This procedures document is a companion to the policy Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) Administration and Management at Memorial University. For more information on Memorial University and the Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP), please contact Research Initiatives and Services (RIS).

1. Allocation

1.1 All CRCs are eligible for allocation following a competitive process. A CRC position is deemed “unallocated” under any of the following conditions:

• unsuccessful CRCP nomination;
• CRC nomination not successfully awarded;
• completion of two terms by an incumbent;
• non-renewal of an incumbent for a second term;
• retirement or resignation of an incumbent during a second term;
• untimely death of a chair holder during a second term; and/or
• increment to Memorial’s CRC quota by the CRCP.

1.2 CRCs that meet any of these criteria constitute Memorial's CRC Allocation Pool. CRCs will be allocated to faculties/schools that apply for a position via the competitive selection process described below.

1.3 In the event of an unsuccessful CRCP nomination, or a retirement, resignation or untimely death of an incumbent during their first term, the faculty/school hosting the CRC may make a request to Memorial’s CRC Oversight Committee (CRCOC) for the CRC to remain in the faculty/school and thematic area to which it was originally assigned. Subject to the agreement of the CRCOC and the conditions below, the faculty/school will proceed to recruit a CRC nominee. If the faculty/school does not retain the CRC due to an unsuccessful search (maximum 12 months) or an unsuccessful nomination submission to CRCP, it will be returned to Memorial’s CRC Allocation Pool.

1.4 All past and current internal calls for CRC proposals can be found on Memorial’s CRCP webpage.

Competitive selection process:

1.5 All CRCs in Memorial’s CRC Allocation Pool will be assigned using a transparent and competitive selection process. The CRCOC will issue calls for proposals inviting faculties/schools to submit written proposals to host unallocated CRCs.

1.6 The CRCOC may focus or constrain a call for proposals for one or more CRC positions as required for the effective management of Memorial’s CRC Allocation Pool, and / or to maximize the strategic impact on research. Factors considered by the CRCOC may include, but are not limited to, the following conditions:

• ensuring institutional compliance with the CRCP’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) requirements;
• strategically supporting a particular thematic research area(s); and/or
• managing a reduction/increase in Memorial’s total CRC allocation as per the CRCP’s national reallocation process.

1.7 Faculties/schools must demonstrate that they satisfy the requirements of Memorial’s 2021 Canada Research Chairs Financial Arrangements Framework by confirming that the faculty/school (a) can commit a base-funded faculty position at the appropriate salary level, and (b) has sufficient funding to cover increases in salaries and benefits if the faculty position is not included in the faculty/school's operating budget. Faculties/schools must also consider that each CRC could potentially be renewed for a second term, making their commitment to a CRC for a maximum of 14 years (Tier 1 CRC) or 10 years (Tier 2 CRC).

1.8 Faculties/schools must demonstrate how they will abide by the CRCP’s Nomination and Recruitment requirements, following an open and transparent process for the generation and adjudication of their proposals(s), including collegial consultation in the faculties/schools.

1.9 All received proposals will be assessed by a Selection Committee, chaired by the Vice-President (Research and Innovation), that includes Associate Deans (or equivalent) and past chair holders from across University campuses. The Selection Committee will include non-voting administrative participants to provide support. The Committee must reach a consensus for proposals to be selected.

CRC proposal evaluation criteria:

1.10 Proposals will be adjudicated and selected using the following general criteria (in the following order):

• Consistency with Memorial's Research Strategy 2023-2028, Memorial's strategic plan Transforming Our Horizons, and the strategic research plan (or equivalent) of the applicable faculty/school/campus;
• Fit with faculty/school's academic plan (or equivalent) and academic staffing strategy;
• The opportunity to build significant research capacity in a proposed theme;
• Potential for collaborations at Memorial and elsewhere;
• Potential for training of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP);
• Faculty/school and institutional expectations for research leadership*, both inside and outside
• Memorial, appropriate to the category of the CRC (Tier 1 versus Tier 2); and
• Potential/perceived impact of the proposed CRC on Memorial's capacity and international reputation in research.

