Guidelines for Faculty Members   
Seeking Public Office

Approved by Senate, September 11, 1974

DISCLAIMER: If there is a discrepancy between this electronic policy and the written copy held by the Policy owner, the written copy prevails.

Members of the faculty ought to be free to choose to enter public life. There is an obligation upon the University as an institution to see to it that impediments are not placed in the way of a member of the academic staff who may wish to serve in public office. Some members of the academic community can make worthwhile contributions to political life, and this fact should be recognized.

  1. A member of the academic staff of McMaster University who is considering becoming a candidate for public office shall consult with the chair of his/her department (or the director of his/her school, institute, etc.) about the effect of her/his poli tical candidacy on the academic welfare of the department, bearing in mind:

    1. his/her short-term absence during the campaign period,
    2. his/her possible long-term absence, and
    3. the possibility of his/her continuing some academic duties on a part-time basis if the demands of his/her public service permit.

    If there is an objection to granting leave for his/her candidacy or for public service in the event that he/she is elected, he/she may request and receive from his/her chair (or director) a statement of the grounds of the objection. If the candidate rema ins unsatisfied, he/she may appeal the decision to his/her dean. If the candidate still remains unsatisfied, he/she may appeal the dean's decision to the President.

  2. If there is no objection to granting leave for the candidacy, the staff member shall be entitled to a leave of absence with full salary during the campaign for election upon the following basis:

    1. for election to the Parliament of Canada: leave for the equivalent of 30 days;
    2. for election to the Legislature of Ontario: leave for the equivalent of 30 days;
    3. for election to Municipal or County Office or Board of Education, the candidate may have a leave of between five to ten days depending upon the nature of the office being sought.

    The period of leave in each case need not be taken on consecutive days or necessarily in whole days. Entitlement to a period of leave beyond three campaigns in a ten-year period is subject to consultation with and the agreement of the dean of the Faculty

  3. If the staff member is elected and if his/her appointment is other than a contractually-limited one, she/he shall, while serving in the office to which she/he has been elected, be entitled to leave of absence upon the following basis:

    1. Parliament and Provincial Legislature: leave of absence without salary for a period up to five years;
    2. Municipal, Regional or County Office or Board of Education: leave of absence for attendance at sittings of the Council or Board, and if the time involved is significant she/he will be subject to a pro rata reduction in salary. For full-time posi tions, leave of absence will be without salary.

  4. The academic member granted leave of absence to serve in elective public office shall have all the normal rights of members on leave of absence.

  5. Arrangements involving full-time leave of absence normally shall hold for a period up to five years. If the member continues to serve after the five-year period, he/she will be expected to resign his/her University post. If, thereafter, she/he wi shes to return to the University, her/his appointment shall be subject to a procedure similar to that used for an original appointment. Arrangements involving part-time leave of absence may be renewed beyond the five-year period so long as the duties of the member of staff to the University do not suffer. 

  6. After the expiry of his/her term of public service, the member of staff, if she/he has not resigned from the University in accordance with the provision of (5), shall return to the University without reduction in rank and relative salary, and it shall be incumbent on the chair of her/his department to arrange her/his programme so as to facilitate her/his return to full academic effectiveness.

  7. These conditions shall not preclude the possibility of making other mutually acceptable arrangements.
Approved by Senate
September 11, 1974

Contact Department: University Secretariat
MUFA - pdk
July 2005