48. Employment Policies

Note: On May 13, 2011, the Board of Governors, on the recommendation of the Board Human Resources and Compensation Committee, and General Faculties Council, approved the rescission or deletion of Section 48 (Employment Policies), in part or in total, to take effect on July 1, 2011. Please note some of the sections have been removed and can now be found under the Human Resources Policy Suite in UAPPOL.

Human Resources Policies

48.2.3 Measures to Prevent Discrimination in Appointments

Recognizing the desire of the University to prevent discrimination and in compliance with federal and provincial legislation the General Faculties Council reaffirms the commitment of the University to non-discrimination in employment decisions. Because women comprise the largest group of disadvantaged, the rules and regulations which follow will from time to time make specific requirements with respect to the employment of women. Accordingly, the following steps shall be taken whenever an academic staff vacancy occurs:

  1. It is anticipated that there will be instances where none, or very few, of the qualified applicants are women. In some instances none, or very few, of the qualified applicants will be men. In such cases, as early in the work of selection committees as possible, they are expected to seek qualified applicants from the under-represented sex through appropriate sources capable of providing data on the pool of available qualified persons (chairs of relevant departments; professional organizations; individuals from the under-represented sex within the profession or discipline; individuals from the under-represented sex, members of academic staff in the unit and in related units with the University).
  2. Pre-Selection Committees (where they exist) and Advisory Selection Committees must give careful and detailed consideration to all qualified applicants regardless of race, religious beliefs, color, sex, physical disability, marital status, age, ancestry or place of origin.
  3. Pre-Selection Committees (where they exist) and Advisory Selection Committees, when interviewing candidates for a vacant staff position, may not request information of religious beliefs, political affiliations, family or marital status, age, ancestry or place of origin or physical disability which could lead to discriminatory action.
    The evaluation of applicants must be based on objective job-related criteria.
  4. Pre-Selection Committees (where they exist) and Advisory Selection Committees are required to report to the Dean on:
    1. the pool of available qualified persons;
    2. sources consulted in the determination of this pool;
    3. the number of applications received;
    4. the qualifications and sex of all applicants if known;
    5. the criteria used in determining the short list;
    6. the number of persons shortlisted, including a reference to the qualifications and sex of the persons on the short list;
    7. an explanation as to why the short list contains no members of the under-represented sex (if that is the case);
    8. resumes of the most qualified persons of the under-represented sex;
    9. the criteria used in the final selection.
  5. Upon submitting the academic appointment form to the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), the Dean will forward the above information for each appointment.
  6. Where the use of a Selection Committee has been waived the Dean is expected to provide the same information as above.

48.2.5 Measures to Support the Teaching Role for New Appointees

Believing that teaching skills can be developed and nurtured over an instructor's entire career, that instructors and the University have mutual obligations in this regard, and acknowledging the particular importance of the initial appointment period, the following means shall be used to ensure that new appointees receive adequate support for their personal initiatives in developing their teaching roles during the initial phase of the appointment.

During the probationary period, every teaching unit shall work with the faculty member to assess teaching abilities and accomplishments. Such an assessment should be guided by a desire to develop and nurture effective teaching skills and attitudes. If deficiencies are detected, the new staff member will be directed to sources, services, or persons who can provide assistance, either internal or external to the Faculty, and will be encouraged to take personal initiatives for continual development as a teacher.

Sections 48.1 and 48.2 were considered, approved or amended by GFC on the following dates:

(GFC 01 MAR 1982)
(EXEC 10 MAR 1997)
(GFC 23 FEB 1987)
(EXEC 07 APR 1997)
(GFC 25 JAN 1988)
(GFC 29 NOV 1999)
(GFC 25 JUN 1990)
(EXEC 17 JUN 2002)
(GFC 18 JAN 1993)
(EXEC 02 JUN 2005)
(EXEC 08 MAR 1993)
(EXEC 12 JUN 2006)
(EXEC 14 NOV 1994)
(BG 13 MAY 2011)
(EXEC 12 JUN 1996)
(EXEC 18 NOV 1996)