Appointment of Academic Administrators Procedures (AAA Procedures)

• Related Documents: Appointment of Academic Administrators Policy (AAA Policy) (opens in new window) ;   (PDF file) Rights and Obligations of Toronto Metropolitan University Committee Members; Recruitment Resources;  (google doc) Senate Election Procedures (external link) 
• Owner:  Vice-Provost, Faculty Affairs
• Approval Dates:  1994, 1999, 2017, 2023

I.     Purpose

These procedures (the “Procedures”) assist in the interpretation and application of the Appointment of Academic Administrators Policy (“Policy”) and set out the process for implementing the Appointment of Academic Administrators Policy (AAA Policy). These procedures outline the composition, formation and functioning of Committees, including information on who Chairs each committee and how. They include direction on the collegial administration of intra-term assessments, reviews and searches.

II.     Definitions

All capitalized terms not otherwise defined in these Procedures have the meanings set out in the Policy.

“Continuing Education (CE) Student” means an individual (in good academic standing) registered in a Chang School course, and not simultaneously registered in an undergraduate/graduate program at Toronto Metropolitan University.

"Failed Search” means a situation where candidate is not identified as a result of a search as set out in Sections 2(j)(ii), 2(h)(iii) and 2(i);

“Undergraduate/Graduate Student” means an individual currently registered (in good academic standing) in an undergraduate/graduate program at Toronto Metropolitan University leading to an undergraduate/graduate degree.

“VPFA” means the Vice-Provost Faculty Affairs

III.     Committees

1.    Role of Committee Chairs

The senior administrator to whom the Academic Administrator Position reports shall serve as the Chair of the Committee. The Chair is a non-voting Committee Member but may participate in discussions on an equal basis. The Chair is responsible for:

a.    Developing and forming a Committee.

b.    Ensuring that all procedures related to nominations, elections and appointments of review and search Committee Members, are properly conducted in accordance with these Procedures. Any unusual situations related to Committee formation will be addressed in consultation with the VPFA.

c.    Achieving a Committee composition which advances the University’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and adding specific knowledge and experience when necessary.

d.    Ensuring that all Committee Members are familiar with the process and all materials under consideration. If applicable, facilitating transparent information sharing between the search firm and the Committee.

e.    Ensuring that all Committee Members have read and agreed to abide by the Rights and Obligations of Toronto Metropolitan University Committee Members.

f.    Ensuring that all deliberations of the Committee are conducted in an atmosphere of collegiality and mutual respect, where concerns can be fully and collegially addressed.

g.    Ensuring that meetings are accessible (consider individual accessibility needs and institutional standards), and when possible, are held during regular business hours.

h.    Developing procedures and rules, in consultation with Committee Members, to guide the work of the Committee that are consistent with this and other University policies. These include but are not limited:

i.    Confidentiality and record management;

ii.    Attendance and quorum: Each Committee shall establish rules regarding quorum for meetings, rules regarding how attendance or absence may affect the right to vote on certain issues, etc.;

iii.    Defining a majority sufficient for decisions of various kinds (e.g. for regular business, for a final recommendation, etc.);

iv.    Input from the community and portfolio staff;

v.    Identifying key issues related to the portfolio based on input from the community and portfolio staff and/or strategic directions of the portfolio as determined by the Chair;

vi.    Selection criteria and rating/ranking methodology;

vii.    Advertising and application requirements (internal, external, international);

viii.    Screening of resumes and short-listing of candidates;

ix.    Interview process and questions;

x.    Reference checks; and

xi.    Site visits, presentations and/or other components of the search and assessment process.

i.    Ensuring that when there is significant concern with respect to compliance with relevant principles, confidentiality, Conflict of Interest or procedures, or another matter, the issue(s) should be brought to the attention of the Committee. The Chair in consultation with the Committee, and if necessary with the VPFA, may take necessary steps to address the issue, including seeking advice with respect to recusing a Committee Member(s), or striking a new Committee.

j.    It is the responsibility of the Chair to approach and meaningfully engage with the appropriate department hiring committee or library appointments committee to ensure that an external candidate is academically qualified; and to seek their recommendation for the external candidate to join the Department/School/Division of which they may ultimately become a faculty member. Each department hiring committee/library appointment committee may develop a process through which they consult and/or receive feedback from their Department Chair/Director (if not a Member of the department hiring committee/library appointment committee) and departmental colleagues.

