Memo: CUPE Local 2278 Appointments Reminder (March 23, 2011)

Memorandum
Date: March 23, 2011
To: Deans, Directors, Department Heads and Administrators
From: Linda McKnight, Director, Human Resources Advisory Services
Re: CUPE Local 2278 Appointments Reminder

This memorandum is intended to remind you of various provisions of the Collective Agreement between the University and CUPE Local 2278 (Teaching Assistants, Tutors and Markers) regarding job descriptions and appointments.

Typically, Teaching Assistants assist course instructors by providing instruction to students in laboratories, discussion periods, tutorials, or lectures; marking examinations, tests, laboratory exercises, or assignments; invigilating examinations; and providing academic assistance to students in office hours. Teaching Assistants may also teach courses if they are under the supervision of faculty. They do not have the full responsibility for the course (including a section of a course); the work undertaken remains the responsibility of the course instructor.

Articles 12 and 13 are particularly important this time of year as they deal, amongst other things, with job descriptions, job posting and appointments. The process is outlined in some detail in these Articles. I merely want to highlight some of the important dates.

Descriptions of all anticipated positions (in the format outlined in Article 12.01) for the winter session of 2011-12 should be posted on Departmental bulletin boards by March 31^st. The Collective Agreement provides that copies of those descriptions and postings are to be sent to CUPE Local 2278.

Applications must be submitted by members of the bargaining unit by April 30^th. The application form needs to provide space for an applicant to express a preference among the descriptions posted.

Departments are required to develop their pools of preferred candidates by May 15^th from the applications submitted and to send a copy of the pool to the Union office. If there are changes in the pool over the summer, the Department must amend it and send a copy to the Union as well as to each preferred candidate whose name has been removed from the pool and who has provided a forwarding address.

By August 7^th offers of appointment for the Winter Session must be made. Preferred candidates must be offered appointments before applicants who are not preferred and they normally have 10 working days to accept or decline an offer. Detailed provisions regarding offers of appointment can be found in Article 13.02. Criteria for reappointment are outlined in Article 13.03.

Wherever possible course assignment (including timetable and the name of the course supervisor) or other duties should be made by August 31^st but in any event no later than September 30^th. For appointments commencing in January, the comparable dates are December 15^th and January 31^st respectively.

The provisions of Article 13 also apply to anticipated positions in the bargaining unit during the Summer Session with revisions to deadlines. Descriptions of anticipated positions must be posted as early as possible. Applications must be submitted by members of the bargaining unit within 10 working days of the date of the posting. Course assignments or other duties should be made two (2) weeks prior to the start of the session but the latest is one (1) week after the commencement of the session.

I hope you find this reminder helpful. Should you have any questions or comments, please contact your Human Resources Advisor or Human Resources Associate.

cc: Peter Lane, CUPE Local 2278
Human Resources Advisory Services

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