Towards Estimating Academic Workloads for UKZN Glen Barnes (MSc Agric, MGSSA) Director, Management Information, UKZN May 2006

Objectives To estimate academic staff workload demand based on the commitment to teaching and supervision, research, community involvement or outreach, and administration. To estimate academic staff workload demand based on the commitment to teaching and supervision, research, community involvement or outreach, and administration. To enable a more objective method of estimating the staff teaching load using quantitative data through the medium of module notional study hours, and limitations placed on student delivery by class sizes and group study. To enable a more objective method of estimating the staff teaching load using quantitative data through the medium of module notional study hours, and limitations placed on student delivery by class sizes and group study.

The Outcome … The construction of a decision support system addressing the most important variables The construction of a decision support system addressing the most important variables The incorporation of these ideas into a computerized decision support framework currently known as the School Planning Decision Support System (SPDSS). The incorporation of these ideas into a computerized decision support framework currently known as the School Planning Decision Support System (SPDSS).

Procedure Initial pilot study Initial pilot study Special Senate Task Team Special Senate Task Team –Identify the important variables –Determine a set of default values Roll out to Schools Roll out to Schools –Establish ‘buy-in’ of the Schools –Foster ownership of the data Integration with other tools Integration with other tools

Academic Endeavours Teaching Teaching Research Research Community Development & Outreach Community Development & Outreach Administration Administration

Inputs & Assumptions High-level Assumptions High-level Assumptions Module Enrolment Data Module Enrolment Data Detailed Module Assumptions Detailed Module Assumptions Staff Assumptions Staff Assumptions Research Data Research Data Graduate Data Graduate Data

Institutional targets Working year : 219 days Working year : 219 days Working day : 8 hours Working day : 8 hours Proportional allocation Proportional allocation –Teaching : 45% –Research : 40% –Admin/Outreach : 15% Research productivity : 60 PUs/yr Research productivity : 60 PUs/yr Minimum SAPSE proportion : 50% Minimum SAPSE proportion : 50%

Inputs & Assumptions High-level Assumptions High-level Assumptions Module Enrolment Data Module Enrolment Data Detailed Module Assumptions Detailed Module Assumptions Staff Assumptions Staff Assumptions Research Data Research Data Graduate Data Graduate Data

Inputs & Assumptions High-level Assumptions High-level Assumptions Module Enrolment Data Module Enrolment Data Detailed Module Assumptions Detailed Module Assumptions Staff Assumptions Staff Assumptions Research Data Research Data Graduate Data Graduate Data

Inputs & Assumptions High-level Assumptions High-level Assumptions Module Enrolment Data Module Enrolment Data Detailed Module Assumptions Detailed Module Assumptions Staff Assumptions Staff Assumptions Research Data Research Data Graduate Data Graduate Data

Default Values & Norms Quantified by the Senate Task Team Quantified by the Senate Task Team Initial deployment of the system Initial deployment of the system Form the basis of comparison Form the basis of comparison –Determine differences between Schools –Evaluate inputs from the Schools

Reporting Objectives Highlight data errors Highlight data errors Summarize the data into ratios and performance indicators Summarize the data into ratios and performance indicators Generate a number of scenarios for planning Generate a number of scenarios for planning

Outputs & Reports Time & Staff estimates Time & Staff estimates School Summary Analysis School Summary Analysis –Summary Tables –Four Scenarios –Scenario summary

Time & Staff estimates Module ContactPreparationAssessmentConsultingGroupTeachTotalAcad LevelCountEnrolhrs (%)hrsStaff (10%)527 (8%) (1%) (12%)763 (16%) (18%) (14%)640 (13%) (2%) (17%)182 (19%)60821 (2%) (100%) (100%) (11%)2111 (11%)11694 (63%)2619 (14%)0 (0%)

Outputs & Reports Time & Staff estimates Time & Staff estimates School Summary Analysis School Summary Analysis –Summary Tables –Four Scenarios –Scenario summary

Student FTEs & Head Counts No of Modules 55 Enrolled FTEs Weighted FTEs Enrolled Head Count FTE to HC (%) FTEs per Module Enrolments per Module Summary Tables

Teaching Allocation (hrs) Contact (2004: 2500) % Preparation % Assessment (2004: 9862) % 59% Consulting (2004: 1218) % Group teaching % TOTAL (2004: 13580) Summary Tables...

