The Varied Australian National University Enterprise Agreement 2005-2008

Part Three - Employment Conditions

25. Workloads

Principles
25.1  The University’s Policy on Workloads is the basis upon which staff workloads will be managed including designated part time fractions.

25.2  The ordinary hours of work for fulltime general staff are given at 21.1.

25.3  Academic staff at the University frequently work hours well beyond the community standard across most sectors.  In line with many professions, academic staff regulate their own hours.  This flexibility is an important part of academic life and enables work patterns to match teaching and research requirements. Academic workload is a combination of self directed and assigned tasks.  The assigned proportion of an academic’s work will include, for example, teaching and preparation for teaching, assessment, supervision and the necessary administrative work associated with teaching and research in a collegial environment.

25.4  The remainder of an academic staff member’s working time is discretionary in that it is self-directed.  It is the time in which staff members conduct research or other scholarly activity as required by their appointment to the University.  The amount of discretionary time will vary from one member to another and from one area of the University to another.  In some professional schools, for example, the teaching requirements of the University may be greater than in other areas.

Workload factors
25.5  Assigned activities will not be so great as to preclude a reasonable balance with self directed activities in which the staff member is engaged.  The supervisor will ensure that the average weekly tasks assigned facilitate that balance.

25.6  The ratio of students (EFTSU) to non-casual staff (non-casual FTE) with teaching duties is a measure of the demand on staff time.  If allowed to increase unreasonably it can compromise the quality of the University's teaching and research training programs.  However, many factors can affect student-staff ratio, including the staffing profile of a faculty, school or centre, and changes in enrolment patterns. 

25.7  Consistent with the University’s intention to maintain its position as a world leading research intensive education institute, the University will do such things that are reasonable and practicable in the circumstances to maintain or improve the current student staff ratios by discipline except in those circumstances where the University has an established target for growth (e.g. Medical School).  Concerns regarding workloads within a College will be considered by the USCC-SC and staff of the relevant work areas, who will then act in accordance with the principles of the Policy to ameliorate increased demands on staff time.

25. 8  The University will ensure that supervisors are aware of their responsibilities in managing workloads and staff are aware of the principles and procedures of the policy including:

25.8.1  The University will use its best endeavours to allocate workloads in a fair and equitable manner;

25.8.2  The University and its staff recognise the importance of a balance between working life and family/social responsibilities. The University will not make workload demands of staff that are inconsistent with this principle; and

25.8.3  A staff member’s inability to meet unreasonable workloads does not constitute unsatisfactory performance.

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