NEW Professional Development Fund for Per-Course Instructors

Published
by
Martha
on September 3, 2010
in Uncategorized
. Closed

Please note the following exciting new opportunity:

A MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR PER-COURSE INSTRUCTORS

THE FUND

— The Vice-President (Academic) will establish an annual Professional Development Fund for Per Course Instructors of $5,000 per year

— The fund shall be divided into two parts: one round of applications accepted by the Dean/Director on September 15 for a fund of $2500; a second round of applications accepted by the Dean/Director by February 15 for another $2500

— Normally, five awards of up to a maximum of $500 shall be approved

— Left over funds shall be available in accordance with the following:

• Provide additional funding to successful applications where expenses

may exceed $500

• Unused portions of up to $1000 may be carried forward to the next release

— Once an application for funding is approved, the Per Course Instructor shall have up to 8 months from the date of approval to use the funds

PURPOSE OF THE FUND

— Funds may be used to support the presentation of papers (or creative works/performances) or participation in panels at academic conferences and/or attending relevant professional development opportunities

— Eligible expenses include registration fees, transportation, accommodation, and per diem

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

— The Per Course Instructor shall be on the seniority list and hold a Per Course Instructor appointment at the time of application

— Graduate students hired under clause 13.08(c) are not eligible

— The academic conference or relevant professional development opportunity must be related to the Per Course Instructor’s employment history (as a Per Course Instructor at Memorial) and her or his usual teaching assignment

APPROVAL PROCESS

— Applications shall be approved by the VPA on the recommendation of the Dean/Director

— Applications shall be submitted to the Dean/Director by September 15 and February 15; eligible applications shall be forwarded to the VPA by September 30 and February 28

— In cases where demand for professional development funds exceeds the availability funds, the VPA shall give priority to applications on the following basis:

1. Requests to present a paper at an academic conference or to present creative works or performances in an equivalent context

2. Requests to participate in a panel discussion at an academic conference

3. Applicants who have not previously received professional development funds

4. Applicants who have not previously received professional development funds in the past three years

5. If all of the above are equal, the applicant’s seniority will be the deciding factor

ADDITIONAL NOTES

— Successful applicants shall submit the requisite travel claim and supporting documentation (i.e., receipts) required by the Department of Financial and Administrative Services

— At no time shall the annual value of the Professional Development Fund exceed $6000

Further information about the application process will be available next week.

IMPORTANT: Application Deadlines for Per-Course Appointments

Published
by
Martha
on June 22, 2010
in Uncategorized
. Closed

Dear Fellow LUMUN Members,

Please note the following application deadlines for Per-Course Appointments:

**22 June [TODAY]:        Business Administration,  Physics

25 June [FRIDAY]:           Chemistry

5 July:                            English, Social Work

6 July:                            Biochemistry

13 July:                          German & Russian

15 July:                          SWGC:  Science, SWGC:  Social Science

16 July:                          Police Studies

Please note that this is NOT an exhaustive list of Per-Course Appointments available for the Fall 2010 semester.

Deadlines for applications to some Academic Units have already passed.

Other Academic Units have not yet posted their positions available for the Fall semester; the regular deadline for postings is 30 June.

Still other Academic Units have no Per-Course Appointments available for the Fall semester.

Remember that it is your responsibility as a Per-Course Instructor to check the website of your Academic Unit for postings, deadlines, etc.

In solidarity,

LUMUN

Appointments for Fall 2010 & New LUMUN Office

Published
by
Martha
on June 18, 2010
in Uncategorized
. Closed

Dear Fellow LUMUN Members,

As per Article 13.02 of the Collective Agreement between MUN and LUMUN, “Appointments available for Per Course Instructors shall normally be posted no later than . . . June 30 of each year for the Fall semester.”

Some Academic Units have already posted available courses for the Fall, and some application deadlines are fast approaching.

It is your responsibility to check the website of your Department, School, or Faculty for postings, as well as application procedures and deadlines.

Please note also that the LUMUN office is now located in the Earth Sciences Building, Room ER 4052.  Our telephone number remains the same:  737-7054.  You can still reach us by email at lumuninfo@gmail.com.

