EE Department Teaching Policy

EE Faculty Teaching Load Guidelines

This memo outlines a set of guidelines that define the standard teaching load for faculty in the Department of Electrical Engineering as approved by the EE Academic Affairs Committee and Executive Committee in February 1999, revised in February 2009.

The department's overall expectation is that each faculty member will teach an average of 3.5 equivalent regular courses (``points'') per academic year (averaged over a two-year cycle), subject to various adjustments for research offset and other activities as outlined later in this memo. The specific structure of the teaching load formula, however, is subordinate to the general principle that all faculty have an obligation to contribute in a substantive way to the teaching mission of the department. The nature of this obligation is reflected in the following high-level observations:

1. In establishing teaching schedules, it is essential to strike a balance between departmental teaching needs and individual faculty preferences. In general, faculty should expect to teach large required and core courses as well as smaller courses in their specialty area.

2. The target of 3.5 points represents a minimum level of effort. In any year, many faculty members will exceed this threshold. Faculty members who fall below the minimum level of participation will be asked to cover any deficit either through salary offsets or additional teaching so that the average over any two year period is at or above the threshold.

3. The guidelines on teaching load should be viewed as an illustration of the expected level of participation and not as a game-theoretic exercise in minimization. In cases where it is clear that specific activities violate the spirit of the policy -- even if those activities might technically meet the guidelines under some interpretations -- the department may ask faculty members to adjust their teaching loads in the interest of greater overall equity.

Faculty will be allowed to reduce their teaching load below the nominal 3.5 level by performing certain activities in support of the department such as serving as Lab Director or Associate Chair of Admissions, but in no case can the teaching load be reduced below two courses per academic year except during a year which includes a sabbatical or leave approved by the Chair. A common form of reduction is a research offset, points for which are awarded on the basis of a formula determined by the department chair. The 3.5 point target can be achieved through a combination of the following:

1.0 point for each regular course (approved by the AAC)
an additional 0.25 or 0.5 points for teaching a "qualifying" course
1.0 point for a faculty member during his or her first year as a faculty member.
1.5 points for a one-quarter 50% sabbatical or 80% (or more) leave without salary
2.5 points for a two-quarter 50% sabbatical or 80% (or more) leave without salary
3.5 points for a three-quarter 50% sabbatical or 80% (or more) leave without salary
Currently the points for research offset, determined by the department chair, are
- 0.50 points/year for a 10% salary offset (academic year average)
- 1.00 points/year for a 30% salary offset (academic year average)
- 1.50 points/year for a 50% or higher salary offset (academic year average)

The teaching-load policy is subject to the following specific interpretations:

Regular courses exclude seminar courses
The list of "qualifying" courses is updated each year by the EE Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) and is posted at http://ee.stanford.edu/qualifyingclasses.html.
Point assignments for team-taught courses must be approved individually by the department. In general, full credit will not be awarded in cases in which someone from outside the regular faculty is paid to conduct part of the course.
Selection of qualifying courses for a particular year will include considerations for first time teaching of a class or developing a new lab.

Teaching Point Report (word doc)
Teaching Point Report (pdf)