Hi, Jim,
I'm very sorry that I'll be out of town for this discussion of workload. I
see the question as one of curricular and pedagogical quality. A large
number of students in a class can delay the timely return of student papers,
for example, so the heavier workload caused by a large class can affect the
teaching quality.
Faculty workload is an issue that is not generally understood by those who
don't teach. The public, and at least some of the SUNY Trustees, look at
the ASSIGNED workload of 12-15 hours a week and think that we are lazy
whiners if we talk of workload.
I hope you'll find time to discuss the harm to teaching that a heavy
workload can cause, and I hope, too, that you'll find time to reach an
accurate assessment of the amount of time that many teachers actually spend
in the service of their students and university.
It might be helpful to ask some of the following questions:
1. In addition to our face-to-face presence for students, how many of us are
available to students throughout the day (and evening) electronically? Some
teachers are electronically available to students on average, I think, of
16-18 hours a day. I also am available electronically during the weekend.
This electronic availability is in ADDITION to my three scheduled ³office
hours² each week.
2) How many of us advise, or have advisement responsibility, for very large
numbers of students?
3) How many of us design new courses or new degree programs?
4) How many of us travel to see interns or student teachers? Such travel
time takes hours or even days away from campus and other responsibilities
which then must be handled upon our return to campus.
5) How many are involved with research and publication? How many share the
view that we are all researchers whether we publish or not?
6) How many are involved with public performance or public interaction as
part of our service to the university?
7) How many give extra time to faculty governance?
8) How many mentor or guide younger faculty or adjuncts?
9) How many are involved with campus committees such as Retention or
Assessment committees?
10) How many are involved with other student activities such as student
clubs?
Colleagues, each of the above activities is listed for this very quick
email. Iım sure I could name another 10 things we do outside of class, and
Iım equally sure that YOU could add to the list. How much time is spent on
each of the above activities? We can produce objective metrics to answer
that question and we should do so.
Finally, I point out that each of the above ten items lists activities that
are in ADDITION to classroom instruction, lecture research and preparation,
and grading of papers and exams.
A final word - -I suggest that the above issues be considered as part of our
constant attention to teaching excellence. There are only 24 hours in a day.
If we spend 5 or 6 of those hours in sleep, we need to set priorities for
the other 18 hours. What choices and what working conditions will result in
the best possible instruction for our students?
Thanks
Janet
Dr. J. Nepkie
Professor of Music and Music Industry
Music Department
State University of New York
College at Oneonta
Oneonta, N.Y. 13820-4015
Phone (607) 436 3425
Fax 607 436 2718
> From: Jim Greenberg <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Teaching Breakfast List <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2006 12:48:09 -0500
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: TB Reminder and Agenda
>
> Tbers,
>
> This is a reminder that the first meeting of the Teaching Breakfast will be
> tomorrow Feb. 2, at 8 am in Morris Hall. The topic for this meeting has
> changed (my jury duty status prevented me from being able to prepare what I
> previously had planned). We will be discussing , "Helping Faculty Cope With
> Workload."
>
> I suspect newer faculty might be apprehensive about doing things in their
> courses that save them time for fear it may be perceived as diminishing the
> experience in some way. This doesn't have to be the case. Many of us have
> found time savers without compromising our course. What are these things?
>
> Think about the things you do (big or small) that help you cope with your
> workload (not sleeping is not acceptable). For example, I tell my students
> that I don't look at my email throughout the day (like some seem to expect.)
> I tell them they should not expect responses from me throughout the day and
> if they have an emergency that needs me to respond more quickly, they should
> come to my office or call me. It changes students expectations for email,
> and saves me sometime.
>
> Hope to see you tomorrow.
>
>
>
>
> Mr. James B. Greenberg
> Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
> Milne Library
> SUNY College at Oneonta
> Oneonta, New York 13820
>
> email: [log in to unmask]
> phone: 607-436-2701
> fax: 607-436-3081
> IM: oneontatltc
>
> "Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever"
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