Guidelines on Teaching by Postdoctoral Teaching Fellows and Postdoctoral Scholars

Purpose

The purpose of this guideline is to clarify the principles of assigning teaching responsibility to postdoctoral teaching fellows and postdoctoral scholars at Baylor University. 

Postdoctoral Teaching Fellows

Postdoctoral teaching fellows are hired to teach at Baylor University in a full-time capacity, typically with a teaching load of 12 credit hours per semester (or the equivalent for trimester or quarters). Postdoctoral teaching fellows earn valuable early career teaching experience while supporting the curricular needs of Baylor. 

Due to the nature of their primary responsibilities, postdoctoral teaching fellows are hired as full-time temporary lecturers and are temporary faculty. They are hired in accordance with BU-PP 110. 

Postdoctoral teaching fellows are typically hired for one academic year. They may be renewed for up to two additional academic years for a maximum of three consecutive academic years. Service as a postdoctoral teaching fellow is not counted when considering limitations on maximum years of service for full-time temporary lecturers. 

Postdoctoral teaching fellows are eligible for summer assignment as adjunct lecturers under BU-PP 720. Any summer assignment is in addition to, and not a part of, the postdoctoral teaching fellow position.

Postdoctoral Scholars 

Postdoctoral scholars are hired as staff at Baylor University and are not assigned teaching as part of their normal workload.

Postdoctoral scholars are permitted to teach Baylor course(s) outside of their staff workload, provided they are hired in accordance with BU-PP 720 and BU-PP 034. In such cases, the postdoctoral scholar would be categorized as an adjunct lecturer in addition to being staff.

Teaching assignments are in addition to their normal staff workload. Such assignments are separately compensated (except in unusual circumstances) and therefore considered supplemental pay. It is expected that the standard adjunct lecturer rate within the unit will apply.

Credentialing

Postdoctoral teaching fellows and postdoctoral scholars who are assigned to teach must be credentialed in accordance with BU-PP 717.