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By-Laws
| By-Laws - Amended October 2008 |
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ARTICLE
ARTICLE 1 - MEMBERSHIP (back)
Statutory Members shall be those categories of employees designated by the Board of Governors, after consultation with the academic staff association, as academic staff members at the University of Lethbridge. Current Statutory Member categories are:
Associate Members shall be persons who elect to join the Association and who hold appointment or status at the University of Lethbridge as:
(a) Subject to 1.3(b) Statutory Members shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of membership in the Association that derive from the Universities Act and from these By-Laws. (b) Statutory Members who are also members of the Administrative staff of the University or representatives to the Board shall be inactive members. Inactive members do not pay dues. Inactive members are not eligible to hold office or to vote where the chair rules conflict of interest, such as in matters involving Handbook or economic benefit negotiations, grievances, or ULFA policy. Otherwise the inactive members have full membership rights and access to benefits. (c) If the Handbook permits opting out of paying Association dues, Statutory Members who opt out have the right to vote on all matters of the Association except those involving financial matters. (d) Statutory Members have the right to present notices of motion to the Executive at any time or any meeting. They have the right to make motions related to any agenda item or routine matter [the chair shall rule on such matters]. (e) Other Association benefits not specified in the Handbook will be available only to dues-paying members. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such benefits include those funded directly or indirectly by Association dues, or by revenue controlled wholly or in part by the Association. (f) Notwithstanding 1.3(e), a specific benefit shall be made available to a particular Statutory Member who opts out of paying Association dues only if approved by resolution at a General Meeting. (g) Associate Members shall enjoy the rights and privileges of membership in the Association except the right to vote, the right to hold elected office, and such other rights and privileges as may be reserved for Statutory Members within these By-Laws or within resolutions properly enacted according to these By-Laws.
(a) Active [full time] - based on Association assessed mill rate. (b) Active [part-time or reduced load] - either as per Active Full Time Member or as Associate Member, whichever is greater. (c) i) Associate [other than Retired] - $10 fee for communications. ii) Associate [Retired] - no fee for communications.
(a) The Association recognizes Sessional Lecturers individually and collectively as Statutory Sessional Member(s) of the Faculty Association. The collective agreement between the Board and the Association with respect to Sessional Lecturers is the University of Lethbridge Sessional Lecturers Handbook currently in effect. (b) A Statutory Sessional Member shall be entitled to representation by the Association in all contractual matters and negotiations with the Board as provided by the Post-Secondary Learning Act and The University of Lethbridge Sessional Lecturers Handbook. (c) Except as provided in 1.5 (d) and (e) and (f) of these By-Laws, a Statutory Sessional Member(s) shall be bound by all Association By-Laws with all rights, privileges, obligations and responsibilities contained therein.
(e) At the discretion of ULFA's Executive Committee, Sessional Members may be appointed to serve on the Association's committees as follows:
(f) When matters pertaining to the Sessional Lecturers Handbook are to be negotiated, and whenever practical circumstances permit, ULFA's Executive Committee may appoint one Sessional Member to serve as observer and/or resource person on each of ULFA's negotiating teams.(back)
1.6 Admission to Membership
Preamble: Per the General Powers and Duties of the Board of a Public Post-Secondary Institution as stipulated in the Post-Secondary learning Act of Alberta, the Board shall: 60(2)a designate categories of employees as academic staff members of the public post‑secondary institution; (b) designate individual employees as academic staff members of the public post‑secondary institution; (c) change a designation made under clause (a) or (b) or under section 5(2) or 42(2).
(a) The Executive Committee shall consider the following for admission to membership in the faculty Association:
(i) an application for membership from the group in a form satisfactory to the Executive Committee.
(b) An ad hoc committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.
(i) The ad hoc committee shall conduct such inquiries as it may deem necessary and shall provide the Executive Committee and the Membership with pertinent information regarding the compatibility of the goals and practices of the applicants with those of the Faculty Association that include but are not limited to the following criteria:
(a) The degree to which the group's organization is democratic in nature. (b) The degree to which the group is committed to the principles and practice of academic freedom. (c) The degree to which the group's organization and practices are not dominated by an employer, nor so influenced by an employer that its fitness to represent employees for the purpose of collective bargaining is otherwise impaired.
