5.2 Working Arrangements Academic Staff

5.2.1 Academic staff may apply for a flexible work arrangement in accordance with clause 5.1.1 above

5.2.2 Annual Academic Workloads

5.2.2.1 Academic staff will be consulted on workload which will be allocated as equitably, and transparently as possible, aimed at assuring fairness in general and gender equity in particular. The workload of academic staff will be allocated on an individual basis, consistent with the Academic Workload Policy that recognises the requirements to undertake minimum teaching and other academic activities – including research, scholarship, and leadership/service – consistent with and relative to the staff member's Academic Career Pathway. Academic workload will be recorded in the Academic Workload Planning system (or its successor or equivalent) and transparently reported annually by the Provost's Office to the Staff Consultative Committee.

5.2.2.2 The basis for calculation of the annualised academic workload is thirty-five (35) hours per week times the number of weeks in a year. In any calendar year an academic staff member is entitled to the following to achieve work-life flexibility and to support the staff member's health and wellbeing through taking a break from work to recuperate:

• Annual Leave: 20 days (140 hours)
• 10 public holidays: 10 days (70 hours)
• University holidays: 3 days (21 hours).

This results in a rounded figure of 1,590 hours per full time academic staff member per annum (pro-rata for part-time staff) of academic staff availability to be managed through work allocation in accordance with this clause and the Academic Workload Policy, taking into account a staff member's planned leave.

5.2.2.3 The National Head of School/Institute Director or delegate will, in consultation with the staff member, assign and record workloads (including changes to workload), in accordance with the University's Academic Workload Policy before the work starts or as soon as practicable thereafter. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, a workload allocation will not be adjusted after the work is completed and if this kind of adjustment occurs, it will be documented.

When assigning workloads, supervisors will take reasonable steps to assure gender equity, not only in terms of the amount of work assigned but also the types of work assigned.

Workloads will be assigned in accordance with the University's Academic Workload Policy. It is an expectation that a competent staff member can perform their allocated duties in 1,590 hours per year.

In the University's Academic Workload Policy, time allocated for each type of work activity will apply to all academic staff members and will reasonably reflect the time, on average, that a competent staff member requires to complete that activity.

Academic staff members must work with their nominated supervisor to achieve a full annual workload. All workload allocations for continuing and fixed-term Academic staff will be recorded in the Academic Workload Planning System (or its successor or equivalent).

Academic workload allocations are transparent (having regard to privacy requirements) and include full disclosure of academic workloads by staff to staff within the work unit and broader National School (system permitting), the Executive Dean, the Provost and relevant Deputy Vice‐Chancellors, members of the Workload Advisory Committee, and Human Resources to support reporting requirements and decision making by the University. System permitting, workload allocations for continuing and fixed-term academic staff will be reported annually to the ACUSCC in a manner that allows comparison across staff groupings in terms of amount and type of work (e.g., by gender, ACP, academic level, organisational units, and campus).

5.2.2 Broad Definition of Academic Work

Teaching, Research, Scholarship, Leadership and Service, and related academic activities are considered together under the broad headings below.

5.2.3.1 Teaching may include:

• undertaking mandatory and approved professional learning related to teaching;
• preparing teaching materials for face-to-face, online and other modes of delivery; developing and reviewing units and courses, including online, off-campus and off-shore learning materials;
• conducting lectures, laboratory classes, tutorials, seminars, workshops, field or practicum supervision or clinical education;
• developing and/or delivering online learning;
• supervising honours year and postgraduate coursework students' projects;
• designing, reviewing, and preparing student assessment;
• marking and student feedback;
• assessment moderation; and
• student consultation, in person or online, including email.

5.2.3.2 Research may include:

• undertaking mandatory and approved research training;
• preparing and submitting research grant applications;
• undertaking and publishing research outputs;
• presenting research papers, addresses to conferences and the like;
• curating exhibitions and directing performances other than those related to teaching responsibilities along with other non-traditional research outputs;
• conducting research engagement and impact activities;
• developing industry partnerships related to research;
• supervising research higher degree students; and
• building research capability and capacity.

5.2.3.3 Scholarship activity contributes to course development and delivery and, accordingly, may include:

• keeping up to date with advances in the field;
• activities that lead to new understanding and insights into a discipline;
• preparing peer-reviewed scholarly outputs; and
• other outputs and activities that support contemporary approaches to teaching and learning, or research training.

