Welcome to the June update. Those of you who teach over the summer know that this continues to be a busy place. FAUW continues to have plenty of work.
Here's an update on the issues covered in my last report, plus a few new ones. I'll try to summarize key events below but please contact me or anyone else at FAUW if you would like more information.
The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) announced last week that our own Kate Lawson is a recipient of this year's OCUFA Service Award. You may know Kate as Chair of the English Language & Literature department – or as the very capable chair of FAUW’s general meetings.
From: Ian Orchard, Vice-President Academic and Provost; Sally Gunz, President, Faculty Association
We would like to clarify the official university position on faculty leaves from the University of Waterloo. These are leaves which faculty members may avail themselves of, and to which they are entitled. We are distributing this document because from time to time we hear that faculty members are reluctant to ask for leaves out of concern for the burden that might fall on others in their department. These leaves have all been created in order to ensure you have a successful academic career. While respect for others is important, you are not expected to give up these leaves. Balancing the needs of all faculty members in a department is the responsibility of the department chair. Cost, both in financial and organizational terms, is something for the university to absorb and not you.
President’s Report for FAUW Spring General Meeting, April 6, 2016
Changes in board membership and staffing, and what FAUW has been up to over the last term, including reviewing the Memorandum of Agreement, pension plan management, sexual violence policy, scheduling, and the review of Policy 76 (hiring), among other issues.
The OCUFA Status of Women Committee presents "Increasing Your Persuasiveness: An Interactive Workshop for Women" on Friday, April 29 in Toronto.
The ability to convince other people – to approve your idea, follow your leadership, implement your plan – has an enormous impact on your success. This interactive workshop, led by Shari Graydon – founder and catalyst of Informed Opinions – offers research-proven approaches, instructive case studies and hands-on practice in applying the tools to your own persuasive challenges.
Our latest blog post from president Sally Gunz addresses the rumours that instructions were issued that the average for service in the annual performance evaluations in any particular department to be no more than 1.25 or 'good'. Read the blog post.
By Sally Gunz, FAUW President
It took a mere three weeks to realize it was January. No excuse for such tardiness. Only forgetfulness. For now, let’s assume 2016 started in February.
Changes to the FAUW Constitution were approved at the Fall General Meeting on December 9, 2015.
Through FAUW’s affiliation with OCUFA (the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations), faculty members at the University of Waterloo are eligible for deals on everything from gym memberships and travel to house paint and home Internet services through the Edvantage program.
Today FAUW released a survey to our Lecturer members, seeking their feedback to improve terms of employment and working conditions for all Lecturers.
Policy 76 covers appointments and terms of employment for faculty members. This policy is currently undergoing significant revisions, and fundamental changes in the Lecturer position are expected.