Chop, Dice, Slice, Mince, or Julienne: The Multiple Ways of Measuring Faculty Workload at the Departmental Level Samford University

Background

Population Overview Masters I Masters I 4,400 students 4,400 students 9 Colleges 9 Colleges 270 full-time faculty 270 full-time faculty 140 part-time faculty 140 part-time faculty Don’t have Graduate Assistants Don’t have Graduate Assistants 100 degree programs 100 degree programs Analysis focused on 18 departments in the College of Arts and Sciences Analysis focused on 18 departments in the College of Arts and Sciences

The age old struggle…..how many faculty is enough? Accrediting standards is a start Accrediting standards is a start Started with one department requesting a new faculty line Started with one department requesting a new faculty line Led to a systematic means of tracking departmental growth and needs for budget purposes Led to a systematic means of tracking departmental growth and needs for budget purposes

Evaluating the Department not the Individual Faculty Member Meyer (1998) defined faculty workload as “time spent on professionally appropriate activities.” Meyer (1998) defined faculty workload as “time spent on professionally appropriate activities.” Workload is just one of the aspects of faculty productivity. Workload is just one of the aspects of faculty productivity. This analysis served to examine departmental workload as opposed to individual productivity. This analysis served to examine departmental workload as opposed to individual productivity. Not an analysis of quality. Not an analysis of quality.

Reaching Consensus Departments want to show they need a new faculty member, while Provost wants to be a good steward of the operational funds Departments want to show they need a new faculty member, while Provost wants to be a good steward of the operational funds How will it be and not be used? - Not used to evaluate individual faculty as a part of their annual review How will it be and not be used? - Not used to evaluate individual faculty as a part of their annual review We took departmental concerns and utilized suggestions -Incorporating trouble faculty We took departmental concerns and utilized suggestions -Incorporating trouble faculty

One Size Does Not Fit All Differing missions, curriculums, cost Differing missions, curriculums, cost Some Departments teach a lot of core courses to students outside their major Some Departments teach a lot of core courses to students outside their major Use of Part-time vs. Full-time Use of Part-time vs. Full-time Some departments have a course that is the specialty of an adjunct Some departments have a course that is the specialty of an adjunct

Productivity vs. Cost NEEDS

Conducting Your Analysis Conducting Your Analysis

Data Elements - Student Student related Student related Course enrollment Course enrollment School – Department – Major School – Department – Major Level Level

Data Elements – Course Course related Course related College College Department Department Meeting day/time/place Meeting day/time/place Course level Course level Credit hours Credit hours Excluded courses Excluded courses

Data Elements The only way to determine cross listed courses in our system is to examine meeting date, time, and location.

Data Elements - Course Course related Course related College College Department Department Meeting day/time/place Meeting day/time/place Course level Course level Credit hours Credit hours Excluded courses Excluded courses

Data Elements - Faculty Faculty related Faculty related College and department College and department Full-time/Part-time status Full-time/Part-time status Visiting faculty Visiting faculty Rank Rank Name Name Courses taught Courses taught Percent responsibility for each course Percent responsibility for each course

Data Elements – University of Delaware’s Cost Study Carnegie Class #Respondents Direct Instructional Expenditures per Student Credit Hour Direct Instructional Expenditures per Student FTE Personnel Cost as % of Direct Instructional Expenditures Classics and Classical Language s Masters16$174$5,30095 Doctoral5$162$5,00992 Samford$193$5,66172 An invaluable tool!!!!

Categories to Frame the Analysis Defined student levels as: Defined student levels as: Lower Undergraduate (FR and SO) Lower Undergraduate (FR and SO) Upper Undergraduate (JR and SR) Upper Undergraduate (JR and SR) Graduate Graduate BACHE BACHE Defined student’s major as: Defined student’s major as: In or out of the College of Arts and Sciences In or out of the College of Arts and Sciences In or out of the department offering the course In or out of the department offering the course Summed for each course Summed for each course

Data Element Considerations Data based on Department’s Faculty or Department’s Courses….that is the question! Data based on Department’s Faculty or Department’s Courses….that is the question! What it means? What it means? Who it benefits? Who it benefits? Both methods have special considerations: Both methods have special considerations: Courses by faculty’s home department? Courses by faculty’s home department? Faculty who belong to more than one department Faculty who belong to more than one department Courses by the department offering the course? Courses by the department offering the course? How to split load of courses that are cross referenced by two department prefixes (i.e. POLS314 is also HIST356) How to split load of courses that are cross referenced by two department prefixes (i.e. POLS314 is also HIST356)

Data Element Considerations Pull data for entire academic year or pull data for fall terms only? Pull data for entire academic year or pull data for fall terms only? How many years of data is necessary? How many years of data is necessary? Consider that some faculty who have taught in the past may have since left the university Consider that some faculty who have taught in the past may have since left the university Full-time/part-time status of faculty change over time Full-time/part-time status of faculty change over time Incorporate individuals with institutional memories – INCREASES Buy-in!. Incorporate individuals with institutional memories – INCREASES Buy-in!.

