Confidential support for faculty

The Academic Freedom and Member Support Committee (AF&MS) helps faculty members with workplace problems

FAUW’s Academic Freedom & Tenure (AF&T) and Policy Officer and Academic Freedom and Member Support Committee (AF&MS) help individual faculty members with issues that affect the terms and conditions of employment. These problems range from the application of University policy or the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), to concerns about tenure, promotion, performance reviews, accommodations or disciplinary issues. Committee members are trained in key elements of University policy and the MoA. Where issues beyond their expertise or experience arise, AF&MS has access to resources from the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) and the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA).

The committee also advises the Board on the development and revision of relevant University policies.

If you have questions or need assistance with workplace processes, policies, accommodations and/or disciplinary issues, please complete the form below. 

How it works

  1. Complete the Get confidential support intake form below, so our AF&T Officer can schedule a meeting with you to discuss your needs.

  2. Depending on your case, the AF&MS Chair may work with you to identify a committee member (also called an academic colleague) who can best support you. This committee member, with your permission, can help you navigate both informal and formal processes at University of Waterloo. 

  3. Where issues beyond the committee's expertise arise, AF&MS has access to the resources of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) and Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA).

If your concern is with a policy itself, rather than how it applies in a specific instance, please contact a member of the Board of Directors.

What we can help with

  • annual performance review (APR) concerns 

  • tenure, permanence and promotion (from the application process to final decision) 

  • discipline (from first notification onward) 

  • accommodations for health and family issues

  • leaves (e.g., sabbatical, medical, parental, etc.) 

  • academic misconduct & research ethics concerns 

  • Policy 33 complaints

  • academic freedom

  • intellectual property 

  • salary anomalies 

  • working conditions

  • other workplace issues 

Confidentiality

All contact made with AF&MS is strictly confidential. Your information stays between you and the AF&T and Policy Officer and/or your AF&MS colleague. If your academic colleague needs assistance from other AF&MS members, discussion is done with your permission and anonymously. Aggregate information may be provided to FAUW (e.g., numbers of cases, types of cases, responses from administration). No issue will be taken further than you want, no information will be shared without your permission, and your identity is protected. 

Member-to-member conflicts

In cases involving multiple FAUW members (including chairs/directors and associate deans), all members are entitled to support from AF&MS. In member-to-member cases, faculty will be assigned separate AF&MS Committee members who will not interact regarding the case. 

Academic colleagues

Some policies allow for an "academic colleague" to accompany faculty through particular processes (e.g. tenure). AF&MS committee members often fill this role.

Individual Grievances

Don't know where to start? If you are considering filing an individual grievance, we're here to help:

  • Use the Grievance Template Guide to gather important information before filing a grievance; the guide helps you formulate and structure your grievance. 
  • We strongly recommend contacting FAUW's Academic Freedom & Tenure and Policy Officer to get confidential support before filing a grievance.

Check out our frequently asked questions section as you get started.

You're in control

Our faculty members have individual carriage. That means, you decide how to proceed after discussing options with your AF&MS colleague. Your AF&MS colleague will not take any action without your consent. They will provide information, advice, and options, but the decision on how to proceed with and resolve issues (e.g., informally or formally) is your own, within the limits of policy. 

Online resources