Update on Workload Trilogy Grievances and Response to the Provost’s Message
October 13, 2020
Update on Workload Trilogy Grievances and Response to the Provost’s Message
We wish to inform our members that the Association was just told of the University’s intent to cease informal discussion on the workload trilogy grievances (see our previous updates on these grievances here and here). The University has also sent a message to CUASA members addressing several items related to tenure and promotion, student teaching evaluations, accommodations and CDIs.
There are several points we wish to draw the membership’s attention to.
Teaching Performance & Career Development Increments
The message from the Provost stated the following:
In recognition of the teaching development and innovation efforts made by faculty members to meet the needs of our students during the COVID-19 pandemic, all faculty members and instructors engaged in teaching during the summer, fall and winter 2020-21 academic terms will be determined by the University to have performance in teaching above the norm for the 2020-21 academic year for CDI purposes.
This is a reminder to all members that the issues of student teaching evaluations for the fall term 2020-2021 academic term is already without prejudice (see our previous update here ). The parties do not have a without prejudice agreement for the winter or summer terms for 2020-21 academic terms. Regardless, the University is prohibited by the collective agreement from changing any CDI review or calculations for the “norms” without agreement of the Association.
At this time, there is no agreement and the University did not request that the Association engage in any discussions about CDI reviews or calculating the norms. CDI teaching norms are based on student teaching evaluation scores and, to the best of our knowledge, CUASA has never allowed the CDI norms to be classified as a workload issue. Our members are approved CDIs after fair reviews under the collective agreement. CDIs are awarded based on more than just teaching above the norm, and this ignores consideration based on other criteria. Further, this also ignores the CUASA members who are no longer eligible to receive CDIs.
Additional Time in the Tenure and Confirmation Cycle
CUASA has previously announced the LOU providing additional time in the tenure/confirmation cycle. For more information, click here.
Student Evaluations of Teaching
As we’ve previously communicated, we have reached agreements for the Summer 2020 and Fall 2020 terms on teaching evaluations.
Through this agreement, CUASA members must opt-in to administer teaching evaluations and may only administer evaluations in electronic format. If members do not opt-in, they will be considered to have declined administering electronic teaching evaluations. If evaluations are administered, they will only be used for collective data and not for career decisions.
As mentioned above, no agreement has yet been reached for the Winter 2021 term and beyond.
Requests for a Reduced Workload
The Association disagrees that its members should have to take a pay reduction under Article 13.6 when seeking workload accommodation. The University has always had an obligation to adjust for workload criteria under Article 5. Members should seek the union’s advice prior to making any decisions to reduce their pay.
CUASA also remains concerned that individual, customized accommodation plans are not a real means to address the crisis and that the University does not have an emergency equity plan for an backfill appointments required for those seeking accommodation.
Conclusion
Again, we wish to reiterate that your rights have not been set aside during this pandemic. The Association will be addressing the University’s actions this morning by way of the formal grievance process. Please watch for more updates. Any members who are concerned about reprisal or who continue to be refused accommodation for their increased workloads during the pandemic are asked to email [email protected] to identify themselves as affected persons without delay.
