Many instructors at the University of Colorado at Boulder are now reaping benefits traditionally unobtainable to them 聴 across the board minimum salaries, a level of job security and retirement benefits 聴 thanks to a new "instructor bill of rights."
Known to academics as non tenure-track faculty, instructors and lecturers are often hired by universities to teach large undergraduate courses.
Across the nation most of them receive no retirement benefits, no minimum salary and virtually no job security, according to Cathy Comstock, associate director of the Farrand Residential Academic Program at CU-Boulder, who worked to get the bill聮s policies implemented.
"Giving these instructors a floor for their salaries and at least a one-year contract makes a world of difference in regard to both security and collegiality," Comstock said.
The bill of rights, known officially as the Boulder Campus Guidelines for the Appointment, Evaluation, and Promotion of Lecturer and Instructor Rank Faculty, offers instructors who have taught at CU-Boulder at a 50 percent or greater level for at least three years a contract of at least one year, health and retirement benefits, and a minimum full-time salary of $30,000. The university is spending $294,596 annually on the bill of rights, in addition to $51,159 in one-time start-up costs.
"I think the instructor bill of rights is a long overdue and very welcome recognition of the contributions made to the university by non tenure-track faculty," said Instructor Shirley Carnahan, who has been with CU-Boulder since 1974 and was the first person hired under the new bill of rights in spring 1999.
"The provisions of multi-year contracts and health and retirement benefits have allowed me to concentrate on what I love 聴 teaching 聴 without the semester-by-semester worry of whether I will be hired and what I would do if I became seriously ill," said Carnahan.
Lecturers who have been at CU-Boulder for at least three years at 50 percent or greater time can also be appointed as instructors, according to Comstock.
"The bill works to support committed members of the university community among the non tenure-track faculty," she said. "One of its basic principles is that people of this degree of training, talent, and long-term engagement with the university should have a respectable minimum salary."
Peter Spear, dean of CU-Boulder聮s College of Arts and Sciences, was a catalyst for the bill and was instrumental in "fine tuning" the details to make it work, Comstock said.
The College of Arts and Sciences accounts for the largest percentage of the university聮s students, teaching approximately 70 percent of all student-credit-hours. With record campus enrollment, it is difficult for tenure-stream faculty to handle all of the additional work alone, Spear said.
In addition to helping shoulder the teaching load, instructors and lecturers also complement the teaching activities of the tenure-track faculty, he said.
"For example, some lecturers are experts in the community who bring a practical perspective and point of view to a special-topics course that our faculty may not have," Spear said.
Lecturers, who are paid on a course-by-course or semester-by-semester basis, also benefit from the bill, and can expect a minimum of $4,000 per course, as well as the same health care benefit options available to other faculty ranks once they teach for a semester at 50 percent or more time.
"It is important that the campus recognized the important role played by instructors," Comstock said. "Talented instructors have provided some of the highest level of teaching and support for students possible. Many of them have impressive publication records, so the university and the students have had a doubly good deal in this regard."
The Boulder Faculty Assembly, the Dean, the Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor, the Arts and Sciences Council, and the Arts and Sciences Directors and Chairs all contributed to the effort.
FACT SHEET
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER
INSTRUCTOR BILL OF RIGHTS
Instituted at CU-Boulder in March 1999, the Instructor Bill of Rights provides many instructors the privileges of tenure-track faculty, creating a more equitable work environment.
Key components of the instructor bill of rights are retirement benefits, minimum salaries, job security and medical benefits.
Following are the benefit particulars for the three primary levels of non-tenure track faculty beginning with Lecturers and advancing to Instructors and Senior Instructors.
Lecturer
* Hired on a semester-to-semester or course-by-course basis, and are not regular faculty appointments (they work on an honorarium basis). Bill allows appointment of honorarium lecturers as rostered instructors, as long as they have taught 50 percent or more time each of the last three years.
* Paid a minimum of $4,000 per course.
* Receive the same health care benefit options available to other faculty ranks once they teach for a semester at 50 percent or more time.
* Reappointment is possible and early notification of possible extensions is urged by campus administration.
Instructor
* A one- to four-year appointment as rostered faculty. Usually teach undergraduate courses, and may have advising responsibilities and some administrative and service responsibilities.
* Each college and school establishes a starting salary for 100 percent full-time instructors. Full-time status generally requires teaching six courses per year. Starting salary must be at least $30,000 if the instructors have three or more years at 50 percent time or greater. Instructors on less than 100 percent time appointments are paid proportionately.
* Eligible for annual merit increases as part of the regular faculty merit assessment process.
* Receive health and retirement benefits consistent with those offered to tenure-track faculty.
* Considered for promotion to Senior Instructor after a period of seven years continuous appointment at greater than 50 percent time.
Senior Instructor
* Faculty appointed position available after seven years continuous
appointment at greater than 50 percent time. Generally teach undergraduate courses, and may have advising responsibilities and some administrative and service responsibilities.
* Starting salary of at least $33,000.
* Health and retirement benefits same as instructor-rank faculty.
* Eligible for annual merit increases in salary.
* Eligible for Emeritus status upon retiring.
* Eligible for reduced teaching load for one semester after six years in rank at 100 percent appointment. Differentiated workload will reduce formal teaching responsibilities to one 3-credit course for one semester, in order to allow instructor to develop new curriculum and update their instructional skills.