Memorandums 2017-23

The 2017-2022 Collective Agreement is without prejudice to the rights under the award by Anne Wallace for Grievance #2018-02.

Effective July 1, 2017

• The USFA is entitled to one observer on the Spousal Appointment Task force.

Effective July 1, 2019

Compensation:

• 1.25% adjustment to salary scales
• 1.25% adjustment to Career Development Increases
• 1.25% adjustment for all active employees
• $3,000 on base salary for all active employees

Changes to Merit System effective July 1, 2019 (2018/19 review year):

• Reduce the merit system from 610 to 300 special increases (equivalent to 300 CDI’s) per year
• Reduce maximum value of special increases per employee to 2 times the value of a CDI in each year
• Departments may award ½ or 1 times the value of a CDI to any employee
• Colleges may award ½, 1, 1½, or 2 times the value of a CDI to any employee, up to the overall maximum of 2
• PRC may award (with or without awards by the department or college) ½, 1, 1½, or 2 times the value of a CDI to any employee recommended by the college, up to the overall maximum of 2

Effective first day of the month following the date of ratification:

Benefits:

Short Term Disability

• Extend the short term disability period from 90 calendar days to 112 calendar days

Long Term Disability

• Extend the elimination period from 90 calendar days to 112 calendar days
• Extend the disability payments to the end of the month in which death occurs

Extended Health Care

• Increase annual maximum coverage for Psychologists from $500 to $2,000
• Increase eye exam coverage from $100 to $150 every two years

Increase covered moving expenses from $6,000 to $10,000 for any property or personal effects that are moved.

Effective July 1, 2020

Compensation:

• 1.95% adjustment to salary scales
• 1.95% adjustment to Career Development Increases
• 1.95% adjustment for all active employees

Effective July 1, 2021

Compensation:

• 1.95% adjustment to salary scales
• 1.95% adjustment to Career Development Increases
• 1.95% adjustment for all active employees

• MOA 1

In the interest of promoting harmonious relations and recognizing that the appointment and reappointment of senior Administrative officers has an impact on the working conditions of the Faculty, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association agree that the following represents their understanding with respect to the appointment and reappointment of senior administrative officers of the University:

1. The University of Saskatchewan agrees that the search procedures outlined in the policy documents issued by the Board of Governors in 1997, and as amended from time to time, shall be interpreted to include:
   • Deans, Associate Deans, and Vice-Deans;
   • Executive Directors, Executive Directors and CEOS, and Associate Executive Directors of Institutes and Schools;
   • the Director of VIDO-INTERVAC;
   • Vice-Provosts, Associate Vice-Provosts, and Assistant Vice-Provosts; 
   • Vice-Presidents, Associate Vice-Presidents;
   • the Provost and Vice-President Academic;
   • the President;
   • and additional positions as deemed appropriate by the Joint Committee.
2. The University shall notify the Joint Committee for the Management of the Agreement when new Senior Administrator positions are created.
3. From time to time, a Joint Committee of the Board of Governors and Council will be established to review the search procedures in respect of the appointment and reappointment of the senior administrative officers noted above, and will report their findings and any proposed amendments to the Board of Governors.  The appropriate number of faculty or Council members on the search committees and the appropriate methods for selection of faculty or Council members will be included in the review.
4. The Joint Committee shall be comprised of three (3) members appointed by the Board, and three (3) members drawn from the membership of the General Academic Assembly named by the Nominations Committee of Council and approved by Council, and an independent Chair appointed by the Board of Governors from a list of names put forward by the Joint Committee.  The list shall be approved by a majority of the members of the Committee, including at least a majority of the Council appointees, and a majority of the Board appointees.
5. The University agrees to make the policy available on the University web site.   Print copies of the policy shall also be available, upon request.
6. The University restates its commitment to follow the policies issued by the Board of Governors and to allow the full range and extent of consultation envisioned by these policies.

• MOA 2

The University of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association agree as follows:

