Deans Community Update - November 23, 2020
I am writing with some important updates regarding: (i) President鈥檚 Announcement about the Start of Term; (ii) OISE Graduation Celebration; (iii) faculty searches; (iv) part-time faculty ranks; and (v) teaching awards. For all of the latest announcements and messages, please visit Deans Community Updates and Resources.
President鈥檚 Announcement 鈥 Start of Term
As communicated by the , the University of Toronto is postponing the start of courses in the next term from January 4th to the 11th for most undergraduate programs in order to provide students with a bit more wellness space during the holiday season.
Most OISE graduate courses will begin the week of January 11th, 2021 as originally scheduled. Our two graduate teacher education programs, the Master of Teaching and the Master of Arts in Child Study and Education, will begin January 4th as originally scheduled. The teacher education programs are carefully monitoring decisions being made by the province and our board partners, and any changes in program scheduling will be communicated directly to teacher candidates.
The President鈥檚 communication also highlighted details of arrangements for staff appointed employees to support their wellness. The university is granting these employees three additional paid days off, to be taken as a block or individually, with approval of their manager as per standard procedures, anytime between today and August 31, 2021.
OISE Virtual Graduation Celebration
Congratulations to those whose degrees were conferred this past weekend at the . A reminder that this week, on Thursday November 26th at 2:00pm, we will host the OISE Virtual Convocation Celebration. I encourage all faculty and staff to join in the celebration by registering online at or, if you would like to be a panellist, to write to oise.dean@utoronto.ca by Tuesday November 24th at 5pm.
Update on 2020-21 Searches
I am pleased to report that searches for eight continuing faculty positions are now underway, and job descriptions are available to view here: .
The success of our faculty recruitment efforts relies on the mobilization of our community鈥檚 academic networks, so please distribute these opportunities widely to interested parties. I remind you that the positions are in the following areas:
APHD:
Assistant Professor 鈥 Clinical and School Psychology: Anti-Black Racism in Mental Health and Education
Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream 鈥 Developmental Psychology and Education
CTL:
Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream 鈥 Inquiry and Research Practice in Teaching and Teacher Education
LHAE:
Assistant Professor 鈥 Critical Adult Education
Assistant Professor 鈥 Educational Leadership, Policy and Social Diversity
Associate Professor 鈥 Higher Education Leadership and Administration
SJE:
Assistant Professor 鈥 Disability Studies in Education
Associate or Full Professor 鈥 Black Studies in Education
Rank Change for Part-Time Teaching Stream Faculty
The Governing Council of the University of Toronto recently approved changes to the Policy and Procedures on Employment Conditions of Part-time Academic Faculty. This policy revision includes a number of upcoming changes, including the possibility of continuing appointment, that will be beneficial to our colleagues in part-time faculty positions.
One change that takes immediate effect is a change in rank and title for part-time faculty in the teaching stream. Going forward, they will hold the rank 鈥淎ssistant Professor, Teaching Stream鈥 rather than 鈥淟ecturer,鈥 bringing them in line with their full-time colleagues. This conferral of professorial rank acknowledges the enormous contribution our teaching stream faculty make to OISE and the University through superlative teaching skills, creative educational leadership, teaching-related scholarship, and successful innovations in teaching.
Please join me in congratulating our part-time teaching stream colleagues on the well-deserved attainment of professorial rank! OISE鈥檚 new Assistant Professors, Teaching Stream are: Anne-Claude Bedard, Mary Caravias, Jody Chong, Julie Comay, Julie Goldenson, Greg Hamovitch, Katharine Janzen, Nina Josefowitz, Kimberley MacKinnon, Caroline Manion, Shakina Rajendram, Coleen Scully-Stewart, Naomi Slonim, Tracy Solomon, Jennifer Sumner, Vannina Sztainbok, Stephanie Tuters, Olga Ulanova, Mariana Wainer-Fickert, and Debby Zweig.
OISE Teaching Awards
Teaching Awards nominations are now welcome from the OISE community 鈥 take a moment and nominate an OISE teacher who inspires you. You can learn more about the awards at . All nominations must be submitted electronically to oise.programs@utoronto.ca by Friday, January 29th, 2021 at 5 p.m.
Take care,
Glen A. Jones, Ph.D.
Professor and Dean