Faculty Course Buyout Policy

Purpose 

The Riccio College of Engineering (RCoE) process for course buyout will permit faculty, regardless of rank or appointment type, to negotiate with their respective department head to reduce their individual course assignments by charging a component of their academic salary to an alternative funding source, such as an external award or a PI-controlled account. Charging academic year salary must be allowable on the funding source being charged, and consistent with the approved budget and terms of the award (funding agency approval may be required). Approval of the course buyout is contingent upon the request being accommodated without negatively affecting the department’s teaching mission, as determined by the department head. 

Process 

Faculty members are to initiate, through their respective department head, the request by completing the RCoE Course Buyout Request Form. Upon review and recommendation of the department head, the request will be forwarded to the Dean’s Office for consultation and confirmation. Upon completion of the review process, the faculty member, and all appropriate parties, will be notified of the request’s final status. 

Guidelines 

1. The standard buyout amount in the RCoE will be 12.5 percent of a faculty member’s academic year salary per course in the academic year of the buyout (preferably the semester of the buyout). 
2. Faculty may use grant funds (internal or external) or another PI-controlled account to cover the buyout costs. When using grants funds, they must be an allowable expense item by the granting agency and be consistent with the terms and budget of the sponsored project. 
3. Faculty seeking buyouts should complete a Course Buyout Request Form before the start of the previous semester to the start date of the proposed buyout semester. 
4. Department Heads will consider course buyout requests, along with all other types of requests (sabbatical, leave, etc.), when determining teaching assignments for the upcoming academic year. Approvals will be dependent upon whether or not the request can be accommodated without negatively affecting the department’s teaching program. 
5. Approved participation in the course buyout program does not relieve the faculty member in any way of their research, service and other teaching obligations. The faculty member will be expected to complete their complement of responsibilities and commitments. 
6. No retroactive transactions will be approved or processed consistent with standard accounting practices. 
7. If necessary, the PI is expected to certify the salary charged to the extramural award through the University’s certification reporting effort associated with the budget period the salary is charged. 
8. Course reductions and/releases that do not involve a buyout may also be negotiated. Typical examples include reduced course loads for pre-tenure faculty, increased service loads, administrative responsibilities, etc. 
9. Course buyout funds will be retained by the home Department of the faculty member buying out barring significant financial exigencies. 
10. In accordance with the UMass Academic Year Salary Recovery and Summer Additional Compensation policy, faculty participating in AY salary recovery may elect to transfer 50 percent of their recovered funds to an RSA account that can be accumulated for future use towards a course buyout. (Note – if using accumulated RSA funds for a buyout the course buyout rate is equivalent to 6.25 percent of the faculty member’s current salary as the Department will have already recovered 6.25 during the process of accumulating RSA funds).  

This program, and associated policies, are subject to periodic review and may be modified or discontinued at the discretion of the Dean and their designated authority.