Academic Staff Regulations

CROSS-APPOINTED ACADEMIC STAFF

Cross-appointments of academic staff are made for periods of time and on such terms as determined by consultation between the College and the University of Toronto.

ACADEMIC STAFF ON COLLEGE CONTRACTS

1.  Appointments

Appointments are made by the Board on the nomination of the Provost. It is the responsibility of the Provost to ensure that candidates for appointment are acceptable to the University of Toronto or to the Toronto School of Theology, as the case may be.

2.  Appointment to the Professorial Ranks

1. Where a permanent position is to be filled in any of the professorial ranks, appointment shall be made with tenure or in the tenure stream. In other cases, where the Provost has determined that a permanent position is not appropriate at that time, appointments may be made for a limited and specified term, and on such conditions as the Board of Trustees may decide. Such appointments may be renewable. (Amended by Corporation, October 24, 2002)
2. Appointments to the rank of Assistant Professor shall be for a probationary period of three years. After two years and before September 25 of the third year the appointment will be reviewed and the candidate informed of the results of this review. If successful, the contract will be renewed for a further period of up to two years, and the candidate will be considered for tenure in the final year of the contract and will be notified of the results of the tenure consideration not later than April 15 of that year.
3. Appointments at the rank of Associate Professor are made either with tenure or without tenure for a probationary period of three years. Before an appointment with tenure is approved, a candidate must be recommended by a Tenure Committee. If the appointment is made without tenure, the candidate shall be considered for tenure in the third year of the contract and shall be notified of the result not later than April 15 of that year.
4. Appointment to the rank of Professor shall be with tenure. The candidate must be recommended for tenure by the Tenure Committee before the appointment is approved.
5. Visiting appointments normally are those where the individual appointed retains a continuing appointment in another institution. Except in unusual circumstances such appointments shall be for a period of not more than one year. Visiting appointments may be made at any of the professorial ranks. Being of limited term, such appointments do not require the approval of a Tenure Committee.

3.  Tenure

1. Tenure is the holding by a member of the college professorial staff of a continuing fulltime appointment which the College has relinquished the freedom to terminate except for the reasons stated below. These appointments may be terminated before the normal date of retirement

A.  for cause, which means:

a) persistent neglect of, or repeated refusal without sufficient cause to carry out, reasonable duties assigned by the appropriate academic authority;

b) inability to carry out reasonable duties, except for reasons falling within (B) below;

c) failure to maintain reasonable competence in his or her discipline including, without limitation, competence in teaching and research;

d) gross misconduct;

or

B.  where, without fault on his or her part, the member is prevented by circumstances beyond his or her control from carrying out reasonable duties, including without limitation, physical or mental illness or injury, except where and so long as the member (or his or her legal representative) makes no claim against the College for salary or other remuneration;

or

C.  where demonstrated financial exigencies make the continuance of the appointment impossible. A decision to terminate an appointment for financial reasons should not be made on an ad hominem basis, but only after a full investigation of the College’s financial position has been made by the Board.

2.  Tenure Committees will be appointed by the Provost. The composition of the committees and their procedures will be such as are determined from time to time by the Senate. In making recommendations Tenure Committees shall be guided by the standards of the University of Toronto, or where appropriate, of the Toronto School of Theology.

4.  Termination of a Tenured Appointment for Cause

If the Provost is presented with evidence that a ground may exist for the termination for cause of the appointment of a member of the teaching staff with tenure, the member shall be informed in writing of the alleged ground and a Hearing Committee shall be established consisting of three faculty members from this College or at any other University, one appointed by the Provost, one by the faculty member concerned and the third jointly by the other two. In the case of failure of the other two to agree upon a third, the third member shall be appointed by the Board, but shall not be a member of the Board. The hearing shall proceed in accordance with the Statutory Powers Procedure Act. If the Hearing Committee decides that a ground for termination exists, the Provost may carry a recommendation for termination to the Board or propose some other sanction. The decision of the Board shall be final.

5.  Appointment to the Rank of Lecturer

1. All appointments to the rank of Lecturer shall be sessional.
2. No one shall serve for more than six years at the rank of Lecturer.

6.  Tutors and Senior Tutors in the Faculty of Divinity

1. The responsibilities of Tutors and Senior Tutors shall consist primarily of teaching and of associated administrative tasks.
2. Appointments to the rank of Tutor shall be sessional.
3. Appointments to the rank of Senior Tutor shall be for a period of up to five years and shall be renewable.
4. Tutors shall receive at least six months’ notice of intention not to renew a sessional appointment. Senior Tutors shall be informed before the end of the penultimate year of their contract of intention not to renew the appointment.
5. At any other time, the appointment of a Tutor or the contract of a Senior Tutor may be terminated for reasons of incapacity, or for cause as defined in 3. (1) (A) above. The procedure for dismissal for cause shall be the same mutatis mutandis, as that provided for the termination of a tenured appointment for cause in 4 above.

7.  Suspension

1. The Board in its discretion may, without prior written notice, suspend from the performance of his or her duties as such, for a period of no more than 24 months, and without loss of pay or staff benefits, any member of the academic staff whose continued performance of such duties may in its opinion seriously threaten the welfare of the College.
2. The Board shall decide within the suspension period whether or not to establish a Hearing Committee to consider the termination of the appointment of the staff member concerned.

8.  Notice of Resignation

Any member of the teaching staff may terminate his or her engagement at the end of any academic year on not less than six months’ notice in writing.

9.  Retirement

1. Retirement of a member of the academic staff shall normally occur at the end of the academic year in which the individual concerned reaches the age of sixty-five years.
2. If the engagement of a member of the academic staff is extended beyond the year in which the individual concerned reaches the age of 65 it shall be on an annual basis and subject to termination by the individual or College on not less than three months’ notice in writing. If the extension is for full-time teaching the individual concerned shall retain his or her rank, if for part-time, the title of special lecturer shall be conferred.
3. No member of the academic staff shall continue to hold any administrative position after his or her normal retirement date, unless specifically requested to do so by the Board on the recommendation of the Provost.
4. The members of the academic staff shall participate in such pension or retirement plans as the College may adopt from time to time for their benefit. The normal retirement date under such plans shall be the date defined in sub-section (1) hereof. In the case of an extended full-time engagement pursuant to sub-section (2) hereof, the pension shall be postponed to the actual retirement date of the member of the academic staff concerned.

10.  Other Regulations

A full-time academic appointment entails a year-round commitment and no member of the academic staff shall engage in any other form of gainful employment unless in accordance with policy as determined by the Board.