2.    Committee Composition

a.    Committees shall be composed of the number and type of elected and appointed Committee Members as set out in Schedule One below, provided that in the event that after a second call for nominations, an insufficient number of individuals from a required type are nominated, the Chair in consultation with the VPFA may determine that alternative comparable individuals, where applicable, from the same bargaining unit/employee group, are eligible to be elected to the Committee.

b.    Each Committees shall be constituted in a manner to have diverse representation.

c.    Except as set out in Schedule One with respect to a specific Committee, an individual, other than a Student, must be a full-time employee past their probationary period to serve as a Committee Member.

d.    All students must be in good academic standing to serve as a Committee Member.

e.    Incumbents are not eligible to sit on Committees for their current Academic Administrator Position.

f.    In considering appointments to a Committee, the Chair shall make every effort to increase the participation of women, racialized people, First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Peoples, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ people.

g.    Each Committee shall select a Committee Member to act as the Equity Advocate. The Equity Advocate must complete equity, diversity and inclusion training, and shall be responsible for ensuring that the Committee adheres to the values of equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of their work. The Equity Advocate is not required to be from an equity-deserving group.

3.    Election and Appointment of Committee Members

a.    The nomination and election of elected Committee Members will follow the Senate Election Procedures except as modified herein, including voting by secret ballot, and will be supported by the Senate Secretariat.

b.    The nomination period for elected Committee Members should be open for at least seven working days.

c.    Each individual who is qualified to vote may vote for up to the number of Committee Member positions available to be filled.

d.    Pre-tenure faculty members, tenured faculty members and limited-term faculty members may vote in electing tenured faculty members to a Committee,  except in the case of the Committee for the Vice-Provost and Dean, and Associate Dean of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies, where voters are restricted to members of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies.

e.    Probationary librarians and career librarians may vote in electing career librarians to a Committee.

f.    The candidate receiving the most votes will serve; subsequent candidates will be chosen from the list in the order of most votes as long as their Faculty/Division/Department/School is not already represented. In the event that there are no candidates from the number of Faculties/Divisions/Departments/Schools needed to fill the number of elected Committee Members, then the selection will proceed in a similar manner,      selecting a second Member from an already represented constituency, but not a third, until all other constituencies have reached two Members. This is to minimize the potential for any one constituency to dominate.

g.    Where more than one constituency election must be held to determine the Membership of a Committee, all the constituency elections for the Committee shall be held simultaneously or as close to each other as practically possible. In any event, none of the election results shall be announced until all elections have been held for a specific Committee.

h.    In the event that there remain vacancies after the second election and after the process identified in 3.g. above, the Chair, after consultation with the Committee Members, may initiate ad hoc procedures for striking a fully composed Committee; provided that a written record of actions to strike a fully composed Committee shall be provided to all Committee Members before the start of Committee work.

i.    A Chair shall be responsible for appointing Committee Members from specified constituencies as set out in Schedule One. In making such appointments the Chair shall consider diversity, experience, and appropriate representation.

j.    Should a Committee Member elected or appointed from one constituency experience a change in their main employment role, the Chair in consultation with the Committee, shall decide whether the Committee Member remains on the Committee, considering such matters as community representation and the potential for conflict of interest. Faculty Members on the Committee who assume a Chair/Director role of a Department/School, or whose tenure as a Chair/Director ends while the Committee remains in process, are normally excluded from this consideration and may continue to serve.

k.    Once elections for the review and/or search Committee are complete, all appointed Committee Members confirmed, and the Committee has met once, no Committee Member may become a candidate.

