News Archive
COVID-19
April 28, 2021 | COVID-19
All News
April 28, 2021 | All News
Collectively Speaking – April 2021
April 27, 2021 | Collectively Speaking
In the fall of 2020, news outlets carried stories about the significant wage gap between male and female professors showing up in Statistics Canada salary data for full-time teaching staff at Canadian universities for 2019/20. Concern was expressed here by many faculty members. This issue of Collectively Speaking provides a preliminary examination of the gap …
VOX
April 27, 2021 | VOX
VOX is a publication sponsored by the USFA and is published by an independent Editorial Board. It is a forum for the expression of opinions of USFA members. Materials published in VOX do not necessarily express USFA policy, the views of the USFA Executive or the Editorial Board. Submissions of general interest less than 300 …
When to go for tenure or promotion
April 26, 2021 | All News
Today is the best day to start thinking about your promotion/tenure case. You have a lot of resources to help you with your case. By May 31, your Department Head or Dean should have met with you to discuss your progress with respect to the approved standards, with which you should be familiar. You don’t …
Important Update: Sabbatical Travel Funds
April 21, 2021 | All News
We have negotiated a Letter of Understanding that allows expanded use of sabbatical travel funds to address limitations on travel during the COVID-19 emergency. Employees who were/are on sabbatical during the academic years 2019-2020, 2020–2021 or 2021-2022 shall be permitted to use sabbatical travel funds for any purposes related to their approved sabbatical plan, provided that such expenditures …
Continue reading “Important Update: Sabbatical Travel Funds”
Lessons from Laurentian
April 20, 2021 | All News
LUFA and OCUFA are calling for the resignation of Senior Laurentian University Leadershipand Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano who they claim were complicit in creating the university’s financial crisis. The result of the crisis is that Laurentian has terminated 83 professors, eliminated 27 positions through attrition and retirement, and cut 70 programs. Laurentian …
USFA Spring General Meeting: Wednesday, April 28, 2021 2:30 PM
April 19, 2021 | All News
Pursuant to Section 10 (a) of the Constitution of the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association, a Spring General Meeting of the Faculty Association will be held on: Wednesday, April 28, 2021 at 2:30 pm Via Zoom The meeting login instructions and agenda package will be sent in a separate email.
The COVID Asterisk
April 15, 2021 | COVID-19
Some Senior Administrators have reassured faculty that there will be a COVID “asterisk” on their promotion/tenure files because of negative consequences of the pandemic. There is no information about how case files will be assessed with the implications of the pandemic in mind. What you need to do in the annual review process is ask …
There’s more to teaching assignments than number of credit units
April 13, 2021 | USFA e-Letter
In many units, only the number of credit units is used to determine equity of teaching workloads. However, credit units do not accurately reflect what that workload entails and if it is part of an equitable assignment of duties (Article 11.4). There is far more to take into consideration when it comes to assigning teaching, …
Continue reading “There’s more to teaching assignments than number of credit units”
Important Event: Laurentian University Phone Bank
April 13, 2021 | USFA e-Letter
The insolvency process at Laurentian University is moving swiftly and will conclude mid-April. Without intervention, this closed-door process—intended for private sector corporations—will determine the future of this public institution, key employer, and cultural hub in the region. The federal government needs to work with the government of Ontario and provide emergency funding to save Laurentian …
Continue reading “Important Event: Laurentian University Phone Bank”
Laurentian University – an Update
April 12, 2021 | USFA e-Letter
From CAUT President Brenda Austin-Smith: “Today, lay-off notices were issued to tenured and contract academic staff members of Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA). Although the details of the mediation agreement at Laurentian University remain confidential, Radio-Canada has reported that more than 60 programs are being cut. We also know that LUFA worked tirelessly under enormous …
Important update: APEFs
March 30, 2021 | USFA e-Letter
Last week’s communication from the Employer regarding the option for faculty to make a one-time request for an allowance of up to one year’s APEF allocation to offset expenses related to setting up a remote workspace contained a link that does not work. The correct link is: https://paws5.usask.ca/workingremotely#workremotely. Please note that there is no requirement to …
One-time taxable allocation from APEFs available to USFA members
March 24, 2021 | USFA e-Letter
USFA members now have the option to request a one-time allowance from their accountable professional expense funds to help defray expenses associated with establishing a home office/remote workspace to conduct teaching, research, and related professional activities. The maximum amount you can request is $2200 and is dependent on the balance of your APEF. The request may …
Continue reading “One-time taxable allocation from APEFs available to USFA members”
March 30, 2021 Deadline to Submit Expense Claims to Sun Life for Health, Dental and Flexible Spending Benefit Plans
March 15, 2021 | USFA e-Letter
Claims for reimbursement for any expenses from any of the benefit plans must be submitted to and received by Sun Life within 90 days of the end of the calendar year in which the expense is incurred. This means that the deadline for submitting claims incurred between January 1 and December 31, 2020 is March 30, 2021. Claims must be received by …
International Women’s Day 2021
March 8, 2021 | All News
Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day (IWD). For more than a century IWD has been observed around the world to raise awareness of issues affecting women. It is a global day to recognize and celebrate advancements while reminding us of the need for continued vigilance and action. The UN, noting “from challenge comes change,” …
CORRECTION NOTICE : 2021 USFA Executive Elections: Call for Nominations
March 3, 2021 | All News
This a correction notice to advise that the call for nominations that was sent last week had an error in the vacancies. Please note the following: This is a call for nominations in the election to fill nine vacancies on the USFA Executive Committee commencing July 1, 2021: Category A: two vacancies (one is a 1 …
Continue reading “CORRECTION NOTICE : 2021 USFA Executive Elections: Call for Nominations”
Pre-approved IT Hardware Purchases for faculty
March 3, 2021 | All News
A list of pre-approved hardware has been finalized by IT Acquisitions in an effort to have purchases and approvals proceed more smoothly. This list itemizes hardware purchases or reimbursements that should not be denied by ConnectionPoint, but it is not comprehensive and if you find your request is denied, you should reach out to IT Acquisitions (it_acquisitions@usask.ca). …
Continue reading “Pre-approved IT Hardware Purchases for faculty”
March 30, 2021 Deadline to Submit Expense Claims to Sun Life for Health, Dental and Flexible Spending Benefit
March 1, 2021 | All News
Claims for reimbursement for any expenses from any of the benefit plans must be submitted to and received by Sun Life within 90 days of the end of the calendar year in which the expense is incurred. This means that the deadline for submitting claims incurred between January 1 and December 31, 2020 is March 30, 2021. Claims must be received by …
What’s wrong with doing less with less?
February 25, 2021 | Uncategorized
In this edition of Vox, an article submitted by three USFA members focuses on faculty workload expectations in the current U of S system for funding academic units. The article addresses the fact that few faculty have changed how they approach their work in response to chronic underfunding and an erosion of supports for faculty …