Individual Assignment BUSI 3325

This assignment is worth 35% of your total grade. The assignment will be
marked out of 25 and it is due to the dropbox by 11:59 PM on April 10,
2023.
Please limit your submission to one 1.5-spaced pages 10-12 point font.
References may be on a second page. Please submit in PDF or Word format.
Remember you must complete this assignment individually. Feel free to use
any and all course materials that help support your answers to the
questions. Use APA formatting to formally cite these materials in text as
well as on a reference page to be included at the end of the assignment. You
should not use or cite materials outside of those required for the course.
Please read the background and three scenarios (1, 2 and 3) carefully and
answer all questions for each scenario, for a total of 5 questions.
Keep in mind: i) it is important to identify and explain relevant theory, ii)
apply the relevant theory and, iii) fully justify your answer to the questions,
in order to receive full marks. Any question where the answer violates legal
requirements will not receive a passing mark.

Background
Memorial University of Newfoundland & Labrador has been facing budget
challenges for nearly a decade now with significant budget cuts from the
provincial government. The Faculty Association (which comprises of
academic staff members (ASM): tenured, tenure-track faculty, contract ASM,
cooperative education ASM, and librarians) had been operating without a
collective agreement since 2020. Negotiations failed and, because of some
key issues, 93% of the Faculty Association members submitted votes on the
strike decision, and 90% of those voters were in favor of a strike. There
were four key issues remaining on the table: differential treatment in
benefits for new hires versus existing members (new hires would get worse
benefits), the overuse of contingent (contract) academic staff members,
collegial governance, and pay. After two weeks of labor action (strike), a
tentative deal was reached and was awaiting ratification as of February 15th,
2023.

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Scenario 1
Contract ASM’s job comprises of the following duties:
 Teaching – includes course preparation, delivery of course, marking of
deliverables, submitting final grades, meeting with students, and
creating and marking any deferred exams (which may occur after the
end of their contract date)). They teach more classes per term
(~4/semester with a load of ~12/year) than tenure-track/tenured
faculty (0-3/semester with a load of 5/year).

Tenured and tenure-track faculty’s job comprises of the following duties:

 Research - conducting and publishing research (40% of their job);
 Teaching - same job requirements as the Contract ASM’s (40% of their
job); and
 Service - serving on committees for the university, serving as
reviewers and/or editors for journals and conferences, supervising
graduate student research, providing community service in their area
of expertise (20% of their job).

Teaching classes is the most public-facing (most obvious) service

universities provide, and may have some of the biggest impact in societal
outcomes (careers, providing skilled labour into specific labour markets).

However, research has significant societal impact as well (providing new

knowledge, evidence-based practices, providing solutions to societal
problems). Research also impacts the quality of education provided at the
university and the university’s ranking.

Service also enables the university to function and provides additional

benefits to research, graduate students and other groups or organizations in
society.

Questions for Scenario 1 (13 marks total):

a. You are serving on a hiring committee for a new tenure-track

faculty position. Create 3 questions (1 question per responsibility) to
accurately ascertain skills, knowledge and ability required for this job.
Two questions should be behavioural description, and one should be a
situational interview questions (2 marks for each question for 6 marks
total).

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 b. Given the differences in these jobs, propose an annual salary for a
full-time contract ASM (teaching 3 semesters, full load) and an annual
salary for a tenure-track Assistant Professor (entry level; working 3
semesters, full load) (2 marks). Discuss which job evaluation method
you would recommend using and why it is the best for this context (2
marks). (4 marks total)

c. Aside from comparing contract and tenure-track job requirements,

what are some other considerations for determining tenure-track
Assistant Professor pay rate? (3 marks)

Scenario 2

There has been a growing trend in academic institutions to reduce the

number of tenure-track and tenured faculty members, and increase the
number of contract instructors. Tenured faculty members have lifetime
employment and are only fired with just cause (there are cases where that
has happened at Memorial and other Canadian universities – like academic
misconduct, harassment / bullying). Tenure provides the employee
protection from political ramifications that may arise due to their research.
It also provides them with protection from other political or discriminatory
practices. Once a faculty member becomes a (Full) Professor (highest rank),
then there is also the expectation that they serve as protectors of their more
vulnerable colleagues and challenge bad institutional or leadership decisions.
Contract employees do not have any of this protection, and experience
precarious employment (no guaranteed of renewal of contracts).

Questions for Scenario 2 (10 marks total):

a. Given what you know about HR Planning (2 marks), and Compensation

(2 marks) and Benefits (2 marks), what might be some reasons for the
move towards more reliance on contract ASMs instead of tenure-track
faculty (6 marks total).

b. Research suggests that certain groups are more likely to experience

precarious employment (e.g., females, immigrants, other marginalized
individuals) and other groups are more likely to have permanent, full-
time employment. What are the legal ramifications of this trend? (2
marks) What are the societal implications of this trend? (2 marks) (4
marks total)

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Scenario 3:

During the strike, news outlets covered the strike action and social media
had many posts from both sides of the issue. In addition, other unions
(student unions, labour unions, other universities’ faculty associations) took
to social media. Public support for either side of a strike action is important
for applying pressure to the other side of the labour action.

During the strike, the union held two rallies. Representatives of other
faculty associations from across Canada and other labour unions (local and
provincial) showed up and provided words of support and some provided
financial support to the strike fund. Administrators from universities across
Canada were also watching the strike outcomes closely.

Final Question (2 marks)

Why were university unions and university administration from across

Canada watching Memorial University’s strike so closely? In other words,
what impact could Memorial University’s strike and negotiations have on
them and why? (2 marks)

Good luck!
 

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