1. That there is a need for a limited number of probationary and tenured employees whose roles in the academic unit may differ from the teacher-scholar model.
2. That these employees may have credentials and/or qualifications that differ from the teacher-scholar model and have assigned duties more concentrated on the delivery of academic programs.
3. That these academic employees will be in scope of the bargaining unit represented by the Association.
4. That appointment of these academic employees shall only be made at the ranks of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor and shall be designated as “Academic Programming.”
5. That employees with an Academic Programming appointment shall be referred to as, Assistant Professor (AP) and Associate Professor (AP).
6. That there shall be no more than 50 probationary or tenured employees university-wide designated Academic Programming and no academic unit shall have more than 20% of probationary or tenured employees designated Academic Programming, unless mutually agreed upon by the parties at the Joint Committee for Management of the Agreement. Permanent changes to either limit shall be referred to the Collective Negotiating Committee for negotiation.
7. That for the purposes of establishing the percentage used in paragraph 6 above, the number of probationary or tenured employees shall be as of July 1 of the academic year in which the designation is made.
8. That Academic Programming appointments shall only be made in Departments, or non-departmentalized Colleges, that have approved Standards for Renewal of Probation, Tenure and Promotion for Assistant Professor (AP) and Associate Professor (AP).
9. That any probationary and tenured employee may seek a change in career path to or from an Academic Programming appointment.
10. That salaries for Academic Programming appointments shall correspond to the schedule of salaries for the ranks of Assistant and Associate Professor.
11. That the Collective Agreement shall apply in its entirety to Academic Programming appointments with the following modifications:
    1. Article 13.1.1 shall be amended to include: that the academic ranks of Assistant Professor and Associate Professor may be designated as “Academic Programming (AP).”
    2. Articles 16.4.4 (vi) and 16.5.4 shall be amended to include: Associate Professor “Academic Programming.”
    3. Articles 18.2.6.9, 18.2.6.10 and 18.2.6.12 shall not apply.
12. The following defines the process through which an employee may seek a change in career path through a designation to or from Academic Programming:
    1. The employee may make a written request to the Vice-President Academic and Provost for a change in career path.
    2. Upon receipt of such request the Vice-President Academic and Provost shall call a meeting of the Appointments Forum within 60 days of the request to consider the request for a change in career path.
    3. The Appointments Forum shall review evidence provided by the employee in relation to department, or college in a non-departmentalized college, standards for the designation to which the employee is seeking a change in career path. The Provost and Vice-President Academic shall within thirty days of first consideration of the request for a change in career path, recommend to the President whether or not the employee shall be granted such a change.
    4. After a request for a change in career path has been approved by the Provost and Vice-President Academic and the Board, the President shall send a letter to the employee specifying the addition or removal of the AP designation.
    5. If the Provost and Vice-President Academic does not recommend a change in career path, the President shall inform the employee in writing giving the reasons for the negative decision along with information on the employee’s right to appeal to the University Review Committee for final decision. A member or observer of the Appointments Forum (including the chair) shall withdraw from the University Review Committee for the hearing of an appeal.
    6. An employee who changed to an Academic Programming appointment will receive the Academic Programming designation and an employee changed from an Academic Programming appointment will have the designation removed.
    7. No employee shall be obliged to seek a change in career path.
    8. Changes in the duties of the employee that occur as a result of a change in career path shall be in accordance with guidelines for the assignment of duties as established in the employee’s department or non-departmentalized college.
    9. The type of appointment held by an employee shall not be affected upon change in career path.

• MOA 3

The Employer and the Association agree to the establishment of joint committees with equal representation from both parties to carry out the following tasks:

1. Spousal Hiring. The parties share an interest in and commitment to spousal hiring to support the recruitment and retention of faculty and agree to establish a joint committee to review spousal hiring practices and develop principles that will guide decisions related to the hiring of a spouse. The joint committee shall report to the parties within one year of the signing of the Collective Agreement.
2. Intellectual Property. The parties agree to establish a joint committee to review the intellectual property provisions and make recommendations to the Collective Negotiating Committee with respect to the inclusion of any necessary language into the Collective Agreement.
3. Child and Elder Care. The parties agree that they shall immediately begin researching the feasibility of entering into a corporate membership with potential service providers as soon as possible.

The Employer agrees to provide administrative support resources to these joint committees.

The parties have executed the Agreement this 30th day of July, 2014.

• MOA 4

1. Preamble

The University of Saskatchewan (“the Employer”) and the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association (“USFA”) agree that this Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is to govern the integration of former full-time, out-of-scope academic positions into the Collective Bargaining Agreement as a result of the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board decision dated November 20,2008 providing that all full-time academic employees of the University of Saskatchewan are members of the bargaining unit represented by the USFA.

The Employer agrees that when establishing academic positions funded from sources other than the University operating budget that the terms and conditions of the 2007-2009 Collective Agreement between the USFA and the Employer, as amended from time to time, shall apply in its entirety to such appointments except for the modifications noted in this MOA or as may be further agreed between the parties.

