Freshmen Connection

When assigning any instructor, TA, hourly employee, or non-paid appointment who requires ELMS access, the department is responsible for entering or updating each appointee’s data (demographic, degree, and I-9 Profile ID) (see deadlines). EXST cannot process payment appointments unless the department completes/updates the demographic, degree, and I-9 profile ID entry. If the appointee does not have a current active appointment, the department also must process a non-paid appointment so that the appointee can be entered into SIS. This will allow the appointee to obtain access to ELMS and other university resources. Once the course budget is approved at all levels (department and college), EXST will process appointments for payment. Departments that request a salary transfer within the course Budgets screen are responsible for paying the individual.

Whereas the academic unit selects the appropriate instructor, EXST follows established guidelines regarding instructor appointments. Refer to the Overload Guidelines Section for additional information.

• Instructors, TAs, and hourly employees are not eligible for any benefits such as health, tuition remission, and retirement, through their EXST appointment.
• 100% FTE faculty/staff must teach on overload.
• Lecturers must have an overload if the FC appointment combined with the regular appointment exceeds 100% FTE.
• Graduate Assistants working as teaching assistant must have an overload if the EXST appointment will lead to more than 50% FTE. Departments must also route the Graduate Student Overload Assignment Request form to EXST.
• EXST issues instructors an electronic Instructional Contract (contingent, non-contingent, no cost).

Below is a chart that outlines when overloads are required according to the appointee’s departmental category.

Overload Requirements According to Appointee’s Departmental Category

Academic Affairs, UHR, and Graduate School approves Overload appointments once the Budgets screen have been approved at all levels (department, college, and EXST).

Faculty (Assistant, Associate, Full Professor)

100% FTE Faculty may only teach courses administratively supported by EXST on overload. A faculty member must meet their load before considering teaching on an overload basis. The campus policy on full-time faculty workload [BOR II-1.25(A)] includes the following language: “Presuming that a full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member meets basic requirements associated with research, scholarship and creative activity, and service, the general standard expectation is that such a faculty member will engage in teaching and advising activities equivalent to five course units (as defined in the Board of Regents policy) per contract year.”

A 100% FTE faculty member may be only paid for teaching courses above their regular 100% appointment if they have met the requirements of the position and the supervisor listed has approved the overload. The overload is submitted and must be approved prior to the start of the semester for which the overload is requested. Teaching on an overload basis requires approval each semester. Faculty members who buy out of an on-load course (e.g. with research grant funds) would have to consult with a college and agency official to determine if they can be paid for teaching an overload course. Provost approval is required for non-teaching overloads. Visit the Faculty Handbook website for Overload Guidelines and Procedures.

Even if approved in previous years, overload approval is not guaranteed in subsequent years. Supervisors must consider the workload of the person requesting the overload and their ability to perform the regular job function in addition to the overload. If the instructor is employed by a Maryland state agency or other institution in the University System of Maryland, the program department needs to obtain written approval from the instructor’s supervisor to teach prior to releasing the instructional contract for signature. The approval must be submitted to EXST Finance via email oes-finance@umd.edu.

Criteria:

• Employee must be 100% FTE Faculty, Staff, or Graduate Assistant
• Individual must receive permission of supervisor listed
• Appointment is for credit instruction which is not part of regular duties
• Overload is for a specific time period and amount of money (no hourly requests)
• Request must be submitted in advance of overload period
• Period of time is arranged so that it does not interfere with employee's regular duties

The following template may be used to request overload approval:

(Instructor’s immediate Supervisor listed in their appointment) ________, I am requesting an overload approval for __________ (name and UID # _________), a (title) ___ with a ___ (type of appointment) ___________ appointment in the Department of __________, for the ____ Term course ________ during _____. Your positive response will serve as your approval for this overload. The overload payment for this course will be $______ and will be processed by the Office of Extended Studies in the University's PHR systems. This overload payment is for an assignment that is not a part of ___________'s regular duties. In forwarding this request, ____________ and their supervisor mutually acknowledge and agree that (1) the employee has permission to work on an overload basis; (2) performance of the overload duties will not occur at time periods during which the employee performs their regular duties; (3) performing this overload will not otherwise interfere with the performance of the employee's regular duties. Please indicate your permission for __________ to teach this course by replying to this email by ______ (date) _______________. Thank you for your consideration.

Other Payroll Categories Appointed Instructor

Graduate Assistants teaching as Instructors teaching for both the academic unit and EXST cannot exceed 50% FTE. If the combined appointments exceed 50% FTE, an overload for the balance is required. Appointees with 100% FTE must either obtain an overload, or request that the salary for the instructor be transferred back to the department.

Graduate Assistant Appointed Lecturer

Graduate Assistants with 50% FTE appointments assigned as Lecturer must have an approved overload prior to the start of the term. As GAs, international students are strictly limited by federal law to 20 hours of work per week and may not be employed as a Lecturer on overload during spring and fall but can work during summer. For overload appointments processed for 50% FTE GAs working as TAs, the department must obtain the GA’s advisor and graduate director signatures on the Graduate Student Overload Assignment Request form, emailing the completed form to oes-finance@umd.edu by the deadline.

Graduate Assistant Working as Teaching Assistant

Graduate Assistants working as Teaching Assistant (TA) must have a non-teaching overload if the EXST appointment will lead to more than 50% FTE. The TA must have an approved non-teaching overload prior to the start of the semester. As GAs, international students are strictly limited by federal law to 20 hours of work per week and may not be employed as teaching assistants on overload. For non-teaching overload appointments processed for 50% FTE GAs working as TAs, the department must obtain the GA’s advisor and graduate director signatures on the Graduate Student Overload Assignment Request form, emailing the completed form to oes-finance@umd.edu by the deadline.

To ensure appropriate taxation occurs, it is important to submit payroll tax forms by the due date (see deadlines). A direct deposit form must be completed and delivered to Payroll Services, 1101-L Chesapeake Building, for any new appointee or appointee with a break in UMD service who wants their paycheck directly deposited to their bank. For current UMD appointees, payment will be included in their regular UMD paycheck. It takes two to three pay periods for direct deposits to become active.

Any payments processed by the State's Central Payroll Bureau (CPB) prior to the entry of the payroll tax forms into the Payroll System will be taxed according to the tax forms on file at CPB or, in the case of a new hire, have the maximum amount of taxes withheld.

To obtain blank tax forms, find instructions for completing the tax forms, and access the net pay calculator to estimate the amount of taxes that will be withheld, see the CPB website.

The pay date schedule for instructors’ and TAs’ instructional services for Fall 2025 (2508) is beginning August 15, 2025 and ending January 2, 2026.

Upon receipt of bi-weekly payroll checks/stubs to FC employees, each department payroll person must verify that the gross payment received is correct and should alert EXST of any discrepancies. It is also the responsibility of the employee to review their check stub upon receipt and contact the department if any variance is noted.

In the event that an employee is overpaid during the term, that employee will return/reimburse all overpayments immediately to the University. If the employee is unaware of the overpayment at the time, they are still responsible for refunding the full amount, less any taxes withheld, immediately upon receiving notification of the overpayment. The University’s Payroll Services will determine all net payback amounts; checks should be made payable to: Treasurer State of Maryland and forwarded to Payroll Services.