The University has established expectations and standards associated with teaching courses for academic credit at the University of Virginia, the majority of which are taught by members of the academic faculty. Other types of employees may also teach credit-bearing classes in accordance with the provisions of this policy.

1. Teaching Qualifications:    
   Schools are responsible for verifying the credentials of Instructors who teach courses for academic credit in their school. In limited instances, and with documentation maintained in the central human resources management system, schools may qualify Instructors through means such as course-related scholarship or exceptional professional experience germane to the course(s). Generally, however, Instructors must meet the minimum degree requirements in their field of instruction, in accordance with the guidelines posed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC):

   • For Instructors teaching undergraduate courses (courses numbers 4999 or lower): doctorate or master’s degree in the teaching discipline, or master’s degree with a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline.
   • For Instructors teaching graduate and post-baccalaureate courses (course numbers 5000 or higher): doctorate/terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline.

   Teaching assistants, both graduate and undergraduate, must be knowledgeable about the subject they are assisting with and receive training and regular supervision. Additional information pertaining to eligibility for appointment to a graduate teaching assistantship may be found in policy PROV-001: Graduate Assistantships.

   Instructors whose primary employment at the University does not normally include teaching must certify their qualifications to teach by providing a copy of their official academic transcript from the institution conferring the degree that qualifies the individual to teach in a particular discipline. This includes Administrative or Professional General Faculty Members, professional research staff, University or classified staff, and Medical Center employees. When the degree qualifying the Instructor to teach courses for academic credit is from the University of Virginia, an additional official transcript is not required.

   The minimum degree requirements defined in this section do not limit schools from establishing more stringent minimum requirements.

2. Teaching Load:    
   Deans have the authority to set the teaching load of academic faculty employed in their schools and to determine the extent to which other employees will be allowed to teach courses for academic credit in their schools in accordance with BOV policy and the provisions of this policy.
3. Office Hours:    
   All Instructors teaching courses for academic credit (including Instructors teaching discussion sections or labs associated with a course for academic credit) must be available to students who seek consultation and are therefore expected to maintain scheduled office hours, agnostic of modality; office hours may also be made available by appointment. Graduate Teaching Assistants should consult with their assistantship supervisors to determine their responsibility for maintaining scheduled office hours.
4. Course Syllabus:    
   All Instructors teaching courses for academic credit (including Instructors teaching discussion sections or labs associated with a course for academic credit) must publish a syllabus for each course they teach and disseminate it to students no later than the first day of classes in each term. At minimum, a course syllabus must specify learning objectives, how final grades will be determined for the course, and Instructor office hours; however, schools may require the inclusion of additional information for courses offered by their school, while remaining consistent with the principles of academic freedom. Instructors are expected to abide by their published syllabus. Changes to the syllabus after the start of the academic term should be communicated to students in writing (usually via e-mail or distribution of a revised syllabus). Scheduled breaks (not including Reading Days) in the academic calendar are intended in part to allow students time away from their academic responsibilities, and Instructors should schedule deadlines for academic work accordingly.
5. Dissemination and Recording of Course Materials and Activities, and Destruction of Approved Recordings:    
   Policy PROV-005: Dissemination and Recording of Course Materials and Activities describes the approval processes for recording class sessions and allowable uses of class session recordings, as well as the distribution of course materials.
6. Academic Accommodations for Disability, Pregnancy, and Religion:    
   The University is committed and legally obligated to reasonably accommodate students so they do not experience an adverse academic consequence when disability, pregnancy, or religion conflict with academic requirements. Accommodations should be granted so long as doing so does not constitute an undue hardship or fundamentally alter the course. Accommodations do not relieve students of the responsibility to complete any missed coursework.
   • Disability: For more information about disability-related academic accommodations or to seek such accommodations, students and faculty should contact the Student Disability Access Center.
   • Pregnancy: Accommodations for pregnancy or related circumstances include accommodations related to childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, as well as lactation needs. For guidance about requesting and granting pregnancy accommodations, visit the Student Pregnancy Accommodations section of the Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR) website, or contact EOCR at [email protected] or 434-924-3200.
   • Religion: For guidance about requesting and granting accommodations for sincerely held religious beliefs or observances, visit the Student Religious Accommodations section of the EOCR website, or contact EOCR.
7. Instructor Absences:    
   Instructors are expected to meet their classes according to the academic calendar, instruction mode, and class schedule published in SIS. When an Instructor is unable to hold a class session as expected, they must make alternative arrangements that align with the course’s learning objectives and school requirements. Such arrangements might include delivering the class remotely, pre-recording a lecture, arranging for a colleague to cover the class, or rescheduling the class session (see section 11 of this policy). Changes in delivery mode or schedule should be communicated to the students as soon as possible. Any change to the delivery mode beyond occasional instances as just described requires approval by the dean or their designee (see Mode of Instruction Guidance).

