TEACHING EQUIVALENCIES SURVEY
As we discussed at a recent unit heads meeting, regarding teaching load the new workload policy states: “Each unit, with the approval of its dean, shall also determine equivalencies of studios, labs, rehearsals, team-teaching, distance education, supervision of theses or student research, clinical or internship supervision, independent study or reading courses, and other such formal teaching activities.”
To move toward more equitable teaching loads across the college we must begin determining these equivalencies. Issues related to team-teaching, distance education, independent study or reading courses, and other formal teaching activities will be deferred so that we may look first at the more time-intensive activities of studios, labs, rehearsals, supervision of theses or student research, and clinical or internship supervision.
Because of staffing constraints it will not be possible to establish full parity immediately: we will not, for the time being, be able to consider 1 faculty contact hour for every studio, lab, rehearsal, thesis or research supervision, or clinical or internship supervision as equivalent to 1 credit hour of teaching for a faculty member. However, depending on the nature of the activity and the amount of preparation involved some studios, labs, or supervisory activities in your unit may be more deserving of full equivalency than others.
The Physics department, for example, has identified certain inquiry-based and upperdivision labs where 1 contact hour should count as 1 teaching credit hour (1:1), while for all other labs 1 contact hour should count as 0.67 teaching credit hours (2:3). See the attached “Teaching Credit for Lab Courses” document, which articulates the difference between these types of labs.
As a starting point for determining equivalencies in the college could you please prepare a list of the studios, labs, rehearsals, supervision of theses or student research, and clinical or internship supervision assignments in your unit (with specific course number, e.g. CHM 499 or ENG 695) and indicate:
a) what teaching credit faculty currently receive for each of these (that is, the current equivalency); and b) for which of these you wish to propose a different equivalency. Please provide a rationale or justification, similar to Physics’, for each new equivalency. Indicate also whether the desired equivalency was mentioned in your unit’s strategic plan or whether benchmarking data from your peer institutions supports your proposal.
This information should be submitted to Dean Stark by Monday, January 14 and you should contact him with any questions. Thank you for your cooperation.