Compensation for Staff Teaching

Approved by the President’s Cabinet 12-16-03; revised 8-24-09; 11/15/2016

Purpose:  Villanova’s administrators and staff constitute a pool of talent from which the University can draw to supplement the full-time faculty in a number of disciplines.  When administrators and staff have the requisite expertise and experience, department chairs and deans often choose them to teach as adjunct faculty members.  Occasionally issues of timing and compensation arise for such instructors.  The purpose of this policy is to provide clarity, fairness, and equity with respect to expectations and compensation for teaching by administrators and staff.  

Vice Presidents and Deans:  Vice Presidents and Deans may teach during or outside of normal business hours, but there is no compensation for such teaching regardless of when it occurs.  Such teaching normally is limited to one three- or four-credit course per semester or per summer session.

Teaching outside normal work hours: 

Exempt staff and faculty holding full-time administrative appointments may teach outside the normal workday for additional compensation at the standard adjunct faculty rate if such teaching is not part of their job expectations, provided that such teaching and teaching-related activities (preparation, grading, consulting with students, etc.) do not interfere with their administrative duties.  Accordingly, such exempt staff must receive (verbal) permission from their supervisors, and faculty administrators from their deans, for such teaching prior to their being scheduled to teach in any semester or summer session.  If not holding adjunct faculty status, staff must be appointed to the adjunct faculty, via the normal processes, before commencing teaching.  Exempt staff and full time faculty administrators teaching outside regular working hours normally may not teach more than one three- or four-credit course per semester or per summer session.

Teaching during normal work hours:

(1)  Required teaching by exempt staff and faculty members serving in full-time administrative positions:    Exempt staff and faculty members serving in full-time administrative positions may be expected as part of their appointments to teach during the normal workday without additional compensation.  If not holding faculty status, staff must be appointed to the adjunct faculty before commencing teaching.  Exempt staff and full time faculty administrators teaching during regular working hours normally will not teach more than one three- or four-credit course per semester or per summer session.

(2)  Optional teaching by exempt staff and faculty members serving in full-time administrative positions:    Exempt staff and faculty members serving in full-time administrative positions may teach during the normal workday on a compensated basis, at the standard adjunct faculty rate, provided that (a) they receive written approval (below), (b) they are working at least the minimum number of hours (typically 35-40 on a weekly basis) on their normal (non-teaching) duties, and (c) such teaching and teaching-related activities (preparation, grading, advising, consulting with students, etc.) do not interfere with or diminish their administrative performance.  As noted in the Villanova Staff Employee Handbook, “An exempt employee is expected to devote whatever time beyond the normal workday is necessary to complete his/her work.”  If not holding faculty status, staff must be appointed to the adjunct faculty before commencing teaching and may not teach more than one three- or four-credit course per semester or per summer session.

(3) Permission for compensated teaching during normal working hours:  An exempt staff member or faculty member serving in a full-time administrative position seeking a compensated teaching assignment during normal working house must receive appropriate permission prior to his or her being scheduled to teach.  This is done by processing an “Approval for Teaching during Normal Work Hours” form.  The form must be signed by appropriate University officials and then sent electronically to the Office of the Provost.   Permission to teach will remain in effect from semester to semester unless revoked by the Vice President/Vice Provost.

Non-exempt staff:  Non-exempt staff may not teach for additional compensation except in the case of last minute emergencies, as determined and approved by the dean of the college in which the teaching will occur.  Written permission must be obtained, as in section (3) above.  Such situations must be reported to the Human Resources Office.  Any appropriate additional compensation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.