2. Modified Terms and Conditions Defined

For the purpose of interpreting this MOA, the following terms and conditions are defined:

1. Continuing Status means the appointment of an employee to a full-time continuing position on probation or with continuing status that is supported by and dependent upon funds provided by a third party under a contract, grant or master funding agreement signed between the Employer and the third party. Such appointment shall continue subject only to the provisions relating to renewal of probation (Article 14), tenure (Article 15), resignation (Article 23), retirement (Article 24), discipline (Article 31), and notice as provided for under Section 2 b) of this MOA. Whenever the term “tenure” is used in the Collective Agreement, it shall be replaced by the words “continuing status” for those employees appointed to a fulltime continuing status position funded by a third party
2. Notice of Termination of Continuing Status where Article 29 Does Not Apply. In the event that the third party funding agreement is terminated or the funding for the appointment is eliminated, the employee shall be given a minimum of six months written notice of termination of the appointment and an additional one month’s notice for every year of service greater than six years, up to a combined maximum of 24 month’s notice. At the Employer’s discretion, notice may be given as working notice or salary in lieu of notice. An employee who has been given working notice may elect salary in lieu of notice. An employee working through the notice period is eligible to be considered for other faculty appointments and if recommended for appointment may transfer in accordance with the provisions of Article 28. Normally, any employee who accepts salary in lieu of notice may not hold another appointment to the University until the end of the notice period.
3. Special Increases. Articles 17 and 18 shall apply. The awards for special increases for faculty members funded from sources other than the University operating budget will be included in the allocations specified in Article 18.2.4.2 but shall be paid from the same source of funds as their salary.
4. Article 11, Assignment of Duties. Specific terms and conditions with respect to teaching, research or other duties that apply to a position funded from sources outside the operating budget shall be taken into account in determining the employee’s assignment of duties.
5. Article 22, Benefits. The provisions of Article 22 shall apply. Effective on the first day of the month following the date of signing of this MOA, employees currently enrolled in the 1999 Academic Pension Plan (Defined Benefit Plan) shall remain in the plan. All other eligible employees shall be enrolled in the 2000 Academic Money Purchase Pension Plan.

3. Revisions to Individual Letters of Appointment

The parties agree that individual letters of appointment will be provided to current employees in the following positions which shall describe the terms of their appointment, including academic rank and any other modifications mutually agreed to by the parties as described in Appendix A of this MOA. The USFA shall be provided with a copy of the letter of appointment.

4. Positions Funded from Non-Operating Budget Funds

SASKATCHEWAN MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE STRATEGIC RESEARCH PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENTS OF SOIL SCIENCE, FOOD AND BIOPRODUCT SCIENCES, AND ANIMAL AND POULTRY SCIENCE, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND BIORESOURCES; DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND BIORESOURCE ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employees shall be appointed on probation or with continuing status.

Sabbatical Leave, Article 20:
Article 20 applies subject to the provision that the term sabbatical leave shall be replaced by the term research leave.

Patents, Article 25:
ln accordance with the provisions of the Master Funding Agreement (MFA) the proceeds resulting from the commercialization of any intellectual property will be returned to the research group and the provisions of the MFA supersede the provisions of Article 25.

Layoff and Severance, Article 29:
Article 29 does not apply. The employees shall be entitled to notice provisions described in Section 2 b) of this MOA.

AFIF CHAIR IN AGRICULTURAL MICROBIOLOGY AND MICROBIAL BIOPRODUCTS, DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND BIOPRODUCT SCIENCES, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND BIORESOURCES.

BEEF INDUSTRY CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL AND POULTRY SCIENCE, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND BIORESOURCES.

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employees shall be appointed on probation or with continuing status.

Sabbatical Leave, Article 20:
Article 20 applies subject to the provision that the term sabbatical leave shall be replaced by the term research leave.

Layoff and Severance, Article 29:
Article 29 applies.

AGRI-FOOD INNOVATION FUND (AFIF) CHAIR IN SPECIAL CROPS, DEPARTMENT OF PLANT SCIENCES, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND BIORESOURCES

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employees shall be appointed on probation or with continuing status.

Sabbatical Leave, Article 20:
Article 20 applies subject to the provision that the term sabbatical leave shall be replaced by the term research leave.

Patents, Article 25:
The ownership of any intellectual property other than copyrighted materials developed by the Chair in Special Crops shall be determined by the terms of any third party grant or contract which provided funding to carry out the research which led to the development of the intellectual property.

Layoff and Severance, Article 29:
Article 29 applies.

AFIF SPECIALIZED LIVESTOCK CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF LARGE ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES, WCVM.

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employees shall be appointed on probation or with continuing status.

Sabbatical Leave, Article 20:
Article 20 applies subject to the provision that the term sabbatical leave shall be replaced by the term research leave.

