Policy on Course Buyouts

Last update: 08/06/2018 - 4:13pm

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Reason for Policy


To define and clarify the expectations regarding internal and external course buyouts, and to outline expectations of faculty on course buyout. 

Entities Affected


Faculty, department heads, department managers, divisional deans, divisional and financial specialists in CAS.

Enactment & Revisions


Enacted: 03/16/2016

Policy Statement


A course buyout relieves the faculty member of work related to that course only. The faculty member is expected to continue all other professional responsibilities, including other teaching, advising, and service obligations. Policies regarding time away from campus during the academic year continue to pertain. Such a buyout could be to teach in another unit, or for research or administrative time.

  1. Internal course buyout: A buyout funded from another unit within the university.

a. With the advent of the budget allocation process that began in FY 19, there will be very few of these. There will be no internal course buyouts among UO academic units when the teaching is inload. 

b. Buyouts occurring as a result of certain administrative responsibilities will use the established CAS buyout rates.

  1. External course buyout: A course buyout from external grant funds or research funds controlled by an individual faculty member will be:

a. 20% of the faculty member's base salary plus OPE for those in the natural sciences.

b. 1/9 of the faculty member's base salary plus OPE for those in the humanities or social sciences.

The number of course buyouts for an individual faculty member may not exceed half of the faculty member's regular teaching load for the year, unless approved by the dean.