A survey that calculates faculty productivity has left many teachers feeling barraged by the administration, the Board of Regents and the state legislature.

“The morale among the faculty is so low and there is a perception that we are under-appreciated,” Steven Lewis, associate professor of physics, said at a Faculty Affairs Committee meeting Wednesday.

The committee met with Bill Vencill, an administrative fellow, to discuss the survey’s origin and purpose.

“Accountability is the issue of the day in higher education,” Vencill said. “We need to prove you all are doing what you are supposed to be doing.”

Vencill said the Board of Regents and legislators doubt that professors are fulfilling their budgeted purposes.

University faculty are budgeted for hours in the classroom and hours committed to scholarly activities – such as research, publications, presentations, juried exhibitions and grants.

Vencill is analyzing faculty on a case-by-case basis on whether they are spending their budgeted time as intended. So far, not all of the surveys have been reviewed.

“There are a lot of people in Atlanta that think faculty members do nothing,” he said.

“This is not meant to be punitive,” he said. ” We are just looking for the 5 to 10 percent who aren’t doing what they are supposed to be doing.”

Vencill said he would compile a list of those faculty whose numbers don’t add up. Before submitting that list to the provost for further action, he will contact department heads to verify the discrepancies.

Once the list is in the hands of the provost, Vencill said he was unsure what action would be taken next, but the provost has discussed possibly adding an extra course to flagged faculty’s workload.

But many faculty members voiced concerns that the survey had no way to document the extra hours they put into various jobs such as mentoring students and serving on committees.

“So there are red flags for the underachievers,” said Elizabeth St. Pierre, a language professor. “What’s the flag for the overachievers?”

Georgia Calhoun, associate professor of counseling and human development, said most faculty work 80-hour weeks. “The vast majority of people are going above and beyond the work load,” she said.

But, Vencill said, “I don’t think people in Atlanta are sympathetic about work overload.”

Susan Thomas, assistant professor of music and women’s studies, said she serves on 18 graduate committees and mentors students.

“This survey doesn’t accurately show what we do. We hear about Atlanta’s bias and we want to know: who is advocating for us?”

Instead of proving the administration is an adequate watchdog for faculty, someone should vouch for how heavy workloads tend to be, she said.

The provost will meet with the each dean by Dec. 15 to discuss further action for flagged faculty.