Resolution FPC 23-24

RESOLVED: That policy AA 2018-01 be superseded by the attached recommended policy and procedures to revise CSUDH practice to align with the CFA/CSU Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA); to revise the criteria and process for applications for Assigned Time for Exceptional Levels of Service to Students (ATELSS); to revise the committee for review of ATELSS; therefore, be it further

RESOLVED: To ensure equity and transparency, the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development provide an aggregated annual report to the Academic Senate specific to the number of applicants, demographics of the faculty members, rank, college and the distribution of awards; therefore, be it further;

RESOLVED: The Academic Senate California State University, Dominguez Hills (ASCSUDH) Acknowledges that Cultural taxation has been, and continues to be, an issue for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), women, LGBTQIA+, and other abled people, and be it further;

RESOLVED: That the ASCSUDH acknowledges that extant mechanisms set forth in the CBA are insufficient to address existing inequities resulting from cultural taxation and calls upon the University to further examine its ongoing practices to minimize cultural taxation and workload issues faced by affected members of the CSUDH Community. Therefore, the ASCSUDH calls upon the CSUDH Administrators to work with faculty to collaboratively create mechanisms and funding to address cultural taxation beyond the scope of this resolution.

RESOLVED: That the ASCSUDH distribute this resolution to the President of CSUDH, Provost, Deans, AVP Faculty Affairs and Development, and Faculty.

RATIONALE: As per the CBA, “Exceptional service awards are intended to recognize faculty who have a demonstrated commitment to working on issues faced by our diverse student population. Assigned time from this pool should be awarded to faculty for mentoring, advising, and outreach, to support underserved, first-generation, and/or underrepresented students and other practices in support of such students, including those caused by cultural taxation. This support includes but is not limited to: the development and implementation of high-impact educational practices; curricular redesign intended to improve student access and success; service to the department, college, university, or community that goes significantly beyond the normal expectations of all faculty; assignment to courses where increases to enrollment have demonstrably increased workload; and other extraordinary forms of service to students.” Per CFA website https://www.calfac.org/faculty-rights-tip-what-does-the-recognition-of-cultural-taxation-in-our-workload-article-mean. Additionally, term “cultural taxation” refers to the  “unique burden” that faculty of color and other underrepresented faculty face in carrying out responsibilities to the university, and that if unacknowledged and uncompensated, cultural taxation can become a “stealth workload escalator” and thus a “a silent killer of professional careers and aspirations.” Further the ASCU has provided additional resources and highlighted factors which contribute to such taxation. (for complete review; https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/faculty-staff/academic-senate/resolutions/2021-2022/3533.pdf)

Further, the existing policy specific to the Assigned Time for Exceptional Levels of Service to Students (ATELSS) to Students does not comply with the current CFA/CSU Collective Bargaining Agreement. This proposed policy resolution addresses these areas of non-compliance, including application review process, award eligibility, and scope of activities related to this award.

Assigned Time for Exceptional Levels of Service to Students

1.0 Purpose: To provide a process for all eligible Unit 3 faculty employees to receive assigned time for exceptional levels of service to students that support the priorities of the California State University (CSU) system as well as the California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) mission and strategic plan pursuant to Provision 20.37 of the 2022-2024 CFA/CSU Collective Bargaining Agreement, but who are not otherwise receiving an adjustment in workload to reflect their effort. “All faculty unit employees are eligible to apply.” Instructional faculty, counselors, librarians, and coaches – whether contingent (e.g. lecturers), probationary, or tenured – are all eligible to apply.

2.0   Application Review Responsibilities

2.0.1   The University Leaves Committee will review applications for Assigned Time for Exceptional Levels of Service to Students (ATELSS) awards.

2.0.2 Faculty reviewing applications shall not be applicants for the award. Affected constituencies (Colleges, Library, and Student Psychological Services) shall be asked to send an alternate committee member.

2.1  Function

2.1.1 To make recommendations to the Provost;

2.1.2 To periodically review and, if needed, make recommendations to the Faculty Policy Committee (FPC) for future changes to this policy.

3.0         Assigned Time Budget and Reporting

3.1 Pursuant to the above referenced article of the CBA, CSU campuses will collectively provide Weighted Teaching Units (WTU) for Assigned Time for Exceptional Service to Students based on the number of full-time equivalent students on campus. The number of these WTU will be communicated to CSUDH by the CSU.

3.1.1.1       Accountability and Expenditures

3.1.1.2      CSUDH shall provide an accounting of expenditures for this program for the prior fiscal year by no later than November 1 of the subsequent year to the Academic Senate, Campus CFA leadership, and the CSU. The office of Academic Affairs shall provide an annual report to the Academic Senate specific to the number of applicants, relevant demographics of the faculty members, and the distribution of awards to ensure transparency.    

3.1.1.3      Awards shall consist of WTUs or equivalent time and may be banked for use in the next academic year.

3.1.1.4 Any unused WTUs or equivalent time from the program shall roll over for use in the following Academic Year.

4.0 Eligibility and Restrictions                                         

4.1  Eligibility

4.1.1 All Unit 3 faculty unit employees as defined by the Unit 3 Collective Bargaining Agreement are eligible to apply and submit applications for Assigned Time for Exceptional Levels of Service to Students.

4.1.2 Eligible activities are those that have been or are being performed in the current semester or prior academic year(but not being compensated for either through reassigned time, stipend, or other means of compensation) that have improved student’s learning experiences beyond faculty’s standard professional responsibilities.

4.1.3 Priority shall be given to applications which demonstrate that the quality of students’ educational experience could not have been maintained without an increase in the faculty member’s workload.

