Agreement on the operation and control of workload

 

An Agreement on Workload between Loughborough University and the LUCU (University and College Union, Loughborough - formerly Loughborough Association of University Teachers).

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1. Preamble
2. Summary of requirements of this Agreement
3. Management
4. Allocation of Duties
5. Compliance
6. Grievance
7. Appendix 1.  General guidelines for the implementation of workload control by Heads of Departments
8. Appendix 2. Workload: Recommendations
9. Appendix 3: Workload: Recommended checklist for the notional weighting of RTA tasks
10. Appendix 4: Workload: Summary data

This Agreement shall be between Loughborough University and Loughborough University and College Union (LUCU) and will come into operation from the academic year 2005-06. It shall apply to all departments of the University. Within the constraints of an increasingly competitive external situation, the University and LUCU seek to promote a congenial and healthy working environment and to engender trust and co-operation between colleagues. Good management at departmental level is the key to achieving these objectives; colleagues who work in a department in which they feel they have an important role, are part of a team, are fairly treated, are part of the decision making process and work in an environment which is friendly and constructive, will work more efficiently and with less stress.

The University reaffirms its commitment to its participative processes and structures.

This Agreement requires that HoDs be responsible for producing an annual departmental workload model (together with its applications). This workload model must:

1. identify the R (research), T (teaching) and A (administration) workload for each member of the staff engaged in RTA or TA or T-only;

2. be discussed and reviewed with its applications to the staff noted in (i), annually at a staff meeting;

3. be accessible and available to all departmental staff;

4. be generally acceptable to all the departmental staff noted in (i);

5. ensure that the workload duties are distributed equitably; any significant deviation must be explained in the workload model submitted to the DVC, and be accepted by the DVC;

6. be submitted, together with details of its applications to those staff noted in (i) to the DVC no later than 1st November each year;

All departmental workloads must be in accordance with these stipulations and with Appendix 1, and should take account of the guidance in Appendices 2, 3 and 4 as may be found helpful.

 

Bearing in mind the responsibilities of individual Heads of Department for academic, financial and personnel management within the Department, there are a number of principles which make for good departmental management and which should be observed.  

• Open communication

• Consultation with staff about the setting of departmental objectives and priorities.  

• Clear lines of responsibility and accountability for individuals and departmental committees.

• The establishment of a management structure in which lines of responsibility and authority are carefully defined. Staff should be clearly aware of their administrative duties and should be accountable for the performance of those duties.

• Having in place planning procedures which provide for full and open discussion in departmental meetings and all staff having access to the necessary financial information that enables them to make a constructive input to the management process.
  

Duties should be allocated in a fair and open manner so that all staff are seen to be contributing fully to the activities of the department. Specifically:

•     Duties should be allocated with regard to principles of equity and fairness. In the case of academic staff, the balance of        duties amongst teaching, research and administration will reflect individual expertise and departmental priorities.

•     Regard should be had to the rights and entitlements of staff within their terms and conditions of service.

•     While hours of work are not fixed, individuals should not be required to work excessive hours for sustained periods.         

•     Individuals themselves should avoid the stress arising from overwork on a regular basis.

•     When teaching duties are allocated care should be taken to ensure that prolonged periods of teaching without a break are       avoided.

Failure on the part of an individual to comply with the division and delivery of workload which is considered to be reasonable and equitable within the terms of the Departmental workload model is likely to result in disciplinary action.

HoDs will submit their workloads models (including spreadsheets that show the RTA outcomes for all academic colleagues covered by this model) to the DVC following discussion and promulgation within their department. Submissions should be, preferably, before the beginning of the academic year, but shall be no later than 1st November. The DVC will advise the Deans and, prior to the annual meeting of the Senior Staff Remuneration Committee, the secretary of the Remuneration Committee, of the extent to which each Departmental submission meets the requirements of the Workload Agreement (as stipulated in the Introduction and Appendix 1 and as advised in Appendices 2, 3 and 4). The LUCU will provide to the DVC, if so requested, any departmental survey evidence relating to the annual departmental discussion of its workload models, together with their promulgation and implementation.

If a member of staff feels that he/she is being unfairly treated with regard to the allocation of duties, he/she should raise it in the first instance with the Head of Department. If the Head of Department is unable to resolve the matter, then the individual may apply to the Dean of the Faculty for a redress of the grievance. If the matter is still incapable of resolution informally, the member of staff is then free to pursue the matter formally in accordance with the grievance procedures set out in conditions of service. 

 

Conditions of service

Members of academic and related staff enjoy other rights as specified in contractual terms and conditions of service. Certain items pertain directly to workload, e.g. in the case of academic staff, proper effort shall be made so to arrange the time required to be devoted to teaching and administration that each member shall have at least the equivalent of one day available during each working week for the advancement of their field of study; and academic staff have the right to apply to take study leave according to the conditions of service and Ordinance XV. 

