Troy University affirms and is guided by the ideal that all members of the faculty, whether tenured or not, are entitled to academic freedom as set forth in the 1971 Statement of Academic Freedom and Responsibility formulated by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities:

Academic freedom is the right of members of the academic community freely to study, discuss, investigate, teach, conduct research, publish, or administer as appropriate to their respective roles and responsibilities. It is the responsibility of administrators to protect and assure these rights within the governing framework of the institution. The teacher is entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing his or her subject, but he or she should be careful to present the various scholarly views related to the subject and to avoid introducing into his or her teaching controversial or other matter which has no direct relation to his or her subject. The teacher is entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results there from, subject to the adequate performance of other academic duties.

However, academic freedom should be distinguished clearly from constitutional freedom, which all citizens enjoy equally under the law. Academic freedom is an additional assurance to those who teach and pursue knowledge, and, thus, properly should be restricted to rights of expression pertaining to teaching and research within areas of recognized professional competencies. Beyond this, expressions by members of the academic community should carry no more weight or protection than that accorded any other citizen under the guarantee of constitutional rights; that is, outside of one's professional field, one must accept the same responsibility which all other individuals bear for their acts and utterances. In these cases, there is and should be no guaranteed immunity from possible criticism under the guise of academic freedom; however, when a member of the academic community speaks or writes as a citizen, he or she should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but as a person of learning should remember that the public may judge the profession and the institution by his or her utterances, so one should at all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others, and should indicate that he/she is not an institutional spokesperson.

The concept of academic freedom must be accompanied by an equally demanding concept of academic responsibility. The concern of the institution and its members for academic freedom safeguards must extend equally to requiring responsible service, consistent with the objectives of the institution.

Institutions of higher education are committed to open and rational discussion as a principal means for the clarification of issues and the solution of problems. In the solution of certain difficult problems, all members of the academic community must take note of their responsibility to society, to the institution, and to each other and must recognize that at times the interests of each may vary and will have to be reconciled. The use of physical force, psychological harassment, or other disruptive acts that interfere with institutional activities, freedom of movement on the campus, or freedom of all members of the academic community to pursue their rightful goals is the antithesis of academic freedom and responsibility. So, also, are acts which, in effect, deny freedom to speak, to be heard, to study, to teach, to administer, and to pursue research. It is incumbent upon each member of the academic community to be acquainted with his or her individual responsibilities, as delineated by appropriate institutional statements.

The universal responsibility of the teaching faculty member is effective teaching. A proper academic climate can be maintained only when members of the academic community meet their fundamental responsibilities regularly, such as preparing for and meeting their assignments, conferring with and advising students, evaluating fairly and reporting promptly student achievement, and participating in group deliberations which contribute to the growth and development of students and the institution. All members of the academic community also have the responsibility to accept those reasonable duties assigned to them within their fields of competency, whether curricular, co-curricular or extra-curricular. Additionally, the concept of "institutional loyalty" still has a proper place within the academic community and imposes the further responsibility on all members of the academic community to attempt, honestly and in good faith, to preserve and defend the institution and goals it espouses, without restricting the right to advocate change.

Administrators must protect, defend and promote academic freedom, must assure that members of the academic community fulfill their responsibilities, and, in addition, must recognize that they have special responsibilities for which they are held accountable—namely, the marshaling of human, physical, and financial resources in order to realize institutional goals.

1. Step One: Department Chair
   1. Before a faculty member brings a formal grievance, he/she must attempt to resolve the matter informally.
       
   2. If the faculty member has been unable to resolve the matter informally, he/she may, within six weeks after becoming aware of the grievable event(s), enter a formal grievance in writing with the department chair or immediate supervisor.
       
2. Step Two: Associate Dean
   1. If the grievant is not satisfied with the disposition of the grievance at step one, or if no decision has been rendered within two class days after presentation of the grievance, he/she may file the grievance in writing with the associate dean, with a copy to the department chair and to the academic dean. The grievant must state the exact nature of the grievance and the remedy sought.
       
   2. Within ten class days of the receipt of the written grievance, the associate dean and the grievant shall attempt to arrange a conference in an effort to resolve the grievance. If the associate dean considers it advisable, he/she may request the attendance of the party whose action occasioned the grievance. If he/she so desires, the grievant may include a campus faculty member in this meeting.
       
3. Step Three: Dean
   1. If the grievant is not satisfied with the disposition of the grievance at step two, or if no decision has been rendered within ten class days after presentation of the grievance, he/she may file the grievance in writing with the academic dean, with a copy to the department chair, the associate dean, and to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. The grievant must state the exact nature of the grievance and the remedy sought.
       
