Monthly Action Guide: January 2024 – Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life

This email contains reminders of key deadlines and administrative tasks related to academic HR. Please share with faculty or staff who would find this information relevant.

Contact vpfal.prof.dev@utoronto.ca to be added to the distribution list or with any questions. 

Reminder: Implementation of Reference Check Process to Discourage “Passing the Harasser” (PDAD&C #17)

Please refer to (PDAD&C #17)
Those in Multi-Department Faculties requiring advice or assistance should contact their Dean’s Office. Those in Single Department Faculties should contact VPFAL (academic.hr@utoronto.ca)

Academic Searches

You may find it useful in the current context to consult the document on Best Practices for Virtual Faculty Interviews.

Tenure Committee Meeting Protocols: Modifications for 2023-24 Academic Year

The University and UTFA have agreed that for the 2023-34 academic year, tenure committees may continue to convene virtually, and that the decision about whether or not to hold a Tenure Committee meeting in person or virtually is a decision that should be made by the Tenure Committee Chair in conversation with Committee members.
See PDAD&C#15 issued November 10, 2023 for more details.

Tenure Review

Review the Guidelines: Circulating Tenure Dossiers.
Prepare the Summary of Evidence and provide it to the candidate, using the template letter, at least one week prior to the first meeting of the Tenure Committee.
Members of Tenure Committees meeting this month may wish to review resources on committee deliberations and voting procedures.
Please ensure that you share your Faculty Guidelines on the Evaluation of Teaching with all tenure committee members.

Continuing Status Review Records

It is critical once the work of the Continuing Status Review Committee is over and a decision on continuing status has been reached for the Chair to:

Retain a full copy of the continuing status review file as it was made available to the Continuing Status Review Committee members.
Collect and confidentially dispose of other hard copies and delete electronic files from all keys or secure sites.

Following a Successful Interim Review, Tenure Stream Faculty

Chairs should meet with any faculty who has had a successful interim review, to provide follow up advice coming out of the review and also schedule their term of adjusted workload (PPAA, II.9)

Following a Successful Probationary Review, Continuing Stream, Teaching Stream Faculty

Chairs should meet with any faculty who has had a successful probationary review, to provide follow up advice coming out of the review and also schedule their term of adjusted workload. (PPAA, VII. 30. viii)

Promotions in the Tenure and Teaching Streams

Soft Copies for candidates recommended for promotion in a single department faculty should be submitted to the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life as soon as possible. Multi-department faculties should follow the submission instructions provided by their Dean’s Office.

January Programming for Academic Administrators, Faculty, and Staff

Highlighted below are the sessions occurring in the next two months. To see the complete list of scheduled workshops for academic administrators, please visit the VPFAL programming page.

Hosting International Collaborators, for Academic Administrators, Faculty, Principal Investigators, and Staff Across All Faculties (Online)

January 29, 2024, 10-11:30am

Hosting international colleagues, researchers, expert knowledge holders, students, or visitors to your department, lab, or office requires advance planning and must include immigration considerations. There can be a variety of negative repercussions if there are errors or omissions in the process. This session will guide participants on where to seek assistance. We will provide an overview of the Canadian immigration system, offer information on ways to invite and host international collaborators, and answer general questions about immigration processes and options.

This session will not be recorded and the slides will not be shared.

January & February Programming for Academic Administrators

Contracts & Agreements for AAAs (Online)

February 1, 2024, 1-2pm

Session leader: Rachael Ferenbok, Associate University Counsel

Deans, Chairs, and Directors often find themselves working with contracts. This session will cover the risks of signing contracts, how to interpret legal terms, and how to handle the business aspects of running a unit. We will review contract policy and guidelines, explore case studies, and discuss common pitfalls.

Advancement Process for Sessional Lecturers for AAAs and Staff (Online)

January 30, 2024, 2-4pm

Session leader: Labour Relations

This session will provide Chairs, Directors, Associate Chairs Vice/Associate Deans, and Administrative Staff responsible for the administration of CUPE 3902 Unit 3 appointments with the necessary information to manage and conduct the processes for advancement to Sessional Lecturer II, and advancement to Sessional Lecturer III.

This session will not be recorded and the slides will not be shared.

Hiring TAs, Course Instructors, and Sessional Lecturers for AAAs and Staff (Online)

February 8, 2024, 2-4pm

Session leader: Labour Relations

This session will provide Chairs, Directors, Associate Chairs, TA Coordinators, and Administrative Staff responsible for the administration of CUPE 3902 appointments with the tools and information necessary for posting, hiring, and filling positions under the CUPE 3902 Unit 1 and Unit 3 Collective Agreements. Topics will include: subsequent appointment assignments, job security commitments, timelines, job postings, and navigating the hiring criteria.

This session will not be recorded and the slides will not be shared.

Managing Teaching Assistants and Sessional Lecturers for AAAs and Staff (Online)

February 27, 2024, 2-4pm

Session leader: Labour Relations

This session will provide Chairs, Directors, Associate Chairs, Vice/Associate Deans, TA Coordinators, and Administrative Staff responsible for the administration of CUPE 3902 appointments the tools and information necessary for managing employees under the CUPE 3902 Unit 1 and Unit 3 Collective Agreements. Topics will include performance management, accommodation, workload, leaves, and all other relevant processes under the Collective Agreements for the duration of an employee’s contract.

This session will not be recorded and the slides will not be shared.

January & February Programming for Faculty

Please share with your faculty.

Building the Momentum: Finding Your Post-Continuing Status Pathway (In-Person)

January 18, 2024,12-2pm

Thinking about next steps after continuing status? This session, intended for Associate Professors, Teaching Stream who achieved continuing status between 2019-20 to 2022-23, is a conversation about post-continuing status pathways. A panel of teaching stream faculty will share how they have continued to grow exciting and dynamic careers after achieving continuing status.

Building the Momentum: Finding Your Post-Tenure Pathway (In-Person)

January 22, 2024, 12-2pm

This interactive panel, intended for Associate Professors who achieved tenure between 2019-20 and 2022-2023, is a conversation about exploring post-tenure pathways. Experienced faculty will share how they navigated the immediate post-tenure period.

Interim and Tenure Review – For Faculty (Online)

February 6, 2024, 1-3pm

This session is for tenure stream faculty only.

Achieving tenure is an important milestone in the life cycle of tenure-stream faculty. Understanding expectations and knowing what constitutes a complete and thorough file is critical. This session, intended for pre-tenure faculty who are preparing for their interim or tenure reviews, will cover the process and associated timelines for each review.

This session will not be recorded and the slides will not be shared.

Probationary and Continuing Status Review – For Faculty (Online)

February 13, 2024, 1-3pm

This session is only for teaching stream faculty in continuing appointments who are prior to their continuing status review.

Achieving continuing status is an important milestone in the life cycle of teaching-stream faculty. Understanding expectations and knowing what constitutes a complete and thorough file is critical. This session, intended for pre-continuing status faculty who are preparing for their probationary or continuing status reviews, will cover the process and associated timelines for each review.

This session will not be recorded and the slides will not be shared.

Webinars from NCFDD

The National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity is now known simply as NCFDD.

NCFDD offers on-demand access to programs and resources designed to help faculty members “achieve extraordinary writing and research productivity while maintaining a full and healthy life off campus”

Activate your NCFDD membership to access webinars