* Faculties/schools shall develop explicit CRC leadership expectations, as the research leadership and impact of the CRC are among the criteria that are evaluated in all applications for renewal.

1.11 The Chair of the Selection Committee will notify faculties/schools of the outcome of their proposals via email. Working with RIS, faculties/schools that have successful proposals will commence a search process for a CRC nominee upon notification within 12 months from a proposal being selected to a CRC nominee being identified confirmed as the nominee.

Monitoring and Mitigation:

1.12 To ensure clarity and transparency, expectations and standards of the host academic unit will be captured in a Letter of Appointment. Written and signed by the Dean of the host faculty/school, the document will be provided to the CRC prior to the start of their first term, with a signed copy also sent to RIS. Using this document, within 18 months of the start date of their first term, RIS will assess each CRC’s performance, as well as seek to identify any challenges being faced. This review will afford the CRC and their unit, as well as the CRCOC as needed, the opportunity to engage in dialogue to determine if expectations on both sides are being met, and if not, the reason for any deficiencies, and the means to ensure appropriate supports and/or resolutions are established.

2. Renewal

2.1 A CRC is eligible to be considered for one renewal for a second and final term so that a successfully renewed CRC Tier 1 will serve for a maximum total of 14 years (i.e., two seven-year terms), while a Tier 2 CRC will serve for a maximum total of 10 years (i.e., two five-year terms).

2.2 For all potential renewals, the CRCOC will make the final decision on whether a CRC may submit a renewal application. The CRCP will make the final decision on a submitted renewal application as outlined below.

Process for determining whether the University will support a renewal application:

2.3 Each faculty/school hosting a CRC must have a defined and transparent renewal process. This process must be administratively reviewed by RIS, with final review and approval by the CRCOC, to ensure all renewal requirements of the CRCP are satisfied. The renewal process must include peer-review, with assessments from peers both internal and external to Memorial, and colleagues within the incumbent’s faculty/school. All faculties/schools must provide the approved renewal process to their CRCs at the beginning of their first term. RIS will be available to provide assistance to faculties/schools with the development of their renewal process. CRC renewal processes for faculties/schools can be found here.

2.4 The faculty/school hosting a CRC will be responsible for assessing the incumbent's performance in their first term and their promise for continued excellence as per the CRC renewal process. RIS will contact the faculty/school early in the fourth year of a Tier 1 and early in the third year of a Tier 2. Based on their assessment, the faculty/school will either recommend / not recommend to RIS that their first-term review supports a renewal application. A faculty/school who wishes to renew a CRC will follow Sections 2.5 – 2.9, as outlined below. If a faculty/school does not wish to renew a CRC, RIS will engage the CRCOC for further discussion. The final decision on whether the renewal will proceed will be made by the CRCOC.

2.5 With a faculty/school’s recommendation to proceed with a renewal, RIS will contact the CRC via email, with the faculty/school copied, to determine if they wish to be considered for renewal. Where a renewal is desired, the CRC will produce a renewal application for consideration by the faculty/school, including the required information as outlined in the faculty/school’s renewal process. A Tier 1 CRC will be contacted early in their fourth year, while a Tier 2 CRC will be contacted early in their third year, and this timeline will ensure that the CRC, faculty/school, RIS and CRCOC all have sufficient time to undertake Memorial’s internal renewal process prior to CRCP’s application deadlines.

2.6 A faculty/school shall submit an application to RIS that includes:

• material submitted by the incumbent in support of the renewal application;
• the faculty/school's assessment of the CRC's application and performance; and
• a recommendation letter signed by the Dean.

Following an administrative review of the file by RIS, the application will then be submitted to the CRCOC for assessment.

2.7 While the CRCOC will assess the incumbent's case for renewal based primarily on the application submitted by the faculty/school, the CRCOC may also seek opinions and additional information, as necessary. The final decision to submit / not submit a CRC renewal application will be made by the CRCOC.

