QUFA Digest: October 2025

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Hello QUFA Members,

Please see the October 2025 edition of Digest below.

Deadlines

  • Tuition Support Plan: The fall submission window is September 1 – November 1, 2025. See Appendix N of the Collective Agreement and click here for the application form. Also, please note the changes to the process indicated in the HR module.
  • Childcare Support Plan: The deadline will be February 1, 2026. Please see Appendix M of the Collective Agreement and click here for the application form.

Notices

  • Attention Term Adjuncts: If you are eligible to apply for General Right of Reappointment (GRoR) or a Continuing Adjunct appointment, you should have received notification of eligibility from your Unit Head. If you are eligible and have not received a notification, please contact your Unit Head. If you are unsure of your eligibility or have questions about the application processes, please contact QUFA’s Member Services Officer Doug Nesbitt: d.nesbitt@queensu.ca
  • Pension Activation at 71: If you are turning 71 in 2025, you will need to activate all pensions (UPP, CPP, etc.) by December 2025. Please reach out to the University Pension Plan through the secure member portal on the UPP Website ASAP for assistance. For the Canada Pension Plan, you will need to set up a My Service Canada Account and then follow links to apply for the CPP. If you have other pensions, please contact your previous employers’ pension offices. 
  • QUFA has created a new Governance Watch webpage to update members on upcoming Senate and Board of Trustee business pertinent to your work.

Questions for the Membership

  • If you were not hired on a conventional start date (July 1 or January 1), has that complicated your ability to take your initial Academic Leave (Sabbatical) on the conventional start dates (July 1 or January 1)?
  • Term Adjuncts: Have your contracts been extended without a pay increase?
  • Please contact qufa@queensu.ca with responses.

Grievance Updates

  • QUFA’s Grievance Officer is continuing to gather information about the impact of the new endpoint requirements to the work of QUFA members.  Karen is especially interested in hearing from faculty members who are compelled to install the MDE version of the endpoint software on their personal device in order to meet their professional responsibilities (i.e. members that are not provided sufficient funds through Queen’s to purchase a device). If you are in that position, are aware of a colleague in that position or believe you have other relevant information to share, please send an email to ks233@queensu.ca with some details about your experience.   

Get Involved

  • QUFA Caucuses: We are looking for members to join our Caregivers Caucus, BIPOC Caucus, and New Faculty Caucus. The Caregivers Caucus connects members involved in care responsibilities (e.g., young children, seniors, family members with disabilities) to share experiences, concerns, and resources. The BIPOC Caucus supports and advocates for members who are Black, Indigenous, or racialized and/or visible minorities. It is organized to collectively discuss workplace matters specific to QUFA’s BIPOC members and work towards racial equity in our workplace. The New Faculty Caucus connects recently appointed faculty (up to 5 years) to share experiences and concerns pertinent to new faculty. To inquire about joining any of these caucuses, please reach out to QUFA Political Action and Communications Committee (PACC) Chair Vanessa Thompson at vt25@queensu.ca. 

For Your Information

  • New Members: If you are a recent hire at Queen’s, you can fill out an Association Membership form here. To learn more about being a Member of the union Bargaining Unit and a Member of the Association, click here.
  • QUFA Voices: Please see the latest issue here. Stay tuned for a new Voices archive on the website.
  • QUFA Podcast: Check out Campus Conversations.
  • You can always check our News & Events feed on the bottom of the website homepage for updates: www.qufa.ca
  • Visit QUFA on Facebook and Instagram.

Sincerely,

QUFA Staff