4.    Committee Support

a.    The Office of the VPFA shall make every reasonable effort to keep their website up-to-date with information on the role, responsibilities, Incumbent, and term length of each Academic Administrator Position. The Office of the VPFA shall keep the University community informed of any pending and active reviews and searches.

b.    The Office of the VPFA shall maintain a resource page on the University’s Faculty Recruitment resource page that provides Committees with best practice advice, information and steps in making strategic hiring decisions consistent with the values and principles of the University.

c.    At the request of the Chair, after notifying the Committee, a non-voting resource person(s) may be assigned to the Committee from Human Resources, the Office of the VPFA, or from the Office of the Chair to support the Committee in the discharge of its responsibilities. Such limited, non-voting resource persons shall be governed by the same confidentiality provisions as Committee Members regarding any information or deliberations to which they are party.

d.    Where appropriate, a Committee may consult with internal and/or external colleagues and stakeholders with necessary specific expertise to assist the Committee with its activities. Such limited, non-voting participants shall be governed by the same confidentiality provisions as Committee Members regarding any information or deliberations to which they are party.

e.    A Chair may engage an executive search firm to assist the Committee with its activities. The selection of such a firm shall be carried out in compliance with the University’s procurement policies. Notwithstanding the engagement of a search firm, the Chair shall retain control over the search process. Materials gathered and shared by the search firm shall be made available to all Committee Members.

5.    Conflicts of Interest

If a Committee Member fails to declare a perceived conflict of interest, the Chair or any other Committee Member, shall bring the matter to the Committee’s attention. The Committee shall consider the matter and decide whether a conflict exists, whether the matter warrants the Committee Member’s removal from the Committee, or whether any other action should be taken to mitigate the conflict. In the event there is no agreement among Committee Members, or between the Committee and the Chair, the matter will be referred to the VPFA for a ruling.

6.    Replacement and Disbandment

a.    During the term of a Committee, if a Committee Member ceases to be a Committee Member for any reason, a successor will be chosen in the same manner as the Committee Member withdrawing, unless in the judgment of the Chair in consultation with the Committee, the selection process is so far advanced that a new appointment to the Committee would be inappropriate, in which case the seat will remain vacant.

b.    During the term of a Committee, if a student Committee Member ceases to be a student at the University, but remains willing and able to continue to serve as a Committee Member, the Chair may, at their discretion, permit the student to continue to serve or appoint a replacement student Committee Member, unless in the judgment of the Chair in consultation with the Committee, the selection process is so far advanced that a new appointment to the Committee would be inappropriate, in which case the seat will remain vacant.

c.    Under certain unusual circumstances a Committee may need to be disbanded early. Such circumstances include but are not limited to:

i.    when a Committee has sustained a loss of membership sufficient to undermine its functioning as a deliberative body;

ii.    when there has been a serious breach of policy that compromises the process; and

iii.    where there has been sufficiently severe conflict on the Committee to undermine its functioning.

When such circumstances exist, the Chair will discuss the concerns and the possibility of disbanding with the Committee. If a majority of the Committee, through voting by secret ballot, agrees that disbanding is in order, the Committee is disbanded and a new Committee will be established in accordance with these procedures as soon as reasonably possible. If the Committee does not agree that disbanding is in order, the matter will be referred to the VPFA who will meet with the Committee to discuss the issue, and then make the final determination regarding disbanding within ten business days.

IV. Reviews and Searches

1.    Review Committee Procedures

a.    At the beginning of the final year of an Incumbent’s first term (typically by September 1 depending on the start date of their first term), the senior administrator responsible for an Academic Administrative Position will ask the Incumbent whether they wish to be considered for reappointment for a second term.

b.    An Incumbent interested in being considered for a second term shall indicate this in writing to the senior administrator to whom they report.

c.    In the event the Incumbent indicates they do wish to be considered for a second term, the senior administrator that they report to shall strike a Review Committee which shall undertake a review of the Incumbent in accordance with the procedure listed below. If the Incumbent indicates that they are not interested in being considered for a second term, the senior administrator shall strike a Search Committee and shall follow the procedures set out in Section 2, below.

d.    The Review Committee shall assess the Incumbent’s performance to date, and prospects for future performance. This will include:

i.    A review of the relevant Academic Administrative Position specifications against which the Incumbent was selected; an updated CV provided by the Incumbent, an accurate summary of the intra-term performance assessment, as well as of any other previous evaluations of the Incumbent’s performance completed by the relevant senior administrator; any responses to intra-term assessments by the Incumbent; and any other material that the Chair or the Incumbent wishes to bring to the attention of the Committee.

