The University of Western Ontario

Faculty Workload Study


SUMMARY REPORT
November 1996


The Faculty Workload Study is a Joint Project of
the Office of the Provost
and
the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association

Coordinating Committee
Doug Baer
David Bellhouse
Regna Darnell
Mike Dawes
John Meyer
Greg Moran
David Anderson
Ruban Chelladurai
Rob Jackson

1. Introduction

The Faculty Workload Study was born in the urgent need of the university community in Ontario to explain to the public and to the Ontario Council on University Affairs the nature and significance of the work that faculty members engage in. The parameters of faculty work, and the inter-dependence of the research, teaching, and service components of this work, are not obvious to the casual observer. Universities themselves acknowledge that the in-classroom teaching component of faculty work constitutes only a small fraction of the total efforts of University faculty, but a public perception that professors do not spend very much time teaching or, for that matter, doing anything else, remains. It was felt that statements and claims regarding what it is that faculty members actually do in their working lives could only be addressed through a systematic study reflecting the research standards of the academic community itself.

In the fall of 1994, the then Dean of Graduate Studies (now, Provost and Vice-President Academic of the University) and the President of the Faculty Association agreed to ask their colleagues to collaborate in producing an expert/participant description of what faculty actually do across the range of University Faculties and Departments. As a result of these initial efforts, the University Administration and the Faculty Association, recognizing a common interest in a study of this sort, agreed to proceed with the development and implementation of a comprehensive study of faculty workload.

The joint Administration-Faculty Association research team wishes to thank various individuals and groups whose help was secured. The Practicum Group of the Research Unit on Work and Productivity in the Department of Psychology worked with the research team in the construction of the questionnaire and basic study design, the STATLAB within the Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences collected the information by carrying out the survey, and the Office of Institutional Planning and Budgeting did the analysis on the collected data. Finally, and most importantly, an enormous debt is owed to the hundreds of faculty members who devoted their "spare time" to keeping work logs for two entire weeks, transcribed these logs onto the summary category sheets which were provided, and returned the information on a timely basis.

2. Methodology

The faculty workload study was a 52-week census which attempted to measure as accurately as possible the amount of time faculty members spent on work-related activities. The study commenced the week of March 20, 1995 and ended the week of March 11, 1996. For two one-week periods, over the whole year, faculty members were asked, on a voluntary basis, to record their time spent on various activities. This process resulted in data being collected for each day of the year, including weekends and statutory holidays. A log book was provided which allowed each faculty member to record the number of hours and minutes spent per day on each of the 45 pre-defined activities (see Survey Data Form and Appendix A).

The study was split into two 26-week time periods. Faculty members were selected to participate for one of the 26 weeks during the first half of the study, then asked to participate again exactly 6 months after their first week. To ensure representativeness throughout each week of the study, faculty members were randomly assigned to their week using stratified random sampling. The stratification was done by Faculty, as participants were assigned proportionate to the number of faculty members in each Faculty, to ensure representativeness by Faculty.

In order to increase both the response rate and the validity of the self-report, participants responded anonymously. In addition to providing workload data, participants were asked to provide some demographic data relevant to professorial work -- such as their Faculty of appointment, rank, contract status, and teaching activity. Non-relevant, though standard, demographic variables such as gender and age were omitted. Written feedback was also encouraged, through the provision of a section in the survey for comments. In designing the Faculty Workload Survey, deliberate effort was made to gather data in such a way as to ascertain the workload patterns only in the aggregate.

3. Response Summary

Based on the total of 1,030 faculty members eligible for the study, there were 2,060 possible responses throughout the 52-week period. Initially, 955 surveys were returned, for an initial response rate of 46%. However some of the returned surveys were either incomplete or were completed by faculty members in unusual situations such as sabbaticals, leaves, or illness. Excluding these resulted in a total of only 840 complete surveys. As a result, the final response rate was 41%.

Throughout the study, response rates varied on a weekly basis from a high of 55% to a low of 26%, with response rates dropping below 30% in only 4 of the 52 weeks. The respondents were characteristic of the population with respect to Faculty and rank.

