Faculty Workload and Productivity: Recurrent Issues with New Imperatives

The issues of faculty workload and productivity are receiving increased attention from public higher education’s external stakeholders. This paper reviews the literature on this issue from the following perspectives: issues in defining and measuring faculty workload and productivity; the status of research on faculty workload and productivity; legislation, policies, and external activities; and explanations for the “decline” in academic productivity. It concludes with some suggestions for next steps in addressing this issue.