5.2.3.4 Leadership and Service may include:

• mandatory and approved professional learning related to leadership and service activities;
• undertaking a role with formal staff supervision including of continuing, fixed-term, sessional and casual teaching and/or research staff and professional staff in a University-assigned role (e.g., National Head of School, Associate Dean, Deputy Dean, State Head of School, Director of a Centre/Academy/Institute, Deputy Head of School);
• undertaking a role such as:
  - Course Coordinator or Course Advisor;
  - Timetable Liaison Officer;
  - Chair of a Course Implementation Committee, Faculty or School Standing Committee, University Committee, Course Development/Review Committee (other than as a Deputy Dean, National Head of School, State Head of School, Deputy Head of School or Associate Dean);
  - Placement Coordinator or equivalent role;
• leading or contributing to other committees;
• organising and/or attending meetings, forums and/or seminars;
• quality assurance activities
• independent benchmarking;
• mentoring;
• attending graduations, orientation, open days and the like;
• contributing to and involvement with professional associations, business, industry and unions;
• contributing to and involvement with relevant government and community bodies and associations, consistent with the University's engagement strategy;
• promoting the University in the community; and
• other administrative and relevant activities that occur from time to time.

5.2.4 Academic Career Pathways

5.2.4.1 ACU has created flexible academic roles through the introduction of the five Academic Career Pathways:

1. Teaching and Research;
2. Teaching-focussed;
3. Research-focussed;
4. Research-only; and
5. Leadership and Service.

5.2.4.2 The Academic Career Pathway for the staff member is a University decision which is based on the contribution, participation, outcomes and outputs of an individual staff member as measured by the minimum requirements and quality standards identified by the University.

5.2.4.3 An academic staff member's career pathway may vary from time to time based on individual and/or University requirements.

5.2.4.4 An academic staff member may request a variation of their Academic Career Pathway and any change can only occur through discussion with, and with the written agreement of, the University. This would normally occur during the development and performance process.

5.2.4.5 Nothing in this Agreement prevents a staff member from being required to change their Academic Career Pathway. This would normally be dealt with during the development and performance process and must be based on performance during a period of no less than 12 months.

5.2.4.6 A variation to an Academic Career Pathway can only be approved by a Member of the Executive. The Member of the Executive will be reasonable in considering any request to change to a staff member's Academic Career Pathway.

5.2.4.7 The following summarises the various academic career pathways available to the University and its staff; including the minimum / maximum (as required) teaching, research, scholarship, and leadership and service activities. Each career pathway has a continuum of academic activity to reach full participation, and allocation of an annual workload.

All academic staff will be allocated 10% (i.e., 159 hours for a full-time academic) of their workload for service (see clause 5.2.3.4).

1. Teaching and Research Academic Career Pathway
   
   A Teaching and Research Academic undertakes teaching, research, scholarship, and leadership and service. In the workload allocation for teaching, the number of contact hours associated with face-to-face teaching (or equivalent) will not exceed three hundred and thirty-six (336) hours.
   
   Teaching and research staff will be allocated a minimum of 10% of their total workload allocation for scholarship activity (defined in clause 5.2.3.3)
   
   Teaching and research staff can reasonably expect to be allocated workload to undertake research activity, subject to adequate performance. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, this research workload will not be less than 10% of total workload allocation (minimum) and not more than 60% of total workload allocation (maximum).
   
   Staff on this pathway may be allocated additional workload to complete a specific scholarship of teaching and learning project(s) (see activities listed under clause 5.2.3.3), with objectives directly relevant to strategic priorities. Staff applications to undertake these projects will be assessed on (i) project quality and feasibility and (ii) the applicant's track record (relative to opportunity) in scholarship activity. Data for this assessment will be drawn from university systems (e.g., Orion and Staff Connect [Progress Reports] or their successors or equivalents). Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the total workload for research and scholarship will not exceed 70% of total workload.
2. Teaching-focussed Academic Career Pathway
   
   A Teaching-focussed Academic undertakes teaching, scholarship activity, and leadership and service and may undertake some research. In the workload allocation associated with face-to-face (or equivalent) teaching, the number of contact hours will not exceed four hundred and eighty (480) hours.
   
   Teaching-focused staff will be allocated a minimum of 10% of their total workload allocation for scholarship activity (defined in clause 5.2.3.3). Staff on this pathway may be allocated additional workload to complete a specific scholarship of teaching and learning project(s), with objectives directly relevant to strategic priorities. Staff applications to undertake these projects will be assessed on (i) project quality and feasibility and (ii) the applicant's track record (relative to opportunity) in scholarship activity. Data for this assessment will be drawn from university systems (e.g., Orion and Staff Connect [Progress Reports] or their successors or equivalents).
   
