University of Guelph Policies for Management of Canada Research Chairs Allocation

Updated in 2021, these policies outline the University’s processes for allocation, nomination, recruitment, and renewal of Canada Research Chairs (CRC). In all of these cases, the University is committed to recruitment and nomination processes that are transparent, open, equitable, and consistent with applicable equity and human rights legislation, the University’s Inclusion Framework and Employment Equity Plan , and with existing collective agreements between the University and the University of Guelph Faculty Association (UGFA). 

Policies were developed by the Offices of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) – known throughout the remainder of this document as Provost & VPA – and the Vice-President of Research (VPR), with consultation from the Office of Diversity and Human Rights, the Research Services Sub-Committee, and the CRC Advisory Committee. Policies align with current CRC Program guidelines for ensuring transparent recruitment and nomination processes. These policies take effect November 22, 2021.

1.    Allocation of CRCs

1.1    Decision framework

Chairs are allocated to individual universities based on a national re-allocation exercise, occurring every two years. The Research Services Office maintains information about chairs allocated to the University of Guelph, as provided by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS), including total number of chairs, chairs by tier and granting agency, and number of “flexible” chairs.

The Provost & VPA and the VPR, in consultation with the Dean(s), will make the decision to allocate a vacant CRC. The Provost and VPR may employ any of the following approaches to allocating CRCs:

1. Open call for allocation proposals from colleges
2. Thematic call for allocation proposals from colleges (i.e., the call is focused on an identified strategic research theme)
3. Direct allocation to colleges without a competition
4. A special call for self-nomination from members of equity-seeking groups

The Provost and VPR will then make strategic allocation decisions based on the following principles:

• Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)
• Alignment with the themes and disciplines of the Strategic Research Plan
• Alignment with the principles of the Strategic Research Plan
• College Tri-Agency market share

1.2    Open call for allocation proposals

When the Provost and VPR pursue option (a), open call for allocation proposals, or option (b), thematic call for allocation proposals, college proposals will need to address the following criteria:

1. The importance of the proposed Chair to the department/school and college’s research capacity. When defining a targeted field of research, Deans are requested to consider the CRC program’s suggestion that “outlining a broader field of research is more likely to attract a more diverse pool of candidates”.
2. The college’s ability to satisfy the following CRC Program selection criteria: quality of the institutional environment; institutional commitment; fit of the proposal with the University’s Strategic Research Plan.
3. A recruitment plan that takes into account the University’s equity targets, includes an analysis of field-specific gaps in representation, and outlines an expanded outreach approach that will attract applications from targeted equity-seeking groups. (See Faculty Recruitment Guidelines for expanding the applicant pool.)  The recruitment plan must also include a feasible timeline to submit the nomination to the CRC Program within a year.
4. A retention plan that explains how the Department and College will support faculty members from equity-seeking groups.  See CRC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: A Best Practices Guide for Recruitment, Hiring and Retention for actions to consider.
5. A demonstrated commitment to enhance EDI at the University of Guelph.  The proposal should address at least two of the following questions:
   
   1. What opportunities does a CRC position in this research area create for bringing Indigenous knowledges, critical race, feminist, queer or other perspectives to the research and curricula of relevant departments/schools?
   2. How will this CRC position contribute to EDI-related scholarship and/or build institutional capacity for GBA+ approaches to research, teaching, and policy?
   3. What opportunities does a CRC in this research area create for inter-disciplinary research?

2.     Decision to use a Chair for retention

The VPR and Provost may decide to use a chair as a retention mechanism to retain world-class University of Guelph faculty who are also members of equity-seeking groups including, but not limited to the four groups designated by the Employment Equity Act (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and racialized minorities).  When a chair is used for retention, the search will take the form of a “Special Call” for a specific chair (NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR). The selection process will then follow the process outlined in Section 9.

3.    Decision to use a Chair for emergency retention

The Provost & VPA and VPR may receive requests to use a CRC for emergency retention. Decisions to use a CRC for emergency retention will be made by the Provost & VPA and VPR in consultation with the CRC Advisory Committee and in accordance with CRC guidelines for ensuring a fair and transparent recruitment and nomination process. CRCs designated for emergency retention will be posted on the Office of Research CRC page, with a justification for emergency retention and explication of the decision-making process.

4.    Decision to use a corridor of flexibility

The Provost & VPA and the VPR may decide to use the corridor of flexibility to enable the University to meet its equity targets (e.g., by splitting a Tier 1 Chair into two Tier 2 Chairs), or to build capacity in a strategic research area (e.g., by converting from one Tri-agency to another). 

