College Policies

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Terms of Employment 1.1 College Apportionment Policy 1.1.1 College of Engineering Teaching Apportionment 1.1.2 College of Engineering Research Apportionment 1.2 College Buyout Policy 1.3 College Faculty Overload Payment Policy 1.4 College Outside Consulting and Employment Policy 1.5 College Academic Leave of Absence Policy 1.6 College of Engineering Policy on Inclement Weather Resource Allocation 2.1 College Cost Share and Matching Funds Policy 2.2 College Travel Funding Policy 2.3 College F & A (Indirect Cost) Return Policy 2.4 College Space Policy 2.5 College Laboratory Space Policy Business Operations 3.1 College Authorization of Expenditure Policy 3.2 College Travel Policy Curriculum Committee Bylaws

Section 1: Terms of Employment
1.1 College of Engineering Apportionment Policy

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents’ Bylaw 4.2 stipulates that each tenure-track and non-tenure track member establish an apportionment of effort among five broad categories: Teaching, Research, Service, Administration and Extension. The apportionment is not the actual time spent but of what one might expect in productivity. So for example, unless there is a sensible explanation, it would be expected that faculty members teaching the same number of course credit hours would have the same apportionment of effort.

1.1.1 College of Engineering Teaching Apportionment

In order to ensure consistent apportionment procedures in the College of Engineering, the following policy should be followed:

Credit Hours Taught per Academic Year	% FTE Academic Year Teaching Apportionment	% Apportionment for Academic Year all other categories:  Research, Administration, Outreach and Extension
3	20%	80%
6	30%	70%
9	40%	60%
12	50%	50%
15	60%	40%
18	70%	30%
21	80%	20%
24	90%	10%
27	100%	0%

A typical apportionment for an engineering faculty member engaged actively in research is anticipated to be: 50% teaching; 40% research; 10% service.

A typical apportionment for an engineering or construction management faculty member primarily engaged in teaching is anticipated to be 70% teaching; 10% research; 20% service.

Apportionment categories are defined by the Senior Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at http://bf.unl.edu/bfpolicy/SignatureAuthority.pdf .

1.1.2 College of Engineering Research Approtionment

This intent of this document is to convey the research expectations of faculty in College of Engineering (COET). One goal of the college is to significantly increase its external research funding. A representative faculty member in the college is expected to devote approximately 50 percent of their effort to teaching, 40 percent to research, and 10 percent to service. The Research Policy of the COET recommends as a target for each faculty member, $50,000 for each 10% of allocated research effort. For example, if you are apportioned at 30% research you are expected to bring in $150,000 each year.

Each faculty member, in conjunction with their unit administrator, must establish their apportionment each year. The research apportionment will be used in the faculty members’ and the departments’ annual evaluation for research. Faculty members’ annual performance will be judged in accordance with the current Promotion and Tenure Criteria.

1.2 College of Engineering Teaching Buyout Policy

In order to further our research mission, College of Engineering faculty may from time to time, at the discretion of the Department Chair, buyout of teaching responsibilities for one or more courses given the following parameters:

1. Faculty should not be allowed to buyout of courses for the following reasons:
   • pursuit of external business interests that may compete with the mission of the University of Nebraska
   • activities that may result in circumstances that may be detrimental to the department in question.
2. The amount of compensation required to buyout of a course is to be determined by mutual consent between the respective Department Chair and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.
   • It is to be a reasonable amount that would be necessary to fund an alternative source to teach the course in question,
   • in no case less than 10% of the faculty member’s academic year salary prorated for the semester.
   • This amount is to be returned to the Department Chair for his/her dissemination

1.3 College of Engineering Policy Faculty Overload Payments Policy

The College of Engineering provides equitable salary for faculty in similar disciplines with similar performance ratings. The College of Engineering does not allow overload payments to College of Engineering faculty for performing additional duties within the college. To the maximum extent possible, meritorious performance will be rewarded through increases to salary base, college and university professorship programs, the college faculty fellow program, and tenure and promotion processes. Meritorious performance is a measure of quality.

1.4 College of Engineering Consulting and Outside Employment Policy

The University encourages its faculty to engage in professional activities outside the University as a means of broadening their experience and keeping them abreast of the latest developments in their specialized fields; provided such activities do not interfere with their regular duties at the University or represent a conflict of interest. They may accept temporary or occasional employment of up to two days per month for such professional services when such employment is recommended by the dean of the college or director of the division involved and approved by the Chancellor and the Board of Regents.

For the complete policy, refer to the UNL website. The address is http://www.unl.edu/svcaa/policies/outside_activity.shtml

1.5 College of Engineering Academic Leave of Absence Policy

Download the FDL Cover Page and Application

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents has established an academic leave of absence policy. The Faculty Development Program (paid leave) is limited to persons who have held full-time appointments within the University of Nebraska for at least six years at the rank of assistant professor, associate professor or full professor. Faculty Development Fellowships will be available on a competitive basis, rather than as an automatic reward for years of service. The program cannot be used for the purpose of pursuing an advanced degree.

