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Information for People Offered Tenure-Track Appointments in YUFA 

When you're offered a tenure-track position at York, some important employment issues, all of which are negotiable, need be addressed during your negotiations with the Dean. Some of these matters (such as initial salary) will impact your entire career at York.

We outline briefly issues that our experience indicates are important in hirings and in your transition to York. We encourage you to contact YUFA for more information prior to your negotiations. Remember that the people with whom you negotiate have full information; fairness requires that you also have the most complete information possible.

1. Initial salary. All future base salary adjustments will build on your starting salary, as will benefit levels such as pension. Inequities are created when a candidate is given a starting salary that is low in comparison to her or his immediate cohort and other peers. Typically, some increase in the first salary offer is negotiable. Information about average salaries in comparable groups, which YUFA can usually provide you with, is often a valuable resource for these negotiations.

In addition, check your letter of offer for a version of one of the following phrases: either (1) "This salary is expressed in [month and date 20XX to month and date 20XX+1] terms and will not be increased by any increments ..." or (2) “This salary is expressed in [month and date 20XX to month and date 20XX+1] terms and will be increased by a percentage equal to the following categories of salary increments during this period: [specify any categories of salary increases during the period found in Article 25 ... that will be applicable during the period]." If one of these phrases does not appear in your letter, it must be revised to include it. And obviously, version 2 is more favourable (and usually fairer) to you than version 1.

Click here for information about typical starting salaries of Assistant Professors in 2002 and 2003 (by Faculty). Those being appointed to Atkinson Administrative Studies, Computer Science, Economics, or Schulich, should note that the Employer views these disciplines as having "market-related concerns" and consequently generally pays higher salaries in these units.

2. Path towards the tenure decision. The normal maximum time prior to first putting a file forward for a tenure decision is 4 years and a few months (if starting in “Pre-Candidacy 1”). However, some people with experience elsewhere start as far along as “Candidacy 1” and file assembly begins within 6 months of arrival. Of course, if you already hold tenure at another university, you should inquire about tenure at York. These choices must be weighed carefully, based on the completeness of your “tenure file” on appointment. To assist you with this decision, ask for a copy of your unit's T&P standards, a document which is an explication of the Tenure and Promotions Policy, Criteria and Procedures. For more information regarding York's T&P process, see the T&P Toolkit and YUFA's T&P Webpage.

3. Credits towards a sabbatical. People coming from outside York may receive up to 3 years credit towards their next sabbatical. Clauses 20.03 (faculty) and 20.10 (librarians) state that such credit is granted on the basis of 1 year of credit for each 2 years of active, unbroken, full-time service since sabbatical (or if there has been no sabbatical, since date of first full-time academic appointment) at the previous university.

For people coming from within York, clause 12.12 states that CLAs receive 1 year of credit for each year of previous service up to a maximum of 4 years. Clause 12.31 (c) states that people coming from CUPE 3903 Unit 2 receive 1 year of credit for each year of previous service to a maximum of 6 years.

Whether a sabbatical occurs prior to a tenure decision is negotiable.

4. Start-up grants. Research start-up grants vary depending on the Faculty, the area of work, and specific needs. Colleagues in your unit may be able to provide you with typical arrangements. The University's Computer Renewal Program provides for standard issue computer replacements every 3 years.

5. First year teaching load. Reduced teaching load during the first year or sometimes initial two years of an appointment can often be arranged in tenure track positions. Practices vary by Faculty. Click here to find out more about your unit's "normal teaching load" and follow the links to your Faculty and department.

6. Teaching / course stability during the pre-tenure period. The opportunity to teach the same course for several years can be valuable in terms of balancing teaching and research during this critical period.

7. Moving expenses and assistance. If you are moving to Toronto to assume your appointment, you are guaranteed reimbursement for moving expenses, subject to certain limits. To read the University's Relocation Allowance policy, click here (PDF). Although dated 1990, it is still the current policy for most Faculties. However, appointees to the Faculty of Arts should click here (PDF), and appointees to Atkinson, should click here (PDF) as these two Faculties have enhanced policies. For relocation assistance, contact York's Relocation Office.

8. Service to the University is part of your professional responsibilities. Many units are very conscious of the demands placed on new untenured faculty with regard to tenure file preparation, curriculum development, etc. and thus are considerate in the distribution of service commitments. It is important to achieve a balance between fulfilling your obligations and taking on too many service “opportunities”. (When you do feel ready, however, please be aware that service in YUFA also counts toward your service responsibilities; we'd love to talk to you about it.) 

9. Some information:

  • The Salary Floors are minimums and not necessarily reflective of the starting salary you can expect.
  • Benefits begin the day of your appointment. For more information, see the Benefits Booklet.
  • Typically, the way your salary will grow is through increments negotiated by YUFA with the Employer. The 2006-09 Collective Agreement provides for Base Salary Adjustments and Progress-through-the-Ranks (PTR) raises that occur each May ($2,700 on 1 May 2008). Members also receive an additional PTR raise with each promotion. For more information on how salaries grow over the years, click here.

10. A few words of advice: 

  • When you're presented with an offer, you don't have to say, "yes" right away; take a few days to consider it. It's a big decision.
  • If you have a higher offer from another university, you may want to share that information with the Dean / Principal / University Librarian; it makes you more marketable.
  • We recommend that you negotiate your contract directly with Deans rather than with department Chairs.
  • Don't rely on verbal agreements. If it is not in writing in your letter of offer, you have no guarantee that it will happen. While you don't have to negotiate things that are already in the Collective Agreement (they're negotiated for you by YUFA), there are some things that should nonetheless be included in your letter of offer, specifically:
    • your starting salary,
    • how much, if any, credit you will receive toward sabbatical,
    • where you're starting on the tenure path, i.e., Pre-Candidacy 1, 2, 3, or Candidacy 1,
    • which stream you will be in, i.e., Professorial or Alternate,
    • whether you will be receiving increments in the year of your appointment or not,
    • start-up grant money.

In some Faculties, first year course reduction and teaching load expectations are specified in your letter of offer. If they are not, we recommend that you confirm these.

11. Links:

Please contact us for more information.

Version: July 2008

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Vice-President Academic's Academic Appointments Process