8. Grading Practices:    
   Instructors are responsible for fair grading practices that are reflective of learning objectives. At the beginning of each semester's classes, Instructors must announce how final grades will be determined for each course by including this information in the course syllabus. Instructors are responsible for submitting grades as early as possible at the end of the term, and no later than 48 hours after the final exam for a course. Instructors in the School of Law and the School of Medicine submit grades according to alternate schedules. Schools will post in their sections of the Undergraduate and Graduate Records policies and procedures for students who wish to appeal a course grade. A student who wishes to appeal a course grade must follow the grade appeal policy and procedure of the school offering the course.

   For more information about the University’s grading system, see the Undergraduate or Graduate Record (University Regulations > Academic > Grading System).

9. Final Examinations:    
   Any final examination that is required for a course must be administered at the day and time originally posted. The majority of exam times are scheduled by the Office of the University Registrar (UREG) and published in UVA’s student information system (SIS). The School of Medicine, School of Law, and Darden School of Business maintain school-specific policies regarding final examinations and publish separate exam schedules. Students in those schools should consult their school’s section of the Record for information about those policies and procedures. Once exam times have been published at the start of a term, they may not be changed except in extraordinary circumstances with the approval of the dean or dean’s designee. Some school-specific policies do not allow changes even in extraordinary circumstances.

   In the event that an Instructor receives permission from their dean (or dean’s designee) to offer an additional exam date/time for their course, all students in the course must still have the opportunity to take the examination at the originally published day/time. Even with the dean’s approval, the request for an additional day/time may be denied by UREG if adequate space is not available to accommodate the request.

   Instructors may allow an individual student to take an exam at another time to provide an academic accommodation for religious observance, military deployment, pregnancy, or disability, or when the student and Instructor agree that serious extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control should be accommodated.

   Scheduling exams on Reading Days should be avoided but is permitted on an individual student-by-student basis with mutual agreement of the Instructor and student if no other alternative dates are available.

10. Retention and Disposal of Students’ Graded Work:    
    State law and University policy IRM-017: Records and Information Management set the retention periods and requirements for destruction of certain types of academic records. Graded work that is neither returned to students nor officially archived at the University must generally be retained for one year following the end of the course. Additionally, files documenting student academic performance in a course (e.g., attendance records or grade books) must generally be retained for three years following the end of the course. Specific information on requirements for retention and destruction of records can be found here. Questions can be directed to Records & Information Management at [email protected].

    In cases where an Instructor does not return graded work to the student, the Instructor must provide the student access to their graded work in full upon request, either by providing the student with a copy of such work or by making arrangements for the student to review it under suitable supervision, within a reasonable timeframe (not to exceed 45 days) of the student’s request.

    To protect student confidentiality, after the required retention period, all records of students’ academic performance should be destroyed using a secure data deletion program (more information regarding secure data deletion is available through Information Security). Contact [email protected] for assistance in documenting the destruction in compliance with the Virginia Public Records Act.

11. Mandatory Sessions Outside the Regularly Scheduled Class Meeting Time:    
    From time to time, Instructors teaching courses for academic credit may wish to schedule mandatory sessions outside the regularly scheduled class meeting time. When these instances may be reasonably foreseen before the start of the semester, for example to administer tests, they must be scheduled in SIS and included in the course syllabus. Students should be given as much advance notice as possible for mandatory sessions outside of the regularly scheduled class meeting time that may not be reasonably foreseen and scheduled in advance, such as lectures from visiting experts or guest speakers. Students should not be penalized for non-attendance or face other penalties if they are unable to attend additional mandatory sessions that are not scheduled in SIS. Instructors must reasonably provide access to content covered or materials distributed during those sessions to students unable to attend. Mandatory additional sessions must occur no earlier than the first day of classes and no later than the last day of classes. They may not occur during a scheduled break in the academic calendar or on Reading Days, except in limited instances for course-related travel and with approval from the school dean (or designee); however, the other provisions of this section still apply.