• All leaves are subject to the provisions of section 3.4.3.1 of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents (below).
• If the leave is to be without pay, it will normally be granted if it meets the conditions of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents.
• Faculty who are contemplating applying for a faculty development fellowship (FDF) should discuss their application with the departmental chair prior to its submission.

Procedures for submitting faculty development fellowship applications

Please submit faculty development fellowship applications for to the Dean of the College of Engineering at least six months in advance (for Fall Semester and Academic Year applicants no later than February 1; for Spring Semester applicants no later than July 1)

Applications must contain the following:

• A cover page using the FDL cover form.
• A signed copy of the FDL Acknowledgment form.
• A completed Application for Leave of Absence
• A proposal (no more than five pages) by the applicant describing the purpose, expected accomplishments and anticipated benefits of the proposed FDF. The proposal must address the criteria below.
• The applicants current CV.
• If the applicant has had a previous leave with pay, an updated report on the activities and accomplishments from that leave.

The criteria for the award of FDF’s will be the following:

1. Potential for the applicant to increase her (his) ability to attract external funding is the primary factor in judging proposals
2. The FDF proposal must present a clear goal and plan
3. The benefits of the leave to the University and the faculty member must be explained in terms of departmental, college and campus priorities.
   

Procedures for Recommending the Award of an FDF

1. A faculty committee will review all FDF applications and make a recommendation to the Dean of the College of Engineering
2. The Dean will either approve or disapprove the FDF applications
3. All approved FDF applications will be forwarded to the Sr. Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs with a recommendation for approval.

Reporting Requirements

Upon return to normal academic duties, a person awarded a fellowship must file a written report with the Senior Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College of Engineering that compares the faculty member's actual activities with those outlined in the proposal, the relationship of these activities to his or her intellectual, artistic, and/or professional growth within his or her discipline, and the ways in which the faculty member feels that experience gained during the fellowship will improve his or her performance as a faculty member at the University.

Appendices

FDL Cover Page
Application For Leave of Absence

1.6 College of Engineering Policy on Inclement Weather

The College of Engineering operates at two distinctive locations, Lincoln and Omaha. Weather activity could have differing impacts on these locations. The affects could cause one location to close operations at a time when operations at the other location remain in force. For the purposes of attendance, the primary location of employment will govern such that employees based in Lincoln will follow the closure directives of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln and the employees based in Omaha follow the closure directives of the University of Nebraska – Omaha. The time reporting protocol for all College of Engineering employees will follow the standards established by the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

For additional information related to closures due to inclement weather see
http://bf.unl.edu/bfpolicy/InclementWeather.shtml for Lincoln and
http://www.unomaha.edu/security/emergenc.htm for Omaha.

 

Section 2: Resource Allocation

2.1 College of Engineering Matching Funds Policy

Oftentimes it is necessary to show some matching when applying for grants. Due to financial exigencies, the College of Engineering must limit matching funds on grants as much as possible. However, in certain cases, matching funds will be considered.

1. Proposals for grants or contracts shall not volunteer cost-sharing nor matching
2. Written evidence of REQUIRED match must be submitted at the time of the request and routed with the proposal.
3. Principal Investigators are encouraged to seek in-kind cost-sharing alternatives to the maximum extent possible prior to requesting matching funds.
4. Commitments from other departments or units, including the Vice Chancellor for Research Office, does not constitute a commitment from the College of Engineering.
   

2.2 College of Engineering Travel Funding Policy

From time to time faculty may need to request funding for travel. In this case the Department Chair for the faculty member in question should request support in writing from the Associate Dean for Research. The following guidelines will apply:

1. Partial funding for travel is generally available from the Dean’s office only when the faculty member is traveling to a potential funding source.
2. Funds are available only when the faculty member has insufficient resources in their P.I. Discretionary account.
   

2.3 College of Engineering F & A (Indirect Cost) Return Policy

The College of Engineering typically recovers one-third of the Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs generated by sponsored projects within the College. The College of Engineering will share with Departments and Principle Investigators the recovery of all F&A returned to the College. Distributions will be allocated into separate funds. The following formulae will be used when determining allocations:

• PI’s will receive 20% of the amount recovered by the College that is directly attributed to their sponsored projects that earmark F&A return to the College of Engineering.
• Departments will receive 30% of the amount recovered by the College that is directly attributed to their PIs’ sponsored projects that earmark F&A return to the College of Engineering.
• The College of Engineering will retain the remaining F&A recovery.

