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Under Article 54 of the Collective Agreement, a Sessional Instructor is defined as a member of the Bargaining Unit who is a clinical instructor in Nursing, or a special instructor in Music, or a professor who is scheduled to teach one (1) or more credit courses during the academic year provided that he/she teaches no more than six (6) courses per academic year with no more than three (3) courses during the period of any semester. Teaching duties comprise the only function for Sessional Instructors.

Useful information and related topics:
The Sessional handbook can be found online by clicking here

Article 54 of the Collective Agreement: Sessional Instructors/Posted Courses

FAQ: Preferred Applicant Status (PAS)
Sessional Seniority
Seniority for Nurses and Special Instructors
Sessional Course Assignments & the Grievance Process
Sessional Course cancellation policy
Sessional Salaries
Sessional Health Care Benefits        
Sessional Reps on WUFA Council
Sessional Instructors and Employment Insurance (EI)
FAQ: Sessional Lecturer Positions
Sessional Job Postings 

FAQ’s regarding Article 55 and Sessional Lecturer Positions

1.
      Q:   What is the difference between a Sessional Instructor and a Sessional Lecturer?
       A:   Sessional Lecturers hold a permanent position for 8 months of the year and get the same benefits as full time faculty.  Sessional Instructors are hired on a contract basis each semester.  They can gain Preferred Applicant Status (PAS), but have no permanence.

2.
     Q:    What are the basic qualifications for the new Sessional Lectureship positions?
      A: a)   Sessional Instructors who have taught thirty two (32) or more   courses over eight (8) years. 
           b)    Must have a terminal degree or equivalent. 
           c)    Must demonstrate capacity to teach a range of courses from    introduction to senior level courses.
        **Note: If you have a terminal degree, you don't (necessarily) have to possess experience teaching a range of courses -- your terminal degree implies your ability to teach a range of undergrad courses.

3.
     Q:   Where do I send the application, and do I wait until the position is posted?
     A:   Applications should be submitted immediately to the AAU Head who shall present the application to the AAU appointments committee.  Please note that the positions will not be posted.

4.
     Q:   I currently teach in two departments.  To which department Head do I apply?
     A:   Apply to both Heads to ensure that both bases are covered.

5.         
     Q:   What should be submitted when I apply?
     A:   Letter of intent, updated CV, SET scores, and your teaching dossier.  

6.
     Q:   What should go into my teaching dossier?
     A:   Contact the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) on campus to assist with teaching dossiers. Usually, a dossier includes course outline(s), teaching philosophy, and any other materials that are pertinent to the course(s) being taught by the sessional.

7.
     Q:   How do you define a terminal degree or equivalent?
     A:   It depends on your AAU (example: Philosophy requires a PhD).  Basically, the AAU appointments committee will be looking at applicants to see if they meet the qualifications of an entry level lecturer position.  They will be looking for candidates who will be able to teach a range of courses in the department, from introductory level to senior level courses.

8.
     Q:   What if I don't have a terminal degree, and only have a master’s degree?
     A:   Apply anyway, but make a case for yourself that works in your favour.  Explain why you believe you have something equivalent to a terminal degree (for example, you might actively practice your profession outside of the academic realm and bring that experience to the classroom)    

9.
     Q:   How many new Sessional Lectureship positions are available?
     A:   There will be 20 positions available until June 30, 2014.  

10.
     Q:   What if I had an LTA appointment? Will the courses that I taught with an LTA go towards the (32/8) criterion?
     A:   No

11.
     Q:   What if I was on maternity/personal/parental/sick leave in the last 8 years?
      A:   The 32 courses over 8 years will be extended for the length of the leave. (ie. If you were on maternity leave for a year, you would need 32 courses over 9 years)

12.
     Q:   Do I have to have Preferred Applicant Status (PAS) to apply?
     A:   No

13.
     Q:  When do the positions start?
     A:   The positions start January 1, 2012 for those who met the eligibility requirements as of June 30, 2011. If the appointment is made after January 1, 2012, the appointment will be retroactive. For all other successful candidates the positions will start the following September 1.

