Some Issues Remain in Improved BCIT CRC Selection Process

Some Issues Remain in Improved BCIT CRC Selection Process

Early in 2015, BCIT learned that it was eligible for a fourth Canada Research Chair (CRC). From that time, several members raised concerns with the FSA about how that position would be filled and whether the process would be fair. Over the following months, the FSA shared those concerns with Institute management. In November 2015, BCIT VP Academic Bill Dow posted a call for nominations for a fourth Canada Research Chair (CRC) opportunity for BCIT on the Loop (BCIT internal link).  Calls for candidates were also circulated in some of the Schools. We encouraged all FSA members to consider this CRC opportunity and asked that those who were eligible for the CRC and wished to apply also contact the FSA to inform us of your intent to put your name forward for consideration.

We continued our push to improve the process when, in April 2016, we provided a report to BCIT leadership on the FSA’s recommendations for a CRC selection process based on consultations with FSA members.

The selection process for a preferred candidate from BCIT has concluded (BCIT internal link) and a very worthy candidate from among the FSA membership, Dr. Aaron Hunter, is BCIT’s nominee. Important improvements to the process have been made. More information about the process was available in advance, including a process map. The call for candidates was well circulated. The selection was made through the regular proceedings of the Institute Research Committee (IRC).

Still, several important recommendations from the FSA’s report have not been significantly addressed. Although new resources were provided to the IRC to assist its members in participating in the decision, BCIT generated none of its own criteria for the selection beyond the very general criteria set out by the CRC Secretariat. BCIT’s Strategic Research Plan remains a description of what we are already doing in research and offers little guidance in how new research opportunities, like the creation of a CRC, should be determined. The timeline for the decision remained unclear. Issues arose about how information about the candidates was distributed.

BCIT has taken steps to improve the transparency of the CRC selection process. More steps should still be taken. Given the significance of the decision for individual members and for setting the course of research at BCIT, more care should be taken to ensuring the integrity of the process. BCIT needs a Strategic Research Plan that can help guide these decisions and guide researchers who may be interested in such opportunities in the future. Eligible researchers need mentoring and support to develop their potential candidacy for such opportunities.

The FSA is committed to ensuring fair and open processes and will continue to engage with our members and with managers to accomplish this. We will continue bring forward the concerns of members regarding accountability, fairness, and transparency with the goal of ensuring that outstanding career opportunities like the CRC are supported by outstanding processes and employment conditions.