University of Wisconsin professors say teaching mandate leaves less time for students
- A new state budget provision requires Universities of Wisconsin faculty to meet minimum credit hour teaching requirements.
- Some professors worry the new policy does not account for other essential duties like research, grading, and student mentorship.
- Faculty say some classes don’t map neatly onto credit hour requirements, which they worry could impact student experience.
- One university leader says he doesn’t expect faculty responsibility to change much.
One month into the new school year, a new Universities of Wisconsin requirement that faculty members spend a certain number of hours in front of a class has meant frustration for many – not because of what they’re now required to do, but because of what they say it doesn’t account for.
In 2025, state legislators approved a last-minute state budget that increased funding for the Universities of Wisconsin, also known as the UW system, by $256 million, the largest increase in 20 years. But those funds came with strings: among them, UW faculty would be mandated to meet credit hour teaching requirements. These workload requirements went into effect at the start of this school year.
Under the new mandate, all full-time faculty and academic staff must teach at least 24 credits per academic year, with a carveout for UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee, where professors are expected to produce more research. There, the minimum workload is 12 credits per year. A typical college class is three credits.
