Managing the legal academic workforce

1. About this Survey

The following survey explores the contexts in which legal academics work, as part of a project funded by the UK Legal Education Research Network and conducted through the Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne, in association with the Faculty of Law at the University of Cambridge.

The results will be used to explore the factors that assist academics in building their careers and enacting their role/s through working in legal academia. The aggregate data from this survey will lead to academic publications, and will be stored for five years from the date of the last publication based on this survey. The data from this survey will only be used for this project.

Your responses and your institution will not be identifiable.

The survey should take no more than 25 minutes to complete.

In this survey, we talk about 'casual', 'zero-hour' and 'sessional' academic staff. By this, we mean staff employed on a short-term contract, with unpredictable hours of work. We also talk about 'tenured' and 'permanent' staff. By this, we mean people employed in an ongoing and predictable arrangement. When we refer to 'contract' and 'fixed-term' staff, we mean those who have a predictable period of employment, that will need to be renegotiated at the end of the term of the contract.

If you have any questions or comments about this survey, please contact Dr Alysia Blackham at lern.foi@gmail.com

This research project has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of The University of Melbourne (ID number 1646355.1). If you have any concerns or complaints about the conduct of this research project, which you do not wish to discuss with the research team, you should contact the Manager, Human Research Ethics, Office for Research Ethics and Integrity, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010. Tel: +61 3 8344 2073 or Fax: +61 3 9347 6739 or Email: HumanEthics-complaints@unimelb.edu.au. All complaints will be treated confidentially. In any correspondence please provide the name of the research team or the name or ethics ID number of the research project.

Question Title

* 1. With respect to the academic work that is undertaken by your law academics, how important are each of the following activities to the outcomes of your school or faculty?

	Not at all important	Somewhat important	Important	Very important	Critically important
Publish and disseminate scholarly research.	Publish and disseminate scholarly research. Not at all important	Publish and disseminate scholarly research. Somewhat important	Publish and disseminate scholarly research. Important	Publish and disseminate scholarly research. Very important	Publish and disseminate scholarly research. Critically important
Obtain external funding.	Obtain external funding. Not at all important	Obtain external funding. Somewhat important	Obtain external funding. Important	Obtain external funding. Very important	Obtain external funding. Critically important
Design and deliver effective teaching.	Design and deliver effective teaching. Not at all important	Design and deliver effective teaching. Somewhat important	Design and deliver effective teaching. Important	Design and deliver effective teaching. Very important	Design and deliver effective teaching. Critically important
Engage with external collaborators and groups (such as business, the legal profession, and community groups).	Engage with external collaborators and groups (such as business, the legal profession, and community groups). Not at all important	Engage with external collaborators and groups (such as business, the legal profession, and community groups). Somewhat important	Engage with external collaborators and groups (such as business, the legal profession, and community groups). Important	Engage with external collaborators and groups (such as business, the legal profession, and community groups). Very important	Engage with external collaborators and groups (such as business, the legal profession, and community groups). Critically important
Undertake service or administrative roles within the university.	Undertake service or administrative roles within the university. Not at all important	Undertake service or administrative roles within the university. Somewhat important	Undertake service or administrative roles within the university. Important	Undertake service or administrative roles within the university. Very important	Undertake service or administrative roles within the university. Critically important
Supervise and graduate research students.	Supervise and graduate research students. Not at all important	Supervise and graduate research students. Somewhat important	Supervise and graduate research students. Important	Supervise and graduate research students. Very important	Supervise and graduate research students. Critically important
Lead groups, projects or initiatives.	Lead groups, projects or initiatives. Not at all important	Lead groups, projects or initiatives. Somewhat important	Lead groups, projects or initiatives. Important	Lead groups, projects or initiatives. Very important	Lead groups, projects or initiatives. Critically important

Question Title

* 2. Which of the following activities might legal academics be asked to fulfill as part of their teaching duties?

	Not required	Might be required	Normally expected	A core requirement
Designing and delivering lectures.	Designing and delivering lectures. Not required	Designing and delivering lectures. Might be required	Designing and delivering lectures. Normally expected	Designing and delivering lectures. A core requirement
Supervising tutorials or skills sessions.	Supervising tutorials or skills sessions. Not required	Supervising tutorials or skills sessions. Might be required	Supervising tutorials or skills sessions. Normally expected	Supervising tutorials or skills sessions. A core requirement
Coordinating other teachers or tutors.	Coordinating other teachers or tutors. Not required	Coordinating other teachers or tutors. Might be required	Coordinating other teachers or tutors. Normally expected	Coordinating other teachers or tutors. A core requirement
Coordinating a full course.	Coordinating a full course. Not required	Coordinating a full course. Might be required	Coordinating a full course. Normally expected	Coordinating a full course. A core requirement
Designing assessments and curriculum activities.	Designing assessments and curriculum activities. Not required	Designing assessments and curriculum activities. Might be required	Designing assessments and curriculum activities. Normally expected	Designing assessments and curriculum activities. A core requirement
Organising extra-mural activities (e.g. moots)	Organising extra-mural activities (e.g. moots) Not required	Organising extra-mural activities (e.g. moots) Might be required	Organising extra-mural activities (e.g. moots) Normally expected	Organising extra-mural activities (e.g. moots) A core requirement
Counselling students	Counselling students Not required	Counselling students Might be required	Counselling students Normally expected	Counselling students A core requirement
Teaching administration (such as moderating or finalising results, addressing plagiarism and/or responding to requests for special consideration etc)	Teaching administration (such as moderating or finalising results, addressing plagiarism and/or responding to requests for special consideration etc) Not required	Teaching administration (such as moderating or finalising results, addressing plagiarism and/or responding to requests for special consideration etc) Might be required	Teaching administration (such as moderating or finalising results, addressing plagiarism and/or responding to requests for special consideration etc) Normally expected	Teaching administration (such as moderating or finalising results, addressing plagiarism and/or responding to requests for special consideration etc) A core requirement

If there are additional expectations, please list them here.

