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03.250 Policy On Faculty Workload

This policy articulates expectations for faculty workload plan development at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (“UNCW” or the “University). The policy establishes a “differentiated faculty workload” model that meets the needs of our students, faculty, academic units (AU), and other stakeholders.

Authority:

Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

History

Adopted June 25, 2024

Source of Authority:

UNC System Policy 400.3.4, 400.3.4[R], UNCW Faculty Differentiated Workload Guidance Document (April 2024)

Related Links:

Responsible Office:

Office of the Provost

Policy Details:

  1. Purpose

    This policy articulates expectations for faculty workload plan development at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (“UNCW” or the “University). The policy establishes a “differentiated faculty workload” model that meets the needs of our students, faculty, academic units (AU), and other stakeholders.

    This policy complies with UNC System Policy 400.3.4 and its implementing regulation 400.3.4[R], which requires each UNC System school to (1) create, publish, and monitor AU workload requirements; (2) use a consistent method for collecting data about academic workloads; and (3) implement an annual faculty performance evaluation policy that measures and rewards all aspects of faculty workload. The policy is also informed by the UNCW Faculty Differentiated Workload Guidance Document endorsed by the UNCW Faculty Senate on April 16, 2024.

  2. Scope

    All full-time faculty members, regardless of contract length, must have a workload plan. Faculty who are employed on less than a nine-month annual basis or are less than full-time may have a workload plan if directed by the Academic Unit Supervisor (AUS). Each faculty member’s workload plan should be developed in consultation with and approved by the AUS and by that AU’s dean or designee, as necessary. Workload plans should account for 100% workload expectations. Faculty who are in leave-earning positions may have an annual workload plan by request or by supervisor direction.

  3. Policy

    1. Faculty Workload

      The overall workload of UNCW faculty typically includes teaching (broadly defined); research, scholarship, and creative activity; and service. Community engagement activities may be integrated into each of these areas.

      Each college and AU shall establish equitable and fair workload policies for faculty that advance UNCW’s academic mission, recognize the variety of workload areas to which faculty contribute, and maintain compliance with UNC System Policy on Faculty Workload (400.3.4). These workload policies shall also follow the guidance found in the UNCW Faculty Differentiated Workload Guidance Document endorsed by the UNCW Faculty Senate.

    2. Faculty Workload Expectations

      UNCW embraces a differentiated workload policy to help create a transparent, equitable, efficient, and effective process for setting expectations for faculty workload. Consistent with the UNCW Faculty Differentiated Workload Guidance Document and the UNC System Office Policy 400.3.4 and 400.3.4[R], each college and AU shall establish clear policies that set faculty workload guidelines consistent with the missions of the university, college, and AU. These policies shall be approved by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

      Each college and AU policy shall implement a differentiated workload policy that: (1) establishes typical percentages of effort for teaching; research, scholarship, and creative activity; and service and other-directed professional activity for faculty; and (2) provides guidelines for when deviations from those typical percentages are necessary. Although this policy provides flexibility for the college policies, colleges should use the standard that a traditional three credit hour lecture course typically equates to 10% of a faculty member’s annual workload. This teaching effort along with other routinely expected faculty duties together will constitute a full workload and a 1.0 FTE appointment. In the absence of an AU policy, the college policy will take precedence until the AU policy is established and approved.

  4. Roles and Responsibilities

    1. University Level

      The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs shall:

      • Assign responsibility for developing college and AU-level faculty workload policies to the Deans.
      • Review and approve these workload policies in the context of the University and UNC System policies.

    2. College Level Deans shall:

      • Develop college-level faculty workload policies in consultation with college leadership.
      • Submit these policies for review and approval by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
      • Review and approve AU-level faculty workload policies and any significant departures from college policies.
      • Ensure college policies include the Dean’s review and approval of faculty workload plans and any substantive adjustments to those plans.

    3. Department Level

      Department Chairs/School Directors shall:

      • Develop unit-level faculty workload policies and criteria for teaching loads that are consistent with university- and college-level policies.
      • Submit unit-level faculty workload policies for review and approval to the Dean or the Dean’s designee.
      • Work with faculty to establish individual workload plans consistent with the scope and purpose of this policy.

