4.7 Faculty Employment Contract and Offer Letter Process

4.7.1 Employment Contracts

Each newly hired faculty member shall receive either a Mines employment contract, position or offer letter, as appropriate to the faculty member’s employment category. In subsequent years, each continuing tenured/tenure-track, teaching, and library faculty member shall be notified, usually in writing, each summer notifying the faculty member of their salary for the upcoming academic or fiscal year (as the case may be).  If a faculty member's title or rank changes, a new employment contract, position, or offer letter shall be issued by Mines to reflect such change of title or rank. Academic faculty who have an additional position as administrator, Department Head, or Dean shall receive an addendum regarding the additional position, and in subsequent years they shall be given salary update information concerning the additional position in the salary notification letter. Other employment contracts, such as extra duties contracts, shall be issued as necessary.

4.7.2 Employment Contract Period or Term of Position
 

1. Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty, Teaching Faculty, and Professors of Practice
   The contract period for these faculty normally runs from the date of the annual Faculty Conference to the date of spring Commencement for each academic year.  Any exception to these dates shall be noted on the employment contract form or salary notification letter tendered annually by Mines to the faculty member.  Academic year salary is generally paid to faculty members in ten equal installments on the last business day of each month from August through May.  Faculty may request to receive their academic year salary in twelve equal installments. To do so, a deferred pay agreement must be completed in the Payroll office prior to the first day of work in the fall semester and is irrevocable for the academic year to which it applies. If the period of actual service does not equal a full academic year, salary will be earned in proportion to the fraction of the academic year in which services were actually rendered.

2. Other Non-Tenure-Track Faculty
   Subject to their legislatively mandated employment-at-will status, the position renewal period for non-tenure-track faculty will vary according to the duration of the funding which has been secured to support the faculty member's position. Salary shall be paid in monthly installments on the last business day of each month.  If the period of actual service does not equal the full length of the position, salary will be earned in proportion to the fraction of the position period in which services were actually rendered.

3. Administrative Faculty
   Subject to their legislatively mandated employment-at-will status, the salary evaluation and adjustment period for administrative faculty, and other exempt Mines employees whose salaries are calculated on a twelve-month basis, is normally July 1st through June 30th of each year.  Salary shall be paid in twelve equal installments on the last business day of each month.

4.7.3 Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance

Pursuant to the mandate of Colorado Revised Statutes, §22-61-104, all Mines faculty and staff members who teach, with the exception of non-tenure track faculty and staff members who are employed to teach in a temporary capacity and are citizens of a nation other than the United States, are required to take the following oath or affirmation:

I solemnly (swear) (affirm) that I will uphold the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of Colorado, and I will faithfully perform the duties of the position upon which I am about to enter.

This oath or affirmation must be completed prior to the faculty or staff member’s commencement of teaching duties, in writing, and subscribed and sworn before a notary public or any other person authorized to administer oaths in the State of Colorado. The faculty or staff member’s employment is contingent upon satisfying this statutory requirement. A copy of the signed oath or affirmation will be retained in the employee’s personnel file