The Academic Freedom & Tenure Committee
About the committee
The Association's Academic Freedom and Tenure (AF&T) committee comprises tenured faculty members from across the university who are trained in key elements of university policy and the Memorandum of Agreement. Where issues beyond their expertise or experience arise, they have access to the resources of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT).
The committee helps faculty members any time they have difficulties involving the application of university policy or the Memorandum of Agreement, or have other concerns that impact their conditions of employment. The committee also provides online resources and workshops on relevant university policies, the tenure & promotion process, and sabbaticals.
Some parts of university policy and the Memorandum of Agreement provide for an 'academic colleague' to accompany faculty members through particular processes (for example, tenure committees). More often than not, that academic colleague will be a member of the AF&T committee.
The official committee description can be found in the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) Constitution.
Contacting the committee
To seek AF&T advice, contact the FAUW administrative officer or the chair of the AF&T committee. They will discuss your concerns with you. Where your concerns cannot be resolved by this initial contact, the chair will likely assign a committee member to assist you with the issue(s) you are facing. This committee member will come from a faculty other than your own so that you can feel confident in their ability to meet, if necessary, with your chair or dean on your behalf without any feelings of discomfort or conflict.
All contact made with the AF&T committee is strictly confidential. No issue will be taken further than you wish it to be.
We encourage you to contact the AF&T committee when you have concerns. Many can be addressed through the initial contact.
Please contact:
Chair of the AF&T Committee, Peter van Beek.
AF&T and Policy Officer, Carrie Hunting.
Administrative Officer of the Faculty Association, Pat Moore.
