Canada Research Chairs: Guide to Nominations & Renewals

Since the last version of the nomination guide in October 2023, key updates have been made to Section 9 : Nomination Decision & Request for Nomination Approval and Section 11: Renewals of Chairs.
 

Divisions should be sure to use the latest versions of the forms and templates. The latest versions of these documents can be accessed through the links in the guide or on the webpage under the forms & downloads section.

This guide is designed to fulfill the objectives of the University of Toronto’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan for the Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP). This guide provides CRC selection committees at U of T, as well as other interested parties, with recruitment, evaluation, and selection practices that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). A high-level overview of the nomination and selection process is provided in this flowchart. The nomination and renewal processes and requirements outlined here pertain to the University’s academic divisions; affiliated hospitals will amend this document or develop additional, complementary content to reflect their own recruitment and employment policies and practices. This guide also includes links to forms and templates relevant to both the divisions and affiliated hospitals.

The CRCP offers Canadian universities, together with their affiliated research institutes and hospitals, the opportunity to nominate outstanding researchers for Chairs in areas that will further institutional research priorities, advance institutional capacities to generate and apply new knowledge, and enhance the research training of highly qualified personnel. For full details on the CRCP, please visit Canada Research Chairs.

Recognizing that the achievement of a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive research community is essential to the creation of significant and innovative research, the CRCP is committed to the removal of barriers faced by under-represented and disadvantaged groups. Following a fifteenth-year review, the CRCP developed Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Requirements and Practices and a CRC Program Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan. Institutions must fulfill Program requirements for recruiting and nominating Chairs, whether for internal recruitments (open to existing faculty members) or external recruitments (to attract new faculty members). In cases where CRCP monitoring finds that a nomination process did not follow these requirements, the Program reserves the right to withdraw a nomination, suspend future payments, or terminate a Chairholder award.

In addition, institutions must set equity and diversity targets to address the under-representation of members of the four designated groups (women and gender minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and members of racialized minorities among their Chairholder cohorts. Institutions were required to meet their previous Chairholder targets by December 2019 and must meet increased targets by December 2029, as well as achieving interim targets in December 2022, 2025 and 2027.

In keeping with its ongoing commitment to equity, diversity, and excellence, the University of Toronto has accepted these Chairholder targets as minima and successfully achieved our December 2022 interim targets. The University’s chairholder targets for December 2029, as well as current representation numbers, are available on the U of T CRC public accountability web page.

2. Allocation of Chairs

University oversight of CRCs resides in the portfolio of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (VPRI), which works closely with the Vice-President & Provost, divisional leaders, and the leadership of the Toronto Academic Health Science Network. The VPRI, in consultation with the Vice-President & Provost, is responsible for managing the University’s allocation of CRCs, including the distribution of Chairs (by Tier and Council) across academic divisions and hospitals, informed by a formula similar to that used by the CRCP (a three-year rolling average of tri-agency research funding). This formula appropriately credits CRC-eligible funding earned by hospital-based researchers to the relevant affiliate. For campus-based academic divisions, strategic considerations are also taken into account, including faculty complement planning to advance key areas of research. Academic leaders in the divisions and hospitals determine the departments/research areas where a CRC from their allocation would best advance research priorities. In addition, the institution takes into account its equity and diversity targets and gaps when allocating Chairs to a department or academic division.

The national reallocation process is conducted every 5 years, with the next reallocation scheduled for 2025. The University conducts an internal annual exercise to see where on campus divisions and affiliated hospitals sit relative to their current allocation. When a campus division requests retention of a chair, the VPRI uses this internal recalculation exercise to determine if the division will be approved to retain the chair slot, or if the chair slot will be redistributed to another division or hospital in order to make an allocation adjustment. The University intends to make interim allocation adjustments at least once between the national recalculation every 5 years.

In communicating CRC allocations to eligible institutions, the CRC Secretariat identifies a specific number of Chairs by Council as well as Tier, but allows for some adjustment within a “corridor of flexibility”. The University recognizes that the proportion of Chairs by Council and Tier should be roughly maintained, and has always sought to stay as close as possible to its original allocation. The University’s Research Services Office monitors divisional and overall use of “flex moves” within U of T and seeks to guide the University’s allocation back toward its original Council and Tier count as part of a national effort to honour the intended distribution of Chairs across Councils and Tiers. Requests from hospitals and divisions to alter the Council or Tier of any Chair must be approved by the VPRI, which considers the case for altering the nature of the Chair and takes into account how closely both the University and the division/hospital align with their original allocations.

In every case of a CRC being vacated (whether due to an unsuccessful nomination, the end of a second term, or a retirement or other departure from the University), the division must request that the Chair be returned to it for the purposes of a new nomination. The division must submit a completed Chairslot Retention Form that includes the following information:

• a rationale for limiting the pool to internal candidates (if applicable)
• an identification of the field of research that will appear in the CRC posting (keeping in mind the CRCP’s interest in identifying a broad field of research to attract a diverse pool of applicants)
• a commitment by the division to adhere to the CRCP’s requirements for equity, diversity, and inclusion
   

The VPRI will either grant the request or refuse it in order to address an overall adjustment to the University’s allocation or an imbalance in the internal distribution.

