Workload Agreements

by

Donald K. Wedding, UT-AAUP Executive Board

 

   

Faculty are concerned about the workload agreement forms being presented by chairs. The UT-AAUP has not approved any workload agreement form.

 

The Jacobs Administration has backed-off the first workload agreement form objected to by the UT-AAUP in a newsletter of last week.

 

The Jacobs Administration says it is preparing a new workload agreement form that follows the Collective Bargaining Agreements. Meanwhile some zealous chairs are using the first workload agreement form without waiting for revisions from the Provost Office. There is always a chair ready to accommodate the Jacobs Administration.

 

Some departments are not using workload agreements, but are sending proposed faculty workload assignments to the Provost Office for approval. This is a logical procedure because any faculty workload assignments are subject to unilateral change by the Provost. Thus any faculty workload agreement with the chair is premature.

 

In any case, faculty should not sign any workload agreement form at any time unless it is agreeable with them. If a proposed workload agreement form is not agreeable, it is recommended that faculty not sign. If it is fair and equitable, then faculty may chose to sign assuming it has been accepted by the Provost Office. Why sign up for any workload that has not been blessed by the Provost?

 

If a faculty member is forced to sign a workload agreement, it can be noted on the form that it is being signed under duress or protest.

 

The Jacobs Administration has set a workload date of February 6, 2013, but this is arbitrary and is not in keeping with the Collective Bargaining Agreements or past practice.

 

There was an open forum today with Provost Scott Scarborough presenting and discussing his new workload policy with questions and answers until 5:50pm. Faculty and students were able to see firsthand what is coming down from the Jacobs Administration. Many faculty and students are rightly concerned. Faculty stayed until 5:30pm. Most of the administrators left when the tower clock struck 5:00pm.

 

It is obvious the new workload policy is in flux. There likely will be many changes as protests come in from faculty and students across campus.

 

The UT-AAUP will be calling for a general membership meeting to discuss workload and other issues. All faculty are invited to attend whether UT-AAUP members or not. If you are not a member of the UT-AAUP, now is the time to join. It is time for the faculty to come together.