Study Time for Support Staff Policy

1. Purpose

1.1 The Study Time for Support Staff Policy (the policy) sets out the arrangements for professional staff to apply for paid time release to undertake courses of study approved by the university.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to professional staff only and deals with the provision for staff to be released from their duties to undertake courses of study that are approved by the university and lead to a recognised qualification. 

2.2 Staff in the SSG are out of scope of this policy and should discuss study arrangements with their supervisor as part of the work planning and review process.

2.3 Casual staff are not eligible for study time.

3. Principles

3.1 UTS is committed to the development of a skilled and motivated workforce. Staff development is seen as a vital aspect of the growth and effectiveness of both staff and the university. UTS wants to ensure that all staff have access to, and can participate in, relevant training and development opportunities.

3.2 UTS supports staff to undertake study that will improve their ability to perform their duties.

3.3 Study time must be used efficiently, effectively and flexibly to improve university productivity. The granting of study time is at the discretion of UTS.

4. Policy statements

Eligibility

4.1 Professional staff on continuing or probationary appointments, or those employed on fixed-term contracts in excess of 12 months, are eligible to apply for study time.

4.2 Staff who are employed on successive fixed-term contracts, which individually do not exceed 12 months, are also eligible to apply for study time when they have completed 12 months service, providing there is no break in service.

4.3 Part-time staff members may apply for study time on a pro-rata basis. 

Criteria for approval

4.4 Study time is granted for approved courses only. Approved courses are those that:

1. lead to a recognised qualification from a university or the TAFE system, or
2. are special or bridging courses, or
3. are any other accredited course at a higher education institution or organisation (for example, courses that lead to membership of a registered professional organisation such as CPA).

4.5 Supervisors must consider whether the course will:

1. meet UTS’s skill development needs in relation to meeting the university and faculty/unit priorities
2. assist the individual’s professional development and/or career development needs
3. develop skills relevant to the higher education sector.

4.6 Study time must be used for the purposes of:

1. attendance at compulsory lectures, tutorials, residential schools, field days, etc, where these are held during working hours
2. necessary travel during working hours to attend lectures, tutorials, etc, held during or outside working hours
3. private study (for example, study undertaken in connection with distance/online learning).

Conditions for granting study time — general

4.7 Study time is available for staff enrolled in part-time courses only.

4.8 Study time may be granted for more than one course at the same time, provided that the 2 courses together result in a part-time load and the resulting attendance pattern is convenient to the university.

4.9 Regardless of the number of subjects studied at one time, the maximum grant is 4 hours per week or 5 days per session as outlined in Methods of taking study time.

4.10 In relation to taking study time, the approval of a course implies access to the study time provisions outlined in this policy.

4.11 The hours at which study time is taken (and which are nominated when applying for study time) will be agreed between the staff member and their supervisor.

4.12 Study time is available only while lectures are being attended or would be attended if the course was being taken face-to-face. It is not available during holidays or after the last day of lectures.

4.13 Normally study time will be lost if not used at the nominated time. If an emergency situation arises within the university, a staff member may be required to waive the study time that is normally granted. Such time may be granted at another time. Cases of this nature should be infrequent.

4.14 Study time is to be granted for repeat subjects only in those cases where the staff member has not previously been granted study time for the subject(s) concerned, or where evidence can be provided that failure to complete the subject(s) successfully at the first attempt was caused by circumstances outside the staff member’s control. Where a staff member must take time off to attend necessary lectures/tutorials for a repeat subject for which study time is not granted, the time taken must be made up. Refer Making up time/leave provisions.

Conditions for postgraduate study

4.15 Where a staff member is undertaking qualifying or higher degree studies by coursework only (face-to-face instruction), normal study time can be granted.

4.16 In the case of a predominantly research/thesis degree (that is, at least 50 per cent of the course requirements being met through original research and the production of a thesis), staff are entitled to 10 days study time per year for each year of the research/thesis component of the course. Normal study time can be granted for the coursework component of the course (that is half an hour for each hour of face-to-face attendance up to a maximum of 4 hours a week). Details of course requirements with the program of attendance must be submitted with the application for study time.

