Defending the interests of our membership
Mission
Our purpose is to defend the working conditions of our members by advocating for adherence to collegially developed policies and the Memorandum of Agreement. We negotiate appropriate working conditions, fair compensation, and advocate for member rights in carrying out their duties as faculty.
Vision
FAUW strives to strengthen the rights and academic freedom of members, and to pursue an equitable, inclusive, and well-supported workplace for its members. We do this by fostering an environment where members can flourish through their contributions in teaching, research, and community-wide impact.
FAUW champions a structure where members are able to exercise influence through collegial governance structures.
Values
As we work towards fulfilling our mission, the following values guide us:
- Academic Excellence
- Collegial Governance
- Inclusiveness
- Fair Process
- Equitable Access to Representation
- Transparency with Membership
Objectives
FAUW will conduct its work on behalf of the membership in a transparent manner by increasing communication, increasing interaction with members, and by advocating for transparent principles and collegial decision-making.
We strive to promote fairness for and equitable treatment of the membership we represent by negotiating and defending collegially decided policies, practices and procedures.
Strategic Priorities
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Strengthen Member Engagement
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Modernize and Improve FAUW Governance, Capacity and Trust
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Clarify and Elevate FAUW's Identity
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Education, Advocacy and Institutional Relationships
Read below for the action items under each priority.
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FAUW exists to support its members. We draw our strengths from an engaged membership. This priority focuses on deepening our relationships with members, building trust, and ensuring that members recognize the value and services that FAUW provides.
We will do this by:- Attending unit meetings to listen to concerns, and learn how we can better serve our members
- Improving the Council of Representatives’ role through a pilot program
- Increasing FAUW community building through membership events
- Developing FAUW volunteer capacity through professional development opportunities
- Creating info cards with important contact information on how to reach and engage with FAUW
- Clarifying “why faculty matter” inside UW and beyond
- Creating an internal culture of continuous improvement to deliver services to members
- Working collaboratively to include the Librarians and Archivists of UW into FAUW’s membership
- Enhancing a model that incentivizes service with FAUW and on campus
The FAUW Board and staff commit to ensuring that the organization’s internal governance is collegial, efficient, transparent, and aligned with member interests. A well-run organization with effective policies and procedures is equipped to focus on the core mandate of representing the interest of the faculty members of the University of Waterloo.
We will do this by:- Creating collaborative, effective representation in governance processes
- Improving internal governance structures
- Solidifying a Board of Directors culture that is respectful of each other, engaged, and informed on issues and decisions
- Entrenching a Board of Directors culture that focuses on proactive future focussed matters by using effective systems and issue tracking
- Developing succession planning for the Board and committees
- Approving policies that reflect membership interests
- Improving processes and practices that ensure organizational stability
- Commitment to respectful interactions and behaviour and holding each other accountable for transgressions
- Equitable distribution of work amongst Board members
- Creating a culture that supports varied perspectives and respectful disagreement by investing in annual onboarding for Board members on responsibilities and interactions
- Investing in Biennial professional group training on collective Board effectiveness
- Professionalizing FAUW by investing in individual development training and supports for volunteers, staff and Board members
- Investing in legal support as required
- Developing depth, professionalism, and processes around negotiations
The FAUW Board will enhance the Association’s image and visibility so that FAUW’s value is clear, compelling, and consistently recognized across campus and beyond. The Board will strengthen the narrative that FAUW is a daily resource for members, not only a place members go when an issue arises.
We will do this by:- Launching an active rebranding of FAUW’s services for members
- Making a conscious shift from reactive responses toward proactive, data-driven decision-making that anticipates needs and better serves the community
- Hosting workshops that inform the membership of relevant topics
- Developing strong reputation and visibility with the membership, the community, other universities, and the administration
- Strengthening interactions with OCUFA and CAUT to improve the higher education landscape
- Developing targeted education campaigns (what FAUW is, what FAUW does, and why FAUW matters)
- Exploring services not currently offered by FAUW to improve the member’s experience. Example, partnership discounts for professional and personal services
- Continually highlight to members what FAUW is working on “what have we done for you lately”
FAUW will strengthen its capacity to educate, advocate, and build effective institutional relationships in order to advance the interests of faculty and promote a strong and well-supported university community. FAUW will work collaboratively with University administration, academic unit heads, Chairs, Deans, students, employee groups, community partners, and government and sector organizations while holding the University accountable to collegial governance principles, established agreements, and respectful institutional practices.
We will do this by:- Creating an effective relationship with the administration based on mutual respect and trust
- Reaching out to the Affiliated and Federated Institution of Waterloo (AFIWs) and other employee groups to strengthen relationships
- Improving the policy development process to complete policy updates and new policies in a timely and effective manner
- Building on Coalition of Waterloo Workers (COWW) to stand in solidarity on specific issues to achieve common goals
- Information and resource sharing with other employee groups on campus
- Collegially working with UW admin to modernize the policy development process
- Establishing cohesive approaches with the administration to provincial interference in university governance for the benefit of the higher education sector
- Engaging with CAUT and OCUFA to increase influence with government decision makers at all levels of government
- Increase FAUW and members' political engagement and influence at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels to advance the interests of Ontario's public universities.
- Actively being attuned to changes in technology and how it impacts the membership and the higher education sector
- Exploring opportunities to connect with the Waterloo Region community to build partnerships, enhance recognition and advocate for the importance of universities and faculty in the community
View the 2023–2026 Strategic Plan.