Faculty workload differences among CAHME accredited programs. Mark L. Diana, PhD; Claudia Campbell, PhD; T. J. Stranova, ScD Department of Health Systems Management, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Introduction
Results
Faculty productivity in teaching, research and service may influence national reputation and program effectiveness. Workload expectations often vary by program based on mission, accreditation status, competing peers, and the program setting. The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) guidelines recommend a preferred teaching load of nine hours of teaching per week for undergraduate programs and six hours per week for graduate programs (AAUP, 2006). Although teaching is considered the core business of academic institutions, publication and extramural funding compete for faculty time and often receive greater recognition by university administration and faculty peers.
Forty-six program directors responded to the survey for an overall 65% response rate. Among respondents, 41% were located in schools of public health (PH), 24% were located in business or management schools (B/M), 15% were located in health professions schools (HP), 9% were in other schools including medical schools, schools of allied health, and schools of public administration (Other). As shown in Table 1, overall mean teaching load for tenure track appointments was approximately four courses per year and almost five courses per year for non-tenure track appointments. Seventy-one percent of respondents expected tenure track faculty to have some level of extramural support, and all of them expected tenure track faculty to publish, generally about two articles per year. Conversely, no extramural funding and minimal publication effort was expected of non-tenure track faculty. Tenure track faculty teaching loads varied from a mean of three courses per year in schools of public health to six courses per year in schools of health professions. Mean tenure track funding varied from 30% in schools of public health to 0% in schools of business and management. Mean tenure track publication expectations varied from 1.5 in business and management schools to 2.9 in schools of public health.
Studies have found that faculty who publish more and teach less earn higher salaries and are more likely to be awarded tenure (Edgerton, 1993; Hodges, 1994; Magner, 1994; Meyer, 1998). Moreover, more time in teaching has been shown to have a negative impact on successful publication among faculty (Grimes & Tsiritakis, 1997). Anecdotal evidence also suggests growing pressure for tenured and tenure track faculty to seek and obtain extramural support. Failure to do so may result in dismissal of tenured faculty when an institution is in financial distress (AAUP, 2009). Thus, the academic unit often determines the appropriate balance among competing workload obligations. In setting and enforcing workload expectations, program directors can play an important role in determining the success of their programs and faculties.
The survey was conducted online using the Vovici web survey software. Program directors were e-mailed a request to complete the survey with a link to the online survey. Several rounds of follow-up requests were sent, followed by personal e-mail or telephone requests. Data on teaching loads were converted to a three semester hour per 12 months equivalent teaching load. This was done by first calculating the number of credit hours respondents reported as a normal teaching load per year (9-month or 12-month), and then calculating the number of actual hours spent in the classroom, determined using 12.5 hours per credit per semester, and 8.3 hours per credit per quarter. Finally, the 3 semester hour equivalent load was calculated as the number of hours spent in the classroom divided by 37.5 hours. Extramural funding expectations are reported as percent of salary and publication expectations are reported as a count unadjusted for impact or co-authorship.
Program Setting PH B/M HP
Tenure-track
• Program setting affects faculty teaching and funding expectations.
Non-tenure track
Teaching
Funding
Publications
Teaching
Funding
Publications
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
3.8
25.0
2.0
3.2
0
0.5
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
3.8
0
1.4
6.5
0
0.6
(5)
(5)
(5)
(5)
(5)
(5)
5.3
16.7
2.3
8.0
0
0
(3)
(3)
(3)
(1)
(1)
(1)
3.6
8.8
2.0
4.9
0
0.3
(4)
(4)
(4)
(3)
(3)
(3)
4.1
9.6
1.9
5.6
0
0.5
(14)
(14)
(14)
(11)
(11)
(11)
Total
Program
Note. PH = Public Health, B/M = Business/Management, HP = Health Professions.
HP Othera Total
Tenure-track
Non-tenure track
Teaching
Funding
Publications
Teaching
Funding
Publications
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
3.1
30.3
2.9
3.4
0
0.4
(19)
(19)
(19)
(12)
(12)
(12)
4.6
0
1.5
5.8
0
0.3
(11)
(11)
(11)
(9)
(9)
(9)
6.3
7.1
1.9
5.9
0
0
(7)
(7)
(7)
(3)
(3)
(3)
4.1
9.4
2.0
5.3
0
0.2
(8)
(8)
(8)
(6)
(6)
(6)
4.2
15.6
2.3
4.7
0
0.3
(45)
(45)
(45)
(30)
(30)
(30)
a
In general, teaching loads were lower, while funding and publication expectations were higher among the top ranked programs. Surprisingly, non-tenure track faculty had even lower teaching expectations among the top ranked programs. In the top ranked programs, teaching expectations averaged three courses per year, funding expectations averaged 32%, while publication expectations were 3.2 articles per year. For the middle ranked programs, tenure track teaching expectations were 4.1 courses per year, funding expectations were 9.6%, and publication expectations were 1.9 articles per year. The bottom ranked programs had even higher teaching expectations of 5.2 courses per year, 7% funding, and 1.8 publications. Teaching expectations among these programs for non-tenure track faculty averaged 5.5 courses per year, more than twice that expected in the top ranked programs. There are no differences in funding and publication expectations for non-tenure track faculty based on rank.
