Join our Conversion and Careers Advisor, Professor Kym Bird, for a series of workshops on preparing your application for conversion and other tenure-stream hiring searches at York. This first workshop will focus primarily on helping Unit 2 members in the Conversion (or “Affirmative Action”) Pool to prepare their applications for conversion appointments. Check out our calendar for links to all of these upcoming events!
The first workshop is:
Tuesday 22 October 2024, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (online)
This workshop will focus on advising members on:
- How the conversion process works
- How to prepare strong files in teaching, research, and service
- How to yourself as attractive as possible as a candidate for potential upcoming positions at York
The best application files are constructed over time! An application for a conversion appointment, for example, must include a current curriculum vitae; letters of reference (including external letters); and an assessment by the hiring unit of the candidate’s teaching, research, and scholarly or creative work, their service potential, how their appointment fulfills departmental needs, and (where appropriate and in light of the candidate’s unique career path) an assessment of the candidate’s potential for participation in graduate teaching and supervision.
Members applying for conversion are generally required to submit their applications in February for appointments beginning July 1. (More details of the process will be communicated later by Faculty Relations and the Union.)
Conversion and Career Advice Workshops are open to all CUPE 3903 members interested in compiling a strong application package for conversion and LSTA appointments or who might, in future, be a position to apply for employment under either program.
Professor Kym Byrd is a YUFA member in the Division of Humanities and a former CUPE 3903 Unit 2 member. Her primary role as Career Advisor is to assist contract faculty members in career planning and Professional Development to prepare them to apply for conversion and tenure-stream applications at York. In addition to these workshops.
Dr. Bird will be holding two additional workshops before the conversions’ application deadline:
Wednesday 27 November 2024, 2:30–4:00 p.m. (online)
Wednesday 15 January 11:00 a.m–12:30 p.m (online)
Dr. Bird is also available for one-on-one consultations about building your application file. Contact Dr. Byrd at kbird@yorku.ca.
A Note on the “Affirmative Action” (Conversion) Pool & the number of Conversions during 2024–25 and 2025–26:
The “Affirmative Action” pool includes all Unit 2 members who (1) have at least five years of service to the University and who in the four years preceding the current contract year, held at least 1 Type 1 position in each year and a total of at least 12 Type 1 or equivalent positions over those four years; or (2) belong to at least one Equity Group and have at least three years of service to the University and who held at least 2 Type 1 positions in any three years and at least 7 type 1 or equivalent positions in any three years. Members of the Affirmative Action pool are eligible to apply for conversion, and those with at least five years in the pool (three, for those who belong to at least one equity groups) are eligible to apply for LSTAs. (For more information on either program, see the Unit 2 Collective Agreement, Article 23 Affirmative Action and Article 25 Long Service Teaching Appointments (LSTAs) and/or contact cupe3903vpu2@gmail.com.)
Under the 2023–26 Unit 2 Collective Agreement and the Memorandum of Settlement signed on April 14, 2024, York University is required to make a minimum of six conversion appointments in the next two years: two appointments in each of the 2024–25 and 2025–26 contract years and an additional two conversion appointments by the end of the contract (August 31, 2026). A total of 18 LSTAs must be appointed during the same period, six in each of 2024–25 and 2025–26, with an additional six appointments made by the end of August 2026.