Course Equivalencies (Clause 3.17) UPDATE

TO: All MUNFA Members

FROM: The MUNFA Executive Committee
DATE: January 28, 2025
SUBJECT: Course Equivalencies (Clause 3.17) UPDATE

The MUNFA Executive wishes to update members on outstanding matters involving course equivalency grievances.

In July of 2023, the University administration and MUNFA agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would alter the timelines for course equivalency review as outlined in Clause 3.17 (full text below). The MOU was signed due to a number of outstanding MUNFA and University grievances filed related to course equivalencies and Appendix J of the previous Collective Agreement. MUNFA signed the MOU in good faith with the understanding that the arbitration process would be expedited to allow for a timely response.

As reported in our IB of October 20th, 2023, a 3 day mediation session held in September 2023 did not result in a remedy to the outstanding grievances. The Parties and arbitrator Peddigrew agreed to expedite the formal hearing process with an anticipated written decision to be delivered by August 2024. This information was communicated to the membership in our IB of April 11th, 2024.

Unfortunately, there have been further delays. The MUNFA Executive and our Legal Counsel have pushed to get revised hearing dates for the arbitration. The earliest dates available for the grievances to be heard has been determined to be June 24-27, 2025. These are well beyond the ‘expedited’ process that MUNFA and our Legal Counsel have been advocating for since 2023.

In an effort to allow the parties to move forward so that Academic Units may engage in the course equivalency process outlined in Clause 3.17 of the Collective Agreement, MUNFA sent a proposed settlement offer to the University on November 22nd, 2024. This settlement proposed the withdrawal of all outstanding grievances (both MUNFA and University grievances), which would trigger the timelines outlined in Clause 3.17.

As of the time of sending this IB, the MUNFA Executive has not received a formal response to the proposed settlement MOU of November 22nd, 2024. Therefore, the MOU to pause timelines in Clause 3.17 remains in effect.
The MUNFA Executive appreciates the patience of the membership on this important issue. Updates will be provided as they arise.

Any questions or concerns on this matter should be sent to munfa@mun.ca.

Full-Text of Clause 3.17

The equivalencies specified in Clause 3.16(a) may be altered according to the following procedures:
(a) Within sixty (60) days of the signing of this Collective Agreement and upon request by either:

(i) the Dean, Director, or where equivalencies were previously determined by department in a departmentalized faculty, the Department Head; or

(ii) at least ten (10) or one-half, whichever is less, of the Faculty Members from within the relevant Faculty, or School, or Department;

the Administrative Head shall call a meeting of the Academic Unit for the purpose of deciding whether to re-examine course equivalencies.

(b) Following such a meeting and if formal approval has been obtained by a majority vote by ballot of the Faculty Members in that Academic Unit, a Faculty, or School, or Department shall re-determine course equivalencies in the following manner:

(i) If the equivalencies had previously been established by Faculty or School, a Special Committee shall be struck within the Faculty or School, within one hundred (100) days of the date of signing of this Collective Agreement in order to re-determine the equivalence of all non-standard teaching formats, including, but not limited to, Laboratory Courses, and intern, clinical, research, thesis and other academic supervision of undergraduate and graduate students in the Academic Unit relative to a three-hour lecture course. The Special Committee shall consist of three (3) Faculty Members elected by and from among the Faculty Members in the Faculty or School and two (2) Faculty Members appointed by the Dean or Director. After receiving the Report of the Special Committee, the Dean or Director shall determine the course equivalencies as recommended in the Report of the Special Committee within ten (10) days of the receipt of the Report of the Special Committee. This determination shall be fair and equitable, and shall be circulated to all Faculty Members in the Academic Unit.

(ii) If the equivalencies had previously been established by Department, the Department Head shall, following Collegial Consultation, determine the equivalencies. This determination shall be fair and equitable, and shall be circulated to all Faculty Members in the Academic Unit