Communication Policy

TESL Canada Federation: Policy on Communications
November 2009

Background

In recent years TESL Canada has taken on steadily growing responsibilities in areas such as certification of teachers and recognition of teacher training programs. TESL Canada has innumerable volunteers from diverse backgrounds on the Board and its committees, paid staff, many of whom do not have any TESL background, and occasional contracts with experts in different areas. We periodically receive funding from different sources that, upon hearing inappropriate statements from those involved with TESL Canada, may refuse future funding. In order to ensure that we all represent TESL Canada consistently and correctly, the TESL Canada Board has approved this Policy on Communications.

Communications Policy

TESL Canada must endeavour to keep in touch with members, provincial/territorial associations, and others, but it does not advise provincial/territorial associations on how to conduct their organizations.
Clear information on what TESL Canada is and does is available on the TESL Canada website. This information should be shared to promote the organization. Everyone is encouraged to speak about TESL Canada.
Any director, member or employee wanting to represent TESL Canada officially at an event or function of any kind, thus speaking on behalf of TESL Canada, first needs to obtain permission from the TESL Canada President, or designate. Details about the event must be reported to the President as soon as possible. The President will share this information, if useful, with the Executive and/or the Board.
Matters that have been designated “confidential” cannot be shared outside TESL Canada and should not be recorded in minutes. Confidential matters under discussion by the Board at any time, including email, should be clearly identified and marked as “confidential”. Otherwise, the discussion is not considered confidential.
Board email:
1. Board email addresses and other contact information will not be made available on the TESL Canada website without permission.
2. The Executive and employees should have @tesl.ca email addresses which are made available on the TESL Canada website.
3. Any Board member choosing to use their workplace email for TESL Canada communication should be confident that the email content can be kept confidential.
Board communication:
1. The TESL Canada President should be included in all Board and committee communications. Emails to the Board as a whole should go through the Executive Director and/or the President, except where otherwise stated in the by-laws in Part 7 on Board Meetings.
2. If Board Members have concerns about matters involving the Board, or wish to initiate a complaint at the board level, they must follow the process set down in Part 7: Board Meetings of the revised TESL Canada By-Laws.
3. If Board Members have concerns about matters inv olving the Board, or wish to initiate a complaint at the board level, they must follow the process set down in Part 7: Board Meetings of the revised TESL Canada By-Laws. d. The Executive Director, Executive Officers, and Committee Chairs will respond to inquiries, questions, etc. as soon as re asonable, preferably within one week of the inquiry. If this is not possible, they will share the inquiry with the President or designate who will respond. Each Direc tor and Chair will inform the President and Executive Director about extended per iods of time in which they are not available. The Executive Director will in form the President about her anticipated absences.
Emailing TESL Canada members:
1. TESL Canada should endeavour to email its members several times a year about relevant information, such as the new journal and new bulletin. These emails should be reviewed by the Executive before being sent to members. Members should be encouraged to visit the TESL Canada website.
Executive Director, President, and Executive Communication:
1. On a weekly basis the Executive Director and President will communicate by phone plus follow-up email summary, or by email only (as the President wishes), about TESL Canada issues.
2. On a monthly basis the President will summarize highlights of the weekly communications, plus any other information, and email the report to the Board.
3. On a monthly basis the financial statement will be prepared by the Executive Director and shared with the Treasurer and Executive, and the Treasurer will consult with the Finance Committee, if necessary.
External communication to and from TESL Canada:
1. Inquiries from the media, government inquiries, funding bodies, settlement matters, international organizations, etc. that are received by the Executive Director must be shared with the President or designate before a response is made. If the President decides, the inquiry can be turned over to the Executive or appropriate Committee Chair for consultation.
2. The Executive Director may communicate officially with other agencies at the request of chairs of individual TESL Canada committees, while respecting the requirements in #3 and #8a, but may not create policy or sign a contract or commit resources or commit TESL Canada to a non-routine action without Executive and/or Board approval.
3. Communication and publicity about the TESL Canada Conference is the responsibility of the Conference Committee in cooperation with TESL Canada.

TESL Canada Federation: Policy on Travel Expenses for Directors and Employees

November 2014

TESL Canada Travel Expense Form

1.Guidelines:

Travel expense projections for the Board and Executive Director for a fiscal year are included in detail in the budget for that year. The Executive Director and the Treasurer prepare the budget annually in the fall with the Executive and Finance Committee, after which the Board approves the budget.

TESL Canada will endeavor to provide reasonable funding for all Board members to attend the spring annual AGM and accompanying Board meeting. However, all Board members are encouraged to obtain as much financial assistance as possible from their workplaces and TESL organizations.

