Faculty and Strategic Initiatives
Faculty Handbook
This Faculty Handbook is a readily available reference to information for faculty compiled by the Office of the University Provost in collaboration with the Faculty Senate. The Handbook provides links to University Policies and guidelines from campus departments. Amendments or revisions to cited policies become effective when approved by the Middle Tennessee State University Board of Trustees or by the President. While every effort is made to keep this Web site current, it is possible that certain provisions may be superceded by revisions or amendments approved but not yet posted.
This Handbook is not intended to state contractual terms and does not constitute a contract between the faculty member and the University. Applicable law, Board of Trustees policy, and University policy define the obligations of the University. Faculty members should refer to University Policies for relevant official information.
The University Provost and the Faculty Senate share responsibility for the Faculty Handbook. Questions or suggestions for changes to the Faculty Handbook may be be sent to the University Provost or to the Faculty Senate.
The Handbook is reviewed and updated annually. Policy revision dates are included in the linked sites.
How to Use this Handbook
The Faculty Handbook is divided into the major categories below. Click on a category to find links to the appropriate MTSU documents and web pages. This page can be searched using the browser’s ” Edit – Find” feature. Enter a keyword to see the categories that contain links to that keyword. Clicking on the category takes you to a page containing the links. The same search process can be used on each category page to find a specific link.
MTSU Mission, Vision and Organization
University mission statement, vision statement, Academic Master Plan 2015-2025, MTSU organizational charts, university standing committees, MTSU history.
- Mission Statement, Purpose, Vision, and Community Standards
- Academic Master Plan
- MTSU Organizational Charts
- University Standing Committees
- A Brief History of MTSU
Academic Freedom and Responsibilities
Faculty academic freedom and responsibilities in the classroom, in research, in the community, ethics guidelines for faculty.
Appointment, Tenure and Promotion Policies
Faculty and non-faculty appointments, tenure, promotion, faculty exchange, appeals, employment of graduate assistants, faculty proficiency in oral and written English, financial exigency, non-instructional faculty time.
- Faculty Definition, Roles, Responsibilities, and Appointment Types
- Tenure
- Promotion of Tenured and Tenurable Faculty
- Tenure and Promotion Policies by College and Department
- Tenure and Promotion Appeals Process
- English Proficiency – Faculty
- Appointment of Graduate Assistants
- Financial Exigency
Compensation and Retirement
Compensation, part-time adjunct faculty compensation, outside employment and extra compensation, summer sessions, longevity pay, retirement, post retirement service program for tenured faculty, faculty emeritus, separation procedures, employee tuition assistance.
- Compensation Reporting and Approvals
- Deferred Compensation Plans
- Adjunct Faculty Compensation
- Faculty Compensation during Summer
- Faculty Compensation for Teaching Credit Courses as an Overload
- Longevity Pay
- Retirement
- Post-Retirement Service Program for Tenured Faculty
- Retirement Plans
- Emeritus Status
- Outside Employment, Extra Compensation, and Dual Services Agreement
- Exit Interview/Checkout Procedures for Terminating Regular Employees
Employee Tuition Assistance
- Educational Assistance: MTSU Employee Tuition Waiver
- Faculty and Staff Support for Educational Expenses
- Educational Assistance: Student Fee Discounts for Spouses and Dependent Children of MTSU Employees
Curriculum and Classroom Policies, Procedures and Guidelines
Academic proposals, regulations (catalog), grades, off-campus offerings, use of campus property and facilities scheduling, University Space Management, assessment, distance education, international education, study abroad, records office policies, student conduct and disciplinary sanctions, tests and exams, syllabus, drop/add deadlines, effective classroom accommodations, supplies, disabled student services, adaptive technology center, best practices for academic program analysis and improvement, honors college, textbook adoption, general education, university curriculum committee, undergraduate and graduate catalogs, faculty advising, grade appeals, student attire, attendance, classrooms and offices, inclement weather, academic integrity and misconduct, D2L support, academic calendar, student handbook, EXL at MTSU, MT Engage, student policies and resources, safety-related policies and procedures.