In solidarity,

LUMUN

PSAC News Release

Published
by
Martha
on April 30, 2010
in Uncategorized
. Closed

April 28, 2010

Harper government is endangering workers’ health and safety -

Cuts to federal inspections are leading to disabling injuries and deaths

OTTAWA–The Public Service Alliance of Canada is demanding that the Harper government take action to prevent workplace injuries and fatalities, after a damning report revealed that it has been negligent in protecting workers under its jurisdiction.

According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the federal government is putting workers at risk by under funding and under staffing federal safety inspection. The federal government is responsible for protecting its own employees, those at Crown corporations such as Canada Post, as well as workers in the airline and trucking industries.

The rate of disabling injuries in federally regulated workplaces increased by 5 per cent between 2002 and 2007 while the provinces have managed to cut their disabling workplace injuries by an average of 25 per cent over the same time frame.

During this period, the government made cuts to the number of federal workplace inspectors – the Labour Affairs Officers, working under Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. In 2006, there were 140 people doing these jobs, but by 2007, the number was down to 125. As the Success is No Accident report reveals, this leaves 125 people responsible for protecting more than a million workers.

At particular risk are the workers at Canada Post – where federal inspectors have effectively been stonewalled. In addition, there are currently no federal workplace inspections taking place on First Nations reservations.

“The federal government is abdicating its responsibility to protect workers’ health and safety,” said John Gordon, National President of PSAC. “Today is the National Day of Mourning for workers who have been killed or injured on the job. This report proves that the spending freezes and job cuts mandated by the 2010 federal budget will do more harm than good.”

The CCPA report corroborates investigations that the PSAC itself has done which show that HRSDC is more concerned about stopping workers who face unsafe conditions from refusing to work, which is their legal right, than it is with enforcing health and safety in federal workplaces.

The CCPA’s report recommends that the federal government immediately hire more Labour Affairs Officers and ensure they are properly compensated. LAOs are the worst paid of any federal safety inspectors, making them difficult to recruit and retain.

PSAC maintains that the cuts to the Labour Affairs Officers follow a general trend by the federal government – away from government regulation and toward self-inspection by industry.

“We saw a similar pattern at play with the reductions in federal meat inspectors,” said Patty Ducharme, National Executive Vice-President of PSAC. “Tragically, this led to the death of 22 people who ate meat contaminated with listeriosis. How many more deaths will it take for this government to wake up?”

PSAC is demanding that the federal government commit to enforcing health and safety protections by hiring more Labour Affairs Officers and working to reduce the workplace injury rate by 20 per cent within the next five years.

“If the provinces can do it, why can’t the federal government?” asked Gordon.

Visit policyalternatives.ca, to down load a full copy of the CCPA’s report, Success is No Accident.

- 30 -

For more information or to book interviews:

Ariel Troster, PSAC Communications, 613-292-8363 (cell)

THIS WEEK: Discussing Human Rights AND Public Service Pensions

Published
by
Martha
on February 24, 2010
in Uncategorized
. Closed

Dear Fellow LUMUN Members,

The following two upcoming events may be of interest:

1. General Membership Meeting: The St. John’s Regional Human Rights Committee of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (the union with which LUMUN is affiliated).

When: Saturday, 27 February at 1:30 p.m.

Where: PSAC Office, Neal Building, 50 Harbour Drive, St. John’s

Refreshments will be served.

All LUMUN members are welcome to attend, and “any and all input is appreciated.”

2. Townhall Meeting: To Discuss Federal Public Service Pensions

With presentations by Jeannie Baldwin, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President – Atlantic; Mark Brunell, President, Government Services Union; Tony Tilley, National President, National Health Union.

When: Thursday, 25 February; 2 sessions: 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Where: St. Teresa’s Parish Hall, 120 Mundy Pond Road

Sign Language Interpreters will be present at both Townhall Meetings.

“Protect Our Public Sector Pensions!”

For Info: Larry Welsh, 687-0755 OR 726-6453

In solidarity,

LUMUN