Approval of study time

4.17 Approval of study time must be given by:

1. Faculty/school staff: Relevant dean or nominee (normally the supervisor)
2. Other professional staff: Relevant head of unit or nominee (normally the supervisor).

Methods of taking study time

4.18 Staff nominate the type of study time to be taken at the time of application and before the proposed commencement of the academic period. The type of study time granted is subject to the supervisor’s approval and university discretion.

Weekly basis

4.19 Students who are required to attend lectures, tutorials, etc, on a weekly basis are entitled to half an hour study time for each hour of class attendance up to a maximum grant of 4 hours per week.

4.20 In cases where attendance at face-to-face classes is not required (for example, distance or online learning or a research project), staff may still be eligible for weekly study time on the basis of the attendance involved in the corresponding face-to-face or on the basis of the subject’s study load as determined by the HECS assessment (for example, 6 credit points = 3 hours face-to-face). At the discretion of the university, and with the agreement of their supervisor, staff may choose to accrue their weekly study time and take it in blocks (refer Accrued study time).

Accrued study time

4.21 Study time may be taken in blocks under the following circumstances:

1. where regular attendance at lectures, etc, is not required, as with distance or online learning
2. compulsory attendance at residential schools or block release
3. attendance at field days
4. where the staff member and supervisor agree that weekly study time may be accrued and taken at a mutually convenient time
5. time off for study and travel purposes in addition to the above may be granted with the supervisor’s approval and charged against the staff member’s annual or long service leave, flexitime, time-in-lieu or leave without pay
6. accrued study time is granted at 2 and a half days per subject up to a maximum of 5 days per session.

4.22 Over the course of a session, staff members do not accrue study time during periods of leave in excess of 5 working days.

Making up time/leave provisions

4.23 As a general rule additional time granted for study purposes must be made up during the week concerned. Up to a maximum of 5 hours in any one week may be made up.

4.24 Where it is not possible to make up time, a staff member may use annual leave, long service leave or, where applicable, flexitime, to offset such amounts. If insufficient leave or flexitime is available then leave without pay must be taken.

4.25 Staff may, subject to university discretion, take approved study time at any time during the flexitime bandwidth. Staff who have been granted study time may combine weekly study time with either flexitime or annual leave to cover one full day’s absence from duty per fortnight, subject to the supervisor’s approval.

4.26 Annual leave may also be combined with study time of a block nature (for example, study time granted for compulsory residential schools, field excursions, accrued study time).

Miscellaneous/extension study subjects

4.27 Study time is not normally granted for non-award miscellaneous/extension study subjects. However, each case is to be considered in accordance with Criteria for approval.

Examination leave

4.28 Examination leave is available for attendance at examinations conducted during working hours, for courses of study undertaken either by face-to-face classes or by online/distance. The period granted is to include time actually involved in the examination and reasonable travel time.

4.29 Examination leave is not available where an examination is conducted within the normal class timetable during the session, and study time has been granted to the staff member.

Attendance at graduation ceremony

4.30 Personal leave of up to half a day is available, subject to university discretion, to attend a graduation ceremony. 

Withdrawal from a course/subject

4.31 Staff members are responsible for notifying their supervisor immediately if they discontinue a course or subject for which study time has been granted. Any study time taken after discontinuing a course is to be charged to annual leave, flexitime or long service leave or taken as leave without pay.

Applying for leave

4.32 Leave must be applied for when taking examination leave or accrued study time.

Refusal of study time application

4.33 Where a study time application is refused, it should be ensured that:

1. timely advice is given to the staff member to allow them to consider alternatives
2. the reasons for refusal are clearly and promptly stated, in writing, to the staff member.

4.34 Complaints resulting from dissatisfaction with this decision should be made in line with the Staff Complaints Policy.

5. Roles and responsibilities

5.1 Policy owner: The Executive Director, People and Culture is responsible for enforcement of and compliance with this policy, ensuring that its principles and statements are observed.

5.2 Implementation and governance roles: Supervisors are responsible for:

1. assessing the appropriateness of the course proposed
2. confirming that staff members are enrolled in the course and subject(s) indicated on their applications, and confirming attendance times
3. ensuring that study time requested is within the relevant limits outlined in this policy
4. ensuring that staff members are continuing in the course for which study time has been granted and that they make up all time that is required of them under the provisions of this policy.