KFA Update to Members Part I: Departmental Amalgamation in Arts

Dear KFA Colleagues,

There are many pressing issues currently unfolding in the KFA Office that we would like to update members about. In response, we are sharing a two-part update to keep you fully informed.

Part 1, below, focuses on the Employer’s attempt to merge Departments within the Faculty of Arts and potentially displace duly elected Chairs—an alarming development with implications for all faculties.

Part 2 will follow in the next few days and will address the latest on layoffs, severance violations, grievance updates, accommodation victories, and the growing governance crisis at KPU.

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or to report concerns in your area.

Part I: Departmental Amalgamations and the Chair Crisis in Arts

The KFA is responding to what seems to be an attempt by the Employer to restructure departments in the Faculty of Arts under the guise of “merging” or amalgamation. This isn’t administrative housekeeping. It’s potentially intended to be a systemic displacement of elected Chairs and departmental identities, without due process, transparency, or fulsome explanation.

As far as we are aware, faculty have not been provided with any legitimate academic or economic rationale.

Let’s be clear: departments are not clerical units; they are intellectual and academic communities. Chairs are not managerial tools—they are elected representatives of faculty governance. Their workload is immense and they are on the frontlines of Departmental matters. The amalgamation of Departments or the creation of Departmental “hubs” is no mere administrative change—this represents the discontinuation of one Department and the establishment of another Department. Thus all elements of KPU Policy and Procedure under GV9 Development and Change of Senate-Approved Programs / Procedure / Appendix A must be followed.

There are also Collective Agreement protections for Chairs/Coordinators. For example Chairs are democratically elected for a three year term. It is the position of the KFA that these positions cannot be reduced or eliminated without demonstrable reasons as per the Collective Agreement and the Chair/Coordinator Guidelines.

In other words, Chair positions and release percentages are protected at least until the matter is brought before the Labour Management Relations Committee, and should that committee not reach agreement, the KFA would be entitled to file a grievance on the matter.

The KFA also takes the position that even if the Employer were to amalgamate Departments, that it is the discipline and/or program that is entitled to a Chair position. In other words, we take the position that the Chair and Coordinator positions would persist despite any merger.

We are actively documenting what is occurring in relation to this matter and exploring options.

What can you do?

Given the fact that many faculty members are on a non-teaching term in the Summer, any discussions and decisions should be postponed until the Fall at the earliest. Without full faculty consultation, there can be no meaningful discussion of this matter. We recommend all Arts Chairs/Coordinators together draft a letter to their Dean and the Provost requesting the full context of the proposal to amalgamate Departments, what the desired outcome of the amalgamation is, and how the desired outcome will be achieved by Departmental amalgamation. The letter should also candidly acknowledge a well-known institutional truth: the current level of Chair release is inadequate to meet the actual demands of the Chair/Coordinator role. It may be prudent to formally pose the question to both the Dean and the Provost: in light of this systemic shortfall, what plan does KPU have to ensure that Chairs are properly resourced to fulfill their responsibilities and maintain academic continuity?

If you have any questions, please be in touch.

In Solidarity,

Mark Diotte

President, Kwantlen Faculty Association

president@yourkfa.ca