative avenues.

Research productivity measures vary by discipline and subdiscipline. Each unit shall specify in its unit departmental document the research, scholarship, and creative activities expected of faculty within the context and expectations of the specific discipline, including how impact, importance, and quality are evaluated.

Service and Engagement

Service includes activities that advance the University's goals and support its role in serving Kansas and beyond. Per KBOR, service activities may strengthen the University or discipline's scholarly community, enhance the quality of life or society, or support the well-being of the institution, professional and academic societies, the community, the state, the nation, or the international community. Categories of service may include:

Institutional service — departmental, college, and University service, including committees, shared governance, and administrative roles not otherwise reassigned to Administration.
Professional / disciplinary service — e.g., journal editing, peer review, leadership in scholarly societies, accreditation review, conference organization.
Engagement and outreach — community-facing service that contributes to the public good, consistent with K-State's land-grant mission. This is different than required extension and engagement work.

Discipline-specific definitions of service activities, examples of meritorious service, and weighting among the three sub-categories above shall be specified in the unit departmental document. All faculty appointments — regardless of title series — must include a minimum of 5% institutional service.

Extension and Engagement (Land-Grant Mission)

Kansas State University was the first land-grant institution established in 1862 under the Morrill Act, with Cooperative Extension established under the Smith-Lever Act of 1914. K-State Extension is a unified system that integrates research, extension, and education to address the needs of Kansans across all 105 counties. For faculty with appointments in K-State Extension— and for any other faculty whose appointment letter or unit departmental document allocates effort to extension — Extension is recognized as a distinct workload category alongside Teaching, Research / Creative Activity, and Service. Consistent with practice at peer and aspirational land-grant institutions (e.g., Iowa State University, Purdue University, Texas A&M University, North Carolina State University, Colorado State University, and Oregon State University), Extension activities recognized within Extension FTE may include:

Educational programming — designing, delivering, and evaluating non-credit educational programs for Kansas residents, producers, families, businesses, communities, and other stakeholders (workshops, field days, conferences, webinars, online modules, demonstration projects).
Applied and translational research — research that addresses real-world problems identified through stakeholder engagement, including on-farm trials, community-based research, evaluation studies, and needs assessments. Applied research conducted as part of an extension appointment is credited within Extension FTE; basic research conducted by the same faculty member is credited within Research / Creative Activity FTE per the unit document.
Extension publications and educational materials — peer-reviewed extension publications (fact sheets, bulletins, guides, curriculum materials, decision tools), peer-reviewed extension/outreach journal articles, and web-based educational resources.
Technical assistance and consultation — direct one-on-one or one-on-few consultations with stakeholders (producers, families, communities, businesses, agencies, units of government); diagnostic services; expert testimony to the public.
Engagement and partnership building — stakeholder needs assessment; coalition and partnership building with industry, government, community, and non-profit organizations; volunteer development (e.g., Master Gardener, 4-H).
Extension program leadership and team coordination — leading multi-county or statewide program teams, mentoring extension agents and educators, coordinating regional initiatives, and contributing to K-State Extension administrative and strategic functions.
External funding for extension — grants and contracts that support extension programming, including USDA-NIFA, AFRI, Smith-Lever 3(d), commodity organizations, foundations, and state and federal agencies.

Evaluation of Extension work shall consider reach (clientele served, geographic distribution), impact (behavior change, economic and quality-of-life impact, learning outcomes), quality (peer review of extension publications and programs, peer evaluation), stakeholder satisfaction, external funding for extension programs, and leadership in regional, national, or international extension professional associations.

Extension appointments do not align with the standard workload distribution otherwise established in this policy. Individual extension faculty appointments commonly take the form of Extension and Teaching, Extension and Research, or Extension with both Teaching and Research; an extension appointment will not consist of only Teaching and Research without Extension. Each individual extension appointment's specific allocation is documented in the offer letter and Annual Faculty Workload Plan under the Alternative Funding Source category. Discipline-specific definitions of extension activities, productivity expectations, the relative weighting of the categories above, and how integration with Teaching and Research is credited shall be specified in the unit departmental document of any unit with extension faculty.

.120 KBOR Institutional Workload Ranges

Per the KBOR Faculty Workload Policy, the following ranges apply by institution type. K-State, as a Doctoral University, operates within the Doctoral row. The matrix values below all sit within the KBOR Doctoral range.