ii.    Seeking input from all direct reports, peers, colleagues and other appropriate members of the University community regarding:

A.    The Incumbent’s performance up to the time of the intra-term performance assessment and since.

B.    Priorities of the portfolio as identified at the time of appointment and intra-term.

C.    Current issues and future direction of the portfolio.

D.    Individuals shall be invited to provide submissions in writing to an appropriate office as determined by the Chair. Anonymous submissions will not be considered. The receiving office will ensure the confidentiality of all submissions, and shall provide the Review Committee with anonymized submissions.

E.    The Review Committee will provide the Incumbent with an anonymized summary of the submissions for review and comment. All anonymized summaries should be an accurate reflection of the input received.

iii.    The Incumbent will provide the Review Committee with a self-evaluation of their performance and will have an opportunity to respond in writing to the anonymized summary.

iv.    The Review Committee will meet with the Incumbent to review the assessments and to discuss the Incumbent’s vision and priorities in respect of a renewed appointment.

e.    Having due regard for the information listed in 1.d. above, the Committee will render its own judgment with respect to the reappointment of the Incumbent. If sufficient Committee Members (in accordance with the rules established by the Review Committee) agree as indicated by a secret ballot vote, the Review Committee will make a recommendation to the Chair, providing supporting arguments and sufficient rationale as to whether the Incumbent should be reappointed or not. If the input received under 1.d.ii. above is clearly positive or clearly negative regarding the Incumbent but the Review Committee is making a recommendation that is contrary to the feedback (e.g., the Review Committee recommends reappointment when the feedback received was clearly negative), then the Review Committee’s recommendation must clearly address this inconsistency and provide specific rationale as to why their recommendation should be accepted.

f.    If the Chair agrees with the Review Committee’s recommendation:

i.    not to reappoint the Incumbent, the Review Committee will be reconstituted as a Search Committee and a search will commence. The Incumbent will not be eligible to apply for the Academic Administrative Position.

ii.    that the Incumbent should be reappointed, the Chair shall make the recommendation to the President (or to the Chair of the Board of Governors in the case of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic search) for approval. Upon approval, the Review Committee’s work concludes and the appropriate office begins the appointment process.

g. If the Chair disagrees with the recommendation of the Review Committee regarding the reappointment of the Incumbent, the Chair will provide their rationale to the Review Committee and will ask the Committee to reconsider its recommendation.

h.    If, after the Review Committee’s recommendation, the Chair disagrees with the Review Committee’s recommendation, the work of the Review Committee is concluded, and the Review Committee will becomes a Search Committee and a search will commence. The Incumbent will be eligible to apply for the Academic Administrative position.

i.    If after reconsideration, the Chair agrees with the Committee’s recommendation that the Incumbent should be reappointed, the recommendation shall go to the President (or to the Board of Governors in the case of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic search) for approval. Upon approval, the Review Committee’s work concludes and the appropriate office begins the appointment process.

j   . An Incumbent may at any point inform the Chair in writing that they no longer want to be considered for reappointment. Upon receipt of such notice by the Chair the Incumbent will then not be eligible for reappointment for a second consecutive term.

k.    No Committee Member of a Review Committee that recommends against reappointment of an Incumbent may be a candidate in the following search for the Academic Administrative Position.

l.    If the Incumbent indicates that they are not interested in being considered for a second term, the Committee will be deemed a Search Committee and follow the Search Committee procedures in Section 2, below.

