Rationale and General Guidelines
Study Load Credit (SLC) is given to faculty members who are enrolled, while carrying a teaching load, so they can have more time to study and finish their degree programs in the shortest time possible. SLC permits a partial de-loading from their regular 12 unit teaching load. A partial load reduction may be granted in addition to the 100% waiver of tuition, laboratory and miscellaneous fees (except Student Fund fees) as long as:
- The faculty member’s teaching load shall be reduced by the same number of units that s/he is enrolled for study (not exceeding 6 units).
- SLC shall not be used as basis for claiming overload teaching honorarium except under emergency situation (see 2003 Faculty Manual, Chapter 4, Section 4.3.2, p. 43).
- The faculty member shall be granted study leave with pay of normally ½ calendar year for a master’s thesis or one calendar year for a doctoral dissertation or be on half load (6 units) for not more than three calendar years for a dissertation.
The faculty member shall satisfy the following conditions indicated in the 2003 Faculty Manual prior to the grant of SLC (see Section 6.1.1b pp. 73-74):
- For study load credit of 3 units or less, the approval by his/her Dean, upon recommendation of the department Chair, and reported to the Chancellor immediately after the last day of registration (p. 73).
- For study load credit of 4-6 units, the approval by the Chancellor, upon the recommendation of the department Chair and the Dean after consultation with the department and college faculty.
- For study load credit of 7 units or more, same procedures and requirements as full study leave with pay as indicated in Section 6.2.1 (pp. 75-80).
Study Load Credit is granted on a per semester basis but may be renewed if the faculty member has satisfactory academic performance in the previous semester and depending on the need of the department/college for his/her regular faculty services (Faculty Manual, 2003, p. 74).
Limitations to the grant of study load credit as indicated in the 2003 Faculty manual (p. 74) are:
- No faculty member shall be granted more than 3 units of SLC during his or her first semester of teaching or be allowed to enroll more than 6 units of graduate courses
- A faculty member with study load credit cannot be given administrative or research duties, regardless of whether or not reduced load credit was previously granted.
The grant shall be a collective faculty decision subject to consultation with the department or college faculty because more load will be given to the rest of the faculty. When the college unit decides to endorse the study load credit application of a faculty member, the role of OAT is to review and evaluate the application before it proceeds to the OVCAA and Office of the Chancellor (OC).
Checklist and Process Flow