The University’s affiliated hospitals are separately responsible for developing their own processes and documents that fulfill the CRCP requirements, and are responsible for managing and administering their own Chairs. There are, however, several key points at which the hospitals must work closely with the University regarding CRC allocations and nominations:

• The University manages the allocation of Chairs to the hospitals.
• The awards are sub-granted to the affiliated hospitals through Inter-Institutional Agreements.
• Hospitals must request University approval for the use of flex moves.
• Hospitals must inform the University when they have selected a nominee; the hospital provides the Research Services Office with the executed Affiliated Hospital Nomination Form and signed Hospital Nomination Acceptance Letter in order to facilitate the release of online forms to the nominee.
• The University is responsible for submitting hospital-based nominations to the Secretariat.
• Hospitals must notify the University if an award needs to be terminated (the University will then inform the Secretariat of the early termination).
   

These processes are supported by ongoing communication between the hospitals and the University. The University and the hospitals will continue to use the Toronto Academic Health Science Network Research Committee as a forum for strategic discussions regarding CRCs, and the University’s Research Services Office will continue to regularly meet and communicate with CRC leads in both the academic divisions and affiliated hospitals in order to exchange information and provide updates relevant to the administration of Chairs.

4. External CRC Recruitment

In the case of CRC positions tied to the recruitment of a new tenure-stream faculty member, the search process must follow all elements required for faculty recruitment under the appropriate policies and procedures found in the Academic Administrative Procedures Manual and the University's Policies and Procedures on Academic Appointments. Nominations must be submitted to the CRCP no more than 24 months from the date of the job posting.

NEW as of October 2023: As the U of T works proactively to meet its Chairholder equity targets for December 2029, external Chair opportunities will be limited to strategic and selective recruitment processes that are open only those who self-identify as women or gender minorities, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, and/or Indigenous Peoples. In these cases, in order to be considered for opportunity, the candidate must self-identify in their cover letter as a member of the designated group(s) specified in the Chair posting. Please see the updated external CRC posting template for more information.

Multi-department divisions may choose to run the recruitment at the divisional level, rather than within a single department, in order to attract a broader pool of candidates. Divisions should consult with the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life (VPFAL).

A checklist for the process of CRC nominations tied to external recruitment is provided in Appendix 1; please review this list. There are a number of steps that must be completed before nominees are provided with the CRCP forms that allow them to begin work on their nomination packages. Divisions are therefore required to plan accordingly and to initiate nomination processes well in advance of sponsor deadlines.

In addition to this nomination guide, all individuals involved in the recruitment of an external candidate should consult the CRCP’s Best Practices Guide for Recruitment, Hiring and Retention, as well as the University of Toronto’s Strategies for Recruiting an Excellent & Diverse Faculty Complement and Better Practices in Recruitment, both available from the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life, as well as the University’s Employment Equity Policy.

Posting and Advertising the External CRC Opportunity

External recruitments tied to a Chair opportunity must be incorporated into the faculty’s recruitment plan. The division should prepare a job advertisement using the CRC posting templates provided by the Research Services Office. For a full list of posting requirements, please see Appendix 1.

Affiliated hospitals will prepare a job advertisement using the hospital CRC posting templates provided by the Research Services Office, providing additional information following prompts in the template.

All external job postings from the academic divisions must be submitted to VPFAL, through UTORecruit. Once VPFAL approves the posting, it will send the approved advertisement to the Research Services Office for posting on the U of T CRC public accountability web page. The Research Services Office will also email the CRCP a link to the advertisement on the same day that it is posted online, as por Program requirements.

In keeping with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) recruitment and advertisement guidelines for hiring a foreign academic, all postings must be advertised for a reasonable length of time. U of T requires a minimum posting of 35 days from the date of the U of T Careers page posting to comply with University requirements to support a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications (which exceeds the CRC minimum posting period of 30 days). However, a 60-day posting period is strongly recommended to ensure the unit can accumulate the required advertising evidence that all qualified Canadians/Canadian permanent residents have had the opportunity to become aware of the position, as required by policy, and to allow sufficient time to reach a strong and diverse applicant pool.
 

Encouraging a Diverse Pool of External Candidates

The selection committee should seek to access the largest pool of qualified applicants, generating a broad group of prospective candidates rather than tapping into a narrow pool. The committee is expected to solicit applications from individuals who identify as members of the four designated groups (FDGs).

