In 1996 the Blue Ribbon Committee for the Department of History organized by the Dean of the College Of Arts And Sciences recommended that the department initiate a program of ("creative management of faculty workloads" to "promote scholarship that will have a qualitative impact" on the discipline and the stature of the department. The "Action Plan" of the Department Strategic Plan adopted Spring 1997 urged accordingly the establishment of "an equitable system of flexible course scheduling (including a banking option) to provide release time for faculty research and writing." We continue to believe that such a program can enhance to profile of the Department and the University. The following guidelines for the implementation of a system of flexible scheduling.

  I. The Department recognizes that at critical moments the availability of large blocks of time can help bring a significant research project to completion. Faculty members may seek to create such blocks by departing from the standard 2-2//2-2 load arranging, for example, a 3-3//0-2 teaching schedule or similar program of banked courses (added administrative or other non-teaching tasks may not be used to reduce teaching loads). The right to do so shall be neither automatic nor guaranteed. In all cases departmental teaching needs take precedence and issues of fairness and proposal quality will be taken into account.

  II. Faculty members who wish to arrange a workload adjustment must submit a written request to the Department Chair that includes a detailed proposal of the project and explains the need for release time. A schedule that specifies teaching overloads and desired release time must also be included. Explicit approval of a non-standard schedule should be obtained before setting up an overload.

  III. All overloads must precede release time. Course overloads must be balanced between regularly scheduled undergraduate and graduate classes in accordance with departmental needs.

  IV. All flexible scheduling records will be kept by the Chair of the Department.

  V. Release time many only be used during the fall or spring semesters. Reduced loads apply to teaching responsibilities only. Faculty members will continue to be responsible for student advising and mentoring as well as for normal service responsibilities such as departmental, college, or university committee assignments.

  This policy does not apply to the Director of Graduate Studies, Assistant Chair, or other administrative officers who normally receive reductions in course load and/or release time.