Institution Type	Teaching	Research	Service	Typical Load / Semester
Doctoral Universities — K-State	40–55%	35–45%	5–20%	6–9 cr
Master's Colleges and Universities	60–75%	15–30%	5–20%	12 cr

.130 Faculty Title Series × Workload Matrix

The following matrix establishes default category distribution ranges and typical course loads by faculty title series. These values apply University-wide; specific allocations within the listed ranges are set and approved annually through the Annual Faculty Workload Plan, and any variation from the university standard faculty workload is justified within that plan rather than through a separate process.

All Academic Colleges except Veterinary Medicine

Faculty Title Series	Teaching %	Research / Creative Activities %	Service %	Other* %	Typical Load	Notes
Tenured / Tenure-Track (T/TT) title series	40–55%	35–45%	5–20%	—	6 credit hours per semester	University baseline for all T/TT faculty. Based on KBOR Doctoral Universities expectations. Variations from this allocation are addressed through Differential Workload Allocations. Library faculty in T/TT ranks may carry 40–80% directed service (teaching) per Handbook C5.
Tenured / Tenure-Track (T/TT) title series – Extension Appointment	0 – 55%	0 – 45%	5 – 20%	40 – 90% extension
Tenured / Tenure-Track (T/TT) title series – K-State Salina	40 – 70%	20 – 45%	5 – 20%	—	9 credit hours per semester	K-State Salina T/TT operates at 60 - 70% teaching consistent with its statutory mission under K.S.A. 76-213, which directs the campus to programs of technical education advancing the aerospace, technology, and advanced manufacturing industries of the state.
Instructor title series	80–95%	0%	5–20%	—	12 credit hours per semester	Non-tenure-track instructional appointment, primarily teaching with limited service. Library faculty in Instructor ranks may carry 40–80% directed service (teaching) per Handbook C5.
Research Professor title series	0–20%	70–100%	0–10%	—	Typically none; may co-teach	NTT, typically externally funded research line. Continuation tied to extramural funding. Service is discipline / lab focused.
Clinical Professor title series (non Vet Med)	40–60%	0–30%	20–30%	Up to 30% practice	6 credit hours per semester	NTT. Clinical / professional practice integrated with teaching. "Other" captures direct clinical service.
Professor of Practice title series	50–85%	0–10%	5–30%	Up to 30% practice / industry liaison	9 credit hours per semester	NTT. Practitioner appointment bringing professional or industry expertise to instruction. Service can include industry liaison.
Teaching Professor title series	60–95%	0–10%	5–30%	—	9 credit hours per semester	NTT, instruction-emphasis with promotion based on teaching excellence.
Extension title series	0–30%	0–40%	5–20%	40–100% extension	3 credit hours per semester	NTT, K-State Research and Extension specialists / agents holding faculty rank. Engagement / outreach reported in "Other." Aligns with land-grant mission.
Faculty with Administrative Appointment (DH, Director, Asst/Assoc Dean)	0–40%	0–20%	5–20%	40–100% admin	3 credit hours per year	Administrative duties (Handbook C7) reassigned into Administration. Specifics in appointment letter; reviewed annually.

College of Veterinary Medicine

Faculty Title Series	Teaching %	Research / Creative Activities %	Service %	Other* %	Typical Load	Notes
Tenured / Tenure-Track (T/TT) title series – Veterinary Medicine	5–55% (includes clinical)	35–45%	5–20%		6 credit hours per semester	University baseline for all T/TT faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Based on KBOR Doctoral Universities expectations.
Clinical Professor title series (Vet Med)	0-25%	0-20%	0-15%	50-100%		NTT. Clinical / professional practice integrated with teaching. "Other" captures direct clinical service & clinical instruction.

Faculty Title Series

Teaching %

Research / Creative Activities %

Service %

Other* %

Typical Load

Notes

Tenured / Tenure-Track (T/TT) title series – Veterinary Medicine

5–55% (includes clinical)

35–45%

5–20%

6 credit hours per semester

University baseline for all T/TT faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Based on KBOR Doctoral Universities expectations.

