Profs’ workload might be audited

Thursday, May 22, 2003 | 11:08 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A proposed audit of the performance of the University and Community College System of Nevada may include a look at whether the faculty is teaching enough classes.

Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, said today that the faculty workload at the seven schools in the system is the "issue of the day."

His comment came as the Senate Finance Committee examined Assembly Bill 148, which calls for the legislative auditors to examine the university system for the next two years.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, sponsored the bill, saying an audit has not been conducted of the system since 1996 and he wanted a study of the effectiveness of the system.

Coffin raised the issue about faculty workload, referring news reports that said in many cases the professors and others are teaching only two classes at UNLV.

"We need to have the data on what they count as a class," Coffin said.

Perkins said he had no objections to amending his bill to include the audit of the workload. "I would like to have information from a source I have trust in," he said.

Coffin said there is a case where a person is teaching one class that includes graduate, undergraduate and intern students and that individual is credited with teaching three classes.

System Chancellor Jane Nichols said there must be a clear definition of what constitutes a class. She said valid questions were raised, but there has to be a basic understanding of faculty workload.

There must be a definition of the work a faculty member is expected to do, she said. "It's a question of productivity," she said.

Nichols said she had no objection to the audit and the look at the faculty workload. She said this fits in with the emphasis of the board of regents with the master plan to become more efficient.

As in all audits, she said, "They will find things we can do better." But she added the system has made significant progress since the previous audit.

Perkins said the last audit was conducted in an "adversarial setting," but he said Nichols has pledged a "strong partnership with the Legislature. This is a much different relationship."

Among the items to be looked at are construction projects, the cost of athletic programs, cost of administration, the use of host accounts, the reliability of enrollment numbers, generation of investment income and contracting procedures.

Perkins said there have been allegations that contracting for energy contracts at the University of Nevada, Reno "has not been above board," and the audit would delve into that.

The committee did not take immediate action on the bill.