2.    Search Committee Procedures

a.    If a search process was preceded by a reappointment review process, the existing Committee Members of the Review Committee have the first opportunity to continue as Committee Members on the Search Committee. In the event they are required, any replacement Committee Member will be added to the Search Committee in the same category and using the same manner (election or appointment) as set out in Schedule 1. In the event that there is no Incumbent eligible for, or seeking reappointment, or a new appointment to an Academic Administrative Position is required, a Search Committee will be constituted and a search will commence.

b.    The Search Committee’s mandate is to seek and recommend the best candidate for the Academic Administrative Position. Towards that end, the Search Committee:

i.    Reviews and, where appropriate, recommends updates to the position description;

ii.    Reviews and recommends the qualifications and experience required;

iii.    Seeks candidates;

iv.    Screens applications;

v.    Interviews selected candidates; and

vi.    Conducts any other assessments as may be appropriate.

c.    A person holding an Academic Administrative Position on an interim basis will be eligible to apply for the position.

d.    A Search Committee as a whole may where appropriate consult with any person(s) who is not a Committee Member of the Search Committee on their views of the Academic Administrative Position and what characteristics they think the appointee should possess provided such consultation does not involve any performance assessment of a candidate.

e.    A Committee shall make a recommendation to the Chair as to which candidate should be appointed to the Academic Administrative Position. The recommendation of the candidate shall be determined by a majority vote of the Search Committee, made in accordance with the voting rules established by the Search Committee. In the event that a vote or a series of votes fails to result in a majority for one of the candidates, the Search Committee should continue to try to reach an agreement.

f.    Except in the circumstances of interim appointments or an extension of an Incumbent or interim appointment, there will be no appointment made from a search in the absence of a positive recommendation from the Search Committee.

g.    If the Chair agrees with the Search Committee’s recommendation of a candidate, the recommendation shall go to the President (or to the Board of Governors in the case of a Provost and Vice-President Academic search) for approval. Upon approval, the Search Committee’s work concludes and the appropriate office begins the appointment process.

h.    If the Chair disagrees with the recommendation of the Search Committee, or after due consideration and discussion the Search Committee is unable to make a recommendation, the Chair shall ask the Search Committee to reconsider. If the Search Committee is unable or unwilling to provide another recommendation, the following options are available:

i.    In the case of an internally advertised search, the Search Committee may ask the Chair to seek authorization for an external search. If such authorization is granted, the Search Committee will continue on that basis;

ii.    If authorization for an external search is not granted, and the Search Committee has not re-advertised internally, the Search Committee may so advertise unless the Search Committee and Chair agree that re-advertising would not be effective, in which case a Failed Search will be declared and the Search Committee will be dissolved. If the Search Committee has already re-advertised and reached the same position with no recommendation acceptable to the Chair, a Failed Search will be declared and the Search Committee dissolved; or

iii.    In the case of an externally advertised search, the Chair may ask the Search Committee to re-advertise externally and continue on that basis or the Chair may declare a Failed Search. If after re-advertising the Search Committee still makes no recommendation acceptable to the Chair, a Failed Search will be declared.

i.    If no candidate can be found who is acceptable to the Search Committee, the Chair and the President (or the Board of Governors), a Failed Search will be declared.

j.    After a Failed Search, a new Search Committee will be struck. Members of the disbanded Search Committee are entitled to put their names forward for election or appointment to serve on the new Search Committee.

3.    Advertising Positions

If a Review Committee is reviewing an Incumbent’s performance because they are seeking a second term, the Academic Administrative Position does not need to be advertised. Otherwise, all vacancies in the Academic Administrative Positions must be advertised internally or externally as set out below.

“Internal” advertising of a vacancy means there will be written notice of a vacancy in an Academic Administrative Position and call for applicants circulated within the University including posting on the Toronto Metropolitan University Career Opportunities website.

“External” advertising means there will be written notice of a vacancy in an Academic Administrative Position and call for applicants circulated concurrently both internally within the University, including posting on the Toronto Metropolitan University Career Opportunities website, and externally, including in at least one advertisement in a publication accessible to qualified candidates such as a Toronto daily newspaper, a newspaper with a national reach, an academic educational publication or approved professional publication.

All advertising and search measures to encourage applications from diverse communities will be carried out with the assistance of the Office of the VP, Equity and Community Inclusion, and Human Resources.

A decision to advertise externally is subject to budgetary approval and shall be made by the Chair after receiving the Search Committee’s advice.

In the event an Academic Administrative Position is only advertised internally, the candidate pool for the Academic Administrative Position must be limited to any full-time career University employee who is eligible for consideration including Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association Members (all tenured faculty Members, librarians and counsellors past their probation period).

Schedule One – Committee Composition