4. Results

For the 52-week period of the study, faculty members worked a total of 49 hours per week on average. On a weekly basis, the average number of work hours varied throughout the year (see Figure 1), with total faculty workload averaging 48.7 hours per week during the fall term, increasing to 52.4 hours for the winter term, then dropping to 45.6 hours during the summer session. The overall distribution of total weekly workload was fairly symmetric about the mean, as shown in Figure 2. The median number of hours worked per week was 49.5, the lower quartile was 40.8 and the upper quartile was 57.4. In terms of extremes, 9% of the responses stated a workload of 70 hours per week or greater, while 10.6% were at or below 30 hours per week. These percentages of extremes varied throughout the year (see Figure 2): for the fall term, 10.6% of weekly total hours were below 30 hours per week, and 7.3% were above 70 hours per week; during the winter term, only 3.2% were below 30 hours and 10.1% were above 70 hours; and for the summer term, 18.5% were below 30 hours per week while 8.3% were above 70 hours per week.

The original 45 activities were grouped into 3 main categories: teaching-related, research-related, and other professional activities (see Appendix A). For reporting purposes, the activities were re-classified into the 3 main categories and then 8 sub-categories, as described below:

Activity Category Sub-Category Activity Codes
Teaching-Related Student Contact 1-6
Teaching Preparation 8-12, 15, 16
Evaluation 7, 13, 14
Research-Related Research 18-32, 36c, 37
Other Professional Activities Networking and Professional Development 33-36b, 36d
Community and Professional Service 36e, 38, 39, 41e, 41f, 42a-42c, 44, 45
University Service 40, 41a-41d, 42d
External Work for Renumeration 17, 43
Other --------


Table 1 contains a summary of the number of weekly hours spent for each of these categories. Time spent on teaching-related activities averaged 17.5 hours per week overall and remained consistent throughout the fall and winter terms (21.1 and 20.7 hours per week on average, respectively). A significant drop occurred during the summer term as the number of teaching-related hours per week averaged 11.1 (see Figure 3). Research-related time steadily increased throughout the academic year, averaging 12.6 hours per week for the fall term, 15.2 hours for the winter term and 18.7 hours for the summer term. The overall average for research-related activities was 15.6 hours per week (see Figure 4). Time spent on other professional activities was consistent throughout the year, averaging 15.8 hours per week (Figure 5). The average for the fall term was 15.0 hours per week, versus 16.5 for the winter term and 15.9 for the summer term.

An average of 36% of total workload was spent on teaching-related activities, versus 32% for research-related activities and 32% for other professional activities. This distribution varies by Faculty, as shown in Figure 6: teaching-related time ranges from 27% to 45% of total hours per week across Faculties; research-related time varies from 10% to 38% of total time; and other activities ranges from 26% to 46% of total workload.

Of the various activities that faculty members are involved in, research-related writing ranked as the number one activity, averaging 4.3 hours per week (see Figure 7). Evaluating students was the second most frequent activity (3.0 hours per week), followed by planning lessons, departmental committee work and classroom teaching (2.7 hours each, respectively). Of the total amount of time spent on teaching-related activities, 37 percent involves preparation and planning for lectures, 24 percent for student evaluation, 24 percent for contact with students, and 15 percent for classroom teaching (see Figure 8). The average ratio of preparation to classroom teaching time was 2.4, implying that faculty members spent 2.4 hours planning and preparing for lectures for every hour of classroom teaching.

In qualitative sections of the research instrument, a number of faculty complained that a given activity could not be discretely assigned to a single category. For example, when a professor reads a book in his or her area, the results of this activity could: (a) lead to the formation of notes for a forthcoming classroom lecture, (b) form the basis for a set of ideas used in a research paper, (c) be used in discussions with graduate students, or (d) in most case, all three of the above.

What does a typical work week look like for an "average" faculty member? It must be understood that any summary description oversimplifies a fairly complex picture; there is a considerable amount of variation among faculty members in terms of what is done and how it is done. With this in mind, the results of this study show that the average faculty member spends over 8.5 hours a day during the work week, and then devotes 4 additional hours on each day of the weekend to her/his work (see Figure 9). This workload is consistent in magnitude over the entire year, generally staying above 40 hours a week -- even during the University's official August vacation period. What varies during the year, though, is what faculty members do. For example, a decrease (but not a total lack of) teaching activity during the summer is balanced by increases in research activity. The overall study results reinforce the expectation of the investigators that only a small proportion of teaching is spent in the classroom itself. As noted earlier, for every hour that a professor spends in the classroom, she/he spends 3 hours marking papers, providing written feedback to students, and interacting with students on a one-to-one basis as well as another 2.4 hours preparing lectures, classroom exercises and assignments, and other teaching material.

