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8.1 Faculty Workload Policy
Introduction
Workload policies are implemented to ensure appropriate stewardship of the University’s resources, recognize and enhance productivity, and establish best efforts for fairness among faculty. In addition, workload assessments of productivity and academic engagement weigh significantly in the rank and promotion processes.
Policies of this nature are inclusive of the four recognized aspects of academic life at AdventHealth University; teaching, scholarship, service and mentorship. An appropriate balance of these four aspects is strategically supported and evaluated for individual faculty members in collaboration with their department Chairs on an annual basis. The collaboration is explicit and planned to provide adequate discussions with faculty regarding their professional development needs, establishment of the appropriate course load and balance between the four academic areas.
Workloads are also organized within each department so that the teaching, scholarship, service and mentoring activities meet the overall responsibilities of the unit within approved budgets. Due to varying pedagogical and accreditation standards within each department, it is essential that the Department Chairs carefully consider all essential factors in their collaborative planning with faculty related to workload assignments.
Above all considerations for workload, there is an essential understanding that faculty members in each department are to represent the University’s mission of educating students to serve and live the healing values of Christ. Each faculty member employed by AdventHealth University is to be committed to integrating mission-oriented activities and values throughout their teaching, scholarship, service and mentoring areas.
Workload Principles
The determination of faculty load is based on several key principles: equitability, balance, and program viability, in addition to the core values of AdventHealth University.
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Equitability – AdventHealth University seeks to ensure that faculty responsibilities are distributed with fairness, aligned with the overall University mission, recognizing the expertise and professional development needs of its faculty as they demonstrate the system service standards.
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Balance – As an institution of health sciences, it is important that faculty demonstrate a balance between teaching, service and scholarship. Mentoring is a key component of the academy. Academic leaders also strive to support a balanced lifestyle that aligns with the university’s healthy living values, therefore careful consideration is used in determining workload.
AdventHealth University creates a foundation for nurture, excellence, spirituality and stewardship. These core values are an integral part of all teaching, scholarship and service endeavors within the academic departments. Faculty should be able to identify their workload contributions to the unit, based on these founding principles as well.
Workload Process
Prior to the beginning of the academic year, each faculty member and his or her Department Chair will agree upon the faculty member’s educational, scholarly, and professional responsibilities for the ensuing three trimesters. It is understood that prior to the second and third trimesters, a reconsideration of these responsibilities, with an agreement on any revision, may be necessitated by unforeseen variations in the enrollment, or by professional, personnel, and/or curricular changes.
The standardization of workload policy formulas and computation is essential in an academic setting, in order to meet the goals of optimal stewardship and fairness. Individual balance variations of workload are possible among faculty, based on different levels of engagement in scholarship, service, teaching and mentorship, as well as professional development needs. For example, if a faculty member is a principal investigator with a funded grant for their role, their scholarship time may be a higher percentage than their teaching time. However, all full-time faculty are expected to meet expectations for a full-time schedule that include these four aspects, as well as consistent campus engagement, routine meetings with students, committee work and service to the community.
Workload Computation
Each faculty member and his or her Department Chair will use the following guidelines in calculating the workload of each of the areas of the faculty’s assignment (Workload Samples ):
Workload Teaching Credit Expectations
Federal Credit Hour definition – “A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than 1 hour in class each week…for approximately 15 weeks.” External class study and independent work are expected from each student. www.hlcommission.org (At AHU, it is understood that the 15-week value of course credit time is accomplished during a 14-week span of time.)
Graduate – 18-20 credit hours per academic year
Undergraduate – 27 credit hours per academic year
Graduate - 1 credit hour of lecture = 15 hours, 1 credit hour of lab (variations based on curricular and accreditation aspects. See individual departmental documents.)
