Transcript Academic Work Planning

Academic Contract and Work
Planning
by
UCU SHU Branch Committee
(with minor additions by Rob Hunt)
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What does the SHU academic
contract consist of?
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Nationally agreed terms and conditions;
Locally agreed terms and conditions, which
are contractual;
This information is contained in three main
sources:
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the national contract,
the local staff handbook (which is contractual) and
any further local agreements reached between
UCU and SHU (e.g. the Problem Resolution
Framework).
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Summary guide to the
contract
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Teaching hours
Working week
Working year
Self-managed time
Holidays
Work planning
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Teaching hours
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Maximum of 462 contact hours in year, based on a
norm of 14 hours per teaching week.
All scheduled teaching counts as class contact time
(this includes office hours for seeing students,
dissertation supervision etc.).
Distance learning should be included in the 462 hours
and in the weekly maximum.
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Teaching hours
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For each hour of teaching time staff should
be credited with at least one hour of time
for preparation and marking in their overall
working week.
Staff with major academic management roles,
such as course leader, year tutor etc., should
have a reduction in their 462 teaching hours.
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Working week
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Normal 37 hour working week
Weekend working is voluntary
Maximum of 2 evening sessions per week
Staff are entitled to time off in lieu for
evening and weekend working
Staff can decline to work a three session day
(morning, afternoon and evening) and a split
session day (morning and evening)
Staff should have a one-hour lunch break,
excluding travelling time between sites
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Working year
The year is divided into 3 parts:
 38 week academic year for teaching and
related duties (which is common to the vast
majority of staff) with no more than 36
teaching weeks (maximum)
 Self-managed time
 Holidays/annual leave
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Defending the academic year
The following events should not be organised
outside the 38-week academic year:
 Examination boards
 Away days
 Open days
 Committee meetings
 Subject group or departmental meetings
 Teaching
 Placement visits
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Self-managed time
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This consists of approximately 4 weeks and 3 days
This is time for research, scholarship and professional
development
It is time which is outside the 38 week academic year
and holidays
It is principally self-managed and the time should be
used for the career development of the individual
lecturer
Activities for SMT are for discussion and agreement,
not by imposition by managers
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Holidays
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35 days annual leave
Plus public holidays (8) and extra
statutory days (4)
Plus days the institution is closed
Holidays should be booked on the
holiday form
Up to 3 days annual leave can be
carried over to the next year
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Work planning
Staff are entitled to published and agreed
work plans, which should be:
 Within the contract
 Reasonable, equitable and transparent
within the peer group
 Agreed before the end of the summer
term
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Faculty level policy - D&S:
2 groups of 24 students, 2hrs per week workshop for 12 weeks,
assessment attached to workshops
(D) = 2 x 2 x12 =48
(A) = 48 x 25% = 12
Total STD = 48 + 12 = 60
10 groups of 24 students, 1 hour lecture per week for all 240 students, 1
seminar per week for each group, assessment attached to seminars, both
elements for 12 weeks
(D) = 1 x 12 lectures + 10 x 12 seminars = 12 + 120 = 132
(A) = 120 x 25% = 30
Total STD = 132 + 30 = 162
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What do I do if I think I am being
asked to work outside the contract?
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Check against the information in this
guide
Discuss the issue with other members
of your peer group and in your branch
Take advice from a local UCU rep
Do not accept a work plan which breaks
the contract
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Pressures to work outside the
contract
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Cover for colleagues absent on long-term sickness
Staffing shortages, e.g. vacant posts
Timetabling problems
Demands from students
Insufficient hours on work plan for tutorial support
Bullying managers
Research deadlines
Quality processes
Routine administration not being done by
administrators
Open days always timetabled for weekends
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Defending the contract
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Valuing yourself and your right to a work-life
balance
Educating members – know your contract
Educating managers
Saying no as a peer group
Managing student expectations
Demanding adequate staffing levels
Resisting transfer of routine administrative
work
Resisting work intensification and setting a
bad precedent
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Using the SHU template for
academic work planning
UCU can use the template to:
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educate members in their conditions of service;
ensure work planning happens in all subject groups;
ensure all work plans are within the agreed contract;
unite members around the defence of the contract;
standardise the method of recording work plans
across SHU;
ensure minimum SHU-wide allowances for academic
management roles, e.g. year tutor, course leader etc.
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The SHU template for
academic work planning
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The SHU workplanning template covers
Name, Grade and Roles
Scheduled Teaching Duties and
Teaching Related Duties
Research, Scholarship and Consultancy
Academic Management Roles
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The SHU template for
academic work planning
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and also covers
Trade Union Duties
Other Academic and Associated Duties
Personal Scholarly Activity/ Self
Managed Time
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Further information on the
SHU AWP template
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https://staff.shu.ac.uk/AWP/policies.asp
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