Instructional Workload Standards Pursuant to the UC-AFT Agreement for Unit 18
The following guidelines have been developed pursuant to Article 24 (Instructional Workload) of the UC-AFT agreement for Unit 18:
ARTICLE 24
INSTRUCTIONAL WORKLOAD
A. INSTRUCTIONAL WORKLOAD STANDARD, COURSE DEFINITION AND EQUIVALENCIES
1. The full-time (100%) instructional workload standard for NSF for an academic year shall not exceed nine (9) instructional workload courses over three (3) quarters or six (6) instructional workload courses over two (2) semesters, or the equivalent. Instructional workloads may be lower, based upon the instructional workload standard of the department, program or board.
2. For purposes of this Article, a course as referred to in Section A.1. above, shall be called an instructional workload course and shall be defined as an instructional offering that is regularly scheduled, requires significant academic preparation, office hours, and/or grading outside the class by the instructor, and meets a minimum of three (3) hours per week.
3. It is recognized that some instruction does not fit the definition of an instructional workload course as defined in Section A.2. above. Examples of instructional offerings that do not conform to the definition in Section A.2., above, are laboratory supervision, supervision of teaching assistants, studio instruction, clinical instruction and independent studies that the University requires the Lecturer to perform. The University shall determine whether a course conforms to the definition of an instructional workload course in Section A.2. above, and shall establish the equivalencies for the instructional offerings which do not conform to the definition of an instructional workload course. Equivalencies for these instructional offerings will be defined proportionate to the instructional workload course as defined in Section A.2. above.
4. The workload of the unit member in non-lecturer titles as defined in Article 5 – Description of Unit Titles, shall continue to be determined in accordance with current campus procedures. Should the University propose changes to these campus procedures, the University will meet and discuss over the changes.
5. In determining the relative workload value of instructional offerings and course equivalencies, the University shall consider the instructional and evaluation methods employed, the nature of the courses assigned, the preparations required, the number of students expected to enroll, and the availability of support employees. In addition, the University may consider other factors.
6. In determining workload, the University shall provide workload equivalencies to an NSF whenever s/he is required to perform duties in addition to her/his assigned teaching duties, as set forth in Section A.3., above, such as serving as a dissertation advisor or performing committee work.
(http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/)
The Guidelines presented in Chart A and is separated into two sections: the definition of an instruction workload course (IWC) and course equivalencies.
The normal workload for full-time Unit 18 NSF instructors at the School of Law is between 5.0 IWCs and 6.0 IWCs per year, depending upon the category of appointment, course offerings and instructional need. The percentage equivalencies of classes by units is also calculated in Chart B. The workload statements for various categories of NSF appointments follow in the next sections.
Chart A
UCLA School of Law
Instructional Workload Guidelines
The Instructional Workload Course | IWC Weight |
A regularly scheduled instructional offering requiring a minimum of 3 hours per week of classroom time requiring significant academic preparation outside of class and office hours.
| 1.00 |
A regularly scheduled instructional offering requiring a minimum of 1 hour per week of classroom time requiring significant academic preparation outside of class and office hours | .33
|
A regularly scheduled instructional offering requiring a minimum of 2 hours per week of classroom time requiring significant academic preparation outside of class and office hours. Includes seminars for which students receive 3 units and instructor 2 units. | .67 |
A regularly scheduled instructional offering requiring a minimum of 4 hours per week of classroom time requiring significant academic preparation outside of class and office hours. | 1.33 |
A regularly scheduled instructional offering requiring a minimum of 5 hours per week of classroom time requiring significant academic preparation outside of class and office hours. | 1.67 |
A regularly scheduled instructional offering requiring a minimum of 6 hours per week of classroom time requiring significant academic preparation outside of class and office hours. | 2.00 |
Academic Support section: a regularly scheduled instructional offering aimed at students at risk for academic difficulties. These sections require significantly more one-on-one time with the instructor, and there are significantly more writing and test-preparation assignments. | 1.30 |
Lawyering Skills section: These classes require significantly more one-on-one time with the instructor, and there are significantly more writing assignments to be reviewed and graded. | 1.30 |
Clinical Assist: assisting another faculty member in teaching either a simulated or live-client clinical course. | .33 |
Law School Service: committee or administrative service and active participation in the academic life of the law school community. | .33
|
Chart B
Percentage Equivalencies of Course by Units
(based on a Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Workload of 5.32[1] IWCs)
| Number of Units | IWCs | FTE % | Minimum Pay (over 2 Sem.) @ $39,036/year |
| 6 | 2 | 38% | $14,666 |
| 5 | 1.67 | 31% | $12,222 |
| 4 | 1.33 | 25% | $9,777 |
| 3 | 1 | 19% | $7,333 |
| 2 | 0.67 | 13% | $4,889 |
| 1 | 0.33 | 6% | $2,444 |
| Number of Units | IWCs | FTE % | Minimum Pay (Over 1 Sem. ) @ $18,518/sem. |
| 6 | 2 | 75% | $14,666 |
| 5 | 1.67 | 62% | $12,222 |
| 4 | 1.33 | 50% | $9,777 |
| 3 | 1 | 36% | $7,333 |
| 2 | 0.67 | 25% | $4,889 |
| 1 | 0.33 | 13% | $2,444 |
WORK LOAD STATEMENT: CLINICAL LECTURERS
For Lecturers who teach primarily in the clinical, not more than 6 IWCs (equivalent to up to 18 semester units) per academic year will constitute a full workload for that year.
