Sessional Lecturers

CLICK HERE to download the current Sessional (Unit 2) Collective Agreement – 2010-2013

CLICK HERE to go to the Central Job Posting Website for Sessional jobs

Click here to download the previous 2008/2010 Unit 2 Collective Agreement (Expired)

Unit 2 includes Sessional Lecturers. During the Fall and Winter terms at the University of Guelph there are about 220 Sessional Lecturers employed by the university, with a smaller number employed during the spring term. All Sessional Lecturers are members of the Local during the time they are employed, and for one year following the end of their appointment.

Your rights and responsibilities as a Sessional Lecturer are laid out in your Collective Agreement (copies are available from your department, or at the Union office, University Centre – Room 213A). If you have questions or concerns about the Collective Agreement, your rights as a member, or if you feel the Agreement is being violated by your employer, contact your Chief Steward Deidre Rose.

Rights of Sessional Lecturers

Sessional Lecturers employed by the University of Guelph have available to them a wide range of rights and protections. This message surveys some of the most visible and most often violated ones.

Departments are obliged to provide to Sessionals certain facilities, services and equipment (free of charge) that a Sessional may require to fulfill her responsibilities, such as office space, computers, laboratories, library access, and photocopiers.

Sessionals have the right to take leave time for various reasons including illness, parental & family responsibility, bereavement, and to attend academic conferences. Sessionals have the right to receive special training and equipment if they are required to work in dangerous conditions, and in addition, they have the right to refuse or stop work where health or safety is in danger as prescribed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The Sessionals has the right to keep her capacity as an employee of the University and as a graduate student (if applicable) separate. This means, among other things, that if a Sessional receives a poor performance evaluation as a worker, this cannot be used against her academic career. Likewise, problems arising in your academic career can not be used as grounds for disciplinary action in your capacity as a Sessional. For the purposes of performance evaluations, the University is not permitted to electronically monitor the Sessional.

In the event that a Sessional is disciplined in any way and for any reason, she has the right to a process of progressive discipline. This means that if your supervisor or department wishes to file a negative performance evaluation, or terminate your contract, or take any other action for any alleged wrongdoing, the University must produce sound reasons for its decision; it must warn you that it is so doing, and that you have the right to be represented by your Union Rep. Further, any action taken must be taken at a meeting specifically called for just that purpose and nothing else. Moreover, the Sessional has the right to know the reason for the action, and to challenge the decision using an appeal process known as a Grievance Procedure. The Grievance Procedure can also be used to appeal unfair hiring practices. If the action is demonstrably unfair, it can and must be reversed.

In the classroom, Sessionals have the right to be free from harassment and discrimination, just as the students do. In the interest of keeping professional relations with their students, Sessionals have the right not to reveal to their students their home telephone number or other personal information, if they choose not to.

While there is no set minimum number of hours a Sessional works each semester, you have the right to be paid appropriately for your work – if you are teaching a Course for the first time, you are entitled to receive Prep Pay to the amount of 30 hours at the Schedule ‘B’ rate over and above your regular wages. If you are asked, and are willing to: reread papers or exams, attend appeals, participate in cases of academic dishonesty, grading or re-grading late papers or exams, following the completion of your Sessional work assignment, reimbursement will be in accordance with Schedule ‘B’ as well.  If you have any questions or problems with your hours of work, please contact the office.

If you have taught a Sessional Course, and that Course comes up for Sessional teaching anytime during the following four (4) semesters, then that Course must automatically be offered to you by right.  You do not have to apply for it again, but you must ensure that you log in to the job website in order to maintain an up-to-date CV and seniority points, and to state that you will be exercising your Right of First Refusal on the Course

Finally, within the range and scope of the Course, Sessionals have the right to teach, speculate, research, and criticize freely and without deference to prescribed doctrine, so long as it has academic substance; this is a basic right of academic freedom enshrined in the Collective Agreement.