Curriculum
- Academic Program Coordinators
- Curriculum Change Forms and Information
- University Bookstore/Textbooks, Course Materials, and Course Supplies
- General Education, True Blue Core
- Study Abroad
- Undergraduate Catalog
- Graduate Catalog
- Grades
- Credit Hour Unit Definition
- Student Academic Integrity
- Student Classroom Misconduct
- Tests and Examinations
- Course Outline/ Syllabus
- Drop / Add Deadlines
- Graduate Faculty Information
- Registration Information
- Students
- Safety-Related Policies and Procedures
Classroom
- Class Attendance
- Classrooms and Offices
- Use of Campus Property and Facilities Scheduling
- Employee Attendance during Inclement Weather
- Disability and Access Center
- FERPA
- Student Grade Appeals and Grade Appeal Form
- Supplies
- Technology Access Fee Fund Information and Forms
- Responding to Grief and Loss Guide
- Effective Management of Student Behavior
- Suggested Syllabus Statements pertaining to effective classroom accommodations, Lottery Scholarship, guests, animals and emergencies in classroom)
Related Information
- Online Teaching Resources
- Desire 2 Learn (D2L) Support
- International Education
- Academic Calendar
- MTSU Student Handbook
- EXL at MTSU
- University Writing Center
- American Democracy Project at MTSU
- University Honors College
- MT Engage
Faculty Development, Recognition and Information
Faculty development, new faculty orientation, grants and awards, ITD faculty showcase, Learning, Teaching & Innovative Technologies Center (LT&ITC), annual fall faculty meeting and university convocation, commencement/graduation, faculty meetings, faculty senate, creative and visual services, MTSU News, selection process for the faculty appointment to the MTSU Board of Trustees.
- Faculty Development
- Leadership on Deck Institute
- Grants and Awards
- New Faculty Orientation
- Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center (LT&ITC)
- Faculty Senate
- Faculty Appointment to the MTSU Board of Trustees
- News and Media Relations
- Creative and Visual Services
- Post-Tenure Faculty Development Plan
- Annual Fall Faculty Meeting and University Convocation – All faculty are expected to participate in the Annual Fall Faculty meeting traditionally held the Thursday morning before the first day of classes for the fall semester and the University Convocation traditionally held the weekend before the first day of fall classes.
- Commencement / Graduation – Faculty members are selected by their department chairs and are expected to participate in commencement exercises which are held in May, August, and December. Faculty members provide their own academic regalia.
- Faculty Meetings – Faculty members are expected to attend all scheduled and called faculty meetings. The Annual Fall Faculty meeting and conferences in individual departments are held before the opening of the fall semester. It is important that every faculty member be present. In the event it is necessary to be absent from a meeting, arrangements should be made in the office of the department.
Finance-Related and Travel Policies and Procedures
Accounting services, subscriptions and memberships, travel, food service, business meals and recognition events, charitable organization deduction, charitable solicitation, fundraising, cash purchases and petty cash funds, receipts and approval of invoices, disposal of surplus personal property, procurement procedures, contract office, key inventory, naming of buildings and endowments, motor pool services regulations, budget and accounting control policy.
