Purpose
To establish a policy for course buyout from teaching duties for full-time faculty on standing appointments.
Guidelines
Salary Saving: Penn State Harrisburg has set the cost for “buyout” of 1 course (3 credit hours) in any semester at 10% of the faculty member’s base 36-week salary from any external grant. For internal Penn State sponsored research, the rate may be reduced with prior approval from the Dean. Salary Saving per credit hour is allowed and can be used to determine overall academic year teaching efforts of a faculty. Salary saving is used to pay for the instructional expenses of the course at the approved rate determined by the College for faculty replacement. After these expenses, the school will retain 50% of the remaining salary savings and the other 50% are placed in faculty discretionary account to support their research per university polices. For salary saving less than the amount needed for a course release, the salary saving is divided equally between school and faculty. The faculty members will be allowed to use their portion of salary savings (not to exceed $10,000 per grant) for research-related expenses. Salary savings must be spent in the same fiscal year they are assigned.
- All course buyouts must be approved by the School Director. If the buyout will be paid from a sponsored project, the requested buyout must be approved prior to proposal submission. The number of course buyouts for each faculty member per year is two. Exception may be granted by the Chancellor or Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA).
- Anyone receiving a course release for any reason, including buyout by a sponsored project, will not be eligible for Supp II extra compensation during the semester of that course release. Any exceptions must be recommended by the School Director and approved in advance by the VCAA.
A. Grant-related course buyout, salary release and summer supplemental pay
All matters related to course buyout, salary release and summer supplemental for Penn State Harrisburg faculty shall follow and comply with overall Penn State policies and sponsorship rules and requirements.
B. Penn State policies will govern faculty summer salary compensations.
C. Penn State Harrisburg Policy F14B will provide additional guidance for faculty supplemental pay.
D. Any exceptions to the Penn State Harrisburg policies must be recommended by the School Director and approved in advance by the VCAA.
E. This policy replaces Policy F14 related to salary buyout or salary savings.
New Policy approved by the Academic Council on May 8, 2025