Continuing Appointment and Promotion

Introduction

Article 33 of the UGFA Unit 1 Collective Agreement applies to Continuing Appointment, Promotion and Review decisions of Veterinarians who hold Continuing or Continuing Appointment-track appointments, and to Renewal decisions for Contractually Limited Veterinarians.  It is a brief summary and should be read in conjunction with Article 33.

Promotion and the conferring of a Continuing Appointment is a very important step in the relationship between the University and a Veterinarian and should be decided upon only after careful consideration and attention to due process. The University will grant Continuing Appointment to Veterinarians only in accordance with the provisions of Article 33. 

In the event of a discrepancy between this page and the Collective Agreement, the Collective Agreement shall be considered the final authority.

Confirmation and Promotion to Associate Veterinarian

The granting of Continuing Appointment and promotion to Associate Veterinarian recognizes professional and academic maturity, as exemplified by his/her contribution to the clinical and professional services to the OVC and the University, and by related activities within and outside the University as defined in Article 30.3. The conferral of Continuing Appointment obliges the University to support the career of the Veterinarian and it obliges the Veterinarian to continue to perform in a manner deserving of that support. 

Contractually Limited Veterinarians are eligible for consideration for promotion in rank as per the provisions of this Article. Contractually Limited Members are not eligible for consideration of granting of Continuing Appointment. 

Consideration for the conferring of Continuing Appointment will be based on the Veterinarian's lifetime contribution in the areas as defined in Article 30: Responsibilities of Veterinarians. Each candidate for Promotion and the granting of Continuing Appointment is expected to establish a record of performance in each area of responsibility as outlined in his/her position description and consistent with the provisions of Article 30: Responsibilities of Veterinarians. 

Probationary Period 

The maximum duration of a Continuing Appointment-track Appointment is six (6) consecutive years of full-time employment (with five full reviews), exclusive of extensions granted for other reasons, such as Maternity/Parental Leave, and not counting periods of unpaid leave, from the date of the Continuing Appointment-track Appointment. The maximum length of the Probationary Period for part-time appointments shall be seven (7) years for appointments with a workload of 75-99% of a full-time appointment and eight (8) years for appointments with a workload of 50-74% of a full-time appointment. 

Pre-Confirmation Meetings

The Director will meet with each Member, within the Member’s first semester of appointment and will discuss the approved criteria with respect to the granting of Continuing Appointment. 

The Dean/Associate VPR will notify the Member, on an annual basis, that both he/she and the Director are available for mentoring. In addition, the Dean/AVPR shall meet prior to the end of April with each Continuing Appointment-track Veterinarian Member to discuss the Member’s progress towards and the possibility of application for continuing appointment and promotion. A record of this discussion, signed by both the Dean/AVPR and the Continuing Appointment-track Member, shall be placed in the Continuing Appointment-track Member’s Official File. In signing the document, the Dean/AVPR and the Veterinarian Member are agreeing it is an accurate accounting of the discussion that occurred at the meeting, and may reflect differences in opinion and/or perspective.

Requirement for Board Certification

Veterinarians shall hold, either Board certification in a relevant specialty or an advanced degree in a relevant discipline (in addition to a DVM) in order to meet the requirements for Continuing Appointment and Promotion to Associate Veterinarian.¹ The specific requirement of a position to hold Board certification or an additional advanced degree shall be determined by the University at the time of advertisement for the position. Such requirement shall be included in both the job posting and noted in the successful incumbent’s letter of appointment. No Veterinarian will be required to obtain more than one Board specialty or additional degree as a condition of his/her employment. 

Promotion to Veterinarian

Promotion to Veterinarian recognizes long-term, established and outstanding contributions to the University and the profession. A Veterinarian must be Board Certified in a relevant specialty or, where no applicable designation exists, have attained the highest terminal degree relevant to her/his position. It is granted in recognition of professional competence and maturity and normally an established national record of service to the profession. 

Guidelines

The exact nature of information considered relevant in the consideration of Veterinarians for Continuing Appointment or for Review of Members, is to be decided upon by the Veterinarians and is articulated in the Guidelines Document. The criteria must be consistent with the Collective Agreement and shall be those in effect prior to the period being reviewed. The criteria for Review, Promotion and Continuing Appointment, including any amendments will be subject to approval, by secret ballot, by no fewer than two-thirds (2/3’s) of the Veterinarians, and also by the University Continuing Appointment Committee and the Provost. 

All Members are to be informed in writing by the Director/AVPR of any amendments to these criteria. All Members, at the time of initial appointment, are to be given a copy of the approved Guidelines Document stipulating the criteria and established and promulgated benchmarks for Continuing Appointment, Promotion and Review. Approved Continuing Appointment and Promotion guideline documents shall be posted on the department/school website. 

[1] This does not apply to those Veterinarians hired on or before August 5, 2011 or where Board Certification is not a requirement of the position.