Staff number estimates (FTEs) Planned Academic 16 Planned Support 4444 Academic to Support Staff Ratio 4444 Modules per Academic 3333 Credits per Academic 102 Teaching hrs per week Summary Tables …

Outputs & Reports Time & Staff estimates Time & Staff estimates School Summary Analysis School Summary Analysis –Summary Tables –Four Scenarios –Scenario summary

Teaching and Research Teaching rate (%)36 Research rate (%)23.5 Admin/Outreach rate (%)40.5 TOTAL (%)100 Adjusted Staff (FTEs)16 Research output (PUs)564.6 All Academic Staff Adjusted Staff (FTEs)16 Students per Academic (FTEs)17.6 NSH per Academic (hrs)1020 Research output (PUs)565 Productivity per Academic (PUs)35 Margin over Compensation (1000s)1952 Scenario One – the current situation

Teaching and Research Teaching rate (%)36 Research rate (%)23.5 Admin/Outreach rate (%)15 TOTAL (%)74.5 Adjusted Staff (FTEs)11.9 Research output (PUs)564.6 All Academic Staff Adjusted Staff (FTEs)11.9 Students per Academic (FTEs)23.7 NSH per Academic (hrs)1369 Research output (PUs)565 Productivity per Academic (PUs)47 Margin over Compensation (1000s)2995 Scenario Two – revised Admin/Outreach Constant Increase Decrease

Teaching and Research Teaching rate (%)36 Research rate (%)49 Admin/Outreach rate (%)15 TOTAL (%)100 Adjusted Staff (FTEs)16 Research output (PUs)1176 All Academic Staff Adjusted Staff (FTEs)16 Students per Academic (FTEs)17.6 NSH per Academic (hrs)1020 Research output (PUs)1176 Productivity per Academic (PUs)73 Margin over Compensation (1000s)2101 Scenario Three – revised Admin/Outreach & Research Constant Increase Decrease

Scenario Four – institutional targets Teaching and Research Teaching rate (%)45 Research rate (%)40 Admin/Outreach rate (%)15 TOTAL (%)100 Adjusted Staff (FTEs)12.8 Research output (PUs)768 All Academic Staff Adjusted Staff (FTEs)12.8 Students per Academic (FTEs)22 NSH per Academic (hrs)1275 Research output (PUs)768 Productivity per Academic (PUs)60 Margin over Compensation (1000s)2771 Constant Increase Decrease

Outputs & Reports Time & Staff estimates Time & Staff estimates School Summary Analysis School Summary Analysis –Summary Tables –Four Scenarios –Scenario summary

Academic Staff (FTEs) Scenario 116 Scenario Scenario Scenario Productivity (PUs) Scenario 1565 Scenario 2565 Scenario Scenario 4768 Margin over Compensation (1000s) Scenario Scenario Scenario Scenario Scenario Summary

Data Integration Data inputs are from: Data inputs are from: –ModMan; Modules for Handbooks –MIDB; Enrolments, Graduates –IRMA; staff productivity Scenario outputs become inputs into: Scenario outputs become inputs into: –Affordability model –Academic viability model –School Business Plan

Conclusions An attempt to address the very sensitive issue of staff workloads An attempt to address the very sensitive issue of staff workloads Considered the limitations of previous investigations and propose enhancements Considered the limitations of previous investigations and propose enhancements Through a collaborative approach assist the School planning process Through a collaborative approach assist the School planning process Facilitate a system of monitoring into the future Facilitate a system of monitoring into the future

Thank you …