SAMPLE LETTER OF APPOINTMENT FOR
PROBATIONARY TENURE STREAM FACULTY MEMBER
Dates are based on August 1, 2013 hire date, adjust dates accordingly for hires in subsequent years.
DATE
NAME
ADDRESS
Dear NAME,
I am recommending to the Vice Provost, Faculty Affairs, and through him to the President, that
you be appointed to a probationary faculty position, in the Department of ______________ [OR
School of ____________]. This offer is conditional on you being legally eligible to work in
Canada.
The Board of Governors and the Ryerson Faculty are parties to a Collective Agreement, the
terms and conditions of which and any superseding Agreement will apply to all members of
Faculty, including yourself. A copy of this agreement is available to you online at:
http://ryerson.ca/teaching/agreements/rfa_agreement/index.html
[OPTIONAL CONDITION – PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT]
It is a condition of employment that you become a Registered Psychologist with the College of
Psychologists of Ontario [OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL BODY] no later than DATE.
Meeting this condition is required for a determination of satisfactory performance on your annual
performance review. In the event that you do not meet this condition, you will not be considered
for tenure and your employment will be terminated. You will receive six months notice of
termination, or six month’s pay in lieu of notice.
The following are some of the more significant terms of your employment:
1.
You will be appointed as Assistant Professor with a probationary period of ______ (#)
years and you will receive an annual salary of $__________. This salary will be applicable
during your first appointment year, i.e. until June 30, 2014, and thereafter you will be
eligible for whatever salary increases accrue to you under the terms of the Collective
Agreement in force. However, your salary during your first appointment year will not be
increased by any increments which have been, are being, or will be negotiated between the
University and the Association and which otherwise would have been applied in the year
ending June 30, 2014. Your appointment is effective August 1, 2013. Your anniversary
date under the collective Agreement will be September 1.
[OPTIONAL PARAG. #1 – IF COMING DIRECTLY FROM LTF AND EXISTING
BASE SALARY CONTINUING]
1
You will be appointed as Assistant Professor, with a probationary period of ___ (#) years
and you will receive your current salary and all changes that would accrue to you as a
continuing member of the RFA. That is, with normal adjustments made on July 1 and on
September 1, 2013. Your appointment is effective August 1, 2013. Your anniversary date
under the Collective Agreement will be September 1.
[OPTIONAL PARAG. #1 – IF COMING DIRECTLY FROM LTF AND
NEW/HIGHER BASE SALARY BEING OFFERED]
You will be appointed as Assistant Professor with a probationary period of _____ (#) years
and you will receive an annual salary of $______. This salary will be applicable during
your first appointment year, i.e. until June 30, 2014, and thereafter you will be eligible for
whatever salary increases accrue to you under the terms of the Collective Agreement in
force. However, your salary during your first appointment year will not be increased by
any increments which have been, are being, or will be negotiated between the University
and the Association and which otherwise would have been applied in the year ending June
30, 2014. Specifically, you will not be entitled to a Career Development Increment on
September 1, 2013. Your appointment is effective August 1, 2013. Your anniversary date
under the collective Agreement will be September 1.
2.
All members of Faculty automatically and as a condition of employment become and
remain members of the Ryerson Faculty Association. As such an initial initiation fee
[unless you paid this for a previous RFA appointment] as well as monthly association
fees will be deducted and remitted to the Association on your behalf. You may contact
the Faculty Association if you chose and their website is found at the following link:
www.rfanet.ca/
3.
I expect that you familiarize yourself with the Obligations provisions as outlined in
Article 7 and conduct yourself in accordance with the provisions outlined therein.
[USE THE FOLLOWING FOR ARTS, FCS AND TRSM]
4.
Further, I draw your attention to Article 10, Mode II which outlines the terms and
conditions of this appointment relative to academic duties and responsibilities, teaching
duties and workload, and annual reporting requirements. Your duties and responsibilities
shall reflect an appropriate combination of teaching, research and service. As part of
your faculty obligations, you will be required to develop and pursue an appropriate
research agenda which builds upon previous work.
It is expected that the scope and quality of your research activities will be demonstrated
through publications of your work in reputable peer-reviewed journals, through
participation in and presentation of your work at conferences and seminars, or are
disseminated in other suitable means (e.g. electronic media) in a manner that makes them
available for peer review and through the preparation of proposals for the acquisition of
funds in support of your work from public or private sector sources. The specific
qualitative and quantitative SRC expectations will be discussed with you during your
probationary period. In terms of Service, you are expected to participate in the
professional collegial life of your Department which should include active membership in
departmental committees, and eventually to Faculty or University-level bodies. Service
to external bodies, such as learned societies and/or professional associations is also
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encouraged and recognized.
