Information for Faculty Members
Information for Faculty Members
Information for Faculty Members
Benefits
For an overview of all benefits, see the on-line Synopsis of Benefit Plans (http://www.hrandequity.utoronto.ca/benefits.htm). This site includes information about: · OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) · UHIP (for eligible individuals who are not covered by OHIP) · Health and Dental Plans · Sick leave · Long-term disability plan · Group life insurance and survivor income benefit program · Pension plan · Athletic and Faculty Club Membership · Tuition waver for staff and dependents and scholarship programme for dependents of faculty members
Classroom Problems/Allocations
Call Caretaking Services at (905) 828-5293 for any one of the following problems:
* Cleaning
* Door is locked
* Require more chalk
* Room lights, bulbs out
* Missing Furniture
Call Maintenance at (905) 828-5376 for any one of the following problems:
* Room temperature
* No lights or power
* Ceiling leaks or loose/falling ceiling tiles
* Broken Furniture
Call Campus Police at (905) 828-5200 for any one of the following problems:
* Disruptive Behaviour
* Bomb Threat
* Classroom Allocations:
* Scheduling errors and occasional timetable clashes do occur.
If you should find what you believed to be your assigned classroom occupied by another group please do this:
Ask who they are (i.e. HIS 246F). If it is a lecture or tutorial, the course number is vital information.
Immediately call the Timetabler at 905/828-4688 in the Office of the Registrar. The Timetabler will reveal who is entitled to the space and attempts will be made to find another room.
Changing Rooms:
If your assigned room does not accommodate your class, please call the Timetabler at 905/828-4688, or email utmrooms@utm.utoronto.ca. The official Room Change Request Form must be completed and can be obtained through the Office of the Registrar or from your Undergraduate Assistant. If you haven’t reserved the room “officially” you are likely to be evicted in the event of a conflict.
Missing or Cancelling a Lecture:
If you are unable to meet your class, please have your undergraduate assistant post an official notice on the classroom door stating the details of the cancellation. A copy will also go to your Chair’s Office for information in the event of calls from students. The effective date(s) should be noted and the sign should be removed as soon as it is no longer valid.
For other than unusual and unforeseen circumstances, classes cannot be cancelled without the prior approval of your Chair. If you must be away from the campus for TWO or MORE days you should notify your Chair in writing and, in cases where you will be unable to meet with your classes, inform him/her of the arrangements you have made with respect to your teaching responsibilities during your absence.
Release of Classrooms:
If you find that you no longer require a classroom please let the Timetabler in the Office of the Registrar know so that the room can be booked for other purposes.
Class Times:
Classes start 10 minutes after the hour indicated, e.g. 10:10am and end on the hour.
Equity Offices
The University of Toronto has seven centralized equity offices that counsels University administrators on human rights and equity matters. Each office has a specific responsibility and can be contacted directly by any member of the University.
The offices are:
Community Safety Coordinator educates and undertakes initiatives for improving personal safety and security on campus. The office is also responsible for case management and police liaison for those reporting violence, including disruptive behavior and harassment, and for coordinating personal safety programs on campus.
Family Care Office provides guidance and information for anyone who needs childcare, elder care, or advice on maternity, parental, or adoption leave. The office also advocates for the interests of members of the University community with service- and support-providers.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer Resources and Programs Office works with all members of the University to provide program development, research, training, and outreach on issues related to LGBTQ members of the U of T.
Race Relations and Anti-Racism Initiatives Office deals with discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, ancestry, ethnic origin, creed, etc. Attempts to ensure that every member of the University community can work and study in an environment free of biases based on ethnicity or creed.
Sexual Harassment, Education, Counseling and Complaint Office deals with complaints of harassment based on sex or sexual orientation, including mediation, counseling, and public education. The office can be contacted on an informal basis for information or help in resolving an issue.
Special Services to Persons with a Disability focuses primarily on the needs of students with disabilities (hidden or obvious) and chronic health conditions. And also provide diagnostic services, advocacy, and tutoring support.
Status of Women Office focused on improving the status of women students, staff, and faculty in the University.