Undergraduate – 1 credit hour of lecture = 15 hours
1 credit hour of lab = 90 hours (chemistry, physics, biology, microbiology)
= 60 hours (anatomy and physiology)
Contact Hour – Although “contact hours” typically refer to the number of hours associated with each credit hour of teaching (1 lecture credit = 15 hours), the term is also used to identify and tabulate “all other types of teaching and activities” (usf.edu). These “contact hour equivalencies” enable departments to understand the breadth of academic activity and the time spent in scholarship and service. It also enables the department leadership to fully understand the time it takes for other tasks that faculty engage in that are associated with teaching. These contact hours are therefore more generic in nature, but equally important to capture for ongoing assessment and support of optimal faculty and managerial workloads.
Workload Categories
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Scholarship – 5%-20% of workload. All full-time faculty members as quality academicians are engaged in some form of scholarly activity. Review of student data, application of evidence-based literature, formal qualitative or quantitative studies, and engagement in research forums are all examples of this essential aspect. Accreditation standards may dictate a higher level of scholarly activity percentage in faculty load, and this accommodation will be made as necessary, with Departmental Chair oversight. (See faculty handbook Appendix E1 for specific descriptions of acceptable scholarship categories).
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Mentorship – This is an integral part of teaching, scholarship and service activities within a University and should be able to be clearly identified by the faculty member in discussions with the Chair.
Category Variations and Considerations
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Student advising may be considered mentoring in some departments and can be added to the percentage of teaching time, although not in credit hours, but in contact hours. (See contact hour descriptions above).
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Supervision of students on clinicals may be considered lab teaching (indirect or direct oversight) or service, depending on the nature of the activity and the departmental philosophies/standards related to this type of work. If considered lab teaching, then the formula for lab credits will be used for workload. If considered service, then contact hours will be calculated.
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Research and capstone project advising may also be considered as scholarship and/or teaching, based on departmental discretion.
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Course development is constructed in hours and a total of 15 hours (equivalent to 1 credit) is acceptable for new courses in the semester prior to and/or during the semester that the new course is taught. If the course is in excess of 3 credits, the Department Chair may approve additional hours of preparation. Course development time may be considered for new courses or for instructors who are teaching the content for the first time.
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Standard times for routine class preparation are two hours per hour of course content, but this will vary based on faculty experience, amount of times the course has been taught, complexity of course material etc. These hours should be documented in class preparation contact hours, but optimal time management and efficiency are expected for all faculty members. If any faculty member is using excessive time for course preparation (evaluated by the Chair), particularly after teaching the course before, the Chair or Program Director may assist in securing appropriate resources for the faculty member to improve their course preparation skills. It is expected that all faculty members value currency and make pertinent revisions to course material as necessary for staying relevant and updated. At times, this will require additional course preparation time, and the faculty member should alert the Chair or Program Director if this is the case so that expectations and/or workload considerations may be made.
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Formal team teaching may involve shared subject teaching or complimentary subject teaching. In either case, the course credit load is split, since two instructors will not be doing the exact same teaching, or individually be teaching the entire class. For example, for a 4-credit course, a potential split could be 1 credit taught by one instructor and 3 credits taught by another. Both instructors will not put 4 credits on their workload documents. (An exception could be if two instructors are running their own sections of a course, then this would warrant total course credits in each person’s workload.) The Chair, Vice Chair or Program Director is responsible for reviewing split course credit courses with the instructors to ascertain how many credits each instructor is responsible for and what the specific roles are within the course. Each Department Chair is responsible for indicating which departmental leader will review these elements with the faculty members to ensure an understanding of policy.
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Multiple section teaching will enable a faculty member (face-to-face or distance teaching) to receive additional course credit if they are involved with more than one section. For example, if a 3-credit course is taught in two sections, due to high enrollment or accreditation dictated student/faculty ratio etc., then the instructor will indicate 6 credits on their workload documentation. If there is more than one instructor involved with the multiple sections, then the credits will be divided as appropriate, with Departmental Chair oversight. Considerations for an additional credit, if teaching a large class (in excess of 40 students) independently, may be made by the Departmental Chair.
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Office hours are a standard to be determined by individual departments. The requirement of the University is that faculty are present throughout the work week for full days (start and end times may vary) and that they arrange to meet with students as necessary for optimal accessibility and attainment of student learning outcomes and overall academic needs.
