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Fall 2023 Newsletter

Message from the Interim Vice-Provost, Faculty Affairs

Dear colleagues, 

Welcome back to another academic year! Whether you are new to the university or have been with us for many years, we are glad you are at TMU.

The start of a semester brings new beginnings and a renewed sense of excitement for what the year ahead will bring. There is nothing like the buzz on campus when students and faculty fill our classrooms, hallways and labs again. 

This year we are thrilled to be joined by 59 new faculty members and four new librarians. To these colleagues, please do not hesitate to lean on your peers and on us for support or to ask questions as you settle into your new academic home at TMU. At one point, we have all been new to a department, school or institution, so we know how you feel, and are here to help!

As many of you know, the university has been in collective bargaining with the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association (TFA) since the end of March 2023, with bargaining teams meeting twice a week up until July. We have made progress on a number of key items, however, work will continue into the fall in interest arbitration. In the spirit of collegiality, we remain committed to working with the TFA towards a new collective agreement.

Over the coming months, don’t forget about the great programming the OVPFA has organized for this year to enhance your learning and career development. This includes the Let's Talk Series consisting of 30 workshops on teaching, scholarly, research, and creative activities and wellness, as well as the Chairs & Directors Series which provides practical, hands-on training on topics that relate to the day-to-day duties of chairs and directors.

As you settle into the semester, know that my team and I are here to support you. If you have any questions, please reach out to me directly at palbanes@torontomu.ca or any of the OVPFA team members.

All the best for a wonderful semester.

Patrizia Albanese
Interim Vice-Provost, Faculty Affairs

OVPFA Team Updates

The OVPFA has had some staffing changes over the past few months. Here is a brief overview of these changes should you need to reach out for support:

  • Mirabelle Arodi joined the office in January, as coordinator, administration and technical support, to support our events, website, communications and programming.
  • Ilona Demetriadis will take on the role of supporting faculties in their use of Teaching Assignment Integration (TAI). Please contact Ilona for TAI-related inquiries.
  • Asha McClean has left her role at TMU, we wish her nothing but the best! We are in the process of hiring a replacement for this role.
  • Crystal Tripple joined us in August from Queen’s School of Medicine to support the TMU School of Medicine.

Exploring Leadership at TMU

Cynthia Holmes (she/her)
Dean, Ted Rogers School of Management

Cynthia Holmes has served in a number of service and leadership roles at TMU. In this video, she offers important insights, lessons learned and advice for faculty looking to take on leadership roles.

Meet Joseph Adu, a TMU Black Scholar

Black scholars are among the most underrepresented in postdoctoral positions, tenured faculty positions and in university leadership. 

In an effort to address this and respond to recommendations of the  (PDF file) Anti-Black Racism Campus Climate Review Report, TMU launched the Post-Doctoral Fellowships for Black Scholars program, which began this month.

Of the four inaugural recipients of the fellowship is Joseph Adu, a highly skilled practitioner with over 20 years of international experience working in the fields of healthcare and education. 

Read this profile to learn more about Joseph and his research on reducing mental illness stigma in Black communities. 

Read more
Untitled design - joseph-adu

2023-24 Learning and Development Opportunities

All events

News and Updates

 (google form) Help shape TMU’s community wellbeing strategy (external link) 

Community Wellbeing at TMU was established to address issues impacting well-being across the campus, foster creative and collaborative community-led solutions to campus-wide issues, and allow for meaningful impact for faculty, contract lecturers, staff and students of the TMU community.

Throughout the fall, Community Wellbeing will facilitate touchpoints to gather feedback from students, faculty and staff. The feedback will inform the development and implementation of a community well-being strategic plan for TMU. 

Faculty members and contract lecturers are key stakeholders in the Community Wellbeing initiative. You are invited to complete the survey below to share your thoughts and contribute to the strategic framework. The survey will be available until Thursday, November 30, 2023. 

The Community Wellbeing team is also offering interactive engagement sessions for faculty, contract lecturers and staff to share their experiences of well-being at TMU.

If you would like to learn more about Community Wellbeing or schedule an engagement session with your team, please reach out to Jay Baker at jay.baker@torontomu.ca.

 (google form)  Take the survey  (external link) 
Students studying and working in the SLC
Allyson Miller

Allyson Miller appointed Director, Academic Integrity Office

In August, the Academic Integrity Office welcomed Allyson Miller as its new Director. Allyson brings more than a decade of experience in the field of academic integrity to this role and will help lead our continued efforts to build a culture of academic integrity and excellence at TMU.

Resources

Resources for new faculty
New to TMU? Check out our new faculty resources page for information on orientation, getting to know TMU, moving to Toronto and much more.

Inclusive excellence in academic life at TMU
Resources and tools to promote awareness, education and action in the advancement of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) in academic recruitment and evaluation at TMU.

Resources for Department Hiring Committees (DHCs)
On a DHC committee this semester, or looking to join in the future? Take a look at our DHC processes and resources webpage.

National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) (external link) 
Don't forget, as part of TMU's continued mission to provide diversity information and professional development, we are an institutional member of the NCFDD. To learn more and to activate your membership visit the OVPFA website.

Check out their free 14-day writing challenge (external link)  which offers a structured framework to connect you with your weekday academic pursuits and cultivate a consistent writing routine. Register by October 3.