14.
     Q:   What are the (5) additional Sessional Lecturer positions listed under Article 55:12?
     A:   They are positions to be filled as administration sees fit.

15.
     Q:   I've already applied but I wasn't aware of the documentation that should have accompanied the application - should I re-apply?
     A:   Yes

16.
     Q:   Will the new Sessional Lectureship positions only be filled by long serving sessionals?
     A:   Yes

17.
     Q:   Should I submit electronically?
     A:   Yes, electronic submissions are fine as are those on paper

18.
     Q:   Can a Sessional Lecturer apply for EI during the 4 month period in which they are off?
     A:   Yes

19.
     Q:   When will the Sessional Lecturer be required to teach?
     A:   Sept 1 - April 30 each year (8 month contract)

20.
      Q:   Are pensions and health care benefits paid for during the 4 month period in which they are off?
     A:   Yes.  Sessional Lecturers contribute to their retirement plan and their health benefit plans during the 8 months they work in order to cover the four months they are not employed.  Therefore, they contribute a bit more during the 8 months than full time faculty towards their pension and health care benefits.  

21.
     Q:   Can the Sessional Lecturer apply for Sessional courses during the 4 months in which they are off?
     A:   Yes
      **Note: A Sessional Lecturer would compete for such courses as a Sessional Instructor, not as a Sessional Lecturer

22.
     Q:   Does having PAS status give you an edge in getting the Sessional Lecturer position?
     A:   Not necessarily

23.
     Q:   Is it still important to apply for Preferred Applicant Status (PAS) if you receive a Sessional Lecturer position?
     A:   If you intend to continue teaching courses as a Sessional Instructor during the summer months, it may be a wise idea to apply for Preferred Applicant Status (PAS) as a Sessional Instructor even though you have received Sessional Lecturer status.  Once you have the PAS status you retain it, and this could give you the edge over other applicants for summer sessional courses.

24.
     Q:   Does a Sessional Lecturer appointment limit the number of courses one can teach as a Sessional Instructor?
     A:    Being appointed as a Sessional Lecturer does not limit the member from applying to as many sessional courses as they wish to teach, in any semester. If the member is awarded a sessional course(s) during the 8 months that the Sessional Lecturer contract is in place, the member will be paid an OVERLOAD stipend to teach them and the courses will be called overload courses, not sessional courses.  If the Sessional Lecturer applies to teach sessional courses during the 4 months they are not on contract as Sessional Lecturers, they will be paid as Sessional Instructors and the courses will be called sessional courses. The Collective Agreement restricts the number of sessional courses taught to 3 within a semester and 6 within an academic year.  Once again, sessional courses taught as overload do not count towards the 6-course limit.

25.
     Q:   As a Sessional Lecturer will I continue to hold onto my Preferred Applicant Status (PAS) as a Sessional Instructor?
     A:   Yes

26.
     Q:   As a Sessional Lecturer will I be paid a Sessional stipend or overload stipend for teaching a sessional posted course?
     A:   If you apply to teach a sessional course during the 8 months you are working as a Sessional Lecturer (Sept 1 – April 30) you will be paid an overload stipend adn teh course will be called an overload course, not a sessional course.  If you apply for a sessional course during intersession/summer when  you are not working as a Sessional Lecturer, you will be paid as a Sessional Instructor and paid the sessional stipend. NOTE:  It does not matter how many regular or overload courses you taught as a Sessional Lecturer - this does not count towards the '6 course limit per academic year' for Sessional Instructors.  However, you may only teach 6 courses as a Sessional Instructor per year, and only 3 per semester, as per the Collective Agreement.

27.
     Q:   As a retiree from the University can I apply for the Sessional Lecturer position?
     A:   No

28.
     Q:   What happens once the 20 positions are filled?
     A:   Under the 2011-2014 Collective Agreement there is an allotment for 20 positions, plus 5 additional special positions to be filled at the discretion of the University.  Once these are filled, there are no more openings.  Further openings would have to be bargained during negotiations and be accepted by both parties in order to become open.  At this time, there has been no discussion between the parties of this possibility.