Clinical Professor title series (Vet Med)

0-25%

0-20%

0-15%

50-100%

NTT. Clinical / professional practice integrated with teaching. "Other" captures direct clinical service & clinical instruction.

* "Other" denotes effort in Extension/Engagement or Clinical/Professional Practice as applicable to the title series.

.140 Course-to-FTE Conversion

The following baseline conversion applies University-wide. Unit departmental documents may publish discipline-specific conversions, including but not limited to those for studio, laboratory, clinical, performance-based, multi-section oversite, or design-build instruction, subject to dean and Provost approval.

Low-enrolled courses. When a course does not meet the university’s established minimum enrollment threshold, the academic supervisor may reduce the instructional FTE credited for the course, proportional to enrollment and as appropriate. This adjustment is not punitive — course preparation, content delivery, assessment, and student engagement still require substantive faculty effort regardless of class size — and reflects only the scaled-down scope of student-facing work. Any such reduction is discussed with the faculty member in advance where feasible and documented in the Annual Faculty Workload Plan.

Course Credits	Instructional FTE	Notes
1 credit hour	3 – 4%	Per semester course; doubles for two-semester sequence.
2 credit hours	6 – 7%
3 credit hours	10 – 13%	Baseline: one 3-credit lecture course = 0.10 FTE (or 10%) for the academic year.
4 credit hours	13 – 17%
5 credit hours	Per unit policy
Lab / Studio / Clinical / Performance contact-hour course	Per unit policy	Unit may credit additional FTE for high contact-hour or supervisory load.

.150 Minimum Workload Floors

Without explicit dean and Provost approval, individual workload allocations for tenured and tenure-track faculty shall remain within the KBOR Doctoral Universities ranges and shall not drop below the following floors: (a) Teaching: 12 credit hours per year; (b) Research / Creative Activity: 25%; and (c) Service: 5% institutional service minimum. Reductions below the 12-credit-hour instructional floor are typically time-limited (e.g., approved course buyout, semester-specific Temporary Reassignment justified within the Annual Faculty Workload Plan, or administrative appointment). The Alternative Funding Source category (e.g., AES, Extension, sponsored grants) may permit allocations outside these floors as documented in the offer letter and Annual Faculty Workload Plan. Non-tenure-track title series carry minimum floors as established in the matrix and the unit's departmental document. All faculty appointments, regardless of title series, must include a minimum of 5% institutional service.

.160 Course Buyouts and Release Time

Where allowed by unit policy and consistent with the terms of the funding source, faculty may buy out a portion of their instructional workload using sponsored funding dedicated to in-load time. For 9-month faculty, course buyouts apply only to the academic-year (9-month) contract; summer salary and summer effort on grants are not buyouts under this policy and are governed separately by the funding source, sponsor guidelines, and the KSU Salary Recovery for Sponsored Projects policy. For 12-month faculty, the percentage calculations apply to the 12-month base salary; there is no separate summer-salary treatment.

A course buyout requires a minimum of 15% of base salary plus associated fringe paid from external grants or contracts — calculated on the academic-year base for 9-month faculty and on the 12-month base for 12-month faculty — sufficient to cover alternative instructional coverage and the proportionate research effort delivered under the grant. Total buyouts shall not exceed 50% of the faculty member's assigned Teaching FTE for the applicable contract period. Buyouts are discussed with the academic supervisor prior to grant proposal submission, approved as part of the Annual Faculty Workload Plan, and reduce instructional FTE only — they do not release the faculty member from service, advising, or administrative obligations. Effort committed to the sponsored project must be commensurate with the salary charged. Specific buyout rates above the 15% minimum, recovery distribution between unit and college, and unit-level eligibility criteria are addressed in the unit departmental document and the KSU Salary Recovery for Sponsored Projects policy.

.170 Salary Recovery Policy

This policy establishes institutional expectations for budgeting faculty and staff salaries on sponsored project proposals submitted by Kansas State University to ensure that, where allowable by the funding agency, the institutional costs associated with performing sponsored research are appropriately supported by externally funded awards rather than state-funded/general use (GU) resources.

Faculty and project personnel are expected to budget salary support for sponsored projects in a manner consistent with their actual, documentable effort and substantive contributions to the project aims, in accordance with sponsor guidelines, federal regulations, and institutional policy. Faculty should work collaboratively with their department head and Dean to determine appropriate salary budgeting practices based on workload, research commitments, and available funding opportunities.

