On April 1, 2014, the employer communicated to department and school chairs and directors regarding the Academic and Administrative Program Review Research Information Form (RIF). In that memo, the employer reiterated its intention to pre-populate the RIF using data from members’ CVs and added that chairs and directors of departments “have the option of completing the Form themselves.”

Article 22.07 of the Collective Agreement subjects the employer’s use of any data contained in a member’s CV to “the employee’s agreement as to those portions of his/her curriculum vitae which may be so used.” YUFA has repeatedly communicated to the employer its understanding that this approval requirement also applies to aggregate representations of information.

Since the requirement to secure each individual member's permission clearly rests with the employer, chairs and directors may prefer to use the employer’s pre-populated RIF, thus relieving chairs and directors of the need to seek member agreement in order to answer questions 10-22.

If the aggregate results of the RIF exercise seem inaccurate, clarification and correction are the responsibility of the employer. YUFA advises members to notify the association of any inaccuracies or concerns.

YUFA has learned that a number of academic units are experiencing difficulty in filling the positions of chair or director, undergraduate and graduate director, and various coordinators, apparently as a result of the reduction of previous levels of course release for service under Appendix P of the Collective Agreement. YUFA urges its members to make the fullest use of Article 18.16 of that agreement, which allows for a special agreement between a dean and a faculty member considering an administrative position under Appendix P. Members are reminded that they are entitled to take a YUFA member, such as an Officer of Executive or a Chief Steward, to any meeting with a dean. YUFA also reminds members that, although deans approve the appointments, in most units established practices allow a unit to recommend candidates for those positions in a collegial fashion. Units are encouraged to contact one of the Chief Stewards for clarification.

Through the Joint Committee on the Administration of the Agreement, YUFA has confirmed with the Employer that YUFA members have the right to choose whether to use electronic or paper student evaluations. This applies to all members, not just those going through the tenure & promotion process. It is recommended all NON-TENURED faculty use hard copy evaluations, in order to obtain a higher participation rate. Some communications concerning online evaluations erroneously implied that online student comments would be used in tenure and promotions. This is not true. YUFA also reminds faculty that it is a violation of the Collective Agreement and York’s Tenure Procedures to include any anonymous student comments in a tenure and/or promotion file. In fact, no anonymous comments may be kept in any file.

The Collective Agreement places considerable limits on what members can be required to do with respect to teaching new and existing courses online. Article 18.08.3 states:

Assignment of courses using alternate modes of delivery shall be consistent with the pedagogic and academic judgements and principles of the faculty member employee as to the appropriateness of the use of technology in the circumstances. Furthermore, it is recognized that not all courses are appropriate for alternate delivery. Normally, a faculty member will not be required to convert a course without his/her agreement.

If an issue arises which needs clarification, contact the YUFA office.