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# KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF REGENTS

DATE: June 11, 2026

SUBJECT: Full-Time Equivalence Faculty Load

FROM: Academic & Student Affairs

ACTION ITEM: Yes

University Policy on Faculty Workload Allocation Using Student Credit Hours

Policy Number: [To be assigned]

Effective Date: [Insert Date]

Responsible Office: Office of the Provost and Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs Applies To: All full-time instructional faculty

## Background:

Kentucky State University offers comprehensive residential and fully online academic programs. The growth in the demand has increased faculty needs and will continue to grow as enrollment, and new program development continues to expand. The current definition of full-time equivalence is not responsive to the University’s growth in an expanded online and residential program portfolio. Thus, changes in existing policies and definitions are warranted.

## Policy Statement:

The University establishes this policy to define faculty workload expectations using Student Credit Hour (SCH) production as the primary quantitative measure of instructional activity. This policy ensures compliance with SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation, including standards related to:

• Faculty qualifications and sufficiency (6.2a, 6.2c)

• Faculty evaluation and workload (6.3)

Institutional effectiveness (7.1)

• Academic responsibility and oversight (6.1)

## Purpose:

## This policy is designed to:

1. Ensure sufficient and qualified faculty resources to support all academic programs (SACSCOC 6.2c)

2. Provide a systematic and documented approach to faculty workload (SACSCOC 6.3)

3. Demonstrate institutional effectiveness through measurable instructional productivity (SACSCOC 7.1)

4. Maintain appropriate balance among teaching, research, and service responsibilities

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Scope:

This policy applies to:

Tenured faculty

Tenure-track faculty

• Full-time non-tenure-track instructional faculty

All academic units must implement this policy in a manner consistent with SACSCOC requirements for faculty sufficiency, oversight, and credential alignment.

## Definitions:

## Student Credit Hour (SCH)

A unit of instructional production representing one student enrolled in one credit hour.

## Faculty Workload Unit (FWU)

A comprehensive measure incorporating SCH production, research activity, and service responsibilities (including program assessment, accreditation and faculty performance evaluation requirements).

Policy Provisions:

### Faculty Sufficiency and Assignment (SACSCOC 6.2c)

The University shall ensure that:

• Faculty workloads support adequate coverage of all programs and courses

- SCH assignments reflect sufficient instructional staffing

Faculty are not assigned workloads that compromise instructional quality or student learning

### Standard Workload Distribution (SACSCOC 6.3)

Faculty workloads shall include:

• Teaching: 60%

• Research/Scholarship: 20%

Workload expectations must be:

Service: 20%

Clearly defined

- Consistently applied

Subject to regular evaluation

## Teaching Workload (SCH Framework)

## Annual SCH Expectations


<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Faculty Type</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Per Term SCH Range</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Research-intensive</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>180–270 SCH</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Balanced</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>270–360 SCH</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Teaching-focused</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>360–540 SCH</td></tr></table>

These ranges ensure:

• Adequate course coverage (SACSCOC 6.2c)

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Alignment with institutional mission

Internal Teaching Overload SCH Pay Scale (not to exceed 90 SCH)


<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>SCH</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Pay amount (submit to available budget)</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>36-90 SCH</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>$2700</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>30-35 SCH</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>$2160</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>24-29 SCH</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>$1620</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>18-23 SCH</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>$1080</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>15-17 SCH</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>$540</td></tr></table>

Provost approval prior to faculty assignment to course REQUIRED, supervisor disciplinary infraction if disregarded

- Independent study courses with less than 15 SCH are not eligible for additional compensation

SCH Calculation
SCH = Course Credit Hours  $ \times $ Student Enrollment

SCH data shall be used as evidence of instructional productivity in institutional effectiveness reporting (SACSCOC 7.1).

### Instructional Oversight (SACSCOC 6.1)

All courses contributing to SCH must:

Be approved through the institution's curriculum process

- Be taught by faculty meeting credentialing requirements (SACSCOC 6.2a)

Be subject to academic oversight by qualified faculty

Research and Scholarly Activity

## Research Expectations

Faculty research and scholarship must:

Align with institutional mission

- Be appropriate to appointment type

Be documented for evaluation purposes

### SCH Adjustments for Research (SACSCOC 6.3)

Documented research productivity may reduce teaching load:


<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Activity</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>SCH Reduction</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>External funded research (PI)</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>60–120 SCH</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Scholarly publications</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>10–90 SCH</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Creative works</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Case-based</td></tr></table>

## Service Contributions

Service is required to support institutional governance and accreditation.

## Service Credit


<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Role</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>SCH Reduction</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Department Chair</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>120–180 SCH</td></tr></table>

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<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Unit level accreditation leadership</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>30–60 SCH</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>University level committee leadership</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>30–60 SCH</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Service assignments shall demonstrate faculty participation in institutional responsibility and governance (SACSCOC 6.1).</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Annual Workload Agreements (SACSCOC 6.3)</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Each faculty member shall have a documented annual workload plan that includes:</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• SCH teaching targets</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Research expectations</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Service commitments</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">These plans must:</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Be approved by the department chair and dean</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Be retained as institutional documentation</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Be used in faculty evaluation processes</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Evaluation and Institutional Effectiveness (SACSCOC 7.1)</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">The University shall evaluate faculty workload through:</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• SCH production data</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Student outcomes and course evaluations</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Research and service documentation</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Data shall be used to:</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Assess effectiveness of academic programs</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Inform planning and resource allocation</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Demonstrate continuous improvement</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Documentation and Recordkeeping</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">The University shall maintain:</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Faculty workload agreements</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• SCH production reports</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Faculty qualification records</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Evaluation outcomes</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Equity and Compliance</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">The University shall:</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Ensure equitable workload distribution across faculty</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Monitor for disparities</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Ensure compliance with SACSCOC standards and federal requirements</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Exceptions</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Exceptions must:</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Be justified based on academic or strategic needs</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Be documented and approved</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>• Not compromise compliance with faculty sufficiency or quality standards</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr></table>

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Requires Provost approval prior to implementation of an exception

## Policy Review

This policy shall be reviewed every three (3) to five (5) years to ensure continued alignment with:

• SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation

Institutional mission and goals

## RECOMMENDATION:

President Koffi C. Akakpo recommends that the Board of Regents approve the proposed full-time equivalency for faculty using the student credit hour calculation.

## MOTION:

To approve the recommendation as stated.


<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Approval</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Approved by:</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>[Provost Name]</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Office of the Provost</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Date: [Insert Date]</td></tr></table>

## Appendix A: SACSCOC Alignment Summary


<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Policy Element</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>SACSCOC Standard</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Faculty sufficiency (SCH targets)</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>6.2c</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Faculty qualifications oversight</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>6.2a</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Workload definition and evaluation</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>6.3</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Faculty responsibility for curriculum</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>6.1</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Use of SCH data in assessment</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>7.1</td></tr></table>

## Appendix B: Compliance Notes

This policy provides evidence for SACSCOC reviewers that:

• Faculty workloads are documented and consistently applied

• Instructional capacity is sufficient and measurable

- The institution uses data-driven decision-making

• Faculty maintain primary responsibility for academic quality