Committees

Standing Committees

COMMUNICATIONS (MEDIA AND COMMUNICATOR)

The Communications Committee is responsible for external communications and media relations on behalf of the Association. It also issues the Association’s newsletters, The Communicator and The Negotiator (the latter only during bargaining years).

Kathryn Bell (Chair, ex officio)
Rachel Brickner
Erin Crandall
Ann Sophie Champod
Chelsea Gardner
Joe Hayes
Jason Holt
Daniel Lametti
Jon Saklofske
Ruben Sandapen
Mo Snyder

GRIEVANCE

The Association Grievance Committee (AGC), mandated by Article X1.1(v), is responsible for investigating complaints and whether or not to pursue grievances.

Alice Cohen, Senior Grievance Officer
Marc Ramsay, Junior Grievance Officer
Jeff Sachs, Junior Grievance Officer
Holger Teismann, Records Officer

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GRIEVANCE APPEAL

The Grievance Appeal Committee (GAC), mandated by Article X1.1(v), is responsible for conducting appeals of Association Grievance Committee grievance denial decisions.

Paul Abela
Darlene Brodeur
Erin Crandall (ex officio)
Jessica Slights

NOMINATING

Stephen Ahern
Rachel Brickner
Edith Callaghan
Anna Kiefte
Erin Patterson

Standing Committees (Collective Bargaining)

APPOINTMENTS, RENEWAL, TENURE AND PROMOTION COMMITTEE (ARTPC)

The ARTCP is responsible for drafting contract proposals concerning appointments, reappointments, promotion, tenure, and leaves.

FINANCIAL BENEFITS COMMITTEE (FBC)

The Financial Benefits Committee (FBC) is responsible for drafting proposals for bargaining concerning salary, pension, individual and group benefits, and financial exigency.

NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE

The Negotiating Committee represents AUFA in negotiations with the Board for a collective agreement.

Anthony Pash, Chief
Paul Abela
Janice Best
Michael Corbett
Richard Karsten
Maggie Neilson
Paula Rockwell
Jeffrey Sachs

PROPOSAL REVIEW COMMITTEE (PRC)

Reviews and reconciles the work done by the other pre-negotiating committees (ARTPC, WCC, and FBC) and prepares the final set of contract proposals for the membership to vote on.

Janice Best ex officio
Andrew Biro
Connie Foote
Anthony Gracey
Anthony Pash ex officio
Chris Shields

SURVEY COMMITTEE

Develops a survey to be distributed to the membership prior to negotiations.

Kate Ashley
Mike Beazley
Rachel Brickner
Hugh Chipman
Diane Holmberg
Juan Carlos López
Mary Sweatman

WORKING CONDITIONS COMMITTEE (WCC)

The WCC is responsible for drafting proposals for the Collective Agreement concerning workload and general working conditions, grievance, arbitration, existing practices, discrimination, academic freedom and management rights.

Ad Hoc Committees

AWARDS COMMITTEE (LOIS VALLELY-FISCHER AWARD FOR DEMOCRATIC STUDENT CITIZENSHIP and PATRICK O'NEILL AWARD FOR LABOUR ACTIVISM)

Lois Vallely-Fischer Award for Democratic Student Citizenship
This AUFA award recognizes the contributions of a senior baccalaureate student who has contributed to the quality of democratic discourse, critical thought, and legitimate contestation in campus or community life, and who has demonstrated leadership in defending student political rights and the interests of disadvantaged groups.

John Colton
Agnieszka Hayes
Paula Rockwell
Geoffrey Whitehall

Patrick O’Neill Award for Labour Activisim
This AUFA award recognizes the contributions of a senior student baccalaureate student who has advocated for the rights of the students and employees of Acadia within the university, within the Wolfville and Valley communities, and to the provincial and federal governments.

John Colton
Agnieszka Hayes
Paula Rockwell
Geoffrey Whitehall

CAUT DEDICATED SERVICE AWARD

The CAUT Dedicated Service Award is presented to individuals in recognition of exceptional service to their academic staff associations.

Paul Abela
Janice Best
Andrew Biro
Karmen Bleile
Rachel Brickner
Darlene Brodeur
Anna Kiefte
Erin Patterson
Vernon Provencal
Jessica Slights
Marc Ramsay
Cindy Trudel

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

Richard Karsten
Burc Kayahan

INVESTMENT

An ad hoc committee of AUFA, the Investment Committee monitors and manages the Association’s investment portfolio.

Burc Kayahan
Franklin Mendivil (Chair, ex officio)
John Murimboh
Ryan Stack

MENTAL HEALTH FRAMEWORK

Kathryn Bell
Kelly Breton

JOB ACTION

The purpose of this committee is to coordinate the activities of the membership in in the event that a reduction or withdrawal of services is deemed necessary to achieve a fair contract.

