The University of North Texas (UNT) will: 1) identify teaching personnel whose primary language is not English; 2) assess English language communication skills for teaching personnel whose primary language is not English: and 3) provide a program of assistance for teaching personnel who need to improve language proficiency.  For teaching personnel who need to improve language competency, UNT provides a program of assistance to build the requisite skill as required by Texas Education Code Section 51.917.

The University of North Texas requires appropriately trained academic assistants to support instructional activities in classes no matter the mode of instructional delivery.  Such assistants need supervision and evaluation to encourage their growth, productivity, and effectiveness.  This policy describes the required activities for orientation, supervision, and evaluation of academic assistants. 

UNT is committed to teaching, advancing knowledge, providing the highest standards of excellence in higher education, and fostering intellectual and personal development.   To realize these goals, UNT identifies, recruits, and selects highly qualified and diverse Teaching Fellows (TFs) and Teaching Assistants (TAs) in accordance with relevant university accreditation standards

This policy sets forth a framework for dealing with a financial exigency that could be grounds for termination of tenured, tenure track, or non-tenure track faculty. It does not contain a detailed plan of action because the nature of an exigency cannot be predicted with sufficient specificity. Coping with an exigency will be a difficult and trying experience for everyone involved. A body of rules can help, but good faith and cooperation on the part of the entire University community are essential.

The University of North Texas recognizes three eminent professorships. The University Distinguished Teaching Professorship award recognizes tenured faculty who perform outstanding teaching, teach at the introductory levels of their disciplines, promote the continuous development of teaching excellence, and promote improved teaching among their colleagues in the UNT community.

The University may award the designation of “Emeritus Professor” to recognize individuals who have exhibited outstanding performance during their employment and achieved a high level of professional recognition.

Faculty members on nine-month contracts may have the nine-month salary paid over twelve months. Reverting to a nine-month payment basis may occur for reasons described in this policy. 

UNT recognizes conditions may occur in the life of a faculty member that results in a need to request time away in the form of a leave without pay. On such occasions, when the faculty member can reasonably be expected to return to duties following the absence, UNT may grant such a leave of absence when the ongoing needs of the institution can be satisfied by other means.

Development leaves are authorized for the primary purpose of increasing the value of the recipient’s sustained contribution to the university by providing the individual an opportunity for professional growth. Such developmental leaves are not to be understood as deferred compensation, nor are they to be anticipated simply on the basis of longevity at the university, alone. Development leave may be granted, upon application, for study, research, writing, field observations or other suitable purposes.

This policy addresses the terms and conditions which govern the transition back to a faculty position from an administrative assignment.