Academic Appointments - Policy and Process

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

Introduction

The purpose of this site is to provide an overview of the clinical appointments process for senior administrators, faculty and staff and streamlined access to Faculty of Medicine policies and supporting documentation.

On July 1, 2005, the University of Toronto Policy for Clinical Faculty came into effect. This Policy formalizes the status and recognition of clinical faculty members by the University of Toronto, provides a framework for the governance of clinical faculty relations with the University, enhances processes for addressing grievances of individual clinical faculty regarding University matters, and establishes a mechanism to protect the academic freedom of eligible clinical faculty members as regards their work in clinical settings. Under the policy, appointments are determined by academic job descriptions, which are determined by the Chair, the site Chief and the individual faculty member. The category of appointment (Full-time, Part-time or Adjunct) is determined by this job description, time commitment and participation in a "conforming Practice Plan". The category time commitments are Full-time >80%; Part-time 20-80%; Adjunct <20% of time expended in academic activities.

One of the important responsibilities of the Faculty of Medicine is to appoint and promote on merit its clinical faculty members. The Procedures Manual outlines the general principles for appointing clinical faculty members, describes the categories of appointment and provides the criteria and condition used for granting appointment and continuing appointment. The manual details the types of clinical academic appointment now recognized by the University; the interface between practice plans and the University; academic freedom issues in the clinical setting for those with a major time commitment to academic work; grievance processes for individual clinical faculty regarding University matters; and mechanisms for ensuring relations among the University, clinical leaders and clinical faculty members remain collegial and effective.

Process

Physicians-in-Chief provide the sole gateway to the clinical academic appointment process in the Department of Medicine. Appointments are determined by academic job descriptions developed by the Physician-in-Chief, in collaboration with the Department Division Director and the individual faculty member. The category of appointment is determined by this job description, time commitment and participation in a "conforming Practice Plan". Candidates are appointed at one of four levels of academic rank based upon minimum for rank criteria.

The offices of the Physician-in-Chief have overall responsibility for the assembly and submission of complete documentation needed to initiate the appointment approval process. To assist them in this task the following checklist is provided with links to approved templates provided by the Faculty of Medicine and the Department Executive.

Applications are received by the Department Advisory/Appointments Committee throughout the year. Chaired by Dr Kenneth Melvin, committee membership includes Drs Beth Abramson, Andrew Baker, David Baron, Peter Carlen, Eric Leith, Martin Myers and Gordon Sussman. Jim Hartley provides administrative support.  Recommendations from this committee are submitted to the Department Chair.  With the Chair’s support, applications are submitted to the Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs who takes them forward for consideration by the Faculty Appointments Advisory Committee (FAAC).  Recommendations from the FAAC are submitted to the Dean for approval.

Faculty Appointments Advisory Committee Requirements

An original appointment package is submitted to the Dean of Medicine TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE of the dates listed below in order to allow time to circulate the appointment packages to Committee Members in advance for review.  Below is the meeting schedule for the committee.

Meeting Schedule
2011 - 2012

Note these are Faculty Deadlines,  complete packages must be received in the Department of Medicine administrative office,  Fraser Elliott Bldg, 3-805, 190 Elizabeth Street, several weeks before these dates to allow for Department of Medicine Advisory Committee review.  Check with Jim Hartley at jim.hartley@utoronto.ca or 416-978-1549 for further information.

Steps for approval of appointments based on academic rank and appointment category

DAC- Department Advisory Committee; Chair - University Department Chair; AD - Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs; FAAC- Faculty Appointments Advisory Committee; Dean - Dean of Medicine.

To initiate the approvals process, complete packages of required documentation are submitted to:

Jim Hartley, Department Advisory Committee
Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
190 Elizabeth Street, R. Fraser Elliott Building
3rd Floor, Room 3-805
Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4

Enquiries to jim.hartley@utoronto.ca