There is an eighth equity office, the Diversity Relations Office, which has responsibilities only on the Mississauga campus.
Graduate Teaching
Appointment to the Graduate Faculty The School of Graduate Studies provides the guidelines for graduate faculty appointment. The guidelines explain the faculty's rights and responsibilities as full, associate or emeritus member of the graduate faculty with respect to supervising students, serving on thesis committees, and teaching graduate classes. Graduate Supervision The information relevant to graduate students can be found in the section Current Students. The Graduate Supervision Guidelines is a document that provides graduate students, faculty, and graduate units with guidelines that promote good working relationships between supervisors and graduate students.
Undergraduate Teaching
Academic rules and regulations:
The Academic Handbook is a document that must be read by any person teaching a course at the University of Toronto Mississauga. It contains the Faculty's s rules and regulations for teaching, including information on counseling students, registration in course work, requirements for course work, final examinations, types of student appeals, and course records.
Academic Integrity:
Advocating academic integrity is one of our most important roles as educators. At the beginning of every term we need to take the time to discuss integrity and our expectations for truth and honesty with our students. The Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters outlines the range of activities that constitute academic misconduct and the procedures for dealing with them. You should review Section B to understand your role in the Code.
As our students do not always fully understand what contravenes the Code, you should be proactive in addressing this topic in your class and syllabus and strive to create conditions that minimize academic misconduct. The University has many resources, such as the handout, “How not to plagiarize”, Turinitn.com (a program and that detects and deters plagiarism) and many examples of best practice for deterring cheating in tests and exams.
Feel free to consult with your departmental Chair/Director or Lucy Gaspini, Academic Affairs Officer, Office of the Dean (lucy.gaspini@utoronto.ca, 905-828-3964) to answer any questions about the Code, ways to deter academic misconduct.
Other useful links include:
The Office of Teaching Advancement Academic Integrity:
http://www.utoronto.ca/academicintegrity
University of Toronto Student Rights & Responsibilities Series: Academic Integrity
Teaching Resources and Development:
As an instructor at the U of T M, we try to do everything possible to help you reach your potential as an instructor. You have access to a wide range of resources for teaching development both here and on the St. George campus. The Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre (http://www.erin.utoronto.ca/~w3asc/) and the Office of Teaching Advancement on the St. George campus (http://www.utoronto.ca/ota/) has many electronic resources as well as offering seminars and individualized support. Its website has information on issues such as assigning and grading student work, assessing students, dealing with first-year students and their problems, teaching small- and large-sized classes, writing instruction, helping students who use English as a Second Language, identifying and discouraging plagiarism, information on teaching grants, student services, and much more.
Courses and timetable information:
The Registrar's Office page contains information about courses, sessional dates, timetables, exam schedules, etc. Especially helpful is the University of Toronto Mississauga Calendar (http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/regcal/).
U of T M Instructional Technology Liaison/The Resource Center for Academic Technology (RCAT):
The mandate of the Resource Centre for Academic Technology (RCAT) is to facilitate access to effective teaching, learning and research strategies using computer technologies. The Centre's services to the University's faculty, staff and graduate students include individual and project consultation, delivery of seminars and workshops, provision of lab facilities, and dissemination of information on topics related to academic technology.
Publication of Final Exams and Course Evaluations:Previous final exams are available through the U of T M library website at http://www.erin.utoronto.ca/library/. Midterm tests may be available on-line as well. Instructors who prefer not to have their final exams published can petition the Committee on Standing for exemption. There is a special format for final exams. Information on this, and on procedures around final exams, are available on the Registrar's Office website.
Student Opinion Surveys:
Course evaluations are completed in courses with more than 10 students. The summaries of the evaluations are published on the SOS website for individual instructors to view. Our aim is to have the summaries publicized with UTMSU and the Library. Instructors must indicate their consent either by selecting “blanket release” which applies to any/all courses taught under any discipline; or, instructors can select their individual course consent. Individual course consent can be given per semester or on a yearly basis. However, blanket release consent is given on a one-time only basis. If an instructor wishes to rescind his/her blanket release consent he/she must write to their Chair asking permission in order to do so. This permission must then be passed on to the Office of the Dean in order for the blanket release consent to be formally removed.
