The process for determining each faculty member’s workload –both full-time and contract–happens very late in the semester. Waiting to find out if you have Partial Load status, Part-time status (or any status at all) is frustrating and stressful.
Six weeks before the start of the next semester, Full-time Faculty are assigned their workload. After this, Associate Deans and Campus Deans reach out to contract faculty to discuss courses and availability. Letters of offer are then sent to Contract faculty.
Typically, conversations about contract teaching load and letters of offer happen about 4-6 weeks before a semester begins, but there is nothing in the Collective Agreement about the timing of letters of offer and contracts. In fact, it has been known to happen that contract faculty do not know their teaching load until the weekend before classes begin.
The letter of offer should include course codes and titles, course hours, start and end date, and hourly rate of pay. A contract will follow later, sometimes not until the course has already begun, and will have more detail, but it should include similar details.
Partial Load Faculty salaries are set out in the Collective Agreement, article 26.04.
Why is a letter of offer important?
A letter of offer is evidence of future employment in the absence of a contract. By accepting or signing your letter of offer, you have evidence of future employment that can impact your access to benefits and support credit and lease applications.
To learn more about bridging benefits between semesters, click here.