29.
     Q:   If I am currently on a Limited Term Appointment (LTA), and meet the qualifications for a Sessional Lecturer position, should I apply?
     A:   This is a question that eligible members should consider very carefully.  Members with Limited Term Appointments have permanence only as long as their contract dates.  Applying for Sessional Lectureship will give them permanent part time employment.  Each individual will have to decide for themselves if the Sessional Lecturer position is appropriate, keeping in mind the following:
   1) As an LTA, the member is receiving all benefits of a full time employee and working 12 months of the year until the contract expires.  Usually, the salary paid is more than will be earned as a Sessional Lecturer.  The LTA member is taking a chance that a full time position (probationary appointment) may become available during their time at the university.  The economic realities show that very few probationary positions are advertised.
   2) A successful candidate for a Sessional Lecturer position will work on a permanent basis for 8 months of the year and will receive 80.49% of the Lecturer rank salary under Table A.1 in the Collective Agreement.  In the 2011-2012 year, the salary could be as low as $43,625 for 8 months of work.  Out of that salary the Sessional Lecturer will contribute to their pension plan at a rate of 8%, but the contirbution is increased  to cover the cost of contribution during the 4 months they are unemployed. Healthcare benefits continue through 8 months, and the Sessional Lecturer pays in advance for coverage during the 4 months of unemployment.  Everyone who is a successful candidate for a Sessional Lecturer position will be kept at Level 1 of the Sessional Lecturer ranks for 5 years before any promotion to Level 2 can take place.  

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What is Preferred Applicant Status (PAS)?  Do I qualify?

When a course is posted, applicants who have taught the same or similar courses six (6) or more times as a sessional instructor at the University who are not employed in a full-time capacity outside the bargaining unit, and who have a demonstrated record of successful teaching, shall be considered preferred applicants for that course.  If more than one preferred applicant has applied for a course, the course shall be assigned to the preferred applicant who has taught the course the greatest number of times as a sessional instructor at the University.

Why should I apply for a PAS?

You are not automatically considered a preferred applicant after you have taught a course six (6) times or more.  You must apply for this status.  If you do not apply for a PAS, you run the risk of not getting the course you have successfully taught in the past.  

I have taught 7 (or more) different courses at the U, does that make eligible for PAS?

No.  They must be the same or similar course.

What does “similar” course mean?

It means that most of the content taught is the same as the existing course, perhaps just a change in course number. This does NOT mean a second year course is the same as a first year course in successive learning.  For example: If you teach biology 201 it does not mean that biology 101 is “similar”  just because it is a lower year.

If there has been a gap of a few years between the same six courses, can I still apply? - YES

Does seniority count towards PAS? – NO

What materials do I need to gather and submit to apply for PAS?

· Updated CV

· SET scores from the course in question

· Teaching Philosophy (not mandatory, but could be useful if applicable)

· Course curriculum outline

· Any other documents that support teaching excellence, such as signed notes from students or colleagues, or anything else that the candidate thinks is appropriate to support their application for PAS

How do I apply for a PAS?

It is the sessional instructor’s responsibility to apply for PAS to the Head of their department.  In cases of non departmentalized faculties like Law, Nursing, or Education, you apply to the Dean.

Is there a deadline for application?

No.  However, the PTR committees (Promotion, Tenure and Renewal) meet most consistently before September each year, so it is best to apply ASAP.

How soon do I know if I’m accepted as a PAS?

After the PAS committee meets, you should receive a letter notifying you of PAS recognition.  Sometimes the PAS committee meets infrequently, therefore, it is suggested that you apply ASAP in order to be ready for their next meeting.

*For more information, see the Collective Agreement – Art. 54:06 (b)

Sessional Seniority
Under Article 54 of the Collective Agreement, seniority (‘preferred applicant’ status) is defined as someone who taught the same or similar course 6 or more times as a Sessional instructor before June 30, 2004.