Advising and referral support for instructors:
When students approach an instructor with difficulties - medical, personal, financial, familial - that interfere with their work, the instructor is free to engage with them. However, if the difficulties go beyond the confines of the course, please refer them to the registrar or to the appropriate student service (see below).
Departmental Undergraduate Advisors/Coordinators:
All departments have staff or faculty who are designated to advise students or solve problems relating to the department's programs or courses. They can provide advice on departmental courses and programs as well as on instructional issues and related career issues. Most departmental advisors assume it is not their function to deal with a student's more difficult personal problems, and often refer students with such problems other offices on campus.
Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre:
The Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre ( provides Faculty, Teaching Assistants and Librarians with advice and assistance with faculty development, curriculum development, assessment techniques, instructional design and other matters concerned with advancing the teaching agenda of the University of Toronto Mississauga. It also serves as UTM's centre for academic support for students as they enhance their academic skills. The double mandate of the Centre to assist faculty and students provides a unique opportunity to align the teaching and learning needs of college.
Student Services: The University of Toronto Mississauga provides a range of specialized, very professional services. These all will deal directly with students who approach them, so faculty should feel free to suggest that a student make use of one. They cover a range of supports to students, including accessibility resources and disabilities, health services, personal counseling, career and employment resources, diversity and equity, housing and residence and extra-curricular activities. More information about these services is available at http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/sas/.
Leaves
Official guidelines for all kinds of leaves:
Research and study leaves (sabbaticals)
Short-term compassionate and emergency leaves
Parenting leaves
Child care leaves
Leaves of absence without pay; can be found in the Section VI (Leaves) and associated links of the Academic Administrative Procedures Manual.
Research and study leaves (sabbaticals):
Detailed regulations for determining eligibility, duration, and payment during research leaves can be found at the Leaves web site referred to above. Faculty members apply through their Chair. At the conclusion of the leave, a report on the research and scholarship undertaken is required. This is an important part of the policy and it is your responsibility to ensure that such reports are filed.
Maternity, parental, and adoption leave:
For further information about the University’s policies on these types of leaves, please visit you may also wish to contact the Family Care Office (416-978-0951).
Child care leaves:
Requests for a part-time appointment on a temporary basis because of continuous child care responsibilities cannot be unreasonably denied. Leaves of absence without pay cannot be unreasonably denied, but will normally not exceed three years. Short-term compassionate and emergency leaves with no loss of salary or benefits can be arranged with your Chair and should not be unreasonably denied.
Mentoring
The University of Toronto strives to provide effective mentoring to new faculty members through a number of different vehicles. Within UTM, mentors help to orientate and socialize new faculty members to the requirements of academe. In addition, the Office of the Vice-President and Provost, in conjunction with the Office of Teaching Advancement, runs a series of workshops and events designed to help new faculty become familiar with our institutions.
Assignment of Mentors:
As a new faculty, you should turn to your chair and your assigned mentor to help you settle into your department and establish your academic footing. The following summarizes the key points of the mentoring program:
1. UTM faculty who spend a substantial amount of time on the St. George campus are often assigned two mentors: a UTM one and one from the graduate department
2. All mentors are assigned by the UTM Chair. The Chair should select as a mentor a person whose views toward teaching and research are aligned with those generally accepted by the department.
3. The Chair ensures that appropriate documents are sent to the incoming new faculty member.
4. The Chair assigns a mentor to a new faculty member as soon as the offer of appointment is accepted.
5. This means the mentor can contact the new faculty member in advance and address critical questions and issues before their arrival.
6. The mentor should be appointed for 3 years, allowing interaction up to the time of the new faculty member's 3 year review.
7. The department will fund a couple of lunches per year for the mentor and new faculty member.
Mentor's Responsibilities:
The mentor should advise the new faculty member in aspects of teaching, research and committee work or be able to direct the new faculty member to the appropriate individuals. Confidentiality - The mentor should treat all dealings and discussions in confidence. There is no requirement to report to the administration. There is no evaluation or assessment of the new faculty member, only supportive guidance and constructive criticism for the efforts. With this in mind, there should be care exercised in using the mentor on the three year review and clearly the new faculty member must approve (or otherwise) the mentor as a reviewer.