This policy defines the salary recovery rate as a college-level metric based on total project expenditures and salary charges. No single project is required to reach the institutional target unless the Dean sets a higher college threshold. The salary recovery policy establishes an introductory expectation that, beginning in FY27, each college will support at least 1.0% of its eligible total research direct costs (TDC) as salary recovery for GU‑funded personnel, with the Office of the Vice President for Research initiating a corresponding 1.0% budget transfer at the start of the next fiscal year. This 1% level is intentionally modest as a first‑year rate, designed both to phase in the policy and to give colleges time to adjust their budgeting and effort‑planning practices. Within this framework, Deans retain discretion to set college‑ or unit‑level expectations above the 1.0% minimum for specific departments, faculty groups, or proposal types, as needed, to ensure the college meets or exceeds the introductory salary recovery target. By May 1, 2027, the 1.0% budget transfer rate will be evaluated to determine if a new rate will be implemented for FY28.

.180 Faculty with Administrative Appointments

Faculty serving in administrative roles (department head, school director, associate / assistant dean, center director, etc.) carry a workload reflecting the administrative reassignment specified in the appointment letter. Administrative duties (Handbook C7) are credited within Administration. Standard guidance:

Department head / school director: typically 40–100% administrative duties; remaining 0–60% distributed across Teaching, Research / Creative Activity, and Service per home-unit norms.
Center / institute director with budgetary authority: typically 25–50% administrative duties; remaining 50 – 75% distributed across Teaching, Research / Creative Activity, and Service.
Graduate program director / undergraduate program director: typically 10–20% Service reassignment.
Associate / assistant dean (faculty rank): per appointment letter, with home-department workload prorated against college FTE.

.190 Annual Faculty Workload Plan, Justification, and Approval Process

Per the KBOR Faculty Workload Policy Chapter II.A.12, each full-time and full-time equivalent faculty member shall have an Annual Faculty Workload Plan, reviewed and approved annually. Because every Annual Faculty Workload Plan is reviewed and approved each year, there is no separate "Different Allocation of Workload (DAW)" process; any allocation that differs from the unit's Standard Departmental Workload is justified within the Annual Faculty Workload Plan itself and approved through the workflow set forth below. This consolidation simplifies prior practice while preserving the substantive principles that previously governed DAW.

Contents of the Annual Faculty Workload Plan

The Annual Faculty Workload Plan shall clearly delineate the expected outcomes and efforts a faculty member is to achieve in the upcoming academic year, recognizing that these items may be part of longer-term or multi-year projects. Its objectives shall support and align with the criteria for any upcoming summative or comprehensive review, including reappointment, promotion, tenure, or post-tenure review. The plan must specify percentage time allocations corresponding to the faculty member's FTE across Teaching, Research / Creative Activity, Service, and (where applicable) Extension, along with course assignments and expected activities in each category.

Plans Aligned with the Standard Departmental Workload

Where the Annual Faculty Workload Plan aligns with the unit's Standard Departmental Workload (as documented in the unit departmental document and within the Faculty Title Series × Workload Matrix ranges), no additional justification is required. The academic supervisor approves the plan and notifies the dean and Provost as part of the regular annual cycle.

Justification for Allocations Differing from the Standard Departmental Workload

Where the Annual Faculty Workload Plan differs from the unit's Standard Departmental Workload, the plan shall include a written justification submitted as part of the regular annual approval process — not as a separate DAW request. The justification shall include: (a) the current and proposed FTE allocation across Teaching, Research / Creative Activity, Service, and (where applicable) Extension; (b) rationale for the reallocation; (c) the effective period (one academic year, multi-year, or standing); and (d) how evaluation criteria will be adjusted to reflect the reallocation.

