News – Page 7 – University of Victoria Faculty Association

2018 CAUT Aboriginal Academic Staff Conference – Delegate Sponsorship Available!

September 10, 2018 webmaster

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded its formal process in December 2015, but the task of implementing its calls to action continues. The 2018 CAUT Aboriginal Academic Staff Conference will examine and discuss the progress being made, with a special focus on recommendations related to the post-secondary education sector. This event is an important opportunity for Aboriginal academic staff to meet peers from across Canada, build networks of contact and support, and share high level discussion about the status of…

Interest Arbitration Decision at Ryerson – Student surveys cannot be used to evaluate teaching performance

July 24, 2018 webmaster

A recent arbitration award between the Ryerson Faculty Association and Ryerson University sets a significant precedent for academic staff across the country on the use of anonymous student questionnaires. Arbitrator William Kaplan found that student evaluations are biased and unreliable, and ordered that the collective agreement at Ryerson be amended to ensure that results of student questionnaires are not used in measuring teaching effectiveness for promotion or tenure. As part of the decision, Kaplan writes, “The expert evidence convincingly establishes…

Member Benefits Advisory – Health Coverage While Travelling Abroad

July 18, 2018 webmaster

Dear Members, This is just a reminder of some important things to consider about your health benefits if you plan to travel abroad in the near future. Under your UVic benefit plan, you do have travel insurance coverage, but any claim made under this coverage is counted against your lifetime maximum of $1 million under Pacific Blue Cross. What this means is that a single catastrophic illness or injury in another country has the potential to use up most or…