All travel expense figures are projections only and are not guaranteed; they are subject to change given the financial health of the organization.

Priority for AGM travel will be given in the following order to meet quorum if the year’s budgeted income is low:

(1) Airfare/transportation and single hotel room for the Executive, Executive Director, and elected Directors

(2) Airfare/transportation and single hotel room for the appointed Directors

2. Accommodation:

Hotel accommodation for all Directors and the Executive Director will be at the standard rate, based on single occupancy. Another exception might be the Executive Director occupying a suite at the TESL Canada conference so that committee meetings and TESL Canada business can be conducted in the suite.

If the director chooses accommodation other than at the stated location, accommodation will be paid up to but not exceeding the rate for the stated location.

3. Transportation:

All projected transportation costs must be pre-approved by the Executive Director and Treasurer in advance through email. The Executive Director’s projected transportation costs must be pre-approved by the Treasurer and President.

Most transportation will be by air at cheapest possible rates. Directors traveling by coach or train may be reimbursed to an amount not exceeding equivalent airfare. Directors who choose to drive may claim mileage, which may not exceed equivalent cheapest airfare.

Upon occasion the budget may allow for ground transportation to be reimbursed (with receipts). Upon occasion the budget may allow for a director taking their own vehicle to the airport to claim per kilometer rate ($ .50) as well as parking for the number of days of the TESL Canada meeting (receipts required).

4. Daily Expense reimbursement:

Each request by a Director or Executive Director for a daily expense reimbursement must be approved by the Treasurer and President beforehand, and can be approved only if the budget permits. The reimbursement will be paid up to the following rate, and requires receipts attached to the Travel Expense Form.

The daily expense reimbursement rate authorized by the Board of Directors (May 2014) is as follows:

Breakfast: $15.00 Canadian with receipts

Lunch: $15.00 Canadian with receipts

Dinner: $35.00 Canadian with receipts

Breakfast: $ 9.00 Canadian without receipts

Lunch: $ 13.00 Canadian without receipts

Dinner: $ 25.00 Canadian without receipts

5. Executive Travel:

On occasion a face-to-face executive meeting might need to be called, if funds permit. Enough notice must be given so that cheapest airfares can be arranged and rooms must be shared wherever possible. If funds permit a daily expense reimbursement, the stated rate must be adhered to.

The President, or her/his designate, may travel to represent TESL Canada if necessary and if funds permit, at the discretion of the Executive. The President, or his/her designate, will be the TESL Canada representative at TESOL. No one representing TESL Canada will have expenses paid to attend IATEFL or any other event internationally.

6. Procedures:

All individual travel expenses by the Board, Executive Director and any others, must be pre-approved by the Executive Director, Treasurer and President. If the travel expense is not already itemized in the budget, it must be approved by the Board.

Travel Expense Forms, with receipts, will be submitted to the Executive Director and reviewed by the Executive Director and Treasurer before reimbursement.

The Executive Director’s Travel Expense Forms will be submitted to the Treasurer for approval before reimbursement. All expenses on the forms must have been pre-approved. It is understood that the Executive Director of the Federation acts under the policies established by the Board of Directors and under the direction of the Federation’s Treasurer.

Board travel to the AGM and Board meeting:

6.1. The Treasurer, Executive Director and Executive will consult 3 months before the AGM to plan Board travel expense reimbursement.

6.2. Each director will be notified about what expenses can be covered, including an estimate of those expenses.

6.3. Directors will inform the Executive Director at least 2 months before the AGM of their intention to attend and on whether they can obtain other funding.

6.4. Directors will inform the Executive Director of their travel reservations and expenses as soon as these are arranged.

6.5. Directors who find it necessary to cancel plans should do so at the earliest possible time and notify the Executive Director by email. Directors are responsible for payment of any penalty charges related to their cancellation of travel plans. If TESL Canada has already reimbursed the Director, the Director will fully reimburse TESL Canada for the expense. Directors with extenuating circumstances for the cancellation may appeal to the Treasurer and President.

6.6 Claims for expenses must be submitted within 60 days of incurring the expense. The claim must be on a Travel Expense Form with receipts attached.

* Mileage and daily expenses rates to be reviewed by the Board annually with the budget for the next fiscal year.

Ethical Guidelines for English as a Second Language Professionals

TESL Canada Federation of Canada has generated a set of ethical guidelines to maintain the integrity of professionals and clients within its profession. These guidelines are designed to establish a standard of professional conduct Canada-wide and to assist practitioners within our profession to reflect upon the values and responsibilities central to their vocation as teachers.

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