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IV.B.1. Appointment Types

Each position is categorized by the Office of Human Resources as being in one of 18 appointment categories and as exempt or nonexempt. The categories, in turn, affect benefits eligibility, compensation, contractual status, and other conditions of employment. The Chancellor may reassign or transfer any employee within the College as required to fulfill College needs.

IV.B.1.1. Appointment Categories

1. Chancellor. The College’s chief executive officer who serves in a contractual position.

2. Chief Operating Officer. The College’s chief operations officer who serves in a contractual position.

3. Executive Vice Chancellor. Chief division officers who serve in a contractual positon.

4. Location Executive Officer (LEO). The vice chancellors and college presidents, each of whom serve in a contractual position. LEOs receive two-year contracts.

5. Administrator. Non-instructional employee who serves in a contractual position. Administrators receive one-year contracts.

6. Honors College Director. Non-instructional employee who serves in a contractual position.

7. Faculty. Contractual employees whose primary duties and responsibilities directly relate to educational programs or student educational development. The term “faculty” only includes Faculty and Temporary Faculty.

8. Temporary Faculty. Contractual instructional employee who has the same duties and responsibilities as a permanent faculty member. Temporary faculty are hired in a full-time capacity on a temporary contract, contingent upon College needs. Temporary faculty members have no right of continuing employment beyond the term of their current contract and do not have a right of notice of non-renewal and their service as temporary faculty members does not count towards eligibility for a multiyear contract or faculty status.

9. Instructor. Contractual instructional employee whose duties are instructing and teaching only. Instructors are hired on a reduced workload and will be paid at a prorated faculty salary. Instructors have no right of continued employment beyond their annual contract, do not have right of notice of non-renewal, and their service as instructor does not count towards eligibility for a multiyear contract or faculty status.

10. Adjunct. An employee who receives a limited appointment to teach no more than nine credit hours per semester not to exceed 18 credit hours in any given academic year, defined for this purpose as a nine-month period with two 4.5-month semesters.

11. Dual Credit Instructor.

      (1)        Non-Employee: A non-College employee. This person is employed by a local Independent School District (ISD). Dual Credit Instructors receive an appointment from the ISD to teach and perform assigned duties. The College pays the local ISD, and ISD pays all monetary compensation and/or benefits to the Dual Credit Instructor. The ISD is the fiscal agent.

      (2)        Employee: College employee who receives a limited appointment to teach no more than nine credit hours per semester not to exceed 18 credit hours in any given academic year, defined for this purpose as a nine-month period with two 4.5-month semesters. The College is the fiscal agent.

12. Workforce Skilled Trade Instructor. Contractual instructional employee whose duties are instructing, teaching, and program and career development designed to meet workforce needs, identified through College partnerships with business, government, and community organizations. Instructors may be hired on a full or reduced workload. Employee has no right of continued employment beyond the initial term of employment. Employee has no right of notice of non-renewal and service does not count towards eligibility for a multiyear contract or faculty status.

13. Continuing Education (CE) Instructor. An employee who receives a limited appointment to teach specific non-credit course(s).

14. Corporate College Trainer. An employee who receives a limited appointment to teach certain non-credit courses.

15. Professional Staff. Non-contractual employee designated as exempt by the Office of Human Resources in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime requirements.

16. Support Staff. Non-contractual employee designated as non-exempt by the Office of Human Resources in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime requirements.

17. Grant Funded Employee. An employee who receives a limited appointment to perform specific services supported by external grant funds.

18. Volunteer. A non-employee who performs particular services without monetary compensation or benefits.

Where applicable in Section IV., Chief Area Officer means an employee reporting directly to the Chancellor.

IV.B.2. Contractual Employees

IV.B.2.1. Policy

Contractual employees receive an employment contract that, once executed, creates a property interest for that contract’s term. No property interest exists beyond the contract’s term. All employment contracts are in writing in a form approved by the Board that sets forth the contract’s term and any specific terms and conditions of employment. In most circumstances, contracts are not for specific assignments and indicate employment as an administrator, faculty member, or other general appointment category.

The Board annually reviews and may ratify for renewal employment contracts upon the Chancellor’s recommendation. Faculty renewal recommendations are generally presented at the April Board meeting. Non-Faculty renewal recommendations are generally presented at the June Board meeting.

All contracts are subject to non-renewal and or change of status if (1) the contractual employee fails to sign and return initial or renewal employment contracts to the Office of Human Resources within required time periods, and or (2) the College’s interests will be served in accordance with the Change in Contract Status policy.

IV.B.2.2. Faculty Contracts

Faculty employment contracts are recommended by the applicable college president or Lone Star College-Online's Chief Executive Officer, approved by the Chancellor, and ratified by the Board. Faculty employment contracts may be for a one- or two-year term. All full-time faculty receive a (1) nine-month assignment, (2) 10.5-month assignment, or (3) 12-month assignment.