(c) The report and recommendations of the ad hoc committee shall be made available to the membership at least one month prior to consideration of any motion for admission to the faculty association.
(d) Groups shall be admitted to membership in the Faculty Association upon two-thirds majority vote of the Membership duly taken electronically.
(e) The result of the vote or referendum conducted by the Faculty Association on the question of membership shall be published by the Faculty Association.
(a) All General Meetings of the Association shall be the final authority of the Association. If a General Meeting fails for lack of a quorum, recommendations accepted by Council will be deemed to be accepted by the Membership, except for motions which require a three-fourths or greater majority vote. (b) The Membership shall be given 3 weeks' notice of general meetings, including a provisional agenda, giving one week's time for receipt by the President of notices of motion for all substantive resolutions concerning items not already on the agenda in order that they may be included on the agenda which is to be distributed one week before the actual meeting. (c) For any General Meeting, fifty (50) Statutory Members shall constitute a quorum. (d) A General Meeting may, by majority vote, enact, amend, or repeal resolutions, except By-Law resolutions, provided that such action is consistent with the provisions of these By-Laws. (e) Notices of all resolutions which are not By-Laws resolutions, given in writing to the President, shall be distributed to the Members of the Association within one week of its receipt by the President, for consideration at the next General Meeting. (f) All votes at a General Meeting shall be by show of hands, unless a secret ballot is requested by one or more of the Statutory Members present. Thus, there shall be no voting by proxy. (g) Voting on amendments to the Faculty Handbook and/or ratification of contractual matters pertaining thereto shall be restricted to Faculty members, Academic Assistants and Professional Librarians. Voting on amendments to the Sessional Lecturer Handbook and/or ratification of contractual matters pertaining thereto shall be restricted to Sessional Lecturers.
(a) At least one General Meeting, henceforth called the Annual General Meeting, shall be held in April of each year for the purpose of:
(b) The election of officers, members of Executive, and chairs of standing committees shall be by acclamation wherever only one person has been nominated for a position. Where there are two or more persons nominated for a position, there shall be election by electronic ballot as per the provisions of Article 3.2(b).
(a) At least one General Meeting, henceforth called the Fall General Meeting, shall be held during the fall semester of each year for the purpose of:
(a) All Special General Meetings shall require a minimum of 48 hours notice. (b) Special General Meetings shall be held at the discretion of the Executive. (c) Special General Meetings shall be held at the written request of 10 Statutory Members. Such requests shall be presented to the President within 10 days prior to the meeting.
(a) The President shall call meetings of the Executive as required to deal with the affairs of the Association and normally at least one week prior to any General Meeting of the Association. In the absence of the President, the majority of the Executive can call a meeting. (b) At any meeting of the Executive, fifty (50) percent of the number of Executive positions filled at that time shall constitute a quorum. (c) The Executive shall determine its own procedures for voting. (d) There shall be meetings of the incoming and outgoing Executive during the summer. Prior to the changeover on July 1 the outgoing Executive shall be required to constitute a quorum [see 2.5(b)] to make motions and vote. After July 1 the incoming Executive will be required to constitute a quorum [see 2.5(b)] to make motions and vote.
(a) The President shall call meetings of Council as required to resolve issues presented to it by the Executive. All amendments to agreements to which ULFA is a party (i.e. Handbook, Universities Academic Pension Plan), By-Law changes, budget/mill rate, budget line item changes, and economic benefits changes shall be sent to Council for a recommendation before being sent to the Membership for approval. Meetings of Council may also be called at the request of 10 Statutory Members of Council. (b) Council members will be given a minimum of one week's notice for meetings, with agenda packages to be distributed as soon as possible prior to the actual meeting date. (c) At any meeting of Council, two-thirds of the number of Council positions filled at that time shall constitute a quorum. (d) The President will chair all Council meetings. Council shall determine its own procedures for voting. (e) If a General Meeting fails for lack of a quorum, Council may act on behalf of the Membership, except where a three-fourths or greater majority vote is required.
