Research Time Policies

The CSU system has a dual mission of teaching and scholarly activity. Tenured and tenure-track (T/TT) faculty in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CNSM) are actively involved in both teaching and research aspects of our mission. The full teaching workload for most CNSM T/TT faculty is about 4 courses per semester. Thirty (30) WTU per academic year is considered a full workload, with 24 WTU for teaching and 6 for research and service activities.

T/TT faculty may be given reassigned time (funded by external and internal awards) for research activity. Research involving students (graduate and undergraduate) is part of the teaching mission, and mentorship of undergraduate students enrolled in directed research garners 0.33 WTU per student and graduate students enrolled in thesis work garners 0.67 WTU per student, to a maximum of 3 WTU per semester (see Course Classifications in Curriculum Handbook). Nonetheless, direct involvement in classroom teaching by T/TT faculty is a requirement for teaching excellence, and all T/TT faculty are actively involved in designing and conveying the curriculum to students of all levels.

Policy on Minimum Teaching Loads (PDF) dictates that each T/TT faculty teaches a minimum of 6 WTU each academic year.

Policy on the Use of Research Stimulation (RS) Funds for Assigned Time - Revised 2022 (PDF) is also available.

Contact CNSM Research

Associate Dean for Research