Faculty Handbook

Introduction

UNO Campus Aerial View Welcome to the University of New Orleans (UNO) Faculty Handbook. The University provides this guide to enable UNO faculty to easily access policies and procedures relating to the wide range of matters of importance and interest. Working in collaboration with the Provost Office and key faculty leaders, the Office of Faculty Affairs continues to enhance this document to meet faculty’s needs better. Because the University is subject to various local, state, and federal rules and regulations, we will revise the information in the Handbook as warranted.

The content of the Faculty Handbook is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a formal contractual agreement between the University and its faculty. It in no way alters rights specifically delineated under contracts, policies recommended by the Faculty Senate and approved by the administration, and under Federal and state law.

It is expected that each faculty member will become familiar with the contents of this document. If you have suggestions about the Faculty Handbook, contact the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs by e-mail at facultyaffairs@uno.edu.

Chapter 1: About the University of New Orleans

Chapter 2: Organization and Administration of UNO

Governing Boards

The Board of Regents

The University of Louisiana System

Chapter 3: Academic Affairs

Chapter 4: Faculty Employment and Related Matters

Academic Freedom

(See also UL System Policy, Chapter III, Section I, Part A)

UL System Faculty Rank (Promotion Guideline)
Faculty Reappointment, Tenure and Promotion (RTP) Procedures and Policies

Faculty Appointments, AP-AA-21

UNO Reappointment, Tenure and Promotion (RTP) Policies and Forms

Faculty Grievance Procedure

Faculty Grievance Form

Faculty Leave Policies

Sabbatical Leave

Sabbatical Leave Form Instructions
Sabbatical Leave Form

Faculty Personal and Family Leave

Attendance Leave Records - Faculty, Unclassified Staff, and Classified Staff, AP-BA-41

Shared Sick Leave Program, AP-BA-08

Chapter 5: Responsibilities and Duties of Faculty

Faculty Authority
Commencement, AP-AA-36
Faculty Service on Committees

Faculty Council

Faculty Senate

General Education Committee

University Courses and Curricula Committee

Chapter 6: Other Administrative Policies

Chapter 7: University Resources, Services and Support Units

Academic Freedom

The University of Louisiana System is committed to the principle of academic freedom. This principle acknowledges the right of a teacher to explore fully within the field of assignment and to give in the classroom and elsewhere such exposition of the subject as the teacher believes to represent the truth. This principle also includes the right of a member of the academic staff of the university system to exercise in speaking, writing, and action outside the University other ordinary rights of a citizen, but it does not decrease the responsibility that the member of the academic staff bears to the university system, the state, and the nation. A member of the academic staff not officially designated to represent the university system must indicate clearly that he or she is speaking as an individual citizen.

Among the many implicit responsibilities that must be assumed by those enjoying the privileges of academic freedom is that of refraining from insisting upon the adoption by students or others of any particular point of view as authoritative in controversial issues. Moreover, although all faculty are entitled to freedom of speech in public fora, they are expected to make clear in the instances that they speak as private citizens and not as official representatives of the university.

Back to Chapter 4

Faculty Authority

Authority to determine the educational policy of the University of New Orleans – its colleges, schools, and departments is delegated to the faculty by the Board of Supervisors. The faculty exercises this authority by deliberative action in all units and divisions of the University.

The faculty has the authority to establish curricula, fix standards of instruction, and determine requirements for degrees, and make recommendations for the granting of degrees through its respective colleges. It has legislative power over its own meetings and may delegate its own authority to the Faculty Senate and/or to other standing committees. The faculty's authority is limited to matters proper to the faculty, and the UNO President or the UL System President may suspend any faculty action that is deemed administrative in nature or which seriously affects the interests of another faculty of the university or of the system.

The University of New Orleans faculty generally exercises its authority over educational policy through the Faculty Senate and its committees and through departmental, college-level and campus-level committees on courses and curricula.

Back to Chapter 5

Conduct of Class

Classes must be held as scheduled. Faculty members do not have the authority to change the time or place of meeting, nor arbitrarily to dismiss a class. If they must be absent from class because of illness or other emergency, or because they are attending a professional meeting or participating in other approved activities, the chair of the department should be informed, so as to be able to make arrangements for someone else to meet the class. Whenever possible, faculty should schedule make-up class.

It is expected that the faculty will present the subject matter as stated in the catalog description of the course. The first meeting of a class should include the distribution of such items as the general plan for presenting the material and for conducting the course, the grading system, exam schedule, make-up exam policy, treatment of absences, and a syllabus in the standard university format.

Back to Chapter 5

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all classes regularly and punctually. A student who is not present to answer roll call in a class is marked absent. Faculty members are urged to take attendance, especially at the beginning of a semester. Frequently, registration errors cause a student to attend the wrong section or class, and sometimes taking attendance is the only means of bringing this to light. For students on commuter campuses calling the roll affords them the opportunity to learn the names of all their classmates, some of whom they otherwise might not get to know. This in turn improves the quality of life on campus and enriches discussion in and out of class.

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Examinations and Class Assignments

The university requires that a grade be given each student in each course at the close of the semester. To this end it is also required that examinations be given, and it is presumed that enough additional work (homework, projects and/or reports) will be required both to allow the faculty member to make a reasonably valid assessment of the students' performance in the course and to give them a solid basis for estimating their standing in the course. In order that these assignments may have real merit for the latter purpose especially, it is expected that all assignments will be graded and returned to the student promptly. The faculty member or the department may prefer to retain the work; however, the student must be made aware of the grade and must be given an opportunity to examine the graded work.

Although it certainly expects honorable conduct of its students, the University of New Orleans does not operate on the "honor system." Therefore, it is expected that all tests and examinations will be effectively proctored by the instructor in charge or an assigned, qualified substitute.

Final examinations are given in accordance with a schedule issued by the Office of Academic Affairs. Variations from this schedule are allowed only by specific permission from the dean of the college in which the course is offered. Faculty members may not waive final examinations.

A student absent from any final examination because of illness or other valid reason may take a special examination upon the approval of the appropriate dean.

Back to Chapter 5

Maintenance of Records

Faculty members should retain final examination papers for at least one year. Grade books and similar records should be kept for six (6) years. When leaving the university, whatever the cause or the length of service, faculty members are required to leave their class roll- books and other records pertaining to students' grades with the department chair. See also AP-BA-26, “Clearance of Employees Terminating Employment with the University.”

Back to Chapter 5