1. One-Year Contracts

Within the first three years of employment, full-time faculty are eligible for one-year contracts only.

2. Multi-Year Contracts

Upon satisfactorily completing the third full year of employment, full-time faculty are eligible for a two-year contract. In addition to non-renewal and change in contract status as described above, the College may also limit a multi-year contract if: (1) the faculty member’s department or program is unable to make a full load for the faculty member because of declining enrollment; (2) the specific program to which he or she has been assigned is scheduled to be eliminated; or (3) a Reduction in Force condition would indicate a potential reduction in staff.

3. Faculty Ranks

Each full-time faculty member may be awarded the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor. Assistant Professor means a new faculty member who has less than three full-time years of teaching experience at the college or university level. Associate Professor means a new faculty member who has three or more full-time years of teaching experience at the college or university level. After one year of satisfactory teaching at the College as an Assistant Professor, a faculty member is eligible to become an Associate Professor. Professor means a faculty member with a multi-year contract who has satisfactorily served as an Associate Professor for three years.

IV.B.3. Non-Contractual Employees

IV.B.3.1. Policy

Non-contractual employees serve at will, are not employed for any specified length of time, and have no property right in their employment. Nothing in this Board Policy changes this at-will status or creates any rights to continued employment. The College is not bound by any oral representations or agreements related to employment that are inconsistent with these policies or that purport to bind the College to rights not granted by these policies.

The Chancellor or designated representatives shall be responsible for hiring non-contractual employees with appropriate skills and qualifications to fill open positions.

IV.B.3.2. Limited Appointments

All persons who serve as adjunct instructors, corporate college trainers, continuing education instructors, or grant-funded employees, or post-retirement employees, serve under a limited appointment.

A limited appointment is an at-will position. The person’s employment is contingent upon a specified event, such as sufficient enrollment to support a class assignment or the receipt of funding from outside sources. An employee with a limited appointment does not have any right to or expectation of continued employment and has no right of notice of non-continuation of employment.

IV.B.3.3. Post-Retirement Employees

The College may employ post-retirement employees under certain circumstances consistent with applicable Teacher Retirement System of Texas or any other applicable law.

IV.B.4. Temporary Duties

IV.B.4.1. Policy

Employees may need to perform duties assigned to another position to serve our students and ensure timely performance of important functions. The temporary duty does not alter an employee’s contract status, if any. In most cases, employees will resume their former duties when the temporary duty ends.

1. Substitute Instructors

A person teaching as a substitute should meet all the same credential requirements as the faculty member. Generally, a full-time College instructional employee who serves as a substitute for the planned absence of another full-time instructional employee will not receive pay for this professional courtesy. An adjunct instructor who substitutes for an absent faculty member will be paid in accordance with the part time rate-of-pay schedule. A non-exempt employee whose work hours exceed 40 in the week in which they substitute is entitled to receive overtime or compensatory time in accordance with the Compensation policy.

2. Replacement Instructors

If a faculty member or an adjunct cannot meet assigned instructional responsibilities over an extended time period, the college’s chief instructional officer may arrange for one or more persons to assume the person’s assigned classes. An employee who accepts the additional classroom assignment will receive additional compensation in accordance with the compensation schedules and guidelines.

3. Interim Appointments

The Chancellor or designee may appoint a full-time employee to serve in a different, vacant position for a period usually shorter than a calendar year. The appointed employee will receive a monthly stipend until the interim assignment ends. If the employee serving in the interim position applies to the permanent position, they cannot serve in any capacity on the permanent-position search committee and cannot direct-appoint the permanent position.

4. Acting Capacity

The Chancellor may appoint an employee to serve in an acting capacity for a specific length of time in a position that is temporarily vacated because the permanent position holder is on approved leave. The appointed employee receives a monthly stipend until the appointment ends. In unusual circumstances, a person who is not a current College employee may be appointed to a position in an acting capacity but is not be issued an employment contract. If the permanent position holder does not resume the position as anticipated, the policy governing interim appointments will apply.

IV.B.5. Emeritus

IV.B.5.1 Emeritus Designation

Upon the Chancellor’s recommendation, the Board may confer the “Emeritus” title upon retiring faculty, administrators, or staff to recognize significant contributions to the College through long and distinguished service in administration, teaching, support, or other service. The Emeritus title does not confer any employment status or rights. Emeritus privileges include presentation of an appropriate commemorative, listing in the College’s annual catalog for the life of the honoree, invitation to the annual May commencement ceremonies with special seating privileges, introduction and recognition during the commencement program, invitation to other College activities and special events, and use of College library materials. The Chancellor shall develop procedures for nominating and recommending qualified individuals for the Board to consider to receive the Emeritus title.