Resources for managers and supervisors of sessional staff

The (then) Australian University Teaching Committee (AUTC) and some universities have developed websites to support staff responsible for managing sessional staff. Links are given below:

• Training, managing and supporting sessional teaching staff (AUTC project 2003)
• Guidelines for employing casual and sessional teaching staff (University of New England)
• Information for those managing sessional staff (University of NSW)
• Protocols for management of sessional staff (University of South Australia)

A checklist for supervisors of sessional academic staff

Those supervising and coordinating sessional academics in their faculty, department or school are encouraged to use this checklist to ensure the regular monitoring and review of the ways in which sessional staff are selected, appointed and supported in their employment.The first step is to ensure that you have familiarised yourself with the University’s policy and procedures (will be a link when these are approved ).

Application and appointment processes

• Has adequate consideration been given to whether alternative forms of employment (fixed term, fractional, continuing) would be more appropriate than a sessional teaching appointment?
• Have you used your faculty’s sessional application form to ensure a transparent and fair process for the recruitment of sessional academics?
• Are sessional academics provided with written information clearly explaining the terms and conditions of their employment?
• Do sessional academics receive payment appropriate to their responsibilities and in accordance with the rates prescribed in Schedule 2 of the University’s Enterprise Agreement?

Employment support

• Have you informed sessional academics of the university and faculty website for sessional staff?
• Does your induction and training session cover all the required elements of sessional training?
• Have you informed sessional academics about key university policies and legislation?
• Have you provided sessional academics with access to office, phone and computer facilities?
• Are sessional academics provided with all the materials required to fulfil their teaching responsibilities and duties (eg course and unit outlines, marking guidelines)?
• Do you have email lists or online facilities for communications with sessional academics?
• Has a staff member been assigned as a sessional coordinator to liaise with sessional staff?
• Are sessional academics encouraged to attend departmental staff meetings and colloquia?

Learning and teaching support

• Do course/unit coordinators have regular briefings with sessional staff about class and assessment requirements?
• Do you provide mentoring for inexperienced sessional academics?
• Are sessional academics invited to have input into curriculum design and assessment?

Professional development

• Do you provide information to sessional academics about professional development programs?
• Do you provide information to sessional academics about unit evaluation, MonQuest and MEQ?
• Do you provide information to sessional academics to assist them in developing a teaching portfolio?
• Do you visit the classes of sessional academics and provide feedback on their teaching?
• Do you encourage sessional staff to provide feedback on your own supervision and the department’s or school’s management of sessional teaching?

With acknowledgements to the University of NSW whose checklists have been adapted here.