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ERIC Number: EJ1017108
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 26
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1449-9789
EISSN: N/A
Workforce Development and Renewal in Australian Universities and the Management of Casual Academic Staff
May, Robyn; Strachan, Glenda; Peetz, David
Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, v10 n3 Article 3 2013
Most undergraduate teaching in Australia's universities is now performed by hourly paid staff, and these casual academics form the majority of the academic teaching workforce in our universities. This recent development has significant implications for the careers and working lives of those staff, for other academic staff, and for students, implications which are yet to be closely examined. Investigation of the working conditions of casual academic teaching staff is important, as the ageing of the continuing academic workforce suggests the universities will need to consider workforce development and renewal, and the casual academic workforce may represent an important source of labour. This paper examines the support casual academic staff receive from their universities to undertake their work, and how this level of support has an impact on their job and career satisfaction. It uses data from the Work and Careers in Australian Universities Survey, conducted in 2011 across 19 universities. Casual academic teaching staff answered questions which provided information on a range of demographic details, conditions of work, their motivations for casual work, and their access to a range of job and career supports. The research found that there is variation among universities in their provision of physical supports such as provision of a desk and computer, supports for collegial inclusion such as meeting attendance, and access to professional training. The range of assistance provided to these staff had an impact on their job and career satisfaction.
University of Wollongong. Available from: Centre for Educational Development and Interactive Resources. Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. Tel: +61-2-4221-3140; Fax: +61-2-4225-8312; e-mail: jutlp@uow.edu.au; Web site: http://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A