Governance
Collegial Governance in the APUO Collective Agreement, 2024-2026
Senate & its committees, along with unit assemblies, Faculty and Library Councils, are sites where collegialgovernance is expected but not always attained. However, several articles in the Collective Agreement protect collegial decision-making.
Article 5.4.1 states that “collegial process is a fundamental element of university life. The Parties undertake to respect that principle and thus recognize the right and responsibility of Members to participate individually, each in accordance with their own responsibilities, in the formulation of policies and procedures for the functioning of the University of Ottawa and take part in the work of appropriate committees, councils and assemblies.”
The chart below—not an exhaustive list—details other places in the collective agreement that seek to ensure colleagial governance. Please contact apuo@apuo.ca if you have suggestions.
| Appointments Appointments Committee | 17.1.3.1 The initial appointment of an academic staff member shall be made by the Employer on recommendation of the academic unit concerned and the Dean of the faculty. Besides the recommendation of the academic unit, the Chair may make a separate recommendation. 17.1.3.2 The academic unit’s recommendation shall be made by an appointments committee composed of either the DTPC [Department Teaching and Personnel Committee] or the academic unit’s assembly or a group of assembly members designated by it, it being understood that the academic unit’s assembly shall decide the method to be used. Furthermore, it is understood that, regardless of the method, the curricula vitae of all candidates shall be made available to all regular Members in the academic unit. Access to other documents, including letters of reference, shall be regulated by the departmental assembly. Notwithstanding the preceding, the appointments committee must be comprised of a majority of Members. |
| Closure & Reorganization of an Academic Unit Ad Hoc Review Committee | 19.1.2.1 (a) The conditions necessary for program redundancy will have been identified by the Executive Committee of the Senate and notice thereof given to the Association on or before June 30 in any academic year.(b) Within fifteen (15) working days of the Executive Committee of Senate’s notice of conditions suggesting program redundancy, there shall be struck an ad hoc Review Committee composed of a chair and one (1) member named by the Board of Governors, three (3) members named by the Senate, at least one (1) of whom shall be a member of its Academic Planning Committee, and three (3) members named by the Association. |
| Department Assemblies | *5.5.2.3 Frequency of Meetings The departmental assembly shall meet as regularly as is necessary for it to discharge its primary responsibilities for ensuring that a collegial decision making process is followed, as per 5.4.1. Notwithstanding the previous, there shall not be fewer than five (5) meetings of the departmental assembly per academic year. |
| Department Chairs & Directors of Schools Department Chair Selection Committee | 37.2.1 There shall be a selection committee. The committee shall be chaired by the Dean of the faculty concerned and, in addition to the latter, shall have the following members; (a) the Provost and Vice-President Academic Affairs or a person designated by them; (b) two (2) regular academic unit Members, at least one (1) of whom is tenured, of the department concerned — elected by secret ballot by the regular academic unit Members concerned; (c) one (1) or two (2) persons from outside the academic unit concerned and with an established reputation in that discipline or a related one, to be chosen by the four (4) members of the selection committee already mentioned above. |
| Discipline Investigative Committee for violation of Article 10 “Fairness and ethical behaviour” | 39.2.2.5 If the matter has not been resolved within ten (10) working days following the conclusion of the meeting [between the member and the Dean], the Provost and Vice-President Academic Affairs shall, within the following ten (10) working days, advise the concerned Member and the Association that the matter will be placed before an investigative committee. The committee shall be composed of: (a) two (2) persons named by the Provost and Vice-President Academic Affairs; (b) two (2) Members of the Association, named by the Association; and (c) the Provost and Vice-President Academic Affairs, who shall act as non- voting chair. |
| Distribution of vacant positions Complement | 17.10.3 Complement Discussions: At the request of the APUO, the JCCC [Joint Consultation and Communication Committee] will meet once a year to discuss the distribution of vacant positions. When complement is to be discussed, the Provost and Vice-President Academic Affairs shall be present. |
| Employment Equity Employment Equity Committee | 17.1.6.2 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC) There shall be a joint APUO-Employer consultative committee on equity, diversity and inclusion. Its opinion shall be sought on any contemplated employment equity, diversity and inclusion measure and procedures which affect the APUO bargaining unit. The committee has eight (8) members, of whom four (4) are appointed by the Employer and four (4) by the Association. […] |