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Scholarship days may be arranged individually with the Department Chair, as schedules and departmental functions permit. This is not to exceed more than a day a week for a specified period of time, if this work time requested includes off campus time. This must be approved by the Chair, handled equitably among faculty, and have specific outcomes/deliverables by a specific date that the faculty and Chair agree to in writing. This may only be arranged if it does not interfere with routine functioning of the department, including class teaching and committee meetings, or other obligations that the Chair deems as necessary. Department Chairs and faculty are encouraged to plan in advance for this, to support scholarly endeavors. The activities need to meet specific goals of the Annual Faculty Development Plan and align with the agenda and mission of the department. A quarterly written report to the Chair, with updates and goal attainment, is recommended.
Overload
Overload will be considered based on overall workload per academic year. Overload will be considered if excessive credit load teaching (over 32 credit hours in undergraduate and over 24 in graduate) is done while still maintaining a high percentage of service (over 20%) and scholarship (over 20 %). For example, a faculty member may teach 24 credits in a graduate program, but only have 5% of service and 5% of scholarship, so total contact hours for the year may not exceed expected workload. This presents an opportunity to understand workload in a more comprehensive sense, rather than just teaching credits. If overload is warranted, it will be paid for the excess teaching credits, based on the revised 2018 adjunct pay scale, regardless of rank. This is only done if the Chair determines that overall contact hours exceed expectations for the faculty role.
The Chair’s role is primarily managerial and leadership tasks (50-60% of time) that can be impacted if there are excessive teaching responsibilities. Chairs are encouraged to teach minimally as part of their 40-50% non-managerial working load, which should not exceed two classes a semester, unless approved in consultation with the Provost. Some teaching opportunities allow the Chair to understand student needs and stay current with professional aspects, but it should not be the main role of a Chair. If a Chair is over a larger department (in excess of 300 students in the department or more than three programs), considerations will be made for even less teaching as appropriate. In some circumstances (faculty attrition etc.), there may be a need for a Chair to increase their teaching load, and overload may be warranted and approved in consultation with the Provost.
Distant and Hybrid Teaching Employees
With the increasing number of online programs, full-time employees may be hired who work minimally, or not routinely, on either of the physical campuses of AdventHealth University. These employees are still expected to engage in a balance of teaching, service, scholarship and mentoring, although their percentages may be heavily weighted towards teaching. In consultation with the Program Director or Chair, specific goals should also be outlined for all areas of academic life. Collaborations with other faculty need to be intentional, and engagement on campus through distance opportunities are expected (such as for Professional Development, Mission Check, Faculty-Staff and Research workshops). Some on-campus time is expected at least once a year during Mission Week, and as arranged with the Chairs and Program Directors for specific program needs. Strategies and expectations for reporting out and documenting workload should be in place prior to the employment start date and reviewed routinely, so that an annual assessment of workload effectiveness and performance are able to be done without difficulty.
8.2 Student Advising
Faculty will be assigned as academic advisors. An electronic Academic Advising Manual is available for each faculty member who advises students in designing an appropriate course of study.
Students admitted to a program must have an initial meeting with their program advisor before being able to register.
8.3 Office Hours
Office hours must be posted and available to students. Office hours should be scheduled utilizing the formula of a minimum of one office hour per one classroom hour. Department Chairs and Program Directors are to assure that office hours are appropriate to meet student needs.
8.4 Grading
The Academic Catalog outlines the policies regarding deferred grades and incompletes. Deferred and Incomplete grades should be given only under special circumstances. An Incomplete is given when the student is unable to complete the work after the final withdrawal date within the trimester. (Students are responsible for completing the Request for Grade of Incomplete Form.) The Deferred grade is given when the instructor is unable to give a grade in a timely manner. A Deferred grade issued by the course instructor is to be submitted only with the department chair’s approval. The Deferred grade and Incomplete grade must be submitted when all other class grades are due to the Registrar’s Office.
Faculty are required to submit all grades within the requested deadlines.
All grade books are the property of AHU and must be submitted to the Department Chair at the end of each trimester.
