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March 28, 2019
UGFA Financial Analysis 2019
Please follow this link to the 2019 UGFA Financial Analysis of the University of Guelph 2018 Audited Statement.
POSTED BY: Faculty Association
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January 26, 2017
Executive Compensation Framework
What the Executive Compensation Framework means for universities
Background
Since 2012, following amendments to the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, compensation for executives at broader public sector institutions have been “frozen”. In September 2016, the new Executive Compensation Framework Regulation came into effect, lifting the freeze. The Framework allows broader public sector institutions to increase compensation for executives, but puts in place requirements designed to improve the accountability and transparency of the process by which compensation is determined. At postsecondary institutions, this framework applies to university and college presidents, vice-presidents, as well as certain other senior positions.
Framework details
The framework requires university boards of governors to justify proposed increases in executive compensation by:
Developing a philosophy that explains how their compensation program is designed to support the university in achieving its operating goals and strategic objectives;
Conducting an analysis of the compensation currently provided to executives at comparable institutions, with the understanding that comparator institutions should fulfill a similar purpose, have similar student enrolment, be located in similar regions, and that the positions compared should have similar responsibilities; and
Detailing the total compensation and performance-related pay proposed for each position based on comparable positions and salaries.
The details of how executive compensation will be set at each institution have to be posted on the university’s website for 30 days to allow for members of the university community and general public to be informed about the proposed changes. The university is also responsible for developing a process by which public feedback is collected, evaluated, and retained for evaluation by the government.
All public sector institutions, including universities, are required to post this completed package of information to their website by September 5, 2017.
Recent developments
Ontario’s colleges have released their proposals for executive compensation in the college sector, and the numbers were astounding. Colleges are proposing that they should be able to increase the already high salaries of their presidents by an average of 32 per cent (in many cases, a raise of over $100,000 per year).
How did this happen? As the Executive Compensation Framework currently exists, there are few restrictions on how governing boards select comparable positions, so they are able to cherry-pick comparators to maximize executive salaries. For instance, Seneca College chose the University of Guelph and York University as comparators while Algonquin College chose several large hospitals, the LCBO, and Toronto Pearson International Airport.
OCUFA’s position
OCUFA has been concerned about the excessive compensation that some senior university executives receive and the often opaque processes by which these compensation packages have been determined in the past. While this new Executive Compensation Framework may increase the transparency of the process, OCUFA is alarmed by the amount by which Ontario’s colleges are proposing to increase their presidents’ salaries and the precedent that might set for university executives. It raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the Framework for ensuring reasonable salaries for Ontario’s university executives.
It will be important for faculty associations to pay close attention to the executive compensation proposals brought forward by their universities and actively engage in the consultations. The additional transparency required by the new framework is a good first step. However, meaningful community consultation that sees governing boards take action on issues of executive compensation and executive hiring practices, will also be critical to ensuring good governance of the province’s postsecondary institutions.
The guide for the Executive Compensation Framework is available online.
POSTED BY: Faculty Association
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October 6, 2015
Wellness Friday Lunches
OCTOBER IS HEALTHY WORKPLACE MONTH...
Occupational Health & Wellness, along with Learning and Development, Human Resources Presents:
Free October 2015 Wellness Friday Lunch Sessions
Rm 168 Alexander Hall
12:00AM—1:00PM
Get Real: How to be Authentic - October 2, 2015
Beyond Stigma: Increasing Our Understanding Of Mental Health in the Workplace - October 9, 2015
Negotiating Respectful Interpersonal Boundaries - October 16, 2015
Handle with Care—Conflict Resolution In the Workplace, October 23, 2015
To register on line follow this link— https://www.uoguelph.ca/learningmatters/eventreg/ Or call Heather at #52647 (Spaces are limited)
POSTED BY: Faculty Association
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September 21, 2015
Harassment at the University of Toronto
Dear Member;
As a new academic year begins, we are reminded that while many good things are going to happen, some unpleasant events may also take place.
The University of Guelph Faculty Association deplores the episode of harassment and distribution of hate literature recently directed against feminist faculty and students at the University of Toronto. UGFA and the University of Guelph take such threats very seriously. The safety and the academic freedom of the members of the campus community are jeopardized by such threats.
Although the University of Toronto community was notified by their Administration of "some threats", the specific targets and nature of the threats was not disclosed. This makes it difficult for the individuals who might be at risk to take appropriate action in response.
We hope that our Administration would behave differently should any similar communications be directed at faculty, students, or staff at the University of Guelph.
UGFA strongly encourages Members to notify us, if you ever receive such threats, so that we can ensure that actions are taken to protect you and your students, staff and colleagues.