    The provisions of this section do not restrict the University from changing the academic calendar during a term in which extraordinary circumstances disrupt the University’s normal operating schedule.

12. Course Disenrollment:    
    Students are expected to contribute to a positive culture at UVA by conducting themselves in accordance with a high standard. In instances when a student’s behavior impairs an Instructor’s ability to conduct a class or otherwise interferes with other students’ engagement in the learning process, the Instructor must reasonably attempt to resolve disruptions directly with the individual responsible. Examples of such behavior include, but are not limited to, repeatedly disrupting class or failing to properly engage in group activities. In rare cases, when the student’s behavior does not improve in response to the Instructor’s attempts, a dean’s office may disenroll the student from the course with a grade of W according to the procedures at the end of this document (or WF for schools that use this notation). Decisions to disenroll a student from a course should be aligned with the University’s Statement on Free Expression and Free Inquiry.

    Students have a right to appeal disenrollment decisions according to the procedures below. Until the final disposition of an appeal, the student is considered enrolled in the course and may continue to attend classes with the approval of the appropriate undergraduate/graduate dean. All communication related to a course disenrollment (including appeals) must be made in writing using official UVA email addresses. This section of policy is not intended to address behavior that may reasonably be perceived as a threat to the health and safety of the Instructor or other students in the class, nor a substitute for the University’s disciplinary processes. Instructors who believe that a student’s behavior may pose an immediate threat should call 911. Concerns regarding any threatening behavior also should be reported to the Office of Threat Assessment ([email protected]). Instructors who believe a student’s behavior constitutes misconduct (e.g., disruption, obstruction, disorderly) should contact Student Affairs ([email protected]).

13. Involvement of Outside Entities or Vendors:    
    At times, outside entities may be engaged in courses for academic credit. For example, an Instructor may ask professionals in the field to serve as project mentors for projects involving “real-world” problems, or may require students to subscribe to an on-line service provided by a third-party vendor as part of their course. In such cases, Instructors must take care to provide oversight, to ensure that students are well-informed about potential confidentiality and intellectual property concerns, and to preserve students’ privacy rights.

    The Instructor (or other designated University official) should be present during any guest lectures presented by an individual not affiliated with the University, unless otherwise approved in advance by the dean (or designee) of the school offering the course.

    Professionals in the field who work with students on classroom projects (capstone projects, for example), may ask that students sign agreements related to intellectual property or confidentiality before working on particular materials. Such requests must be made in advance of the course by the Instructor to the dean’s office of the school offering the course, which will seek additional approval from the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost (EVPP). For more information, Instructors should refer to the student intellectual property policy published in the Undergraduate and Graduate Records.

    Because the use of on-line services may expose students and their personal information to risk in ways that the purchase of textbooks does not, Instructors wishing to require students to purchase on-line services from a third-party vendor as part of a course should seek guidance from their dean’s office and EVPP prior to establishing such a requirement in any course.

14. Administrative or Professional General Faculty Members and Non-Faculty Employees Teaching Courses for Academic Credit:    
    While their primary responsibilities are those for which they were hired, employees, including Administrative or Professional General Faculty Members, University and Classified Staff employees, Professional Research Staff, and Medical Center employees, may serve as Instructors with the advance approval of their supervisor and the offer of a faculty teaching appointment from the appropriate school. Non-Exempt Employees may teach only if the teaching activities (including preparation and grading) can be included within the employee’s 40-hour work week, unless the employee’s supervisor approves overtime compensation at a rate of 150% of the employee’s normal rate of pay for any hours worked over 40 hours each week per pay period.

    All details related to the teaching appointment should be agreed upon in advance by the appropriate dean’s office, the employee, and the employee’s supervisor and formalized in an appointment letter issued by the dean of the school and acknowledged in writing by the employee and the supervisor. Supervisors should approve a teaching assignment for their employee only if they believe the teaching responsibilities will not negatively affect the employee’s ability to fulfill the primary responsibilities for which the employee was hired.