[USE THE FOLLOWING FOR FCAD]
Further, I draw your attention to Article 10, Mode II which outlines the terms and
conditions of this appointment relative to academic duties and responsibilities, teaching
duties and workload, and annual reporting requirements. Your duties and responsibilities
shall reflect an appropriate combination of teaching, research and service. As part of
your faculty obligations, you will be required to develop and pursue an appropriate
research agenda which builds upon previous work.
It is expected that the scope and quality of such activities will be demonstrated through
publications of your work in reputable journals and/or through artistic and curatorial
activities in public exhibition spaces. Further it is expected that you will participate in and
present your work at conferences and seminars. As creative practice may be part of your
SRC work, you are advised that such practice will be complemented by creative
scholarship, wherein such practice will be disseminated through exhibition, performance,
presentations at conferences, or through other peer-review mechanisms. You are also
expected to undertake the preparation of proposals for the acquisition of funds in support
of your work from public or private sector sources. The specific qualitative and
quantitative SRC expectations will be discussed with you during your probationary
period. In terms of Service, you are expected to participate in the professional collegial
life of your Department which should include active membership in departmental
committees, and eventually to Faculty or University-level bodies. Service to external
bodies, such as learned societies and/or professional associations is also encouraged and
recognized.
[USE THE FOLLOWING FOR FEAS]
Further, I draw your attention to Article 10, Mode II which outlines the terms and
conditions of this appointment relative to academic duties and responsibilities, teaching
duties and workload, and annual reporting requirements. Your duties and responsibilities
shall reflect an appropriate combination of teaching, research and service. It is expected
that teaching competence will be demonstrated by effective course/lab delivery in the
classroom and in carrying out the principles of effective course management. It is
expected that your scholarly, applied research and creative activities (SRC) will result in
original scholarly works which will be published in academic and professional journals,
conference proceedings, or are disseminated in other suitable means (e.g. electronic
media) in a manner that makes them available for peer review. It is further expected that
you maintain eligibility for the awarding of research grants from national (e.g. NSERC)
and provincial funding agencies, and that your SRC productivity fulfills the successful
grant eligibility requirements of these granting agencies. The specific qualitative and
quantitative SRC expectations will be discussed with you during your probationary
period. In terms of Service, you are expected to participate in the professional collegial
life of your Department which should include active membership in departmental
committees, and eventually to Faculty or University-level bodies. Service to external
bodies, such as learned societies and/or professional associations is also encouraged and
recognized.
3
[THIS PARAGRAPH CONFIRMS THAT THE CANDIDATE WILL TEACH ONE LESS
COURSE IN THE FIRST YEAR. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NUMBER OF
COURSES IN THE PARAGRAPH BELOW IS BASED ON A DEPARTMENT
WITH A 3+2 TEACHING LOAD, IF THE NORM IN THE DEPARTMENT IS
LOWER, THEN THE NUMBER OF COURSES MUST BE ADJUSTED, THAT IS,
IF THE DEPARTMENT HAS A 2+2 NORM, THIS MEANS IN THE FIRST YEAR
THE CANDIDATE WILL TEACH 2 IN THE FALL AND 1 IN THE WINTER, OR
VICE VERSA]
5.
In order for you to develop a research program, in your first year your teaching hours will
be no more than two courses in Fall 2013 and two courses in Winter 2014. This teaching
may be a mix of graduate and undergraduate courses. In subsequent years, your teaching
load will be governed by the departmental norm and the collective agreement requirements.
[The following two paragraphs are used in TRSM]
A notebook computer will also be made available for you. In addition, you may receive
up to $2,000 for one travel to one academic conference per year to present refereed
papers that will be published in refereed journals. This support is subject to a competitive
process and available funds.
To further assist your research and teaching, you will receive professional development
funds as per the Collective Agreement.
6.
As foreseen in Article 5.7, which sets out the criteria under which you will be eligible for
transfer to tenured faculty, consistent with these provisions, you will be assessed for
teaching competence in each semester of the probationary period, as provided for in
Article 5.5. You will be reviewed for tenure in the first term of the final year of probation
and will be notified in the final term of probation whether or not you are recommended
for regular tenured faculty status.
7.
Your presence is expected at a general Ryerson orientation for all new employees,
presented by the Human Resources Department and a University Orientation for New
Faculty, sponsored by the University’s Learning and Teaching Office. Both will be held
in early August with Part Two held in January 2014 by the Learning and Teaching
Office. Further details will be communicated to you.