Numeracy

Richard Karsten
Burc Kayahan
Steve Maitzen

Part Time Engagement

Mariah Cooper
Josh D’entremont
Claire Mallin
Cindy Trudel

Succession Planning/Digitization

Wendy Robicheau
Jon Saklofske

TRAVEL ADJUDICATION

Rachel Brickner
Juan Carlos Lopez
Claire Mallin
Nandini Thiyagarajan

WOMEN'S

The AUFA Women’s committee engages in activism and promotes awareness around women’s issues and gender equity.

Chelsea Gardner
Anna Migliarisi
Julia Rombough
Jennifer Tinkham

AUFA Reps to Affiliated Groups

ANSUT COUNCIL

Founded in 1997, the Association of Nova Scotia University Teachers (ANSUT) represents the faculty associations of eight universities in Nova Scotia.

Kathryn Bell
Kait Pinder

CAUT COUNCIL

The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) is the national voice for over 68,000 academic and general staff. As well as many other activities CAUT lobbies governments, provides collective bargaining and legal support to member associations, and actively advances the social and economic interests of its members.

Erin Crandall, Delegate
Claire Mallin, Alternate

CAUT DEFENCE FUND

The CAUT Defence Fund meets as needed to approve strike/lockout benefits for member unions.

Erin Patterson, Delegate

Nova scotia student, staff and faculty alliance group

An alliance of 19 unions and associations, representing over 18,000 students, staff and faculty, formed to call upon university administrators to consider the implications of the ‘new normal’ created by COVID-19.

Claire Mallin
Kait Pinder

Committees Required Under the 16th Collective Agreement

ACADIA UNIVERSITY CHILD CARE

Lesley Frank
Randy Newman

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY (EEC)

The purpose of the Employment Equity Committee (EEC) is to identify discriminatory barriers to employment equity and develop an Employment Equity Plan. (Art. 3.60)

Juan Carlos López
Késa Munroe-Anderson
Mo Snyder

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

The purpose of the Committee is to examine and review financial statements and information pertaining to the operation of Acadia University. (Art. 28.30)

Franklin Mendivil (ex officio)
Justin Beaudoin

GROUP INSURANCE BENEFITS

The Group Insurance Benefits Committee oversees all Group Insurance Benefits and make recommendations concerning changes in these benefits. (Arts. 26.50 and 26.51)

Connie Foote
Harish Kapoor

INDIGENOUS, ASSOCIATION AND BOARD COMMITTEE

The IABC shall be to develop recommendations for an Indigenous employment strategy for Faculty members, including but not limited to establishing priority initiatives, determining the professional responsibilities and workload of Indigenous faulty, determining hiring and retention protocols, establishing timeframes for implementation of the strategy and evaluation processes, and advising DRCs/LRCs when appropriate. By 1 July 2023, the IABC shall forward its recommendations to the Parties. (Memorandum of Agreement)

Claire Mallin
Kayla Mansfield-Brown

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

The Intellectual Property committee caries out out business relating to aspects of intellectual property specified in the Collective Agreement (Art. 33.25)

Martin Tango

JOINT COMMITTEE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT

The Joint Committee functions in an advisory capacity to the Board and the Association with the general aim of ensuring that the Collective Agreement is administered in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect. (Arts. 30.10 and 30.11)

Anthony Pash
Paula Rockwell

JOINT OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

The Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee Is mandated is to oversee the health and safety of all campus employees and to monitor compliance with the Nova Scotia Occupational Health and Safety Act. (Arts. 17.91 and 17.92)

Teri Gullon
Amitabh Jha

PAY EQUITY AND APPOINTMENTS

The Pay Equity and Appointments Committee monitors and reports on all appointments made in any given academic year.
(Art. 39.20)

Becky Casey
Erin Crandall

SABBATICAL LEAVE

The Sabbatical Leave Committee reviews and make decisions on all applications for Sabbatical Leave based on the information provided
under Article 24.13 (Article 24.12).

Membership (2022-23)

Harish Kapoor (Chair)
Brenda Trofanenko (Secretary)
Derek Charke
Teri Gullon
Dale Keefe
Anna Redden
Jennifer Richard

Committees Established by University Policy

APPEALS COMMITTEE, POLICY AGAINST HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION

This committee hears appeals of decisions made by the Equity Officer and appeals based on investigative procedure concerning the University Policy Against Harassment and Discrimination.

Budget Advisory

Steve Maitzen

Sexualized Violence

Kathryn Bell
Katie Mazer

Acadia University is built on the traditional and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq Nation. We are all Treaty People.