From: Heather Boon, Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life
Date: March 12, 2021
Re: Changes to the Academic Administrative Procedures Manual Regarding PTR Guidelines for Faculty (PDAD&C #53)

I am writing to share four important clarifications and changes to the Progress Through the Rank (PTR) guidelines section in the Academic Administrative Procedures Manual (APPM). These are the outcome of discussions between the University and the University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) and of an Interest Arbitration Award issued June 29, 2020 by William Kaplan. The ‘Salary Administration’ guideline section of the  Academic Administrative Procedures Manual (AAPM) has been updated to include all of the clarifications and changes.  With respect to the four key areas I writing to you about below, – emphasis has been added to the quotes from the AAPM.

1. Clarification that faculty must be informed in writing of the evaluation process for PTR in their units:  In addition to the requirement to provide the unit’s faculty members with a clear statement of the procedures to be followed for the assessment of PTR and a description of the mandate and membership of any advisory committee, a new clarification has been added  that, “at the beginning of the academic year (i.e. July 1),” unit heads “shall communicate, in writing, to each faculty member of their unit”
   1. internal policies and procedures for assessment of PTR
   1. the format to be used for activity reports
   1. the relative weight of teaching, research and service
2. Details to be included in salary letters: Each salary letter to individual faculty members “must include the basis for evaluation in each of the components of the appointment (eg. the criteria for evaluation; points or scale where used.)”

3. Clarification regarding the assessment of teaching stream faculty: The AAPM now includes the following: “A separate weighting of teaching, pedagogical/professional development and service should be made for teaching-stream faculty. Teaching stream faculty members shall be evaluated on their pedagogical and/or discipline-based scholarship in relation to the field in which they teach and/or creative/professional activity[1] that allows the faculty member to maintain a mastery of their subject area and this evaluation will be appropriately weighted in the PTR assessment.

“[1] See PPAA section 30(x)(b): “…e.g. discipline-based scholarship in relation to, or relevant to, the field in which the faculty member teaches; participation at, and contributions to, academic conferences where sessions on pedagogical research and technique are prominent; teaching-related activity by the faculty member outside of his or her classroom functions and responsibilities; professional work that allows the faculty member to maintain a mastery of his or her subject area in accordance with appropriate divisional guidelines.”

4. Eligibility for PTR:
   1. Part-time faculty: Clarification added to confirm that part-time faculty are eligible for PTR.
   2. CLTA faculty: Clarification added to confirm that faculty hired on contractually limited term appointments are eligible for PTR
   3. Faculty on Compassionate Care Leave: “the principle of no professional disadvantage should prevail for faculty and librarians on compassionate care leave… faculty and librarians returning to work after being on Compassionate Care Leave will be considered eligible for PTR on a pro-rata basis during the relevant PTR period during which they return to active employment.”
   4. Faculty on Sick Leave or LTD: “faculty or librarians on sick leave or in receipt of LTD benefits will be subject to the same principles of assessment for PTR purposes as faculty and librarians who take maternity/parental leaves for the first 12 months only of the period of time they are in receipt of sick leave or LTD benefits. This approach includes the principle of no professional disadvantage for the first 12 months.” “[F]or faculty and librarians on Sick leave and LTD for more than 12 months, on returning to work after being on LTD, faculty and librarians will be considered eligible for PTR on a pro-rata basis during the relevant PTR period during which they return to active employment.”

We will be working with Dean’s Offices to provide further advice and clarification about these new and clarified elements. Please review the AAPM for complete details and work with your Dean’s Office as we implement these changes to the PTR process.