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The University requires all departments to have a workload allocation model that meet meets the following criteria:
- The model is transparent and visible throughout the Department, and has been developed through consultation with colleagues in the Department.
- The model should cover all academic staff and might be applied also to research-only staff if felt appropriate (Departmentally we don’t apply our work allocation model to research-only staff).
- The unit for workload allocation should be hours.
- That any activities undertaken by staff which are expected by the department should be reflected in the workload allocation within the broad categories of teaching, research, scholarship and citizenship (in our model “Administration” covers citizenship.)
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Environment and Geography staff often go beyond the call of duty in the time and effort they devote to the Department and the model should not dampen enthusiasm or commitment to our students, our research, or any other work-related activity. Rather, it is intended to allow the Head of Department to assign roles strategically and as fairly as possible.
Aspirations
It is hoped that the WAM provides The WAM aims to provide a fair representation of colleagues' workloads as they currently stand. However, we recognise that the constraints that we work under current constraints mean that we can't allocate work exactly as we want toimmediately to match our future aspirations. As we move towards becoming the most influential environmental department by our 40th birthday, we will seek to iteratively adjust our workload allocation model as follows:
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are therefore aiming to :
Ensure that we can accommodate research buyouts effectively and fairly, by bringing individuals' overall workload allocation to below 100% including buyouts;
Increase total time for research (departmentally-funded and bought-out) for staff on ART contracts
from 24% to
40% research time, in addition to the funded time they receive from their research grants;We will increase at least 40% of the total allocated time;
Develop our professional services capacity
, and remove unnecessary tasks, to move administrative workload away from academic colleagues,
with a view aspiring to spend less than 20% of total academic time
being spent on administration;
We will grow Grow our teaching & scholarship team and increase their capacity for
developing the Department's scholarship;We will ensure that our teaching offer focuses on quality over quantity of modules and activities and leading on learning and teaching developments;
Move towards teaching that is effective yet efficient, and ensure our assessment load is meaningful but manageable;
We will build Build capacity to react to opportunities and challenges at short notice without overloading staff;
We will ensure that Ensure the WAM is underpinned by considerations of equality, diversity and inclusivity, and our impact on the environment.