FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION
Faculty Complement Foundational Document:
Terms of Reference
As of March 7, 2005
BACKGROUND: With roughly one-third of the nation’s faculty expected to retire by 2010, the
Strategic Directions appropriately identified the global competition for faculty as a hallmark of the
first decade of the 21st century. Given the defining nature of decisions associated with the faculty
complement for the University of Saskatchewan over next thirty years, and the turnover of faculty we
anticipate in the immediate future, there is a pressing need to be certain that we have the policies and
processes in place to support our goals and aspirations and that we deploy all of the University’s
resources most effectively to our teaching, research, and outreach mandates as we seek to become one
of the most distinguished universities in Canada and in the world.
The University of Saskatchewan is already in the midst of significant turnover of its faculty
complement; this is expected to accelerate to 2010 and slightly beyond. The Strategic Directions
provide guidance on who we should attract: “intensify our commitment to the recruitment, support and
development of faculty who meet international standards” and the changes we need to contemplate:
“create a university complement plan which provides more flexibility within the appointments
process, encourages faculty who embrace the teacher-scholar ideal, and facilitates collaboration across
units and disciplines to build critical mass”. A Framework for Action: The University of
Saskatchewan Integrated Plan 2003 – 2007 calls for (page 39) a Faculty Complement Foundational
Document “to address a full range of issues related to faculty recruitment and retention”. It suggests
that the Foundational Document “is likely to propose different kinds of faculty appointments including
genuine joint appointments and appointments to units other than departments and colleges.”
PURPOSE: The primary purpose of the Faculty Complement Foundational Document is to provide
an overarching vision for the nature, composition, recruitment, and retention of the University of
Saskatchewan faculty complement over the first 20 years of the millennium. Building on best
practices at other universities, in Canada and elsewhere, as well as the initial work completed in the
development of College Complement Plans for the 2004-2007 planning cycle, the Faculty
Complement Foundational Document is expected to, as a starting point:
• Define what is meant by the term ‘faculty’ in the context of the broad institutional
commitment of the University and its partners to the creation, integration, and application of
knowledge within a dynamic framework of teaching and learning.
• Develop an institutional plan for appointment categories to realize this broad institutional
commitment including providing guidance on the relative proportion and mix of our faculty
complement; exploring opportunities for joint appointments with co-located non-university
organizations; ensuring equity and other diversity goals are realized; and providing the
flexibility that is needed to make the most of research groups and interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Project the future size of the faculty complement and the financial and infrastructure support
required for the University as part of a growing province and community.
• Provide guidance on strategies to attract and retain outstanding faculty and to engage and
fully utilize the expertise and skills of retirees, adjunct faculty, and community based clinical
faculty.
• Develop a set of principles to take maximum advantage of the existing pool of talent and
expertise available on the campus and to provide opportunities for faculty to contribute to the
overall institutional goals by meeting individual and institutional objectives.
Faculty Complement Foundational Document –Terms of Reference
2
Through the development of a Faculty Complement Foundational Document, the University of
Saskatchewan is committing itself to invest in dialogue and research aimed at the nature and
composition of its teaching and research faculty and the technical and support staff required to ensure
that they meet their potential. The Vice Provost will lead this dialogue, which will require a broadbased consultative approach.
EXECUTIVE SPONSOR: Jim Germida, Acting Vice-Provost
COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Planning
TARGET DATE FOR FINAL APPROVAL: December 2005 (‘In Principle’ - University Council;
NB: if it is identified that Council approval is required for specific parts of the Faculty Complement
Foundational Document, such approval will be sought); December 2005 (Board of Governors)
PROPOSED STEERING COMMITTEE: Reporting to the Vice-Provost, the Steering
Committee is expected to provide advice on the consultation process for the development of the
Foundational Document and on its general direction and contents. The Steering Committee will
work closely with the Planning Committee which, as the Council committee associated with this
Foundational Document, will have significant involvement in the development of this
Foundational Document [For the Planning Committee membership, see the Council website,
www.usask.ca/university_council/planning/membership.shtml] [Note: other persons may be
added to the Steering Committee as the process unfolds] [* denotes Drafting Committee
member]
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Glen Beck, Planning Committee of Council (Economics)*
Barry Blakley, Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary
Medicine/Toxicology
Nola Buhr, Associate Dean, College of Commerce
Bob Card, Associate Dean, College of Medicine
Barb Daigle, Associate Vice President, Human Resources Division*
Jim Germida, Acting Vice-Provost (chair)*
Pamela Haig-Bartley, Drama, College of Arts & Sciences
Emil Hallin, Canadian Light Source*
Bryan Harvey, Office of Research Services
Grant Isaac, Management and Marketing, College of Commerce*
Claude Lague, Dean, College of Engineering
Darcy Marciniuk, Medicine, College of Medicine
Pauline Melis, Director of Institutional Planning*
John Patience, President, Prairie Swine Center
Evelyn Peters, Geography, College of Arts & Sciences (Canadian Research Chair)
Andy Potter, Associate Director of Research, VIDO
Lou Qualtiere, Pathology, College of Medicine
Fran Walley, Soil Science, College of Agriculture
Terry Wotherspoon, Sociology, College of Arts & Science
PROCESS FOR DEVELOPMENT:
• The Council process for development and approval of Foundational Documents (approved
December 2002) will be followed.
• A tentative work plan, including timelines, is under development.
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