We then examined differences in teaching loads, funding and publication expectations by program setting based on program rankings from U.S. News and World Report (U.S. News & World Report, 2007). We grouped programs into the top 20, those ranked 21 to 40, and those that were ranked greater than 40. There was little variability in workload expectations among top 20 programs, so only totals are reported Table 2. Because of the greater variability in workload expectations among programs not in the top 20, we report the four groups separately in tables 3 & 4. Table 2 Teaching loads, funding, and publication expectations for programs ranked in the top 20.
Setting a
Total a
Teaching loads, funding, and publication expectations for programs ranked higher than 40. Program Setting PH B/M HP
Program
Tenure-track
Non-tenure track
Teaching
Funding
Publications
Teaching
Funding
Publications
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
3.0
31.9
3.2
2.6
0
0.5
(14)
(14)
(14)
(8)
(8)
(8)
Includes Includes Public Health, Allied Health, Public Administration, and Medical
School.
o Teaching expectations were lowest in schools of public health. o Funding was not expected of faculty in business and management schools, or of non tenure track faculty in any setting. • National rankings appear to be associated with greater funding and publication expectations and lower teaching loads. These results indicate that workload expectations of faculty in CAHME accredited programs vary by program setting and faculty tracks, suggesting that they deliver educational output consistent with the mission, vision and goals of their respective programs and settings. Moreover, rankings appear to be associated with greater research productivity. Further research is needed to assess differences based on 9 and 12-month appointments and consequences of not achieving workload expectations and incentives for achieving them.
Othera Total
AAUP (2006). Statement on faculty workload. AAUP, Policy Documents and Reports (pp. 191195). Washington, D.C. AAUP (2009). AAUP: Censured Administrations. Retrieved June 17, 2009, from http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/about/censuredadmins/ Edgerton, R. (1993). The tasks faculty perform. Change, 25(4), 4-6.
Tenure-track
Hodges, L. (1994, April 15). Professor under pressure. The Times Higher Educational Supplement. Magner, D. K. (1994, February 9). Assessing the work of professors. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Non-tenure track
Teaching
Funding
Publications
Teaching
Funding
Publications
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
(n)
3.6
16.0
2.2
5.4
0
0
(5)
(5)
(5)
(3)
(3)
(3)
5.3
0
1.7
5.0
0
0
(6)
(6)
(6)
(4)
(4)
(4)
7.0
0
1.5
4.8
0
0
(4)
(4)
(4)
(2)
(2)
(2)
5.0
20.0
2.0
7.0
0
0
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
5.2
7.1
1.8
5.5
0
0
(17)
(17)
(17)
(11)
(11)
(11)
Note. PH = Public Health, B/M = Business/Management, HP = Health Professions. a
References
Grimes, P. W., & Tsiritakis, E. (1997). Teaching loads and the production of economic research publications. Atlantic Economic Journal, 25(4).
Table 4
Includes Allied Health, Public Administration, and Medical School.
o Teaching expectations are highest in programs based in health professions and business and management schools.
Includes AH = Allied Health, PA = Public Administration, and Med = Medical School.
Note. PH = Public Health, B/M = Business/Management, HP = Health Professions. a
• All tenure track faculty were expected to publish regardless of setting. • Non-tenure track faculty publication expectations were minimal.
Teaching loads, funding, and publication expectations by track and program setting.
B/M
The survey contained questions on the research and teaching productivity metrics for 9 and 12 month, full time faculty appointments. The survey asked program directors about these metrics for different faculty appointment tracks including tenure, non-tenure, clinical or practice, and research tracks.
20 and less than or equal to 40.
Table 1
PH
In the fall of 2008, the Tulane University Department of Health Systems Management, in cooperation with the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) conducted an online survey of 71 master’s degree programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). We identified programs and program directors using the list of accredited programs on CAHME’s web site. The survey was designed to inform program directors and faculty about average teaching loads, publication expectations, extramural funding support, and the trade-offs, if any, between them.
Teaching loads, funding, and publication expectations for programs ranked higher than
Othera
Setting
Methods
Conclusions
Table 3
Includes AH = Allied Health, PA = Public Administration, and Med = Medical School.
Meyer, K. A. (1998). Faculty workload studies: Perspectives, needs, and future directions. (Vol. 26). Washington, D.C.: The George Washington University.
U.S. News & World Report (2007). Rankings - Healthcare Management - Graduate Schools Retrieved June 17, 2009, from http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/bestgraduate-schools/top-healthcare-management-schools/rankings
For further information Please contact Mark L. Diana, PhD,
[email protected]; Claudia Campbell,
[email protected]; or TJ Stranova, ScD,
[email protected]. Department of Health Systems Management 1440 Canal Street, Ste. 1900 New Orleans, LA 70112 504.988.5428 (V)
