Important Updates
Overload Reminders (8/31/2026)
Please keep the following requirements in mind when preparing and submitting overload requests.
Teaching Overloads
Teaching overloads are based on the established per-course rate for the course, subject to the limitation that the overload payment may not exceed 10% of the individual's salary.
The 10% limit is a maximum, not a required payment amount. A department may pay the established course rate even when that amount is below 10% of the individual's salary.
Course rates are not based on the individual faculty member's salary. They are based on the established rate for the course, regardless of who teaches it.
Example:
If the departmental course rate on file with the Provost's Office is $7,500 per course and the internal faculty member selected to teach the course has a salary of $200,000, the internal faculty member may be paid anywhere between the established course rate of $7,500 up to a maximum of 10% of the faculty member's salary, or $20,000. There is no requirement to increase the course payment to reach the 10% maximum. Paying one individual $20,000 for a course that normally carries a $7,500 rate would create an inequity in course compensation and would not be financially responsible.
At no time should a course rate be established or adjusted based on the salary of the individual teaching the course.
The Provost's Office requires that each college and department maintain standard course rates. These rates should be submitted for approval to both Faculty Affairs and the Office of the Provost Finance & Personnel Team by the close of the annual Working Budget. If a department does not submit its course rates, it must follow the general College course rate.
Any changes to previously approved course rates must be approved before the revised rate is implemented or used for payment. Departments should not establish or implement a new rate first and seek approval after the fact.
Please forward the applicable course rates to the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, the Director, Human Resources & Payroll, with a copy to the Associate Vice President, Finance and Personnel if they have not already been submitted or if they need to be updated.
Non-Teaching Overloads
Non-teaching overloads continue to follow the calculation that has been in place for years. This is the maximum allowable payment:
Hourly Rate × Number of Hours per Week × Number of Weeks
Non-teaching overloads should not exceed six months in duration. They may, however, be renewed for an additional six-month period when appropriate. The calculation must be in the comments. Workday calculates the number of weeks for you based on the activity dates entered.
Please ensure that overload requests are calculated and submitted consistently with the above requirements.
Processing of Contracts within the Division of Academic Affairs (8/28/2026)
I am addressing several concerns regarding the preparation and processing of faculty contracts. These items involve important contract-processing requirements and need to be corrected immediately.
Contracts are legal documents and must be prepared accurately, reviewed carefully, and executed properly. The requirements outlined below are established procedures and are not optional. As part of your responsibilities, you are expected to follow these procedures consistently when preparing and processing contracts.
1. All Required Signatures Must Be on the Same Contract
All required signatures are mandatory on every contract. If you need to route a contract through Adobe to obtain the required signatures, please do so.
Obtaining signatures on separate versions of a contract is not acceptable. The option to obtain signatures separately was provided during COVID. At this point, all required signatures should be obtained on the same document.
Individuals should not be signing different versions of a legal document.
2. Changes to a Fully Executed Contract
If there are any changes to a fully executed contract, you must process a new contract or an amendment to the original contract.
The existing contract should not be modified to reflect a change after it has been fully executed.
3. No Changes After a Signature Has Been Obtained
A change cannot be made to an existing contract once it has been signed at any level.
Once a signature has been obtained, the terms of the contract must remain unchanged. If a change is necessary after a signature has been obtained, the appropriate new contract or amendment must be processed.
This is an important requirement for maintaining the integrity of our contractual documents and must be followed consistently.
4. C2 Contracts — Dean or Approved Delegate Signature
For C2 contracts, if the individual has a Dean, the Dean or the Dean's approved delegate must sign the contract.
Please ensure that the appropriate signature authority is used for each C2 contract and that the Dean's approved delegate is used when applicable.
5. Maintain Accurate and Current Contracts
You are responsible for ensuring that all individuals have an accurate and current contract on file.
Contracts must accurately reflect the individual's appointment, title, dates, and terms. All contracts must also include the current leave policy.
Please do not use outdated contract language or leave provisions from prior versions of the contract.
6. Contracts Must Reflect the Actual Appointment Period
If an individual is working only during the fall, do not send a contract for the full academic year.
The contract must accurately reflect the period for which the individual is working.
7. Use the Official Faculty Title
The official title must be on the faculty contract.
Please ensure that the correct official title is reflected on the contract before it is processed.
8. Verify All Dates
Please ensure that all dates are correct before the contract is routed for signature.
Refer to the slides issued by this office or the Faculty Affairs website for the correct dates to use.
Please do not rely on assumptions or previous contracts when determining the appropriate dates.
Required Action
These requirements are established procedures for the preparation and processing of faculty contracts and must be followed consistently.
Please review your current contracts and correct any items that do not meet these requirements. Going forward, you are expected to carefully review each contract before processing it to ensure that the appointment period, title, dates, terms, leave policy, and required signatures are accurate and complete.
The responsibility for ensuring that the contracts you prepare are accurate and properly executed rests with you. Please take the necessary time to review the documents carefully before they are processed.
These requirements require your immediate attention to ensure that they are followed consistently going forward. Please take the necessary time to review each contract carefully before it is processed so that the information is accurate, complete, and consistent with the established requirements. The goal is to ensure that our contracts are handled accurately and appropriately from the outset.
Updated Travel Guidelines (8/27/2026)
Please be aware of the updated staff travel guidance that is currently in effect for the campus. This was first announced in an email from the Office of the President on 4/27/26 with the subject "Legislative session outcomes and measures for Fiscal Year 2027."
Review the updated guidance here
These limitations are necessary given the ongoing budget pressures and apply to all staff. If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to discuss the impact on a trip you were planning, please reach out to Chad and Alex. If you have a trip that is allowable under this guidance, please ensure your Concur request makes that clear in the Business Justification field and in the attached documentation.