Faculty grievance alleges flawed consultation in arts program changes
By Vama Saini, February 12 2025—
The Faculty Association of the University of Calgary (TUCFA) has filed a policy grievance against the university, citing concerns over the consultation process regarding proposed program changes within the Faculty of Arts. The grievance alleges that the administration has failed to adhere to the consultation requirements outlined in the Collective Agreement, specifically under Article 21, which governs program closures, reductions and restructuring.
The grievance was formally addressed to Dean of Arts Dr. Aoife Mac Namara. In the document, TUCFA asserts that the Faculty of Arts administration is conducting a curriculum renewal process that does not align with the agreement’s stipulations.
The programs affected by the proposed changes include those within the School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA), the School of Languages, Linguistics, Literature and Culture (SLLLC) and the Department of Classics and Religion (CLARE).
TUCFA has raised concerns in the grievance that the administration has already decided to suspend admissions to a significant number of degree programs and majors before meaningful consultation with faculty members.
According to TUCFA’s filing, the consultation meetings intended to discuss the proposed program changes were marked by a series of concerning practices. In these meetings, faculty members were allegedly informed that the decision to suspend admissions to several degree programs had already been made, effectively rendering their acceptance or input unnecessary. Despite being presented as opportunities for genuine consultation, the sessions featured administrative voting where the majority — held by administrators — overrode the votes of academic staff.
Additionally, during these meetings, Dean Mac Namara was reported to have dominated the discussions, speaking at length without allocating time for questions or addressing concerns raised by the academic staff.
According to the grievance, this approach not only left little room for meaningful dialogue but also contributed to a growing sense of frustration and tension among faculty members, who felt their perspectives were disregarded in a process that was supposed to embody full and extensive consultation as required by the Collective Agreement.
The grievance further alleges that when votes are conducted within these meetings, administrative representatives hold a majority and can override the votes of academic staff members.
The association has also criticized the lack of transparency in the statistics used by the administration to justify the program suspensions. Faculty members have contested the data’s accuracy, but the university has allegedly dismissed their concerns.
Additionally, TUCFA argues that the high number of temporary department heads — estimated at 50 per cent — has created instability and uncertainty within the Faculty of Arts. The grievance states that some units have had little or no involvement in the appointment of new department heads, further exacerbating concerns about lack of representation in decision-making processes.
Under the grievance, TUCFA claims multiple misinterpretations, misapplications and/or violations of the Collective Agreement, including Article 3 (Management Rights), Article 4 (Recognition of the General Faculties Council) and Article 21 (Redundancy). It also references the Alberta Post-Secondary Learning Act as a piece of relevant legislation that has allegedly been misinterpreted, misapplied or violated in this process.
As a resolution, the Faculty Association has requested full redress, seeking to restore affected members and programs to their original standing prior to the administrative changes. The association is demanding that the university’s Board of Governors acknowledge a violation of the Collective Agreement and halt the curriculum renewal process until a full and extensive consultation takes place.
TUCFA is also advocating for the appointment of permanent department heads following proper protocols and a thorough review of program suspension policies.
The grievance calls into question whether this process was properly followed and whether academic staff were given adequate opportunity to participate in decision-making.
The Faculty Association has emphasized that meaningful consultation must include the ability for faculty members to provide substantive input and challenge administrative decisions before they are finalized.
When the Gauntlet reached out to interview Dean Mac Namara, the university declined to comment on the grievance, citing its active status.
Under the terms of the Collective Agreement, the administration is expected to engage in discussions with TUCFA as part of the grievance resolution process. If a resolution is not reached, the matter could proceed to arbitration.
Read more about TUCFA and the policy grievance.