YUFA
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Contract Academic Staff Conference 2007:
Career Path or Pit?
Overcoming the Challenges Facing Contract Academic Staff
By Arthur J. Hilliker, President, YUFA
13 Jul 07 – On 30 May 2007, I attended a one-day CAUT (Canadian Association of University Teachers) conference held at the University of Alberta concerning the challenges facing contract academic staff (CAS). In the York context, CAS includes YUFA members who are CLAs (Contractually Limited Appointments) or SRCs (Special Renewable Contracts) as well as members of CUPE 3903 Unit 2 (Contract Faculty).
The plight of contract academic staff is often a dismissal one with low salary, no assurance of continuing appointment, and no opportunity to engage in significant research / scholarly / creative activity. Especially as a result of the latter, the prospects for CAS members to secure tenure-track positions become attenuated with time, as they are unable to advance their scholarly / professional standing.
In 2005, the CAUT Council adopted a Policy Statement on Fairness for Contract Academic Staff, which I urge you to read.
In 2006, the CAUT Contract Academic Staff Committee issued a Discussion Paper on Pro-Rata Appointments of Part-time Contract Academic Staff. The common current model for employment of part-time contract academic staff is stipendiary; i.e., people are paid on a per course basis with no provision for research, service or participation in academic governance. In the pro-rata model, provision is made for the part-time CAS member to be a part-time faculty member with the opportunity provided in the appointment for research, service and participation in academic governance.
The meeting focused on the pro-rata model, although such topics as conversion / regularization, negotiating contract academic staff issues, and surviving the CAS experience were also discussed. I have discussed the issues raised at the meeting with CUPE 3903’s Equity Officer as well as providing her with the CAUT Policy Statement on Fairness for Contract Academic Staff and the CAUT Discussion Paper on Pro-Rata Appointments of Part-time Contract Academic Staff.