Please feel free to contact me if you have concerns in this regard.
Kelly Meckling
President - University of Guelph Faculty Association
POSTED BY: Faculty Association
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May 21, 2015
OCUFA’s 146th Board of Directors meeting focuses on the funding formula review
On May 9, 2015, OCUFA held its 146th Board of Directors meeting. For the third and final meeting of the 2014-15 academic year, OCUFA representatives turned their attention to the University Funding Formula Review currently underway in Ontario alongside the organization’s ongoing priorities.
As a special order-of-the-day, Sue Herbert, executive lead of the funding formula review process, made a presentation on her mandate, the structure of the stakeholder consultations, and some initial thoughts on OCUFA’s funding principles. It was an excellent chance for OCUFA’s directors to get a sense of the government’s objectives, while providing an opportunity to ask question and raise some important points for consideration. OCUFA plans to fully engage with the funding formula review, and we will be providing updates and analysis to our members throughout the summer and into the fall.
OCUFA Directors also discussed the latest developments with Ontario Online, the province’s new online learning consortium. Despite letters from OCUFA and faculty associations across Ontario as well as from a number of MPPs, front-line faculty representatives have been excluded to date from Ontario Online’s governing board. At the meeting, it was decided that OCUFA should continue to press for an ex officio seat on the Board, and will be seeking support from student groups and other sector stakeholders to secure this important goal. Online learning remains a key priority for OCUFA, and proper representation at Ontario Online is an important part of this wider focus.
The Board meeting was also an opportunity to recognize some exceptional graduate students and faculty leaders. The Henry Mandelbaum Graduate Fellowship was awarded to Angela Underhill, from the University of Guelph, and Abena Kwatemaa Offeh-Gyimah, from McMaster University. The fellowship is awarded to students who have demonstrated academic excellence, shows exceptional academic promise, and has provided significant community service in their university career. OCUFA also awarded its 2015 Service Award to Wilfrid Laurier’s Bill Salatka and the University of Ottawa’s Micheline Lessard, for their exceptional contributions to OCUFA and its member faculty associations.
Finally, the 146th Board Meeting was a time to welcome new leadership to OCUFA and to say thank you those who are departing. Current OCUFA President, Kate Lawson, will end her term on June 30th. Judy Bates will take over as the new president on July 1, 2015. The OCUFA Board of Directors expressed their gratitude to Kate for her outstanding leadership of the organization during a turbulent time for faculty in Ontario. She will be missed.
The Board also elected members to the 2015-16 Executive Committee. The Executive comprises Judy Bates (Wilfrid Laurier University), President, Gyllie Phillips (Nipissing), Vice-President; Glen Copplestone (Kings), Treasurer; Brian E. Brown (Windsor), Chair of Board; Glenna Knutson (Lakehead), Rob Kristofferson (Wilfrid Laurier) and Mike Attridge (St. Michaels/University of Toronto), Members-at-Large.
Over the summer, OCUFA will be working hard on the funding formula review, Ontario Online, the university pension project, and issues around faculty complement/contract faculty. The next Board of Directors meeting will be held on October 24-25, 2015.
POSTED BY: Faculty Association
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May 21, 2015
eCV and supplemental material
The Office of the Provost issued a memorandum on May 20, 2015,
regarding the eCV. The memo, which includes various information
regarding the process of confirming your eCV, including timelines,
information about templates, and support options, is to be provided to
all faculty members seeking tenure and/or promotion, all tenure-track
faculty members, and all contractually-limited faculty members.
We are writing to remind faculty members that in addition to
information in the memo, they should be aware of Article 21.26.1 of
the Collective Agreement (not mentioned in the memo), which reads:
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21.26.1 If, despite the good faith efforts of the Member, eCV cannot
appropriately capture the Member’s contributions for the review period
and the Member is therefore concerned that he/she may be disadvantaged
through the Tenure and/or Promotion Processes, a Member may, in
addition to the eCV, attach supplemental materials. In the
supplemental materials, the Member shall include only those components
of the Member’s contributions that are not able to be appropriately
captured in the eCV.
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If you are a faculty member who feels that you have put good faith
efforts into using the eCV system and feel that you wish to use the
provisions of this article, we encourage you to contact the UGFA at
any time during the summer.
POSTED BY: Susan Hubers
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April 21, 2015
UGFA Financial Analysis
Dear Member,
UGFA Executive has approved, for distribution, the new Analysis of University Finances document produced by the Financial Advisory Committee.
The document was sent to the Acting Provost one week ago for his information and feedback (none received, other than a thank you).
