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Provostial Funding for the NCFDD Faculty Success Program and the Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program, 2024-25

From: Heather Boon, Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life
Date: May 23, 2024
Re: Provostial Funding for the NCFDD Faculty Success Program (FSP) & Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program and New Reimbursement Process for FSP

Provostial Funding for the NCFDD Faculty Success Program and the Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program, 2024-25

The Faculty Success Program and the Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program are key offerings from the NCFDD (formerly known as the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity), an organization that supports “faculty members, postdocs and graduate students in making successful transitions throughout their careers”. The University of Toronto continues to maintain an institutional membership with NCFDD and encourages faculty and graduate students to register for a free subaccount to take advantage of a robust suite of professional development online programs.

Since 2015, more than 1,600 University of Toronto faculty and students have registered for a subaccount with the organization. Many faculty have let us know that they find the resources and webinars, which we highlight in our Monthly Action Guide, to be valuable.

Deans, Principals, Chairs, and Directors should be aware that that the Provost’s Office will continue to contribute 50% of the cost associated with the NCFDD’s Faculty Success Program and the Post-Tenure Pathfinder’s Program, provided that the home unit or Dean’s Office contributes the remainder of the funds.

This memo includes details about both programs and the reimbursement process associated with each. Please be aware that my office will be implementing a new reimbursement process for the Faculty Success Program on a one-year trial basis effective July 1, 2024.

Faculty Success Program

The Faculty Success Program is an intensive 12-week online-based program for tenure stream faculty, tenured faculty, and non-tenure stream faculty whose activities are similar to those in the tenure stream. The program is intended to help faculty “improve research productivity through intense accountability, coaching, and peer support and…propel their work-life balance and personal growth.” Faculty work directly with a coach (tenured faculty member) and a small peer group. The program is offered in the fall, spring, and summer of each year. Tenure stream faculty, tenured faculty, and part-time faculty in continuing appointments at the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor, and professor are eligible to enroll in the program and for funding.

The NEW Reimbursement Process for the Faculty Success Program

Beginning in July 2024, the University of Toronto will participate in a one-year pilot of the Priority Registration process for the Faculty Success Program. This initiative will translate to a savings of approximately $1,000 USD per registrant, to be split evenly between the Dean’s Office and the Provost’s Office. The key change under the new reimbursement process is that Dean’s Offices will submit to the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life (VPFAL) the names of all faculty members that their Dean has agreed to fund, rather than encouraging their faculty members to register independently for the program. VPFAL will register all eligible University of Toronto faculty members on the institution’s behalf. Dean’s Offices will be responsible for 50% of the costs associated with the program.

Dean’s Offices will communicate the change in reimbursement procedure with their faculty members who meet the eligibility criteria. VPFAL will provide a communications template to Dean’s Offices.

Details about the new application and reimbursement process are as follows. Please contact vpfal.prof.dev@utoronto.ca with any questions:

  1. As part of this pilot, faculty members should not register independently with NCFDD. To be eligible for reimbursement, faculty members interested in enrolling in the Faculty Success Program must first notify their Dean’s Office (and cc their Chair/Director/Principal in the case of Multi-Department Faculties).
  2. Dean’s Offices will review funding eligibility as detailed above and direct any questions to vpfal.prof.dev@utoronto.ca.
  3. For each candidate that the Dean has committed to fund, the Dean’s Office will fill out the FSP Request for Provostial Funding Form no later than 2 weeks before the Priority Registration deadline for each Faculty Success Program session. NCFDD typically offers three sessions per calendar year and there will be three corresponding Priority Registration deadlines. The deadline for submission of the FSP Request for Provostial Funding Form for each session will be communicated through the Monthly Action Guide and direct reminder emails to Dean’s Offices.
  4. VPFAL will confirm with the Dean’s Office that the candidate is eligible for funding from the Provost’s Office. The Dean’s Office will notify the faculty member that they will be enrolled in the program.
  5. VPFAL will submit registrations on behalf of eligible University of Toronto faculty members by the Priority Registration deadline.
  6. VPFAL will manage the payment process of the invoice and will charge 50% of the associated cost directly to the Dean’s Office.

Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program

The Provost’s Office will continue to contribute 50% of the cost associated with NCFDD’s Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program, provided that the home unit or Dean’s Office contributes the remainder of the funds.

The Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program is a 12-week online-based program, suitable for tenured (or soon-to-be tenured) Faculty Success Program alumni. The program runs several times per year and is intended to be “a space for a group [of 36] tenured faculty to pause, engage in a discovery process about what’s possible in their next chapter, and build the support network necessary to move powerfully in that new direction.” Tenured (or soon-to-be tenured) Faculty Success Program alumni are eligible for funding.

The Reimbursement Process for the Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program Remains Unchanged from Previous Years

Here are the details of that process for your reference: 

  1. Faculty members interested in enrolling in the Post-Tenure Pathfinders Program must first notify their Dean’s Office (and cc their Chair/Director/Principal in the case of Multi-Department Faculties). We encourage early bird registration, which carries the discounted fee.
  2. The Dean’s Office will then notify VPFAL of their commitment (or the commitment of the unit) to fund 50% of the cost of the program on behalf of a particular faculty member. Please send notification to academic.hr@utoronto.ca.
  3. VPFAL will confirm that the candidate is eligible (i.e., they have completed the pre-requisite the Faculty Success Program) for 50% reimbursement from the Provost’s Office. The Dean’s Office will confirm eligibility with the faculty member, who will then register themselves for the program.
  4. In the case of Multi-Department Faculties, the faculty member should submit their invoice to their home department/unit for reimbursement. The Dean’s Office will subsequently follow-up to reimburse the department/unit. In the case of Single Department Faculties, the faculty member should submit their invoice to the Dean’s Office.
  5. On an annual basis, Dean’s Offices are asked to complete a spreadsheet including the names of all Post-Tenure Pathfinders participants for the year and submit it to academic.hr@utoronto.ca by March 15.

Certificate in Effective University Teaching

Teaching Stream faculty seeking professional development opportunities are encouraged to explore the Course in Effective Teaching Practices (ETP) offered through Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), a nine-month course running from September until May that combines 25 asynchronous online modules, in-person and synchronous online learning opportunities, and a community of practice. Please visit the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation’s ACUE Application: Frequently Asked Questions page for details about the program and information about funding.

Note: The NCFDD has shifted the focus of their programming and teaching stream faculty are no longer eligible for the Faculty Success Program and the Post-Tenure Pathfinders Programs, which are intended for faculty in the tenure stream.