Layoff and Severance, Article 29:
Article 29 does not apply. The employee shall be entitled to notice provisions described in Section 2 b) of this MOA.

BARBHOLD CHAIR IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING.

Type of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employees shall be appointed to a probationary position leading to tenure and shall be seeking their first tenure track appointment.

Layoff and Severance, Article 29:
Article 29 applies.

SASKATCHEWAN HEALTHY LIVING SERVICES RESEARCH CHAIR IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE (SUBSTANCE ABUSE CHAIR), DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE.

CENTENNIAL CHAIRS, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY, JOHNSON SHOYAMA GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employees shall be appointed on probation or with tenure.

Ranks and Salaries, Article 18:
The holder of the Chair may be entitled to an annual salary stipend so long as the incumbent holds the title of Chair.

Layoff and Severance, Article 29:
Article 29 applies.

SASKATCHEWAN COLLEGE OF PHARMACISTS, COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND NUTRITION.

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employees shall be appointed without term.

Layoff and Severance, Article 29:
Article 29 does not apply. Article 13.3.4 applies.

CAMECO RESEARCH CHAIR IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND AQUEOUS GEOCHEMISTRY, DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE.

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employees shall be appointed on probation or with tenure.

Political Leave, Article 21.1:
Incumbents shall not be entitled to political leaves.

Layoff and Severance, Article 29:
Article 29 applies.

GEORGE J. MCLEOD CHAIR IN GEOLOGY (MCLEOD CHAIR), DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES, COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE.

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:

Employees shall be appointed for a limited term not to exceed five years.

Political Leave, Article 21.1:
Incumbents shall not be entitled to political leaves.

HADLEY VAN VLIET VISITING PROFESSORSHIP IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS (VAN VLIET CHAIR), DEPARTMENT OF BIORESOURCE POLICY, BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employees shall be appointed for a limited term not to exceed five years.

Ariel F. Sallows Chair in Human Rights (Sallows Professor of Human Rights), College of Law.

Saskatchewan Law Foundation Chair, College of Law.

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employees shall be appointed for a limited term not to exceed five years.

Alberta Chair in Beef Cattle Health and Production Management, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, WCVM.

Types of Appointment, Article 13.3:
Employee shall be appointed on probation or with continuing status.

Sabbatical Leave, Article 20:
Article 20 applies subject to the provision that the term sabbatical leave shall be replaced by the term research leave.

Layoff and Severance, Article 29:
Article 29 does not apply. The employee shall be entitled to notice provisions described in Section 2b) of this MOA.

5. Interpretation and Review Procedures

Employees may request a review of the application of the new terms and conditions of employment as described by this MOA within 90 days from the effective date of their appointment in-scope of the USFA, that is by January 31, 2010.

Any disputes concerning the interpretation of this MOA shall be resolved by agreement between the Employer and the USFA.

• MOA 5

The parties agree that the roles and responsibilities prescribed in the Collective Agreement to Department Heads will be carried out by the Unified Heads or Provincial Heads in the College of Medicine, except for Articles 17.3.3, 17.3.3.1 and 17.4.3 – College Salary Committee for Department Heads and Assistant Deans.

The parties also acknowledge that any provisions of the Collective Agreement that govern the terms and conditions of employment for Department Heads do not apply to Unified Heads or Provincial Heads.

The parties agree that when one or more members of the faculty of a Clinical Department in the College of Medicine is an employee, the search and review committees for appointment and reappointment of the Head shall include one employee from the Department. When a department has employee representation and an employee from the department is not able to participate, the co-chairs shall appoint another employee of the College.

• MOA 6

This Memorandum of Agreement applies to employees who as of September 4, 2013 are participating in the Reduced Appointment Plan (RAP) according to Article 13.2.3 of the 2010-2013 Collective Agreement.

The parties agree:

1. That Employees in the RAP as of September 4, 2013 according to Article 13.2.3 of the 2010-2013 Collective Agreement shall maintain their reduced appointment according to the terms and conditions of Article 13.2.3 of the 2010-2013 Collective Agreement.
2. Employees in the RAP as of September 4, 2013 may elect to participate in the Reduced Appointment Retirement Plan (RARP) in accordance with the provisions of the new Article 24.5 which was agreed to by the parties on July 9, 2013. The employee must advise the Dean and Provost in writing of the election. Employees in the RAP as of September 4, 2013 who elect to participate in the RARP effective July 1, 2014 are permitted to provide late notification until February 28, 2014.

