Monthly Action Guide: July 2025

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. 

Interim Review (Tenure Stream)

  • Tenure stream faculty members 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)
  • See the AAPM Section on Interim Review

Probationary Review (Continuing Stream Teaching Stream)

  • 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).
  • See the AAPM Section on Probationary Review

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, 30 x.b)
  • See the AAPM Section on Continuing Status Review

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: Workload letters and the Unit Workload Document should have been provided/made accessible to each member of the unit and to UTFA no later than June 30.

PTR

  • “Each unit head must provide the unit’s faculty members with a clear statement outlining the procedure to be followed for the evaluation of PTR. The statement should include a description of the mandate and membership of any advisory committees used. Further, the unit head shall communicate, in writing, to each faculty member of the unit, the relative weight of the various activities of teaching, research and service, the format to be used for the Activity Report, as well as any unique aspects of the evaluation process for the unit.
  • This communication shall be distributed to the members of the unit at the beginning of the academic year (i.e. July 1st).” (AAPM, Academic Salary Administration)

Resources for New Academic Administrators

Newly- and recently-appointed academic administrators who were not able to attend the 2025 Retreat for New Academic Administrators can contact vpfal.prof.dev@utoronto.ca for Retreat resources.

Save the Date: New Faculty & Librarian Orientation

  • The New Faculty & Librarian Orientation takes place on August 11 & 12 at the Faculty Club (41 Wilcocks Street)
  • Faculty members who are appointed to the tenure stream, faculty members appointed to the continuing stream teaching stream, and permanent status librarians with start dates between September 2, 2024 and September 1, 2025 will be sent an invitation in July

Resources for Faculty

U of T Bookstore Support for Faculty

As you prepare for the upcoming academic term, we encourage all new faculty members to connect with the University of Toronto Bookstore for support with sourcing course materials. The Bookstore works closely with instructors to identify the most suitable resources for each course, offering both print and digital formats to meet diverse teaching needs.

For courses that draw on multiple sources, the Bookstore collaborates with a licensed Access Copyright copy shop to help you create and distribute custom course packs tailored to your syllabus.

To ensure materials are available for students at the start of the Fall term, we kindly ask that all course material orders be submitted as soon as possible. Orders can be placed through Verba Collect, or by contacting your designated textbook buyer directly for assistance.

If you prefer to email your order or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our knowledgeable Bookstore buyers. You can find contact information here.

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

Provostial Funding for NCFDD Faculty Success Program and Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program

  • The University will continue to contribute 50% of the costs associated with NCFDD’s Faculty Success Program and the Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program, provided that the home unit or Dean’s Office contributes the remainder of the funds.
  • For the 2025-26 academic year, the University has reserved 50 Faculty Success Program seats and 5 Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program seats at a reduced partnership rate.
  • Please see the Provostial Funding for the NCFDD Faculty Success Program (FSP) & Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program (PTP), 2025-26 for details about the program, eligibility, and reimbursement procedures.
  • Fall 2025 Faculty Success Program: Upcoming Registration Deadline
    • The Fall 2025 Session of the Faculty Success Program will run from September 15 to November 23, 2025.
    • The internal registration deadline is July 17. By this date, Dean’s Offices must submit candidates to VPFAL via the NCFDD Programs Request for Provostial Funding Form, 2025-26 form.
    • VPFAL will confirm with Dean’s Offices whether candidates are eligible for Provostial funding within two weeks of the internal registration deadline.
    • Please use the email template sent to Dean’s Offices to communicate to eligible faculty about the upcoming session and deadline.
    • Faculty should not be registering themselves for the program, as they will not be eligible for reimbursement through the Provost’s Office.