| Evaluation (e.g. student opinion surveys) | 23.1.1.3 The Employer acknowledges that: (a) the Senate, before implementing any new performance evaluation method over which it would have control, shall consult the Association; (b) the Association’s consent must be obtained before the Employer may use the results of evaluations resulting from a new instrument which meets the conditions in paragraph (a) above in the management of a Member’s file, the evaluation of their performance, or the progression of their career. 24.3.3.2 Changes in the system of student evaluation of courses and teaching introduced by the Senate are subject to the following. (a) The Association shall be consulted at least three (3) months before the proposed changes are submitted to the Senate for approval. The Association’s written response, if any, shall be made available to members of the Senate prior to their deliberations in this regard. |
| Financial Exigency | 19.1.2.1 In the notice required by 19.1.1, the Board of Governors through the Secretary of the University shall inform the Association of the creation of an ad hoc committee composed of a chair and one (1) member appointed by the Board of Governors, two (2) members appointed by the Senate, one (1) of whom shall be a member of its Academic Planning Committee, and three (3) members to be appointed by the Association. 19.1.4 The Finance Committee of the Board of Governors shall consider the recommendations of the ad hoc committee and shall report to the Board of Governors. Only after receipt of this report from its Finance Committee shall the Board of Governors be capable of declaring a state of financial exigency by reason either of a financial emergency for the entire university or that, for financial reasons, the number of positions within a particular faculty must be reduced. |
| Health & Safety The Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee | 5.1.4.3 The Employer shall consult with the Association prior to implementing or revising policies with respect to workplace safety standards, practices or procedures. |
| Joint Consultation and Communications Committee | 5.7.1 The Parties agree to establish a committee that will meet on a regular basis to exchange information, to discuss issues of mutual interest, and to draw to each other’s attention situations that might give rise to conflicts between the Parties, as well as to propose initiatives that can ensure an ongoing healthy relationship between the Parties. 5.7.1.1 The Committee will be made up of three (3) representatives appointed by each Party […] 5.7.1.4 The committee will meet at a minimum in the months of September, November, February, and May, as well as any other times agreed to by the Parties. |
| Promotion, Tenure & Continuing Status Faculty Teaching Personnel Committee (FTPC) Department Teaching Personnel Committee (DTPC) Librarians’ Personnel Committee (LPC) Teaching Personnel Committee of the Institute (TPCI) (for Language Teachers) | 14.1.1 Composition In every faculty, there shall be a Faculty Teaching Personnel Committee (FTPC) composed of five (5) tenured Faculty Members. 15.1.1.1 In faculties having schools or departments, the situation which existed when this agreement was ratified, regarding the existence and composition of a Departmental Teaching Personnel Committee (DTPC), shall continue to apply unless altered by a vote of the regular Members of the department. [Note: In some units, members have elected to have the chair play the role of the DTPC and pass a motion to this effect when the members would normally be elected]. 15.1.1.2 A committee shall be composed of not fewer than three (3) and not more than five (5) regular tenured Faculty Members from the department, including the Chair. 16.1.1.1 There shall be in the Library a Librarians’ Personnel Committee (LPC) which is a peer review committee composed of five (5) Librarian Members with continuing appointment. 16.2.1.1 (a) There shall be, at the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute, a Teaching Personnel Committee of the Institute (TPCI) composed of the director of the Institute and four (4) elected regular Members of the Institute who hold either a professorial rank or the rank of Language Teacher III or IV. |
| Salary Anomalies Anomalies Committee | 41.4.2 The committee shall consist of two (2) persons representing the Association, two (2) persons representing the Employer, and the Employer’s Liaison Officer who shall act as chairperson with no right to vote. Allocations shall be by majority vote. |
| Workload Department Teaching Personnel Committee (DTPC) Teaching Personnel Committee of the Institute (TPCI) Faculty Workload Review Committee (FWRC) | 15.1.4.4(b) stipulates that the DTPC “shall give advice to the chair concerning teaching loads”; 16.2.3.1(b) stipulates that the TPCI “shall give advice to the director concerning teaching loads”; 22.2.6 Disputes relating to an individual Member’s workload assignment 22.2.6.4 Committee Mandate: […] a Faculty Workload Review Committee (hereinafter “FWRC”), shall review and consider matters of dispute arising from the assignment of an individual Member’s workload as per 22.2.1 of the collective agreement. 22.2.6.5 Membership of the FWRC: (a) The committee shall be comprised of the members of the FTPC, excluding the Dean. (b) The Dean shall put forward the names of two (2) individuals to chair the FWRC, of which the members of the committee shall choose one (1) by a majority vote. |
| Various Joint Committees adhere to the principles of collegial governance | 40.4.3.4 Pension Fund Investment Committee 5.4.2.2 establishes advisory committees for services such as “the bookstore, catering, health services, parking as described in section 40.7, and the University Centre” |