   Teaching-focussed academics may be allocated workload to undertake research (defined in clause 5.2.3.2).
3. Research-focussed Academic Career Pathway
   
   A Research-focussed Academic undertakes research, teaching, and leadership and service. Research-focussed staff will be allocated a minimum of 10% of their total workload allocation for research (defined in clause 5.2.3.2). Research-focussed staff can reasonably expect to be allocated workload to undertake additional research activity, subject to adequate performance. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, this additional research workload will not be less than 50% of total workload allocation, for a total minimum research workload allocation of 60% of total workload. In the workload allocation associated with face-to-face (or equivalent) teaching, the number of contact hours will not exceed one hundred and sixty-eight (168) hours.
4. Research-Only Academic Career Pathway
   
   A Research-only Academic undertakes research and leadership and service, and may undertake some teaching. Research-only staff will be allocated a minimum of 10% of their total workload allocation to conduct research. Research-only staff can reasonably expect to be allocated workload to undertake additional research activity (see activities listed in clause 5.2.3.2), subject to adequate performance. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, this additional research workload will not be less than 70% of total workload allocation, for a total minimum research workload allocation of 80% of total workload. In the workload allocation associated with any face-to-face (or equivalent) teaching, the number of contact hours will not exceed ninety-six (96) hours.
5. Leadership and Service Academic Career Pathway
   
   A Leadership and Service Academic undertakes leadership and service and will maintain discipline currency. They will lead teaching, research, or scholarship activity and will usually teach or conduct research themselves. In the workload allocation for teaching, the number of contact hours associated with face-to-face (or equivalent) teaching will not exceed three hundred and thirty-six (336) hours. Leadership and service staff will be allocated a minimum of 5% of their total workload allocation to scholarship activity (see activities listed in clause 5.2.3.3).
   
   Staff on this pathway may be allocated additional workload to complete a specific scholarship of teaching and learning project(s), with objectives directly relevant to strategic priorities. Staff applications to undertake these projects will be assessed on (i) project quality and feasibility and (ii) the applicant's track record (relative to opportunity) in scholarship activity (see activities in clause 5.2.3.3). Data for this assessment will be drawn from university systems (e.g., Orion and Staff Connect [Progress Reports] or their successors or equivalents). Leadership and service-focussed academics may be allocated additional workload to undertake research (see activities listed in clause 5.2.3.2).

5.2.5 Management of Academic Workload

5.2.5.1 Academic workload will be managed in accordance with the Academic Workload Policy.

5.2.5.2 To ensure a staff member achieves the full allocation of an annual workload of 1590 hours, the operation of the continuum allows for flexibility with regard to the proportions of academic activities undertaken within all Career Pathways. To the extent that a staff member, through the normal allocation of workload in their relevant Career Pathway cannot achieve the required 1590 hours, the continuum is read flexibly to enable the staff member to achieve a full workload allocation.

5.2.5.3 Research workload allocation for all Academic Career Pathways will be determined in accordance with the ACU Academic Workload Policy supported by the Faculty Research Workload Review Panel (or its successor or equivalent).

5.2.5.4 Any evaluation process used to determine an aspect of a staff member's workload allocation will:

• Treat staff with dignity and support them to pursue knowledge and the common good, grounded in the principles of ACU's Mission;
• Be based on clear criteria established by the university in consultation with academic staff;
• Involve a process that is fair and consistent;
• Involve a process that is clear and transparent, ensuring that staff understand the rationale for the decisions made;
• Assess achievement relative to opportunity;
• Promote staff accountability;
• Provide staff with useful feedback; and
• Include a robust and transparent appeals process.

5.2.5.5 The normal expectation is that the workload of a staff member undertaking teaching and related activities will not exceed fifteen (15) contact hours in any week. A Teaching and Research academic staff member will not be required to teach in more than thirty (30) weeks in any calendar year and a Teaching-focussed staff member will not be required to teach for more than thirty-six (36) weeks in any calendar year. An academic staff member will not be required to teach in overlapping teaching periods without their written agreement. These normal expectations are subject to the staff member achieving a full annual workload allocation.

5.2.5.6 Where the requirements of the Academic Role with respect to performance of teaching quality standards and/or research expectations, are not maintained, staff will be managed and consulted with in accordance with the provisions of Section 4 of this Agreement.

5.2.5.7 To the extent that a staff member is deemed not to have met the requirements for contribution, participation outcomes and/or outputs as measured by the minimum requirements and quality standards identified by the University, the staff member will be managed in accordance with Section 4 of this agreement insofar that their performance may be considered unsatisfactory.

5.2.5.8 Where a staff member is required to undertake a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (or an equivalent course of study), as an incident of their employment or term of their probation, they will be provided with a workload allocation equal to the expected required hours expressed in the course guide or unit outline (howsoever named).

5.2.6 Workload Advisory Committee (WAC)

5.2.6.1 The WAC is established for the purpose of supporting the implementation of Working Arrangements – Academic Staff clause of this Agreement.

5.2.6.2 The membership of the WAC will be three (3) nominees of the University, including two (2) academic staff members nominated by the Provost, one of whom is an Executive Dean, and a Human Resources representative, and three (3) academic staff union nominees. The Workload Advisory Committee will have an Executive Officer/ Project Officer(s) to provide executive and other support.