As of July 1, 2004 Sessional instructors who taught the same or similar course fewer than 6 times (and have now taught the course six or more times) are required to apply to become a’ preferred applicant.’ One must apply to the Head of the relevant AAU asking the AAU’s Renewal Promotion and Tenure Committee (PTR) to review his/her performance in the course. The PTR Committee will review performance according to: the criteria in clause 54:06 (a); any statement from the AAU Head concerning documented and investigated student complaints; unusual patterns of withdrawal from the instructor’s classes; and any other points which the AAU Head deems relevant. The PTR Committee will then declare their recommendation or denial of ‘preferred applicant’ status.
Under the ‘six course rule’ Sessional instructors remain ‘preferred applicants’ as long as they are not employed in a full-time capacity outside the bargaining unit. If more than one preferred applicant has applied for a course, the course shall be assigned to the preferred applicant who has taught the course the greatest number of times as a Sessional instructor at the University.

Example: A candidate for a sessional appointment is a 'preferred candidate' because of his/her course seniority, but works full-time outside the bargaining unit, while the second candidate is a qualified retired professor who has never taught the course before as a sessional instructor. Which applies: preferred applicant, or seniority?

Under Article 54, there is a very particular meaning to the term “preferred applicant”. It is someone who has taught the same or similar courses 6 or more times as a Sessional Instructor at Windsor before June 30, 2004 OR has successfully applied for preferred applicant status to their AAU PTR committee after teaching the course 6 or more times post-June 30/04 while not employed full time outside the bargaining unit. A preferred applicant candidate loses the status if he/she works full-time outside the bargaining unit . A preferred applicant should be assigned to teach the course, over all other applicants.

If there is no preferred applicant, then the appointment is determined by comparing the candidates’ qualifications. The relevant qualifications are those listed in Article 54:06(a) of the Collective Agreement, under the categories of teaching competence and academic credentials. The person who is more qualified according to these factors should be appointed to teach the course.

However, if the qualifications are judged to be “relatively equal”, and both applicants are sessional applicants, then “sessional seniority” (as defined in Article 1 and if more than 5) “will be the determinative factor”. So, where a person who has course seniority and works full-time outside the bargaining unit is considered to have relatively equal qualifications as a retired professor with no sessional seniority, the person with seniority should be appointed to teach the course.

Seniority for Nurses and Special Instructors
The following table of equivalents is used for the purpose of calculating the Sessional seniority of Sessional instructors in Nursing:

Fall/Winter Semester
Number of hours taught per week course equivalent
20-24 hrs = 5 courses
13-19 hrs = 4 courses
8-12 hrs = 3 courses
5-7 hrs = 2 courses
1-4 hrs = 1 course
Intersession/Summer Session
2 weeks = 1 course
4 weeks = 2 courses

Sessional Course Assignments and the Grievance Process - How the Grievance Committee will investigate Sessional Course enquiries
If you have a concern relating to a Sessional Course Assignment, you can call the Faculty Association office, ext. #3366 for assistance. You will be asked the following:

• Which courses did you apply to teach, in which semester?
• Which courses were you assigned, in which semester?
• If available, supply a copy of your previous course assignments, semesters, seniority ranking (the list of same or similar courses you have taught over the years), SOST/SET (student evaluation) scores & your Appointment Letters.
• Provide the version of your CV which was used to apply for the course(s) in question.
• Supply a copy of your Statement of Interest in employment which was sent to your department annually before the March 1 deadline (Article 54:08(a)).

(If you do not have the information in (3) & (4), we will ask you to indicate your agreement, in writing, for WUFA to gather the information. Your name will be used to seek this information.)
To initiate the fact-finding process, WUFA will contact your Department Head, or Dean, to ask for information under Article 54:10 to establish the seniority and qualifications (including SOST scores) for yourself and for the candidate who was selected to teach the courses that had been requested. The Association will also ask, under Article 54:06 (b), if the successful candidates are employed full time outside of the university (Article 54:06(b)). The Head is expected to respond to WUFA with the information within 7 working days.

