Full-time faculty members appointed to The University of Tennessee agree to devote themselves to UT’s mission of teaching, research, and public service. Fulfillment of these responsibilities demands a full-time, 100% commitment to normal University duties, including remaining current in the discipline to which the faculty member is appointed. For many faculty members, an important part of keeping up-to-date lies outside the classroom, laboratory, and library: it involves testing one’s academic skills and abilities by applying them to real-world problems. The University encourages the faculty to engage in consulting and other related outside services which are associated with an individual faculty member’s appointment and which develop his/her professional expertise. By these means, many faculty members improve their disciplinary skills; they serve educational institutions and professional organizations, business, industry, and government; and they bring positive recognition to The University.
University-wide policies governing compensated outside activities by faculty require each campus to establish procedures to ensure that professional development of the faculty is encouraged and, at the same time, ensure that faculty meet their regular University responsibilities in a timely and effective manner. The following guidelines represent a compilation of the University-wide policies and implementing guidelines specifically applicable to faculty governed by the Faculty Handbook for The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.