Communications Committee Members 2023-2024
- Josh Lepawsky, Geography
- Ash Hossain, Business
- William Schipper, English
- Lisa Moore, English
- Lisa Moores, Student Wellness and Counselling Centre
- Paul De Decker, Linguistics
- Sarah Thorne, English
- Rachel Jekanowski, English Language Programme
Committee Members 2022-2023
- Nathalie Pender, Chair, French, School of Arts & Social Sciences
- Svetlana Barkanova, Physics, School of Science & Environment
- Gerard Curtis, Visual Arts, School of Fine Arts
- Paul Foley, Environmental Policy Institute, School of Science & Environment
- Katherine Pendakis, Social Cultural Studies, School of Arts & Social Sciences
- Andrew Testa, Visual Arts, School of Fine Arts
- Sandra Wright, Psychology, School of Arts & Social Sciences
If you would have any questions or comments for the Grenfell AF&G Committee, you may forward your e-mail to one of the Committee Members listed below.
When submitting a Grievance form, please ensure it is accompanied by a signed PIPEDA consent form.
Downloadables
Committee Members 2023-2024
- Josh Lepawsky, Geography – President
- Bren LeFrancois, Social Work – Past President
- Ashrafee Hossain, Business – Vice-President External/President-Elect
- vacant – Vice-President Internal
- Bill Schipper, English – Secretary
- Michelle Swab, HSC Library – Treasurer
- Lisa Moores, Student Wellness and Counselling Centre – Member-at-Large
- John Sandlos, History – Member-at-Large
- Yolanda Wiersma, Biology – Member-at-Large
- Derek Messacar, Economics – Member-at-Large
- Rachel Jekanowski, School of Arts & Social Sciences – Member-at-Large (Grenfell Campus)
- vacant – Member-at-Large (Term-Appointed)
If you have any questions or comments for the Executive Committee, please forward your e-mail to one of your Representatives listed above or contact the St. John’s office at munfa@mun.ca, telephone: (709) 864-8642, fax #: (709) 864-3703.
An Introduction to the
MUNFA Academic Freedom & Grievance Committee
If you would have any questions or comments for the AF&G Committee, you may forward your e-mail to: Travis Perry (gpomunfa@mun.ca) in the MUNFA office or to any of the e-mail links listed below.
When submitting a Grievance intake form, please ensure it is accompanied by a signed PIPEDA consent form. For an overview of the grievance process click here.
St. John’s AF&G Terms of Reference
Committee Members 2023-2024
- Erika Merschrod, Chair, Chemistry (Oct. 2024)
- Jon Church, Co-Chair, Medicine, Retired (Oct. 2024)
- Stephen Butt, Engineering (Oct. 2024)
- Patrick Gamsby, Library (Oct. 2024)
- Malcolm Grant, Psychology, Retired (Dec. 2022)
- Lourdes Peña-Castillo, Biology/Computer Science (Oct. 2025)
- Nicole Power, Sociology (Oct. 2024)
- Cory Thorne, Folklore (Oct. 2025)
*St. John’s Campus committee. A parallel committee is appointed at Grenfell Campus.
Downloadables
The Academic Freedom and Grievance (AF&G) Committee is one of MUNFA’s most active committees. The AF&G Committee has 2 related mandates: 1) to protect academic freedom; and 2) to assist Academic Staff Members (ASMs) with the grievance procedure when there is a perceived violation of the Collective Agreement. The AF&G Committee also makes recommendations for Association grievances to the MUNFA Executive.
Here is what your AF&G Committee has been working on lately:
- Clause 31.68 of the Collective Agreement states that “An ASM may register for or audit one (1) credit course at the University during each semester.”. The University violated this Clause when an ASM was denied the ability to register for a graduate level course in their home Academic Unit. The AF&G Committee filed a grievance on behalf of the ASM. The grievance was eventually referred to arbitration which resulted in a recently mediated settlement. The grievance settlement not only allows the ASM to register for the disputed course, but also any and all courses in the graduate program.
- An ASM with a non-traditional academic career trajectory who has contributed significantly to teaching and learning at Memorial was denied promotion. The denial of promotion was grieved and the grievance was recently heard at arbitration. While the arbitration board dismissed the grievance on the basis that there was no significant violation of the Collective Agreement, the board ended their report by recognizing the significant impact of the ASM’s work and concluded by saying “It is the anticipation of this Board that the high quality of [their] work and dedication to such an important pursuit will, over time, be given the full recognition it so richly deserves.”.
