Annual General Meeting (AGM) Announcement

  • Print
Details
Last Updated on Thursday, 16 September 2021 16:15

Hi - please be advised that the SPFA 2021 AGM is scheduled for Thursday, November 4, 2021, between 12 noon and 1:30 pm and will occur Virtually through Zoom.

The following timeline will guide the preparations for the AGM:

  • Sept. 16, 2021 - Notification of AGM (Article VII, Section 1)
  • Sept. 21, 2021 - Open Nominations – Secretary Treasurer, VP Prince Albert, and VP Regina – current terms end this year (Article V, Section 3).  The VP Saskatoon will also be up for election (the normal rotation for the VP Saskatoon occurs in even number years, so this term is for one year).
  • Oct. 5, 2021 – Nominations Close (Article V, Section 5)
  • Oct. 6 – 27, 2021 – Candidate Campaigning
  • Oct. 7, 2021 – Constitutional Amendments received (Article X, Section 3)
  • Oct. 21, 2021 – Constitutional Amendments circulated (Article X, Section 3), Resolutions received (Article VII, Section 3 and 4)
  • Oct. 22, 2021 – Nominations and Statements Circulated (Article V, Section 5)
  • Oct. 28, 2021 – E-Ballots sent to members (election open for 5 days)
  • Nov. 4, 2021 – AGM

More details regarding the above items including how a Virtual AGM will occur will be emailed to the membership.  For further information about the items in the above timeline please refer to the SPFA Constitution available on the protected side of the SPFA website:  http://spfa.ca

Greg Gardiner

Secretary Treasurer

 

Faculty Representatives Needed for Academic Council Seats

  • Print
Details
Last Updated on Thursday, 07 October 2021 14:53

There was an error in the September 2021 Newsletter regarding vacant academic seats.  The Learning and Teaching seat was previously filled by Pat Tymchatyn. Natasha Hubbard Murdoch has filled the Health Sciences and Nursing vacancy.

Seats are open on Academic Council for nomination for the following vacancy:

-       Student Services

Nominations will be accepted to the SPFA office ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )

The committee’s Terms of Reference, guidelines for applying for a faculty position on the council  and  nomination form can be found on the SPFA website (www.spfa.ca) by navigating the top menu bar RESOURCES>>COMMITTEES>>ACADEMIC COUNCIL (you aren’t required to log in), or click on the links: http://www.spfa.ca/images/Committees/Academic_Council_Election_Guidelines.pdf

http://www.spfa.ca/images/Committees/Nomination_Form_Academic_Council.pdf.  More information on Academic Council can be found at: https://saskpolytech.ca/about/organization/academic-council.aspx.

 

Leadership Changes - Saskatoon Campus

  • Print
Details
Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 September 2021 08:42

Leadership Changes

 Barkley Twidale was appointed as the Acting Vice President for       Saskatoon campus in June following Chau Ha’s resignation.  Please   join the Executive Council in welcoming Barkley to this role.  As per   the Constitution, the position will be open for nominations this fall   along with the Secretary-Treasurer, the Vice President Prince Albert   and Vice President Regina.

 I am a Heavy-Duty / Truck Transport Mechanic by trade originally   from Meadow Lake, SK.  I began my apprenticeship in Meadow Lake   and first attended SaskPolytech (then S.I.A.S.T) in 1999.  I   completed my apprenticeship in Calgary at S.A.I.T, where I worked in   the trade for two years.  I then spent seven years in Edmonton,   again, in the trade.  This is where I married my wife, Sheila.  We also   started our family with the addition of my daughter, Rebecca and   son, Kenny.  In 2009 we moved back to Saskatchewan where I spent   time in the underground mining industry and working as a private   contractor.  I started with SaskPolytech in the fall of 2014, and it has   been a whirlwind of new experiences ever since.

 Aside from the steep, ever present learning curve of attempting to   deliver effective instructing, one of the most influential new   experiences of my employment has been completing FCP.  This is not   only because I managed to obtain some valuable tools, skills and   understanding to help me in the classroom, but because I was   fortunate enough to meet some exceptional people along the way.  It   turns out faculty here are made up of great people across all programs and I have been fortunate to meet a few of them.  I am looking forward to serving as Vice President for the interim and I hope I can be a positive and helpful member to the SPFA and all of its members.

