FAQ
Q1. How is my completed return used?
Q2. Is the information I submit treated confidentially?
Q3. How many Schedules do I have to complete and what is the deadline for completion?
Q4. What do I include in the 100%?
Q5. How do I allocate time for annual leave and normal periods of sick leave?
Q6. How do I allocate time for maternity leave, paternity leave and long-term sick leave?
Q7. How should I treat marking?
Q8. Where do I code travel time?
Q9. How should I treat Consultancy?
Q10. What if I teach a mixture of Home and Overseas students?
Q11. Where should time spent on pastoral support and student counselling be allocated?
Q12. Who should I direct queries to?
Q1. How is my completed return used?
The purpose of collecting time data is to satisfy the Transparency Review requirement to report a university’s total cost over publicly and non-publicly funded teaching (T), publicly and non-publicly funded research (R), and other activities (O). The data collected is used to apportion pay costs and can be used as a cost driver for other areas of cost. Back to list
Q2. Is the information I submit treated confidentially?
Data is confidential and once validated by the Head of School will be consolidated anonymously by the TRAC team in Finance. Only summarised aggregate data will be used to generate management information. Back to list
Q3. How many Time Allocation Schedules do I have to complete?
All academic staff must complete three in-year returns covering a period of one year. The three periods for the 2011/12 collection are:
• 26 September 2011 – 29 January 2012
• 30 January 2012 – 3 June 2012
• 4 June 2012 – 23 September 2012
Q4. What do I include in the 100%?
All time spent on University activity should be allocated against the appropriate categories including weekend and evening work. Back to list
Q5. How do I allocate time for annual leave and sick leave?
For the purposes of the review do not include time spent on annual leave or short periods of sickness (i.e. covering a period of time where you catch up on your work when you return – it is not done by another member of staff). Back to list
Q6. How do I allocate time for maternity leave, paternity leave and long-term sick/compassionate leave?
If absent from your usual place of work for longer periods of leave you should identify this as such on the TAS in section D19. Any person covering your duties during your absence should allocate their time to the activities that they undertook. Therefore, if applicable, please note the name of the person so that we can ensure that this is the case. Back to list
Q7. How should I treat marking?
Marking and all assessment work is considered one of the core activities associated with lecturing and should therefore be allocated to either Publicly or Non Publicly Funded Teaching rather than Support for Teaching. Back to list
Q8. How should I treat travel time?
Travel time should be allocated to the activity that requires the travel. However, if work is being done during the travel that relates to another activity, then it should be charged to that other activity. Back to list
Q9. How should I treat Consultancy?
Private work in your own time should be excluded. Please see the Definition of Activities section for the treatment of other types of consultancy. Back to list
Q10. What if I teach a mixture of Home and Overseas students?
Time taught teaching all students on award/credit bearing courses should be allocated to Publicly Funded Teaching in the first instance. A high level adjustment will be made centrally where overseas and privately funded students are a material proportion of the student population on UK based courses. Back to list
Q11. Where should time spent on pastoral support and student counselling be allocated?
If within planned tutorials then should be included as Publicly funded teaching or Non publicly funded as appropriate. If outside planned tutorials treat as Support for Teaching Back to list
Q12. Who should I direct queries to?
Queries on completing the TAS may be resolved by using the completion instructions, definition of activities and FAQs links on this website. If you have further queries you should contact Stephen Grant on 5232 or e-mail stephen.grant@qub.ac.uk. Back to list
