Bill Summary for S 247 (2017-2018)

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Summary date: 

Mar 13 2017

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2017-2018 Session
Senate Bill 247 (Public) Filed Monday, March 13, 2017
AN ACT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION AT THE CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.
Intro. by Curtis, McInnis.

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Bill summary

Enacts new GS 116-11.5 requiring the UNC Board of Governors to adopt a policy that applies to all of the constituent institutions, except the NC School of Science and Math and the UNC School of the Arts, that sets faculty teaching standards that are differentiated by the institution type and course discipline. Sets out requried average faculty teaching loads for each department at a constituent institution with different requirements for Research Universities I (defined as NC State University and UNC-Chapel Hill), Doctoral Institutions I (defined as East Carolina University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, UNC-Charlotte, and UNC-Greensboro), Masters Institutions I (defined as Appalachian State University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Central University, UNC-Pembroke, UNC-Wilmington, and Western Carolina University), and Baccalaureate Institutions (defined as Elizabeth City State University, UNC-Asheville, and Winston‑Salem State University). The requirements for each type of institution also vary depending on whether the department is STEM or Humanities and Social Sciences (both of which are defined in the act). Prohibits a department from averaging fewer than 10 students per course. Requires the salary of any full‑time professor who teaches less than the required number of courses to be reduced on a pro rata basis, unless: (1) the institution chooses to supplement the professor's salary with the proceeds of the constituent institution's endowment fund, (2) the professor has private or federal grant funds transferred to the department in exchange for a pro rata reduction of teaching obligations, or (3) the professor is serving concurrently in an administrative position. Requires annual compliance audits. 

Amends GS 116-36 to allow the proceeds of an endowment fund to be used to supplement the salary of a professor whose salary has been reduced under new GS 116-11.5.

Applies to academic years beginning on or after July 1, 2017.