In each of the negotiating rounds of 2015, 2018 and 2020 respectively, the TFA submitted the same proposal for a new Article in the Collective Agreement that makes provision for, but is not limited to, the positions of Assistant/Associate Chairs/Directors, Program Directors, First Year Program Director, Practicum Director, Zone-Practicum Director, Co-Op Director, Graduate Program Directors.
The TFA’s proposed article would require that (largely department driven) procedures would be followed to define the duties and responsibilities, minimum qualifications, selection criteria, appointment process, compensation, term, and evaluation of these positions.
The TFA submitted this proposal because members across the University had expressed concern and uncertainty as to how these positions were created, and how appointments to these positions were made, and how the compensation for these positions was derived.
In each of 2015, 2018 and 2020 the Administration declined to engage in discussion of the matter, as they said such a provision was not necessary.
In 2020 the Administration did agree that in October each year, the University will provide the Faculty Association with a report that includes the annual stipend amount and course releases for Chairs/Directors and Associate Chairs/Directors, Graduate Program Directors, Undergraduate Program Directors, and other academic administrative positions. They also agreed that the Faculty Association has the right to post the information contained in this report such that it is accessible to all faculty members e.g. on the Faculty Association website.
This agreement can be found in the Collective Agreement in Memorandum of Understanding – 8 Chairs/Directors Stipends.
The TFA does post this information annually on the TFA website. In the most recent report provided to the Faculty Association 215 faculty members were listed as receiving stipends and/or course releases. The list includes Chairs/Directors as well as other faculty members appointed to administrative roles. It is those other administrative roles that the proposed new Article is designed to address. Not including Chairs/Directors, the total cost of the stipends received by these faculty members was $1,051,500/
In 2023 the TFA again submitted the same proposal that they had submitted in the three previous rounds of negotiation. Again, the Administration declared that there was no need for such a proposal. Despite the TFA assertion that the lack of transparency and collegiality with respect to these roles, as well as a strong sense of unfairness in many cases, was the cause of considerable discontent to many faculty members across the University, the Administration declined to engage in discussion of the topic.
The TFA subsequently included this proposal in their submission to Arbitrator Kaplan. The text of this rationale provided to Arbitrator Kaplan in support of this proposal, can be found HERE.
This rationale is based on reports received from members and on responses to the Negotiating Committee’s request from members to share their concerns and to provide examples.
The rationale describes member concerns regarding the lack of open, transparent, and collegial processes for appointment, It also describes member suggestions of inequity and unfairness in compensation, including such elements as course releases, stipends and duration of positions.
The Administration’s written response to Arbitrator Kaplan, in response to the TFA submission, once again sought the rejection of the TFA proposal.
They stated that the Association has offered no comparators with other universities to demonstrate that the proposal was consistent with the sector. They also stated that the TFA proposal would represent a marked departure from the University’s current operations, and as such it would be inappropriate for the Arbitrator to award such a proposal.
The faculty association acknowledges that there is no consistent pattern across the Ontario university sector addressing these administrative appointments. The TFA has consulted broadly across Ontario. To the TFA’s knowledge the lack of transparency and collegiality on this front at TMU does not appear to occur at other Ontario universities on the same scale.
Unfortunately, this was also one of several items that Arbitrator Kaplan chose not to address. Consequently, our Administration appears to still feel that there is no reason for them to attend to any of the concerns expressed by our membership, nor for them to respond to any suggestions for improved practice.
The text of the TFA proposal and rationale on Associate Chairs be read here.