• MOA 7

The University of Saskatchewan (the Employer) and the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association (USFA) agree as follows:

1. An Incentive Plan for Retirement shall be available to a maximum of 80 employees who on October 31, 2013:
   1. Hold continuing appointments (tenured, permanent status, continuing status, or without term); and
   2. By June 30, 2014 will have a combined age and years of service at the University of Saskatchewan greater than or equal to 85.
2. Applications for retirement under the terms of this Incentive Plan for Retirement shall be directed to the Department Head and Dean by October 31, 2013 for retirements effective June 30, 2014.
3. Should there be more than 80 Employees who apply for the Incentive Plan for Retirement, the Employer will, by December 31, 2013, select 80 in the following manner:
4. The first 45 selected shall be those applicants who have the highest combined total of age and years of service;
   1. The remaining 35 will be based on criteria ensuring alignment with the strategic complement needs of the university and academic units.
   2. The USFA shall have observer status for deliberations regarding the selection of the applicants.
5. For the purposes of this Memorandum of Agreement:
   1. Annual salary shall mean the academic component of an employee’s base salary (Article 18.2), excluding supplements, as of June 30, 2014; and
   2. Years of service shall mean the accumulated time, provided that it is continuous, in probationary, tenured, continuing status, permanent status, limited term and without term appointments, excluding absences for leaves without pay but including education leave (Article 21.6), parental leave (Article 21.7) and Disability Leave (Article 21.8) 
6. Upon retirement, the Employer will pay to an employee accepted for the Incentive Plan for Retirement a retiring allowance equivalent to one-half of the employee’s full-time annual salary plus $3,750 per year of full-time service. For the purposes of calculating a retiring allowance, employees with part-time service shall have full-time annual salary adjusted in proportion to years of part-time service, and years of service adjusted to full-time years of service.
7. The retiring allowance shall be paid by annual or semi-annual installments over a period of up to five (5) years after the date of retirement. The employee must advise the Employer by May 15, 2014 of the timing of installments or the retiring allowance will be paid in five (5) annual installments commencing January 31, 2015 
8. If an employee dies after being accepted for the Incentive Plan for Retirement, the named beneficiary shall be entitled to receive the remaining retiring allowance owing in installments. 
9. Articles 24.2 and 24.3.1 shall apply to employees accepted for the Incentive Plan for Retirement.
10. An employee who applies for the Incentive Plan for Retirement may revoke their application no later than December 15, 2013.
11. The Provost and Vice-President Academic has the right to defer the retirement date by one year to June 30, 2015.
12. By January 31, 2014, The Provost and Vice-President Academic shall:
    1. notify in writing each applicant that has been selected for the Incentive Plan for Retirement;
    2. notify in writing each applicant that has not been selected for the Incentive Plan for Retirement and include reasons why the applicant was not selected; and
    3. notify in writing selected applicants for whom the date of retirement will be deferred and include the reason(s) for the deferral.

The USFA shall be provided with a copy of all notifications.

13. Once an application has been approved, the decision may be reversed only by mutual consent of the Provost and Vice-President Academic and the applicant. The USFA shall be informed of all applications under this Incentive Plan for Retirement that have been reversed.
14. The requirements of Article 20.7.1 are waived for Employees who have been accepted for the Incentive Plan for Retirement and who are on a sabbatical leave during the 2013-14 academic year.
15. Employees who have had their 2013-14 sabbatical leave deferred and who have been accepted for the Incentive Plan for Retirement shall have the option of retiring effective July 1, 2014 or deferring retirement until their return from sabbatical leave. The requirements of Article 20.7.1 are waived for Employees who choose to complete their sabbatical leave.
16. Employees who are approved for a sabbatical leave during the 2014-15 academic year and who are accepted for the Incentive Plan for Retirement shall be deemed to have cancelled the sabbatical leave.
17. The terms of this agreement are subject to the rules and regulations of legislation governing retiring allowances and pension plans. The retiring allowance payments shall not be included as pensionable earnings for the purposes of determining an Employee’s pension entitlement or pension contributions.
18. A grievance in the case of the Incentive Plan for Retirement shall be subject to the limitations of Article 15.17.

• MOA 8

• Establishment of a Joint Committee (total of 6 members, with each party naming 3 representatives)
• Purpose of the committee is to examine the issue of workload

• Scope and timeline of Committee:

• • Gather information about workload from the Employer and employees across campus
  • Provide recommendations about what procedures, criteria and mechanisms could be put in place to address concerns (expressed by employer and employees) about workload decisions
  • Meet no less than monthly beginning March 2022
  • Report no later than March 2023