This information will be provided to the Grievance Committee for their review. Any documentation provided to the Committee is confidential. The Committee will review the material to determine if a violation has taken place under the Collective Agreement. They will use the criteria stated under Article 54 in their evaluation. The Grievance Committee recognizes that the Appointments Committee of the department is in the best position to know their own teaching needs and to make a decision based on those needs.

In some instances, the Grievance Committee may want to speak directly with you for additional details about your grievance. If so, you will be contacted to attend a meeting. All members are entitled to have a Step 1 grievance meeting. WUFA will provide you with a grievance officer and can discuss the issue with you before the meeting is held. Depending on the outcome of the Step 1 meeting, further grievance action may be recommended.

These are some of the more common reasons that Sessional Courses are assigned to other instructors:

• Seniority (the other person has taught the same or similar course as a Sessional Instructor 6 or more times)
• The candidate did not submit an application by the posted deadline
• The candidate did not submit an updated CV with the application
• The candidate did not submit a written Statement of Interest in employment under Article 54:08(a)
• One candidate’s SOST scores are consistently superior to the other candidate
• When two Sessional candidates are preferred candidates but one works full time outside the bargaining unit, the candidate who is not employed full time will be awarded the course (provided all other requirements are met under Article 54)
• One candidate has superior qualifications as listed under Article 54:06

What happens if an incorrect Sessional Appointment has been made?
If the Grievance process reveals that an incorrect appointment has been made to a Sessional course, the candidate who should have been appointed to the course by virtue of the clauses in Article 54 shall receive full salary and seniority credit (if applicable) for the course to which he/she should have been appointed. The candidate will not have to teach the course to get this settlement. The person who was appointed to the course will continue to teach it during the semester in question and will receive salary and seniority credit for teaching the course.
If the incorrect appointment is related to discrimination, violation of academic freedom, procedural irregularity or defect of procedure, or is contrary to the AAU Council recommendation on the merits of the case, arbitration may be recommended by the Grievance Committee to provide resolution. (Article 54:09)

What happens if I’m not in agreement with the decision of the Grievance Committee?
If the Grievance Committee decides not to proceed with a grievance after they have investigated a Sessional Course assignment, a letter will be sent to the complainant. The complainant has the right to appeal the decision to the Executive Committee at WUFA within seven working days of receipt of the letter from the Faculty Association. In the event the Executive Committee upholds the decision of the Grievance Committee, the complainant has a further right of appeal to Faculty Council. If the Executive Committee or Faculty Council votes to support the appeal, they will instruct the Grievance Committee to resume the case and the complainant will have full representation by the Faculty Association as the case goes forward to the next level.
NOTE: ALL SESSIONAL COURSE ASSIGNMENT ENQUIRIES REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL WITH WUFA

Guideline for Hiring Sessional Instructors

Over the past few years the Grievance Committee has faced a growing number of issues stemming from the appointment processes around Sessional Instructors. WUFA thought it might be helpful to prepare a memo to those involved in the appointment of sessionals outlining some of the common issues that tend to develop into grievances.

The following summarizes the requirements of Article 54 of the Collective Agreement with respect to sessional appointments. This information is being provided for your convenience. In 2011 a memo was sent to all Deans indicating that a sessional hiring template must be used during the appointment process for all Sessional Instructors.  An electronic copy of the hiring template is available through Carrie Hunting in the Provost's Office, ext. 2001.  If you have a question about any aspect of the content, please refer to the specific provisions of the Collective Agreement, which take precedence.

We hope you will find this information useful as you prepare for hiring Sessional Instructors for upcoming academic terms.

Hiring Sessional Instructors:
Sessional Instructors should be hired through an Appointments Committee in the AAU. It is required that an Equity Assessor (EA) attend all appointment committee meetings. Often an Equity Assessor is not available, however we suggest that the Committee ask for one and document the request and the response that one was not available.

Statement of Interest in teaching Sessional Courses:

AAU Heads should remind their Sessional Instructors who have taught 2 or more consecutive years that they should submit a written statement of interest in employment before March 1 every year. When a Sessional Instructor submits a written statement of interest by the March 1 deadline, they must be considered for all sessional positions advertised in the AAU for which they are qualified to teach in the upcoming academic year, July 1 – June 30. If they do not submit a written Statement of Interest by the March 1annual deadline they will have to provide a submission for each posting they wish to apply for.