UGFA Executive
POSTED BY: Faculty Association
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February 3, 2015
proposed constitutional amendments
MOTION: be it resolved by special resolution that the University of Guelph Faculty Association Constitution shall be amended as follows:
1. Article 1.01 shall be amended by deleting the “and” inserting a “,” before “the Health Sciences Centre” and deleting the “.” and adding “and colleges as satellite campuses (“Satellite Campuses”)” at the end of the definition of “Colleges” to read as follows:
“Colleges” means the College of Arts, College of Biological Science, College of Management and Economics, College of Physical and Engineering Science, College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, Ontario Agricultural College, Ontario Veterinary College, the Library, the Animal Health Laboratory the Health Sciences Centre of the University, and colleges as satellite campuses (“Satellite Campuses”);
2. Article 3.01 shall be amended by deleting “the interest of faculty librarians and veterinarians employed at the University” and replacing it with “all interests of individuals employed at the University of Guelph and admitted into the membership of the Association,” and by deleting the following mention of “faculty, librarians and veterinarians” and replacing it with “members of the Association” to read as follows:
The purpose of the Association is the general promotion of all interests of individuals employed at the University of Guelph and admitted into the membership of the Association, including the regulations of labour relations between members of the Association and the University.
3. Article 6.01 shall be amended by deleting “34” and replacing it with “36” to read as follows:
The affairs of the Association and the administration of the Association’s policies shall be managed by a Council of Representatives which shall function as the board of directors of the Association and shall be composed of 36 Representatives.
4. Article 6.02 shall be amended by inserting “(e) Two (2) Representatives elected by the Satellite Campuses membership group” after sub-paragraph (d) to read as follows:
a) Four (4) Representatives elected by the members of each College-based membership group, excluding the members of the Library, Animal Health Laboratory and Health Sciences Centre membership groups;
b) Two (2) Representatives elected by the Library membership groups;
c) One (1) Representative elected by the Animal Health Laboratory membership group;
d) One (1) Representative elected by the Health Sciences Centre (OVC HSC) membership group;
e) Two (2) Representatives elected by the Satellite Campuses membership group;
f) The Chief Negotiator, if not otherwise an elected Representative under 6.02(a), (b), (c) or (d); and
g) The Chief Grievance Information Officer, if not otherwise an elected Representative under 6.02(a), (b), (c) or (d).
Any increase or decrease in the number of Representatives shall be approved by special resolution of the Representatives and members of the Association, but the Association shall not reduce the number of Representatives to less than three (3).
5. Article 6.04(a) shall be amended to insert “and the Satellite Campuses membership group” after “the members of the Library membership group” to read as follows:
At an annual general meeting of the members, the members of the Health Sciences Centre membership group and the Animal Health Laboratory membership group shall each elect one (1) Representative from amongst the members of their respective membership groups, the members of the Library membership group and the Satellite Campuses membership group shall elect two (2) Representatives from amongst the members of their membership group, and the members of the remaining College-based membership groups shall each elect four (4) Representatives from amongst the members of their respective membership groups.
6. Article 6.08 shall be amended by adding the following provisions following 6.08(e):
(f) The Representatives may meet by teleconference provided that either a majority of the Representatives consent to meeting by teleconference or meetings by teleconference have been approved by resolution passed by Council at a meeting of Council.
(g) The Representatives may meet by other electronic means that permit each Council member to communicate adequately with each other, provided that:
(a) the Representatives have passed a resolution addressing the mechanics of holding such a meeting and dealing specifically with how security issues should be handled, the procedure for establishing quorum and recording votes;
(b) each Representatives has equal access to the specific means of communication to be used; and
(c) each Representative has consented in advance to meeting by electronic means using the specific means of communication proposed for the meeting.
7. Article 6.11 shall be replaced with a new Article 6.11 (and the former Article 6.11 shall become Article 6.12) as follows:
6.11 Written Resolutions
A resolution or minutes in writing signed by all the members of the Council shall be deemed for all purposes to be an act of the Council to the effect therein expressed with the same force and effect as if it has been duly passed by the proper vote at a duly constituted meeting of the Council.
6.12 Powers
The Representatives of the Association shall administer the affairs of the Association in all things and make or cause to be made for the Association, in its name, any kind of contract which the Association may lawfully enter into and, save as hereinafter provided, generally may exercise all such other powers and do all such other acts and things as the Association is by its Letters Patent authorized to exercise.