Strategy and finance

Each department shall update, annually, its 3-year rolling Development Plan.  The annually updated Plans include, in an annex, details of the department’s finances, including all income and planned expenditure (i.e., details of recurrent, including staff costs, and capital income and expenditure for the forthcoming academic years).  This annex shall be presented to the department at a staff meeting.  The updated annex should be available as early as possible in the financial year to all academic, research, and related staff in the department, giving them an opportunity to contribute towards its updating.  Due to timing differences between the beginning of the financial year and the submission deadline for the overall Development Plan, this annex will be considered by the department prior to the definitive annual updating of the overall Development Plan; it will become a part of the updated Development Plan.

The teaching week and year

• The teaching week is generally defined as 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. on Wednesday. 
• No member of staff should be required to teach more than two 50 minute lectures and/or tutorials consecutively or more than 4 hours in a practical session. 
• Save in exceptional circumstances, members of staff should expect to take a one-hour lunch break between the hours of 12.00 noon and 2.00 p.m.
• Where teaching is required outside the hours of 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. on Wednesday. Particular attention should be paid to an equitable distribution of the resultant workload.
• Teaching outside these hours, or teaching outside the normal teaching year, will be the subject of consultation with the individuals concerned and appropriate recognition for this will be given.

Professional development time

Staff (academic, research, and related) should be able to devote a reasonable part of their normal working time to professional development time and be able to continue their education throughout their professional lives. This may take many forms and may be done flexibly depending on departmental circumstances by agreement with the Head of Department.

General

Within departments, hour values should be assigned for R (research), T (teaching) and A (administration) activities for each member of staff. NB: Hours are notional: they cannot be absolute or precise: their use in this Agreement is intended to be helpful in arriving at an overview that shows the overall balance of individuals' activities.

• The workload model and allocations will reflect the needs and academic discipline of the department. However, the workload model should contain the following: (a) the basis for allocating hours to RTA (as demonstrated by the Checklist in Appendix 3), (b) a summary table which lists RTA and total hours for all individual members of academic staff carrying out teaching (see Appendix 4, Table 1) and (c) details for individual members of academic staff (see Appendix 4, Table 2). 

• UCU’s nationally negotiated model workload agreement states that academic staff are entitled to ten weeks per year (not necessarily in one block), not including annual leave, uninterrupted as far as is reasonably possible by scheduled activities, set aside for research and scholarship.

Research R

• Research hours should be assigned. Each department should decide how these are to be assigned, possibly by the HoD, or research coordinator in conjunction with HoD. This is the most difficult to allocate and will differ in each department. The allocation is for the estimated time spent, not the quality of R. The quality is assessed elsewhere. The calculation of the R allocation should include all matters pertaining to research within the discipline of the department and should include PGs, RAs, publications, grants applied for, grants won, research consultancies, outside lectures, organisation of conferences, patents etc.

• An allocation of supervisory hours per PGR and RA should be made.

Teaching T

• All academic staff should undertake undergraduate and/or PGT teaching.

• Allocations can be per module or hour taught in modules where more than one academic teaches.

• An allowance for probationers must be included: 1/3 T for year 1, 1/2 for year 2, 2/3 for year 3.

• All teaching hours for the department should be included, i.e. TAs, RAs. bought in teachers, PGs etc. This will help departments assess their total teaching needs.

Administration A

• Each department will have different duties and weightings: add or subtract from the guidance       list. Assign hours allocations for each task.

• An allowance of 90-120 hours may be given to each academic to cover miscellaneous RTA administration that is not covered in the list of duties.

• ‘One off’ jobs should be given an allocation. The ‘predicted’ jobs should be allocated in the   current workload model and ‘non-predicted’ jobs may be compensated for in the following year’s workload model.

• University duties and committees must be given an allowance.

• Allowances for PVC, ADR/T must be included.

• UCU representation must be allowed for, e.g. UCU departmental representative. Allocations for UCU officers are agreed by the Chief Operating Officer and must be implemented; financial compensation to the department is allocated by the Chief Operating Officer.

• Probationers should normally be allocated only minor duties in years 1 and 2.

  
  

The allocation of time (in hours) is notional and not prescriptive. The checklist is a guide and each department should decide how the RTA hours are to be assigned.

The model works on the assumption of a notional 37 hour working week and 6 weeks + 14 days holiday per year (i.e. 44 weeks.) This amounts to a working year of 1628 hours as a guide, not a limit.

The ‘hourage’ weightings should be assigned and agreed in each department. The list below sets out guidelines to demonstrate which duties need to be taken into account in each department and how these might be defined. There will be other tasks in individual departments that also need to be included. Note that University Committee and UCU hours must be assigned.

Please note Condition 5. Hours of Work from the Academic and Related Staff Conditions of Service: Hours of work whilst not fixed are such as are necessary for the efficient discharge of a Member’s duties as reasonably required by the Head of Department. The nature of a Member’s duties may require from time to time work during hours outside of the normal requirements of a post. No additional payment shall be made for such work but equivalent time off in lieu may normally be granted at the discretion of the Head of Department.

