Years of Experience Guidelines

June 2002

QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE GUIDELINES

The following principles have been approved with respect to calculating years of experience for faculty, librarian and archivist members. Equivalent years of experience means equivalent to full-time, full service teaching, research, scholarly or creative activity, and service work at a university. These principles apply to all Faculties.

1.    During Queen's University Appointment:

(a)    Years of Academic Leave

Years of academic leave should be counted on a one-for-one basis.

(b)    Maternity Leave

Years of maternity leave should be counted on a one-for-one basis.

(c)    Parental Leave

Years of parental leave should be counted on a one-for-one basis.

(d)    Negotiated Leave

Leave which is not directly related to one's academic work or professional expertise will be assessed according to the Faculty guidelines for relevance.

(e)    Long Term Disability (LTD)

Time on LTD should be counted on a one-for-one basis up to a maximum of five (5) years of experience.

2.    University Experience Prior to Queen's University Appointment

(a)    Previous University Experience

Years of full-time university teaching and research, or equivalent institutional experience, generally should count one-for-one. Partial years of university teaching and research, or equivalent institutional experience should be pro-rated.

(b)    Level of Education

Calculation of years of experience prior to a regular academic appointment should be assessed on the degree of relevance of the work to an individual's academic responsibilities. The level of education held at the time of work experience, in and of itself, cannot determine the degree of relevance.

The only work that counts is work which falls within the duties performed by regular faculty members in the discipline, and which is not normally part of a university training program such as a teaching assistantship or teaching practicum. Otherwise all relevant work including university teaching while pursuing an advanced degree should be counted.

3.    Individual Faculty Guidelines for Non-University Experience Prior to Queen's
        University Appointment

Individual Faculty Guidelines for the assessment of non-university experience prior to Queen's University appointment have been developed by each faculty and approved by the JCAA. These Guidelines are based on, and conform to, the following general guidelines: To go to individual faculty guidelines click on one of the following. ( Arts & Science, Applied Science, Education, Graduate Studies & Research, Health Sciences, Law, Library & Archives, Business )

        (a)    Degrees of Relevance

Non-university experience should be assessed on its degree of relevance to an individual's academic responsibilities. Relevant experience is only that which has contributed to a faculty member's expertise in university-level teaching and research.

There are four (4) degrees of relevance:

Direct Relevance:  counts one year for one year

Reasonable Relevance:  counts 0.5 year for one year

Limited Relevance:  counts 0.25 year for one year

No Relevance:  no experience will be credited.

        (b)    Level of Education

Calculation of years of experience prior to a regular academic appointment should be assessed on the degree of relevance of the work to an individual's academic responsibilities. The level of education held at the time of work experience, in and of itself, cannot determine the degree of relevance. Normally, the only work that counts is work judged to be equivalent to the duties performed by regular faculty members in the individual's discipline.

With respect to disciplines where an advanced degree is not required for an academic appointment, faculties may discount a specified number of years of relevant work in order not to disadvantage those who do hold advanced degrees in the same discipline.