 

SPFA Education awards available

  • Print
Details
Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 August 2021 12:12

The SPFA sponsors education awards each year for dependent family members of SPFA members.  There are currently seven External student awards and three Internal student awards available.  The application period runs September 1 to October 31.  

SPFA family members can apply online through the SK Polytech Student Awards website.  A step-by-step guide for applying is in the article immediately following this one.

External awards - students enrolled in an accredited post-secondary Canadian institution.

Internal awards - student enrolled in a SK Polytech program. 

 

SPFA Education Awards for member’s dependent family - Process

  • Print
Details
Last Updated on Tuesday, 12 October 2021 10:17

The SPFA is once again pleased to offer education awards to support post-secondary studies of faculty family members. The Education Awards Committee is working with SaskPolytech’s Advancement office again this year to assist with the application and award distribution process.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic Faculty Association Awards are $1000 each and are awarded to faculty family members (as per the benefits package definition) who are enrolled for fall 2021 in a recognized Canadian post-secondary institution. Applicants from previous years who have not received an award, but are still in post-secondary studies, are encouraged to apply again. Previous recipients of SPFA awards are ineligible.

There are two categories:

INTERNAL AWARDS are for faculty family members attending any program 20 weeks or more in length at any Saskatchewan SaskPolytech campus. Application deadline for the Internal award is October 31. If awards are still available, the next application period is January 10 to February 15. These awards can be found in the regular SaskPolytech student awards guide where applicants must complete the SaskPolytech on-line application. Selection for these awards follows the regular Sask Polytech award process.

Applying for an Internal Award:

  1. Go to Sask Polytech’s student awards website at: http://saskpolytech.ca/admissions/resources/scholarships-and-awards.aspx.
  2. Under “General Application and Information” Select “Online Application”
  3. Select “Apply now!”   (online application will open in another window)
  4. In the “Award Name” box, type Sask Polytech Faculty, and complete in the Campus, Year, Program, Credential and Equity boxes.  Click the “Search” button. The award will appear.   
  5. Click the “Apply On-Line” button.
  6. The page opens to a “fuel to learn Inc” page where you can either create a personal profile that can be used for all award applications or log in to an existing account.
  7. Confirmation of creating an account will be sent to your email
  8. Once you have completed the profile, select the "Apply Now" button and a final "Proof of Membership" window will open where the applicant inserts their SPFA family member's name.  Be sure to insert your family member’s name (SPFA member) in the box or your application will be rejected.
  9. Complete and Student Declaration section and submit your application.

 

EXTERNAL AWARDS are for faculty family members attending any recognized Canadian post-secondary institution, outside of SaskPolytech. Recognized institutions are as defined in SaskPolytech Policy #116 and are listed on the Government of Canada website at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/study-institutions-list.asp.

The application period runs to October 31st.  External award recipients are selected on a random draw basis, by DAR; the Education Awards committee is not directly involved in the selection process.

Applying for an External Award:

  1. Go to Sask Polytech’s student awards website at: http://saskpolytech.ca/admissions/resources/scholarships-and-awards.aspx.
  2. Find the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Faculty Association Award under the “Additional Award, Funding and Scholarship Opportunities” section of the webpage (in the bottom third of the webpage) under the “Awards Administered by Sask Polytech”.
  3. Select “Application Form” (the Word document “SPFA-application” will download to the bottom of your web page and can be opened from there.
  4. Complete the application online or print it and complete it manually. 
  5. Be sure to include the name of your family member who is a Sask Polytech faculty member or your application will be rejected.
  6. Either save and email or print and mail your application according to instructions on the application.

 

Please encourage your family members who will be in post-secondary studies this fall to apply. If you have feedback on the process, the committee would like to hear so it can be made even better.

Committee members: Marissa Landry-Dixon; Graeme Drysdale and Erin Knuttila (EC Liaison). The          Prince Albert and Saskatoon campus seats are vacant. Contact your campus VP if you are interested in serving on this committee.