8.
Shortly after you commence employment you will be provided with an introduction to
the research support services available at Ryerson through the Office of the Vice
President Research and Innovation.
9.
During your first year at Ryerson, you are also expected to attend the annual May Faculty
Conference. Further details will be provided closer to the date of the conference.
10.
During the first twelve months of employment, you may be dismissed with six months’
written notice or six months’ pay in lieu of such notice. Neither notice nor pay shall be
required in the case of gross misconduct.
11.
Further, you will be required to participate in the development of curricular structures for
Department courses, to share in the revision and creation of courses and to develop and
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pursue an appropriate scholarly and research agenda which builds upon previous work.
12.
Ryerson offers degree courses at night. Normally faculty members are assigned teaching
duties between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. only on a voluntary basis. In special
circumstances, however, it may be necessary to assign you evening teaching hours.
13.
You will be entitled to a total of five weeks paid vacation leave each year, with an
increase to six weeks after twelve years of RFA service. Vacation leave is noncumulative and is subject to operational requirements of the department.
14.
[OPTIONAL, IF NEGOTIATED WITH THE CANDIDATE] You will be provided
with a start-up grant of $__,000 in support of activities related to your SRC activities to
be utilized within the first ___ years of your employment [LENGTH SHOULD BE
SAME AS THE PROBATIONARY PERIOD]. This grant is governed by the
University’s Start-Up Funding Protocol, a copy of which is attached. Please note that
release of the grant funds is conditional on your submission to me of a high-level budget
of proposed expenditures as they relate to your short and long-term SRC plans.
15.
[OPTIONAL, IF NEGOTIATED WITH THE CANDIDATE] Ryerson will reimburse
you for 100% of approved moving and relocation expenses, up to a maximum of $5,000
within Ontario [OR $10,000 outside of Ontario]. The terms and conditions for
relocation assistance are provided as an addendum to this employment letter. Please
signify your understanding and acceptance of these terms and conditions by signing this
Addendum and returning it to my office together with your signed letter of appointment.
16.
As a new employee of Ryerson, your responsibilities include being aware of and
complying with various University policies and, in particular, we draw your attention to
the following:
 Senate Policy #145 Course Management
 University Conflict of Interest Policy
 Workplace Civility and Respect
 Discrimination and Harassment Prevention
 Environmental Health and Safety System
 Accommodation Policy for Persons with Disabilities
These policies and other important Senate and University policies can be accessed from
the Policies and Procedures section of the teaching@ryerson web page
[www.ryerson.ca/teaching/policies/].
17.
In addition to the above, this offer is conditional on you meeting/complying with the
following requirements:
(a)
You are required to have official transcripts of all your academic degrees sent
directly from the granting University to the Office of the Dean of
__________________.
(b)
You will be required to enroll and contribute to the Ryerson Retirement Pension
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Plan.
18.
In the course of your employment you may become privy to information or
documentation pertaining to confidential matters; or you may be involved in processes in
which confidential matters or incidents are discussed. You will be expected as part of
your employment contract to maintain this confidentiality and refrain from divulging any
information, which may damage reputations or influence proceedings. As such you will
be expected to refrain from discussing or releasing such information in any form
whatsoever except as required by University policy or legal requirements.
19.
As a condition of employment, you are required to complete the Accessibility for
Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Customer Service Standard eLearning training
within two (2) weeks of your appointment start date. . To complete the training, you will
be required to log in to the Ryerson AODA eLearning Module at
http://www.ryerson.ca/accessibility/commitment/aoda-eLearning.html using your
Ryerson user ID and password which will be provided to you upon the commencement of
your appointment. Should you have already completed the training in light of a previous
appointment at the University, you are not required to re-do the training. Please print your
Certificate of Completion (found at the end of the training modules) and provide a copy
to your Chair [Director] within two (2) weeks of your appointment start date.
20.
You are required to complete the Workplace Violence Prevention and Response
eLearning within two (2) weeks of your appointment start date. To access the modules,
visit www.ryerson.ca/workplaceviolence and click on eLearning. Log in using your
Ryerson user ID and password, which will be provided to you when you begin your
appointment. Please print your certificate and provide a copy to your Chair within two (2)
weeks of your appointment start date.
21.
Effective on your start date, Ryerson will provide a comprehensive benefits package
including extended health care and dental benefits, life and accident insurance, sick leave
and disability benefits, and pension, governed by the appropriate insurance contracts,
administration agreements and policies.
