L&S Summer Instructional Appointments: Policy and Guidance

The following guidance applies to Summer Term instructional appointments for Faculty, Academic Staff, and Lecturers (SAs). In most cases, instructor appointments are determined by the Summer Term session in which the course is offered. Standard appointment structures for common course sessions are listed below and should be used when planning instructional staffing and completing the Summer Budget Proposal. Refer to the Recommended Summer Sessions KB for guidance on selecting Summer Term sessions when scheduling courses. 

Appointment dates

Standard Summer Term instructional appointments include one preparation week before the instructional session. For example, an instructor teaching an 8-week course is typically appointed for 9 weeks.

Appointment percentages

Non-Standard Appointments

Departments should consult TLA regarding appointment arrangements that differ from the standard appointment structure described above.

• For courses that begin during the first contract week of summer, the preparation week is typically added to the end of the appointment rather than the beginning.
• Instructors teaching two consecutive summer courses typically receive one preparation week for each course. In most cases, one week is added before the first course and one week is added after the second course.
• Instructors teaching 13-week or 14-week courses do not receive a preparation week. Instead, compensation is adjusted through a higher appointment percentage.
  
  
  • 13-week courses: 35.0%
  • 14-week courses: 32.5%
    
    
• Other non-standard appointment arrangements will be reviewed by TLA in consultation with L&S Human Resources.

Appointment Review and Approval

Instructor appointment levels are submitted by departments as part of the Summer Budget Proposal and reviewed and approved by L&S Administration. Approved appointment details are documented on the Expense Details Report. Departments should consult with TLA regarding non-standard appointments and changes to approved appointment plans. Requests for changes should be submitted to TLA using the TA, UA, and Summer Change Request Form (instructions). 

The following guidance applies to Summer Term Teaching Assistant (TA) appointments. Departments should use these standard appointment levels when planning instructional staffing and completing the Summer Budget Proposal.

Appointment dates

TA appointments may include one preparation week before the instructional session, similar to instructor appointments. For example, the TA appointment for an 8-week course may span nine weeks.

Appointment percentages

Teaching Assistants appointment levels are often similar to instructor appointment levels. Common appointment levels are listed below. The appointment level is ultimately determined by the number of hours needed for the appointment.

Non-Standard Appointments

Please consult with L&S Teaching & Learning Administration to walk through any less common scenarios, especially if the TA is teaching more than one summer course. We will consider complexities and provide guidance. Some less common scenarios include:

• TA appointments that do not align with the instructor's appointment percentage or appointment length.
• Courses requiring unusually high or low levels of TA support.
• TAs supporting multiple courses during Summer Term.
• Other non-standard appointment arrangements will be reviewed by TLA in consultation with L&S Human Resources.

Appointment Review and Approval

TA appointment levels are submitted by departments as part of the Summer Budget Proposal and reviewed and approved by L&S Administration. Approved appointment details are documented on the Expense Details Report. Departments should consult with TLA regarding non-standard appointments and changes to approved appointment plans. Requests for changes should be submitted to TLA using the TA, UA, and Summer Change Request Form (instructions).

TA Workload Expectations

Departments must provide TAs with a summer workload document that describes the expected duties and hours associated with the appointment. TA appointment percentages should be consistent with the expected duties described in the workload document. 

Questions regarding TA workload expectations should be directed to Lynne Prost. See the Teaching Assistant Appointments in L&S KB for additional guidance about TA workloads.

Departments may create paid appointments for a Summer Term Chair funded through Summer Sessions (131 funding), provided the department is projected to have adequate surplus.

Summer Term Chair appointments generally follow the appointment structure described above for instructors, including appointment length and appointment percentage considerations. Departments should consult TLA regarding non-standard Summer Term Chair appointments or situations involving other concurrent appointments.

Summer Term Chair appointments are submitted as part of the Summer Budget Proposal and reviewed as part of the Summer Term planning and approval process.

Departments may be asked to obtain Executive Committee approval for Summer Term Chair compensation.

In addition to appointment structure and compensation considerations, departments should be aware of several factors that may affect Summer Term appointments.

Procedures for hiring and appointments may vary by appointment type (for example, faculty, academic staff, student assistants). Please contact your ART HR Support team for questions about the summer sessions appointment process.

Summer Term appointments are subject to enrollment, funding, and University policies. Departments should consider the following when planning Summer Term instructional staffing.

Enrollment and Funding

Summer instructional appointments are contingent upon sufficient enrollment and available funding.

Departments should monitor enrollments throughout the spring and review the Preliminary Enrollment Financial Reports provided by TLA. Courses with low enrollment, projected losses, or other significant concerns may require changes to instructional plans, including instructional appointments.

Refer to the L&S Summer Term Planning, Implementation, and Budgets KB for additional information about enrollment review, financial reports, and summer planning.

Limitations on Summer Appointments

• Campus policy places limitations on repeated summer appointments for C-Basis employees: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-5032
• Faculty should consult with the Graduate School regarding any combination of Summer Graduate School Research Grant funding and Summer Term teaching assignments. Departments may need contingency plans if a faculty member becomes unavailable to teach because of funding or grant-related obligations.

Summer Instructor expectation

Summer courses operate on compressed schedules and require consistent instructor availability throughout the instructional period.

• Instructors are expected to be available for all scheduled class meetings. Absences for non-emergency reasons will not be approved.
• Instructors teaching online courses are expected to be available to their students for the entire session and provide a level of engagement comparable to courses taught in-person on campus (quality of network connectivity, response time, etc.). See L&S Foundational Criteria for Online & Hybrid Instruction.
• Departments should consider instructor availability when planning Summer Term instructional assignments.