The group around the table had been meeting regularly for six months, tackling the issue of faculty overloads. At this institution, faculty who taught more than the default workload accumulated extra credits that they could use in subsequent semesters to reduce their teaching load. But, as resources declined and fewer full-time faculty were hired, the teaching schedule did not get reduced at the same rate, resulting in faculty accumulating overload but never having an opportunity to use it. Furthermore, as fewer staff positions were being refilled, faculty assumed administrative duties, and their reward was additional workload credits.
Supporting Faculty and Staff Mental Health and Well-Being: Community, Connection, and Balance
Last month, I introduced the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being. The framework was created to start deeper conversations about change and well-being in the workplace