Monthly Action Guide: June 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. 

Update on the Merit (PTR/5%) for the 2023-24 Academic Year (PDAD&C #42)

  • The University and UTFA have reached agreement that July 1, 2024 PTR will be paid to faculty and librarians in the July 2024 monthly pay run.
  • Both the PTR and 5% merit awards are based on the performance assessment for the 2023-24 year.
  • See Update on Merit (PTR/5%) for the 2023-24 Academic Year (PDAD&C #42) for more details.
  • Use the Salary Letter July 1, 2024 PTR template.
  • As noted in PDAD&C #53, please be reminded of four important clarifications and changes to the PTR guidelines section in the Academic Administrative Procedures Manual (AAPM).

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.

Provostial Funding for the NCFDD Faculty Success Program (FSP) & Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program and New Reimbursement Process for FSP

  • The Provost’s Office will continue to contribute 50% of the cost associated with the NCFDD’s Faculty Success Program and the Post-Tenure Pathfinder’s Program, provided that the home unit or Dean’s Office contributes the remainder of the funds.
  • A one-year pilot of a new reimbursement process for the Faculty Success Program will be implemented on July 1, 2024.
  • The reimbursement process for the Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program remains unchanged.
  • Please review this memo for 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.

Planning for 2024-25 Promotions

  • This is the time of year to conduct considerations of all faculty coming up for promotion and to consider who needs a more detailed scrutiny.
  • This includes Associate Professors, Associate Professors, Teaching Stream; Part-Time Assistant and Associate Professors (both teaching stream and non-tenure stream), Status-Only Professors and CLTAs.
  • Here is the relevant policy language for tenure/non-tenure stream and teaching stream faculty:
    • “Each year the Department Chairman will place before the Promotions Committee for preliminary consideration the names of all Associate Professors in the Department, together with their curricula vitae. The Committee will advise the Chairman as to which staff members should receive more detailed consideration for promotion.” (PPP, 1980, 20)
    • “Each year the Department Chair will place before the Promotions Committee for preliminary consideration the names of all part-time Assistant Professors, Teaching Stream with continuing appointments and all Associate Professors, Teaching Stream in the Department, together with their curricula vitae. The Committee will advise the Chair as to which faculty members should receive more detailed consideration for promotion.” (PPPTS, 2021, 18)
  • Follow up with individual faculty members regarding a timeline for when they may be ready to come forward for promotion.
  • “The successful candidate for promotion will be expected to have established a wide reputation in his or her field of interest, to be deeply engaged in scholarly work, and to have shown himself or herself to be an effective teacher.” (PPP, 1908, 7)
    • “The greatest weight will be given to scholarly achievement or, where appropriate, creative professional work, and to high quality in teaching.”
  • “Promotion to Professor, Teaching Stream will be granted on the basis of excellent teaching, educational leadership and/or achievement, and ongoing pedagogical/professional development, sustained over many years.” (PPPTS, 2021, 6)

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).

Completion of Offers

  • Please complete the Completion of Offer (COO) form for Academic Appointments as soon as possible after a search has concluded and return to the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life (academic.hr@utoronto.ca). The form should be submitted in cases of acceptances and declines. For acceptances, please also submit the signed letter of offer.
  • VPFAL must receive the COO and the passport details for the new hire in order to begin the immigration support process.
  • Please also complete the workflow in SuccessFactors Recruiting (SFR) by moving candidates through the appropriate steps in the recruiting system, depending on the outcome of the search. Please reference the SFR job aids about offering a position, hiring a candidate, and closing a search available on the ASA resources page. Questions about the SFR workflow can be sent to academic.jobs@utoronto.ca.

Retirement Notice

Please share this information with faculty and librarians.

Save the Date: Retreat for New Academic Administrators

  • The Retreat for New Academic Administrators will take place on June 24-26, 2024 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, 2024 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

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