2.8 In the CRCOC’s evaluation of the application for renewal, the following general criteria will apply (in the following order):

• Record of research productivity and external funding, and plans for renewal term;
• Record of research collaborations at Memorial and elsewhere, and plans for renewal term;
• Record of/potential for highly qualified personnel (HQP), and plans for renewal term;
• Research excellence and reputation of the CRC;
• Record of/potential for research leadership appropriate to the category of the CRC (Tier 1 versus Tier 2, and plans for the renewal term);
• Impact of the CRC on Memorial's capacity and international reputation in research; and
• Impact of the CRC in the thematic and/or disciplinary area of the CRC.

2.9 If the CRCOC supports an incumbent’s renewal, they will be invited to prepare a full renewal application. If an incumbent is not recommended by the CRCOC for renewal, the CRC position will be returned to Memorial’s CRC Allocation Pool.

2.10 If an incumbent does not wish to seek renewal, an application for renewal is not approved by the CRCOC, or the submitted renewal application is unsuccessful, the CRC position will be returned to Memorial’s CRC Allocation Pool at the end of the incumbent’s term.

Other renewal considerations:

2.11 In the case of first term Tier 2 CRCs, the internal review process will consider that incumbents may be in the early stages of an academic career and as such may be in the process of developing an independent research program (tenure-track) or developing a mature research program (recently tenured).

2.12 Evaluation of CRC performance for both Tier 1 and Tier 2 CRCs should include consideration of extenuating circumstances such as: delays in acquiring and/or setting up research infrastructure for the first time or re-establishing it upon relocation to Memorial; normal latency in achieving levels of supervision of graduate students and undergraduate research assistants commensurate with disciplinary/unit norms; Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) considerations relevant to the incumbent's research activities, and other circumstances that would have had an impact on productivity during the first term.

Concluding a CRC

2.13 All faculties/schools hosting a CRC must have a formalized CRC Transition Process to aid in the transition of an incumbent from a CRC position into a regular faculty position. The Dean and, where appropriate, the Department Head will meet with the CRC at least 12 months prior to the end of the CRC’s term to discuss issues such as salary, space, teaching and supervisory expectations, research support expectations, service expectations, and other matters as appropriate. RIS will be available to assist faculties/schools with the development of their transition process. Faculties/schools CRC transition processes can be found here.

3. Increase or Reduction

3.1 With the inception of the CRCP in 2000, all Canadian CRC-eligible institutions were given an initial CRC allocation. Since then, the CRCP has established a national reallocation process that is conducted every five years and is based on each institution’s research grant funding received by researchers from the three granting agencies - the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) - in the three years prior to the year of the reallocation process. As a result of this national reallocation process, the University’s quota of CRC positions can increase or decrease over time.

3.2 In the case of an increase to the University’s CRC quota due to the Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS) national reallocation process, incremental CRCs will be added to Memorial’s CRC allocation Pool.

3.3 In the case of a reduction to the University's CRC quota due to the TIPS national reallocation process, Memorial can:

• return an unallocated CRC to TIPS using the current tier and research agency;
• use available ‘flex moves’ to change the tier/agency of an unallocated CRC to reflect the lost CRC; and/or;
• avail of the CRCP’s deactivation funding mechanism to return an active CRC, which implements the phase-out of funding using a sliding scale of decreasing funding support for the CRC.

3.4 The CRCOC is responsible for the management of any changes in the University’s CRC allocation, including efforts to mitigate the impact of any reduction in CRC allocation. When the deactivation funding mechanism is used, CRCs late in their second term shall be initially considered to deal with a reduction in allocation. Such mitigation shall be done in partnership between the CRC, faculty/school and the CRCOC. If a CRC must be prematurely terminated by this mechanism, the incumbent is entitled to identify themselves as a CRC and to reference their CRC title until the CRCP-awarded term end date.