Hiring of Sessional Instructors who have taught fewer than 6 courses and have no preferred applicant status:
The Appointments Committee has the job of choosing the most qualified candidate from a group of applicants. If all applicants have taught a sessional course a number of times, but no one has sessional seniority, the position should go to the most qualified candidate. The relevant qualifications for appointments are listed in Article 54:06(a) of the Collective Agreement. The Appointments Committee should keep notes to prove that they have taken steps to review the qualifications of all applicants and the basis upon which they have made their recommendation.

Sessional Seniority:
If a Sessional Instructor has taught the same or similar courses six or more times before July 1, 2004 and they were not working full time outside the bargaining unit while teaching those courses, they automatically have preferred applicant status. If they reached the 6-course threshold after July 1, 2004 under the same circumstances, they are required to apply to become a ‘preferred applicant.’ [IMPORTANT The member does not accrue preferred applicant status if the courses were taught while the member worked full time outside the bargaining unit.] The Sessional Instructor must apply to the Head of the relevant AAU asking the AAU’s Renewal Promotion and Tenure Committee (PTR) to review his/her performance in the courses, and the PTR Committee will determine if ‘preferred applicant’ status shall be awarded. [See criteria under Article 54:06(a)]

• If Sessional Instructors have preferred applicant status, they shall remain ‘preferred applicants’ as long as they are not employed in a full-time capacity outside the bargaining unit. If they no longer work full time outside the bargaining unit, they are eligible to apply for ‘preferred applicant’ status after they have taught the same or similar course 6 or more times.
• When two Sessional candidates are preferred applicants but one works full time outside the bargaining unit, the candidate who is not employed full time will be awarded the course (provided all other requirements are met under Article 54)
• If two or more preferred applicants have applied for a course, the course shall be assigned to the preferred applicant who has taught the greatest number of times as a Sessional Instructor at the University (seniority).
• Sessional Seniority for Nursing: The following table of equivalents shall be used for the purpose of calculating the sessional seniority of sessional instructors in Nursing:

  Fall/Winter Semester

Number of hours taught per week course equivalent
20-24 hours equals 5 courses
13-19 hours equals 4 courses
8-12 hours equals 3 courses
5-7 hours equals 2 courses
1-4 hours equals 1 course

2 weeks equals 1 course
4 weeks equals 2 courses

Sessional Seniority for special instructors in the School of Music, per semester

(course equivalent and/or conducting master class(es))

 15.5 - 21 hours equals 1.5 courses

7.5 - 14 hours equals  1.0 course

0.5 - 7 hours equals  0.5 course 

Sessional Courses versus Overload Courses:
If a Sessional Course is posted, a full-time faculty member, librarian, AAS or sessional lecturer is entitled to apply to teach the course. When the 6-course rule does not apply and qualifications of applicants are judged to be relatively equal, the full-time member takes preference over sessional instructor applicants. The full-time member is entitled to be paid the overload stipend for teaching more than the normal teaching load. If two or more full-time members apply for the course, the course should be given to the most qualified full-time candidate.

If the full-time candidate is in a Limited Term Appointment (LTA) position but has been a sessional instructor in the past, his/her sessional seniority does not apply to sessional courses posted within the LTA contract period. However, the candidate is considered to be a full-time employee and is allowed to apply for overload courses, subject to conditions outlined in the above paragraph.

Hiring of retired professors to teach Sessional Courses in relation to seniority:
Retired professors working as Sessional Instructors must meet the criteria listed above under “Sessional Seniority’ in order to be preferred applicants. If a retired professor applied to teach as a Sessional Instructor anytime after July 1, 2004 they must go through the same steps to get preferred applicant status - teach the same or similar course 6 times and apply to the AAU/ PTR Committee to get preferred applicant status. Whenever a retired professor starts to teach in a Sessional capacity, they start with ‘0’ seniority credits and must build up their seniority. Given the high qualifications of retired professors, the Appointments Committee may be tempted to appoint the retired professor to a sessional position but first it must be verified that no other Sessional applicant has sessional seniority or preferred applicant status in the course before the appointment is made.

