References included in FAQ
Q & A sections coordinated with PTHC training slides:
Section 1: POSTINGS – Interpreting and Applying Posting Details during Hiring Meetings
Q-1.1) For hiring reports, how and where do we see the Reserve courses posted in our Department?
A) CUPFA receives this info directly from the University – the question about Reserves has been removed from the report form.
Q-1.2) Must applicants provide documents to support the fact that they have taught a course 3 times?
A) No, but further info is sometimes useful for clarification (e.g. the course name or number has changed, etc). Recusal is not needed during discussion of a rep’s application for a course taught 3 times or more, as qualifications are not an issue.
Q1.3) What’s the fastest way to see if a posting is for a 3-credit or 6-credit course?
A) The Salary box at the top of a posting will indicate double salary (~$19k) for a 6-credit course compared to a 3-credit course (~$9k).
Q-1.4) Can a Department arbitrarily change the hard requirements of a posting from one year to the next?
A) To justify such a change, CUPFA expects Departments to have done a formal curricular review of the course with PT participation on the committee, have had the review approved by a Curriculum approval process, and to have updated the calendar description accordingly for students. If you notice a substantial change and have doubts, let us know and we can follow up.
Q-1.5) Does the University share CUPFA’s position that a formal letter clearly indicating difficulties in teaching is required before “successful teaching” can be challenged during hiring?
A) While the University and CUPFA are not fully aligned, active discussion with the Provost’s office and negotiations for the next CA acknowledge that a clear process for determining successful teaching is needed.
Q-1.6) Re: challenges to “successful teaching”: during a hiring meeting, may a member block access to a letter from a Department Chair that identifies problems in teaching?
A) Without a grievance such a letter can be used during hiring; a successful grievance process can result in the removal of a letter referring to teaching problems from the member’s file, negating its use in a hiring meeting. Check with CUPFA to verify if a disciplinary letter is part of an ongoing grievance at the time of a hiring meeting.
Q-1.7) Is there a degree that is considered a basic minimum University-wide that could be implicitly expected in postings that do not specify a particular degree?
A) There is no such requirement. A Department may require extensive professional expertise in certain areas without including academic degrees in the posting, or conversely may insist on a PhD or other advanced academic degrees.
Q-1.8) How can members prove teaching effectiveness when that requirement appears in a posting?
A) Members have included positive evaluations from past years, appreciative emails from students, letters of reference, outstanding pedagogical materials demonstrating their skill at presenting certain subjects, topic areas, etc. in the context of applying for University-level courses.
Q-1.9) If our seniority is University-wide, why would a posting state that people “without seniority in the Department” must provide certain required elements?
A) Our seniority is University-wide, but if you haven’t applied in that Department before, their PTHC might need certain elements in your Online Dossier or submitted PDF to compare your qualifications and academic profile to the specific hard requirements in the posting. A posting that refers to seniority rather than specific requirements can be misleading.
Section 2: PRE-MEETING
Q-2.1) In mega-Departments like Studio Arts, how do members upload documents into FRIS when applying to more than one area?
A) CUPFA has negotiated an agreement with the University that members applying to a mega-Department can upload one PDF per area rather than a single merged PDF for multiple areas.
Q-2.2) Is it possible that a course could become available in the period before the Departmental recommendations submission deadline (June 6, November 6, or March 27) but after the application deadline (May 21, October 21, March 11)?
A)It could, but newly available courses cannot not be allocated while PTHCs are meeting, except for emergencies (replacement for current courses).
Q-2.3) If a course remains unassigned after the 10.18 meeting, can it then be announced right away as a course available on the Department Waiting List?
A) The CA now specifies that no Waiting List announcements can be made until after the deadline to submit hiring recommendations has passed. After this date all University-wide hiring results are available, FRIS Waiting Lists are finalized, and post-10.18 hiring steps can begin.
Q-2.4) How do we advise members who prefer to express a range of workload preferences in FRIS Step 2 (e.g. Fall 3-6 credits; Winter 6-9 credits, etc)?
A) We advise most applicants to leave the maximum number of available credits in step 2’s right-hand column as they appear, then simply click “Confirm” and let the selected courses illustrate their desired workload distribution. We also recommend a cover letter to alert the PTHC of member preferences during the 10.18 deliberations and beyond.
Q-2.5) Does the prep time minimum of 48 hrs./ 2 working days affect when Departments may schedule PTHC meetings?
A) Yes. CUPFA specifies when the earliest possible meetings can be held after applications close, but the Department must provide you with all hiring-related documents no later than 48 hours/ 2 working days before any scheduled meeting.