5.2.6.3 The role of the WAC is to:

1. Support the implementation of the Working Arrangements – Academic Staff clause of this Agreement;
2. Provide input into the evaluation of the supporting electronic workload system;
3. Receive, discuss and consider submissions on issues referred by academic staff members, National Heads of School or Executive Deans relating to the operation of the Working Arrangements – Academic Staff clause and make recommendations to the Provost. Submissions must relate to the operation and/or implementation of the Working Arrangements – Academic Staff clause. Matters involving or raised by an individual staff member may only be addressed by the WAC in accordance with the provisions of sub-clauses 5.2.7.3 and 5.2.7.4.
4. Make recommendations on the operation and/or implementation of the Working Arrangements – Academic Staff clause to the Provost. Following consideration, the Provost will refer those recommendations that are accepted to the ACUSCC for consultation. Following consultation at ACUSCC, the Provost will then refer the matters to the Vice-Chancellor and President who may either make modifications or accept the endorsement, prior to approval.
5. The WAC will normally meet at least three (3) times per year.
6. Issues arising from the implementation of the Working Arrangements – Academic Staff clause will be dealt with in a timely manner; and,
7. The WAC will review workload allocations across the University to consider whether workload allocations are manageable, being made equitably and in accordance with this clause and report review findings to the Provost under 5.2.6.3 (iii) and (iv) above.

5.2.7 Individual Workload Issues / Review

5.2.7.1 Matters that specifically relate to the operation of the ACU Academic Workload Policy must be discussed directly between the academic staff member and their National Head of School/Institute Director or delegate.

5.2.7.2 Only the following (5.2.7.3-5.2.7.9) are matters that are subject to review under this clause:

5.2.7.3 Matters arising from the implementation of this Working Arrangements - Academic Staff clause as it applies to an individual staff member's workload allocation; and

5.2.7.4 Matters pertaining to a dispute around reasonable hours of work. In determining what are reasonable hours of work, the University will have regard to the following factors:

1. The total number of teaching hours;
2. The total number of teaching and/or required hours worked during a particular day or week, including hours allocated to marking and feedback;
3. The number of teaching and/or required hours worked without a break;
4. The length of a break between required hours of work;
5. Any requirement to undertake teaching before 8.00 am or after 9.00 pm or on University holidays or weekends;
6. Requirements to travel between campuses to undertake teaching;
7. The time-off between finishing and starting times of teaching sessions;
8. The number of days of the week during which teaching and/or required duties are scheduled;
9. Health and wellbeing issues;
10. The incidence of night work;
11. The academic staff member's general workload; and
12. The academic staff member's family needs and responsibilities

5.2.7.5 An academic staff member should normally raise an issue arising from the implementation of the Working Arrangements – Academic Staff clause with their supervisor in the first instance. Where the issue relates to the allocation of research hours, this will be raised with the decision-maker.

5.2.7.6 Where the issue is not resolved or it is not possible to reach agreement by this means, the academic staff member may make a written application to the Executive Dean for a peer review.

5.2.7.7 Prior to any referral to the Peer Review, the Executive Dean must be satisfied that the staff member has provided the following evidence in writing of the issues being raised and how they have been addressed and/or not resolved as to justify a Peer Review. The Staff member's application to the Executive Dean must be comprehensive and indicate:

1. What discussions have taken place prior to the application for peer review;
2. What evidence has been provided;
3. Whether there has been any attempt to resolve these issues and what the various solutions / proposals have been; and
4. Particularised application addressing why the staff member remains dissatisfied and what outcome they are seeking from the review.

5.2.7.8 The Executive Dean will assemble a panel of three (3) academic peers, at least one of whom will be familiar with the staff member's academic discipline or specific work area, and an academic staff member within that Faculty nominated by the academic union. The peer review panel will provide a written recommendation to the Executive Dean regarding the issue. The Executive Dean will consider the matter, document a decision, and may take action as they consider appropriate in the circumstances.

5.2.7.9 If the Executive Dean's decision differs from the recommendation made by the panel, the staff member may request that the Provost review their written application and the panel's written recommendation. The decision of the Provost is final and is not open to challenge via the Disputes Settling Procedure of this Agreement. However, any failure to comply with an obligation in this clause may be resolved by the application of the Dispute Settling Procedure.

5.2.8 Implementation and transitional arrangements of the Working Arrangements – Academic Staff clause

5.2.8.1 The Academic Workload Policy will be amended (by agreement between the University and the NTEU) as soon as practicable after this Agreement takes effect to be consistent with this clause 5.2 and will remain in place for the life of the Agreement. Thereafter, the Academic Workload Policy can only be altered in circumstances where:

1. A new academic activity is determined by the University as necessary for inclusion into the Academic Workload Policy; and
2. Amendment is required and mutually agreed by the University and the NTEU.