The Instructional Employee Teaching Workload Workgroup prepared the following set of briefing points to provide a high-level synopsis of what the workgroup has accomplished, next steps, and timeline.
- The Instructional Employee Teaching Workload Workgroup includes representatives from faculty and academic staff shared governance, provosts, in-house attorneys, and UW Administration leadership.
- The Act 15 – Instructional Employee Teaching Workload Workgroup website is available that provides a tentative overview of the phases associated with the workgroup’s efforts and any related updates.
- The workgroup has been focused on Phase 1 efforts. Over early August (August 4 – August 15), the workgroup deeply examined potential definitions and exceptions that would reflect the complex instructional practices across the UWs. This work is intended to develop the conceptual framework foundational to the revision of RPD 20-25 Teaching Workload Policy to comply with Wis. Stat. § 36.115(10), created by 2025 Wisconsin Act 15, Section 137.
- During the week of August 18, the workgroup briefed provosts and faculty and academic staff shared governance on that conceptual framework.
- Since 2016, instructional employee workload data has been collected and reported as part of existing accountability requirements. This data was presented and can be found by accessing the following dashboards:
- Faculty & Staff Accountability Dashboard: https://www.wisconsin.edu/accountability/faculty-and-staff/
- Faculty & Instructional Staff Teaching Workload Dashboard:
https://www.wisconsin.edu/accountability/faculty-and-instructional-academic-staff-teaching-workload/
- Faculty & Staff Accountability Dashboard: https://www.wisconsin.edu/accountability/faculty-and-staff/
- Next steps: the workgroup will refine definitions and exceptions to incorporate feedback received from multiple stakeholders and will work to prepare an initial draft of a revised RPD 20-25 Teaching Workload Policy (Phase II).
- Prior to submission to the Board of Regents, a near-final draft of the RPD 20-25 will be distributed for review and feedback from the full Regent Policy Document distribution list (Phase III).
- Key dates for the review and approval of the revised RPD 20-25:
- Board of Regents Meeting: November 19, 2025
- Submission to JCOER: No later than December 1, 2025
- Anticipated approval by JCOER: January 31, 2026
- UWs develop/revise workload policies upon JCOER approval and implement by: September 1, 2026