Description of Governing Bodies
- The following clauses are translated from our Collective Agreement, and apply to almost all of the bodies listed below.
2 – 2.09 When the College forms a committee which includes teachers, only the Union has the right to name them, unless specified otherwise in the collective agreement.
2 – 2.10 The College informs the union beforehand of any consultation of teachers which it [ College ] intends to do, or in which it [ College ] participates.
A. Bodies on which teachers form the majority
- Academic Council
- Created/defined by: Quebec legislation, as part of the Colleges Act which created the Cegep system. Some aspects also modified by collective agreement (4 – 5.00) and by the Vanier College By-Laws (#3).
Composition: Can vary slightly but with a majority of teachers. Currently at Vanier: 10 teacher representatives (elected), and 9 other members representing other employees, students and adminstration.
Main resposibilities: “ To make recommendations to the College on any question pertaining to the maintenance, improvement or development of the College’s academic life.” There is a wide-ranging list of topics on which the College is legally obliged to consult the Academic Council, including course grids and academic programs, admission policies, policies on services such as library and IT, changes in academic structures, and many others. The College must justify in writing any refusal to adopt a Council recommendation. The chair or vice-chair reports on the Academic Council to Board meetings. - Joint Co-ordinators
- Created/defined by: Internal to Vanier, but its origins are shrouded in the mists of people’s memories. Its legal status, composition and role have varied considerably over the years.
Current status: Subcommittee of Academic Council
Composition, currently: 28 department co-ordinators; 11 co-ordinators of areas and Vanier-defined “programs” (for example, Explorations, Women’s Studies, Science Plus, etc); 14 administrators not all voting.
Main resposibilities, currently: As a subcommittee, is usually pre-consulted on major issues before they go to Academic Council, and often makes recommendations. Is a forum for co-ordinators to share information with other departments and also to raise concerns about facilities, services and everyday life. - VCTA General Assembly
- Created/defined by: VCTA constitution
Composition: All union members can attend general assemblies. [There are about 450 VCTA members, which includes almost all the Vanier daytime teachers and a few Cont Ed teachers.]
At any assembly, decisions are made by the members present (1 person, 1 vote).
Main resposibilities: The General Assembly is the ultimate decision-making body of the union on all important issues. Assemblies may be held on virtually any matter affecting teachers’ working conditions or professional life. This has included provincial negotiations and local application of collective agreements, strikes and other actions, but also important events and changes in the College, or any other topic a member wishes to raise. Assemblies also decide on the union’s budget, finances and functioning. - Association Council
- Created/defined by: VCTA constitution
Composition: 12 teachers (elected)
Main resposibilities: Is the main political guiding body for the union. Usually discusses all major issues and makes recommendations to the General Assembly. Sets GA agendas. Is responsible for VCTA policies between GA’s, and advises and guides the Executive. Association Council meetings are open to all VCTA members to attend. - Executive
- Created/defined by: VCTA constitution
Composition: 4 teachers (elected, with some release time)
Main resposibilities: The executive is the legal representative of the Union under labour law. It conducts all day-to-day business, carries out union policies and mandates of General Assembly and Association Council. Handles the local application of the Collective Agreement, helps individuals and departments with legal and practical problems, grievances etc, and leads the teacher side at CRT. It co-ordinates among the other VCTA bodies, and co-ordinates with the other Vanier unions and with FAC. Also responsible for information to members, finances, etc. - FAC (Federation Autonome du Collegiale)
- This is the union federation to which the VCTA belongs. It has about a third of all the 50-odd Cegep teacher unions. Among its structures are Conseil Intersyndicale (CI) which plays very roughly the role of our Association Council, the Federative Assemblies very roughly corresponding to our General Assembly, an executive and committees.
There are two other federations of Cegep teacher unions: FNEEQ (in the CSN labour central) and FEC (in the CSQ.) B. Some other bodies which include teacher representatives
- CRT (Labour Relations)
- Created/defined by: The collective agreement (4 – 3.00)
Composition: A bi-partite body. That is, the union and the administration each have just one vote. The union side consists of 7 elected teachers (3 from executive).
Main resposibilities: To discuss, and try to reach agreements on, the application and interpretation of the collective agreement. There is a long list of topics on which the College is legally obliged to consult the CRT (notably changes in working conditions, allocations, hiring and job loss, individual cases and grievances, and many others). Either party can request a CRT meeting, but some meetings are legally automatic, for example on allocations. If the parties agree at CRT, the decision is binding. If not, the College proceeds to act, but must wait to reconsider its position, inform the union, etc. - Board of Directors
- Created/defined by: Legislation (the Colleges Act), some aspects modified by Vanier College By-Laws (# 1)
Composition: 19 members, including 2 teacher representatives.
Clause 2 –2.09 does not apply to the Board, so elections for teacher Board members are run by the Board secretary. The other 17 members represent business and community sectors (5), senior administration (2), Vanier grads, parents, employees and students, and university and school-board milieux.
Main resposibilities: “The Board as a body exercises the rights and powers of the College as provided [ by law] “. It has the final, legal power of decision on all major matters which do not contravene the law or collective agreements. - Liaison Committee
- Created: co-operatively by the union and the DG ( M. Macchiagodena ), 8 to 10 years ago.
Composition: VCTA executive and about 4 senior administrators including DG, Dean, and Director of Human Resources.
Main resposibilities: A less formal committee intended to permit both sides to express and discuss matters of concern. Meets about twice a term, or on request. - Miscellaneous special-purpose or standing committees involving some teacher representatives.
- Some are sub-committees of Academic Council, others not. Examples include the Long-Range Planning ctee, Space ctee, ctee on pedagogical use of IT, selection committees for new deans, and so on. Clause 2 –2.09 applies to all.
