June 24, 2004

To All Heads/Directors

Please distribute the following to all bargaining unit members in your unit.

Status of Members of a Department's Promotion, Renewal, Tenure and Continuing Appointments Committee (PRTC):

Committee members are not performing administrative responsibilities but rather are performing responsibilities delegated to unit members (including bargaining unit members) by the Collective Agreement. The Agreement is just that - provisions agreed to by both parties, the Administration and the Association.

To aid in carrying out these responsibilities, Promotion, Tenure, Renewal (PTR) Workshops are held annually for Heads and Committee Chairs. These are joint sessions, facilitated by representatives of the Administration and QUFA. The workshop this year has been divided into two parts - one session last week and the other to be held in the fall to coincide better with the timeline of a Committee's process.

Advice on Procedural Matters for Bargaining Unit Members on Appointments PTR Committee:

Bargaining unit members on Appointments and PTR committees are encouraged to seek interpretive assistance from QUFA. When the query is beyond the scope of office staff it will be referred to the QUFA JCAA Co-Chair who will attempt, as best as possible, to provide advice. Here it should be remembered that some interpretive questions may not have a ready answer. Hence, the issue may have to be referred to the JCAA for a formal response. Unit members can also, and may prefer to contact the Associate VP, Academic Relations or the Administration JCAA Co-Chair. Both parties (QUFA and the Administration) will do their best to assist Committee members, but may have to refer questions if a conflict of interest appears to be developing.

All Members of the bargaining unit will be treated fairly by QUFA. The role of QUFA's grievance officer, (Phil Goldman) is particular. He must respond to, and represent if necessary, individual Members who feel aggrieved by administrative action or at the hands of a process established or encompassed by the Collective Agreement. The Association has a duty of fair representation, and Phil provides this for our individual members.