Steering Committee Meeting Agenda -

Introduction, review of goals, organization overview - Summary of Team Visit Recommendations - Summary of Town Hall Survey Overview of working group divisions, call for volunteers for individual group leaders Brief brainstorming session to outline the specific mission / goals / milestones of each group, irregardless of timeframe Prioritization of each of these with regards to 1) the importance to the overall PDA organization, 2) estimation of time required to achieve goal / how achievable goal is, 3) ultimate benefit to postdocs Define one to three of these goals which could be possible to accomplish within the next year, to help focus and define the organization Discuss how to manage flow of information (e-mail, web-based, minutes…) Wrap up: action items for follow-up

(could someone keep minutes for this meeting?)

Summary – Team Visit Conclusions / Recommendations Recommendatons: 1. New separate categories HR definitions 2. University-wide Postdoc Association UTPDA for discussions, wide representation 3. Lobby Province to recognize PD as Trainees eg. Education and provide $ to Institute / University 4. Use Foundations to seed PD Program 5. Define PD (Research) vs. Clinical Fellow / Residents 6. Institute based PDA and PDO – –

–

–

Long term -> “integration” UT-wide Institution / different levels of development – those in lead should take lead for development and opportunities – lt – integration – ex: UHN provide grant-writing activities – this grp PDFs PDO ask faculty / funding to provide that kind of service – model for what could be done on wider scale. Some cannot be done on local level – others are better activity on local level, not campuswide level once going keep going

3 Messages: A. Need for new, separate HR definition (1,5) and category for PDF’s B. PDO Support: Short and long-term (Operating and targeted) (3,4,6) Short term: Use foundation money to seed a PDO and programs reality – foundaton at institute-level, campus-level – foundaton support / gifts / benefactors – funding on short term from fnd as vs. operating budgets Long term: Lobby Province for PDF’s recognized as scholars that need unique and defineable way – communicaton wrt educational mission of province, to include PDF’s C: UT PDA – wide representation (2) with subgroups for discussion PDF – UT wide PDA – with rep – provide discussions – whos doin what – PDOffices doing what – organize campus-wide, with appropriate representaton.

Summary – Town Hall Responses How long have you been a PDF? 35

# Respondents ( /81)

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

<1 yr. 1-2 yr. 2-3 yr. 3-4 yr. 4-5 yr. <5 yr.

# Respondents ( /81)

PDF Demographics 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1st PDF

International PDF YES

NO

# Respondents ( /81)

Town Hall Usefulness 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Information YES

Event NO

Attendance

Somewhat/Maybe

Town Hall Frequency

# Respondents ( /81)

45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

1/Yr.

2/Yr.

4/Yr.

Other

Working Groups • • • • • • •

PDF Certification Program Development Career Development PDF Benefits PDA Social/Networking PDA Constitution Advocacy/Relations with U of T Provincial/Federal Lobbying

Groups for brainstorming: PDF Benefits Advocacy/Relations with U of T Provincial/Federal Lobbying

Career Development PDA Social/Networking

• Benefits: Details of new group package, what else to target • What we can do vs. what needs outside help • Importance of coordination with U of T • Methods to maintain positive dialogue • How to ensure consistency and follow-up • Ways to highlight positive contribution of PDFs • tracking of productivity of group overall

• Facilitating access to current development opportunities • Working with PDO’s in area (Sick Kids, UHN, SGS, …) • Developing own PDF specific programs, through Faculty contacts • Recruitment of companies into job-fair • Other social events – logistical planning, large vs. indivdual institute/dept • New PDF Orientation – possibly orientation event aimed at new PDFs, • Welcome letter with info on local resources, activities…

PDA Constitution PDF Certification Program Development

•Working off of other models (NPA has template, others…) • Representation between different schools / depts / institutes • Leadership continuity and institutional memory • Details of certification program – what to include, emphasize, …

Prioritize: 1) the importance to the overall PDA organization, 2) estimation of time required to achieve goal / how achievable goal is, 3) ultimate benefit to postdocs

Working Group Conclusions • Which initiatives / goals most important? – – –

• What short term successful outcomes can we shoot for?

Management of information • Town Hall Update e-mail – What information to include • Distribution of Provost memo with updated policies

– Where to go for further information on PDA activities • Website availability? – someone to investigate w/ U of T… – (Toronto Postdoc google / other online group possible first step…) – Maintenance?

• Frequency of future contact - Town Hall list, global SGS list, sub-departmental lists… – (Somewhat dependent on progress)

• Continuity of organization – Welcome letter to new PDF’s, orientation activities / continuing town halls on regular basis – Interfacing with PDO’s, to ensure institutional memory • E.G. there used to be a UHN postdoc association 5 years ago, details on what they were working on have been lost…

Conclusions / Action Items • Next Steering Committee Meeting date – Minutes sent to list, posted (?)

• Tasks for individual WG leaders – Set up meeting in near future to initiate group

• Town Hall E-mail (TDM can send, would appreciate help with composing)

• Website follow-up – who taking lead? • PDA Listserv creation? (form online) • Next steps…