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Handbook of Operating Procedures
  • Policy Process

    • Handbook of Operating Procedures
    Chapter 2 - Faculty and Academics
    Previous Publication Date: December 15, 2020
    Publication Date: October 19, 2022
    Policy Reviewed Date: November 1, 2024
    Policy Owner: VP for Academic Affairs


    2.46 Faculty Rights and Responsibilities

    I. POLICY STATEMENT

    Faculty members at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) have certain rights and associated responsibilities related to their research and teaching. They must exercise those rights and responsibilities in a professional manner.

    II. RATIONALE

    The policy lists faculty member rights and provides parameters for the exercise of those rights by describing related responsibilities.

    III. SCOPE

    This policy applies to all UTSA faculty.

    IV. WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY

    http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter2/2.46.html

    V. RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS

    1. University of Texas System Policies or the Board of Regents' Rules & Regulation
      1. Regents’ Rule 31004, Rights and Responsibilities of Faculty Members
      2. Regents’ Rule 30103, Standards of Conduct
    2. UTSA HOP Policies
      1. UTSA HOP policy 2.11  Annual Faculty Performance Appraisal for Merit Pay Consideration
      2. UTSA HOP policy 2.15  Textbooks and Other Materials by UTSA Faculty Prescribed for Student Use
      3. UTSA HOP policy 2.16  Acceptance of Money from Students
      4. UTSA HOP policy 2.23  Faculty Compensation for Additional Duties and Salary Adjustments
      5. UTSA HOP policy 4.07 Payment of Salary Supplements to University Employees and Non-Standard Payments to Persons who are not Employees of The University of Texas at San Antonio
      6. UTSA HOP policy 4.19 Involvement of the University and University Personnel in Community or Political Affairs
    3. Other Policies & Standards
      1.   UTSA Faculty Code of Ethics

    VI. CONTACTS

    If you have any questions about HOP policy 2.46, Faculty Rights and Responsibilities, contact the following office(s):

    Office of Academic Affairs at
    210-458-4110

    VII. DEFINITIONS

    1. Faculty Member: a faculty member is any individual appointed to and holding an academic title listed in HOP policy 2.02, Faculty Appointments and Titles, with the exception of teaching assistants.

    VIII. RESPONSIBILITIES

    1. Faculty member
      1. Ensures that they exercise their academic and teaching rights in a responsible and professional manner.
    2. Department Chair /School Director and Dean
      1. Ensures that faculty members have full freedom in research and teaching within the parameters of this policy.

    IX. PROCEDURES

    1. Faculty members of UTSA are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results of their research subject to the  performance standards established by the dean of their respective college in relation to their other academic duties.
    2. Faculty members are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject, however, a faculty member may not introduce into their teaching controversial matter that has no relation to the subject being discussed in the classroom.
    3. UTSA faculty members are citizens, members of learned professions and societies, and officers of educational institutions supported by the state. When they speak or write as citizens, faculty members should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but their special position in the community imposes special obligations. As learned professionals,  faculty members should remember that the public may judge their profession and institution by their utterances. Hence, faculty members should at all times, be accurate, exercise appropriate restraint, show respect for the opinions of others, and  should make it clear that they are not institutional spokespersons. As employees of a state institution of higher education, faculty members shall refrain from involving the UT System or any of its component institutions in partisan politics.
    4. The UT System Board of Regents recognizes the right of a member of the faculty to participate in political activities so long as such political activities do not interfere with the discharge of the duties and responsibilities that the faculty members owe to the U.T. System or any of its institutions and so long as such political activities do not involve the U.T. System or any of the institutions in partisan politics. See Section 5, Regents’ Rules and Regulations, Rule 30103 Standards of Conduct, for specific guidelines outlined in the Rules.     
    5. A complete statement of the rights and responsibilities of the faculty member is found in the UT System Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations, Section 30000: Personnel. 

    X. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

    None

    XI. FORMS AND TOOLS/ONLINE PROCESSES

    None

    XII. APPENDIX

    None