Q-2.6) What are the details about the lapsing of seniority when members have not been getting contracts?
A) The rule is that seniority is lost after 32 months from the end of the month of your last scheduled class (not 32 months from the start date of that contract) – but a new contract scheduled to start after the 32 non-teaching months have elapsed will not stop the seniority from being lost. NB – the 32 month loss-of-seniority deadline does not apply to hiring reps or members representing CUPFA on various other committees while they are actively earning credits during a teaching hiatus. FRIS keeps track of all details related to seniority.
Q-2.7) How do PTHC reps find the number of times someone has taught a course (if not stated in the application)?
A) FRIS records these details. The work history of applicants who have published an online dossier will appear by default in the Employment tab. An applicant with no published online dossier who has not otherwise provided the #-of-times-taught will require a manual lookup by the Chair or Dept. admin with full FRIS access. Reminder: reps should request that this check verify if course numbers/codes have changed over time to be sure that all versions of the course will be counted in the #-of-times-taught.
Q-2.8) During pre-meeting prep, what is the best way to assess whether or not a member has demonstrated their qualifications for a particular course?
A) It’s all about the “hard” requirements in the posting (not those stated as “desirable” or as “assets,” but the true requirements related to degrees, experience, etc). There is a certain interpretive art to assessing qualifications when people support them in their covering letters, CVs, etc., and no real generalizations can be made except to say that there is a basic expectation that common sense and good faith will prevail in the PTHC meetings. For example, if there is a requirement of French-language fluency in the posting and the member affirms such fluency in their covering letter, the committee could be expected to take them at their word. On the other hand, if a member has not supported their qualifications for a hard posting requirement in their package or in their Online Dossier, it will be difficult to advocate for them without evidence that they have met the expected threshold.
Section 3: MEETING
Q-3.1) Can the alternate PTHC rep be present for the entire meeting along with the two main reps, to be ready to step in when either of the main reps needs to recuse (for their own courses or other situations)?
A) There are active discussions with the University about the precise role of the alternate reps. Certainly CUPFA is comfortable with the alternates being present at 10.18 meetings, without voting rights except when replacing the main reps, but able to contribute to the proceedings when relevant in ways similar to what a Chair does, and generally to learn the ropes so we have as many trained reps as possible. But so far all the University has agreed to is providing PTHC documents to the alternates so they are informed should they need to step in for the main reps. The final role of alternates has yet to be fully determined.
Q-3.2) As a main PTHC rep, how do I find out who the alternate rep is in my Department?
A) The alternate PTHC rep should be listed in the notice sent to the Department (cc to you) naming all CUPFA reps. If not, contact CUPFA to verify if you have no alternate or if one was named after the Departmental notice was sent.
Q-3.3) Is a printed copy of the latest Collective Agreement available for reference during the 10.18 meeting?
A) Printed versions of the 2021-23 Collective Agreement have been available to Departments for some time, however, significant changes to article 10, including 10.18, came after the printing of the Collective Agreement. The changes to article 10 are available in digital form on the website (accessible via laptop / phone during a meeting). Select Collective Agreement → Letters of Agreement → Updated 10.19 and 10.20 process in Article 10 (March 28 2024). This is the most up to date version of articles 10.01 through 10.23.
Q-3.4) Why does the Online Dossier sometimes become crucial in qualifications decisions when members have submitted a very complete and informative PDF?
A) To clarify: the Online Dossier would be consulted if the submitted PDF package did not convince a majority of the PTHC about the member’s qualifications. It’s an important last check to ensure that everything available to the committee has been considered before rendering a negative decision. In addition, the University wants the Online Dossier to eventually replace individually-submitted CVs and become the standard resource for PTHC deliberations on qualifications.
Q-3.5) What does CUPFA consider as the role of the Department Chair during the PTHC 10.18 meeting?
A) The voting role of the Chair is clearly indicated in the Collective Agreement, which specifies that only in the case of a tie does the Chair have the ability to cast the deciding vote. Beyond that, some Chairs take a more interventional role than others, pronouncing on members’ qualifications and trying to frame discussions in specific ways. We regularly remind our reps that it’s the voting members of the parity PT Hiring Committee – the Full-Timer(s) and the Part-Timer(s)—who are mandated to discuss and formulate hiring decisions, and objections can be made if a Chair is interfering too much with the proceedings.
Q-3.6) How should the committee proceed in the situation of a 6-credit course still available near the end of a hiring meeting, a qualified CUPFA member with space for only 3 credits, and qualified new hires with no credits assigned?
