Grievance Regarding the Faculty of Academic & Career Advancement

The KFA has formally grieved the recent actions of the Senior Leadership regarding the Faculty of Academic & Career Advancement (FACA).

You have probably already learned about the sweeping changes that are being ordered without transparency, without consultation, and without any due process being followed. We contend that the Employer is violating the Agreement by exceeding their management rights, is violating the Agreement by creating a hostile and intimidating work environment for the faculty affected, and is violating both University Policy and the University Act.

The changes being ordered will result in the discontinuance of the Faculty of Academic & Career Advancement, the splitting of the Academic & Career Preparation department and the moving of the parts to different Faculties, the deletion of some of programming of the Academic & Career Preparation department (the mode that enables the delivery of literacy and fundamental level programming), and the moving of the English Language Studies department, all without proper or fair consultation being undertaken. All of these academic decisions have been taken out of the hands of the departments, the Faculties, and Senate.

An open letter from the Academic and Career Advancement Faculty Council outlining these concerns in more detail is available here: Open-Letter-FACA-November-2018.

These moves are troubling in themselves, and we will vigorously defend the rights of all these faculty members.

However, we also view these actions, taken with other recent examples, as troubling indications of unwillingness to consult appropriately and collegially on decisions that directly impact faculty members and the education that we seek to deliver. This grievance thus serves to defend the rights not only of FACA faculty members, but also to defend the more general right of all faculty members to be assured of collegial consultation in matters that directly affect us and to be assured of a healthy and transparent governance structure.

We will provide further updates as events unfold.