Changing Mentors:
In cases of changing commitments, incompatibility or in instances where the relationship is not mutually fulfilling, then either the new faculty member or mentor should seek advice from informal advisors, Associate Dean or Dean. It is important to realise that changes can and should be made without prejudice or fault, if the new faculty member or mentor feels that the fit is not an ideal one.
The Mentor:
Mentors have been defined as individuals with advanced experience and knowledge who are committed to helping another person in their career planning. A mentor has qualities of wisdom and guidance, and the ability to provide opportunities and direction.
Typical Issues:
The issues listed below are typical, though not all inclusive, of the type which should be considered by the new faculty member and the mentor and oftentimes the Chair:
How does one establish an appropriate balance between teaching, research, and committee work?
How does one say "no"?
What funds are available from the department/University? Start-up funds, graduate scholarships, travel / conference, small equipment funds, etc.
How is the department organized?
How are decisions made?
What infrastructure is available to the new faculty member?
What should the professional profile be after 3 years?
What criteria are used for teaching excellence, how is teaching evaluated, and what is a teaching dossier?
What are the grading guidelines for courses?
How does one obtain feedback concerning teaching?
What resources are available for teaching enhancement?
How does one become a member of the Graduate Faculty?
What should graduate students expect from their supervisor?
What teaching assistantships are available?
What should be done about TA training?
What are the Health and Safety implications to running a laboratory?
What committees should one be on and how much committee work should one expect?
How does the 3 year review proceed and how is tenure achieved?
What should be included in the annual activity report?
Will there be feedback about performance from the Chair, if so how often?
What social events occur in the department, what seminars / workshop?
What are the policies concerning maternity, family or personal leaves?
Ranks and Promotions
Governing Council's Policy and Procedures on Academic AppointmentsThe information on issues related to appointment policies and procedures such as:
* probation period ·
* tenure process
* contractually limited term appointments (CLTA)
* teaching stream appointments
* other categories of appointments can be found in the University of Toronto Governing Council's document,http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Assets/Governing+Council+Digital+Assets/Policies/PDF/ppoct302003.pdf "Policy and Procedures on Academic Appointments". The Academic Administrative Procedures Manual at the Office of the Provost's web Page (http://www.provost.utoronto.ca/procedures.htm) is another document that describes policies and procedures approved by Governing Council. This document is primarily for administrators.
Academic Appointments and Promotions:
This page covers information on teaching stream promotions; contractually limited term appointments (CLTA); third year review at the end of the probation period for tenure-stream faculty; tenure; and promotions for tenure-stream faculty.
Teaching stream:
For information on promotions in the teaching stream to the rank of Senior Lecturer, see Section VII of the Academic Administrative Procedures Manual. For additional guidelines, see Policy and Procedures on Academic Appointments, Section VII.
Contractually limited term appointments:
See Section VI of the Policy and Procedures on Academic Appointments.Tenure-stream faculty
Probation period and the third year review:
Section II of the Policy and Procedures on Academic Appointments discusses the probation period. For individuals hired as a first appointment at the Assistant Professor level, the initial contract is likely to be for three years. At the end of the second year, these individuals undergo a third-year review. Information on the third year review process can be found in the previous document, as well as in Section III of the on-line Academic Administrative Procedures Manual.
Tenure
Since tenure is a multi-year achievement, new tenure-stream faculty need to begin to think seriously about tenure from the beginning of their appointment. Teaching and research activities need to be documented along the way, and contacts made with individuals who could serve as external referees for the tenure review. Tenure-stream faculty should be sure to talk with their department Chair and their mentor about tenure requirements very early on. Since satisfactory academic achievement deserving of tenure is determined by practices of the discipline, only general written guidelines can be provided for the academic community at large. Individuals need to consult about specifics with those in their department with appropriate knowledge. Section IV of the on-line Academic Administrative Procedures Manual includes a memorandum from the Office of the Provost concerning the tenure review process and the tenure checklist. It is written for chairs of tenure committees; however, numerous points are relevant to the tenure candidate. Tenure candidates need to supply the chair with copies of all their published work and any unpublished work they wish to be used in the process, as well as any evidence in other forms of their professional achievements.
