Professor’s Optimal Workload Problem and His Remunerations: A General Solution from Lagrangian Function

Abstract

The author proposed a general solution to professor’s optimal workload by using Lagrange method. University Management is treated as a utility maximizer, whose objective is to efficiently utilize professor’s teaching hours and research output to the maximum level. The paper used the Cob-Douglas utility function for this utility maximization problem. The data used for this analysis were obtained from policy documents of Lira University and Makerere University in Uganda. The model generated varying maximum levels of teaching loads and research output for different categories of academic staff and faculties (Science and Non-science faculties). Generally, workload increases in both dimensions of teaching and research, as remuneration increases when one is promoted from a lower position, say a senior lecturer, to higher position, say Associate professor. The model also generated higher workload both in teaching and research for the Faculty (Sciences) whose academic staff are better paid compared to staff in the non-science Faculty who are paid lower remunerations. The paper contributes to existing literature on Faculty workload model in two ways: Firstly, is the design of differential maximum workload system for different categories of Academic Staff depending on the level of their remunerations and seniority. Secondly, the decomposition of Academic staff’s maximum workload into its teaching and research components for any given fixed amount of remuneration. The paper concludes by suggesting appropriate policy implications.