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Model Clause on Workload

1
Preamble

The work of an academic staff member involves both the pursuit and the dissemination of knowledge through research, teaching, public lectures, conference communications, publications, the building of library collections, the provision of critically mediated access to information, artistic production and other similar activities. Such activities are closely related and involve different aspects of a single job. In the assignment of workload duties the employer shall ensure that the balance between these activities as well as the balance between scheduled and non-scheduled duties affords adequate opportunity for each academic staff member to participate fully in all aspects of academic work.

1.1
Members have the right and obligation to develop and maintain their academic competence and effectiveness, and to perform their academic duties in accordance with the procedures set out below.

1.2
The academic workload shall be distributed and scheduled in a fair and equitable manner. Administrative officers¹ shall act only on the recommendation of the relevant academic unit. Administrative officers shall ensure that the work expected of each academic staff member is equivalent to that of others within the academic unit. The variables to be considered when assessing workload include, but are not limited to, the following:

a) the career stage of the member;
b) the member’s area of expertise;
c) the requirements of the member’s ongoing research activities;
d) the requirements of the member’s service or administrative activities;
e) whether the member will be responsible for giving unscheduled courses such as directed readings;
f) whether the member will be supervising graduate or undergraduate research;
g) the expected number of students in courses assigned to the member;
h) the level, type and method of delivery of courses assigned;
i) the number, methods and complexity of assessments of student work;
j) the number of new and distinct preparations required;
k) the size and degree of complexity of unit-wide duties or projects for which the member has specially assigned responsibilities;
l) any special circumstances, such as family responsibilities or disability, that may affect the scheduling of teaching activities;
m) the location of teaching activities assigned;
n) the availability of teaching and research assistants and other resources; and
o) the number of contact hours.

1.3
No member may be assigned a regular teaching workload with a total enrolment of more than X students in any given year.²

1.4
The workload of a part-time contract academic staff member shall be a percentage of the total workload of a full-time member including teaching, professional, research and service activities.

1.5
Once individual workloads have been finalized each member shall receive:

a) a copy of their own workload; and
b) a list of the workloads of all other members in their academic unit.

This list shall at the same time be forwarded to the academic staff association.

2
Teaching Workload

2.1
Teaching involves both scheduled duties such as the provision of graduate and undergraduate courses and unscheduled duties such as preparations, assessment and individual consultation and supervision.

2.2
The teaching load of an academic staff member shall not differ substantially from the normal teaching load per member in their academic unit. In determining an equitable teaching load administrative officers in each academic unit shall pay particular attention to the requirements in Articles 1.1 and 1.2.

2.3
The normal scheduled teaching workload of a full-time academic staff member shall be no more than the equivalent of X three-credit courses in a single academic year.³ The normal scheduled teaching workload of a part-time contract academic staff member shall be pro-rated.

2.4
Following consultation with the member, the administrative officer shall assign teaching duties consistent with the member’s expertise. The member shall not unreasonably refuse such assignments.

2.5
The administrative officer, subject to Article 1.2, may assign teaching duties to a regular full-time academic faculty member in only two of the three academic sessions, normally the winter and fall terms.⁴ The administrative officer may assign scheduled teaching duties during the summer term only with the agreement of the member.

2.6
A part-time contract academic staff member may be offered teaching assignments in any of the three terms, it being understood that the member has the right to refuse such an assignment in one of three terms without loss of seniority or any other entitlement provided in this collective agreement.

2.7
When scheduling courses the administrative officer shall ensure that each member is provided with at least one day each week⁵ free of scheduled teaching to allow for various non-scheduled duties such as research, course preparation, professional development, and service activities.

2.8
The administrative officer may assign a regular full-time member a scheduled teaching duty extending past 5:00 pm or on the weekend only when such an assignment is justified by the nature of the student clientele and only with the agreement of the member.⁶ If a member is scheduled to teach in the evening that member shall have at least 16 hours between the end of their evening teaching duty and the assignment of another teaching duty.

3
Librarian Members’ Professional Duties

3.1
The professional duties of academic librarians shall include:

a) instructional, consultative and research assistance to library users;
b) selection, acquisition and organization of information resources; and
c) management of library collections, information systems, and service programs.

3.2
The chief librarian shall assign both scheduled and unscheduled professional duties following consultation with the member. In assigning duties the chief librarian shall pay particular attention to the requirements in Articles 1.1 and 1.2.

3.3
The chief librarian may assign professional duties to a librarian member during all three terms it being understood that such scheduled duties shall be arranged so that there is regular and sufficient uninterrupted time for research, professional development, and service activities.

3.4
When scheduling professional duties the chief librarian shall ensure that each member is provided with at least one day each week free of scheduled duties to allow for various non-scheduled duties such as research, course preparation, professional development, and service activities.

3.5
The chief librarian may assign a regular full-time member scheduled professional duties extending past 5:00 pm or on the weekend only with the agreement of the member. The member shall not unreasonably refuse such an assignment. Evening assignments shall not extend beyond one evening per week in the case of regular full-time members.

4
Research Workload

4.1
Recognizing that research investigations and the preparation of research results often require extended periods of concentrated effort, administrative officers shall ensure that each member is given adequate opportunity to undertake research consistent with this collective agreement. Each academic member shall determine for themselves an appropriate schedule for the performance of research tasks.

4.2
In addition to the research time provided for in this article, the employer shall provide more extended periods of uninterrupted research time in the form of a sabbatical leave.⁷

5
Service Activities

5.1
Service activities involve internal academic duties as well as service to external community, academic or professional organizations.

5.2
Internal service activities include participation in university, faculty, departmental or other administrative committees, and the activities of the academic staff association.

5.3
The employer recognizes participation in the activities of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) and or [your provincial association] as external service activities.

5.4
Contract academic staff members have the right to participate in the academic governance of their academic units.⁸


Endnotes
1. The administrative officer may differ from academic unit to academic unit. Ensure that your clause identifies this officer and is consistent with existing practice and other provisions of the collective agreement.

2. This number may differ from department to department, depending on the discipline and the nature of the instructional and assessment methods employed; however, it should be negotiated and specified in the collective agreement to protect members from any arbitrary increase in workload.

3. Again, the number may differ from department to department in order to reflect the differing nature of teaching in different disciplines. While this clause may be modified to meet your local situation, ensure that some maximum is included in the collective agreement.

4. The collective agreement should recognize any special scheduling patterns which may be prevalent in a particular academic unit only when such special arrangements reflect long standing practice which has been accepted by members of that particular unit.

5. This model clause is assuming that a week is referring to a 5-day work week from Monday to Friday.

6. Ensure that this time limit is consistent with the course schedules on your campus.

7. In institutions where contract academic staff continue to be employed on a per-course basis, it is important to negotiate an equivalent entitlement in the form of research contracts (see the Model Clause on Sabbatical Leaves and Remunerated Research Time).

8. Where contract academic staff continue to be employed on a per-course basis compensation should include pay for service activities.