- An ASM’s laboratory was accessed by maintenance staff without the ASM’s knowledge or consent. This unauthorized entry resulted in a significant loss of research materials. The AF&G Committee filed a grievance on behalf of the ASM. To settle the grievance, the University reimbursed the ASM for the cost of much of the lost materials.
- The AF&G Committee was contacted by an ASM who was recommended for a tenure-track position by the Search Committee and Dean but offered a Regular Term Appointment by the Provost. The AF&G Committee provided advice to the ASM who was eventually converted to a tenure-track position. The AF&G recommended, and the MUNFA Executive agreed, that an Association grievance be filed on the basis that the Provost replaced an advertised tenure-track position with a regular term appointment.
- An ASM who recently retired was denied their full vacation leave entitlement as per Clause 22.01 of the Collective Agreement. The AF&G Committee filed a grievance on behalf of the ASM and, as a settlement, the University agreed to pay the ASM a portion of their unused vacation entitlement.
- An ASM underwent an ergonomic assessment, which recommended a number of workstation modifications including a specific recommendation for a new desk. The University did not provide the recommended desk and the AF&G Committee filed a grievance on behalf of the ASM. While the University relented and purchased the recommended desk, it took over a year for the ASM to receive the new desk. As a result, the AF&G Committee recommended to the MUNFA Executive that an Association grievance be filed based on the time delays ASMs experience in receiving required ergonomic materials. The MUNFA Executive agreed and an Association grievance has been filed on this important issue.
- The AF&G Committee has recently assisted ASMs who have been subject to investigations for Gross Misconduct in Academic Research due to complaints from an outside agency. The ASMs involved have been cleared of any allegation of Gross Misconduct in Academic Research.
- The AF&G Committee continues to support and assist ASMs in their requests to the University for workplace accommodations.
Committee Members 2021-2022
- Erin Alcock, QE II Library (ex-officio)
- Leslie Redmond, Education (ex-officio)
If you have any questions or comments for this Committee, please forward your e-mail to: munfa@mun.ca
Downloadables
Committee Members 2021-2022
- Rebecca Law, Pharmacy (Chair)
- Xiuha Chen, Medicine
- Anne Graham, MLLC
- Krista King, Nursing
- Eduardo Martinez-Pedroza, Math & Stats
- William Schipper, English
- Ken Snelgrove, Engineering
- Amy Wadden, MUNFA Labour Relations Officer
- vacant
If you have any questions or comments for the Economic Benefits Committee, please forward your e-mail to: munfa@mun.ca
Downloadables
Committee Members 2021-2022
- Erin Alcock, QE II Library (Executive Representative)
- Stephen Butt, Engineering
- Xihua Chen, Medicine
- Veeresh Gadag, Community Health
- Don Gamble, Modern Languages, Literatures & Cultures
- George Jenner, Earth Sciences (Retired)
- Eden Kinzel, HSC Library
- Sudhir Saha, Business Administration (Retired)
- Ken Snelgrove, Engineering
- Guang Sun, Medicine
- Hong Wang, Mathematics & Statistics
- Hamid Usefi, Medicine
- Amy Wadden, MUNFA Labour Relations Officer
If you have any questions or comments for the Pension Committee, please forward your e-mail to: munfa@mun.ca
Downloadables
Committee Members 2021-2022
- Erin Alcock, QE II Library (Executive Representative)
- Eden Kinzel, HSC Library
- Alireza Moghaddam, Education
- Brent Snook, Psychology
In 1973, MUNFA established a scholarship trust fund for the promotion and encouragement of education at Memorial University of Newfoundland. When the capital of the Trust Fund reached a total amount of $250,000, all capital in excess of that amount, minus costs for management of the Trust Fund, is to be used for scholarships for MUN students. The MUNFA scholarships are available to full time or part time undergraduate students who demonstrate a high academic standard together with need of financial assistance.
Since 1973, many Academic Staff Members and staff of Memorial University have graciously donated to the MUNFA Scholarship Trust Fund. During the years of the Memorial University Opportunities Fund, when donations for scholarships to MUN were matched by Government, MUNFA made provision for the MUNFA scholarships to be included, designating that these matching funds also be used for scholarships. Many MUN students benefited. In the early days, the MUNFA scholarships were for an amount of $300.00; this was later raised to $600.00. These amounts reflected the tuition costs of the day. With changing times, and increased costs of university tuition, each MUNFA scholarship awarded today is valued at $2,500.00.
Should MUNFA members wish to increase their current contribution, begin contributing to the MUNFA Scholarship Endowment Trust Fund, or simply to send a contribution, please complete the contribution form and return this to the MUNFA Office. A tax receipt will be issued at year end, or if you wish to receive your receipt immediately, please indicate this with your contribution.
Downloadables
