UTFA has taken the first step in improving the working conditions of precariously employed part-time appointed faculty. Negotiations on the part-time appointments policy, begun over two years ago, have been completed. Please see the revised policy.
The agreement has been approved by UTFA Council and will go before Governing Council in the fall. Once it has been approved there, part-time faculty members in the teaching stream will begin using the titles Assistant/Associate/Professor, Teaching Stream. The title Lecturer will not be used in future for appointed faculty. All other improvements are effective January 1, 2021, including the following:
1. After the policy takes effect, those who serve for six years and pass a review will have continuing appointments and will not have to reapply for their positions each year.
2. Part-time faculty members are covered by the same academic freedom language as full-time faculty members (Article 5 of the Memorandum of Agreement), and, if appointed at 50% or greater FTE, are entitled to Research and Study Leave.
3. They are eligible for appointment to SGS or to act as Principal Investigator under the same terms as full-time faculty, and to apply for grants provided they are otherwise eligible.
4. The criteria and procedures for promotion through the ranks shall be the same as for full-time faculty members, with an appropriately reduced expectation as to the quantity of work.
5. Severance pay has been significantly improved in the event that part-time faculty are terminated without cause.
6. Transition features are in place for long-serving part-time faculty. See the revised policy for details.
In future rounds of negotiation, UTFA will need to return to the many pressing issues that affect this group of our members, including job security, workload, and salary.
Chief Negotiator: Cynthia Messenger. Team members: Michael Attridge, Kass Banning, Heather Diggle (UTFA legal counsel), Claude Evans, and Brian McDonagh.