    The employee’s teaching appointment for the purposes of teaching a course for academic credit will usually be to the rank of lecturer. For Administrative or Professional Faculty members, teaching appointments must be to the rank already held by the faculty members in their administrative or professional appointment (i.e., an Administrative Faculty member holding the rank of lecturer may not be appointed as an assistant professor for purposes of the teaching appointment). In exceptional circumstances, a non-faculty employee may be eligible for a professorial rank in the teaching appointment (e.g., assistant professor, associate professor, or professor). Requests for such appointments must be submitted in writing by the school/department and approved in writing by the executive vice president and provost.

    The employee must meet the standards for teaching qualifications as defined above in Section 1.

    The terms of the faculty appointment are dictated by the school or department in which the employee teaches in accordance with University policy. Employees receiving a concurrent, temporary faculty appointment for the purposes of teaching courses for academic credit are not granted the same rights as academic faculty and are governed by the underlying terms and conditions of their primary employment at the University. They may participate in other departmental and school academic activities (such as advising students beyond the parameters of their course or serving on doctoral committees) only if such activities are specified in their appointment letter from the dean and are approved by their primary supervisor. The faculty appointment does not convey voting rights, departmental or otherwise, and the employee’s participation in departmental or school governance may occur only in exceptional circumstances with the dean’s approval.

    The employee’s faculty appointment will usually be for no more than one academic year and may be renewed annually at the discretion of the department chair, dean, and the employee’s supervisor. With each renewal, an appointment letter must be issued by the dean of the school and acknowledged in writing by the employee and the supervisor. Notice of non-renewal is not required. This faculty appointment is a temporary appointment that terminates automatically in the event the employee’s primary employment with the University ends.

    In the event of an employment disagreement related to the employee’s teaching responsibilities, the grievance process governing their primary employment will apply (see Related Information below).

    All documentation related to an employee’s teaching assignment must be retained in the employee’s UVA HR personnel record (UVA HR Document Imaging System) in accordance with the records retention policies and schedules maintained by the University’s Records Management Office. These documents include, at a minimum:

    1. All appointment letters issued by the dean of the school, signed by the employee and by the individual who supervises the employee in the employee’s primary position.
    2. Official transcript or other approved documentation certifying the employee’s qualifications to teach courses for academic credit at the University.

15. Compensation:    
    Full-time Exempt Employees who teach a course for academic credit in addition to their normal responsibilities should do so on a release-time basis and will not be compensated beyond the employee’s full-time salary.

    Faculty members will be compensated for teaching on an overload basis only in accordance with policy HRM-045: Faculty External Consulting and Internal Overload.

    Academic General Faculty members on the research track and professional research staff who are supported through sponsored research funding must reduce their research activities and grant-funded salary in order to teach a course for academic credit. The portion of their salary related to teaching must be paid from a non-grant source of funds.

    For other employees (including Administrative or Professional General Faculty members, University and Classified Staff members, and Medical Center employees), if appropriate, the employee’s supervisor may approve a temporary reduction in normal responsibilities to allow the employee to assume teaching responsibility (for a non-exempt full-time employee, this reduction in normal responsibilities is required to ensure the employee is not required to work overtime as a result of the teaching activity, including course preparation and grading, unless the employee’s supervisor approves overtime compensation at a rate of 150% of the employee’s normal rate of pay for any hours worked over 40 hours each week.). The school hiring the employee to teach may be asked to assume responsibility for an appropriate percentage of the individual’s salary during the term in which the employee is teaching. Such terms should be agreed upon in writing between the school and employee’s supervisor prior to the start of the teaching assignment.

    In rare cases, if such a reduction is not possible and the teaching activities are anticipated to become a recurring part of the individual’s employment at the University, the employee’s supervisor may, with the dean’s support, revise the employee’s job description to include additional teaching responsibilities and request a salary increase to reflect these increased responsibilities. For faculty, see policy HRM-035: University Faculty Salaries and Bonuses. For staff, see policy HRM-024: Compensation Program for University Staff Employees.

    Part-time salaried employees and staff wage employees may not be paid on a wage basis for teaching courses for academic credit. Instead, the employee’s workload and salary must be adjusted appropriately to reflect the additional teaching activity. If the change in workload makes the employee eligible for full-time benefits, the unit responsible for the employee’s primary employment at the University and/or the school must pay the fringe benefits associated with the employee’s increased workload.

    Faculty wage compensation is governed by policy PROV-026: Faculty Wage Employment.