For more information on Ryerson’s benefits packages, please visit the Human Resources
website at:
http://www.ryerson.ca/hr/benefits/benefits_by_group/index.html
Effective on your start date, you are required to have provincial health care insurance
(OHIP) in place for you and your family members. If you are not eligible for OHIP you
must enroll in the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP). For more information,
please visit the UHIP website at:
www.uhip.ca.
For more information on Ryerson’s pension including eligibility, enrolment process,
contributions, retirement, and more please visit the Ryerson Retirement Pension Plan
Summary at:
http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/hr/retirement/pension_retirement_docs/RyersonRetirement-Pension-Plan.pdf
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Ryerson offers employees who are eligible the opportunity to transfer pension benefits
from a previous employer into the Ryerson Retirement Pension Plan (RRPP) through a
Commuted Value Transfer Process. For more information, please visit the Human
Resources website at:
http://www.ryerson.ca/hr/retirement/rrsp/transferring_pension.html
If you have any questions, contact the Pension and Benefits Administrator at (416) 9795000, extension 4146.
If you wish me to proceed with my recommendation, kindly signify your approval and
acceptance of the foregoing terms and conditions by signing and returning to me the enclosed
copy of this Letter and Addendum, and the Employee Information Form not later than DATE,
20__.
Your salary will be paid on a monthly basis (normally the 15th of each month). In order for the
University to initiate your pay, please log into my.ryerson.ca (using your Ryerson’s online
identity), access the University’s eHR portal, Employee Self Service (“Payroll and
Compensation” section, “Direct Deposit” link) and provide us with your banking information in
order to facilitate direct payroll deposit into your bank account.
It is critical to Ryerson's success to remove barriers and promote the inclusion of all Ryerson
employees, including those from equity-seeking groups. If you have not already done so, please
take a moment to complete the Diversity Self-Identification in eHR. Your information will help
us determine where we are now so we can set realistic equity, diversity and inclusion goals and
measure our progress. While you might not identify as a member of an equity group, or may not
want to answer all of the questions, we still need you to complete the Diversity SelfIdentification. You have the option to select "Prefer not to answer" or "No" for each
identification question. Visit ryerson.ca/diversityselfid for more information and instructions.
To facilitate enrollment in required fringe benefits plans and to provide you with an opportunity
to discuss any issues you may have related to your employment at Ryerson, I would ask that you
set up an appointment with our Human Resources Client Consulting Advisor, ____________, by
August 1, 20XX, to schedule an appointment with Ms. _______. Her office is located in the
Human Resources Department at 1 Dundas Street West, 16th floor, Toronto (telephone 416-9795070 ext. ____).
[Use the Following for Foreign Hires]
To facilitate enrollment in required benefits plans and to provide you with an opportunity to
discuss any issues you may have related to your employment at Ryerson, please contact our
Human Consulting Advisor, NAME, on or around your first day of work (August 1, 20__). Ms.
_______’s e-mail address is [input email address] and her phone number is 416-979-5000 x####.
Please note that enrolment and eligibility for the University’s Extended Health Care Plan
requires you to have provincial medicare coverage (through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan,
known as OHIP) or its equivalent (the University Health Insurance Plan, known as UHIP). I
recommend contacting NAME after your acceptance of this appointment to discuss the
enrolment processes related to OHIP and UHIP.
7
[Use the Following for Candidates Eligible to Work in Canada but coming from another
Province]
To facilitate enrollment in required fringe benefits plans and to provide you with an opportunity
to discuss any issues you may have related to your employment at Ryerson, I would ask that you
set up an appointment with our Human Resources Consulting Advisor, _________, on or around
your first day of work (August 1, 20__). Ms. _______’s e-mail address is [input email address]
and her phone number is 416-979-5000 x####. Please note that enrolment and eligibility for the
University’s Extended Health Care Plan requires you to have provincial medicare coverage
(through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, known as OHIP). Assuming you have current
provincial medicare coverage in __________[name of province they are coming from], this will
be valid for three months on your arrival in Ontario while you apply for OHIP coverage. I
recommend contacting Ms. ______ after your acceptance of this appointment to discuss the
enrolment processes related to OHIP. Please bring proof of your current __________[name of
province they are coming from] provincial health care coverage to this meeting.
I look forward to having you join the Department of ________________ OR School of
______________.
Sincerely,
NAME, PhD
Dean
Faculty of __________________
c.c.
Vice Provost, Faculty Affairs
Human Resources Consultant
RFA
I accept this position upon the terms and conditions set out herein.
_________________________________________
Signature
__________________________
Date
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