Reallocation of Teaching Responsibilities of School/Division/Program Personnel

As an alternative to school/division/program discontinuation, the College may adopt a plan to reallocate the teaching responsibilities of school/division/program personnel, either with or without a declaration of financial exigency, into an academic area in which the faculty member, with a reasonable period of training, would be qualified to teach. The decision to reallocate personnel will be based essentially on educational considerations. “Educational Considerations” do not include cyclical or temporary variations in enrollment. They must reflect that the educational mission of the institution as a whole will be enhanced by the reallocation. Reallocation of the teaching responsibilities of school/division/program personnel enables the College to continue to employ faculty members as full-time faculty members when the cost of the school/division/program in which they teach and as currently staffed has become excessive relative to the educational priorities, the financial resources, the mission and/or vision of the institution. The reallocation of the teaching responsibilities of school/division/program personnel could affect some or all of the faculty in that academic area, whether tenured or untenured.
A decision to recommend to the President the reallocation of the teaching responsibilities of a school/division/program’s personnel will be made by the VPAA, upon conclusion of the consultation process described below.

In considering whether to make a recommendation to reallocate the teaching responsibilities of a school/division/program’s personnel, the VPAA shall consult with the relevant school/division/program Dean(s) or Chair(s) and with the members of the school/division/program likely to be affected by the reallocation.

The VPAA shall also consult with the relevant school/division Dean(s) or Chair(s), and the Faculty Senate. All these discussions seek to assure due consideration of the relevant facts and issues. At the conclusion of these consultations, should the VPAA decide to recommend a reallocation of the teaching responsibilities of personnel, they will forward the recommendation(s) to the faculty of the academic units affected for their response and recommendation. Having received the faculty’s response and recommendation, the VPAA will submit their recommendation on reallocation to the President, with copies sent to the relevant school/division/program Chair(s), affected members of the faculty, and Faculty Senate Chair.

The final decision on reallocation of the teaching responsibilities of personnel rests with the President. A decision to reallocate the teaching responsibilities of school/division/program personnel cannot become effective at any time other than the end of an academic year, even in the case of financial exigency.
When the circumstances described above necessitate a reallocation of some or all of the teaching responsibilities of a faculty member(s) in a school/division/program, the institution will offer the faculty member(s) an academic position for which they are qualified to teach. If placement in another academic position would be facilitated by a reasonable period of training, financial and other support for such training will be offered, as determined by the VPAA and the President to the extent of the College’s financial ability, taking into consideration all of its obligations. Decisions on what would constitute a reasonable period of training and/or level of financial or other support during the transition process would be determined by the VPAA in consultation with the affected faculty, the relevant school/division/program and Dean(s) or Chair(s), and the Faculty Senate.
Should, under this policy, only some of the members of a school/division/program need to reallocate their teaching responsibilities, the reallocation will be made on the basis of seniority. The least senior members of the school/division/program will be asked to reallocate their responsibilities first. The most senior member, last.
Once the President has approved the reallocation of some or all of the teaching responsibilities of a faculty member in a school/division/program, the affected faculty member, following the reasonable period of training, will assume their new duties.
Faculty who accept the offer of new teaching responsibilities as a result of school/division/program reallocation of teaching responsibilities will suffer no reduction in salary, benefits, or rank, nor will they be negatively affected in either promotion and/or tenure decisions. A faculty member’s seniority in the institution is not affected even if they join a new school/division/program as a result of the decision by the College to reallocate teaching responsibilities. Their contract, rights and responsibilities will continue to be guided by the same Faculty Handbook policies that governed them prior to the school/division/program reallocation of teaching responsibilities.
The refusal of a faculty member, whether tenured or untenured, to accept the new teaching responsibilities in another academic position for which they, with a reasonable period of training, would be qualified to teach, constitutes a resignation by the faculty member from the institution at the end of their current contract year. Should a faculty member file, and win, an appeal on the grounds stipulated below, the resignation will not take effect.