Professional Development Committees
It has recently come to the attention of both the KFA and the Employer that a number of programs/disciplines at Kwantlen have not been adhering to, or perhaps were not aware of, the relevant articles of the Local Collective Agreement when determining representatives to area PD Committees.
As a result of discussions at LMRC, it was decided to issue a joint faculty-management memorandum on the process according to the information contained the Local Collective Agreement.
Please read through this material carefully and help ensure that all faculty members (regular, non-regular Type I and non-regular Type II) in your program/discipline get a chance to see this document.
1. Which PD Committee is responsible for my area?
Article 16.01(a) lists the 11 groupings of programs/disciplines for all programs/disciplines at the institution.
2. How many faculty members are needed to form a PD Committee?
Article 16.01(b) describes the committee membership. Each of the programs/disciplines within each of the 11 groupings may elect a faculty member to serve on the group PD Committee. This committee should consist of at least three faculty members.
3. How long can a faculty member be on the PD Committee?
According to Article 16.01(b), an election is required every two years (in Feb/Mar) so that the new committee would take effect at the start of the next fiscal year (April 1st). The same person could only serve for another 2-year term if re-elected by the faculty members of that program/discipline. It is the responsibility of the administrator for the program/discipline to ensure that the elections have taken place. It is the responsibility of all faculty members in that program/discipline to be informed, and to get involved in the PD election process.
4. Who is eligible to run/vote in these elections?
All faculty members (regular, non-regular Type I and non-regular Type II in the program/discipline) are eligible to run for the PD Committee and to vote in the election.
5. What happens if an election does not take place?
Article 16.01(c) describes the process to be initiated in the event that the two-year period passes without an election. The Employer would appoint an administrator to perform all the functions of the PD Committee until an election does occur.
6. How is the Chairperson of each PD Committee determined?
Once the program/discipline PD representatives have been elected, then that group will hold an election to determine who will be the Chairperson of the particular group PD Committee for a period of 12 months; i.e., the next fiscal year. See Article 16.01(b).
Educational Leave Committee
It has recently come to the attention of both the KFA and the Employer that a number of programs/disciplines at Kwantlen have not been adhering to, or perhaps were not aware of, the relevant articles of the Local Collective Agreement when determining representatives to the institutional Educational Leave Committee.
As a result of discussions at LMRC, it was decided to issue a joint faculty-management memorandum on the process according to the information contained the Local Collective Agreement.
Please read through this material carefully and help ensure that all faculty members (regular, non-regular Type I and non-regular Type II) in your program/discipline get a chance to see this document.
1. What is Educational Leave?
Article 14.01 describes the purpose. Educational Leave is a period of paid leave enabling a regular faculty member to be freed from regular responsibilities and to be provided with sufficient resources to enable him/her to pursue educational or personal development recognized as beneficial to the Employer. Article 14.14 describes the process by which a regular faculty member makes an application to be considered for an Educational Leave.
2. What does the Educational Leave Committee do?
Most of the work for the members of the Educational Leave Committee takes place in the month of February. It is comprised of several long meetings taking place over a relatively short period of time; i.e., typically the month of February with meetings in the afternoon and evening at all campuses. The supporting documentation from the applicants is due by January 7, oral presentations are heard in February. The Committee's recommendations and rationale go to the University College President by February 28. Article 14.15 states that the Committee's report will state which applicants it believes should be granted. The applicants receive a copy of that report. The President advises the Educational Leave applicants of the final decision by March 15.
3. What is the relationship between the PD Committees and the Ed Leave Committee?
Article 16.01(d) describes the process of forming the Educational Leave Committee. One member of each of the 11 group PD Committees is to be elected to represent that group on the institutional Educational Leave Committee. It is the responsibility of the administrator for the groups listed in Article 16.01(a) to ensure that the elections have taken place. See the above section on the election of the area representative for each group PD Committee.
4. How long may a faculty member serve on the Educational Leave Committee?
Article 14.18 indicates that an elected representative serves for a period of two years. As with the group PD Committees, 50% of the faculty members on the Educational Leave Committee should be replaced each year.
5. How is the Chairperson of the Educational Leave Committee Determined?
Article 14.18 describes the process. The Chairperson is to be elected by and from the members of the Educational Leave Committee. The Chairperson will serve in that capacity for a period of one calendar year. The same faculty member would have to be re-elected by the members of the committee to remain as Chairperson for another year. It is the responsibility of the administrator on the Educational Leave Committee to ensure that the election has taken place.