Without in any way derogating from the foregoing, the Representatives are expressly empowered from time to time to purchase, lease or otherwise acquire, alienate, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of share, stock, rights, warrants, options and other securities, lands, buildings and other property, movable or immovable, real or personal, or any right or interest therein owned by the Association, for such consideration and upon such terms and conditions as they may deem advisable.
8. Article 7.05 shall be amended by adding the following provisions following 6.05(f):
(g) The Executive Committee may meet by teleconference provided that either a majority of the members consent to meeting by teleconference or meetings by teleconference have been approved by resolution passed by the Executive Committee at a meeting of the Executive Committee.
(h) The Executive Committee may meet by other electronic means that permit each Executive Committee member to communicate adequately with each other, provided that:
(a) the members of the Executive Committee have passed a resolution addressing the mechanics of holding such a meeting and dealing specifically with how security issues should be handled, the procedure for establishing quorum and recording votes;
(b) each member of the Executive Committee has equal access to the specific means of communication to be used; and
(c) each member of the Executive Committee has consented in advance to meeting by electronic means using the specific means of communication proposed for the meeting.
9. Article 14.01(a) and (c) shall be amended by deleting “Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00)” and inserting “One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00)” to read as follows:
(a) A certain percentage of membership fees shall be transferred from the operating fund into the Association Defence Fund until there is a balance of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00). This Fund will provide defense for Association members in the event of a strike or other dispute. The percentage amount to be transferred shall be voted on at each general meeting.
…
(c) Following a strike, the Association shall automatically implement an additional $10.00 per pay period membership fee increase until the Defence fund has once again reached the mandated One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00).
10. Article 14.02(a) shall be amended by deleting “three hundred thousand ($300,000.00)” and inserting “five hundred thousand ($500,000.00)” to read as follows:
(a) A certain percentage of the annual membership fees shall be transferred from the operating fund into the Association Arbitration fund until there is a balance of five hundred thousand ($500,000.00) dollars. The percentage amount to be transferred shall be voted on at each general meeting.
11. Article 18.02 shall be amended by deleting the words “three (3)” and inserting the words “four (4)” and deleting the words “Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00)” and inserting the words “Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00)” to read as follows:
The Executive Committee may empower, at its discretion, the Treasurer/Secretary to obtain corporate credit cards for the Association from the financial institution commonly used by the Association. The Association may have up to four (4) corporate credit cards for daily operational use so long as the total credit limit does not exceed Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00).
12. Amend the first and the third paragraph of the Policy on Conflict of Interest by deleting “faculty, librarians and veterinarians and” and replacing it with “individuals employed at the University of Guelph and admitted into the membership of the Association” so that they read as follows:
The Association is the union representing individuals employed at the University of Guelph and admitted into the membership of the Association. Through democratic representation the Association strives to be a strong voice for our members in all aspects of academic and professional life.
…
The purpose of this policy is to clarify the dual responsibility Executive Committee and Council members have to their respective departments/colleges, to the membership at large and to the Association. On the one hand, Executive Committee and Council members are elected because of their experience and the respect in which their expertise is held by the Association membership. The representative nature of the Executive Committee and Council members enhances the acceptability of Executive Committee and Council decisions. It promotes wide ranging discussion and ensures the Association is responsive to the needs of all individuals employed at the University of Guelph and admitted into the membership of the Association. Each Executive and Council member understands the general, broad interests of the Executive Committee and Council position held and the constituency/portfolio he or she represents. It is also intended that each Executive Committee and Council member will bring an understanding of the general, broad interests of all Association members with the exercise of Executive Committee decisions.
13. Amend paragraph (e) of the Policy on Conflict of Interest to delete “faculty, librarians and veterinarians” and replace with “members of the Association” to read as follows:
(e) Executive Committee and Council members must not compromise or undermine the trust which the members of the Association place in the Association by disclosing confidential information or in camera-discussions.
POSTED BY: Susan Hubers
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January 28, 2015
Universities Must Move to the Forefront of Digital Innovation
NOTE: This does not necessarily reflect the views of the UGFA but is the view of one of our members to stimulate dialogue amongst academics.
Universities Must Move to the Forefront of Digital Innovation!
Contemporary philosophy recognizes the increasing digitalization of our universe, and the consequent and inevitable rise of the trans-human. It is the responsibility of our post-secondary institutions to stand at the forefront of modern knowledge. And yet they have not kept pace with the latest technological advances in digital learning. It’s time for universities to step up to the plate and enter the modern world.
