Distance Learning Agreement

CONTINUING EDUCATION AND DISTANCE LEARNING

(Article 35 of MSP Collective Bargaining Agreement)

The term "courses" as used in this Article shall be understood to mean credit-bearing courses utilizing the distance learning mode of instruction.

35.1    The procedure for the development and approval of DL courses shall be determined through the

established governance process on each campus.  Normally, courses shall be developed and taught by members of the bargaining unit. However, if no member of the bargaining unit is willing or qualified to

develop and/or teach a course, the Division of Continuing Education (DCE) may, with academic

departmental approval, contract with individuals outside the unit to develop and/or teach such course.

35.2     The name and campus affiliation of the faculty member who teaches a DL course and the name of the individual who developed the course content and materials (if different) shall be identified.

35.3     At the discretion of the instructor, and with prior notification to DCE, at least one opportunity for "in-person" (same place, same time) interchange between the instructor and students, or among students, may be built into a DL course.  However, the "in-person" opportunity cannot be a course requirement and

reasonable accommodations (the reasonableness to be determined by agreement between the

instructor and DCE) shall be made for any students for whom such an interchange would present a

hardship.

35.4    When software is deemed necessary, by mutual agreement of the instructor and DCE, for teaching a DL course, it shall be provided to the instructor at no cost.

35.5    The evaluation of teaching in DL courses shall be subject to the provisions of Article XXXIII of the Agreement.

35.6    A joint committee shall be established to explore pedagogical training and support, as well as improved teaching evaluation methods for instructors of DL courses.

35.7    Faculty will have access to technical support to the extent that it is currently provided on each campus.

35.8    Generally, faculty teaching online shall not be monitored by anyone without the faculty member's consent. However, in the event of student complaints about the instructor of a DL course, the instructor shall be notified and given an opportunity to address the problem. Only after notification, and after sufficient opportunity has been provided for the instructor to address the concern, shall electronic monitoring be allowed. Instructors shall be informed if they are subject to electronic monitoring. Monitoring shall be limited to the specific course and semester for which the complaints were received. However, if complaints are received late in the semester or after the completion of a course, monitoring may extend for one subsequent semester. Monitoring shall be limited to that which is reasonably related to the nature of the complaint(s) and shall not impinge on the academic freedom of the instructor. This provision is not intended to restrictive usual administrative practices such as collecting data for reports or ensuring that course content is ready when the course is set to commence.

35.9    Course content and materials that are developed by a faculty member and associated with DL courses shall be treated as Exempted Scholarly Works under the Policy on Intellectual Property. However, such content and materials shall not be subject to the exceptions or exclusions of the Policy, such as those set forth in Section III.B, without specific agreement among the faculty member, the University, and the Union. In addition, a separate intellectual property agreement may be reached in order to meet external grant or contract requirements.

35.10  At the Amherst campus, the teaching stipends that are currently paid in the various degree programs (see attached) shall serve as the minimum stipends for faculty teaching courses in those programs for the duration of the Agreement. The minimum stipends for all other credit-bearing DL courses shall be as follows:

Undergraduate courses:  $4,000

Graduate courses :  $4,300

At the Boston campus, the current stipends shall serve as the minimum stipends for the duration of the Agreement.

35.11  To ensure quality, the MSP will receive a report by September 1st` of each year indicating the proportion of DL courses offered through the Amherst campus DCE during the preceding academic year that were taught by adjunct faculty.