YUFA understands that York University is considering external funding from outside organizations for new hires and is in discussion with the Employer about the Association’s concerns related to this issue. The Association is encouraging members who become aware of unusual hiring practices or who are concerned about interference with existing collegial practices in the hiring processes to contact [email protected].

YUFA has concerns about these sorts of hires, particularly the way in which they impact existing collegial hiring practices and collegial governance as laid out in the YUFA Collective Agreement.

With universities looking for ways to increase funding, it has become more common for universities to partner with external organizations that offer to partially fund teaching and research positions.  

However, when an external organization provides funds, there may be pressures from the Employer for colleagues to change collegial hiring processes that deviate from what is laid out in Collective Agreements. For example, external organizations may want to have influence over the qualifications and skills laid out in a job posting or to have a say in the short list of candidates who apply for such positions which may conflict with the teaching and research needs and priorities of the colleagues in a department.

Those hired in positions partially or fully funded from outside sources will be colleagues who will go through existing tenure and promotion processes within a unit. Outside funding provided to support particular projects is often temporary, so the unit would then have to assume responsibility for the position. 

These, and other considerations may apply to new hires at York University. YUFA continues to be concerned with how senior administrators plan to fund the proposed School of Medicine at York and the implications for existing collegial processes when the Employer relies on external funding for such projects.