RAAS Report

Friday, January 26, 2024

Ann Dennis, Editor

PRESIDENT’S UPDATE

With contract negotiations now behind us, you can expect a RAAS Report each month (with the possible exception of July and August). In this issue, we are happy to introduce a new element – “CA Highlights” – which will profile a different article of the CA (or two) each month. You can find every issue of RAAS Report on our website here.

With contract negotiations out of the way for now, my priority for the coming months as RAAS President is to resume regular executive meetings, and to give some support to my executive colleagues in rebuilding and re-invigorating the RAAS committees (Equity Committee and Grievance Committee), which I have been neglecting since contract negotiations began in February 2023. You can also expect an Annual General Meeting in April. Look for information on RAAS officer terms, vacancies, and elections in the February edition of RAAS Report.

As RAAS President and Lead Negotiator, I am currently serving on the board and executive of OCUFA and as Chair of OCUFA’s Collective Bargaining Committee. I also attend CAUT Council, as well as CAUT’s Presidents and Chief Negotiators Forums when I can, and I serve as a Director of the CAUT Defense Fund. We have representation on the board of FAUW, and we are now members of the Waterloo Regional Labour Council as well.

These are all very useful and important roles and relationships, but in the coming months – for my own good and for the long-term wellbeing of our association – I am going to be looking to you, my fellow RAAS members, to take up some of these roles. By participating in these organizations, we broaden our base of solidarity support, build our internal knowledge and capacity, and contribute to strengthening the collective influence of faculty associations on higher education policy and funding. You also get to connect with interesting colleagues and enjoy the occasional subsidized evening or weekend in Toronto, Ottawa, or Montreal.

Speaking of influencing higher education policy and funding, by now you will have all heard about the federal government’s decision to cap the number of international student visas that will be issued. The implications for our sector (and for Renison) are not yet clear, but with such heavy reliance on international student dollars – particularly in Ontario – it does not look good. Please see the attached OCUFA’s “Briefing Note” on the subject for some interesting analysis and proposed solutions.

In response to the announcement, CAUT has made a number of recommendations for addressing the root cause of the looming fiscal crisis in higher education: the decline of public funding for post-secondary education. Read CAUT’s statement here. At the provincial level, building on the findings and recommendations of the Ford government’s own “blue ribbon panel” on post-secondary funding, OCUFA is calling for an 11.75% increase in public funding to Ontario universities over the next 5 year. Read OCUFA’s statement here, and follow @OCUFA on X for updates opportunities to participate in related campaigns.

I hope your Winter 2024 term is off to a good start. Be in touch. More next month.

Rob Case
RAAS President

FAUW UPDATE

The University of Waterloo and the Faculty Association have agreed on the terms of revisions to Policy 76- Faculty Appointments and Policy 77- Tenure and Promotion Faculty Members. Key to the agreement is the establishment of three new teaching stream faculty ranks (i.e., Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream; Associate Professor, Teaching Stream; and Professor, Teaching Stream). These changes mean that the rank of Lecturer will disappear over time. All Definite Term Lecturers will transition to the rank of Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream (definite-term or probationary). Continuing Lecturers will have the option to become Associate Professors, Teaching Stream with permanence or will remain as Continuing Lecturers.

The agreement will now proceed through approval and governance processes according to the process jointly established by the University and FAUW at the Faculty Relations Committee, and approved by the Senate, when the current Policy Development Committee was established in Fall 2022. The University and FAUW hope to be able to implement these changes from September 1, 2024, subject to governance approvals.

Cindy Zhuang
RAAS Lecturers Committee Co-chair

SATIRE

Oscar the Grouch criticized for giving children unrealistic housing goals
January 21, 2024, Vinny Francois, The Beaverton

Sesame Street character Oscar the Grouch has come under fire for setting unattainable housing goals for children.

NOT SATIRE

Ontario universities facing huge funding shortfalls this year, amid tuition freezes
January 13, 2023, Justine Fraser, City TV News

University students across Ontario may see more cuts to student services, as 10 universities report deficits this year.

CAUT NEWS

CAUT is offering a number of on-line training opportunities this term for member associations like RAAS:

Grievance Handling Course, Friday, February 12 – 16, 2024
Labour Action for Equity Course, March 15, 2024
Collective Bargaining Training, April 2 – 5, 2024

If you are interested in attending any of these training sessions, please let Rob know.

CAUT Dedicated Service Award

The CAUT Dedicated Service Award was established to recognize individuals for exceptional service to their faculty associations. Recipients can be nominated by a local, provincial, or federated association and the award is presented at a membership meeting.

Recipients of the award will:

a) Receive a certificate of recognition from CAUT, which will be provided to the association for presentation to the recipient; and

b) Have their name listed in the CAUT Bulletin, put on the CAUT website and announced at the next CAUT Council meeting.

Nominations can be made at any time using this form. There is no deadline. Awards can be prepared throughout the year.

If you have any questions or concerns about the nomination process, please email CAUTawards-prixACPPU@caut.ca.

You can also keep up to date on other news items from the CAUT right here.

CATCHING UP ON OCUFA NEWS

RAAS is a member of the Ontario Confederation of University CAUT Associations (OCUFA), a province-wide association of our peers.