In addition to posting the job on the University’s CRC web page and on the University's Career Page, divisions are encouraged to place the job announcement in venues that will reach a broad and diverse audience, including job-posting platforms, websites, listservs, journals, and professional networks targeted to under-represented groups. These venues include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Association for Women in Science
• Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology
• National Society of Black Engineers
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society in Canada
• Pride at Work Canada
• Indigenous Professional Association of Canada
• Indigenous.Link
• INNoVA (partner of the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work)
• RecruitDisability.org
• IMDiversity
• Diverse Jobs (Diverse: Issues in Higher Education job site)
   

Committees should also seek to identify and contact discipline-specific caucuses and professional organizations that work to increase the representation of members of the FDGs within the field.

Divisions can engage in proactive recruitment, using diverse professional networks to actively seek out applications from scholars who identify as women and gender minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and/or racialized individuals. For example, selection committee members and divisional leaders can make personal contacts, including members of the under-represented groups, at scholarly conferences and invite these individuals to apply for the posted position. They can also ask faculty members in their departments to help identify strong candidates, including members of the under-represented groups. In addition, those involved in the search can contact colleagues at other institutions to seek potential candidates, making sure to request inclusion of researchers from under-represented groups in this list of names.

Please note that prospective nominees who identify as members of one or more of the FDGs—like all candidates—will expect their applications to be evaluated on the basis of their scholarly credentials. Such nominees will not appreciate suggestions, whether subtle or overt, that they are being considered on the basis of their gender, race, Indigenous identity, or disability status. It is especially important that the committee’s contacts and conversations with nominees from the FDGs and other under-represented groups focus on their scholarship, their qualifications, and their potential contributions to the excellence of the division or department.
 

Collection of Equity Data for External Candidates

In order to be considered for a position associated with a CRC, all external applicants are required to complete a brief Diversity Survey, accessed through the University’s online application system. While submission of the survey is mandatory, responses to all survey questions are voluntary, and applicants can log a response indicating that they decline the survey. As stated in the job posting template, an individual’s survey information is strictly confidential and cannot be shared with the selection committee or human resources staff. Aggregated and anonymized data for the applicant pool will be shared only with the selection committee chair, the committee’s equity advisor, and a small number of designated individuals in the division of the VPRI and the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life, for purposes of program administration and to meet reporting requirements.

Please note that the Diversity Survey is voluntary and will not be used to verify eligibility for selective recruitments that are open only to members of a particular designated group. In these cases, candidates will be asked to confirm in their cover letter that they self-identity with that group.

Given the CRC requirement to report on equity data, all CRC-related faculty searches will be required to use UTORecruit to receive applications.

Once the posting has closed, divisions must request the diversity survey report from the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life (academic.jobs@utoronto.ca), to obtain aggregated data for the applicant pool. The UTORecruit requisition number is required for this request. This equity report will be provided to the selection committee chair and the committee’s equity advisor.

The committee chair, in consultation with the equity advisor, will use this aggregated equity report to assess the diversity of the applicant pool. Although this step is not an explicit CRCP requirement, the collection of applicant data enables the University to determine the effectiveness of efforts to recruit diverse applicants and to identify barriers to participation in the program by under-represented groups. If the data does not indicate sufficient diversity among the applicants, the committee chair has the option to recommend re-posting the CRC opportunity to generate a broader pool of applicants.

This aggregated equity report is also required as part of the subsequent Request for Nomination Approval package that is submitted to the VPRI.

At the same time that it makes the request for the equity report, the division may also request an applicant list summary report, which provides an overview of applicant profiles for all candidates (this list is not a CRC requirement and is intended for internal use by the search committee).

5. Internal CRC Recruitment

Internal CRC positions are filled through nominations within a U of T department or division or affiliated hospital, following an open call to current faculty members. Nominations must be submitted to the CRCP no more than 24 months from the date of the posting.

As the University of Toronto works proactively to meet its Chairholder equity targets for December 2029, internal Chair opportunities will be reserved for targeted postings that are open only those who self-identify as women or gender minorities, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, and/or Indigenous Peoples.

In addition to this nomination guide, all individuals involved in the recruitment of an internal candidate should consult the relevant sections of the CRCP’s Best Practices Guide for Recruitment, Hiring and Retention.

A checklist for the internal CRC nomination process is provided in Appendix 2; please review this list. There are a number of steps that must be completed before nominees are provided with the CRCP forms that allow them to begin work on their nomination packages. Divisions are therefore required to plan accordingly and to initiate nomination processes well in advance of sponsor deadlines.
 

Posting and Advertising the Internal CRC Opportunity

The division should prepare an internal CRC advertisement using the CRC posting templates (.docx) provided by the Research Services Office. For a full list of posting requirements, see Appendix 2.

Affiliated hospitals will prepare a job advertisement using the hospital CRC posting templates (.docx) provided by the Research Services Office, providing additional information, following the prompts in the template.

All CRC postings from the academic divisions must be submitted to the Research Services Office (crc@utoronto.ca) for review. Once the posting has been approved, it will remain on U of T’s CRC web page for a minimum of 30 days. The Research Services Office will also email the CRCP a link to the posting advertisement the same day that it is posted online, as per Program requirements.

