Terms and Conditions of Employment of Lecturers (VI.F.4)

Volume VI: Human Resources
Chapter F: Terms and Conditions of Employment
Responsible Executive: Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Diversity
Responsible Office: Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Diversity
Date Issued: January 1, 1999
Date Last Revised: November 1, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contacts
Statement of Policy
Reason for This Policy
Individuals and Entities Affected by This Policy
Exclusions
Responsibilities
Definitions (defined terms are capitalized throughout the document)
Related Documents, Forms and Tools
Website Address for This Policy
History and Updates
Appendix

CONTACTS

STATEMENT OF POLICY

Purdue University employs Lecturers and Limited-term Lecturers to assist in meeting the academic mission of the University. Their role as professional instructional staff supplements and supports faculty expertise and capabilities in the instruction of students.

The employment of Lecturers and Limited-term Lecturers must be carefully monitored and managed to ensure that their appointments:

• Enhance the education of students;
• Provide sound and fair employment opportunities for individuals; and
• Comply with the limits established by the University.

Appointments

Lecturers are regular staff and must have a total FTE of 0.5 or greater through any combination of exempt benefits-eligible classifications. All Lecturers will normally have academic-year appointments (refer to the policy on Academic-Year Employment VI.F.12). A Lecturer is responsible for teaching a minimum number of credit hours each semester. The number of credit hours is proportional to the FTE appointment. Units that employ Lecturers must determine, communicate and manage their expectations for what comprises a standard workload, including any summer appointments. A Lecturer also is expected to contribute to the infrastructure of the college’s/school’s instructional programs by performing the appropriate and necessary duties related to the academic programs of the college/school.

Limited-term Lecturers are temporary employees of the University. The number of credit hours is proportional to the FTE appointment. Units that employ Limited-term Lecturers must determine, communicate, and manage their expectations for what comprises a standard workload, including any summer appointments. The term of appointment may not exceed one semester. There is no limitation on the number of semesters that an individual may be employed as a Limited-term Lecturer if the individual’s FTE for all Limited-term Lecturer positions is less than 0.5 FTE per semester. An individual who holds a Limited-term Lecturer position(s) with an FTE of 0.5 or greater may not be employed as a Limited-term Lecturer for more than six continuous academic-year semesters without the approval of the President or designee. The Deans are responsible for tracking Limited-term Lecturer employment in their unit, and the Provost (West Lafayette campus) and Vice Chancellors for Academic Affairs (Regional Campuses) are responsible for monitoring compliance with these limits.

The proper steps for new appointments, reappointments, non-renewal of appointments, and review and promotion are outlined in the Operating Procedures for Lecturer Appointments.

Benefits

Lecturers employed half-time or more on a continuing basis are eligible for the following benefits:

1. Insurance: Health, vision, dental, long-term disability, term life and accidental death/dismemberment as approved by the Board of Trustees. Additional types of voluntary insurance plans may be offered as determined by Human Resources.
2. Retirement: defined contribution and/or mandatory plans as approved by the Board of Trustees.
3. Leaves: Paid and unpaid leaves of absence as outlined in the following policies:
   1. Leaves of Absence (VI.E.2)
   2. Paid Parental Leave (VI.E.3)
4. Paid holidays as approved by the Board of Trustees and the President, and in accordance with University pay practices.
5. Tuition remission as outlined in the policy on Tuition for Employees and Dependents Registered as Students (II.D.3).

Limited-term Lecturers are not benefit-eligible employees of the University.

Salary

Annual merit increases for Lecturers approved by the department head or dean in accordance with direction from the Board of Trustees and President are effective with the first pay period that starts on or after July 1.

If there is any legislative reduction in state or federal appropriations or other funding from which Lecturer salaries are paid, the University may reduce salaries accordingly.

Suspension

An individual may be suspended from employment, with or without pay, at the discretion of the University as a means of disciplinary action or to allow for investigation of an allegation of misconduct. In all cases, the employing department must consult with Human Resources before suspending an employee and must provide written notice to the employee of the duration and conditions of the suspension. Lecturers who are put on an unpaid suspension will not accrue any leave time during the stated suspension period and may be responsible for payment of their portion of insurance premiums if the amounts are not able to be deducted through payroll.

When suspension is the only action taken and the employee returns to work on the specified date, they maintain the same position and rate of pay as they had prior to being suspended. An employee who chooses not to return to work at the end of the suspension or who fails to give proper notification to their supervisor in the event they are unable to report on the specified date will be terminated from employment with the University.

Termination of Employment

The University may terminate the employment of any Lecturer or Limited-term Lecturer before the end of their term of appointment for misconduct or poor performance upon written notice to the employee. Lecturers and Limited-term Lecturers are not entitled to the procedures for cases of termination for cause that are available to faculty classifications. Procedural disputes in cases of termination for cause before the end of a Lecturer's term of appointment may be grieved pursuant to the policy on Dispute Resolution (VI.D.1). If employment is terminated prior to the expiration of the appointment, the University will pay the employee’s salary either 1) through the last day of employment for a Lecturer or 2) based on the number of credit hours taught through the last day of employment for a Limited-term Lecturer. The University will not pay the employee’s salary for the remainder of the term of appointment. The final salary payment will be paid in the individual’s final paycheck according to the University’s normal payroll practices.

The employment of a Limited-term Lecturer may be terminated prior to the expiration of the contract when the University elects to cancel the course due to not meeting the minimum enrollment requirements for the course. If this occurs, the University will provide written notification to the Limited-term Lecturer and the pay practice outlined above will apply.

