The IDEA Committee is comprised of USFA members from the four designated groups: racialized minority individuals, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and women and gender equity-seeking groups. In its report to the USFA Fall General Meeting, the IDEA Committee reported it organized a survey about IDEA issues such as the treatment of members in tenure, […]
Read More »On October 17 and 18 faculty association representatives from all over western Canada were in Saskatoon for the annual Western Regional Conference of Faculty Associations, hosted this year by the USFA. The theme of this year’s conference was Organizing for Success. In addition to reports from associations about their year, attendees heard from several presenters […]
Read More »If, as a condition of employment, you are required to maintain a certification or license in order to perform your academic duties, you may be eligible for reimbursement of some or all of your licensing or certification fees (Article 22.12.2). Eligible fees are those paid between December 1, 2024, and November 30, 2025. The last […]
Read More »The 2025-2026 academic year is well underway. With another new academic year comes new challenges and opportunities. As you’re maneuvering your way through these and other matters, know that the USFA is here to assist you. We want to extend very warm welcome to new USFA members and say, “Watch for an invitation to lunch […]
Read More »Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) members returned to work on September 18 after being locked out by university administration on August 20. A tentative agreement was reached on September 16 and has now been ratified by both DFA members and Dalhousie Board of Governors. Since May, DFA members have been fighting for improvements to workload, job […]
Read More »Fall marks the beginning of some collegial processes set out in the collective agreement. One of those is the sabbatical leave process set out in Article 20. “Sabbatical leaves are intended for academic study, research, writing, and similar activities. Sabbatical leaves provide a means by which employees increase their knowledge, further their research, stimulate intellectual […]
Read More »If renewal of probation, tenure or promotion is in the cards for you in the coming year, following are some tips to help you prepare. You can elect to go for tenure or promotion in any year if you believe you have met standards that apply to you. You must seek renewal of probation in […]
Read More »Association representatives have had the opportunity to meet with the Employer for discussions regarding research, particularly the research ethics approval process. At the most recent meeting, we learned about some of the things that are happening in response to the challenging experiences faculty members have brought to the attention of the Association, and that we […]
Read More »In our recent discussion with the ICT Director Michael Barr, we highlighted faculty concerns regarding the restrictive nature of the current ICT policy, particularly around administrator rights to individual computers. While ICT aims to protect the university from security risks, many faculty members argue that research demands—including the use of specialized software or experimental equipment—require […]
Read More »Western Regional Conference “Navigating the Future: Unlocking Opportunities Amid Financial and Political Challenges” October 17–19, 2024, Victoria, British Columbia The Western Regional Conference provides a yearly forum for Canadian faculty associations in the west to meet and exchange information about negotiations, grievance arbitration, and current trends impacting universities in our provinces, region, and across Canada. […]
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