Grievance Committee

The DFA Grievance Committee is a standing committee of the DFA established to assist members of the Bargaining Unit who allege violations of the Collective Agreement, and may pursue grievances on behalf of the Association. The Grievance Committee also assists DFA members who are not members of the Bargaining Unit with the terms and conditions of their employment, including alleged violations of the Senate Regulations Concerning Appointments, Promotion and Tenure. Click here for the committee's Terms of Reference.

Chair

• Dave Westwood, Health & Human Performance

Members

• Patricia Cove, Business & Social Sciences
• Patti Doyle-Bedwell, Open Learning & Career Development
• David Evans, English
• Katherine Fierlbeck, Political Science
• Iona Green, Business & Social Sciences
  
• Kate Grosweiner, Physiotherapy
• Albert James, Management
• Tim Juckes, Psychology & Neuroscience
• Derek Kimmerly, Health & Human Performance
• Michel Ladouceur, Health & Human Performance
• Erin MacPherson, MacRae Library
• Matt Numer, Health & Human Performance
• Dominic Silvio, Killam Memorial Library 
• Marc Whalen, Chemistry
• Scott White, Plant, Food and Environmental Science
• Julia M. Wright, English
• Jack Brown, DFA Professional Officer (ex-officio)
• Travis Perry, DFA Membership Services Officer (ex-officio)

All correspondence to the DFA Grievance Committee should be directed to the DFA Office at dfa@dal.ca

Collegial Governance Committee 

In April 2026, the DFA established a Collegial Governance Committee. It's purpose is to clarify principles and best practices for supporting collegial governance across Dalhousie University; support an informed and engaged membership in helping maintain and strengthen norms of collegial governance; and to make recommendations to the DFA Executive Committee in pursuit of these objectives. Click here for the committee's Terms of Reference.  

Members

• Christopher Bennett, College of Sustainability
• Katja Fennel, Oceanography
• Parisa Ghanouni, Occupational Therapy
• Noreen Kamal, Industrial Engineering
• Kathleen Kevany, Business & Social Sciences
• Chiranjeev Sanyal, Pharmacy
• Dominic Silvio (DFA President, Ex-officio)
• Dave Westwood, Health & Human Performance
• Julia Wright, English

NOTE: A chair will be selected at an upcoming meeting of the Collegial Governance Committee.

Communications Co-ordination Committee

The DFA's Communications Co-ordination Committee is a sub-committee of the DFA.  It's purpose is to develop and implement communications plans, strategies and activities, ensure a consistent message, evaluate the effectiveness of DFA communications and provide direction and guidance to the Communications Officer. Click here for the committee's Terms of Reference.

Chair

• Amy Birchall, Animal Science & Aquaculture

Members

• Jason Brown, Mathematics & Statistics
• Erin MacPherson, MacRae Library
• Dominic Silvio, DFA President, Killam Library (ex-officio)
• Catherine Wall, DFA Communications Officer (ex-officio)

All correspondence to the DFA Communications Co-ordination Committee should be directed to the DFA Communications Officer at Catherine.Wall@dal.ca

Equity Committee

The DFA's Equity Committee is an ad-hoc committee. Its purpose is to make recommendations to the DFA Executive Committee which will promote equity and inclusivity on behalf of and within the DFA. Click here for the committee’s Terms of Reference.

Chair

• Dominic Silvio, Killam Library

Members 

• Heather Andreas, Chemistry
• Catrina Brown, Social Work
• Ifeyinwa Mbakogu, Social Work
• Raghav Sampangi, Computer Science
• Catherine Wall, DFA Communications Officer (ex-officio)
• The DFA President typically sits on the committee ex-officio. For 2026-2027, DFA President Dominic Silvio sits as committee chair.

All correspondence to the DFA Equity Committee should be directed to the DFA Office at dfa@dal.ca

DFA Indigenous Caucus Committee

The DFA's Indigenous Caucus Committee is an ad-hoc committee. Its purpose is to make recommendations to the DFA Executive Committee which address Indigenous issues. Terms of Reference for this committee have not yet been developed.

Chair

• Patti Doyle-Bedwell, Open Learning and Career Development

Members 

• DFA Members who identify as Indigenous
• Dominic Silvio, DFA President, Killam Library (ex-officio)
• Catherine Wall, DFA Communications Officer (ex-officio)

All correspondence to the DFA Indigenous Caucus Committee should be directed to the DFA Office at dfa@dal.ca