The division should engage in proactive strategies to attract a diverse pool of applicants to the internal opportunity. Divisional leaders are expected to make concerted efforts to actively identify faculty members from the four designated groups (FDGs) who meet the requirements for a CRC.
 

Collection of Equity Data for Internal Candidates

Applicants to internal opportunities will complete an internal self-identification form. All eligible applicants who apply to a special call are required to self-identify in at least one of these groups or as specified in the call.

As stated in the posting template, an individual’s survey information is strictly confidential and cannot be shared with the selection committee or human resources staff. Aggregated and anonymized data for the applicant pool will be shared only with the selection committee chair, the committee’s equity advisor, and a small number of individuals in the division of the VPRI and the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life, for purposes of program administration and meeting reporting requirements.

Once the posting has closed, the division will send a list of applicant names to the Research Equity and Diversity Strategist, who will then request from the Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture an aggregated and anonymized equity report for the applicant pool. At this time, the Division will inform the Research Equity & Development Strategist if any of the applicants have not completed the Employment Equity Survey; those who have not yet submitted the survey will be contacted by the Research Services Office with a reminder to do so as soon as possible. Applicants who do not complete the survey will not be considered for the internal CRC opportunity and will be removed from the applicant pool.

The Research Equity & Development Strategist, in consultation the Associate Vice-President, Research, and the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life, will review this aggregated equity report to assess the diversity of the applicant pool. The review of applicant data enables the University to determine the effectiveness of efforts to recruit diverse applicants and to identify barriers to participation in the program by under-represented groups. If the data does not indicate sufficient diversity among the applicants, the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives may recommend that the division extend or re-post the CRC opportunity to generate a broader pool of applicants.

The membership of the CRC selection committee, whether for internal or external candidates, must be clearly documented.

• The selection committee must include representation from at least one of the designated groups; this is a minimum requirement, and greater diversity among the committee members is encouraged. In completing the selection committee report that is part of the Request for Nomination Approval package, the division must describe how equity and diversity were addressed in the composition of the selection committee.
• The committee must include an equity advisor—either a faculty or staff member with a demonstrated record of training and competency in EDI—who is involved and consulted at all stages of the recruitment and nomination process.
• While there are no mandated Program requirements for the size of a selection committee, we highly recommend that each committee comprises a chair and at least three additional voting committee members; the equity officer may be either a voting or non-voting member, but the chair of the selection committee may not serve as the equity officer. In cases where a diverse committee would place disproportionate service burdens on faculty members from under-represented groups or would create overlap with the prospective applicant pool, the nominating division or department may seek out appropriately qualified committee members from other cognate units.
• All individuals involved in a CRC nomination must, complete unconscious bias education. We recommend, at minimum, the modules available from TIDE (The Toronto Initiative for Diversity and Excellence) and/or the unconscious bias training module offered by the CRCP. Committee members are also encouraged to participate in additional EDI education opportunities and resources offered by the University.
• The role of the equity advisor is to ensure, based on sound knowledge of CRCP EDI requirements and relevant University policies, that the recruitment and nomination process proceeds on an equitable and transparent basis.
• The equity advisor will ensure that the search process is broad and inclusive, and will support the committee in mitigating the effects of unconscious bias. The equity advisor will be required to identify cases of perceived bias and to express concerns and identify process issues to the chair of the selection committee, the head of the unit/division, or the division of the VPRI, as appropriate.
• Committee members will confirm that they have completed the unconscious bias training and that they do not have any conflict of interests that would prevent them from assessing candidates in an objective manner. A conflict of interest may be deemed to exist when a committee member
  
  • is a relative or close friend, or has a personal relationship with the applicant;
  • is in a position to gain or lose financially/materially from the funding of the nomination;
  • has had long-standing scientific or personal differences with the applicant;
  • has, within the past six years, collaborated, published, or shared funding with the applicant, or has plans to do so in the immediate future;
  • has, within the past six years, been a supervisor or a trainee of the applicant; or
  • feels for any reason unable to provide an impartial review of the application.
• Selection committee members should be aware that committee membership is not considered confidential and may be shared with applicants.
   

Per CRCP nomination requirements, the committee members must be aware of the institution’s commitment to meeting/sustaining its equity targets, as well as any gaps. The committee chair should communicate the University’s strategy of using strategic and selective postings limited to members of the four designated groups (see Sections 4 and 5), and should bring committee members’ attention to the targets table found on the University’s CRC web page.

The selection committee must follow all of the CRCP’s requirements for recruiting and nominating Chairs. The best practices described below are offered in addition to those minimum requirements, providing selection committees with strategies for ensuring an equitable and transparent process.

The Committee members should also consult the CRC Best Practices for Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention and the University of Toronto’s Strategies for Recruiting an Excellent & Diverse Faculty Complement and Better Practices in Recruitment.
 

