Special Joint Advisory Committee (SJAC)
From 2012 to 2016, UTFA engaged in an unprecedented campaign to modernize and update the role of the Association in representing faculty and librarians at the University of Toronto. This campaign originated in a reform effort targeting the Memorandum of Agreement prescribing UTFA’s current role and the limited scope collective bargaining process within that MoA.
One of the key concerns with the current MoA was that it excluded important academic policies shaping the context of the work of faculty and librarians (e.g., appointment policies) from any rigorous process of negotiation. Indeed, some issues, including the procedural aspects of academic restructuring initiatives (e.g., academic program closure, amalgamation, or relocation) were excluded from the MoA altogether.
UTFA and representatives of the Governing Council of the University of Toronto reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of the MoA and explored options for modernizing it via the Special Joint Advisory Committee (SJAC) process. The SJAC also specifically looked at the role of faculty and librarians in academic planning and restructuring initiatives, and at potential changes to appointments policies for faculty.
Resources
APR 2014
SJAC FAQ (PDF)
NOV 2013
SJAC proposed changes and underlying rationale (Video)
NOV 2013
UTFA's proposed revisions to the Memorandum of Agreement (PDF)
NOV 2013
UTFA's proposal on procedural aspects of significant academic restructuring exercises (PDF)
APR 2013
SJAC Membership Survey Results Overview (PDF)
FEB 2013
SJAC Membership Survey (PDF)
News
2 FEB 2015
SJAC Teaching Stream Policy Changes Q and A
28 OCT 2014
SJAC Information Report #7: A New Deal? (PDF)
27 OCT 2014
SJAC Joint Statement by UTFA & the Administration – Tentative Agreement!
27 OCT 2014
SJAC Tentative Agreement
UTFA and University administration negotiators have reached tentative agreement in the SJAC process on an approach to modernizing the Memorandum of Agreement, a Policy on Academic Restructuring, revisions to Article 5 (Academic Freedom and Responsibilities) of the MoA, and appointments policies for tenure stream faculty. The documents pertaining to each of these areas of concern are posted below.
- Modernization of the MoA (PDF)
- Policy on Academic Restructuring (PDF)
- Revisions to Article 5 (PDF)
- PPAA changes pertaining to the tenure stream (PDF)
7 AUG 2014
SJAC Information Report #6: UTFA Proposes Compromise on the MoA (PDF)
9 APR 2014
SJAC Information Report #5: Reform or Retrenchment? SJAC Process Enters Final Chapter (PDF)
31 JAN 2014
SJAC Information Report #4: The Collegiality Gap (PDF)
30 SEP 2014
SJAC Information Report #3 (PDF)
7 MAY 2013
SJAC Information Report #2 (PDF)
11 DEC 2012
SJAC Information Report #1: Collegiality, Shared Governance and Your Faculty Association (PDF)
APR 2012
Mediation Agreement Establishing the Special Joint Advisory Committee Process (PDF)
22 JUN 2011
UTFA’s Proposal on Governance in Academic Planning (PDF)
5 DEC 2011
UTFA December 2011 Bargaining Report on Expanding the Scope of Interest Arbitration in Our Negotiation Process (PDF)
15 NOV 2011
UTFA Bargaining Report on Academic Freedom, Academic Excellence, and Collegial Governance (PDF)
23 SEP 2011
UTFA Bulletin on Frozen Policies and Unilateralism (PDF)
14 SEP 2011
UTFA Open Letter Concerning All Terms and Conditions Proposal (PDF)
2014–15 Negotiations
28 AUG 2015
Bargaining Report #5
12 JUN 2015
Bargaining Report #4
5 MAY 2015
Bargaining Report #3
17 FEB 2015
Bargaining Report #2
30 SEP 2014
Bargaining Report #1
2011–12 Negotiations
6 JUL 2012
UTFA Bargaining Report #5
3 JUN 2012
Memorandum of Settlement between UofT and UTFA
3 JUN 2012
Pension Letter of Understanding
19 APR 2012
SB&P Mediation - Framework - Administration & UTFA
2 MAY 2012
Agreement - Framework re Discussions of MofA
6 FEB 2012
UTFA Bargaining Report #4 - Mediation & Updates
14 JAN 2012
UTFA Anomaly Fund Proposal
19 DEC 2011
UTFA PTR Proposal
5 DEC 2011
UTFA Bargaining Report #3
15 NOV 2011
UTFA Bargaining Update
15 NOV 2011
UTFA Bargaining Report #2 - Nov 15, 2011
29 SEP 2011
Explaining UTFA's Proposed Revisions to Tenure Policy
23 SEP 2011
UTFA FAQ re Frozen Policies, Article 6, Unilateralism
23 SEP 2011
UTFA email letter to members re negotiation issues
14 SEP 2011
UTFA letter to Administration re "All Terms & Conditions"
31 AUG 2011
UTFA proposal for changes to tenure & promotion policies
7 JUL 2011
UTFA letter to the Provost re UofT Governance & Donations
14 APR 2011
Letter from the Provost
3 MAR 2011
UTFA Information Request #236
22 JUN 2011
UTFA Proposal: Governance in Academic Planning
30 MAY 2011
Bargaining Report #1, New round, Priorities, Scope of Bargaining
Letters to the Provost Concerning UTFA's Bargaining Proposals
What I miss in the draft planning document – indeed, what I have missed in the entire planning process – is any attempt to engage in the difficult question of how to realize the ideals of academic freedom in a climate of economic cutbacks. In fact, I haven't seen any indication that your administration even understands or cares what academic freedom is, or why it is so important in running a viable teaching and research institution, or why it is given such a prominent place in the university's policy documents. (Read full letter as PDF)
John Noyes, Professor of German
As the association representing many of those who make University of Toronto "one of the world's great public institutions for higher learning," we think the Administration owes UTFA a fair hearing and serious considerations of the issues. We encourage you to reconsider your position and begin to work toward establishing a new relationship with faculty and librarians for the greater good of the University of Toronto community. (Read full letter as PDF)
Katie Mazer, on behalf of CUPE 3902 Executive Committee
UTFA’s proposal to negotiate all terms and conditions of employment for faculty and librarians is not as an extreme demand as the Provost would have us believe. It is rather a logical outcome of inflexible, top-down decision making processes that infuse the existing bureaucratic structures of the U of T. (Read full letter as PDF)
Ken Kawashima, Associate Professor, Dept. of East Asian Studies