8.5 Exams
All exams should be given within the regular class schedule. A schedule of final exams is published at the beginning of the trimester. Efforts will be made to schedule final exams on the day and time that the class meets.
8.6 Course Syllabi
Course syllabi should follow the Sample Syllabus (see Appendix J ) with regards to order and information required. An electronic copy of syllabi should be submitted to the Department Chair prior to the beginning of class for departmental approval.
8.7 Parking
Parking spaces on campus are limited. All employees are to obtain and display the correct decal and or parking pass. All vehicles parked on campus without the appropriate decal or parking pass or in a parking area to which he/she is not assigned will be considered illegally parked. Illegally parked vehicles on campus will result in $50 fine payable within 15 business days of issue. A second offense within a trimester will result in the vehicle being towed from campus at the owner’s expense. Access the Parking Policy.
8.8 ID Badges
AdventHealth University ID badges are issued to a faculty member at the beginning of their contract. The AHU ID badge is to be worn at all times on campus and in the clinical area with students. The first ID card is free; a replacement ID card costs $10.00.
8.9 Employee Meetings/Professional Development
Employees are required to attend University Faculty/Staff meetings, Graduation, Convocation, Mission Week and Mission Check meetings.
8.10 Graduation
The Commencement ceremony follows the end of the Spring trimester each year. Administration and Faculty are required to participate in the Commencement Processional. Staff are welcome to march if they choose. Information on graduation is distributed early in the Spring trimester each year. All employees are required to attend the commencement ceremony.
8.11 Student Attendance
Faculty members are required to take student attendance for each didactic and laboratory class period. The faculty member will record all student tardiness and absenteeism. The last day of attendance will be reported to the Registrar’s Office for class(es) dropped. Faculty will complete and submit an administrative drop form to the Registrar’s Office if a student has not been in attendance for 14 calendar days. Access the Policy.
Student Drop/Add Policy: Students desiring to withdraw from a class should complete the appropriate Drop/Add Form available from the Registrar’s Office.
If a student is absent for a period of two consecutive weeks, the faculty should contact the Registrar’s Office to initiate an administrative drop. This form must include the last date of attendance for the student.
8.12 Response to Course Work Emails
Faculty members are to respond to course work emails within 24 hours whenever possible and no later than 48 hours. Click here for full policy.
8.13 Class Cancellation
Inclement or severe weather: On occasion, circumstances may require an emergency closing of AdventHealth University due to inclement weather. The President or his/her designee will make the decision to close the University at which time Campus Safety will be contacted and the emergency notification system will be enacted to notify the campus population. (See Campus Safety Manuals)
Florida Campus Closing: In the event the Florida Campus is closed, all classes will be suspended including all distance education courses currently being taught on the Denver Campus. Denver campus and students will receive identical messages through the emergency notification system relative to the closing and re-opening of the University campus.
Denver Campus Closing: In the event of the Denver Campus being closed, the campus coordinator will make the decision to close the University and will contact all Denver Students through the emergency notification system and will notify the Denver Campus Administrator in Orlando of the closing. Any coursework missed by the student during the Denver closing will be made up, per the individual course syllabi.
8.14 Citation Style
Authors cite sources used in a publication in order to give credit to the ideas they have incorporated in their own work. This is necessary to avoid plagiarism. There are a range of styles available. The style one uses is dependent on the discipline or class for which an individual is writing. The MLA, APA, and Chicago are commonly used styles. The MLA style is from the Modern Language Association and is commonly used in the humanities. APA is from the American Psychological Association and is generally used for papers prepared for the social sciences, while history scholars use the Chicago and Turabian styles.
AdventHealth University recommends that the APA style be followed for writing assignments in its undergraduate courses and official University documents. However, when writing for journals or other publications, authors are expected to prepare their research proposals, abstracts, or articles in the writing styles required by their editors. Such citation styles will be appropriate when submitted to the AHU Scientific Review Committee (SRC) or the Institutional Review Committee (IRB).
Citation instructions for the APA style can be obtained at http://www.apastyle.org.
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