Course Buy-Out Policy

Policy Statement

This policy provides the following terms and conditions applicable to a course buy-out:

1. A faculty member whose teaching time is reassigned to another purpose by the campus will have their department compensated at the per credit rate used for new adjunct faculty.
2. Faculty course buy-out(s) for any other purpose will be calculated at 12.5% of the faculty member’s annual base-salary per 3-credit course (17% per 4-credit course) course, with the addition of applicable fringe rates and indirect costs.
   1. External award funding and third party funding buy-outs for purposes such as research, professional organization activities, writing and editing a book, etc., are acceptable. Proof that funding is coming from a third-party agency and the purpose of the buy-out must be submitted before approval by the campus will be considered.
   2.  Faculty members will be required to sign a course buy-out letter agreement for a third-party course buy-out. The faculty member’s Chair and Dean will receive a copy. (The exception is a grant or contract where the course buy-out was part of a grant proposal and already approved.) 
   3. Faculty members may not personally buy-out their own courses.
3. The only exception to the cost calculations is a grant or contract that requires the use of different rate, which is specified in the agency’s documentation, and the campus agrees to the revised buy-out rate during the proposal approval process (Campus Impact Statement).

Purpose/Scope

The purpose of this policy is to ensure uniformity of the course buy-out process and clarity of terms.

Applicability

This policy applies campus-wide (RF Office, Finance, HR, Faculty, Chairs, Deans, Provost, etc.).

Definitions

Course buy-out - Release from instruction granted to individual faculty members in exchange for funding (provided by the faculty member being released) used to pay for an adjunct and cover administrative costs.

Campus Impact Statement - A required campus form to be originated by the Research Foundation’s Contract & Grant Administrator, and signed by the Project Director and applicable administration, indicating approval of an external funding proposal.

Policy Procedures

1. Faculty identify an opportunity for which a course buy-out is necessary (research, professional organization activities, writing and editing a book, etc.)
2. Faculty contact the Research Foundation regarding the course buy-out for determination of costs.
3. Cost approval by the third party entity and department Chair are required for the faculty member to be released from the course during the period requested.
4. If the course buy-out is related to a professional organization activity, writing and editing a book, or other activity not expressly tied to an external funding proposal, a course buy-out letter agreement will be sent to the faculty to sign. The Chair and Dean will receive a copy. If the course buy-out is part of an external funding proposal, the approval will be part of the Campus Impact Statement process. 

The third party will send a check to Research Foundation for the course buy-out, or if the funds are sent to the faculty member, the faculty member will pay the Research Foundation from those funds. Sponsored program awards will have the funds reimbursed through the grant-funded award.

Links to Related Procedures and Information

Campus Impact Statement - Contact the Research Foundation’s Contract & Grant Administrator to initiate this form.

Contact Information

If you require additional information, or have questions regarding this policy, please contact: 

The Research Foundation’s Contract & Grant Administrator, (585) 395-2444 

History (in descending order)

Approval

There are no approvals for this policy at this time.