  5. Creating, Approving, and Using Faculty Workload Plans

    Each faculty member within the scope of this policy works with their AUS to develop a mutually agreed upon workload plan. For faculty with appointments in more than one AU, the AUS (or Dean as appropriate) of the unit where the faculty member has their primary appointment is responsible for planning the faculty member’s workload in consultation with the heads of the other appointing units.

    The workload plan has many purposes, as outlined in the UNCW Faculty Differentiated Workload Guidance Document. Key aspects of the workload plan and its development process include:

    • Providing transparent expectations for faculty activity for a given academic year across teaching; research, scholarship, and creative activity; and service, with percentage allocations consistent with UNCW Faculty Differentiated Workload Guidance Document.
    • Serving as a guide for professional development activities and activities that will help faculty achieve success in teaching; research, scholarship, and creative activity; and service, as well as in their next personnel action.
    • Ensuring the needs of the AU are met and that faculty work is aligned with that mission.
    • Establishing a guide for annual review and evaluation for individual faculty.
    • Identifying faculty activities across an AU to ensure equitable, sustainable, and productive work activities within that AU.

    Development of the faculty workload plan follows an annual process that also includes an annual performance evaluation that considers faculty accomplishments compared to the workload plan from the previous year. The steps involved in the development of a workload plan include

    • Faculty self-assessment of previous year's activities compared to the previous year's workload plan (submitted to AU supervisor).
    • Faculty development of a draft workload plan for the following year (submitted to AUS).
    • AUS and faculty to finalize annual review and approve the new workload plan. Faculty with appointments in more than one department shall have their workload plan approved by the AUS for their primary appointment in consultation with the AUS of the other appointing unit.
    • Approval of the workload plan by the dean (or designee).
    • Faculty revision of the annual workload plan, if necessary, during the academic year in consultation with the AUS.

    Deans are responsible for establishing the schedule for the above activities; however, workload plans typically should be finalized and approved by the dean no later than September 30 each year. Faculty hired after the beginning of the academic year will have 60 days after the start of their appointment to develop a workload plan and get approval from their respective AUS and Dean.

  6. Monitoring and Reporting on Faculty Workloads

    1. Data Collection

      To comply with UNC System Policy 400.3.4, UNCW collects institutional data from official sources for reporting purposes related to faculty workload. These data are aggregated at the AU, college, and institutional level. The methodology used for reporting will be reviewed, updated, and documented to ensure accuracy no less frequently than every five years. This methodology will be captured in a corresponding regulation document to be established during the 2024/25 academic year.

    2. Timeline for Review, Approval, and Distribution of Annual Report

      Per UNC System Policy 400.3.4, UNCW must prepare an annual report of the previous year’s activity and submit it to the UNCW Board of Trustees for review and approval. That report must be approved by the Board of Trustees by September 30 each year, and UNCW must provide a copy of the approved report to the UNC System President by October 15 each year. Given these timelines, UNCW’s Office of Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) shall produce the report for review by AU supervisors, deans, and the provost by September 1 each year.

      All faculty must be included in the annual report, regardless of whether they submit an annual workload plan. The annual report must include, at minimum, the following quantitative data elements for monitoring faculty workloads, disaggregated to the AU, college, and institutional levels:

      • The percentage of faculty efforts across the three categories of teaching; research, scholarship, and creative activity; and service. These percentages must total 100% when taken together over the course of an academic year.
      • Organized course sections taught.
      • Student credit hours produced.
      • Faculty contact hours.
      • Metrics related to research/scholarship/creative activity.
      • Service rendered in the previous academic year.
      • Analysis of faculty FTE allocations by teaching; research/scholarship/creative activity, and service.

      Other qualitative and/or contextual information about faculty efforts as determined by the institution may also be submitted in the annual report.

      The annual report also must include information describing the University's process for:

      • Implementing UNC System Policy 400.3.4 and 400.3.4[R].
      • Evaluating individual faculty workloads relative to UNC System Policy 400.3.4 and 400.3.4[R]

  7. Training

    Per UNC System Policy 400.3.4, UNCW and UNC System Regulation 400.3.4[R], the institution will provide regular training of all personnel involved in the development and review of faculty annual workplans.

  8. Periodic Review

    UNCW shall review this institutional policy at least every five years and submit a copy of that review and any changes made to the UNC System President.