(a) Applications
(b) Exclusions
(c) Implementation
(d) Inability to access electronic ballots/surveys In circumstances where a Member of the University of Lethbridge Faculty Association is unable to access electronic balloting or surveying, the Member may arrange for an individual paper ballot or survey through consultation with the Executive Officer. The timelines of such a paper ballot will be governed by those set for the electronic voting as described in Articles 3.2(b), 3.2(g) and 3.2(h).(back)
(a) The Nominating Committee shall elect its own Chair. (b) The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Past Chair (ex officio), the President of the Association, one additional member of the Executive, as appointed by the Executive, and five other Statutory Members of the Association. Members of the outgoing Executive shall not constitute a majority of the Nominating Committee. (c) Prior to the Fall General Meeting, the President shall solicit nominations for membership on the Nominating Committee. In doing so he/she shall attempt to obtain representation on the committee of the various constituent communities of the Association. The list of nominees shall be presented at the Fall General Meeting and an election held consistent with procedures specified in 3.2 and 6(a). (d) The Nominating Committee shall, prior to the Annual General Meeting, prepare a list of nominees for the Executive and members of the standing committees. An individual shall not vote in the case that his/her own name has been put in nomination. (e) The list of nominees prepared by the Nominating Committee, in addition to a prepared list of all dues-paying statutory Members by constituency, shall be distributed to members at least one week prior to the Annual General Meeting.
(a) Nominations for the Executive and members of the standing committees may be made from the floor at the Annual General Meeting provided the nominee is present and agrees to stand in nomination, or her/his written consent is available to the meeting. Nominees in uncontested positions will be elected by acclamation at the meeting. Where there are contested positions, a vote by electronic ballot will take place as outlined below. Those in contested positions for Executive will be invited to participate in a candidates' forum before the ballots are available. The current Executive Committee will be responsible for establishing the date, time and location for the moderated event. The format will be as outlined in the ULFA policy manual. (b)(i) Where an electronic ballot is necessary to staff a position according to the provisions of Article 2.2 (i and ii) this ballot shall be made available electronically to the members by the Returning Officer within twenty-one (21) working days after the Annual General Meeting, or from the date of vacancy. Fifteen (15) working days after the posting of electronic ballots, the Returning Officer shall declare the balloting closed. (b)(ii) The results of the electronic ballot shall be valid upon receipt of not less than fifty (50) responses by the Returning Officer. (b)(iii) Should there not be fifty (50) electronic ballot responses received by the Returning Officer within the period specified in Article 3.2(b)(i), the Executive shall appoint a member to the vacant position on an interim basis until the next regular election. (c) For all elections of the Association, the Returning Officer(s) shall be the Executive Officer. (d) All elected members of the Executive, except for the President, Vice President/President Nominate, Past President, and ULFA Board of Governors representative shall be elected by plurality vote for a two-year term as Secretary/Treasurer or Chair of a standing committee, respectively, and shall take office on July 1st of the year of the election. Term of office for the President and Vice President/President Nominate shall be one year. The most immediate past President available shall serve ex officio as Past President. The ULFA Board of Governors representative shall be elected for a three-year term. (e) Members of the Economic Benefits, Academic Welfare, and Grievance Committees, shall be elected by a majority of the Statutory Members present and voting for a term (as specified in the Appendix under Terms of Reference), that term to begin July 1st of the year of election. Whenever possible, terms of membership of these committees shall provide continuity. A member shall be limited to serving three consecutive terms on any given committee. (f) Whenever possible, a qualification for election as Chair of the Nominating Committee, the Academic Welfare Committee, the Economic Benefits Committee, and the Grievance Committee, shall be previous membership on that committee for at least one year. The most immediate past Chairs available will be ex officio members of the committees they chaired. (g) If elections cannot be held at the Annual General Meeting for lack of quorum, the chair of the Nominating Committee shall, within four days of the scheduled date of the Annual General Meeting, inform the Membership of its nominees and solicit additional nominees from its Statutory Members. The Returning Officer(s) shall then, within three weeks of the scheduled date of the Annual General Meeting, conduct the elections by electronic ballot. (h) If elections cannot be held at the Fall General Meeting for lack of quorum, the President shall inform the Membership of the nominees, solicit nominations from the Statutory Members and conduct the elections by electronic ballot within three weeks of the scheduled date of the meeting.(back)