4.1.4 Faculty already receiving assigned time for the same general category of activity (e.g. assigned time for excess enrollments, assigned time for committee service, etc) shall not be eligible for support from the pool for the same activities.

4.2   Restrictions

4.2.1 Assigned time can only be utilized during the academic year (August – May),

4.2.2 Awards shall consist of WTUs or equivalent time and may be banked for use in the next academic year. CSUDH shall establish timelines so that assigned time is taken during the academic year in which      the activities occurred.

4.3   Timeline

4.3.1 The Office of Faculty Affairs will develop timelines for applications and review of applications.

5.0 Application Materials

 5.1 An application for assigned time to support exceptional levels of service to students shall consist of:

5.1.1 A narrative description of current activity or activities, not to exceed 500 words.

5.1.2 A current curriculum vitae (CV).

5.1.3 Faculty members already receiving assigned time for the same general category of activity (e.g., assigned time for excess enrollments, assigned time for committee service) shall not be eligible for support from this pool for the same activities. Applicants must include evidence of assigned time or a statement attesting that they are not currently receiving assigned time for the same general activity.

5.2 Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

 6.0   Supported Activities and Review Criteria

6.1  The following activities are supported but not limited to:

6.1.1 Student mentoring, advising, and outreach, especially as these activities supports underserved, first-generation, and/or underrepresented students and other practices in support of such students, including those caused by cultural taxation;

6.1.2 The development and implementation of high-impact educational practices;

6.1.3 Curricular redesign intended to improve student access and success;

6.1.4 Service to the department, college, University, or community that goes significantly beyond the normal expectations of all faculty;

6.1.5 Assignment to courses in which enrollment increases have demonstrably increased workload.

6.1.6 Other extraordinary forms of service to students or the university, including those that result from cultural taxation.

6.2    Review Criteria

6.2.1 Review Criteria – Consideration shall be given to following factors: graduate instruction; online instruction; activity classes; laboratory courses; supervision; distance learning; sports; and directed study; class size/number of students; course and curricular redesign; preparation for substantive changes in instructional methods (including development of online and hybrid courses; research, scholarly, and creative activities; advising; student teacher supervision; thesis supervision; supervision of fieldwork; service learning; student success initiatives; assessment and accreditation activities; and service on department, college or University committees. In determining what is “excessive” or “unreasonable” workload under this policy, the items listed in the preceding sentence, as well as the number of students seeking to take courses in the academic area, the distribution of student enrollment, the level of support provided the program, and the effects of the introduction of new instructional technologies, and the prior practices of CSUDH shall be among the primary elements to be considered. Consideration of the prior practices of CSUDH shall include the calculation of Weighted Teaching Units in prior years. Priority shall be given to applications which demonstrate that the quality of student’s educational experience could not have been maintained without an increase in the faculty member’s workload.

6.2.2 Demonstrated impact on student success and/or educational experience (33.3%).

6.2.3 Demonstration that the impact on and/or quality of student experience could not be maintained without an   increase in workload and that it is above and beyond the faculty member’s assignment/regular duties (33.4%).

6.2.4 Demonstrated impact on first-generation, underrepresented, or historically underserved students and/or demonstrable cultural taxation (33.3%).

6.2.5 The committee will determine cultural taxation per the document available at and as defined below: AS-3533-22/FA (Rev) Cultural Taxation, Issues and Faculty Input (calstate.edu)

1 - Being the “expert” on matters of diversity;

2 - Being called upon to educate majority group about diversity;

3 - Serving on taskforces or committees addressing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion;

4 -Serving as liaison between the institution and ethnic communities; 5 – Sacrificing time from one’s work to serve as “solver, troubleshooter, or negotiator” for conflicts among administration, students, and community; and

6 - Serving as translators for non-English speaking visitors to the campus.

7.0   Recommendations

 7.1 The University Leaves Committee shall assign each proposal one of three ratings:

7.1.1 Strongly Recommend

7.1.2 Recommend

7.1.3 Do Not Recommend

7.2 The committee shall submit its evaluations and the applications materials to the Provost who, in consultation with the appropriate administrator responsible for assigning workload (e.g. Dean or Director), shall            make the final determination regarding the approval or denial of the proposal.

8.0   Information Provided to Applicants

8.0.1 The Office of Faculty Affairs and Development shall inform applicants of the final decision.

8.0.2 Denials shall specify the reasons.

9.0   Appeals

9.0.1        Applicants may appeal the decision to deny the award.

9.0.2        Decisions made by the Appeals Committee shall be final and binding and are not subject to the grievance procedures specified in Article 10 of the CBA.

9.0.3        Awards granted after an appeal shall be funded from the subsequent fiscal year’s obligation for this program and shall not exceed 10% of the annual obligation.

9.1 Appeals Committee

9.1.1 The Appeals Committee shall be appointed by the Academic Senate Executive Committee

9.1.2 The Appeals Committee shall be comprised of randomly drawn tenured faculty. Faculty who applied for the award shall not serve on the Appeals Committee.

9.2  Timeline and Notification of Decisions

9.2.1 Appeals of the denial shall be made to the Chair of the Academic Senate and shall be filed no more than ten (10) working days after the date upon which the applicant is notified of the decision.

9.2.2 The Chair of the Academic Senate will appoint the Appeals Committee within ten (10) working days of receiving the first appeal.

9.2.3 The Appeals Committee shall complete their review in not more than thirty (30) working days after receipt of the appeals.

9.2.4 The Appeals Committee shall send the appellant notification of its decision.