Faculty Sufficiency for Academic and Administrative Responsibilities Policy
Purpose
At Yoga Veda Institute (YVI), we recognize that maintaining a faculty that is not only qualified but also sufficient in number is essential to fulfilling both the academic and administrative duties required for the effective delivery of our programs. This policy ensures that the program has enough faculty members to manage teaching responsibilities, as well as participate in the administrative tasks necessary for the ongoing development and management of our curriculum.
Scope
This policy applies to all faculty members involved in the Ayurvedic Health Counselor (AHC) and Ayurvedic Practitioner (AP) programs. It ensures that the faculty size is sufficient to manage both academic and non-academic responsibilities such as curriculum development, student evaluations, and participation in institutional governance.
Faculty Sufficiency for Academic Responsibilities
YVI is dedicated to maintaining a faculty that can meet the educational needs of the program by:
- Delivering all courses as scheduled, with appropriate coverage for all subjects.
- Offering mentorship, student advising, and one-on-one support as necessary.
- Ensuring that class sizes remain manageable to foster personalized learning and meaningful engagement.
While our Faculty Sufficiency in Qualifications and Size Policy ensures adequate staffing for teaching duties, this policy emphasizes the importance of balancing teaching loads with faculty availability to manage administrative functions.
Faculty Sufficiency for Administrative Responsibilities
In addition to academic roles, faculty members at YVI are involved in essential administrative responsibilities that contribute to the effective management of the institute. These responsibilities include:
- Curriculum Development: Faculty members contribute to the ongoing development and revision of the Ayurvedic curriculum to ensure that it stays aligned with evolving best practices and student needs.
- Participation in the Faculty Communication Forum: Faculty are expected to participate in this forum to discuss program governance, student assessment, and institutional development.
- Administrative Oversight: Faculty members design the student evaluations, academic planning, and implementation of new educational initiatives to support the institute’s growth.
To ensure that these non-teaching tasks are evenly distributed, YVI monitors faculty workloads through our Learning Management System and considers feedback provided during Annual Performance Evaluations outlined in the Faculty Evaluation Policy. This process ensures that faculty members are not overburdened by administrative duties, which could detract from their teaching effectiveness.
Workload Management
YVI is committed to preventing faculty overload. To support this balance:
- Automated Systems: Our Learning Management System (LMS) automates many routine tasks, such as grading midterm and final exams, to reduce administrative burdens on faculty. This system allows faculty members to focus on more meaningful interactions with students and avoid excessive time spent on manual administrative work.
- Feedback Mechanisms: During their Annual Performance Evaluations outlined in the Faculty Evaluation Policy, faculty members are encouraged to provide feedback on their workload, course coverage, and administrative duties. This feedback is used to adjust responsibilities where necessary, ensuring a fair and balanced distribution of tasks.
Monitoring and Adjustments
YVI will conduct regular assessments to ensure that the number of faculty is sufficient to meet both academic and administrative responsibilities. This includes:
- Annual reviews of the faculty-to-student ratio and administrative workloads, in alignment with our Institute of Excellence calendar.
- Adjustments to faculty numbers or responsibilities based on these reviews, ensuring that both academic and administrative duties are effectively managed without overwhelming any single faculty member.
This policy works in conjunction with our existing Faculty Sufficiency in Qualifications and Size Policy to ensure that the faculty is not only capable of delivering high-quality education but also able to contribute meaningfully to the broader operations of the institute.