Allocations differing from the Standard Departmental Workload fall into four categories. Identifying the applicable category in the justification determines the approval workflow:

Annual Variation — Up to 5% per category to reflect normal yearly fluctuations. Approved as part of the Annual Faculty Workload Plan by the academic supervisor and dean.
Temporary Reassignment — Up to 10% additional reassignment for up to one year (e.g., faculty vacancy coverage, pre-tenure research push, post-mid-tenure recalibration, leadership transition). Approved by the academic supervisor, dean, and Provost as part of the Annual Faculty Workload Plan.
Standing Reassignment — Longer-term adjustments approved by the academic supervisor, dean, and Provost. Permitted reasons include: active research lab requiring sustained oversight, personnel, equipment, or organisms; active grant-writing required for tenure / promotion; departmental administrative duties (e.g., graduate program director, undergraduate program director); substantial professional service (e.g., journal editor, leadership in a national association); sustained pattern of reduced research / creative activity; endowed chair / special faculty positions; and other reassignments justified and approved by the dean and Provost. Standing Reassignments are reviewed at least every three years through the annual approval process (consistent with KU's long-term DAE review practice) and are otherwise automatically reauthorized upon contract renewal unless renegotiated.
Alternative Funding Source — Faculty whose salaries are supported by alternative funding sources (e.g., Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station (AES), Cooperative Extension, sponsored grants, or partial administrative appointments) will have workloads assigned proportional to the funding source, which may fall outside the ranges otherwise specified. The workload for these faculty is outlined in their offer letter and adjusted as needed through the Annual Faculty Workload Plan. Grant-funded buyouts are time-limited; AES and Extension allocations have no time limit.

Governing Principles

The unit's needs take precedence over individual preference when making decisions to alter a faculty member's allocation of workload; such redistribution must be consistent with the best interests of the unit.
A reduction of effort in one area — Teaching, Research / Creative Activity, Service, or Extension — must be offset by augmentation in another area.
To increase the percentage of effort in an area, the faculty member must have a satisfactory record of performance in that area as reflected in prior annual evaluations (consistent with University of Kansas DAE policy).
All allocations must remain within the KBOR Doctoral Universities ranges (40–55% Teaching, 35–45% Research, 5–20% Service) and the Faculty Title Series × Workload Matrix, except where the Alternative Funding Source category applies.
Reductions below the 12-credit-hour annual instructional floor require dean and Provost approval and are addressed under Minimum Workload Floors above.

Initiation and Discussion

Either the faculty member or the academic supervisor may initiate a discussion about the upcoming annual allocation. Discussions normally occur during the annual workload process (following the prior-year annual evaluation), though discussions may be initiated at any time circumstances change. For example, a faculty member receiving a new grant with funds to buy out teaching may propose a Temporary Reassignment in the next Annual Faculty Workload Plan, and an academic supervisor facing unanticipated instructional needs may ask a faculty member to assume additional teaching responsibilities. Discussions should occur at the earliest possible time so that appropriate arrangements can be made by the unit and/or faculty member for covering course offerings or other obligations.

Approval Workflow and Documentation

Plans aligned with the Standard Departmental Workload: academic supervisor approves; dean and Provost notified.
Annual Variations: academic supervisor and dean approve.
Temporary Reassignments, Standing Reassignments, and Alternative Funding Source allocations: academic supervisor, dean, and Provost approve.

All approved Annual Faculty Workload Plans, including any justification for differing allocations, are documented in the faculty member's personnel file. The approved plan governs the faculty member's effort for the year and is the basis for the annual evaluation. Adjustments to the plan during the year (e.g., new grant, unanticipated unit need) follow the same approval workflow as the original plan.

.200 Relationship to Annual Evaluation

Per KBOR Faculty Workload Policy Chapter II.A.12, each full-time and full-time equivalent faculty member shall have an Annual Workload Plan and undergo an annual evaluation by the academic supervisor. During the annual review, the academic supervisor shall evaluate the faculty member's work against the approved Annual Faculty Workload Plan and decide whether the faculty member has met or not met the expectations outlined in the plan. All work corresponding to the workload assignment shall be explicitly evaluated, weighted in proportion to the assigned percentages. A faculty member's workload assignments over the review period shall be explicitly considered in reappointment, tenure, promotion, post-tenure review, and non-performance review decisions.

.210 Improvement Plans

A faculty member who does not satisfactorily meet workload expectations for the review period will be placed on a written Improvement Plan. The Improvement Plan must include specific steps aimed at addressing deficiencies, a timeline for expected progress, and a statement of consequences if improvement does not occur within that period. In the academic year a faculty member is on an Improvement Plan, the assessment of the Improvement Plan shall be the equivalent of an annual review.