5.    Decision to advance individuals from a Tier 2 chair to a Tier 1 chair

The University will not advance individuals from a Tier 2 chair to a Tier 1 chair.  

6.    Decisions involved in re-allocation

In the case where the institution loses a chair due to the re-allocation process, the Provost & VPA and the VPR will decide which chair(s) will be phased out. Criteria included in decisions include timing (where possible, chairs nearest their ends of term will be selected for phase-out) and consideration of EDI targets. The VPR will communicate decisions to Deans.  

7.    Decision to renew a Chair

A CRC may be renewed once, for a maximum of two terms. The Provost & VPA and VPR will receive and review requests for renewal, as per the process outlined in Section 9.  The Provost & VPA and VPR will decide whether to commence the renewal process or to instead fill the CRC through the recruitment and nomination process. 

8.    CRC Advisory Committee – membership and mandate

8.1    Mandate

The CRC Advisory Committee will review recommendations for nomination and renewal and will advise the Provost & VPA and the VPR as to the following:

1. The proposal’s and/or the candidate’s ability to address any underrepresentation among equity seeking groups including, but not limited to, the four groups designated by the Employment Equity Act (women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, and members of racialized minorities).
2. The likelihood of success against CRC selection criteria.
3. The fit of the proposal’s and/or candidate’s research program with the University’s Strategic Research Plan.
4. Whether the documented recruitment process is consistent with the CRC Program’s Requirements for recruiting and nominating Canada Research Chairs.

8.2    Membership

Committee membership will be determined by the Provost & VPA and VPR through a call for interest from qualified faculty members, faculty members currently serving in the CRC College of Reviewers, and/or the CRC Interdisciplinary Adjudication Committee, and through a selection process that recognizes the interdisciplinary nature of CRC nominations and the University’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. The Committee is chaired by the Associate Vice-President Research Services (AVPRS) and includes the Associate Vice-President, Diversity and Human Rights.

9.    Recruitment

The following procedures apply to all searches whether external or internal.  In keeping with the practices of recruitment for all faculty positions, CRC recruitment will follow the Collective Agreement between the University and the University of Guelph Faculty Association (UGFA), the University of Guelph Faculty Recruitment Guidelines and the Faculty Recruitment Checklist.  The purpose of the guidelines is to ensure that selection processes are fair, welcoming of diversity, defensible and result in the best hiring decisions.  The checklist details the steps in recruitment and provides links to relevant resources.  Additional requirements that are specific to CRC recruitment are detailed below.

9.1    Search Committee

If the search is external, the search committee will be constituted as per Article 19 of the Collective Agreement between the University and the University of Guelph Faculty Association (UGFA). 

If the search is internal, and therefore a “Special Call” for a specific chair (NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR), the Provost & VPA and VPR will identify a department chair to chair the selection committee.  The search committee will be constituted to mirror Article 19.12.1 (Exceptional Searches). 

CRC search committees are directed to review: 

• the CRC selection criteria; 
• the CRC Best Practices in Recruitment;
• the University’s CRC equity targets;
• the University’s CRC Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan
• the flow chart depicting the University’s recruitment and nomination process

9.2    Advertising CRC positions

FASR and the Research Services Office will review CRC position advertisements to ensure that they meet the CRC Program requirements for advertisements/ job postings.   

CRCs designated for recruitment (i.e., external searches) must be advertised internationally and to professional societies and associations of designated groups. They must follow the Faculty Recruitment Guidelines for expanding the applicant pool. Where deemed by the Provost & VPA, in consultation with the AVP Diversity and Human Rights, as an opportunity for increasing diversity, a targeted recruitment process will occur; i.e., the search will be limited to members of one or more equity-seeking groups

CRCs designated for retention (i.e., internal searches) must be posted on the Faculty and Academic Staff Relations webpage for a minimum of 30 days, noting that this is an internal search.

9.3    Interview Process

CRC search committees are required to:

• Follow the Faculty Recruitment Guideline for preparing interview questions and outlining the agenda.
• Use the Faculty Hiring Assessment Sample Template.
• Ensure all parts of the process are accessible and invite candidates to identify any accommodation needs prior to the interview. 
• Account for differences in communication and presentation styles by using a variety of evaluation formats (e.g., a lecture or evaluation of scholarly works could complement an interview). 
• Be explicit that career breaks for family or medical needs or community responsibilities will not negatively impact the hiring decision.