Question Title

* 3. How is your legal academic workforce configured? Please estimate in terms of percentages.

Full-time academics

Fixed-term academics (with a contract of a year or more)

Casual academics appointed for less than one year

Casual academics employed on an as needs basis (e.g. short-term activities)

Question Title

* 4. The following statements outline some of the roles academics perform as part of their teaching duties. For each statement, please consider which types of appointments might be asked to undertake these duties. Please select any responses that apply.

	Tenured staff	Fixed term staff	Casual staff
Direct instructional activities (e.g. lecturing, supervision, tutoring)	Direct instructional activities (e.g. lecturing, supervision, tutoring) Tenured staff	Direct instructional activities (e.g. lecturing, supervision, tutoring) Fixed term staff	Direct instructional activities (e.g. lecturing, supervision, tutoring) Casual staff
Marking student work	Marking student work Tenured staff	Marking student work Fixed term staff	Marking student work Casual staff
Attending meetings	Attending meetings Tenured staff	Attending meetings Fixed term staff	Attending meetings Casual staff
Administration (e.g. reporting, course coordination)	Administration (e.g. reporting, course coordination) Tenured staff	Administration (e.g. reporting, course coordination) Fixed term staff	Administration (e.g. reporting, course coordination) Casual staff
Evaluating and revising curricula	Evaluating and revising curricula Tenured staff	Evaluating and revising curricula Fixed term staff	Evaluating and revising curricula Casual staff
Counselling and supporting individual students	Counselling and supporting individual students Tenured staff	Counselling and supporting individual students Fixed term staff	Counselling and supporting individual students Casual staff
Coordinating or assisting with student extra-mural activities or events (e.g. moots, open days, information sessions)	Coordinating or assisting with student extra-mural activities or events (e.g. moots, open days, information sessions) Tenured staff	Coordinating or assisting with student extra-mural activities or events (e.g. moots, open days, information sessions) Fixed term staff	Coordinating or assisting with student extra-mural activities or events (e.g. moots, open days, information sessions) Casual staff

Question Title

* 5. With respect to casual staff, for which of the following teaching-related duties would they be remunerated if they were asked to undertake them?

	Generally not remunerated	Determined on a case by case basis	Renumerated
Direct instructional activities (e.g. lecturing, supervision, tutoring)	Direct instructional activities (e.g. lecturing, supervision, tutoring) Generally not remunerated	Direct instructional activities (e.g. lecturing, supervision, tutoring) Determined on a case by case basis	Direct instructional activities (e.g. lecturing, supervision, tutoring) Renumerated
Marking student work	Marking student work Generally not remunerated	Marking student work Determined on a case by case basis	Marking student work Renumerated
Attending meetings	Attending meetings Generally not remunerated	Attending meetings Determined on a case by case basis	Attending meetings Renumerated
Administration (e.g. reporting, course coordination)	Administration (e.g. reporting, course coordination) Generally not remunerated	Administration (e.g. reporting, course coordination) Determined on a case by case basis	Administration (e.g. reporting, course coordination) Renumerated
Evaluating and revising curricula	Evaluating and revising curricula Generally not remunerated	Evaluating and revising curricula Determined on a case by case basis	Evaluating and revising curricula Renumerated
Counselling and supporting individual students	Counselling and supporting individual students Generally not remunerated	Counselling and supporting individual students Determined on a case by case basis	Counselling and supporting individual students Renumerated
Coordinating or assisting with student extra-mural activities or events (e.g. moots, open days, information sessions)	Coordinating or assisting with student extra-mural activities or events (e.g. moots, open days, information sessions) Generally not remunerated	Coordinating or assisting with student extra-mural activities or events (e.g. moots, open days, information sessions) Determined on a case by case basis	Coordinating or assisting with student extra-mural activities or events (e.g. moots, open days, information sessions) Renumerated

Question Title

* 6. What are the benefits of deploying casuals as part of your academic workforce strategy? Please select any responses that apply.

They reduce the cost of staffing.

It is easy to find good people.

They are often very talented and experienced.

It offers PhDs a chance to gain some teaching credentials.

It ensures we can be flexible and respond to student numbers.

Our casuals like the flexibility.

Some people only want to teach.

Many are working as practitioners and bring this knowledge to their role.

Casuals help with high peak research demands.

It conforms to university policy and limits on staffing.

We can shift our staffing to match our needs.

Question Title

* 7. What are the limitations of relying on a casual workforce for your particular faculty / school? Please select any responses that apply.

There are reduced numbers of people to fill administrative roles.

There is high diversity in teaching and learning practice.

It is harder to ensure teaching quality.

It is harder to get consistency of practice across the academic programs.

There are many junior staff, but few moving toward more senior roles.

We are experiencing a "hollowing out" of our core academic staff as people retire.

There is limited hand over for those coming into new roles.

It is hard to induct and train all of our casuals.

Our students are mainly exposed to casual teachers.

Our core staff are having to take on more administration.

Casual teachers find it hard to build their research track records.

There is reduced commitment to our long-term vision and goals.

Our academics are less able to engage with innovation and new opportunities.

There has been a reduction in our collegiality.

Other (please specify)

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