Review of Applications

• Determine and prioritize detailed evaluation and selection criteria before opening any applications. Discuss how to evaluate applicants with an awareness of unconsciousness biases, and develop clear and inclusive definitions of excellence/quality for each criterion.
• The selection criteria used by the committee should be consistent with the qualifications outlined in the posting for the CRC opportunity. If the committee will prioritize the selection of candidates from specific disciplinary areas or from a particular department, these priorities must be clearly communicated in the CRC posting.
• Consult the CRCP’s Guidelines for Assessing the Productivity of Nominees.
• As applicable, determine the short-listing process in advance of reviewing any applications.
• Record assessments of candidates using an evaluation criteria grid or rubric, consistently applying the abovementioned criteria of excellence to all candidates. Completed grids should be retained by the divisions.
• Avoid holistic or intangible qualities like “fit” or perceived personal attributes. Evaluate candidates only based on qualifications explicitly listed in the CRC advertisement and the selection criteria.
• Review all of the required materials submitted by each qualified candidate, but do not consider any extraneous information (such as personal knowledge of the candidate).
• Conduct periodic check-ins during the review process to ensure that criteria are applied consistently to all candidates and that committee members are not inadvertently relying on other factors.
• Keep in mind that implicit biases tend to be most pronounced when we are rushed or distracted. Spend sufficient time reviewing each qualified candidate. As much as possible, spend approximately the same amount of time considering each application.
• Be aware of potential bias in letters of reference. Consider adopting a rule that no applicant should be excluded from consideration based on a single letter of reference.
   

The Interview and Campus Visit

• When scheduling the interview and/or campus visit, avoid suggesting days of celebration or religious observation, even if they are not statutory holidays or occasions observed by the University. For more information, please consult this list of dates.
• Offer all candidates the option of accessibility accommodations for the interview. Plans for accommodation should be developed with the University’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Office. Communicate information about the interview setting(s) in advance of the interview, providing candidates with details about the accessibility of locations.
• Prepare the interview questions in advance, and review interview questions to ensure they are aligned with the criteria mentioned above. Ask the same questions of all candidates.
• Make allowances for differences in communication and presentation style.
• Review the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate after each interview, using pre-determined selection criteria.
• For additional information on planning interviews and campus visits, consult the University’s Strategies for Recruiting an Excellent & Diverse Faculty Complement.
   

The Programs Secretariat reserves the right to ask institutions to provide, at any time within the 48 months following the nomination, evidence that the nomination process met all requirements. The committee must therefore document the nomination and selection process. The committee chair or another designated individual should take notes or minutes at all meetings, maintaining a record of discussions and deliberations, and committee members must record their evaluations of candidates against the stated criteria. These records must be retained by the division for a period of 48 months.

8. Mid-Point Report

As of January 2022, the CRC Program requires institutions to submit a mid-point attestation form (.pdf), which must be submitted to the agency before a nomination can move forward to the nomination decision. In to ensure we have the information necessary to complete and sign this mid-point attestation, VPRI requires all selection committees to complete a mid-point report confirming that all of the CRC Program’s requirements have been followed up to this point in the nomination process

This form must be submitted after the confirmation of the committee membership, the completion of unconscious bias training, the establishment of the evaluation criteria, and the review of application materials, but must be submitted before the committee meets to select the nominee.

The mid-point report (.docx) must be signed by all committee members, including the chair and the equity officer. The form will be submitted to the Research Services Office by the Vice-Dean, Research/equivalent, or by the division’s designated research administration lead.

Upon receipt of the mid-point report, the Research Services Office will review the document to ensure that the process to date has met all program requirements. The Research Services Office will then confirm with the academic division and the committee that it may move forward with the nomination decision (see next section).

9. Decision & Approval

After the committee has submitted the mid-point report and received confirmation from the Research Services Office, members may meet to deliberate and select the nominee.

• At  the  selection meeting, the equity advisor should provide a brief description of their role in the process and a offer brief reminder of the ways in which implicit bias can affect peer review. Committee chairs should also emphasize the commitment to the principles of diversity and excellence
• With guidance from the equity officer, the committee should ensure that criteria are applied consistently in the decision-making process. The equity officer will intervene to address any inconsistencies or any steps that may introduce bias or inequities into the process
• The committee chair and equity advisor should also ensure that all committee members have the opportunity to contribute to conversations and have their opinions considered
• In the case of candidate interviews, the committee should meet after all of the interviews are complete to discuss and compare candidates, evaluating them based on the pre-determined criteria
   

Divisions recruiting an external candidate must submit the complete appointment file to VPFAL and must obtain approval of the academic appointment through the standard University procedures.

Once the CRC nominee has been identified—through either the successful recruitment of an external candidate or the selection of an internal nominee—the division submits a Request for Nomination Approval (RNA) package to the Research Services Office.

