Greetings Colleagues!
Even though we just finished spring break and the redbud and tulip magnolias are blooming all over campus, Summer School is fast approaching. Department heads have prepared the lists of courses for this summer, so I thought I’d take a moment to write a reminder about summer school to the larger A&S community.
First, summer school must pay for itself. We receive no additional funding from the university or the state to offer summer classes. So to make ends meet, we have established a priority for offering classes, as well as minimum enrollment numbers for classes. We break classes into three levels: freshman/sophomore (100/200), junior/senior (300/400), and 500+, and each level has a minimum, which I’ll get to in a moment.
Then, priority for all summer offerings is given to undergraduate courses that students across the university need to fulfill their graduation requirements. Courses that meet the needs of majors also receive a high priority. We take these student needs into account when deciding to continue classes that may not meet the College’s minimum enrollments.
Minimum enrollments help ensure that the College of Arts and Sciences can cover the costs associated with classes, so the minimum enrollments for courses for summer 2015 are as follows:
- 100/200 level: 15 students
- 300/400 level: 12 students
- 500 and above: 10 students
In accordance with the University Handbook, the full salary you will receive for teaching one three-hour course is 1/9 of your annual academic year salary, but to receive full pay, your course must meet these minima. While some leeway is provided in special cases, please keep in mind that the College must generate enough total student credit hours to provide the tuition revenue necessary to pay for the costs of summer school instruction. In addition, please keep in mind that courses not meeting minimum enrollment criteria may be taught for less, if you, your department head, and the dean so agree.
Summer school funds may also be used to support advising and miscellaneous costs associated with teaching and instruction for units having significant undergraduate advising needs for large numbers of majors. Again, speak with your department head, if you think your unit has special needs in advising.
So, please advertise your courses so that they meet minimum enrollment requirements. Please feel free to contact me with any concerns or questions.
Louise Benjamin
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs