Definition of Terms

Across-the-Board Salary Adjustments are negotiated by the Board of Governors and The University of Calgary Faculty Association (TUCFA). As such, there are some years when no ATB is negotiated. An ATB is applied on July 1 to all current Continuing, Contingent Term and Limited Term academic appointees. The ATB is a percentage of the immediately preceding June 30 rank salary. ATB is added to the academic’s rank salary before the Merit increase (see Collective Agreement, Appendix A). 

An academic administrator is a Head, Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, Vice Dean (not senior leadership), Associate University Librarian, Associate Vice Provost (Libraries and Cultural Resources), Associate Director (Student and Enrollment Services), and any others as agreed by the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and the Faculty Association. It does not include members of the senior administration. (YY1.3(a))

This committee only considers appeals from academic administrators that are denied by GMC, or in any situation where GMC lowers a recommendation of a Dean.

The Academic Performance Report is the main document considered by the Department Head (or equivalent), Faculty Merit Committee (FMC), and the Dean to complete the academic performance assessment. The report is created and submitted via the Academic Portfolio.

The Collective Agreement (CA) between The Faculty Association of the University of Calgary (TUCFA) and The Governors of the University of Calgary is the formal document outlining the negotiated agreement between the Parties and includes information regarding wages, hours of work, benefits, rules and working conditions that have been mutually agreed upon.

A conflict of interest exists when an individual could potentially provide biased input with regard to another person's eligibility or performance due to a real or perceived conflict. The nature of this conflict could be personal (a family member, close friend, etc.) or work related (co-published a book, taught together, co-investigators in research, etc.) The expectation is that the individual will self-disclose the conflict and recuse themselves from the position they would otherwise hold.

Notify your Dean and/or HR Advisor, Academic if you have a conflict of interest. They will ensure the appropriate changes are made to process this situation.

A detailed synopsis of the academic staff member’s employment, educational and academic background throughout their career including research, teaching and service experience.

A Dean (or equivalent) has general supervision over and direction of the academic work, the officers and employees employed in connection with that work, and the instructional staff of the faculty as well as other powers, duties, and functions that are assigned to the Dean by the President

The Dean initiates the various academic processes.

When the Dean is referred to on this site, all equivalent roles are understood to be included.

The increment (1.2) awarded to new academics hired between January 1 and June 30 of the assessment year who will not be assessed due to the short duration of their service at the University of Calgary.

The Department Head or Head (or equivalent)  is the senior officer of a formal department in a departmentalized faculty, or the equivalent officer in a non-departmentalized faculty or in a non-faculty unit.

When the Department Head or Head is referred to on this site, all equivalent roles are understood to be included.

The Head of a departmentalized faculty may formally seek the advice of a departmental advisory committee, only if a majority of the department members vote in favour of establishing such a committee.

The committee membership shall be elected by and from all Continuing, Contingent Term, Limited Term, Special Limited Term and Pre-Tenure Track Appointments members in the department.

A deviation is the request to go outside the agreed upon timeline, committee composition, or other requirement for a process as outlined in the various governing documents. The Parties must agree to a deviation before implementation. Deviations are normally in effect for one cycle only and must be reinstated in subsequent years by agreement of the parties.

The full title is The University of Calgary Faculty Association (TUCFA). The Faculty Association is the exclusive bargaining agent for the academic staff at the University of Calgary. All academic staff are members of the Faculty Association and eligible to receive its services and representation.

Faculty Guidelines document the criteria for appointment, promotion, and tenure of academic staff and related processes that are specific to the individual faculty. They provide further detail to those outlined in the GFC Handbook. These Guidelines are approved by the General Faculties Council (GFC) and will be reviewed periodically to ensure compliance with the University’s regulations as articulated in the GFC Handbook and the Collective Agreement. The Faculty Guidelines may not contradict the GFC. If the Faculty Guidelines are silent on an issue, the GFC will prevail.

Faculty Guidelines revisions have been on hold since 2008 by agreement of the Parties. Faculties may not make adjustments to guidelines except to ensure they are compliant with the most current GFC Handbook and Collective Agreement. A change or deviation to the Faculty Guidelines at this time requires agreement of the Parties.

The Faculty Merit Committee (FMC) is a Dean’s advisory committee. The FMC formally reviews, evaluates and recommends to the Dean on recommendations for merit increments of academic staff members (except academic administrators) as submitted through the Department Head.

The committee composition is outlined in Article 29.7 of the Collective Agreement.

When FMC is referred to on this site, all equivalent committees are understood to be included.

When one member of a family or relationship would be in a position to make recommendations regarding another academic staff member, the Dean or the Provost & Vice-President (Academic) shall establish appropriate alternative administrative jurisdiction for the duration of the situation.

• The alternative reporting structure shall be conveyed in writing to the academic staff members involved in the relationship and any other affected parties by the Dean or the Provost & Vice-President (Academic) at the commencement of the arrangement. 
• The written letter outlining the arrangement for an alternate will be approved and signed by Dean or the Provost & Vice-President (Academic). This is normally determined at the time of appointment to the administrative position.

The formal assessment, also referred to as the regular or full assessment, is the biennial performance assessment for each academic staff member holding Continuing, Contingent Term, Limited Term, Special Limited Term and Pre-Tenure Track Appointments at the University of Calgary. This is facilitated through the FMC and GMC as outlined in the GFC Handbook.

All Continuing, Contingent Term and Limited Term positions are deemed to be a 1.0 FTE unless approved otherwise by the Provost & Vice-President (Academic). An academic who is full-time is considered to be 1.0 FTE (Full-time Equivalent) whereas an academic who is half-time would be considered 0.5 FTE.

The General Faculties Council is established to oversee the academic affairs of the university, which includes making recommendations to the Board of Governors with respect to procedures for appointments, promotions, salaries, tenure, and terminations.

The General Merit Committee (GMC) is a President’s advisory committee. The GMC formally reviews, evaluates and recommends to the President on all recommendations for academic administrators, zero increment recommendations and appeals of the Dean’s recommendation to GMC.

The manual containing the procedures regarding appointment, promotion, and tenure of academic staff and criteria for assessment. It has been approved by the General Faculties Council and Board of Governors. The tenure, promotion, renewal and academic merit processes are included in the Collective Agreement (CA).

The documents which delineate the procedures and timelines governing the academic processes. This includes the Collective Agreement (CA), the GFC Handbook and the Faculty Guidelines.

The one-year period to be reviewed during the interim year assessment which is the first year of the two-year reporting period. For example: July 1, 2017 -  June 30, 2018 is the interim year and the full reporting period is July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2019.

This is not a reporting period for assessment purposes. No report or assessment is required. Increment from assessment year is carried forward in the interim year.

A numerical value assigned to each academic based on performance of assigned and assumed duties during the assessment period. The increment can be either 0.0 or a multiple of one fifth, commencing at 0.4.

The dollar value of increment units is determined through collective bargaining between the Faculty Association and the Board of Governors.

For details, see Schedule A of the CA.

The minimum number of voting members of a committee who must be in attendance for the committee to proceed with its mandated work.

The two-year period to be reviewed during the full assessment year. For example, July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2017, July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019, and onward.

A person appointed by the Governors as a Dean of a Faculty (or equivalent), an Associate Vice-President, a Vice-President, or the President, including a person appointed as "acting" in any of those positions. Also called an "SLT (Senior Leadership Team) member".

The Governors of the University of Calgary, as represented by the Provost & Vice-President (Academic) and The Faculty Association of the University of Calgary (TUCFA).

"Work days", for the purposes of determining timelines of leave days, does not include Saturdays, Sundays or statutory holidays. One week is equal to five "Work Days". Reference to "days" in the Collective Agreement is always working days unless otherwise specified.

Rating instrument used by students to evaluate their instructors and professors.