(a) The officers of the Association shall be the President, the Past President, the Vice President/President Elect, and the Secretary/Treasurer. (b) The Executive shall consist of:
(c) Council shall consist of the Executive and all members of the standing committees. The President shall be Chair of Council. The Executive Officer shall be a non-voting member and serve as recording secretary.(back)
(a) The President shall preside over all meetings of the Association, of the Executive, and of Council, and shall be an ex officio member of each standing committee. (b) The President or such other person as may be authorized by the Executive shall act as the official spokesman for the Association in its relation with individuals or other bodies such as the University President, the Board of Governors, the Provincial Government, and public media. Presidential authority may be delegated as seen fit by the President. (c) The Past President shall advise the President and Committee Chairs and perform other duties as requested by the President. (d) The Vice President/President Nominate shall serve in the capacity of the President when the President is unable to fulfill duties due to absence, disability or other reason. If the Vice President is unable to serve then the Executive shall appoint an acting President. (e) The Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for 1) ensuring the preparation and maintenance of minutes of the proceedings of General Meetings and of the Executive and for the organization and maintenance of the general records of the Association, 2) for keeping an accurate record of the financial accounts of the Association and for ensuring that the finances of the Association are in order, and 3) for serving as Editor of an Association Newsletter.
(a) Subject to these By-Laws, to any resolution properly enacted, and to directives from General Meetings, the Executive shall have the power to manage, operate, and direct the affairs of the Association between General Meetings and shall determine the duties and remuneration of the employees, if any, of the Association. In exercising its responsibilities, the Executive should aim at equitable treatment (fair, just and reasonable) for all Members. There shall be no discrimination practiced with respect to any Member on the basis of age, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, philosophical, political, or religious affiliation or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical disability. (b) The Executive may hire an Executive Officer and/or other employees to assist in the taking of the minutes of all General Meetings and all meetings of the Executive, to assist in keeping a record of the financial accounts of the Association, and to assist the President and Committee Chairs in the management of the Association, under the direction of the President. (c) The official business of the Association shall include any matter approved as such by a General or Special General Meeting of the Association or by the Executive and any affairs pertaining to, or arising from the Faculty Handbook and/or the Sessional Lecturers Handbook, or from any council or committee upon which the Association has a representative. (d) If a vacancy shall occur on the Executive or one of the standing committees, after soliciting nominees from the appropriate constituency, the Executive may, on the recommendation of that particular committee, appoint a dues-paying Statutory Member to serve for the unexpired portion of the current year. Standing committee replacements shall be selected from the vacated administrative unit. Members of the Association shall be informed of any such action within one week of it having been taken. (e) Any committee members may be expelled by a majority vote at a general meeting of ULFA for dishonesty, or for gross misconduct or for failing or refusing to carry out his or her duties as an elected member, provided that notice of the motion to expel, and the reasons therefore, are provided to the person affected at least fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting at which the motion is to be discussed. (f) In addition to their functions as committee chairs, the chairs of ULFA standing committees (the Academic Welfare Committee, the Economic Benefits Committee, and the Grievance Committee) shall act as liaison between the Executive and their respective committees. (g) The Executive shall designate one or more Association members to represent the Association on the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) and the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations (CAFA) Council and other external organizations. These members shall be responsible for attending meetings, for dealing with correspondence with such organizations and for maintaining liaison with the Executive by making regular reports. (h) Members of the Executive who are aware of being in a position of potential conflict of interest should disclose such to the Executive and the Executive will act appropriately.