   2. Within ten class days of the receipt of the written grievance, the dean (or designee) and the grievant shall attempt to arrange a conference in an effort to resolve the grievance. If the dean considers it advisable, he/she may request the attendance of the party whose action occasioned the grievance. If he/she so desires, the grievant may include a Troy University faculty member in this meeting.
       
4. Step Four: Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
   1. If the grievant is not satisfied with the disposition of the grievance at step three, or if no decision has been rendered within ten class days, he/she may present the grievance in writing to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, with a copy to the Chancellor of the University and to the chair of the Personnel Advisory Committee.
       
   2. Within ten class days after the receipt of the grievance, the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost (or designee) and the grievant shall attempt to arrange a conference for the purpose of solving the grievance. If the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost considers it advisable, he/she may request the attendance of the party whose action occasioned the grievance. If he/she so desires, the grievant may bring a Troy University faculty member to this meeting.
       
5. Step Five: Personnel Advisory Committee
   1. If the grievant is not satisfied with the disposition of the grievance at step four, or if no decision has been rendered within ten class days, he/she may request, in writing, to the Chancellor that the Personnel Advisory Committee consider the grievance.
       
   2. If the Personnel Advisory Committee decides that the grievance does not meet the criteria for a hearing, the grievance is closed.
       
   3. If the Personnel Advisory Committee believes that the grievance has disclosed needed improvements in policies, practices, or procedures in the University, it shall recommend such changes to the Chancellor of the University.
       
   4. If the Personnel Advisory Committee decides that the grievance meets the criteria for a hearing, then the Personnel Advisory Committee will conduct the hearing.
       
6. Miscellaneous
   1. A “grievance” is defined as a complaint by a faculty member that he/she 1) has been discriminated against on the basis of age, sex, race, religion, national origin, marital status, political or religious opinions or affiliations, or veteran status; 2) has been denied academic freedom; 3) has been denied due process in consideration for tenure, renewal of contract, or promotion; 4) has been subject to a violation, misinterpretation or inequitable application of provisions of the Faculty Handbook or of other stated University policies and procedures: and 5) has otherwise been treated unfairly or inequitably.
       
   2. It is important that grievances be processed as rapidly as possible. The number of days indicated at each step shall be considered a maximum, and every effort will be made to expedite the process. The time limits specified may, however, be extended by mutual agreement.
       
   3. A grievant shall have two weeks to respond after each step. If he/she fails to respond by the end of two weeks, the grievance will be considered waived. An involuntary delay such as illness or failure of the mails to deliver shall not be construed as waiving the grievance.
       
   4. If, in the course of processing a grievance, there is a dispute over whether a grievance has been waived, the parties will continue to follow the procedure and the Personnel Advisory Committee will decide whether the grievance has been waived.
       
   5. Copies of the recommendation(s) of the Personnel Advisory Committee shall be sent to the grievant, the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, the academic dean, and the department chair.
       
   6. The Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost will, upon request, provide the grievant and/or the person whose action occasioned the grievance with the names of faculty members or others who may be of assistance in the preparation and presentation of his/her case in the grievance procedure.

311.3.1 Office Facilities

311.3.2 Clerical Assistance

311.3.3 University Libraries

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311.4.1. Reduced Teaching Load for Research Support

311.4.2 Financial Support

Troy University, recognizing the necessity for faculty members to acquire new experiences to enrich their teaching or to secure uninterrupted time for research and writing, supports the principle of sabbatical leave. The University desires to encourage professional growth and increased competency and productivity among faculty members by subsidizing significant research, creative work, or a program which is judged to be of equivalent value, such as some other program of study, or an organized experiential program, or an exchange of teaching responsibilities with a faculty member at another college or university. Sabbatical leaves are administered by the Faculty Development Committee.

Troy University encourages the professional development of the faculty and provides varied assistance to eligible faculty members through the Faculty Development Committee.

Faculty contracts are issued in the spring for the succeeding academic year. Each contract will specify the type of appointment, rank, salary and the term of appointment. In addition, an initial memorandum will set forth any special conditions or considerations as required elsewhere in this Faculty Handbook. A separate contract will be issued for salary supplements paid from grants as well as for fees for consultation services undertaken by the faculty at the University's request.

Most full-time faculty members are paid monthly in ten payments for the academic year. However, faculty members may request in writing to have the ten-month salary payable in twelve equal monthly installments. Compensation for the summer term for full-time faculty members is paid in two monthly installments. Part-time faculty members are paid in accordance with the terms stated in their contracts. Faculty may claim their checks in the Payroll Office on the last working day of the month. Faculty members who wish to have their monthly checks deposited directly in their bank accounts may do so by processing their requests through the Payroll Office.