Monthly Action Guide: May 2024

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. 

Unit Workload Policies

  • All units should review the date of their most recent unit Workload Policy. The University’s Workload Policy and Procedures states that “Unit Workload Policies shall be reviewed at least every three years by the unit.” (WLPP, 2.16)  
  • If your unit workload policy was last reviewed three or more years ago, it is time to review it again to ensure it continues to serve you well. Policies require approval: in a Multi Department Faculty, please reach out to your Dean’s Office; Single Department Faculties should contact VPFAL.
  • The process of considering your unit workload policy is meant to be a collegial one: your workload committee “membership should be reasonably reflective of the membership of the Unit, including reflecting the types of appointments that faculty members in the unit hold.” (WLPP, 2.2)

Reminder: Unit Head’s Responsibilities Relative to Workload

Unit heads should be aware that no later than June 30th, they are responsible for:

  1. Providing a written assignment of workload.
  2. Making workload letters available.
  3. NEW: Each unit is to prepare a Unit Workload Document annually setting out information regarding the assigned teaching and assigned service workload for each member in the unit and provide access to all members of the unit and to UTFA by June 30th each year. The first Unit Workload Document is due by June 30, 2024. Please see Implementation of Changes to the University of Toronto Workload Policy and Procedures for Faculty and Librarians (WLPP) (PDAD&C #32) for more details.

International SOS

Please encourage your faculty who are travelling internationally to register

  • International SOS provides a range of travel related services, for which University of Toronto faculty, librarians, and staff travelling on work-related business are eligible, including emergency supports.
  • Registration with International SOS via the U of T Portal  is strongly encouraged who will be traveling abroad in the course of their work at the University, so that in the event of an individual or local/national crisis in a particular country, individuals are supported and kept healthy and safe.
  • Where a faculty member requires emergency assistance abroad and is not registered through International SOS, supports must be coordinated through the Dean’s Office.
  • Recent world events have underscored the importance of this resource for faculty.

Annual Faculty Recruitment Plans

The Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life will issue a call in May to all divisions for recruitment plans. Once Deans have submitted these plans and they have been approved, unit heads may begin the recruitment process for the next academic year. Details of the recruitment and hiring process are available in the AAPM.

Interim Review

Tenure stream faculty members coming forward for their interim review should have their performance “reviewed no earlier than May 1 of the third year of [their] contract … Normally no later than 30th June, the appointee should be asked to submit an account of research or creative professional activity which has been completed or undertaken since the time of initial appointment … The appointee will not normally be required to complete the submission prior to August 31” (PPAA, II.8).

Probationary Review

Teaching stream faculty coming forward for their probationary review should be notified of their upcoming review “normally no later than May 1” and given a deadline for submission of their dossier (and “will not normally be required to complete the submission prior to June 30”) (PPAA, VII.30.vii).

Tenure Review

In units with faculty members coming forward for tenure review, “Each division head or chair of the department in the multi-departmental divisions shall have the responsibility … to notify the candidate, normally no later than June 30th, that he or she will be considered for tenure in the following spring and when the process of review, including assembling of documentation, is about to begin and when it will be completed. Candidates should normally be provided with a period of at least 6 weeks in which to assemble and prepare the documentation required from them as set out below and will not normally be asked to submit their research dossier prior to July 1” (PPAA III.14.ii).

Continuing Status Review

In units with faculty members coming forward for continuing status review, “The division head or chair shall … notify the candidate of the final composition of the continuing status committee and when the process of review, including assembling of documentation, is about to begin and when it will be completed. The candidate, with appropriate assistance and advice from the division or department head, will prepare a dossier in accordance with Divisional Guidelines for submission to the continuing status committee by June 30th” (PPAA VII.x.b).

Retirement Notice

Please share this information with your faculty

Save the Date: Retreat for New Academic Administrators

  • The Retreat for New Academic Administrators will take place on June 24-26 at the Faculty Club (41 Wilcocks Street)
  • Newly appointed Chairs; Directors; Deans; and Vice and Associate Deans with portfolios related to faculty, academics, and graduate education will receive an invitation in the coming months.
  • Any continuing academic administrator who wishes to attend the Retreat is welcome to do so and should contact vpfal.prof.dev@utoronto.ca for registration information

Save the Date: New Faculty & Librarian Orientation

  • The New Faculty & Librarian Orientation will take place on August 12 & 13 at the Faculty Club (41 Wilcocks Street)
  • Faculty members who are appointed to the tenured/tenure stream and continuing stream teaching stream, and librarians will be sent an invitation in July

Upcoming Programming for Academic Administrators, Faculty, and Staff

Highlighted below are the sessions occurring in the next couple of month. To see the complete list of scheduled workshops, please visit the VPFAL programming page.

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

May 2, 2024, 10-11:30am (for All Faculties)

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.

Register

Upcoming Programming for Academic Administrators

Recruitment & Hiring (Online)

June 3, 2024, 1-3pm

A unit’s ability to hire the best possible candidates for academic positions depends on effective management of the recruitment process. This session, for Chairs, Directors, Deans, and supporting staff, is intended to provide detailed information about the following topics that are critical to the success of this process:      

  • Recruitment plan
  • Faculty job ad
  • Immigration considerations
  • Search Committee composition
  • Campus visit / interviews
  • Appointment file
  • Search report
  • Making an offer

We recommend that AAAs register with the staff member who supports faculty recruitment and hiring in their unit.

Register

Programming for Faculty

Webinars from 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