(a) All amendments to agreements to which ULFA is a party (i.e. the Faculty Handbook, the Sessional Lecturers Handbook, Universities Academic Pension Plan), By-Law changes, budget/mill rate, budget line item changes, and economic benefits changes shall be sent to Council for a recommendation before being sent to the Membership for approval. Council will consider recommendations put forward by the Executive and will either approve them for referral to the membership at large or will refer them back to the Executive Committee for revisions. In the event that a general meeting fails to reach a quorum, Council's recommendations will be adopted as if they were ratified by the membership, except where three-fourths or greater majority vote is required.(back)
(a) The standing committees shall include the Economic Benefits Committee, the Academic Welfare Committee, and the Grievance Committee. Membership and terms of reference of these committees shall be determined and may be altered by resolutions approved at a General Meeting (see Appendix). (b) By resolution at a General Meeting, the Association may establish standing committees other than those of (a) of this article, and specify their terms of reference and membership, and may therefore abolish such committees. (c) The Association shall establish a Nominating Committee. Membership and terms of reference of this committee shall be consistent with Article 3. (d) Ad hoc committees may be established by the Executive, or by the Association through resolution at a General Meeting, together with terms of reference and membership. (e) Unless otherwise specified, quorum for the standing and ad hoc committees of the Association shall be a majority of voting members. (back)
All matters addressed below shall first be sent to Council for a recommendation before they are taken to the Membership at a General Meeting. If a General Meeting fails for lack of a quorum, recommendations accepted by Council will be deemed to be accepted by the Membership, except where a three-fourths or greater majority vote is required.
(a) Annual membership fees shall be established, and may be amended by a resolution passed at a General Meeting, subject to Article 7.1(b). (b) Adjustments in Association fees may be made by the Executive for the sole purpose of maintaining the minimum reserve in the Arbitration and Litigation Fund. The total fund shall be established at a General Meeting.
The books, accounts and records of the Association shall be audited at least once a year by a duly qualified person selected for that purpose at a General Meeting. A complete and proper statement of the standing of the books for the previous year shall be submitted by the auditor at the Annual General Meeting of the Association. June thirtieth (30th) of each year shall be the end of the fiscal year of the Association.
Financial transactions of, by and on behalf of the Association shall require the signature of two duly authorized signing officers. The signing officers of the Association shall be the President, Treasurer and the Executive Officer.
The Executive may provide for the acquisition, management and disposition of the property of the Association.
The Association may borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such manner as it deems fit, and in particular by the issue of debentures, but this power shall be exercised only under the authority of the Association, and in no case shall debentures be issued without the sanction of a special resolution of a General Meeting requiring a three-quarter majority. (back)
Whereas the Association is privy to personal information about its Members for purposes of adequately representing them under the Faculty Handbook and/or the Sessional Handbook, the Association undertakes to respect the confidentiality of such information. Access to personal information shall be limited to the Executive Officer, Association Officers and Executive members requiring such information to fulfill the terms of reference of their position and/or committee, and shall not be published or otherwise used in ways that could result in the identification of individual faculty members. (back)
The books, records and minutes of the Association, of the Executive, and of any committees of the Association may be inspected by any Members, except for those items for which the Executive Officer or the Chair of a standing committee or Officer of the Association shall determine that
Dispute regarding applicability of (i) or (ii) shall be resolved by the Executive. Such examination may be made in the Association Office during normal office hours during the week immediately prior to the Annual General Meeting, or at any other time and place which may be reasonably arranged following notice to the President. (back)
(a) The By-Laws may be rescinded, altered, or added to only by a By-Laws resolution passed by three-fourths of the Statutory Members present and voting at a General Meeting. (b) Notice of a By-Law resolution will conform to 2.1(b). (back)
a) ULFA is a party to the Faculty Handbook and the Sessional Lecturers Handbook. b) Amendments to those agreements must be ratified by the majority of ULFA members as specified in By-Law Articles 1.5 and 2, before ULFA can be understood to have consented to such an amendment. c) Provided the membership is duly informed, clarifications, specifications or disambiguations of language in the Faculty Handbook and/or the Sessional Lecturers Handbook may be accepted or rejected by the ULFA Executive on behalf of ULFA. d) Interpretations of the Faculty Handbook shall be made pursuant to Article 1 of the Faculty Handbook, and interpretations of the Sessional Lecturers Handbook shall be made pursuant to Article 1 of the Sessional Lecturers Handbook. However, when exercising his/her authority per the Faculty Handbook and/or the Sessional Lecturers Handbook, the President shall do so only with the authorization of the Executive. e) A member may object that a so-called clarification, specification or disambiguation should be considered an amendment and may call a General meeting (pursuant to Article 2.4) for the purpose of overruling the ruling of the Executive.
