Terms of Reference

1. Mandate

1. The Francophones' Committee is appointed by and reports to the Executive Committee of CAUT to advise on concerns of francophone academic staff at francophone, bilingual, and anglophone institutions.

2. Membership

1. Members of the Francophones’ Committee are appointed by the CAUT Executive Committee at its meeting immediately preceding Spring Council, following a call for nominations through letters to member associations and through the CAUT Bulletin.
2. The Committee shall be composed of at least eight members (including the Person Chairing).
3. Committee members will demonstrate the requisite expertise required to fulfill their roles and will reflect the diversity of CAUT in so far as possible along geographic, size of institution, disciplinary, and equity lines. Membership will also reflect francophone academic staff from francophone, bilingual, and anglophone institutions.
4. Members shall normally serve for three-year terms, with the possibility of one renewal. Terms shall overlap in such a way that approximately one third of the membership will have their terms expire each year.
5. If the terms need to be altered to ensure the continuation of this changeover pattern, the Committee shall make suitable recommendations to the Executive Committee at its meeting immediately preceding Spring Council.

3. Casual Vacancy

1. When a casual vacancy occurs on the Committee, the CAUT Executive Committee will select a replacement after consultation with member associations.

4. Chair

1. The person chairing the Committee shall normally be the Representative-at-large (Francophone) as elected by Council.

5. Reporting

1. The Committee shall report regularly to the Executive through the Representative-at-large (Francophone).

6. Status of Academic Administrators on the Committee

1. Whenever a member of the Committee accepts an appointment (whether temporary or continuing) to a senior administrative position (for example, President, Vice-President, Counsel or Advisor to the President, Dean, Associate Dean, Assistant Dean) or, in the case of an academic staff association which has entered into a collective agreement, to any administrative position which excludes its occupant from membership in the bargaining unit, the member shall notify the Executive Committee.
2. After consulting with the member's academic staff association and the Chair of the Committee, the Executive shall determine whether the individual shall be required to resign and replaced pursuant to Article 3. Casual Vacancy.

Approved by the CAUT Executive, April 2021.