USFA members are invited to submit an application to the Executive Committee for reimbursement of attendance at a conference/workshop/meeting related to the USFA including, but not limited to, labour relations, academic freedom, employment equity, and workplace health and safety. The USFA Conference/Workshop/Meeting Attendance Policy was instituted as a way to ensure that there is an […]
Read More »This is the time of year when processes for the assignment of duties are beginning. Provisions for the assignment of duties are covered in Article 11 of the Collective Agreement. The processes in the Agreement are there to ensure that workloads are fair and equitable. Department Heads, or Deans in non-departmentalized Colleges, “following consultation and […]
Read More »The Joint Working Group for Salary Review (MoA 11)has begun its work. The Working Group is “tasked with evaluating the salary review process, outcomes and implications, with the intent of making recommendations to the Negotiations Committee” for the next round of bargaining. To support this work, the Association has established two groups as caucuses for […]
Read More »It was recently announced that new University Standards for Tenure and Promotion have been approved by the University Review Committee. The Association has concerns that the process set out in the collective agreement for arriving at these new standards has not been followed and a grievance may ensue. The Association raised procedural concerns through the […]
Read More »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 […]
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