Understanding Faculty Loading for Courses with Labs
This content provides valuable insights into the faculty loading criteria for courses with labs at San Antonio College, covering definitions of open and instructional laboratory courses, Alamo Colleges District policies, examples of lab loading, and discussions on pay inequity related to workload units. It highlights workload units, instructional contact hours, rates for lectures and labs, and the impact on full-time faculty pay.
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Faculty Loading for courses with labs Luis A. Rodriguez B.S., M.S. Biology Professor San Antonio College Faculty Senate
Some Helpful Definitions Open Laboratory Courses: An open laboratory course is that course in which students are: assigned independent activities which may require assistance, but which does not require direct instruction by faculty. Lab assistants are usually available to assist the student. Instructional Laboratory Courses: An instructional laboratory course is a course in which: demonstrations, return demonstrations, experiments, exercises and examinations require direct involvement by the instructor. The instructor is required to be present at all times and provides lectures, demonstrations, and evaluations of students. Source: El Paso Community College AUTHORIZING BOARD POLICY: 3.08.01
Alamo Colleges District Policies D5.1 & D5.1.2 1 workload unit = 1 Faculty lecture hour 1 Faculty Lecture hour = 16 Instructional contact hours Labs are paid at 2/3 the rate of lecture (or 0.667 workload units per hour) Full time Faculty load = 15 workload units per semester.* *( Any Faculty work loads in excess of 15 hours are paid at adjunct rate)
An example of lab loading at SAC A typical full load Faculty (e.g. in the Sciences) would be comprised of: 3 sections (lecture +lab) per semester = 15 workload units per semester. These would be typically 4 semester hour credit courses with a 3-4 lab contact hours/per week . Faculty contact hours would be 18-21 but are equated as 15 hours (or work load units) *Part of one lab section (1-2 work units ) is paid at adjunct rate because it goes over the 15 work units rule.
Traditional loading for lab based courses SAC An Example : 4-3-4 Biology Science course 3 hour lecture paid at full rate (1:1) = 3 work load units 4 hour lab rate paid at 0.667/hr (4 hrs x.0667)= 2.668 workload units The lab is paid at 2/3 the rate of the lecture. Actual contact hours = 3 contact hours lecture per week + 4 lab contact hours per week x 3 sections = 21 contact hours per semester. (9 hours lecture, 12 hours lab).
Pay inequity Instructor with a full load may actually work up to 21 contact hours/week (Lec/lab) Instructor only gets paid for 17 hours (15 hours @ full time Faculty rate; 1-2 lab hrs@ adjunct rate) If an instructor was paid 1:1 for labs, instructor would get credit for working 21 hours and get paid for 21 hours. This would increase full time pay by 4 hours (15 hours @ full time Faculty rate; 6 hrs@ adjunct rate).
Example of pay discrepancy for Lecture/Lab For an adjunct Faculty member teaching a 4-3-4 Biology course: Lecture: 3 hours (3 workload units) = $2746.89 Lab: 4 hours (2.667 workload units) =$2441.99** At a 1:1 lab pay rate, this instructor would actually be paid: $915.63 x 4 workload units = $3662.52 ($1221.52 difference) This despite the fact that instructional labs typically require significant interactions with students during the lab, and also require weekly prep time before and after each lab. In addition, science lab instruction also carries with it a greater risk of exposures, accidents, or injury for instructors (i.e. corrosives, flammables, chemical exposures, carcinogens, opportunistic pathogens)
Schools/Programs with 1:1 lab pay Schools/Programs with 1:1 lab pay SAC Nursing Clinical Labs are paid at 1:1 rate. Houston Community College pays labs 1:1 including prep time for labs. Trinity Valley Community College Athens, TX- pays labs at 1:1. St. Phillips College formerly paid labs at 1:1 Texas State Technical College pays labs 1:1