Appendix A

EXPLANATIONS AND EXAMPLES OF PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Teaching-related Activities

1. Classroom teaching. Time spent in the classroom, lab, tutorial, seminar, or other formal teaching situations. Do not include teaching for which you have received (or will receive) extra pay in items 1 to 16. Item 17 deals with teaching for which you have received (or will receive) extra pay.

2. Informal, individual teaching. One-to-one or small group teaching outside the classroom/lab environment (e.g., helping students prepare a paper for presentation). Do not include supervision of graduate/honours students here (item 3).

3. Student supervision. Supervising honours and graduate students (e.g., reviewing and editing honours/graduate student papers) and counselling/advising these students on matters as required. See item 2.

4. Coaching/mentoring - curricular. Coaching/mentoring athletic teams, clubs, drama and musical groups, or other student bodies. Include here the coaching and mentoring considered part of your teaching/curricular load.

5. Coaching/mentoring - extra-curricular. Coaching/mentoring that occurs outside your teaching/curricular load but within the university. Do not include in this item time you recorded for coaching/mentoring in item 4 above and vice versa.

6. Counselling students on academic or personal matters. Academic counselling as well as counselling on personal, family, and career matters, as well as other issues. Talking with the parents of students could be recorded here.

7. Evaluating students. Marking exams and papers, preparing for and attending oral examinations, proctoring examinations, juries, writing letters of evaluation/recommendation on students, and other student evaluation activities.

8. Pre-course administration. Reviewing course requirements and materials, preparing course outlines and reading lists, and other administration needed in preparation for teaching.

9. Reading and library work for teaching. Reading, conducting literature searches and other library work in preparation for teaching. This item does not include the preparation of lesson plans (item 10). See items 20 and 33 for other items related to reading.

10. Planning lessons, lectures, labs, seminars, etc. Planning the sequence of teaching points, writing lesson plans, and developing discussion points.

11. Preparing teaching aids. Preparing overheads, handouts, videos, computer programs, and other tools to be used in your teaching role.

12. Writing teaching-related materials. Writing lab manuals, student study guides, and other materials written for the purpose of conveying teaching points to students. Do not include the writing of lecture/lesson plans here (item 10). See items 29, 37, and 42 for other items related to writing.

13. Developing tests, assignments. Developing or revising tests and assignments.

14. Teaching-related record keeping. Maintaining teaching-related records such as student grades, assignment records, course budgets, and schedules.

15. Supervising teaching assistants. Supervision of teaching assistants in the their teaching assistant duties only. If your teaching assistant is also a graduate student under your supervision, supervision of this individual in non-teaching assistant matters should be recorded under item 3.

16. Teaching-related travel. Travel time to and from off-campus teaching sites (field studies, theatres, other places of learning for the purpose of teaching). Does not include travel between your residence and the University. See items 32 and 36a.

17. All teaching-related activities for which you received (or will receive) extra pay. Teaching a course or workshop for which you received (or will receive) extra pay (e.g., preparing for courses, teaching, administering courses and workshops, grading and counselling students).

Research-related Activities

18. Completing grant applications/proposals. Completing grant application forms and writing research proposals to be sent to granting agencies.

19. Investigating research/scholarship resources. Communicating with others (i.e., colleagues, officials) for the purpose of obtaining research/scholarship funds, facilities, subjects, or materials. This item includes time spent networking with individuals and agencies for the purpose of gaining access to subjects/samples.

20. Reading and library work in preparation for your own research/scholarship. See items 9 and 33 for other items related to reading.

21. Developing/conceptualizing new theories or models. Constructing mathematical theorems or musical models; making theories or models of technological, natural, social or artistic phenomena.

22. Preparing/planning for research/scholarly projects. Preparing for upcoming projects such as experiments, field studies, literary/document research. Consulting or collaborating for the purpose of planning research or scholarship projects (e.g., experiments, field studies, literary/document research). This item deals with planning and initiating research and scholarship only. Do not record here time spent coordinating specific research or scholarly activities. See item 23.

23. Coordinating specific research/scholarship activities. Coordinating on-going research/scholarship activities with associates and assistants (e.g., instructing or supervising research assistants and lab technicians). See item 22.

24. Producing/maintaining research apparatus/materials. Designing, constructing, repairing, or maintaining research/ scholarly apparatus, materials, and documents. This item includes time spent communicating with your department or the library on the acquisition or maintenance of reference works, journals, and the like.