Number of courses that can be assigned to Sessional Instructors:
In a given academic year, no Sessional Instructor can be appointed to more than 6 sessional courses. If the AAU requires a sessional instructor to teach more than the 6-course limit, they must apply through their Dean, to the Provost, to request a waiver of advertising from the Faculty Association. The Department must be able to substantiate that they undertook steps to recruit other candidates but no qualified candidates were found. In the case of emergencies when time does not permit advertising, a sessional instructor can only be appointed by approval through the Provost’s office.

The delayed posting of a position or a conscious decision not to post a position in order to give the position to a current candidate, does not constitute the need for an emergency waiver and is normally not approved by the Faculty Association’s Council.

Timeline for Hiring Sessional Instructors:
Courses which cannot be staffed by full-time faculty or sessional instructors as part of their normal teaching load must be “posted” publicly for at least 2 weeks prior to
consideration by the AAU Appointments Committee.

Normally a Letter of Appointment signed by the President or his/her delegate shall be sent by mail at least eight (8) weeks before the commencement of classes to each
appointee, which letter shall specify the course number(s), length, terms and conditions of appointment, including number of instructional hours, scheduled lab hours per
course, the stipend per assigned scheduled hour for teaching labs and salary (including Employment Standards Act vacation entitlement) and sessional seniority as
defined in Article 1. A copy of the current Collective Agreement shall be sent with the letter of initial appointment.

What happens if an incorrect Sessional Appointment has been made?
Normally the appointment will proceed through the grievance process. If the Grievance process reveals that an incorrect appointment has been made to a Sessional course, the candidate who should have been appointed to the course by virtue of the clauses in Article 54 shall receive full salary and seniority credit for the course to which he/she should have been appointed. The candidate will not have to teach the course to get this settlement. The person who was appointed to the course will continue to teach it during the semester in question and will also receive salary and seniority credit for teaching the course.

Sessional Course Cancellation Policy at the University of Windsor
Under Article 54:12 of the Collective Agreement, the following rules apply to Sessional course cancellations:
(a) The University shall not cancel an appointment made to a Sessional instructor in order to have the duties performed by a faculty member with a full-time appointment.
(b) If a member accepts an appointment and that course is subsequently cancelled and no equivalent position is found for him/her, he/she shall be compensated according to the following table:

Sessional Salaries ARTICLE R SALARY FOR SESSIONAL INSTRUCTORS

R.1(a): Classification Pay Rates for Sessional / Special / Clinical Instructors

Effective July 1 2008 sessional instructors shall be paid as per the following proposed classification scheme:
Class: Sessional/Special/Clinical Instructor
Courses Taught : 1 - 6
Status: Member of the bargaining unit, may opt out of Faculty Association membership. Union dues mandatory.

R.1(b) Sessional Course Rates for Full Semester Courses
 

R.2 Sessional Rates for Partial Courses
In the event that a sessional instructor is employed under this clause for less than twenty (20) hours, he/she shall
be paid in accordance with the rates below:
 

R.3 Sessional Rates for Clinical Courses
 

R.4 Sessional Rates for Special Instructor (Music) 
 

R.5 Consolidation Courses in the Faculty of Nursing
The University shall continue to pay a stipend to each sessional member who teaches a Faculty of Nursing consolidation course. The stipend shall be on the basis of one-half (1/2) of the rate for lecture hours for a four (4) week consolidation course.

General
R.6 Any additional hours scheduled for laboratories or other non-lecture settings shall be paid one-half (1/2) of the hourly rate for partial courses as stated in clause R.2 above and in the Letter of Appointment.