- Contract Office
- Membership and Subscriptions
- Travel
- Motor Pool Services
- Food and Beverages
- Fraud Awareness
- Purchasing and Contracts Policy
- Technology Access Fee Fund Information and Forms
- Budgetary Accounting Controls
- Cash Purchases and Petty Cash Funds
- Cash Receipts and Deposits
- Charitable Solicitations
- Naming Buildings and Facilities
- Disposal of Surplus Property
Hiring, Employment and Personnel Policies
MTSU Board of Trustees bylaws, personnel transactions, conditions of employment and general personnel policies, overload, faculty recruitment, personnel records policy, types of appointment, grievance/complaint procedures, holidays, approval of positions, curriculum vitae and transcripts, evaluation procedures, post-tenure faculty development, notification of resignation by faculty, use of electronic signatures and records guidelines, inspecting and copying public records policy, qualifications/application procedures, workload guidelines, compensation, benefits, offices and office hours, faculty absences and leave policies, parking, keys, faculty ID cards, grades, syllabi, textbook changes, student access, employee classification, workplace violence, fiscal misconduct, general personnel policy, hiring forms and documents, allocation of faculty to departments, faculty appointments, appeals and appearances before the board, employee assistance program, TN Uniform Administrative Procedures Act Policy, exit interview/check-out procedures for terminating regular employees, Human Resource Services, part-time/adjunct faculty employment policies, EOAA, harassment, ITD, ADA policies.
- Employee Handbook
- General Personnel
- Hiring Forms and Documents
- Workload Guidelines
- Allocation of Faculty to Departments
- Types of Appointment
- Approval of Positions
- Curriculum Vitae and Transcripts
- Evaluation Procedures
- Notification of Resignation by Faculty
- Appeals and Appearances Before the Board
- Faculty ID Cards
- Employee Assistance Program
- Personnel Records
- Personnel Transactions
- Cases Heard Pursuant to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act
- Exit Interview/Checkout Procedures for Terminating Regular Employees
- Administrative, Professional, and Faculty Grievance or Complaint
- Holiday, Administrative, and Emergency Closings
- Inspecting and Copying Public Records Policy
- Human Resource Services
- Faculty Recruitment Guide and Forms
- Faculty Office Hours and On-Campus Obligations (General Personnel)
- Faculty Compensation for Teaching Credit Courses as an Overload
- Employee Compensation under Sponsored Projects
- Leave Policies
- Workplace Violence Prevention
Part-time/ Adjunct Faculty Employment Policies
- View all
- Faculty Definition, Roles, Responsibilities, and Appointment Types
- Adjunct Faculty Compensation
- Qualifications/Application Procedures
- Recommendation of Candidates for Position
- Orientation, Supervision and Evaluation of part-time adjunct faculty
- Compensation
- Benefits
- Offices and Office Hours
- Limits On Course Load
- Faculty Absences
- Faculty Parking Permit Procedures
- Adjunct Information
- Keys
- Grades
- Syllabi
- Student Access
- Curriculum Vitae and Transcripts
- Adjunct Pay Criteria
- Evaluation Procedures
Research and Graduate Faculty Resources
Intellectual property, patents and copyrights, grants, contracts, sponsored research, misconduct, conflict of interest, animal care and use, protection of human subjects, outside sponsorship of scholarly activities, undergraduate research center.
- Intellectual Property
- Administration of Sponsored Projects
- Grants, Contracts and Other Agreements (Purchasing and Contracts Policy)
- Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
- Misconduct in Scholarly Activities and Research
- Conflict of Interest for Externally Funded Projects
- Animal Care and Use in Research and Testing
- Protection of Human Subjects in Research
- Oversight of Dual Use Research Concern
- Undergraduate Research Center
- Graduate Faculty Resources
Other Useful Links
Campus Recreation center, MTSU athletics, event tickets, child care services, evening extended school program, parking services, dining services, MTSU News, campus planning, James E. Walker Library, health services, Theatre, Dance, Music, dining services, privacy of information, drug free workplace, alcoholic beverages, campus smoking, service animals and pets.
Cultural
- Theatre and Dance Series
- MTSU School of Music Concert Series
- Todd Art Gallery
- James E. Walker Library
Recreation and Health
- MTSU Campus Recreation Center
- Student Health Services
- MTSU Blue Raider Athletics
- Tickets to Athletics and Special Events
Related Information
Contact Us
Faculty and Strategic Initiatives
111 Cope Administration Building
(615) 898-5941
Angie.Price@mtsu.edu