UNAC Faculty Workload determination process transitions to AirTable Interface

UNAC faculty: The faculty workload determination process at the University of �� Fairbanks has transitioned to the Airtable faculty workload platform effectively on Feb. 12. In alignment with the Faculty Services’ mission of commitment to enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in academic and research operations, this transition is aimed at streamlining the workload determination process, improving transparency, and facilitating communication between faculty members and administrators.

The AirTable Faculty Workload Interface was pilot-tested in academic year 2023-24 at several departments. The participating faculty members, deans and directors provided valuable feedback which contributed to enhancing the software in time to be ready for implementation for the academic year 2024-25 workload determination process.

As outlined in the UNAC CBA Article 13.4.4, the workload determination process involves collaboration between individual bargaining unit members, and department chairs/program leads to propose workloads for each academic year or other specified time period. The proposed workloads must account for various factors specified in the agreement. The workload determination process adheres to the following deadlines:

March 1: The faculty member (bargaining unit member) submits their workload to their department head/chair (Note: in the AirTable Faculty Workload Interface, the dean, director or designee will automatically have access to the proposed workload).
April 1: The dean/director will review the proposed workload and will work with the department chair/program lead and individual bargaining unit member (Note: Communication can occur within the AirTable Faculty Workload Interface).
May 1 (or at least five (5) working days prior to the end of the current contract period): The administrator shall review the workload (via AirTable Faculty Workload Interface) and notify bargaining unit members of their assigned workload for the next contract period. In the event of a major change to the proposed workload, the administrator will attempt to confer with the bargaining unit member.

AirTable provides faculty members a user-friendly platform to input their proposed workloads, track progress with status updates, and communicate with department heads/chairs and administrators throughout the process. The software will also allow for easier aggregation and analysis of workload data, facilitating more informed decision making. All of your workload history, updates, revisions, and communications will be in one centralized location.

Here are some key points regarding the transition:

Training Sessions: Training sessions are in progress to familiarize faculty members with the new Airtable platform. These sessions will provide step-by-step guidance on how to use the platform effectively.

Support: Our dedicated support team will be available to assist faculty members with any questions or concerns during the transition process. If you have not logged into Airtable and need help signing in, we have created a If you already have access, but need help submitting, there is to assist you as well as an . For further and more direct assistance, please feel free to schedule a one-on-one session to review any details that need to be further clarified or addressed. Please see below for contact information.

Feedback: We value your feedback and encourage you to share your thoughts on the new software. Your input will be instrumental in refining and improving the platform to better serve our needs.

Continued Compliance: While the process is transitioning to a new platform, it is important to note that the requirements outlined in the UNAC CBA Article 13.4.4 remain unchanged. Faculty members are still expected to collaborate with department heads/chairs and adhere to the specified deadlines for workload submission. If you run into issues with workload submissions due to interface change, please reach out immediately to your dean/directors’ office with a cc to the Faculty Services Manager (jahopough@alaska.edu) so that we can provide you with support.

While there is always a learning curve to process changes, we are confident that this transition will ultimately enhance the efficiency and transparency of the workload determination process, benefiting both faculty members and administrators alike. It is our hope to make this a smooth experience for everyone involved. We appreciate your cooperation and support as we embark on this important initiative and we are here to assist you through the entire process.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Faculty Services support staff at your dean/directors’ offices or you may reach out to the following:

Office of the Provost: Jen Hoppough
Faculty services manager
jahoppough@alaska.edu

Heather Moreira
Systems interface designer for the Airtable faculty data
hmmoreira@alaska.edu

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