Faculty members who receive an unsatisfactory annual evaluation and who have not satisfactorily completed their subsequent Improvement Plan are subject to dismissal, reassignment, an additional one-year improvement plan, or other personnel actions, consistent with University Handbook procedures.

.220 Academic Supervisor Training Requirement

The University shall provide training to academic supervisors and deans to ensure they have the necessary skills to develop and assess Annual Faculty Workload Plans and Improvement Plans effectively. Training shall be offered at least annually and shall address Annual Workload Plan construction, evaluation of allocations within the KBOR ranges, application of the four categories of allocation justification, and conduct of annual evaluations.

.230 Appeals and Disagreement Resolution

Where a faculty member and academic supervisor cannot reach agreement on a workload assignment, resolution proceeds in the following order:

Direct conversation between the faculty member and academic supervisor, documented in the Annual Work Plan record.
Referral to the college's Associate Dean Faculty Affairs (or equivalent designee of the dean) for facilitated resolution.
Formal administrative appeal to the dean.
University Handbook procedures, including Sections C45.1–45.3 and C48.1–48.3.
Final decisions rest with the Provost.

.240 Annual Reporting

Per KBOR Faculty Workload Policy, beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year and continuing thereafter, the Provost shall submit a faculty workload report to the KBOR Vice President for Academic Affairs covering the two prior academic years. The annual report has two primary purposes: (a) To illustrate the breadth and variety of faculty activities and how these activities contribute to students, the university’s mission, the state, and society at large; and (b) To establish a systemwide level of transparency and accountability for how faculty allocate their work time.

At minimum, the report shall include: total credit hours produced disaggregated by course level; percentage of credit hours produced by full-time T/TT and full-time NTT instructional faculty by course level; number of sections taught per semester by full-time T/TT and full-time NTT instructional faculty by course level; average student credit hour production for core instructional faculty; number of bachelor's degrees awarded; four-year undergraduate graduation rates; student retention rates; faculty publication and scholarship; and amount of research funding secured by faculty. Additionally, the annual report should include a narrative that highlights faculty responsibilities, the quality of their work, and how their efforts benefit students, the university, the state, and the broader community. It should also explain the institution’s workload policy and how it ensures faculty perform at a high level. According to KBOR Policy, this report shall be presented to the Board and shared widely with legislators and other constituents.

The Provost's Office shall maintain the data infrastructure necessary to produce this report and shall consult with deans and unit leads regarding data definitions and reporting practices.

.250 Required Contents of Unit Departmental Document

Each unit shall maintain a brief departmental workload document, approved by the dean and Provost, containing the following limited contents:

Standard Departmental Workload(s) for each faculty title series active in the unit, expressed within the matrix ranges to the nearest 5%. Standard workloads must align with ranges specified in this policy.
Discipline-specific definition of Teaching activities — what counts within Teaching FTE for the discipline, and how non-classroom instructional contributions (graduate supervision, multi-section coordination, lab and studio supervision, advising, etc.) are credited.
Discipline-specific definition of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity — the activities expected of faculty in the discipline, productivity expectations, and how impact, importance, and quality are evaluated.
Discipline-specific definition of Service — the institutional, professional / disciplinary, and engagement / outreach activities expected, with examples of meritorious service in the discipline and any weighting among sub-categories.
For units with extension faculty: Discipline-specific definition of Extension — the educational programming, applied research, extension publications, technical assistance, engagement, program leadership, and external funding activities expected; the relative weighting of these sub-categories; and how integration of extension with Teaching and Research is credited.
Any unit-specific Course-to-FTE conversions warranted by discipline or contact-hour structure (e.g., for studio, laboratory, clinical, or performance-based instruction).
Criteria for any standing reassignments routinely offered by the unit (e.g., what level of lab oversight justifies a reassignment).
Buyout policy: rate, procedures, caps
Any unit-level minimum service expectations beyond the 5% institutional service floor.

.260 Effective Date and Periodic Review

This revised policy takes effect for Academic Year 2026–2027. Workload allocations under this policy will first appear in Annual Work Plans for the 2026–2027 academic year. The Provost, in consultation with the Council of Academic Deans and Faculty Senate, shall review this policy at least once every two (2) years per the Review Cycle in the policy header table, and upon any material change to the KBOR Faculty Workload Policy.