The RNA package includes the following:

• the signed RNA form (.pdf), certifying that the search process was transparent/equitable and met all CRC requirements
• an aggregated equity report for the applicant pool, for external nominations only (the aggregated equity report for internal nominations will be requested and retained by the Research Services Office)
• a short CV for the nominee
• a written nomination decision report (.docx) signed by the committee chair and the equity officer, outlining the rationale for selecting the candidate
   

For a detailed list of requirements for the RNA package, please see Appendix 1 (external recruitment) or Appendix 2 (internal recruitment).

Upon receipt of the RNA package, the Research Services Office will review the nomination decision report. If the report is complete and satisfactory, the Research Services Office obtains the appropriate institutional approvals from the VPRI and VPFAL. Should a selection process be found to fall short of the requirements, it may be necessary to restart this process.

The completed RNA package will be maintained within the Research Services Office for the required period of 48 months, and divisions will maintain their own internal records of nomination processes.
 

*NEW* RESEARCH SECURITY - October 2024

The CRC Program has introduced requirements related to Canada’s Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC) for all new nominations and renewals, effective beginning with the October 2024 competition. Nominees will be required to answer the question “Will the proposed research and related activities funded by this grant aim to advance any of the listed STRAs?”. If a nominee responds ‘yes’ to this question, they must complete the attestation form.

In addition, Research Services Office (RSO) will inform the University’s Research Security Team of any upcoming campus-based nominations and renewals. and Research Security Team will review the documents and provide guidance, as appropriate, if any further action is required.

10. Acceptance & Review

Once the nomination is approved by VPRI and VPFAL and that approval is communicated to the division by the Research Services Office, the division issues the Nomination Acceptance Letter (.docx) to the candidate. The division must also attach to this letter a detailed listing of the institutional support provided to the Chair and a breakdown of the proposed use of the Chair funds. Divisions are asked to provide this information using the template budget pages (“Funding from the Chairs program” and “Funding from the University”) that will be sent to the division by the Research Services Office following the nomination approval.

After the nominee has signed the Nomination Acceptance Letter, the division must submit the following items to the Research Services Office:

• the signed Nomination Acceptance Letter
• the completed budget pages
• a Divisional Support Attestation form (.docx), signed by the Vice-Dean, Research, or equivalent, describing how the division or department determined the level of institutional support offered to each nominee and confirming that this support is comparable to that provided to other Chairs of the same Tier and in the same discipline, including those in tri-campus departments. This form must also indicate how this comparison was conducted and include a list of Chairholders within the same Tier and discipline who have recently received comparable levels of support. Divisions should explain any reasonable discrepancies in the level of support that may be a result of the nominee’s specific research needs or other exceptional circumstances.
   

This information will be reviewed by the Research Services Office and will be made available to the Vice-President, Research & Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives. As part of each nomination submitted to the CRCP, the Vice-President, Research & Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives, must sign an Institutional Attestation form (.pdf) confirming that all nomination requirements have been met and verifying that the level of support has been carefully reviewed and is comparable to that offered to other Chairholders. The documentation requested from the divisions will provide the VPRI with the information necessary to complete this process. The Research Services Office may also conduct its own occasional independent reviews to determine if there are any inequities in the levels of support offered to Chairholders.

The funding amounts indicated at this stage must match those entered in the budget tables of the final nomination package.

For a list of requirements for the review of Chairholder support, please see Appendix 1 (external recruitment) or Appendix 2 (internal recruitment).

Upon receipt of the executed Nomination Acceptance Letter and a review of the completed budget pages and Institutional Support Attestation form, the Research Services Office provides the division and the nominee with access to the online CRC forms. Please note that it is not appropriate for a nominee to commence work on the nomination until this step has been completed. Divisions must plan the nomination process well in advance to ensure there is sufficient time for the nomination to be approved and the institutional support to be finalized prior to the release of the online forms.

As noted in the affiliated hospital section, the affiliated hospital will provide Research Services Office with the executed Affiliated Hospital Nomination Form (.pdf) and the signed Hospital Nomination Acceptance Letter (.docx) in order to facilitate the release of online forms to the nominee. Because senior hospital administrators will sign the Institutional Attestations for nominations from their respective institutions, each hospital will determine the appropriate process for conducting its own review of the levels of institutional support provided to nominees.

11. U of T Renewals

In general, assuming that a Chairholder’s level of performance in research is maintained and barring a reduction in the University’s CRC allocation, the University allows renewal of all CRCs. Chairholders are limited to one renewal, a maximum tenure of fourteen years for Tier 1 chairholders and a maximum tenure of 10 years for Tier 2 chairholders. Renewals are subject to a performance review by the academic division in the penultimate year of the first term of the Chair award, as well as other factors that may affect the institutional allocation of Chairs. All CRC renewal nominations require written approval by the relevant Vice-Dean/Principal, Research or equivalent, prior to the release of online forms.

Divisions are required to adopt a consistent and transparent approach to the renewal of CRCs. Renewal decisions should be made by a committee, rather than by one individual; as with the selection committees described above, membership should include representatives from the four designated groups, and all members are required to complete unconscious bias training. While an equity officer is not required for a renewal process, the committee must be attentive to issues of equity, fairly considering the impact career interruptions and taking steps to avoid undervaluing non-traditional scholarship or emerging methodologies.