Basis of the tenure decision:
An excerpt from Section III of the Policy and Procedures on Academic Appointments document summarizes the criteria for granting or denying tenure: 13. Tenured appointments should be granted on the basis of three essential criteria: achievement in research and creative professional work, effectiveness in teaching, and clear promise of future intellectual and professional development. Contributions in the area of university service may constitute a fourth factor in the tenure decision but should not, in general, receive a particularly significant weighting.
UTM teaching guidelines:
UTM has a specific set of guidelines for the evaluation of teaching activities. A Teaching Evaluation Committee is appointed to critically assess teaching performance in accordance with these guidelines. As part of the tenure and promotion to senior lecturer process, you will be required to submit a teaching dossier which should in turn include a summary of all teaching evaluations for the period under review. A summary of all teaching evaluations is included in the
Promotion:
The criteria for promotion to Full Professor are set out in detail in the on-line Policy and Procedures Governing Promotions document (add link).Promotion to the rank of Associate Professor usually comes at the same time as tenure. Promotion to the rank of Full Professor is generally considered after 'a reasonable amount of time'; individuals should consult with their Chairs for advice as to what 'reasonable' means in their discipline.
Salary, PTR, CVS
CVs and Annual Activity Reports:
Each year faculty members are required to update their CVs and prepare an Annual Activity Report. Merit increases in salary are based on the Annual Activity Report, and CVs and Annual Activity Reports are reviewed each year in considering progress. Faculty are also required to fill out a form regarding paid activities over the academic year, due along with the Annual Activity Report. Templates in PDF and Word format are available for these forms by clicking on the relevant item:
Annual Activity Report (2007-08) Professorial-Stream Faculty: PDF file
Annual Activity Report (2007-08) Teaching-Stream Faculty: PDF file
Paid Activities Report: PDF file
Keeping continuous track of all activities, and time invested in them throughout the year, will be helpful in the preparation of the Annual Activity Report. New faculty should talk early in their appointment with their Chair and mentor about the Annual Activity Report so that they can be sure how the evaluation is done within their department. The Annual Activity Report takes into account research, teaching, and service over the course of the year. For those whose contracts begin on July 1, the Annual Activity Report will run from July 1 of that year to April 30 of the following year; after that it will span the time May 1 to April 30.
Salary Increases:
Each year, most faculty have the possibility of receiving (1) an across-the-board raise, (2) a progress-through-the-ranks (PTR) increase, and (3) an increase through the Dean's Excellence Fund. The across-the-board-increase is usually calculated on a percentage basis to meet the increased cost of living. It is negotiated on a regular basis between the Faculty Association and the administration. The PTR increase is based on (a) the Annual Activity Report. The amount is determined by the pool of money that each department receives for PTR. The Chair, usually with a small committee, decides how this pool is to be allocated. Every unit receives the same merit amount per person in its PTR pool. Thus, within a unit, for every dollar above the average given to a faculty member, there is a dollar less available for another faculty member in the same unit.The PTR scheme recognizes a breakpoint, as well as a base, and an endpoint. These determine the rate of opportunity for career progress. The PTR plan allows for a greater rate of increase between the base and the breakpoint than between the breakpoint and the endpoint so that salary increases are accelerated in the early part of the career. The breakpoint is determined each year, with the pool of money being determined by the number of faculty below breakpoint and the number above breakpoint within the unit. The (3) Dean's Excellence Fund (part of the 5% Merit Pool explained in PTR memoranda) is a merit-based increase that rewards exceptional performers. It is up to the chair of the department to be proactive in nominating eligible faculty members for increases from these funds. For updated memoranda on salary and PTR, (March of the current or previous academic year), go to the Provost's website, and see the PDAD&C Memoranda link on the Publications page: http://www.provost.utoronto.ca/public/pdadc.htm.
