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Academic Contract and Work Planning

byUCU SHU Branch Committee

(with minor additions by Rob Hunt)

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What does the SHU academic contract consist of? Nationally agreed terms and conditions; Locally agreed terms and conditions, which

are contractual; This information is contained in three main

sources: 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

Teaching hours Working week Working year Self-managed time Holidays Work planning

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Teaching hours 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 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 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 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 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

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% = 12Total 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% = 30Total STD = 132 + 30 = 162

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What do I do if I think I am being asked to work outside the contract?

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 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 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: 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 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 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

https://staff.shu.ac.uk/AWP/policies.asp