a) ULFA is a party to the Trust Agreement creating the Alberta "Universities Academic Pension Plan." b) Amendments to that agreement must be ratified by the majority of ULFA members at a general meeting before ULFA can be understood to have consented to such an amendment. c) Provided the membership is duly informed, clarifications, specifications or disambiguations of language in the Trust Agreement may be accepted or rejected by the ULFA Executive on behalf of ULFA. d) A member may object that a so-called clarification, specification or disambiguation should be considered an amendment and may call a General meeting (pursuant to Article 2.4) for the purpose of overruling the ruling of the Executive. (back)
(a) In the event the Association is wound up or dissolved, all of its assets, after payment of its liabilities, shall be distributed in one of the following ways, or in a combination thereof.
(b) Voluntary windup or the dissolution shall follow the same procedural provisions (notice, quorum, voting procedures, etc.) as apply to the Annual General Meeting. (c) In the event of the Association's impending involuntary windup or dissolution as a result of legislation, regulation, or ministerial policy, all of its assets, after payment of its liabilities, shall be distributed as per section (a) above. (d) In the event of impending involuntary windup, the Officers of the Association shall be specially empowered to convene an emergency general meeting upon 48 hours written notice. The quorum requirement shall be twelve Statutory Members. At this meeting, the Officers shall put forward the evidence prompting their action in calling an extraordinary meeting for the purposes of dissolving the Association and distributing its assets. (back)
p. 23-24 Academic Welfare Committee 1. To seek advice from all University constituencies and appropriate sources regarding changes to the Faculty Handbook, and the Sessional Lecturers Handbook, except economic benefits. 2. To advise the Executive regarding the members of the Handbooks Negotiating Team. 3. To advise the Handbooks Negotiating Team before, during and after negotiations regarding (a) the initial ULFA proposal, (b) a general response to the Board proposal including both substance and strategy, (c) the final package of changes and (d) to prepare a written report to assist negotiations in the following year. 4. To advise the Executive before, during and after negotiations; and to recommend acceptance or rejection of the final package. 5. To explain the final package to the Membership and to recommend acceptance or rejection. 6. To ensure equitable treatment (fair, just and reasonable) for all Members. There shall be no discrimination practiced with respect to any Member on the basis of age, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, philosophical, political, or religious affiliation or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical disability. NOTE: The schedule of stages of the negotiating process are outlined in Article 3 of the Faculty Handbook and Article 3 of the Sessional Lecturers Handbook. Membership Members should be knowledgeable (or interested in becoming knowledgeable) about the Handbook and related matters, i.e. other collective agreements, labour law, rights and interest arbitration, the requirements of procedural fairness. Elected members shall serve two-year terms. Ex officio: ULFA President, past Chair where applicable Elected: Chair and six (6) Members; Past Chair is ex officio and should be a past member. The committee shall comprise the following representation, unless sufficient nominees cannot be found from a constituency or constituencies: Arts & Science (3); Professional Fac./School (3); Academic Assistants (1); Librarians (1). The Past Chair will fill a position and hence there will be no election for that standing committee/constituency. One representative from each of the Librarian and Academic Assistant groups will be invited to sit as observer/resource person on the Handbooks Negotiating Team should issues relevant to those constituencies be on the negotiating table. When negotiations include the Sessional Lecturers Handbook, Executive Committee may appoint a Sessional Lecturer to the Handbooks Negotiating Team as provided in By-Law Article 1.5(f).(back)
2. For matters negotiated under relevant schedules of the Faculty Handbook and the Sessional Lecturers Handbook, the Economic Benefits Committee shall:
Upon ratification or amendment of the negotiating team and the list of negotiable items by the ULFA Executive, the negotiating team shall proceed with the negotiations as outlined in relevant schedules. Any amendments made by the Executive in either the negotiating team or the list of negotiable items must be made in consultation with the Economic Benefits Committee. The financial negotiating team should meet jointly with the Economic Benefits Committee during the negotiating proceedings. If during negotiations with the Board any of the benefits listed in relevant schedules or in any other place in the Faculty Handbook or the Sessional Lecturers Handbook seem likely to be removed or replaced, the ULFA negotiators shall require approval of the Economic Benefits Committee and the Executive before signing a settlement. If the negotiators conclude a memorandum