Course Buyout

The College of Arts and Sciences values the synergy between research and classroom teaching and does not encourage the use of course "buy-outs" to reduce a faculty member's annual teaching course commitment in order to expand time available for duties outside of teaching. However, in rare instances and for short intervals, requests for course buy-outs may be needed to advance the institution, and will be considered for faculty members who undertake time-consuming research activities that benefit both the individual and the campus as a whole. In such circumstances, a faculty member rostered in a College of Arts and Sciences academic department, in which course buy-outs are allowed, can formally apply for such. 

Course buy-outs are generally funded from grants, contracts, or other external sources and require the approval of both the Department Chair and the appropriate Divisional Dean. In rare instances, a buy-out can be financed by salary returned to the College via a reduction in a faculty member's appointment. Faculty members who wish to arrange for a course buy-out on grants and/or contracts must discuss the matter with the Department Chair prior to submitting the grant application. The Chair should write a short memo of understanding for the record. Funding of these grants does not obligate the College to provide a course reduction if in the judgment of the chair and/or the Dean, such a reduction is not in the best interest of the Department or Program in the semester in which a course buy-out is sought. 

The cost of a single course buyout is calculated according to the following guidelines: 

  1. If the course commitment in the faculty member's academic department is nine credit hours or more per academic year (the equivalent of three three-credit hour courses or more), the price of a one-course buyout is 10% of the faculty member's academic year salary, 

  1. For departments with teaching commitments of less than 9 credit hours per academic year, the buy-out cost for a single course is calculated according to the formula below: 

Cost= (0.75* (F/C)) * S 

where F is the fraction of a faculty member’s differentiated workload dedicated to teaching (typically 0.4), C is the required annual course commitment in the faculty member's department, and S is the faculty member’s academic year salary. 

For additional information pertaining to the calculations, please refer to the Course Buy-Out and Evaluation Calculation overview. 

The College of Arts and Sciences normally requires graduate courses to be bought out first, followed by undergraduate courses if multiple course buy-outs are granted in a given semester. In semesters in which a faculty member wishes to purchase a complete course buyout, the matter must be referred to the Dean. The normal expectation is that, in this circumstance, the faculty member will pay their complete salary for the semester from extramural sources. 

Long-term reduced faculty course commitments cannot be achieved through course buyouts, but can be accommodated with department and College of Arts and Sciences approval through a "leave without pay" or by the transfer of the faculty member to a research faculty position. Leaves without pay must be in the best interests of the institution and can be granted for positions such as the leadership of national funding agency directorates or divisions (e.g., National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and other governmental agencies). 

 

Directions for Using DocuSign Course Buyout Template 

  • Log in to DocuSign  
  • For questions regarding DocuSign access, please contact help@colorado.edu. Please specify you are requesting access to the Arts and Sciences offer letter templates.  
  • Click on “Templates” at the top of the screen.  
  • Click on “Shared with Me” from the list on the left side of the screen.  

Screengrab of course buyout form

 

  • Find “College of A&S Course Buyout Form” from the list of templates. The owner is AS Fac Affairs.  
  • Click the drop-down arrow to the right of “use” on the line with the template, then click “copy.”  
     

Screengrab of course buyout form

  • The template will now be saved in the “My Templates” section located on the left side of the screen.  
  • Click on “My Templates” and find the saved copy of the template.  
  • Click “use” on the saved copy of the template.  
  • The screen will display a list of recipients. Click “Advanced Edit” on the bottom of this pop up.  

Screengrab of course buyout form

  • You will be taken to the “Add Documents to Envelope” screen. The program coordinator can add any additional documentation to the envelope at this stage. Do not replace or change the Course Buyout Request document.  
  • Scroll down to “Add Recipients to the Envelope.”  

Screengrab of course buyout form

  • Add the program coordinator information. It will route to the liaison to enter:  
    • Faculty Name (required) 
    • Employee ID (required) 
    • Department (required) 
    • AY Teaching Load  - Coures (required) 
    • AY Course Commitment – credit hours per AY (required) 
    • Fall Buyout Section (optional) 
    • Spring Buyout Section (optional) 
    • Buyout Paid For Section (required) 
      • Select either Salary Reduction or Charged to Other Funds 
        • If Salary Reduction is selected, enter % of AY salary buyout percentage 
        • If Charged to Other Funds is selected, enter speedtype(s) and percentage(s) 
  • The second recipient is the Faculty Member. Enter their name and email into the recipient field. The faculty member will enter: 
    • Reason for buyout / additional comments.  
  • The third recipient defaults to A&S Faculty Affairs. The Faculty Affairs Coordinator (FAC) will check that the buyout request has been filled out properly. If the banking request has been filled out incorrectly the FAC will decline to sign and the coordinator will need to resubmit the request.  
  • The fourth recipient is required. Enter the Department Chair or Director name and email address.  
  • The fifth recipient is the Institute Director and is optional. Enter the Director name and email address if necessary. Delete this role if unnecessary.  
  • The sixth recipient is the VC for Research and Innovation and is optional and is preset. Delete this role if unnecessary.  
  • The seventh recipient is the Dean of Division and is required.  
  • The eighth recipient is for an additional Associate Dean or Dean of Division and is optional. Delete this role if unnecessary. 
  • Click “Add Recipient” if there is a need for more signatures or to add someone to receive a completed copy.  
  • After the signer and recipients have been added, scroll down to “Message to All Recipients.” 

Screengrab of course buyout form

  • You can either choose to send a custom email to each recipient, or one email to all recipients. Do this by either checking or unchecking the “Custom email and language for each recipient” box.  
  • Add any message in the “Email Message” box you would like to have shown while the offer letter is routing signatures.  
  • Change the email subject line to “Course-Related_DEPT_Last_First_Rank_Course Buyout_Term 
    • Example: Course-Related_HIST_Braz_David_Instructor_Course Buyout_Fall2021 
  • Click “Next” on the bottom of the right of the screen.  
  • Add signatures for each signatory on the banking form. Signature lines for roles 1-9 are already assigned.  
  • After any new signature lines have been added, click “Send” on the bottom right of the screen.  
  • The packet will route to the coordinator to enter information on the form. Fill out all required sections and the optional sections that apply. 

 

Reviewed 26 January 2024