Hiring Academic Staff (Non-Faculty)

Introduction

Teaching & Learning and Student Success are two strategic processes highlighted in the Strategic Plan to set the foundation of a transformative education experience and ensure academic and career success for all students.  As such, faculty and academic staff play an integral role in delivering on these strategic processes.  FNUniv may contract with Sessional Lecturers, Teaching Assistants, Lab Instructors, Guest Lecturers, Student Support (Tutors and Invigilators), Field Supervisors and Practicum Supervisors to ensure the required resource capacity to deliver on the institutional academic plan.

Policy

GENERAL:

All Sessional Academic Staff appointments shall be made by FNUniv after teaching duties have been assigned to faculty academic staff members and in consideration of recommendations from the appropriate Program Coordinator and Associate Deans, and appropriate budget approval. Work in the bargaining unit will be assigned following the process of internal and external posting. All offers will be made in writing (normally via electronic e-mail), with a copy to the Faculty Association. Appointment of sessional lecturers requires prior approval of recommended candidates’ academic qualifications from the University of Regina.

INDIGENOUS PRIORITY:

In accordance with Article 5 – Affirming Diversity in the 2017-2019 Sessional Academic Staff Members Agreement priority is to be given to qualified First Nations and other Indigenous candidates when posting and making appointments for Sessional Academic Staff positions. Sessional positions may be offered to qualified First Nations and other Indigenous applicants on a priority basis.

PRE-POSTING OFFERS:

In advance of Sessional Academic Staff positions being posted, Sessional including out-of-scope persons who have taught the course(s) in question at least three times, will be contacted by Human Resources by e-mail to determine whether they are interested in teaching one or more sections of the course. These e-mails will be copied to the Faculty Association. The Sessional Instructor will have seven (7) days from the date on which the e-mail was sent to respond to the offer, indicating their acceptance of the offer to teach the course(s), and their desired sections. If more than one applicant desires the same section, the considerations outlined in Section 17.7 of the Academic Staff Members Agreement will apply.

POSTING NOTICES:

If a Sessional Academic Staff position is not filled through the process outlined above, it will be posted in two stages: internally, for a period of two (2) weeks; then, if the position has not been filled, externally, for a period two (2) weeks.

TIMING AND CONTENT OF POSTINGS:

Job postings shall be posted at least three months before the beginning of the semester to which they apply. All internal job postings shall be posted on the first business day of the month; the closing date for receipt of applications shall be the fourteenth day of the same month. All external job postings shall be posted within ten (10) business days thereafter. 

Each job posting shall include the qualifications, type of position, course number, title, location, delivery mode, anticipated enrolment, salary range, TA support, start and end date of the contract, day and time of the course (where these are known), a commitment to equity in hiring in accordance with the provisions of Article 4 – Affirming Diversity, and a statement that this is a unionized position.

HIRING TIMELINES PER SEMESTER

The following table provides deadlines for hiring steps by semester:

CREATION OF NEW INSTRUCTOR ACCOUNTS:

Creation of new instructor accounts should be completed as soon as a new instructor or sessional is hired.  See associated procedure 4.3.1 Account Creations.

Roles and Responsibilities

ASSOCIATE DEAN ACADEMIC (OWNER)

• Consults with Human Resources on requirements for sessionals to deliver on Academic Plan for semester;
• Reviews any accepted Pre-Posting Offers and disperses courses evenly if multiple accepted;
• If job posted, receive and review applications and conduct interviews; and
• Provide selections to Academic Administrator.

HUMAN RESOURCES (COMPLIANCE)

• Meet with Associate Dean Academic to understand resourcing needs for each semester;
• Develop work plan to meet hiring needs by specified timeline to allow for contract process to be completed with sufficient notice time to be ready for the semester;
• Identify Pre-Posting Offers and facilitate process, providing accepted Pre-Posting Offers to Associate Dean for review and approval;
• Facilitate internal and external posting process as required to fill remaining positions, providing applications to Associate Dean for review; and
• Coordinate interviews with selected candidates and support Associate Dean through process as required.
• Follow-up calls with selected sessionals notifying contract offer coming.

ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATOR (COMPLIANCE)

• Provides coordination support and advice as required to Associate Dean Academic during hiring process;
• Develops Contract Request forms (with support from Academic Administrative Assistants) for sessional selections and forwards to Contract Administrator to process through approval process; and
• Initiates account creation process for new instructors and sessionals by completing Account Creation Form (with support from Academic Administrative Assistants) to the Assistant Registrar.

PROGRAM COORDINATOR (COMPLIANCE)

• Provide advice and recommendations to Associate Dean Academic regarding accepted Pre-Posting Offers for distribution of courses; and
• Provide advice and recommendations to Associate Dean Academic regarding applications received from internal and external postings to fill remaining vacant positions.

Consequences for Noncompliance

Not hiring required academic staff according to set timelines for each semester creates significant risk to being ready for class start date, including having required textbooks available for students in advance of course start.  As such, noncompliance with this policy has negative consequences for instructors and students.

Processes

The following process map demonstrates the key steps involved with execution of this policy:

Related Information

2017-2019 Sessional Academic Staff Members Agreement

4.3.1 Account Creation Procedure

Pre-Posting Offer Email Template

Job Posting Template

Letter of Offer Template

Account Creation Procedure (for new Instructors or Sessionals)

1. Following the contract approval for a new instructor or sessional, the Academic Administrator (with support from Academic Administrative Assistants) sends a completed Account Creation Form to the Assistant Registrar.
2. The Assistant Registrar will confirm the new instructor does not have an ID number.
3. If the instructor does not have an ID number, the Assistant Registrar will send the information to the University of Regina Human Resources Department to create a new ID.
4. Once a new ID is created, the Assistant Registrar will send the information to the Academic Administrative Assistant to add to the course information the NEW instructor is to teach.
5. The Academic Administrative Assistant will notify University of Regina Grades at uofrgrades@uregina.ca to ensure the NEW INSTRUCTOR is set up in BANNER when a new Instructor/Sessional/Faculty has been hired.