24. Methods and Data Sources Institutional Data Faculty load credit data supplied by the CSU system for four academic years: 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009 Survey Data Two surveys of all full-time faculty members in the CSU system (spring 2009, fall 2009) Two surveys of all part-time faculty members in the CSU system (spring 2009, fall 2009) Surveys of all full-time and part-time librarians, coaches, trainers, and counselors in the CSU system (spring 2010) Interview Data 133 interviews and 4 focus groups 4
39. Methods and Data Sources Project deliverables to CSU AAUP four Faculty Load Credit (FLC) reports (one for each university) four data analysis reports (one for each university) a system-wide report compendium of surveys used in the study 6
40. Quantitative study findings Full-time Faculty Work Week: Academic Year Note: All national averages are derived from the National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF), U.S. Department of Education. Institutional type: public master’s I universities. 7
52. Instructional and Non-InstructionalWhat is the desired balance between instructional and non-instructional load credits? In interviews, faculty indicated that non-instructional load credits are insufficient (e.g., reassigned time for research) Financial pressures, however, will likely reshape class sizes (larger) and affect FLC allocation decisions regarding reassigned time (less) Policy implication: what will be prioritized – maintaining class sizes or preserving current level of non-instructional load credits? 12
54. Quantitative study findings Faculty Load Credits Curriculum development Article 10.6.5 – broad category that includes academic program direction and direction of centers and institutes (makes interpretation difficult) 14
57. Link this issue to ongoing efforts to strengthen student retention and improve student learning outcomes15
58. Quantitative study findings Faculty Load Credits: Sabbaticals Eastern awarded an average of 162 sabbatical load credits per year That total factors into 13.5 half-year sabbaticals per year What is a sufficient number of sabbaticals? Faculty interview participants expressed dissatisfaction with current levels. Language in collective bargaining agreement is vague, ambiguous (see p. 96) 70 each year – full-year or half-year?; total for all four universities? 16
59.
60. Eastern met this minimum threshold in each semester since the collective bargaining agreement was ratified.
61. In order to award one load credit for each lab/studio hour taught, Eastern would need to allocate 10.0 additional load credits per year 17
64. Qualitative study findings Teaching loads and teaching effectiveness Current teaching loads limit pedagogical innovation and interfere with faculty efforts to promote student learning. Current teaching loads may not allow faculty to remain current in their respective disciplines, and therefore, they may not be able to deliver a state-of-the-art, university-level curriculum to students. Study participants made references to proposal for teaching 3 four-credit courses, rather than 4 three-credit courses 20
68. liberal arts core (LAC) curriculum, strategic planning process, and efforts to link curriculum to experiential learning opportunities, such as undergraduate research, service learning, study abroad, cooperative education, and internships
72. Need to incorporate workload considerations into each major initiative (that is, determine the FLCs that will be needed to design and implement a particular initiative)21
73. Qualitative study findings Research expectations, promotion, and tenure Rising research expectations have created workload challenges Difficult to balance teaching and research, given few graduate programs Faculty argued that the current amount of reassigned time for research is inadequate 22
74. Qualitative study findings Faculty load credit system Load credits for lab and studio courses Few non-instructional load credits Too little reassigned time to support strategic initiatives Too little reassigned time for department chairs, especially since assessment of student learning outcomes is a key component of the liberal arts core (LAC) curriculum initiative 23
75.
76. CSU part-time faculty members were more likely than the national averagefor part-time faculty in “public master’s I” institutions to use the following teaching practices:
81. CSU part-time faculty members were less likely than the national average for part-time faculty in “public master’s I” institutions to use the following teaching practices.
95. time available for keeping current in your professional field (56.7% dissatisfied)
96. High levels of satisfaction, however, were reported for benefits, salary, and overall job satisfaction.
97. Librarians generally agreed that the criteria for promotion and tenure were clear (69.0%) and that the work environment at their university fosters a balance between work and personal life (66.6%)26
111. Coaches and trainers expressed the belief that their roles are not well understood and not accounted for properly in the collective bargaining agreement
112. Expressed a desire for greater professional flexibility in setting their work schedules29
126. Now that the CSU system has supplied complete load credit data for four consecutive academic years, this practice needs to be maintained for the benefit of all university members.
127. These data can be used to understand how faculty workloads are currently comprised, and whether existing allocations of reassigned time need to be changed or increased in order to accommodate new initiatives.32
128.
129. Establish a standard practice for providing course load reductions to all new junior faculty members 33
130.
131. could establish greater confidence that P&T guidelines from all departments will be viewed as valid and legitimate by administration
132. The university could establish stronger communication between departmental evaluation committees (DECs) and the university’s P&T committee.
133. Forums for discussion among DEC chairs, P&T committee members, AAUP representatives, and university administrators
134. The availability of reassigned time and sabbaticals to support research needs to examined.
135. First, university members need to determine the optimal level of reassigned time that would be needed to support faculty research.
136. Second, university members should consider alternative structures for awarding reassigned time, including multi-year blocks, which would allow faculty to pursue projects of greater scope and significance
137. Third, the CSU institutions should benchmark their sabbatical practices against other premier teaching universities 34
138.
139. Universities may need to hire additional support staff or establish offices to support assessment and accreditation efforts within the academic departments.
140. Some CSU institutions may choose to create new departmental leadership structures that include associate department chairs and/or graduate and undergraduate program coordinators 35
141.
142. The CSU institutions should establish a process whereby university administrators report annually on the non-instructional assignments of faculty members36
143.
144. All four CSU institutions need to examine their evaluation processes for part-time faculty
145. The CSU institutions should tailor professional development and orientation sessions to the unique needs of these instructors 37
146.
147. They described a “time clock” mentality in which administrators treated them as hourly employees, rather than as academic professionals.
148. In order to promote professionalism, the CSU institutions need to compare their policies and practices regarding librarians, coaches, trainers, and counselors.
149. Policies regarding schedule flexibility (e.g., flex time) could be a focal point for an initial examination 38