This renewals process must be initiated with sufficient time prior to the renewal deadline and internal deadlines for editorial and administrative review.

Prior to the meeting of the renewal committee, the department or division will ask the renewal candidate to provide the following materials:

• an updated CV;
• a concise progress report regarding the research and HQP training activities completed during the first term of the Chair;
• a brief statement explaining how holding the Chair has added value to the nominee’s research; and
• a brief description of the program of research proposed for the second term.

The renewal committee will then review and evaluate these materials using the CRCP’s renewals selection criteria for “quality of the Chair and the proposed research program.” All committee members will be expected to review and discuss these criteria prior to the start of the review process.

After the committee has deliberated and come to a decision, the division informs the renewal candidate of the results of the evaluation process. If the renewal will move forward, the Vice-Dean, Research, or equivalent sends written notification to the Research Services Office in order to facilitate the release of online renewal forms to the renewal nominee and the division. In the unlikely event that the Chairholder will not be renewed, the division will provide the candidate with a written rationale.

The affiliated hospitals will develop their own internal renewals processes that are consistent with Program requirements for fair and transparent renewals.

The University’s practice regarding renewals is included in the Nomination Acceptance Letter (.docx) and the Hospital Nomination Acceptance Letter (.docx), which are issued by the division or hospital, respectively, and signed by the nominee, with a copy returned to the Research Services Office.
 

*NEW* RESEARCH SECURITY - October 2024

RSO will inform the University’s Research Security Team of any upcoming campus-based renewals. Following the institutional approvals of these renewals, the Research Security Team will review the documents and provide guidance, as appropriate, if any further action is required.

CRCP decisions regarding renewal nominations are often received by the University after the end date of the Chairholder’s first term. If the renewal is successful, the start date of the second term is backdated to the day after the first term ends. In those rare cases where a renewal nomination goes to the deferred recommendation process and is ultimately unsuccessful, the Chairholder costs incurred during that time are the responsibility of the academic division.    

Resources

• Institutional contact: CRC@utoronto.ca
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Resources (Division of the VPRI)
• Advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life)
• Recruitment Best Practices (Canada Excellence Research Chairs)
• Toronto Initiative for Diversity and Excellence (TIDE)
• Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council)
• “Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter” Catalyst (2020)
• “Retention and Promotion” and “Environment” (CRCP, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: A Best Practices Guide for Recruitment, Hiring and Retention)
• National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (professional development and mentorship resources)

Appendix 1

Updated October 2023

1. The job advertisement must include the following:

   • all elements required for external recruitment under the appropriate University policies and procedures, found at Academic Administrative Procedures Manual (and approved by the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life), including a Canadians First statement
   • a posting for a minimum of 35 days on the U of T CRC public accountability web page, in addition to the posting requirements for a tenure-stream recruitment
   • applications must be accepted only through UTORecruit

   AND must address the following CRC-specific requirements:

   • a clear reference to the CRC opportunity (field of research and Tier level) and to U of T’s intention to nominate the successful candidate for a CRC award
   • for Tier 2 postings, a reference to the Tier 2 justification process and language that is neither misleading nor exclusionary regarding the eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair
   • a clear statement regarding the number of Chair positions to be filled as a result of this posting
   • the use of inclusive, unbiased, ungendered language
   • a recognition of the impact of career interruptions on a candidate’s record of research achievement, and a statement that these interruptions will be given careful consideration
   • a statement encouraging members of the FDGs to apply
   • a statement of the University’s commitment to equity
   • a reference to the University’s accommodation policies, and the contact information of someone who can address requests for accommodation
   • a statement that applicants must complete the University’s Diversity Survey, along with an explanation of why the data is being collected and how privacy will be protected

2. The search committee must do the following:

   • follow all appropriate policies and procedures for faculty recruitment found at Academic Administrative Procedures Manual

   AND must address the following CRC-specific requirements:

   • have established the application requirements, the selection criteria, and the shortlisting process prior to screening applications
   • establish a diverse search committee that includes representation from at least one of the four designated groups: women and gender minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with a disability, and racialized individuals
   • ensure selection committee members complete the mandatory unconscious bias education (TIDE modules and/or CRC unconscious bias training module) prior to application review
   • ensure search committee members are aware of the University's strategy for meeting its Chairholder diversity targets and any gaps in representation
   • include an equity advisor (or equivalent) who is involved and consulted at all stages of the recruitment and nomination process
   • sign a mid-point report, attesting that the process leading up to the nomination decision satisfied all CRCP requirements. All sections of the report form must be completed, and the report must be signed by all committee members, including the chair and the equity officer. This form must be received by the Research Services Office prior to the committee meeting to select the nominee.
   • follow an interview process that
     
