SJAC Joint Statement by UTFA & the Administration: Teaching Stream Policy Changes

We are very pleased to announce that the University administration and the University of Toronto Faculty Association have reached a tentative agreement on appointments policy changes for teaching stream faculty at the University of Toronto.

The proposed changes entail rigorous, competitive appointment and evaluation systems that will be consistent across the Institution. Specific changes include: initial four year appointments; provision for a mandatory interim review with a term of teaching and service reduction following successful renewal and a two year re-appointment; a review for promotion to continuing status in year six; and the introduction of professorial ranks and titles that will recognize accomplishments across a scholarly career.

The proposed changes are a product of the Special Joint Advisory Committee (SJAC) process. They will be added to other items on which there is tentative agreement, including appointments policy changes for tenure stream faculty, revisions to the UTFA Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), and a new policy on the procedural aspects of significant academic restructuring initiatives.

Following a ratification vote by UTFA’s Council at its scheduled meeting on December 15, 2014, the Administration will seek approval on the SJAC tentative agreement package from the Governing Council.

If the proposed policy changes are approved, current full- time Senior Lecturers and full- time Lecturers with continuing stream appointments will have an opportunity to elect to transition into the new policies or to remain under the existing policies.

UTFA and the University administration would like to thank The Honourable Frank Iacobucci, the Facilitator in the SJAC process, for helping us reach a tentative agreement on these important changes to teaching stream policies.

The tentative agreement can be found on the Vice-President & Provost’s website and the UTFA website.