R.7 On May 1 of each year of this Collective Agreement, the University will contribute sufficient funds to establish and maintain fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) into an Information Technology Assistance Account for the benefit of sessional instructors who are not employed in a full-time capacity outside the bargaining unit, and who have taught at least four (4) courses in the previous teaching year. Upon application, qualified sessional instructors will be provided with up to three hundred dollars ($300) from this account to compensate for the use of personal information technology used to facilitate instruction in the previous teaching year. Should more than fifty (50) sessional instructors qualify for this compensation each will share proportionately from the account.

Sessional Health Care for those members who meet eligibility requirements
F.4 Sessional Instructors who are not employed in a full-time capacity outside the bargaining unit, who have no coverage through an alternate health insurance plan and who have taught at least four (4) courses in the previous teaching year (May 1 - April 30) shall be provided the benefits as detailed below. The paperwork to self-identify eligibility is mailed to each sessional member in April and must be returned by the deadline.  Coverage will begin the following July 1, provided the sessional instructor is still teaching at the University.

Benefits:

F.1 Except as provided in clause F.2, the University shall continue to pay for each full-time member, including a member appointed for a limited term, and each sessional lecturer and her/his eligible dependents under such Plan, the full cost of the present Green Shield Supplemental Hospitalization Plan and Green Shield Extended Health Benefit Plan or such other reasonable substitutes which provide a benefit plan(s) at least as good as the current Plan(s) subject to mutual agreement with the Association.

F.3 (a) Effective July 1, 2008 the University shall pay on behalf of all members covered by F.1 of this Article including sessional lecturers, one hundred percent (100%) of the Subscriber Rate for the items listed below:

(i) the Green Shield Dental Plan 35 (including $3,000 additional cost), major restorative at 80% co-insurance at current O.D.A. rates;

(ii) Green Shield Vision Plan ($400/24 months) and routine optometry examinations once every two (2) years to a maximum of seventy-five dollars ($75) per examination;

(iii) massage therapy to a maximum of $600 per calendar year;

(iv) speech therapist or speech pathologist to a maximum of $800 per calendar year;

(v) 50% of the scheduled fee to clinical psychologist for fifteen (15) visits;

(vi) Audio Hearing Aids coverage up to $2,000 every five (5) years, and hearing tests to a maximum of $75 every five (5) years;

(vii) chiropractic coverage up to $450 per year;

(viii) physiotherapist to a maximum of $800 per calendar year;

(ix) Foot Orthotics;

(x) chiropodist and podiatric coverage up to $500 each per year.
 

(b) Effective October 1, 1990, the University shall pay on behalf of all full-time retired members one-half (1/2) of the Subscriber Rate for:

(i) the Green Shield Dental Plan 35 (including $1,500 additional cost ) at current O.D.A. rates.

If you have further benefit questions, please call the Pension & Benefits Administrator at ext. 2090. Questions regarding Collective Agreement interpretations can be directed to the Faculty Association at ext. 3366, or by email to wufa@uwindsor.ca

Interested in joining WUFA’s Sessional Committee?
There are over 450 Sessional instructors at the University of Windsor. All are welcome to join the Sessional Committee. This group meets every month to discuss issues and concerns of Sessional instructors. You don’t need an invitation, simply contact the Association and request to be added to the Sessional Committee email list. The Committee offers peer support and makes recommendations to the Executive of WUFA about Sessional issues. They also participate annually in CAUT’s ‘Academic Contract Staff Week” activities to bring information to others on campus about part-time faculty members.
The Chair of the Sessional Committee is Dr. Mark Letteri, Philosophy ext. 2338 and the Sessional Director is Prof. Amanda Burgess, Political Science email: aburgess@uwindsor.ca.

For information on meeting times and dates, contact WUFA at ext. 3366 or email WUFA
 

Sessional Instructors and Employment Insurance
Sessional Instructors who have worked at the University in the past academic year are entitled to use those hours towards Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. Please go to the Human Resource Department and request a Record of Employment (ROE). It has been our understanding that a one-credit course (12 weeks, 39 classroom hours) will be recorded as 170 EI insurable hours. If a contract states lab hours as a separate stipend an additional 114 hours will be recorded as EI insurable hours. As of May 2009, a person needs 420 hours to qualify for EI benefits. For further information please contact Human Resources at ext. 2047