Welcome, McMaster University sessional faculty!
Embarking on a new teaching role as a sessional instructor at the University entails acquiring a wealth of information, sometimes with little time remaining before the start of the term and few course materials sent your way for the course in which you have been hired to teach.
This page is intended to provide you with valuable information about the McMaster teaching and learning context (e.g., teaching culture, policy information, resources, and supports/services), information that will serve you well as you prepare for and facilitate an exceptional student learning experience in your role as a McMaster sessional faculty member.
As the pioneer of problem-based learning (PBL, a unique, hands-on approach to learning that originated in our medical school in 1969 and has been adopted around the world), McMaster has long since been a leader in offering innovative approaches to teaching.
At present, four areas of impact are the foci of the institution’s teaching and learning objectives:
You can read all about these in McMaster’s Teaching and Learning Strategy. For a more in depth understanding of the McMaster teaching and learning context, consider reviewing the information and resources (e.g., Digital Learning Strategic Framework) provided on the Teaching & Learning tab on McMaster’s Academic Excellence website.
As a sessional instructor at McMaster, you are a member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 3906, Unit 2. This Union represents all employees of McMaster University employed in Ontario as Sessional faculty, MELD faculty, and Sessional Music faculty having full or joint full responsibility for the teaching of one or more University degree credit courses.
Note: If you are a Health Science Sessional Faculty member you won’t be eligible for benefits under the CUPE 3906 Collective Bargaining Agreement, however, you are still eligible for Sessional Faculty supports, programs, and resources supported by the MacPherson Institute.
In additional to the resources available to all New Employees to McMaster (including New Employee Orientation), the Human Resource Services website hosts sessional specific supports available via the Human Resource Services Sessional Faculty Orientation page.
While the website does include a lot of logistical information like how to log into McMaster’s administrative information system (Mosaic), how to sign up for Health and Safety Training, how to find your classroom, and sessional date and timelines, the website is also a gold mine for teaching-related how-tos. The Teaching and Learning Pathway below has been curated to help get you started.
More information about MacPherson Institute’s Sessional and Part-Time Faculty Orientation to Teaching and Learning can be found on the Events tab of this website.
As a member of CUPE, Local 3906, Unit 2, you are provided with a number of benefits under your Collective Agreement, including a Health Care Spending Account, Dental Insurance, and access to a Professional Development Fund.
Importantly, you also have access to paid teaching and learning training through the Training Fund for Sessional Faculty.
Training Fund for Sessional Faculty. – $100 per member for each completed training, to a maximum of $300 per member, per year.
The fund provides limited, one-time payments for members who complete select training through the Paul R. MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Excellence in Teaching (i.e., the MacPherson Institute) between September 1 and August 31 each academic year.
Payment is capped at $100 per member for each completed training, to a maximum of $300 per member, per year. The payment is open to current members of CUPE Local 3906, Unit 2 (Sessional faculty, MELD faculty, and Hourly-Rated Sessional Music faculty), who complete (or have completed) training associated with any of the following programs:
We encourage you to take advantage of this paid training opportunity so you can enhance your teaching and play a pivotal role in ensuring that McMaster students have a high-quality learning experience.
Each Faculty has a designated MacPherson Institute Educational Developer who serves as a Faculty Liaison Contact. You can contact your Faculty’s Contact for things like:
Beyond supports from the MacPherson Institute, there may also be supports available in your Department or Faculty – reach out to your Department Chair to find out. You may even be invited to attend a Faculty- or Department-specific New Sessional or New Faculty Orientation.
Subscribe to the MacPherson Memo, our weekly teaching and learning newsletter that includes timely information about events and conferences, professional development opportunities and other teaching and learning updates and information.
Once again, congratulations on becoming a sessional faculty member at McMaster University and thank you for all that you do to offer an exceptional McMaster student learning experience!