VPFAL Monthly Action Guide: November 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. 

Research and Study Leave

For the 2025-26 leave cycle a reminder that:

SDFs should continue to submit their leaves and revisions to VPFAL in the normal course for a second level of review. Please use the form for SDFs.
MDFs should separate exceptional RSL/admin leaves in annual omnibus submissions. Requests that do not conform to policy will receive additional review. Standard requests will not be given further review. Please use the form for MDFs.
All documentation should be sent for approval to VPFAL no later than December 31.
VPFAL does not approve requests for standard administrative leaves (i.e., those that are consistent with policy and the AAA appointment letter). However, information about such leaves should be submitted to VPFAL for information and record-keeping purposes only. VPFAL should continue to be consulted on non-standard admin leave requests.

To support the review of RSL and admin leaves, please review the following resources:

Research and Study Leave (AAPM)
Research & Study Leave Tool
- The RSL report is accessed through the Fiori Launchpad
- If there are discrepancies between HRIS or the RSL Report and departmental records, please review the Troubleshooting section of the Research & Study Leave Tool webpage.
HRIS support materials>Academic>Leave-Paid & Unpaid

Recruitment and Immigration

As postings for faculty positions begin to close and your units prepare to arrange interviews, remember it is an important principle that interview methods should be applied uniformly to all candidates in a search.
If you plan to invite international candidates or contributors to campus, you should work with the Dean’s Office or Academic HR Office to confirm the current protocols and obtain updated template letters.
If you plan to have in-person interviews, be sure to factor in visa processing times for those who need a visa to enter Canada.
- Applicants can find out if they need an eTA or a visa to visit Canada by using this link: Visa or eTA
- Applicants can check the outside Canada visitor visa processing time (for the county they are currently located or will apply from) by using this link: Visa Processing Time
  - Currently, the visitor visa processing time for people coming from the US is 32 days.
  - the visitor visa processing time for people coming from the UK is 216 days.
- Please contact Faculty Immigration if you or your applicants have immigration-related questions.

Tenure Stream Interim Review

“Notice that the contract will or will not be renewed on the following July 1 must be given in writing no later than November 30.” (PPAA, II.8)

Teaching Stream Probationary Review

“Notice that the contract will or will not be renewed on the following July 1 must be given in writing no later than December 31.” (PPAA, Part VII, 30, vii)

Continuing Status Review Dossier Submission

Continuing Status Review dossiers must be submitted to VPFAL as soon as possible to ensure the files are processed prior to the University’s holiday closure, and the PPAA states that “the continuing status review should be completed and that the candidate notified by December 31st.” Dossiers must be submitted via the secure VPFAL Document Submission Portal. Please contact jamie.ryckman@utoronto.ca with any questions about the submission deadline. Any process related questions may be directed to melodie.buhagiar@utoronto.ca.

Part-Time Faculty Review for a Continuing Appointment

Part-time faculty who have been renewed for a sixth year must be reviewed for a continuing appointment this fall, before December 31. (PtP, 7b)

Retirement

Please remind faculty and librarians who might wish to retire on January 1, 2026 of the January 1, 2025 deadline to provide notice of their intention to retire. Please see the AAPM section on Retirement for details.

For Dean’s Offices: Academic Administrative Appointments

You may wish to generate the Academic Administrative Appointment (AAA) Term End Date report. This will allow users to identify any AAA terms which are coming to an end.

The report is available to users with access to the AAA Tool.

Now Available! Unconscious Bias Education Module 4: Inclusive Academic Cultures: Ideas for Making Change

The Unconscious Bias Education Module, “Inclusive Academic Cultures: Ideas for Making Change” is now available. This module is the fourth in a series of online resources intended to provide faculty, librarians, and staff with an academic approach to understanding unconscious bias and to suggest practical ideas for how to disrupt the effects of bias in our work.
University of Toronto faculty and staff may access all four Unconscious Bias Education Modules on SuccessFactors. University students, partners, community members and collaborators who do not have access to SuccessFactors may access the modules through the Toronto Initiative for Diversity & Excellence (TIDE) website.
VPFAL recommends that members of search, tenure review, continuing status review, and promotion committees, faculty on PTR committees, and assessors review these modules at the outset of their work.
The Unconscious Bias Education Modules are an initiative created at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) by University Professor Maydianne Andrade (Department of Biological Sciences) with input from members of TIDE. The newest module, Inclusive Academic Cultures: Ideas for Making Change, was composed and narrated by Professor Bryan Gaensler, former Co-Chair of TIDE, with financial support from the Canada Research Chairs Program Stipend for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and the Division of the Vice President & Provost.

November Programming for Academic Administrators

Highlighted below are the sessions occurring in the November 2024. To see the complete list of scheduled workshops for academic administrators, please visit the VPFAL programming page.

Assessment of Teaching in Tenure, Continuing Status, and Promotion Reviews for Chairs, Directors, and Members of Teaching Evaluation Committees (Online)

November 4, 2024, 1-3pm

Session leader: Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation

The evaluation of teaching is a critical element in tenure, continuing status, and promotion reviews. This substantive session on the evaluation of teaching effectiveness will help those engaged in these reviews conduct their work in a fair and robust way.

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

November 28, 2024, 1-3pm (for Multi-Department 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.

November Programming for Faculty

NCFDD Programming

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