     • is as objective as possible
     • accounts for differences in communication and presentation styles
     • is explicit that career breaks for family or medical needs or community responsibility will not negatively influence the hiring decision
     • asks the same questions of each candidate
3. The Request for Nomination Approval package must include the following:
   
   • a completed Request for Nomination Approval form, signed by the Dean/Principal
   • an aggregated equity report for the applicant pool, obtained from VPFAL
   • a short CV for the nominee
   • a completed selection committee report attesting that the nomination process satisfied all CRCP requirements. All sections of the report form must be completed, nomination decision report. This form must be signed by the committee chair and the equity officer.
4. The confirmation of nomination acceptance must including the following:
   
   • a Nomination Acceptance Letter, issued by the division and signed by the nominee
   • completed budget tables providing detailed institutional support for the nominee and a breakdown of the use of the Chair funds
   • a signed Institutional Support Attestation form that includes the following information:
     
     • confirmation that the level of support committed to the nominee has been reviewed and is comparable to that provided to other Chairs within the same Tier, discipline, and division,
     • a description of how this review was conducted and a list of Chairholders within that division who have received comparable levels of institutional support
     • an explanation of any justifiable discrepancies in the level of institutional support
5. The division must retain the following items for 48 months:
   
   • a description of decision-making processes and steps used in the evaluation and selection process
   • a description of the process used to select a short-list of candidates to be invited for an interview
   • a copy/description of guidance provided to the selection committee
   • evaluation criteria and assessment grids for each candidate, completed by all committee members
   • a list of applicants and aggregated equity data

Appendix 2

Updated October 2023

1. The advertisement for the opportunity must include the following:
   
   • a posting for a minimum of 30 days on the U of T CRC public accountability web page
   • a clear reference to the CRC opportunity (field of research and Tier level) and to U of T’s intention to nominate the successful candidate for a CRC award
   • for Tier 2 postings, a reference to the Tier 2 justification process and language that is neither misleading nor exclusionary regarding the eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair
   • a clear statement regarding the number of Chair positions to be filled as a result of this posting
   • the use of inclusive, unbiased, ungendered language
   • a recognition of the impact of career interruptions on a candidate’s record of research achievement, and a statement that these interruptions will be given careful consideration
   • a statement encouraging members of the FDGs to apply
   • a statement of the University’s commitment to equity
   • a statement informing candidates that the completion of the Employment Equity Survey is mandatory
   • a reference to the University’s accommodation policies and contact information of someone who can address requests for accommodation
   • a statement that applicants must complete the Employment Equity Survey, along with an explanation of why the data is being collected and how privacy will be protected
2. The Selection Committee must do the following:
   
   • confirm that all applicants have completed the appropriate self-identification survey
   • have established the application requirements, the selection criteria, and the shortlisting process prior to screening applications
   • include representation from at least one of the designated groups: women and gender minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with a disability, and racialized individuals
   • ensure members take the mandatory unconscious bias education (TIDE modules and/or CRC unconscious bias training module) prior to application review
   • ensure members are aware of the University's strategy for meeting its Chairholder diversity targets and any gaps in representation
   • include an equity advisor (or equivalent) who is involved and consulted at all stages of the nomination process
   • sign a mid-point report, attesting that the process leading up to the nomination decision satisfied all CRCP requirements. All sections of the report form must be completed, and the report must be signed by all committee members, including the chair and equity officer This form must be received by the Research Services Office prior to the committee meeting to select the nominee.
   • in instances where an interview is used, follow an interview process that:
     
     • is as objective as possible;
     • accounts for differences in communication and presentation styles;
     • is explicit that career breaks for family or medical needs or community responsibility will not negatively affect the hiring decision;
     • asks the same questions of each candidate.
3. The Request for Nomination Approval package must include the following:
   
   • a completed Request for Nomination Approval form, signed by the Dean/Principal
   • a short CV for the nominee
   • a completed selection committee report attesting that the nomination process satisfied all CRCP requirements. All sections of the report form must be completed nomination decision report. This form must be signed by the committee chair and the equity officer.
4. The confirmation of nomination acceptance must including the following:
   
   • a Nomination Acceptance Letter, issued by the division and signed by the nominee
   • completed budget tables providing detailed institutional support for the nominee and a breakdown of how the Chair funds will be used
   • attestation that the level of institutional support offered to the nominee is comparable to that provided to other Chairs within the same Tier, discipline, and division
   • a description of how this review was conducted and a list of Chairholders within that division who have received comparable levels of institutional support
5. The division must also retain the following items for 48 months: 
   
   • a description of decision-making processes and steps used in the evaluation and selection process
   • a description of the process used to select a short-list of candidates to be invited for an interview (if applicable)
   • a copy/description of guidance provided to the nomination committee
   • evaluation criteria and assessment grids for each candidate, completed by all committee members
   • □ a list of applicants and aggregated equity data (to be provided by the Research Services Office)

• Develops and periodically updates the Guide to the Administration of CRC at the U of T
• Answers queries related to the requirements for the recruitment and nomination of a CRC