[Moderate revision–posted 9/23/25 (replaces 1/5/23 edition)]
[PDF Version]

 

Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 32.25: Tutoring for Payment

DATE: September 23, 2025

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to ensure that the integrity of the faculty and students is protected from misunderstanding regarding payment for tutoring of students.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed every two years after publication by the Vice Provost for Faculty Success with substantive revisions presented to the Provost and Senior Vice President.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1.  Background

Texas Tech University has the responsibility to protect the integrity of the roles of the faculty and students during the period of students’ graduate or undergraduate enrollment in any university course. For purposes of this OP, “faculty” refers to all tenured, non-tenured tenure-track, and non-tenure-track faculty, including part-time instructors. “Teaching assistants” refers to Texas Tech University graduate students who are employed as teaching assistants or graduate part-time instructors.

2.  Criteria

Faculty and teaching assistants must avoid charging a fee for tutoring any student enrolled in the faculty member’s or teaching assistant’s classes. The appearance of conflict of interest must be avoided; therefore, a faculty member / teaching assistant must notify the department chair of any and all tutoring arrangements for which a fee is received before such tutoring begins.

3.  Procedure

a.    Tutoring for payment of any student registered in a faculty member’s / teaching assistant’s class is not allowed.

b.    Faculty members / teaching assistants may tutor students for pay if the student is not enrolled in any class for which the faculty member / teaching assistant is responsible as instructor, grader, discussion leader, etc.

c.    Students who wish to employ a tutor for payment should check with the department in which the class is offered in order to find acceptable tutors in that subject.

d.    Students are free to employ tutors of their choice as long as they are not enrolled in the tutor’s classes.

OP Categories

• 01 Chancellor
• 02 Development
• 04 Audit Services
• 10 President
• 30 Academic and Student Affairs – General
• 32 Academic Policies – Faculty
• 34 Academic Policies – Students
• 36 Academic Programs
• 40 Institutional Compliance
• 48 Communication Services
• 52 Information Technology
• 60 Environmental Health and Safety
• 61 Facilities Management
• 62 Financial and Accounting
• 63 General Services
• 64 Graduate Programs (Faculty and Students)
• 65 Research Accounting
• 66 Libraries
• 67 Mail Services
• 68 Communications and Marketing
• 69 Payroll and Tax Services
• 70 Human Resources
• 72 Purchasing, Contracting, and Payables
• 73 Data Management
• 74 Research
• 75 Research Security
• 76 Security
• 77 Student Services and Registrar
• 78 Traffic and Parking
• 79 Travel
• 80 Vehicles