Faculty Association - WUFA
Windsor University Faculty Association
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University of Windsor
401 Sunset Avenue
Windsor, ON Canada N9B 3P4
(519) 253-3000 ext. 0


© Copyright 2010
University of Windsor



ROLE OF THE FACULTY ASSOCIATION
(terms as of October 1990)

The terms of reference, as approved by the Executive on June 17, 1980 are as follows: to review and define the various roles of the Faculty Association as a collective bargaining agent, and its inter-relationship with other bodies on campus, with the specific reference to the Senate and the Board of Governors. The Committee has addressed itself to the question of the role which the Association should and indeed must play.

The role of the Faculty Association is based on four separate legal
documents, i.e.

In addition, the Faculty Association is bound to uphold the guidelines and the policy statements issued by the Canadian Association of University Teachers and to work toward the achievement of common aims.

In keeping with this mandate, the Faculty Association has itemized its aims. Pertinent to the protection of individual rights are (b), (c), (d), (e), and (g) of Article III of the Constitution which covers the independence of faculty and librarians in academic matters;

the promotion, fostering and advancement of the interests and welfare of the faculty and librarians, including their general well-being and welfare, and the regulation of employment regulations; and

the provision for a forum for full and free discussion of all matters affecting the interests of the faculty and librarians.

Additional aims are:

1. To give information as to where faculty and librarians can expect support, and to make available the regulations and deadlines; to explain administrative interpretations, and to provide interpretation of the Collective Agreement;

2. To evaluate innovative and technological advances that may affect working conditions and may have human resource and supervisory implications, in order to assess the impact their implementation would have on the bargaining unit;

3. To present positions to OCUFA, CAUT and NUCAUT;

4. To present the view of the faculty and librarians to the campus community, the public, and the three levels of government.

To satisfy some of these aims, the Faculty Association negotiates a Collective Agreement with the Board of Governors. The Collective Agreement covers some 70 Articles. Among the more important of these are those regarding wages and benefits; appointment of members; renewal of appointment, promotion, tenure/permanence; retraining and redeployment; and financial exigency.

Both the Board and the Association have clearly accepted the role of the Faculty Association in these matters. These obligations can be relinquished through negotiation or through neglect. The Faculty Association is therefore obliged to carry out its duties with a sense of responsibility.

The Faculty Association plays a role in presenting positions to the Board and to administrative personnel. The Board and the Association must pursue common goals and strategies to preserve the well-being of the University.

Monitoring of Board of Governors' decisions and changes in decisions, however, has been difficult. Senate members of the Board, elected by and from Senate representatives, are not pressed to report on Board activities. In fact, some members resent being asked to give information and to being accountable to the Senate. Representatives of the Senate on the Board of Governors may enhance the role of the Board, but whether they are in fact working in the interest of the Senate and the faculty and librarians is debatable, as long as they are not accountable.

Clarification of the role of committee members or joint Senate/Board meetings might alleviate this problem. Faculty Association representation on the Board also might assist in the monitoring and communication function. In any event, it appears that a re-evaluation of the role of Board representatives is necessary.

Last updated: July 18, 2007