Bargaining Update, Cancellation of Mentorship Program and Recent Town Hall

Dear Members,

I hope that all is well with you. With bargaining now well underway, I’m writing to provide a brief update on behalf of your Negotiating Team, as well as providing updates on a couple of other matters.  Proposals we have presented to the Administration thus far:

• To develop an effective system to ensure fairness in the assignment of teaching workload within units and limit the maximum teaching workload of all Members over a two year period
• To improve communication between the FA and the senior administration
• To strengthen academic freedom language in terms of members’ rights in pedagogical decision-making
• To recognize our joint commitment with the University in combatting anti-Black racism
• To equalize study leave entitlement between teaching and research stream faculty, and enable Members to take a final study leave before retirement without the obligation to return

The Administration has also presented some proposals to the Faculty Association. One proposal is of particular interest.  It reflects the University’s recognition that although they very much advocated that the FA accept course review and the training of peer reviewers in the last round of bargaining, which we agreed to in exchange for significant improvements for FA members, they have now recognized that these processes increase Member workload.  They are willing to consider withdrawing both course review and the training of peer reviewers from the Collective Agreement, in exchange for FA agreement to other Administration proposals, including a proposed annual requirement for all Faculty Members:

c) All Faculty Members shall undertake activities to promote continuous learning and professional development in the area of Teaching constituting a minimum of forty (40) hours per year. Activities satisfying this requirement shall be outlined in the Faculty Evaluation Policy and include attending University workshops, workshops or conferences about teaching organized by recognized organizations external to the University, and departmental activities aimed at improving curriculum and pedagogical approaches.

Your Negotiating Team is aware that this proposal may raise concerns with members.  We will be sending out a brief survey later this week to members that will enable you to provide feedback on the Administration’s proposal to remove course review and required training for peer reviewers in exchange for their proposal on mandatory continuous learning and professional development in the area of Teaching.

Cancellation of Joint Mentorship Program

I am sorry to have to inform you that Helga Hallgrimsdottir, Deputy Provost, wrote to me on Friday to announce that the VP Academic’s office was cancelling the Joint Mentorship Program that the FA and VPAC have jointly sponsored since June of 2021.  The FA is disappointed to hear this news, as I know many of those who have been successfully mentored by our excellent mentors, Adam Con, Jeff Corntassel, Maureen Ryan, George Tzanetakis and Amy Verdun, will also be disappointed.  Helga stated that the program was resource intensive at a time when the University has limited resources. Since each mentor received only one course release per year, cost-shared between the University and the Association, the costs seemed reasonable, given the results in terms of the much-needed support provided for early in career and mid-career members. The FA appreciated the opportunity to work with the Administration on this important project, as we were able to do good work together for faculty members. Helga says that VPAC is working on developing an alternative program with Faculty Relations and academic leaders. We hope that this new program, when it is announced, will provide a similar level of support for our members.

Budget Town Hall

Those of you who attended the Budget Town Hall hosted by VPs Elizabeth Croft and Kristi Simpson last Monday will have received useful information about the state of UVic’s current budget. Such transparency is to be commended.  However, some faculty members who attended were concerned that the kinds of questions that could be asked were very clearly controlled by the Administration. Questions about the new budget model and anything related to CAL, OREM or student accommodation generally were declared out of bounds. Apparently there will be a Town Hall about the new budget model sometime in the fall.  We very much look forward to this event, and hope that there will be less control over the kinds of questions that can be asked at this event. True transparency involves a willingness to answer a broad range of relevant questions from the University community, rather than limiting what can be asked.

All the very best,

Lynne Marks
President, and Chief Negotiator, University of Victoria Faculty Association