Over the past few months, we continued to stay connected to the pressing issues and stories impacting academic life. It has been inspiring to witness the commitment to advocacy from union bodies, faculty, and students. This dedication to creating positive change and addressing key issues that face university life is a true testament of the strong sense of social responsibility.

Please find a list of the following top stories from July until now, that we feel would be of interest to all of you:

Student Groups call for better campus security training, safety audits after University of Waterloo stabbings
July 17, 2023, Kate Bueckert, CBC News

University student groups across Canada are calling for better training for on-campus security and regular safety audits in the wake of a triple stabbing in a Waterloo, Ont., classroom.

Universities have stopped posting public class info out of safety concerns
September 5, 2023, CBC News, YouTube

Universities remove public classroom information for safety.

Unions march on campus, demand respect for researchers
September 21, 2023, Andy Yang, The Gazette

More than 150 members from multiple unions on campus gathered on UWO campus to demand increased funding for researchers from the provincial government.

Hundreds gather to protest Brescia’s merger with Western University
September 28, 2023, Isha Bhargava, CBC News

Hundreds of students gathered at Brescia to protest the integration of Canada's only women's university into Western University.

Students march in downtown Montreal to oppose Quebec’s tuition fee increases
October 30, 2023, Matthew Lapierre, CBC News

Protesters, including many university students, marched in downtown Montreal to voice their concern about the Quebec government's move to hike tuition fees for out-of-province students.

The University of Waterloo is projecting a $15-million deficit this year. Here’s how it happened, and what can be done
November 13, 2023, James W.E. Rush, The Waterloo Region Record

University of Waterloo vice-president academic and provost James W.E. Rush says Ontario universities are facing a cash-crunch and makes a case for increased funding.

Canada reforms international student system attempts to counter fraud
November 16, 2023, Mabel Zhao, The Gazette

The Government of Canada has announced measures to better protect international students from fraud and exploitation, including a new verification process for letters of acceptance to international students.

Feds to change law that allowed Laurentian University to declare insolvency
November 22, 2023, Darren MacDonald, CTV News

The fall economic statement includes plans to change the legislation that allowed Laurentian University to declare insolvency.

Cap on student visas could wreak financial havoc on Ontario universities, says rep
January 24, 2024, The Canadian Press, TVO Today

The Council of Ontario Universities says the newly announced cap on international-student admissions is unfairly punishing responsible institutions alongside bad actors in the post-secondary sector.

OCUFA Advocacy Days (March 19-20):

We need a volunteer to take part in OCUFA’s annual advocacy day on behalf of RAAS. There will be an orientation and training session on the evening of March 19, and meetings with MPPs at Queen’s Park on the 20th followed by a reception. Your transportation and accommodations will be covered.

If you are interested, please let Rob know by January 31.

Mark Your Calendars!!

Item	Key Date
Annual Activity Reports due to VPAD & Chair	February 1, 2024
Renison Research Grant applications	February 1, 2024
RAAS’ Birthday!!	February 12, 2024
Grievance Handling Course (CAUT)	February 12, 2024, to February 16, 2024
Labour Action for Equity Course (CAUT)	March 15, 2024
OCUFA Advocacy Days)	March 19, 2024 & March 20, 2024
RAAS AGM	April, 2024 (TBD)
Collective Bargaining Training (CAUT)	April 2, 2024, to April 5, 2024
CAUT Dedicated Service Award Nominations	Nominations are ongoing throughout the year.

CA HIGHLIGHTS

Annual Activity Reports

Annual Activity Reports are due February 1 this year, as usual, but remember that we are now to report on achievements during the academic year (September-August) rather than the calendar year as we used to do. Henceforth, Annual Activity Reports will be due in October each year, rather than February, beginning October 2024.

Admittedly, this transition year is a little awkward. This year’s report is for September 2022 through August 2023. You are asked to re-report activities and achievements from Fall 2022 that were already reported in your Activity Report for the 2022 calendar year, and to include other achievements up to the end of August 2023. You do not need to reframe or elaborate on Fall 2022 activities and achievements – you can simply copy and paste the content from your Activity Report for 2022.

If you have already submitted your Annual Activity Report for 2023, covering the calendar year, you are asked to resubmit your report to cover the academic year instead (i.e., September 2022-August 2023). You do not need to create any new content. Simply copy & paste in the activities and accomplishments reported for Fall of 2022, and remove any activities or accomplishments reported for Winter and Spring 2023 (keep them for your October 2024 report).

Faculty Professional Expenses Reimbursement Fund (FPER) for Definite Term Lecturers.

Definite Term Lecturers now have access to professional development funds, retroactive to May 1, 2023. The maximum amount for the 2023-24 fiscal year for DTLs is $1,010. This amount will increase by 3% for the 2024-25 academic year, and again by 2% for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

The plan requires you to provide proof of purchase and payment for each item you are claiming. A list of eligible items is available on the UW Finance Resources webpages, in the “Procedures” tab. You can begin submitting receipts now. Contact Brenda Doyle (brenda.doyle@uwaterloo.ca) to set up your account and to submit your claim.