Recent years have seen qualitative advances in academic awareness. Sure, libraries and archives are increasingly to be found on line. Students no longer require living teachers; in fact that the old-fashioned ‘lecturer’ – standing behind a lectern and pontificating – has become an anachronism. With interactive interface technologies, students are provided with the opportunity to communicate with virtual instructors — that is, to participate in a traditional Socratic dialogue -- on ‘skype’ or through chat. Most understand that universities of the future will not require attendance to ‘classes’ (now a somewhat antique term) — but instead, will be accessible to everyone, online, 24 hours a day.
However, we’re only halfway there.
The focus in recent years has been on coming to terms with the demise of the traditional notion of ‘professor.’ But the future requires a significant re-imagining of the presently outmoded concept of ‘student.’ So what will the universities of the future look like? In the past, students were assumed to be living breathing human beings. It is become increasingly clear that -- in the 21st century -- students will be replaced by machines. To speak quite frankly, post-secondary education will consist of computers teaching other computers.
This will be a difficult notion for many to accept. Older academics may still feel nostalgic for the dusty domain of textbooks and libraries, where grey haired professors shook their heads, and stretched their gnarled fingers to ‘make a point’ with eager, breathing undergraduates. But those days are over. The future of education will not only see the eradication of professors but the eradication of students as well.
Think about it.
Humans learn more slowly and less efficiently than machines. It is quite simply old-fashioned to imagine that humans can be entrusted with a commodity as priceless as knowledge. In addition, it’s important to remember that in the future most of us will need more time to complete our arduous shopping and purchasing tasks -- and also more time to consume the massive amounts of digital entertainment that are available to us through various platforms such as itunes, Amazon and Netflix. We are online 24 hours a day anyway -- shopping, flirting, chatting, being entertained and entertaining others -- and ‘de-stressing’ from our complex 21st century lives. We routinely rely on computers to store, analyze and distribute knowledge, anyway. Isn’t it time that computers, rather than people, went to school?
There’s no turning back. The time has come for universities replace students with computers and be at the very forefront of digital innovation.
POSTED BY: Susan Hubers
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November 20, 2014
CAUT - Take a Stand for Transgender Rights
MESSAGE FROM DAVID ROBINSON - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CAUT
November 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance. This day provides an important moment for us to reflect on the past and present violence and discrimination faced by the trans members of our communities. It also serves as a reminder that our fight against transphobia must be ongoing, and that it must manifest in all the work we do: in our defense of academic freedom, in our promotion and practice of equity, and in negotiating rights and protections for trans academic staff.
We must also stand for trans rights in the political realm. In this spirit, CAUT – in partnership with Amnesty International, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, Gender Mosaic, and many other organizations – has been working to lobby for the passage of Bill C-279, which would add protection for gender identity into the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code. In addition to the social justice allies with whom we have collaborated, law enforcement officials have advocated for this bill, stating that it would give them greater power to protect trans people and to prosecute their aggressors.
Bill C-279 is currently in the Senate awaiting a final committee hearing and, subsequently, 3rd (and final) reading. In honour of the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a call-in has been organized for November 20 in support of Bill C-279. We urge all CAUT member associations to participate, and to ensure that this message reaches your individual members.
To participate, please call one of the Senators on the Senate Committee reviewing the Bill, and say the following, or your version of the following:
My name is __________________ and I am calling from _____________________ to urge you to support the swift passage of Bill C-279 on Gender Identity as it is currently drafted.
Canada’s transgender communities have long suffered discrimination and violence and this legislation is part of the solution to protecting the human rights of transgender individuals.
I would like you to know that I am not afraid of sharing public spaces including bathrooms with transgender people.
But I am afraid that unless C-279 passes unamended, transgender people will continue to live in fear each and every time they enter a public space.
Delays in passing legislation cost lives. This bill is as perfect as it’s going to get. Please do the right thing and support Bill C-279 as drafted. Let this be your legacy for this Parliamentary session.
Thank you for your time.
You can find contact information for the Senate committee members, and additional information about the bill, on the PSAC website here:
http://psacunion.ca/take-stand-transgender-rights-contact-senators-november-20
Thank you for distributing this message, and thank you for recognizing with CAUT the contributions that our trans colleagues make to our universities and colleges, and the imperative we all share to ensure none of us is subject to transphobic violence and discrimination.
David Robinson
Executive Director / Directeur général
Canadian Association of University Teachers
Association canadienne des professeures et professeurs d’université
2705 Queensview Drive
Ottawa, ON Canada
K2B 8K2
Tel/tél: 613.820.2270 x. 188
Fax/téléc: 613.820.7244
Cel/mobile: 613.282.2451
robinson@caut.ca
www.caut.ca
http://www.facebook.com/CAUT.ACPPU
@CAUT_ACPPU
POSTED BY: Faculty Association
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