The clinical lecturers teach primarily in those Clinical Programs in which enrolled law students are trained to provide legal assistance to clients or client groups under faculty supervision. These clinics may be simulated or “live-client” and include such clinics as the Appellate Advocacy Clinic; Complex Litigation: Depositions and Discovery Clinic; Educational Advocacy; Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic; Community Economic Development; Mediation Clinic; Public Policy Advocacy; Street Law; Tribal Legal Development Clinic; Trial Advocacy Clinic; Capital Punishment Clinic; Fact Investigation and Discovery in Complex Matters Clinic; Grand Jury Investigation Clinic; Immigration Clinic; Land Use, the Environment and Local Government. Some of the clinics are associated with broader programs such as the Environmental Law program or the Native Nations Law & Policy program. In such cases, lecturers may teach fewer units in clinical courses and have additional duties associated with the broader programs. In other cases, lecturers may be assigned other courses in the regular law school curriculum.
Other duties clinical lecturers may be to manage the case and project load of individual clinics, and to supervise student work on those matters undertaken by the clinics. This may include case or project selection, client contact, case preparation, court appearances, and document preparation and review. The extent and nature of these responsibilities will vary depending on the particular clinic. Some clinics mostly focus on litigation while others teach regulatory work or legislative drafting. The Supervising Lecturer should also develop and nurture closer ongoing and consistent relationships with groups that might provide sources of clinic work.
Typically, such clinical lecturers will teach in at least one clinic each semester and have other duties, depending on the workload of the particular clinic and the broader program with which the clinic may be associated. The teaching units associated with live-client clinics vary from 4-6 per semester-long course. Student enrollment in each clinic may range from approximately 12 to 20 per semester.
Lecturers with 11-month appointments will have additional duties in the summer months, such as supervising the work of student interns, managing any case that continues during the summer, and planning projects for the next academic year.
WORK LOAD STATEMENT: ACADEMIC SUPPORT LECTURER
For Lecturers who teach primarily in the academic support program designed to assist students at high risk of academic difficulty not more than 6 IWCs per academic year will constitute a full workload for that year. In ascertaining that this work-load justifies a full-time appointment, we have taken into account the very significant and sometimes different grading burden entailed in working with students who have special difficulties with legal analysis and writing. This increased workload is reflected in the IWCs assigned to academic support sections (please see UCLA School of Law Instructional Workload Guidelines).
The Academic Support Lecturer’s responsibilities focus on the needs of our higher-risk students. This appointee teaches a special section of Wills and Trusts in the Fall semester and a special section of Constitutional Law in the spring semester. The first-year Constitutional Law class draws its enrollment from first year law students who have experienced academic difficulty during the fall semester. The students in this section of Constitutional Law spend more time working one-on-one with the instructor, and there are more writing and test-preparation assignments. During the fall semester, this same instructor offers Wills and Trusts for at-risk second and third-year students, The students in this section of Wills and Trusts also spend more time working one-on-one with the instructor, and there are more writing and test preparation assignments.
The academic support lecturer also conducts intensive tutoring sessions with higher-risk first-year and second-year students, and organizes tutoring by other members of the faculty. Program development and implementation related to teaching and tutoring of high-risk students is also a portion of this instructor's responsibilities.
Lecturers with 11-month appointments will have additional duties in the summer months.
WORKLOAD STATEMENT: LAWYERING SKILLS LECTURERS
For Lecturers who teach primarily in the Lawyering Skills program, not more than 6 IWCs per academic year will constitute a full workload for that year. Normally this will include two sections of the year-long Lawyering Skills course, one clinical assist, and some committee or administrative assignment.
This course is the students’ foundational clinical course and focuses on practice-oriented legal analysis. During this yearlong course students develop skills needed by practicing lawyers and desired by legal employers, including legal analysis, legal writing, research, argumentation, statutory interpretation, fact development, interviewing and client counseling. These skills are taught using the clinical method, with the client’s perspective firmly in mind and with the students learning by acting as lawyers. The fall semester focuses on learning how to analyze case and statutory authority while working with clients’ problems. Students apply these skills in the context of researching for and writing objective legal memoranda. The spring semester focuses on two sets of skills. First, students learn persuasive writing by building on the analytical and writing skills they have learned in the fall semester, as well as developing and practicing new techniques to help them add persuasiveness and conviction to their analysis. Second, in the context of preparing a client’s case, students learn fact development techniques, as well as questioning, interviewing, and counseling skills. In connection with the case, each student presents an oral argument of the client’s motion before a judge. The course ends with student teams preparing for and trying the client’s case before a jury.
There are five writing assignments during the year: three in the fall, and two in the spring. Each assignment requires the students to prepare and the instructor to review and critique multiple drafts. Instructors are also expected to meet with each student after each critique. Significant one-on-one time is as required to prepare students for the mock trial. Each instructor has approximately fifty students. This increased workload is reflected in the IWCs assigned to academic support sections (please see UCLA School of Law Instructional Workload Guidelines).
Lecturers with 11-month appointments will have additional duties in the summer months.
[1] An IWC of 5.32 is the Workload of a Lawyering Skills Lecturer – the largest category of NSFs at the Law School.