25. Maintaining research subjects. Maintaining or caring for any organisms used as research subjects (e.g., humans, animals, plants).

26. Collecting research information/data. Performing experiments or field studies, observing or interviewing subjects, locating or obtaining samples, artifacts, or documents.

27. Preparing research information/data. Converting data from one medium to another (e.g., photographing old manuscripts), transcribing, typing, or translating data, conducting preliminary analyses to categorize data or identify/remove data errors.

28. Analyzing research information/data. Performing mathematical or statistical analyses, studying/analyzing samples, artifacts, documents, or other research information/data.

29. Writing research/scholarly articles/manuscripts. Writing or revising research/scholarly articles or manuscripts based on your own research. Do not include here time spent writing articles or manuscripts not directly related to your own research findings. See items 12, 37, and 42 for other items related to writing.

30. Creating or performing artistic/scholarly works. Creating visual art, music, or literature, or performing music or drama.

31. Designing/making new substances/equipment. Developing new prototypes or substances (e.g., drugs, chemicals, electronic equipment, software, vehicles). See item 43.

32. Research-related travel. Travel time to and from off-campus research sites (field studies, theatres, other places of learning for the purpose of research). Does not include travel between your residence and the University. See items 16 and 36a.

Other Professional Activities

33. Reading for professional development. Reading any type of material (e.g., journal articles, books, reviews) in order to remain current. This item does not include reading that you may require to do for another activity (e. g. , teaching, committee duties). See items 9 and 20.

34. Skills training. Professionally relevant skills training or updating that was not obtained from merely reading the necessary material (refer to item 33 if only reading was done). This item could include time spent being taught by someone (e. g. , one-on-one training, workshop, course) or learning and practicing the skills yourself.

35. Developing or maintaining professional/collegial relationships. Communicating with others in your field, exchanging ideas, or networking. Do not include here communications related to planning research/scholarship (item 22) or coordinating on-going research/scholarship (item 23).

36. Conferences/presentations/colloquia. This item includes conferences, workshops, colloquia, and departmental professional activities such as "brown bag" sessions. Do not include paid work here (item 43).

37. Scholarly writing. Writing for your profession that is not directly related to your specific research/scholarly interests (e. g. , writing drafts, rewriting, and editing textbooks for publication). See items 12, 29, 42 for other items relating to writing.

38. Reviewing grant proposals. Reviewing and evaluating grant proposals submitted by peers, and time spent corresponding with granting agencies for which such reviews are being conducted.

39. Editing and reviewing professional manuscripts. Editorial and reviewing duties such as reading, analyzing, and evaluating manuscripts submitted for publication. Include here such tasks as making written comments and corresponding with the journal editors and manuscript authors.

40. Organizing workplace, scheduling work, and clerical work. Making or adjusting work schedules; cleaning up work area or computer files; discarding old work materials; general clerical work (correspondence, photocopying) not for a teaching- or research-related purpose.

41. Administrative or committee work for:

42. Communicating on professional matters with. Writing letters to, submitting papers, literature, music, videos, phoning or talking with:

See items 12, 29, and 37 for other items relating to writing.

43. Externally remunerated professional work. Work related to your field of expertise conducted on a fee-for-service basis. For example, consulting, private practice, artistic performing.

44. Non-remunerated professional work. Work related to your field of expertise for which you were not remunerated. For example, advising municipal/governmental committees (unless pay was received, in which case item 43 would be appropriate).

45. Community service. Activities related to your field of expertise conducted on a volunteer basis (e. g. , speaking to church or service groups, serving on the board of charitable organizations).

Other

Tasks not captured by any of the first 45 work items.

TABLES AND FIGURES

Table 1: Summary of Activities

Figure 1: Weekly Total Hours

Figure 2: Frequency Distribution of Weekly Total Hours - By Term

Figure 3: Weekly Teaching Hours

Figure 4: Weekly Research Hours

Figure 5: Weekly Other Professional Activities Hours

Figure 6: Percentage of Time Spent on Teaching/Research/Other Activities - By Faculty

Figure 7: Top 10 Activities

Figure 8: Breakdown of Teaching Activities: % of Total Teaching-Related Hours

Figure 9: Average Daily Hours

FACULTY WORKLOAD SURVEY - SURVEY DATA FORM

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Tracey Church, IPB-UWO, ipbtjc@uwoadmin.uwo.ca
Last revised: 1996/12/09