TO: All MUNFA Members
FROM: The MUNFA Executive Committee
DATE: December 12, 2023
SUBJECT: Collegial Governance Committee (Appendix K)
Per Appendix K of the 2023-2026 Collective Agreement, a Collegial Governance Committee, henceforth known as “the Committee” or “the Appendix K Committee”, was formed “to review collegial governance within the University.”
The MUNFA Representatives on the Committee want to hear from MUNFA members on their priorities and experiences related to Collegial Governance. The MUNFA representatives are particularly interested in hearing about areas where members’ feel collegial governance needs improvement or is not working. This input will be used to help inform them as they undertake their work on the committee and can be sent to munfa@mun.ca.
MUNFA’s work on the Appendix K Committee is being supported by a Collegial Governance Working Group. That group is looking for two additional volunteers to join in providing guidance and strategies to MUNFA members on the Appendix K Committee. Interested members should email munfa@mun.ca.
The members of the Appendix K Committee are as follows:
- Michelle Baikie (Board of Regents)
- Cyr Courturier (Marine Institute Faculty Association – Senate)
- John Harris (MUNSU)
- Lee Ann McKivor (Registrar – Academic Administrator)
- Lourdes Peña-Castillo (MUNFA)
- Vicky Quao (GCSU)
- Ian Sutherland (VP Grenfell – Senate)
- Eleanor Swanson (Board of Regents)
- Robin Whitaker (MUNFA)
The Committee has established Terms of Reference stating that the objective of the Committee is to undertake a broad review of collegial governance at Memorial including but not limited to, Memorial’s bicameral system, the Collective Agreement, and university policy and procedures. They will use this review to produce a report on the findings, including recommendations for strengthening collegial governance at Memorial. The committee has drafted a work plan identifying different aspects of governance at Memorial. The next phase of the Committee’s work will see pairs of Committee members taking primary responsibility for the initial study of selected areas.
The Committee has established a set of guiding principles for their work to produce the report focused on governance fit for Newfoundland and Labrador’s public university. The Committee has established the following principles that shall serve as measures of sound governance:
- Transparency
- Openness
- Representativeness
- Equity
- Accountability
- Collegiality
- Allowance of diverse perspectives
- Procedural fairness/democracy
- Respect for Academic Freedom
Any further questions regarding the Appendix K Collegial Governance Committee, and/or the MUNFA Collegial Governance Working Group are welcome to be directed to munfa@mun.ca.
