New Faculty Orientation Workload Fulfillment New Faculty Orientation

Process of proposing, approving, and updating the annual workload agreement Importance of fulfilling the workload agreement

Workload Agreement Document that establishes expectations of the faculty member across the academic year (Fall & Spring). Basis of faculty evaluation. Link to “Workload Templates” on UA Labor Relations page: http://www.alaska.edu/labor/unac/

Role of the Workload Agreement in Evaluation Annual evaluation of faculty is based upon an Annual Activity Report (AAR) submitted by the faculty member. The AAR consists of a current CV plus the Annual Activity Report form, which includes a brief narrative self- evaluation narrative. The AAR form follows the basic outline of the Workload Agreement. Evaluations are based upon fulfillment of the workload assignment and professional responsibilities as well as guidance for professional development.

Annual Workload Agreement Annual Activity Report Comprehensive Review File (cumulative)

Development of Annual Workload Agreement Proposal initiated by Workload assigned by Dept. Faculty Chair Dean or Program Administrator

Development of Workload Agreement Proposed by faculty member – submitted to chair or director by March 1 or at least 60 days before the end of the current contract period. Recommendations by chair or department head to the appropriate administrator by April 1 or 30 days before the end of the current contract. Assignment by Dean – May 1 or 5 days before contract end. The standard faculty Workload Agreement establishes faculty responsibilities during a 9-month contract period, typically Fall and Spring semesters.

Development of Workload Agreement The standard faculty Workload Agreement establishes faculty responsibilities during a 9-month contract period, typically Fall and Spring semesters. If a Summer Additional Assignment or Contract Extension is assigned and accepted, it should be documented either on a separate summer workload, or as “plus one, two, or three months” on the base workload, depending on the nature of the work. (The University is not obligated to offer an additional assignment outside the 9-month contract, and the faculty member is not obligated to accept it.) Workload agreements for summer assignments are often developed later than the standard Workload Agreement.

Workload Components Activities that comprise the workload are calculated in terms of workload units or credits – 30 units per academic year. One workload unit equals one credit of teaching or equivalent research or service effort. Components of a faculty workload may include teaching, research or creative activity, and service. Not every faculty workload includes all categories of faculty activity. There is no prescribed distribution of effort across components of the workload.

Workload components Teaching: course assignments very specific Research: less specific Service: varies Workload components of individual faculty may vary from semester to semester and/or contract period to contract period to permit variations in emphasis across teaching, research or creative activities, and service.

Midyear Revision of Workload Proposed changes in actual workload require revision of workload document and formal approval by the Dean. Changes should be discussed with the appropriate administrator before commitment. Workload Agreement should be accurate before the contract period ends in May.

Revision of Workload Agreement Change in teaching – common for specific courses to change, but workload agreement should be corrected before the end of the contract period (academic year). Modification of research /creative activity – generally no workload revision. Activity Report will be more specific. Change in Service – no revision for minor changes. Revision if anything substantial is deleted from the signed agreement. Activity Report will be more detailed.

Fulfillment of Workload Agreement Avoid overloads (formal or informal). Do not anticipate that overload compensation will be available or workload adjustments approved after the fact. Stay within the assigned workload proportions. If you propose an addition to your workload, subtract or narrow the scope of something else. Protect research time

Teaching Assignments According to the UNAC Collective Bargaining Agreement, teaching encompasses (among other things) Delivery of instruction (whatever the format) Preparation of course materials Development or revision of curriculum General advising of students “Other activities benefitting students’ academic development.”

Service Often minimal and vague in the first year of service “To be determined” or “As requested” – adequate for the workload agreement only in the first year. Proposal for service activity must be more specific in subsequent workloads proposed by the faculty member.

Service Departmental (not department meetings or general advising) College/University Professional Public Service (non-remunerative, drawing on professional expertise; not general good citizenship)

Service Requests / invitations for service often come after submission of the original workload proposal. In many units, there is ongoing evaluation of essential service in light of fiscal constraints. Do not take on additional service activities on the assumption that expectations in other areas of the workload will change, unless a workload revision is signed by the Dean or Dean’s designee. Stay within the specified service proportion of the workload.

Cautions Faculty performance is evaluated against the workload agreement signed by the dean or dean’s designee. Not fulfilling part of the signed workload agreement leads to problems in review. Faculty may not self-assign revised workloads.