Academic workload models
WHAT IS THE WORKLOADS CLAUSE?
The Workload Clause is Clause 24 of the University of Wollongong (Academic Staff) Enterprise Agreement, 2005. The purpose of clause 24 is:
- to provide for the equitable distribution of workloads among academic staff;
- to give flexibility in the time allocated to the wide range of academic work.
The Enterprise Agreement applies to academic staff at all ranks except Deans and those who are employed on an AWA, including those in non-Faculty areas (eg Aboriginal Education Centre, Learning Development, CEDIR).
HOW DOES THE FACULTY WORKLOAD REFERENCE GROUP DECIDE ON A WORKLOAD MODEL FOR MY FACULTY?
The Faculty Workload Reference Group (FWRG) decides a workload model based on what the Faculty determines as the indicative normal balance between various areas of academic activity, relevant to your Faculty. A Faculty meeting (of academic staff, since the Enterprise Agreement covers academic staff) must ratify the Faculty workload model. The FWRG also monitors compliance by HoDs to the Faculty model.
WHAT IS THE COMPOSITION OF THE FACULTY WORKLOAD REFERENCE GROUP?
The Dean or nominee, a HoD or Associate Dean or equivalent person and two staff members elected by academic staff of the Faculty.
DO STAFF MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY NEGOTIATE AND AGREE WORKLOADS WITH THEIR ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR?
No. Workloads are allocated by the supervisor but workloads must be consistent with the Faculty Workload Model, represent an equitable distribution of workload and take into account family responsibilities. Individuals must be consulted prior to the finalisation of their workload allocations, however.
Individual workload allocations may be varied during the year, if circumstances changes, but the supervisor must, again, consult the staff member about any variation.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBER HAS CONCERNS WITH THE PROPOSED WORKLOAD?
The staff member may take the disputed workload allocation to the FWRG in the first instance to attempt to have the matter resolved. .
The FWRG will meet at least twice a year and academic staff will be notified 4 weeks in advance of the meeting and will be given the opportunity to submit issues for consideration.
WHAT HAPPENS IF A WORKLOADS DISPUTE IS NOT RESOLVED AT THE FACULTY LEVEL?
An unresolved workload dispute may be raised as an industrial dispute in some situations or could be raised as a grievance or as an industrial case by the Union.
WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM WORKLOAD I CAN BE REQUIRED TO UNDERTAKE?
Unless you have been appointed to a research only position or a specialist position with individually specified duties, your workload allocation will normally include elements of teaching, research and scholarly activity, administration and University governance, and community involvement. However, if you do not undertake a full-time equivalent workload to faculty standards in one or other areas of academic activity, there may be an increase in the workload allocation in one or other of these elements.
You will not normally be required to undertake more than 780 hours of teaching and teaching related activity hours per annum (averaged over a 2 year period) over a period of 26 to 32 weeks per annum. These teaching hours have been specified in order to provide opportunity for the full range of academic duties to occur.
WHAT DOES ‘TEACHING RELATED’ MEAN?
‘Teaching related’ is a deliberately broad term that is designed to include everything you do that is related to teaching. For example, it could include: preparing courses or subjects, face-to-face or on-line teaching (lecturing, tutoring, conducting workshops, practical classes, field groups or lab classes, supervising students), marking, providing feedback, consulting, counselling or assisting students, etc. This list is provided as a guide only.
I STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW THE TEACHING HOURS WORK. COULD YOU GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES?
- All academic staff will have a clear 14 to 20 weeks per year available for research and other activities.
- Most faculty staff ‘teach’ in 2 X 13 week Sessions (26 weeks pa).
- Most faculty staff are involved in 3 weeks (6 weeks pa) of marking and submitting marks per session (26 + 6 = 32 weeks pa).
- Some staff are involved in clinical supervision (approx. 6 weeks pa) (This cannot be additional to the 32 weeks maximum stated above, but must be accommodated within the 32 weeks max.)
- Max 780 hours (teaching & teaching related) per year over 26 weeks = 26 hours per week.
- Max 780 hours (teaching & teaching related) per year over 32 weeks = 24.4 hours per week.
- Each teaching delivery hour notionally includes one hour preparation, one hour teaching, one hour marking) thus most Faculty staff will be involved in approx. 8 hours per week face-to-face delivery or equivalent.
- In situations where there is little or no marking required (eg Learning Development, Staff Development, thesis supervision) the formula might increase the number of hours devoted to preparation and administration [of the learning tasks] and reduce the number of hours devoted to marking).