Faculty in Christian higher education have traditionally assumed heavy instructional and non-instructional responsibilities. It is recognized that no formula can bring about equality of load. In an effort to provide some equity in assignments and a reasonable expectation of professional development, the following guidelines are provided. It is understood that professional development, research, and instructional preparation time are in excess of these estimates and require work between quarters and after on-campus hours.

In general, it is assumed that 33 of the faculty member’s 39 quarter credits/year will be assigned to instruction. The remaining six credits of non-instructional load are assigned to academic advising, committee work and other institutional responsibilities. Normal professional development and research fall outside these formulas.

While no formula can guarantee equality or fully account for differences caused by course content and requirements, class size, special supervisory responsibilities, or numbers of preparations, this formula provides a general guideline. Department Chairs (in consultation with deans) may adjust the balance between instructional load and noninstructional load to achieve greater equity or to tailor load to a faculty member’s vocational goals and interests. Up to three credits may be added or subtracted for extraordinary characteristics of a faculty member’s instructional or noninstructional load, provided departmental curriculum and enrollment goals are met. Faculty members’ instructional load may thus range from 30 to 36 credit hours and their non-instructional load from three to nine credit hours.

Faculty members who are assigned entirely to graduate programs are expected to maintain a workload equivalent to 39 quarter credits per year during the contract year. The normal teaching load will be 27 quarter credits per year in course work, of which three credits may be assigned at an off-campus location. These faculty members are expected to work with graduate student research and advising for the equivalent of six quarter credits per year, and to use the remaining six quarter credits per year in school and University governance, advising, and course and professional development activities. This differentiation in workload means that graduate faculty are expected to devote more time to professional development activities than are undergraduate faculty.

As in Section 11.1.1.1, the division between instructional load and non-instructional load may be adjusted by up to three credits to achieve greater equity.

Except as otherwise specified in the individual contract, full-time faculty are engaged and paid on the basis of an academic year, beginning on September 1 and ending in mid-June. Unless otherwise agreed, payment will be in 12 equal installments payable on the first working day of the month, beginning with October 1. Any faculty member who is engaged to be on duty for a longer period than is defined in this Section shall receive additional compensation.

Each faculty member is on call for the entire academic year as defined herein, except for legal holidays specified in the academic calendar. No vacation time is stipulated in the annual contract for a faculty member unless an extended agreement for 12 months is arranged.

The primary responsibility of faculty members is teaching and advising, with additional responsibilities for professional development, service to the University, and service to the church and the community (Section 5.2). It is recognized, however, that consulting and other outside professional employment are an appropriate feature of the academic profession. Through these activities, faculty members can enrich their teaching and research as they render important service to the community. Therefore, faculty members are encouraged to accept outside professional employment under the following restrictions:

1. no outside service or enterprise, professional or other, and remunerated or not, will be undertaken which interferes with the faculty member's primary responsibility to the University,
2. scheduled classes will not be missed without prior approval of the dean and satisfactory alternative arrangements to accomplish student learning goals,
3. outside employment of full-time faculty members is subject to individual review by the dean. As a general rule, outside employment will not exceed the equivalent of one day (eight hours) per week beyond the normal University teaching load of the faculty member without administrative review and approval by the Vice President for Academic Affairs,
4. the individual will reimburse the University for materials, supplies and equipment rentals on equipment used in outside professional work for which they receive remuneration,
5. the University assumes no responsibility for the competence or performance of outside activities engaged in by a faculty member, nor may any responsibility be implied in any advertising with respect to such activities. Except as contractually specified, faculty members may not represent themselves as acting on behalf of the University.

The basic unit of academic organization at Seattle Pacific University is the school or college. Each school or college is administered by a dean or deans. Operation of each school or college is expected to be governed through democratic structures, developed by that unit's faculty, which provide for development of all aspects of their program, including personnel, curricula, instruction and research, in accord with approved policies.

Changes in programs, including curricula and personnel policies, are subject to review or approval by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Full-time faculty are expected by contract to attend Faculty Retreat. Any request for excused non-attendance will be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Occasionally a faculty in-service day is declared during the regular school calendar. On those in-service days, regular University classes are canceled and attendance is expected.

Each year, faculty are expected to attend five formal academic occasions (Section 9.1.7), all of which require academic regalia. Faculty members who do not own their own robes, caps and hoods may rent or purchase them through the University Bookstore.

As citizens, faculty members are free to engage in political activities. Any member of the faculty who wishes to engage in direct political activity (e.g. holding or running for political office, managing a campaign, directing group action on behalf of a political candidate or issue) which may interfere with University responsibilities will work out a mutual agreement for leave of absence with the dean and the Vice President for Academic Affairs before undertaking such activity. Terms of such leave of absence will be set forth in writing, and the leave will not affect the tenure status of a faculty member, except that time spent on such leave will not count as probationary service unless otherwise agreed to. (See also Section 1.9.12. for policies related to political activity of faculty.)