The USFA Constitution mandates an annual election of one-half of the members of the Executive Committee. By now you should have received the 2012 election package. Any regular member of the Association is eligible to run for a position and the term of office is two years. While, it has long been recognized that serving… Continue reading Executive Committee Elections
Articles
Negotiations – Your voice counts!!
Our current Collective Agreement expires on June 30, 2013 and preparation for the next round of bargaining by the USFA has already begun. Faculty Association Representatives (FARs) will play an integral part in the preparation process and we ask that members consult with their FARs regarding bargaining preparations. We have already met and provided FARs… Continue reading Negotiations – Your voice counts!!
New USFA Committee on University Administrative Practice
One of the most thought-provoking presentations at the 2011 Western Regional Conference of Faculty Associations was with respect to administrative practices at universities. Faculty members are faced with an ever-growing burden of administrative requirements. An incremental change to university administrative practices that may appear logical from the viewpoint of administrative personnel may, in some instances,… Continue reading New USFA Committee on University Administrative Practice
Publishing PhD Research
It has come to our attention that junior faculty have been counseled by some senior administrators not to publish results from their PhD thesis, as the various standards require that tenure candidates provide “compelling evidence that a body of high quality scholarly work has been completed beyond that demonstrated at appointment” (our emphasis). Thus it… Continue reading Publishing PhD Research
What is a program of research?
The University Standards for Tenure and Promotion state that for tenure as an Assistant or Associate Professor or promotion to the rank of Associate Professor a candidate must demonstrate a “defined program of research or scholarship”. But what does this mean? Will a faculty member with a very narrow focus of research on a highly… Continue reading What is a program of research?
“Administrative” Innovation Initiatives
A few years ago, senior administration clawed back unit budgets to the tune of $10 million, claiming it was necessary to deal with the global financial crisis and, amongst other things, to shore up the pension plans. These budget reductions were difficult for units and resulted in cuts to academic programming. A change in legislation… Continue reading “Administrative” Innovation Initiatives
Heads up!
There is no question that your Head of department is a vital cog in the academic wheel. At U of S and just about every other institution in Canada, the head is ‘in scope,’ that is, a member of the faculty association and therefore protected by the collective agreement. The role of the Head should… Continue reading Heads up!
March 16 and 17, 2012 – We are Breaking the Silence
On Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity 15th annual conference sponsored by the College of Education, University of Saskatchewan Telling our stories – Making lives better Friday, March 16, 7:00 p.m. Special Guest: Ivan Coyote “As Good As We Can Make It: On bullying, collective responsibility, and actually making it better” Saturday, March 17,… Continue reading March 16 and 17, 2012 – We are Breaking the Silence
Reduced Appointment Plan (Article 13.2.3)
One long-standing feature of the Collective Agreement has been the Reduced Appointment Plan (RAP), which allows faculty members over 55 with at least 10 years of service to gradually downsize their careers by reducing to part-time without a corresponding reduction in benefits. The Collective Agreement states “[e]mployees who wish to participate in the Reduced Appointment… Continue reading Reduced Appointment Plan (Article 13.2.3)
From the Editors. . .
It is heartening to see the January 2012 issue of VOX emerge. We have articles about our past (Millard reprint), the realizations of a newcomer (Springer), thoughts on research agenda (Pratt) and a rumoured institute (Muri). VOX is your voice. What are your thoughts on issues such as: TABBS (Transparent, Activity-Based Budget System): www.usask.ca/tabbs/about? Policy… Continue reading From the Editors. . .