9.4    CRC Recommendation

As per the Faculty Recruitment Guideline, the chair of the search committee submits the Request to Negotiate and Approval to Appoint to the dean, identifying and justifying the appointable candidate (and for multiple candidates, ranking them in order for negotiations) and providing the CVs for the interviewed candidates.

If the Dean is satisfied with the process, the short-list, and the recommendation, the Dean will sign the Request to Negotiate and Approval to Appoint form with the additional attestation that the search process has met the EDI Requirements for recruiting and nominating Canada Research Chairs. The Dean will send the Request to Negotiate and Approval to Appoint form, along with the following documents to the Manager, Strategic Programs, Research Services Office:

1. the recommended candidate’s CV and research proposal;
2. a description of the role of the equity and diversity officer or designated equity, diversity and inclusion champion;
3. description of the strategy and proactive efforts made to identify a diverse pool of potential applicants;
4. a description of the measures used to ensure that individuals who required accommodation or who experienced career interruptions were not disadvantaged during the nomination process;
5. evaluation criteria and assessment grids.

The Manager will provide these materials to the CRC Advisory Committee for feedback in accordance with the committee’s terms of reference. The Provost & VPA and VPR will consider CRC Advisory Committee feedback before approving a candidate for nomination to the CRC. 

If the Provost & VPA and the VPR do not accept the nomination recommendation, they may take either of the following actions: 

1. Return the proposal to the originating department or school for reconsideration; or 
2. Halt the selection process and, in discussion with the Dean(s), reallocate the proposed chair to a different area prepared to address a strategic area of research and address equity issues.

If the Provost & VPA and the VPR accept the nomination recommendation, the Research Services Office (RSO) will send the Request to Negotiate to Faculty and Academic Staff Relations (FASR) for review of requested salary against comparators, equity data from the applicant tracking questionnaire, and Labour Market Impact Assessment (if required).  This review ensures that individuals from equity-seeking groups are not disadvantaged in negotiations related to the level of salary and benefits. 

Once the appointment letter is signed, the Research Services Office will work with the originating department or school, the college, and the nominee to prepare and submit the nomination in accordance with CRC program guidelines.

10.    Use of CRCs for Renewals

10.1    Eligibility for renewal

CRCs will become eligible for renewal approximately one year before the end of the appointment. Universities have two consecutive nomination cycles in which to submit renewal nominations for review by the chairs program, according to the CRC Program guidelines. Renewal nominations for both Tier 1 and Tier 2 chairs must be submitted at least six months prior to the end date of the chairholder’s term.

Chairs in their second term will not be renewed and will be treated as a vacancy for re-allocation.

10.2    Requests for CRC Renewal Nominations

The Research Services Office will notify the Provost & VPA, the VPR and Deans when CRCs in their colleges are eligible for renewal, approximately 18 months prior to the end of the current chairholder’s term.

The college in which any chair is eligible for renewal will have the first right to request retention of the CRC to renew the chairholder. Deans must prepare a statement (1-3 pages) which addresses the considerations (b – f) below. The Dean will send the statement, along with the chairholder’s updated CV and a draft CRC performance report, as described in the CRC renewal form to the Manager, Strategic Programs,  Research Services Office, who will provide materials to the CRC Advisory Committee.

10.3    Review of Requests for CRC Renewals

The CRC Advisory Committee will provide the Provost & VPA and VPR with feedback in accordance with the committee’s terms of reference. 

The Provost & VPA and the VPR will review requests for CRC renewals, taking into account the following considerations: 

1. Performance of CRC chairholder in previous term, based on the draft CRC performance report as described in the CRC renewal form;
2. Importance of the CRC renewal to the nominating unit’s and college’s research goals; 
3. Support available to the CRC from the unit and the college; 
4. Alignment of the proposed renewal with the university’s strategic directions and University of Guelph’s Strategic Research Plan; 
5. Budget implications for college, should it not be approved for renewal; and
6. A demonstrated commitment to enhance EDI at the University of Guelph.

If the Provost & VPA and VPR do not approve the request for renewal, the Chair will be treated as a vacancy for consideration as a new allocation.

If the CRC is approved for renewal, the Research Services Office will work with the originating department or school, the college, and the CRC chairholder to prepare and submit the renewal nomination in accordance with the CRC Program guidelines.