Faculty Contract Policy
The following information explains and details the contract policy and a summary of contractual expectations pertaining to faculty employment at Durham Tech.
Summary
All faculty members are employed on nine-month base contracts. Faculty members may be offered supplemental contracts for summer employment based on instructional demand, other college needs, and availability of funds. Hourly supplemental contract pay rates are calculated by dividing the base salary by 41 (for the number of weeks in the nine-month period) and further dividing by 40 (for the number of hours in a typical work week). Faculty members employed on or before January 31, 2002, and whose former contract status enabled them to accrue sick leave and annual leave during the summer shall continue to accrue and use these benefits while employed under full-time (40-hour per week) supplemental summer contracts. Faculty members employed after January 31, 2002, and teaching on summer supplemental contracts can neither accrue nor use annual or sick leave during the summer.
Background
In 2001, the N.C. General Assembly enacted legislation that required community colleges to “convert all faculty contracts to nine-month contracts covering the fall and spring semesters.” This legislation further stipulated that faculty members who are employed for more than nine months “shall be placed on supplemental contracts for the summer term” (Section 30.6 of Ratified 2001-2003 Budget Bill, introduced as S1005). In addition, prior to 2001, Durham Technical Community College faculty members were either employed on 11 ½-month contracts or 9 ½-month contracts. Faculty members employed on 11 ½-month contracts both accrued and were permitted to use sick leave and vacation leave during the summer term. Further, some faculty members employed under 9 ½-month base contracts were also employed during the summer under supplemental contracts that ranged from 10 hours to 40 hours per week. These individuals neither accrued nor used earned (annual) leave during the summer. In addition, all full-time college employees were required to expend annual leave during the winter break at the end of December when the college was closed. Particularly for newly employed faculty members, the practice of charging leave during the winter break was problematic because it left individuals with negative leave balances. In some cases, individuals were asked to repay negative leave balances at the conclusion of the contract year based on findings from the State Auditor. Therefore, the Board of Trustees adopted the following policy so that the college would be in compliance with the Special Provision noted above and to provide an alternative to the charging of leave during a period the college is closed for business.
Policy
Effective July 1, 2002, all faculty members will be employed under a base contract that coincides with the fall and spring semesters of the academic calendar. The Board of Trustees adopts the annual academic calendar after the specific contract dates are determined. Faculty members will accrue sick leave and annual leave during the term of the base contract. Faculty will not be required to expend annual leave during the winter holiday break (which is defined in the academic calendar and typically falls at the end of December).
In addition, the college may extend an offer for supplemental summer employment to any faculty member, based upon the needs of the institution (as determined by the President or his/her designee). Summer supplemental contracts may be for any time period but shall not exceed 40 hours per week. Compensation for supplemental summer contracts shall be prorated from the salary in the base contract in effect at the start of the summer term. Salary increases typically will go into effect at the start of the base contract. Faculty members will neither accrue nor use sick leave or annual leave while employed under supplemental contracts.
Any faculty member employed on or before January 31, 2002, and whose former contract status enabled them to accrue sick leave and annual leave during the summer shall continue to accrue and use these benefits while employed under full-time (40-hours-per-week) supplemental summer contracts. Should a faculty member covered by this exception resign, retire, or otherwise be separated from employment with the college, this exception shall not apply to any subsequent term of employment.
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