Please see the following seven (7) announcements:
1. On September 25 from 11:45am to 1:00pm York University students and workers unions will hold a rally with the theme of Reclaiming York for Students and Workers. The rally will begin in front of William Small Centre and conclude at the Kaneff Tower.
Pervasive administration-driven restructuring and the imposition of austerity measures at York University have been severely detrimental to both students and workers. The planned and implemented measures are wide-ranging and have demonstrably worsened educational quality, working conditions, and the overall experience of being a member of the York University community. Join your fellow students and workers to demand a well- run institution centred on achieving York’s stated mission: “the pursuit, preservation and dissemination of knowledge” via commitment to “ academic freedom, social justice, accessible education, and collegial self-governance”.
Last year hundreds of York community members attended a similar rally and we hope to have more this year. Please consider wearing your YUFA t-shirt if you have one (t-shirts will also be available for distribution at the rally).
2. On September 26, from 2:00 to 5:00pm, the Race Equity Caucus (REC) of YUFA is holding its Fall Social at the Orange Snail in the basement of Stong College. If you are a racialized member of YUFA, then join the party, learn about the work of REC, and meet colleagues. Please RSVP via the link contained in the YUFA-M message or write to [email protected] for more information.
3. The next YUFA Members’ Zoom drop-in session is Wednesday, October 2, from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm. The topic for the session is “Restructuring and Faculty Councils.” All members are invited to attend. The Zoom link can be found in the YUFA-M message with same subject line as this news post.
4. At the September 18 YUFA Member’s drop-in session, participants discussed restructuring-related gaps in coordinator, program lead, chair, and other faculty positions of leadership. With the elimination of some Appendix P (academic administrative) positions, it becomes unclear who has academic authority for existing programs, and there is a lack of resources to accomplish the required work. The result is stress and frustration on the part of colleagues and students; chaos in course progression and curriculum planning, timetabling, and cyclical program review responsibilities; and unmet student requests and needs.
Another restructuring-related problem, as courses are cut and class sizes are increased without consultation, is the suggestion by Deans and others that faculty members offer students directed reading or independent study courses in areas where regular courses have been cut, in order to meet students’ program requirements at both the graduate and undergraduate level. Such individual courses are generally not compensated or recognized in faculty workload statements.
YUFA is collecting information on the impacts of these developments on members and academic units. Please send examples to [email protected], such as vacant or eliminated Appendix P positions in your unit; academic administrative work that is going undone; how this is impacting your program and your ability to do your teaching, research, and service; as well as any pressure or requests to do uncompensated work.
5. Have you been prevented from doing voluntary service while on sabbatical? YUFA has received reports from some members that they have been restricted in, or prevented from, performing voluntary service, such as serving on committees at any level (departmental, Faculty, University-wide) or attending meetings at any level.
The Employer has taken the position, in some instances, that since the Collective Agreement describes sabbatical as a period “free from normal on-campus teaching/professional and service obligations,” colleagues cannot do service while on sabbatical, going so far as to remove colleagues on sabbatical from committees they wish to remain a part of.
YUFA’s position, in contrast, is that while colleagues cannot be required to continue with existing service or take on new service activities during their sabbatical, they may voluntarily choose to do so.
YUFA encourages colleagues, where possible, to clarify any continuing service roles in their sabbatical plan and, in the event they are denied the ability to voluntarily continue with service activities, to reach out to [email protected].
6. On September 28, the Toronto and York Region Labour Council is organizing a session – Young Workers Organizing: Our Struggle, Our Future! – for young workers to discuss organizing strategies. The following day on September 29, the Labour Education Centre and the Institute for Change Leaders are organizing an event – What does successful organizing look like? – to build power for collective action. Interested members are encouraged to attend.
7. Reminder: the deadline to submit remediation work forms stemming from additional work incurred by YUFA members due to the CUPE 3903 strike is September 30, 2024. Please see here for more details.