Lecturers will give the University written notice of their intent to resign at least one academic semester before the end of the current appointment. For purposes of this notice, summer session is not considered an academic semester.

University Policies and Procedures

Lecturers and Limited-term Lecturers are responsible for complying with all policies, procedures, standards and regulations that relate to their employment and to their use of/access to University facilities and resources, both those now in effect and those adopted from time to time by the University and/or the Board of Trustees.

REASON FOR THIS POLICY

This policy articulates the terms of employment for Lecturers and Limited-term Lecturers at Purdue University and the methods implemented to monitor and manage these appointments.

INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES AFFECTED BY THIS POLICY

All colleges, schools and departments that employ Lecturers and Limited-term Lecturers, and any staff who serve in a human resources or business manager capacity.

EXCLUSIONS

None.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Provost

• Administer and provide oversight for this policy.
• Monitor the distribution of Lecturers on the West Lafayette campus.
• Monitor the semester limits of Limited-term Lecturers on the West Lafayette campus.
• Review and provide consultation on Lecturer employment levels on the Regional Campuses.

Academic Department Heads

• Adhere to the provisions of this policy and the requirements outlined in its supporting operating procedures.
• Ensure that high academic standards are applied to the employment and review of Lecturers and Limited-term Lecturers.
• In consultation with the Dean, determine, communicate and manage expectations for what comprises a standard workload for Lecturers within their department.

Deans

• Adhere to the provisions of this policy and the requirements outlined in its supporting operating procedures.
• Ensure that high academic standards are applied to the employment and review of Lecturers and Limited-term Lecturers.
• Monitor the duration of employment of Limited-term Lecturers in their unit to ensure compliance with this policy.
• Provide an annual report detailing the number and FTE of Lecturers and Limited-term Lecturers employed in their college or school to the Provost (West Lafayette campus) or Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (Regional Campuses). Include the number of semesters of employment for Limited-term Lecturers.
• Assist department heads to determine and manage expectations for what comprises a standard workload for Lecturers within their unit.

Vice Chancellors for Academic Affairs

• Monitor the distribution of Lecturers on their campus in consultation with the Provost.
• Monitor the semester limits of Limited-term Lecturers on their campus.

Lecturers and Limited-term Lecturers

• Adhere to the terms of their employment as outlined in this policy and in their employment contract.
• Become familiar with and follow all policies and procedures related to their employment.

DEFINITIONS

All defined terms are capitalized throughout the document. Refer to the central Policy Glossary for additional defined terms.

FTE
The full-time equivalent of an employee’s appointment, with one (1) being full time.

Lecturer
University staff employed by an academic unit of the University to instruct a course or courses on an ongoing basis, and to perform other appropriate and necessary duties relating to the course or courses, their students, and the college’s/school’s instructional programs. Lecturers are not considered faculty and do not have regular faculty voting privileges, nor are they eligible for tenure or sabbatical leave. However, a unit may choose to extend specific voting privileges to its Lecturers through its bylaws. For the purposes of this policy, Lecturer includes employees of the University appointed to lecturer and senior lecturer positions. Lecturers employed half time or more on a continuing basis are eligible for the benefits described in this policy.

Limited-term Lecturer
Temporary staff employed by an academic unit of the University to instruct a course or courses on a semester-by-semester basis. Limited-term Lecturers are not considered faculty and do not have faculty voting privileges, nor are they eligible for tenure or sabbatical leave. Limited-term Lecturers are not benefit-eligible employees of the University.

Clinical/Professional Faculty
See definition in the policy on Clinical/Professional Faculty Appointment and Promotion (VI.F.10). This definition is noted to help distinguish between Clinical/Professional Faculty and Lecturers.

RELATED DOCUMENTS, FORMS AND TOOLS

Operating Procedures for Lecturer Appointments

Policies

• Academic-Year Employment VI.F.12
• Dispute Resolution for Staff (VI.D.1)
• Leaves of Absence (VI.E.2)
• Paid Parental Leave (VI.E.3)
• Tuition for Employees and Dependents Registered as Students (II.D.3)

Forms

• Disclosure Statement for Nonexempt Limited-term Lecturers
• Offer Letter Templates

WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY

www.purdue.edu/policies/human-resources/vif4.html

HISTORY AND UPDATES

November 1, 2023: Clarified that disputes in cases of termination for cause before the end of a term of appointment may be grieved by Lecturer’s, but not LTLs.

August 1, 2019: Replaced the term Continuing Lecturer with the term Lecturer and updated the definition to include mention of senior lecturers (see procedures for promotion criteria). Added Clinical/Professional Faculty to the basis by which the maximum number of Lecturers is calculated; raised the percentage limit for the West Lafayette campus from 10 to 15 percent and allowed for a flexible limit on the Regional Campuses. Added responsibilities for monitoring Lecturer percentage limits and Limited-term Lecturer semester limits. Removed the use of teacher contact hours for Lecturers and instead required units to define a standard workload. Added a section on suspensions. Moved the procedures to a separate document.

November 18, 2011: Policy number changed to VI.F.4 (formerly IV.14.4).

January 1, 1999: This policy defines the employment classification of Lecturer and described the terms and conditions of their employment. Updates to the policy were done on August 1, 2003, and February 20, 2007. For additional reference, see the University Policy on Lecturers Implementing Guidelines issued August 2003.

APPENDIX

There are no appendices to this policy.