Data Element Considerations University Core Curriculum courses University Core Curriculum courses Cultural Perspectives Cultural Perspectives Communication Arts I and II Communication Arts I and II Biblical Perspectives Biblical Perspectives Concepts of Fitness and Health Concepts of Fitness and Health What effect do they have on the analysis? What effect do they have on the analysis? Belong to the Department of General University (GENL)

Chop, Dice, Slice, Mince, or Julienne? School level, Department level, Faculty level School level, Department level, Faculty level All courses All courses University Core Curriculum courses only University Core Curriculum courses only All courses except Core All courses except Core Student Level Student Level Majors vs. Non-majors Majors vs. Non-majors Full-time vs. Part-time Full-time vs. Part-time Courses, credit hours, headcounts Courses, credit hours, headcounts

Findings

Department Majors as % of Total Undergraduates Departmental growth as measured by Majors

Reliance on Part-time Faculty as Measured by Courses Taught When does the use of part-time faculty indicate a need for a new full-time line?

Reliance on Part-time Faculty as Measured by Students Taught When does the over-use of part-time faculty indicate a need for a new full-time line?

Reliance on Part-time Faculty as Measured by Credit Hours When does the over-use of part-time faculty indicate a need for a new full-time line?

Core Students vs. Students in Major

Analyzing Student Major

Analyzing Student Major – Excluding Core Courses

Analyzing Student Level

Hours Taught by Faculty Department or Course Department….that is the question?

Appendices Student Credit Hours (SCH) per Faculty for every department Student Credit Hours (SCH) per Faculty for every department University of Delaware Instructional Cost data University of Delaware Instructional Cost data Instructional cost definitions Instructional cost definitions

Departmental Concerns Questions from Department Chairs Questions from Department Chairs How courses were listed How courses were listed Notations they were not familiar with Notations they were not familiar with Courses (and sometimes faculty) were being dropped if the course did not have at least TBA in the meeting day field – Remember that we rely on this for determining cross-referenced classes! Courses (and sometimes faculty) were being dropped if the course did not have at least TBA in the meeting day field – Remember that we rely on this for determining cross-referenced classes!

The Next Step - Using Your Results

SACS Core requirement 2.5 – Institutional Effectiveness through Planning and Evaluation Core requirement 2.5 – Institutional Effectiveness through Planning and Evaluation Core requirement 2.8 – Number of Faculty is Adequate Core requirement 2.8 – Number of Faculty is Adequate Comprehensive standard – Competent Faculty Members Comprehensive standard – Competent Faculty Members Comprehensive standard – Evaluates Effectiveness of Faculty Comprehensive standard – Evaluates Effectiveness of Faculty

Work Ahead Looking at data for academic year Looking at data for academic year Pulling in all Schools Pulling in all Schools BANNER, BANNER, BANNER - Translating the data……but fighting to get it first BANNER, BANNER, BANNER - Translating the data……but fighting to get it first When your university wants to grow When your university wants to grow

Out of Classroom Activities Expanding Departmental Productivity to include out of classroom activities. Using University of Delaware Out of Classroom Productivity Expanding Departmental Productivity to include out of classroom activities. Using University of Delaware Out of Classroom Productivity

Demand/Yield/Cost Demand/Yield/Cost Model – Based on Austen Group’s “Curriculum and Cost Analysis” done for the Association of Southern Baptist Colleges and Schools Demand/Yield/Cost Model – Based on Austen Group’s “Curriculum and Cost Analysis” done for the Association of Southern Baptist Colleges and Schoolswww.austengroup.com

Demand/Yield/Cost DEMAND COST High Demand/ High Cost Programs Low Demand/ Low Cost Programs

Demand/Yield/Cost Which Way Should the Arrows Point? DEPARTMEN T SIZE COST DEMAND

Demand/Yield/Cost Which Way Should the Arrows Point? DEPARTMEN T SIZE COST DEMAND

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