Research Activity (R) hours p.a.

The calculation of the R allocation should include all matters pertaining to research including publications, grants applied for, grants won, research consultancies, outside lectures, organisation of conferences, patents etc.

The assignment of bands of R time commitment is a possible protocol, e.g.

• Research active - level 4            (leading)
• Research active - level 3            (high)
• Research active - level 2            (medium)
• Research active - level 1            (low)
• Research inactive    -   zero hours

Please note that the following should be allowed for in the allocation:

• Supervision per full-time research students
• Supervision per part-time research students
• Supervision per RA

Research Council/Board College member

• *Probationer (year 1)
• *Probationer (year 2)
• *Probationer (year 3)

*Note ‘guidelines for probationers’ (year 1 – 1/3 teaching and very minor administration, year 2 – ½ teaching and minor administration, year 3 – 2/3 teaching and some administration)

 

Teaching Activity (T) hours p.a.

All teaching hours may be included for departmental use, i.e. TA, RA, bought-in, PG etc. This will help departments assess their total teaching needs.

• Preparing and teaching a module
•            **or hours for lectures, tutorials, etc
• Extra preparation time for a new  module
• Exam marking per module
•            (*weighted according to the number of students)    
• CW marking per module
•            (*weighted according to the number of students)
• Supervision of a masters taught course research project
• Supervision of a final year research project

* Weighted per number of students

** Departments may allocate hours per module or allocate according to teaching hours (weighted accordingly). This may be easier if most modules have several colleagues teaching on them.  A suggested guide is lectures (2 h), tutorials (1.5 h), practical classes (1.25 h), new lectures (5 h)

 

Administrative Tasks (A) hours p.a.

Basic administrative allowance (for RTA miscellaneous administrative tasks) 90-120 hours*

 

This list indicates the range of administration tasks which might be undertaken within departments; each department should refine the list accordingly

• Head of Department
• Teaching coordinator
• Finance coordinator
• Research coordinator
• Head of Section
• Allowance for PVC, ADR/T
• Undergraduate admissions (home)
• Undergraduate admissions (international)
• Postgraduate research tutor (inc admissions, advertising)
• Foundation programme tutor (inc admissions)
• Industrial placement coordinator
• Visiting students on Industrial placement
• Open days, induction, school visits etc
• Senior undergraduate programme tutor
• Feedback co-ordinator
• Organiser of projects
• Postgraduate programme tutor
• Undergraduate programme tutor
• Undergraduate programme tutor (extra for accredited programme)
• Erasmus programme tutor (including admissions)
• 1st, 2nd, 3rd year tutor (for the year cohort)
• Overseas student tutor
• Web manager     
• IT acceptable use co-ordinator
• Open learning co-ordinator
• Equal Opportunities Co-ordinator
• DANS coordinator
• Safety and security
• Data Protection Officer
• Freedom of information officer
• Library liaison officer
• Research seminar organiser
• Internal examiner (PhD/MPhil)
• Teaching assessor
• Probationary adviser   
• Senate or Council member              20 hours**
• Representative on other university committees
• Other university duties
• UCU representative                              20 hours**
• UCU officer as agreed by the UCU and Chief Operating Officer

*This is a recommended general allowance for all academic staff.

** These allowances should be allocated

 

 

Table 1. Summary workload table which lists the totals  hours for all academics in the department

 

Name	R	T	A	Total
A Bloggs	700	400	900	2000
AN Other	1100	150	700	2050
J Jones	1500	200	325	2025
	total	total	total	total

 

The names and indicated hours are only an example. RTA hours should be given in nominal hours. The total should be weighted to allow for part-time staff, probationers etc. The average hours for academics should be given. Staff, other than academics, who undertake teaching, may be listed at the bottom to allow for data for total teaching hours in the department. This will help departments planning hours for staff other than academic staff.

Table 2. Details for individual members of academic staff

Name:  A Bloggs, senior lecturer

 

	Name of Job	Hours	Other details e.g module code
R	PhD students	60	3 PhD: A.Smith, R Patel, Y.Chan
	refereed papers p.a	80	4 papers
	etc
T	Lectures	60	CX003 elementary technology
	Lectures	20	CX201 applied studies
	tutorials	25	CX201 applied studies
	etc
A	1st year tutor	50
	Safety Officer	40
	etc

The names and indicated hours are only an example. A separate table for each member of academic staff is essential listing all their workload with details of each item of A, T or R being listed with a total at the bottom. The notional hours should be 37 hour weeks for 52 weeks - 6 weeks’ nominal holiday and 14 statutory holidays = 44 weeks, i.e. 1628 hours p.a.

 

Approved by ARSNS-C (Academic and Related Staff Negotiating Sub-Committee) on behalf of the University and Loughborough UCU on 1st June 2005.

(Amended February 2009)