A) The PTHC cannot assign an overload and FRIS would not allow the recommendation to go through, so that rules out the member with 3 available credits. The next step is to consider the external candidates who applied for the course.
Q-3.7) Do PTHC meetings have to organize discussion and workload assignment in order of applicant seniority, or can the meeting agenda be ordered according to the list of posted courses?
A) The CA lists hiring steps as taking place in order of seniority, according to each phase in sequence. Any suggestion to the contrary should be ruled out on those grounds.
Section 4: POST-MEETING
Q-4.1) Does article 10.18’s waterfall sequencing by phase, credits, etc. also apply to hiring procedures that happen between main hiring periods: Waiting List and Departmental Extract (10.19) and Articles 10.20 and 10.21?
A) Yes – for all hiring processes the highest-seniority member with available Phase 1 credits is on top of the priority list for courses, and the 10.18 waterfall continues through all of Phase 2 and Phase 3 to the very end of the list where new hires may be assigned workload.
Q-4.2) How should the PTHC re-evaluate applications received in response to courses advertised via the Waiting List and Departmental Extract (10.19) and to the full CUPFA membership via Article 10.20 a)?
A) During later hiring phases in the same round, the PTHC must evaluate applicants according to their newly-submitted application documents and/or updated Online Dossier. Members who apply in the 10.19 or 10.20 a) steps of hiring may have reworked their covering letter and other materials after the 10.18 process in order to clarify important details for the committee to consider.
Q-4.3) If no applicants can be recommended for a particular course, are the following options available?
- Cancel the course (even if enrolment is adequate);
- Convert it to a Reserve course assigned to a grad student;
- Find another solution in collaboration with CUPFA.
A) None of the Article 10.20 c) options suggested above are available until all steps in Articles 10.19 (Waiting List and Departmental Extract) and 10.20 a) and b) have been implemented without success. CUPFA must have sent an announcement to its membership [10.20 a)] AND the Department, in consultation with CUPFA, must have considered the further options in Article 10.20 b) (of an overload, a course exchange with a full timer, or external candidates) before the matter goes beyond the PTHC to Article 10.20 c).
Q-4.4) Does each PTHC rep submit their own report about the hiring meeting to the CUPFA reporting system?
A) Submit only one hiring report per Department after consulting with your fellow rep on points useful for CUPFA’s records. An informative report helps with any later questions or grievances.
Q-4.5) As a new PTHC rep, how do I obtain a password to access CUPFA’s reporting system with my email address?
A) All new reps should contact grievance@cupfa.org to have their profile set up and a starting password sent to their email address by the system. Full instructions will be sent ASAP after you make contact.
Q-4.6) Are both PTHC reps on the Part-Time/CUPFA side expected to be in agreement on all hiring decisions, for example voting the same way, always presenting a united front, etc.?
A) Reps may disagree on such points as the completeness of an application package or uncertainty regarding proof of qualifications, and are entitled to their individual opinions and votes based on being well-informed and focused on the principles illustrated in training sessions. Overall, CUPFA reps participate in discussions and decisions with an understanding that supporting our members in every way possible during the hiring process contributes to the best possible outcomes throughout the academic year.
Q-4.7) Is it possible to schedule a 10.18 meeting on the same day as the recommendations deadline?
A) Yes, last-day meetings are permissible provided enough time remains for the Department to enter PTHC recommendations.
Section 5: OTHER POINTS
Q-5.1) Can course overloads be assigned on top of the maximum 9 credits available to new applicants and members below 24 credits?
A) Yes – the principle regarding overloads spans the entire seniority spectrum: during an academic year, the lesser of of 2 courses or 6 credits in overload can be given to a CUPFA member when article 10 does not produce a qualified candidate:
- 90 or more seniority credits can then teach 24 instead of the usual 18-credit maximum
- 24-89 seniority credits can then teach 18 credits instead of 12
- below 24 credits can then teach 15 instead of the new 9-credit maximum
The email informing members on the Waiting List and Departmental Extract of available courses now also gauges interest in overloads. Overloads are offered in order of seniority to members who responded to the email expressing interest in an overload. Where a CUPFA member already has one overload, the PTHC must first consider the other members who responded to the email before awarding them a second overload.
A member can now teach up to 6 credits over their usual limit (double overloads now being permitted) without having to reduce their workload the following year to “average” or balance this extra workload. Requirements to “average” overloads and arrange “emergency” overloads are no longer in effect.
