Policy 4410B


WORK LOAD FOR FULL-TIME FACULTY

Western Wyoming Community College (the College) expects full-time faculty to fulfill all teaching expectations as outlined in the faculty job description and number of contract days as specified in the faculty contract. In addition to teaching, faculty members must hold office hours and must be available to advise students, to serve on committees, and to complete other related duties.  

The College expects adjunct (part-time) faculty to be available to consult with students as needed and to complete other related duties based on the number of credit hours being taught. 

Adopted November 1981
Reformatted October 1986
Approved April 1988
Revised August 1993
Revised November 1994
Reformatted February 2012
Revised February 2024

Procedure 4410B

WORK LOAD FOR FULL-TIME FACULTY

Full-Time Faculty

Defining Load

Full-Time faculty is considered to be teaching a normal load if condition A, B, or C is fulfilled.  

  1. An instructor is teaching between 28 and 30 load hours per academic year. 
  2. An instructor is teaching at least 24 load hours, but less than 28 load hours per academic year; and one is doing other service or research for the benefit of the College, community, or profession; and this course reduction has been authorized in writing by the Chief Academic Officer, after a review and recommendation by the School Chair.  
  3. An instructor has required non-teaching assignments that reduce the instructor's load below the above standards (A or B), the required non-teaching assignments are authorized in writing by the Chief Academic Officer and are written into the instructor's employment contract or addendum, and the Chief Academic Officer has agreed in writing that this load qualifies for full-time faculty.  
Counting Credit Hours

The following formulas will be used to convert credit hours into faculty load hours:

  • Lecture courses are counted as 1 load hour per credit hour. 
  • Lab and activity courses are counted 0.6 load hour per 1 contact hour (For example, a physics course with 3 hours of lecture and a 2-hour lab section would equal 4.2 load hours. If this instructor taught an additional 2-hour lab, that instructor would get an additional 1.2 load hours).
  • Clinical course hours will be counted as 0.8 load hour per 1 contact hour.
  • Workshop hours are defined by the syllabus.   
  • Directed study load hours are decided by the Chief Academic Officer; usually, an instructor will not receive one-for-one credit.  
  • Internship/Co-op courses count 0.5 load hour per 1 credit hour. (Eight students must be enrolled for these credits to count as part of an instructor’s load; however, this number can accumulate over 2 semesters in the same academic year.)  

For those faculty members on a contract longer than 9-months, a full-time load may be spread over three academic semesters. Equivalencies shall be determined by the Chief Academic Officer 

Faculty Over 30 Load Hours

Once the Chief Academic Officer, the School chair, and the instructor have agreed upon a normal load, then overload pay may be approved by the School Chair and Chief Academic Officer if the instructor is asked to teach an additional course. Variables, such as number of preparations, number of total students, type of instruction, and loads in the previous academic year, may be considered in this discussion.  

An instructor must request and receive written approval for overload pay from the Chief Academic Officer before adding a course that would cause the instructor’s workload to exceed 30 load hours because requests for overload may be denied.  

Faculty Under 28 Load Hours

An instructor under the minimum load must submit a specific plan to remedy the problem and receive approval for that plan from the Chief Academic Officer before the end of the Spring semester add period.  

If an instructor’s load is under the minimum for two consecutive academic years, the Chief Academic Officer will review and adjust that position. Possibilities include the College tendering a less-than-full-time contract for the ensuing contract year.  

Other Duties of a Typical Load

Instructors may be required to teach day, evening, and online courses. 

In addition to teaching, instructors shall hold regular posted office hours of at least five (5) hours a week. They must also be available to advise students, to perform in other service capacities, and to complete other related duties.

Adjunct Faculty

Instructors may be required to teach day, evening, and online courses.   

Adjunct faculty positions are considered intermittent positions. Intermittent positions are positions for which the College does not have a routine and on-going need and are usually temporary in nature. During the term of the adjunct appointment, adjunct faculty are at-will. Adjunct faculty are not eligible for benefits, except those provided through the Wyoming Retirement System. Adjunct faculty workload is calculated according to the Faculty Workload Table located in the Human Resources section of the College’s Employee Portal. 

Adopted November 1981
Reformatted October 1986
Approved April 1988
Revised August 1993
Revised November 1994
Reformatted February 2012
Revised January 2020
Reformatted May 2022
Revised February 2024