2.4 College of Engineering Space Policy

Space within the College of Engineering is allocated by the Dean. Requests for space generally should be submitted in writing by Department Chairs to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs. Space will be allocated based on the following prioritizations:

1. Office space for faculty, staff and supported graduate students in the college will have the highest priority.
2. Classroom space will have the next highest priority.
3. Labs utilized at least partially in courses will have the next highest priority.
4. Labs used only for research will have the next highest priority.
5. Space not mentioned in items one through four will have the lowest priority.

2.5 College of Engineering Laboratory Space Policy

Lab space is to be assigned by Department Chairs based on need and available space. However, due to severe space shortages in the College of Engineering , the following guidelines may apply:

1. Faculty who haven’t had any external funding during the previous three year period will be given lower priority for lab space than those with current funding.
2. Faculty who have external funding, but have not utilized their labs within their funded research programs during the previous three year period will be given lower priority for lab space than those with current funding.
3. Faculty designated as “teaching faculty” with no research component in their apportionment may not be granted laboratory space

Section 3: Business Operations

3.1 College of Engineering Authorization of Expenditure Policy

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents has established signature delegation limits for all UN campuses. This policy can be accessed at http://busfin.unl.edu/bfsite/uservices/Signatory.htm. In order to ensure compliance with this statement and the established policies and procedures at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, every expenditure using College funds must be approved by a College Administrator. College Administrators are defined as: the Dean; the Associate and Assistant Deans; and their designees. The most appropriate method of gaining College approval is through Faculty Service Representatives in Engineering Administrative Services.

3.2 College of Engineering Travel Policy

Travel means absence from the city or town where one normally works for the purpose of conducting University business. All travel that requires the expenditure of funds appropriated to or controlled by the University must be authorized with a fully completed Travel Authorization (TA) form, signed by the Department Head, and routed to College of Engineering Administrative Services prior to the trip. The TA is retained in Administrative Services until the travel is complete.

Meals

State statutes do not authorize payment of per diem allowances for meals. Only actual employee expenses are to be reimbursed. A traveler shall be allowed reimbursement for actual cost of meals up to the IRS Standard Meal Allowance (See http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC).

The employee must provide an account book, diary or log, which are acceptable substantiation under Department of Administrative Services (STATE) standards, for any meal costing $24.99 or less, as long as the amount submitted for reimbursement is less or equal to the allowable per diem allowed. If a traveler is reimbursed for an amount exceeding the applicable per diem rate, the difference between the per diem rate and the actual reimbursement is regarded as taxable income, unless actual receipts provide the substantiation for the reimbursement claim. Any meal which exceeds $24.99 in cost needs a receipt in order to be fully reimbursable.

State law also addresses the fact that all expense reimbursements must be for actual expenses incurred. When a meal is provided by a conference, the expense for that meal is considered to have already been paid by the employer, grant, etc., as part of the registration and as such is not a reimbursable expense. The traveler will need to submit a copy of the conference itinerary to determine which meals are considered paid as part of the conference and which are allowable for reimbursement.

Lodging

UNL policy requires University travelers to select reasonably priced lodging accommodations when on official business. For all College of Engineering travel, reasonable lodging rates are the rates published by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). These rates can be seen at http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC. College travelers will be reimbursed for actual cost of lodging based upon the least expensive single room rate plus tax, not to exceed the GSA lodging rate.

Designated Lodging exempts conference hotels from established lodging allowances. This particular exemption was extended in order to reduce ground transportation costs and because University attendees have no control over the venue of the conference. Individuals staying at a conference designated hotel may be reimbursed actual lodging cost, provided a conference brochure indicating the lodging rate accompanies the reimbursement claim and receipts.

When University employees make their own arrangements or can control the site of the conferences, training sessions, or agency board and commission meetings, the conference designated hotel ruling may not apply.

If it is determined that a situation exists which makes compliance with the allowed maximums impractical, actual lodging costs may be reimbursed when adequately justified. Such exceptions must be approved in advance of the trip and original receipts are required.

All claims for lodging reimbursement must be supported by original receipts that show:

• The name of the motel or hotel
• The number of occupants
• The goods or services for which each individual charge is made (room rental, food, tax, etc.)

Mileage

College of Engineering employees are strongly encouraged to use University vehicles for all UNL business related travel. College of Engineering employees shall be reimbursed for the cost of using their Personal Operating Vehicle (POV) in conjunction with approved UNL business related travel in the amount prescribed by UNL policy provided:

1. the travel is properly authorized prior to the trip;
2. the employee supplies written evidence of mileage such as odometer readings or map mileage schedules and proof of insurance and valid driver’s license. (EAS will maintain copies on file for the valid life of the document. It is the traveler’s responsibility to provide copies of these documents when requested).
3. the travel expense voucher is submitted within 30 days of trip’s completion

Other

All other travel related procedures follow UNL travel policies. The full UNL travel policy can be viewed at http://bf.unl.edu/travelpolicy/GeneralTravelInformation.shtml .