of agreement with the Board, the Economic Benefits Committee shall recommend approval or rejection. The Economic Benefits Committee shall then send the results to the ULFA Executive, which shall recommend approval or rejection. The Executive shall submit the agreement, along with its and the Economic Benefits Committee's recommendations, to Council which in turn will make its recommendation to a general Membership meeting for ratification purposes. If a General Meeting fails for lack of quorum, recommendations accepted by Council will be deemed to be accepted by the Membership, except where a three-fourths or greater majority vote is required. If a settlement is not reached, ULFA's final position shall be prepared jointly by the Economic Benefits Committee and the negotiating team and then sent to the ULFA Executive for ratification. In exercising the above responsibilities, the committee should aim at equitable treatment (fair, just and reasonable) for all Members. There shall be no discrimination practiced with respect to any Member on the basis of age, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, philosophical, political, or religious affiliation or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical disability. Elected members shall serve two-year terms. Ex officio: ULFA President, past Chair where applicable Elected: Chair and six (6) Members; Past Chair is ex officio and should be a past member. The committee shall comprise the following representation, unless sufficient nominees cannot be found from a constituency or constituencies: Arts & Science (3); Professional Fac./School (3); Academic Assistants (1); Librarians (1). The Past Chair will fill a position and hence there will be no election for that standing committee/constituency. One representative from each of the Librarian and Academic Assistant groups will be invited to sit as observer/resource person on the Financial Negotiating Team should issues relevant to those constituencies be on the negotiating table. When negotiations include monetary issues relevant to Sessional Lecturers, the Executive Committee may appoint a Sessional Lecturer to the Financial Negotiating Team as provided in By-Laws Article 1.5(f).(back)
1. To hear complaints of Members and to advise them and all Members involved as to their rights and the relative merit or potential of their grievance or other remedies including litigation and mediation. 2. To conduct preliminary and prima facie investigation of complaints in order to recommend action to the Executive and the members involved. 3. To recommend to the Executive action in accordance with Article 22 of the Faculty Handbook and Article 14 of the Sessional Lecturers Handbook. 4. To negotiate, given Executive consent, the resolution of grievances, including interpretations, specifications and other clarifications of the Faculty Handbook and the Sessional Lecturers Handbook. 5. To inform the Executive of progress during negotiations. 6. To recommend to the Executive the negotiated settlement of grievances. 7. To ensure equitable treatment (fair, just and reasonable) for all Members. There shall be no discrimination practiced with respect to any Member on the basis of age, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, philosophical, political, or religious affiliation or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical disability. NOTE: The grievance procedures are outlined in Article 22 of the Faculty Handbook and Article 14 of the Sessional Lecturers Handbook. Membership Members should be knowledgeable (or interested in becoming knowledgeable) about the Handbook and related matters, i.e. other collective agreements, labour law, rights arbitration, requirements of procedural fairness. Elected members shall serve two-year terms. Ex officio: ULFA President, past Chair where applicable Elected: Chair and six (6) Members; Past Chair is ex officio and should be a past member. The committee shall comprise the following representation, unless sufficient nominees cannot be found from a constituency or constituencies: Arts & Science (3); Professional Fac./School (3); Academic Assistants (1); Librarians (1). The Past Chair will fill a position and hence there will be no election for that standing committee/constituency. (back)
1. To examine and document the existing situation at the University of Lethbridge; that is, to develop a diversity profile (i.e., gender, people of colour, FNMI, people with disabilities, LGBT, country of origin, language, age) with respect to such issues as hiring practices, salary, ranks, positions, terms of employment, career progress and other issues identified by the Membership. 2. To suggest strategies to redress inequities identified from the information obtained above. 4. To recommend to the Handbook Negotiating Committee with respect to those policies directly relating to diversity issues; for example, federal and provincial legislation regarding parental leave and employment equity. 5. To make recommendations to ULFA with respect to diversity-related issues affecting the academic staff of the University. Membership Elected members shall serve two-year terms, with three new members elected each year. Ex-officio: ULFA President, past Chair where applicable
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