Teaching Scholar Positions

What is a Teaching Scholar?

The 2018-2022 Faculty Collective Agreement has created a new appointment type called the Teaching Scholar.

Teaching Scholars can hold the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Full Professor and are eligible for Promotion.

A candidate for a Teaching Scholar position will normally have completed a doctoral degree or its equivalent.

Appointment to the Teaching Scholar track can be Probationary or with Continuing Status.

Can Teaching Scholars be granted Tenure?

No. Teaching Scholars can not be granted Tenure. They can be granted Continuing Status which confers some rights of permanency. Those with Continuing Status shall not be dismissed except:

  • in accord with the Article Discipline;
  • by reason of curricular change or removal of an area or field as determined in an academic plan that has been recommended by the Dean and approved by the Provost, and then only if the Provost determines that the University cannot offer equivalent alternative employment (by way of a committee chaired by the Provost and including two additional faculty members chosen in consultation with UWOFA).

What are the academic responsibilities of Teaching Scholars?

Teaching is the primary academic responsibility of Teaching Scholars, but they also have responsibilities in each of Scholarship Activities and Service. A typical workload could be 60% Teaching, 20% Scholarship Activities and 20% Service.

What is included in Scholarship Activities?

There is no requirement to engage in research. However, Teaching Scholars are expected to engage in Scholarship Activities which broaden the scope of their educational responsibilities, and to share this expertise with their colleagues. Such scholarship activities may include:

  • curriculum development and evaluation;
  • educational leadership;
  • mentoring;
  • presentations and scholarship on teaching or pedagogy;
  • research into the efficacy of different pedagogical approaches.

Teaching Scholars could demonstrate evidence and impact of scholarship activities through:

  • innovation in methods that enhance student learning;
  • creation and development of models of effective teaching;
  • advances in the delivery of education in a discipline or profession;
  • engagement in the scholarly conversation via professional activity and publications.

Can Teaching Scholars count Research within their scholarly discipline as Scholarship Activities?

Yes. The academic responsibilities of Teaching Scholars may be specified by written agreement between the Member and the Employer. This written agreement may specify a different set of responsibilities than those listed as examples of Scholarship Activities.

What are the current obligations of the Employer regarding the Teaching Scholar Appointments?

It must create a minimum of 12 Teaching Scholar positions during the life of the current Collective Agreement (2018-2022). These positions can be Probationary or with Continuing Status.

The positions are to be filled through internal recruitment.

Who is eligible to apply?

Members holding Limited-Term (LT) or Limited Duties (LD) Appointments at the time of recruitment are eligible.

Former Members who held a LT or LD Appointment at the time of ratification of the current Collective Agreement are eligible.

What are the financial implications of these positions?

These positions will likely be a net-even proposition given that they will be filled through internal recruitment.

How might a Department Chair or Dean proceed?

  1. In consultation with the Members of the Unit, identify departmental needs for Teaching Scholar positions;
  2. Advocate for immediate permission to recruit to the position(s);
  3. Encourage interested current and former Members with LT or LD Appointments to apply and note that qualified applicants holding an LT Appointment must be shortlisted;
  4. Engage in the normal hiring process through the Appointments Committee.

How might a Member wanting to help someone become a Teaching Scholar proceed?

  1. Speak to your colleagues and identify and clarify departmental needs for Teaching Scholar positions. These are an excellent way for colleagues with LT and LD Appointments to gain job security;
  2. Advocate for these positions to your Chair or Dean as an individual, group, or as a department;
  3. At the time of recruitment, help to inform and encourage current colleagues on LT or LD Appointments as well as any former colleagues who held LT or LD appointments as of ratification.

If you have additional questions please contact your Faculty Rep.