» January 23, 2012
Becoming a University: Myths and
Realities
Kwantlen is approaching the fourth anniversary (April 8)
of the provincial government’s announcement that we were to
become a special purpose, teaching university. In the fall
of 2008, the Kwantlen Faculty Association invited Jim Turk,
Executive Director of the Canadian Association of University
Teachers (CAUT), to speak to the membership about becoming a
university. CAUT is the national voice for academic staff.
Representing more than 66,000 teachers, librarians,
researchers and other academic professionals and general
staff, CAUT is an outspoken defender of academic freedom and
works actively in the public interest to improve the quality
and accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada.
Becoming a University: Myths and Realities Pt. 1 of 2 from working TV on Vimeo.
Becoming a University: Myths and Realities Pt. 2 of 2 from working TV on Vimeo.
» January 13, 2012
Labour Management Relations Committee Resuming January 19
Labour Management Relations Committee
| KFA: | Bob Davis,
Joel Murray, Terri Van Steinburg (ex officio), John Jones (Langley), Gillian Dearle (Richmond), Wendy Belter (Surrey), Al Sumal (Cloverdale) |
| Employer: | Harry Gray,
Anne Lavack, Christine Crowe, Jane Fee, Linda Heska |
The Labour Management Relations Committee (LMRC) is resuming its work; the first meeting is January 19. Previously, under Article 12.0.3.4 of our Bylaws, LMRC was suspended during bargaining, leading to the loss of an important venue for dealing with the contractual and non-contractual issues that arose during the daily business of the institution, as well as an appeal body for specific university policies, procedures, or decisions not covered by the Collective Agreement. At the Fall GM, members approved a change to the Bylaws which changes the term of office of LMRC Representatives, enabling the committee to continue sitting during bargaining. Please contact your campus representatives with any contractual or non-contractual concerns you may have.
» January 13, 2012
Committees Agreed to in the 2010-2012 Round of Bargaining
The committees will report joint recommendations back to the parties to inform the 2012 round of bargaining.
Workload Committee
| KFA: | Bob Davis,
Joel Murray, Terri Van Steinburg |
| Employer: | Harry Gray,
Anne Lavack, Gordon Lee |
The topic of workload and class size has been debated for many years at Kwantlen by both parties. In the 2010-2012 negotiations, the KFA proposed an increase in time release for faculty members to participate in certain new roles and committees related to Kwantlen’s status as a special purpose, teaching university. In the same negotiations, the Employer proposed ways in which class sizes could change to increase the accessibility of students to a wider variety of classes and to allow for time release for certain purposes.
Health and Safety Education Committee
| KFA: | Bob Davis,
Wade Deisman, Tally Wade (alternate) |
| Employer: | Wayne Tebb,
Pablo Dobud |
This committee will recommend changes to how health and safety information will be communicated and how faculty are educated trained prior to commencing work and through the course of their employment. The committee will develop a plan which will address the roll-out and implementation of communication and training using materials and various methods of communication.
Continuing and Professional Studies Sub-Committee
| KFA: | Bob Davis,
Joel Murray, Gillian Dearle, Diane Walsh, Bev O’Malley |
| Employer: | Anne Lavak,
Harry Gray, Gordon Lee, Tru Freeman, Christine Crowe |
This joint sub-committee of the two bargaining teams was struck during bargaining, and will continue until March 31, 2012, as more work needs to be done. The sub-committee has completed phase one by reporting to the bargaining teams the results of a joint review of the history of continuing and professional studies and Kwantlen and has identified issues and common and divergent interests. Phase two, which involves the formulation of recommendations for amendment of the Collective Agreement to bridge the common and divergent interest and issues, must still be completed.
» December 16, 2011 - FPSE NEWS
Post-Secondary Instructors Reach 2010 Common Table Settlement
Nearly two years after the expiry of their collective agreement, post-secondary instructors have reached a tentative settlement that concludes the 2010 round of provincial common table negotiations, said the leaders of the two major unions in post-secondary education collective bargaining.
» December 7, 2011
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women - December 6
Thank you to everyone who attended the memorials marking the National Day of Action and Remembrance on Violence Against Women.
On the Surrey campus we were joined by Bruce Ralston MLA for Surrey-Whalley; Sue Hammil, MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers; Harry Baines, MLA for Surrey-Newton; and Manuel Santos, Assistant to Dave Hayer, MLA for Surrey-Tynehead. Jamie Cooper, Resource Centre Coordinator for Surrey Women’s Centre, and Kari Michaels and Reena Bali from Kwantlen’s Women Organizing Opportunities for Women club spoke to those gathered.
On the Richmond campus Rosa Tesler Mabe, Women’s Counsellor from CHIMO Crisis Services spoke about the impact violence against women has on children and on the importance of supporting women who are trying to leave violent relationships. We were joined by John Yap, MLA for Richmond-Steveston.
Radhika Kumar and Sylvia Woodyard hosted the memorial on the Langley campus, and Tally Wade hosted the memorial on the Cloverdale campus.
A candle is light in memory of one of the Ecole
Polytechnique victims at the Cloverdale campus ceremony.
Rosa Tesler Mabe, Gillian Dearle and MLA John Yap at the
Richmond Campus ceremony.
MLA Harry Bains lays a rose at the Surrey campus memorial
service.
» December 1, 2011
KFActs: Health and Safety Edition
The latest edition of KFActs, Kwantlen Faculty Association's newsletter, is now available online.
Headlines from this special Health & Safety edition include:
-
»
Safety in the Classroom - » Is Your Office a Health & Safety Risk?
- » DMRC: Why We Matter to You
- » Emergency Preparedness
- » NR1 Sick Leave Fund
- » Health & Safety Education
- » Employee Lounge Update
» November, 2011
Proposed Amendments Would Disallow Faculty Reps from Election to Local Boards
Premier Clark said she wants to do politics differently," said Cindy Oliver President of the 10,000 member Federation of Post-Secondary Educators (FPSE), "but her government tabled legislation yesterday that is more of the same old bully tactics that her former boss Gordon Campbell used all too often." Oliver was referring to the introduction of Bill 18, The Advanced Education Statutes Amendment Act. Under the proposed legislation, anyone who stands for election as the Faculty Representative on the Board of Governors of a college, university or institute cannot be a member of the local faculty association executive.
"If this legislation passes, Christie Clark will effectively be dictating to our members who they can and can't elect as their representative on the Board of Governors," Oliver stressed. "It is more than just an affront to our democratic rights; it's a full-on attack of our freedom of association rights that are spelled out in the Charter. We don't need to have another protracted battle at the Supreme Court to tell the Premier she is wrong, but if that's the only option available, that's where this proposed legislation will take us," Oliver added.
Visit the Stop Bill 18 page on Facebook
» October 31, 2011
General Meeting - Update
We are pleased to report that the constitutional changes proposed by the Constitution Committee and recommended by the Executive were unanimously passed by those in attendance at the General Meeting on October 27th. The new system of electronic voting will be in place for the KFA 's Annual General Meeting in April, 2012.
I am also pleased to report that the
KFA elected campus representatives for the Labour Management
Relations Committee:
- Surrey: Wendy
Belter
- Richmond:
Gillian Dearle
- Cloverdale: Al
Sumal
- Langley: John Jones
Please follow the links below for more information on the new electronic voting system.
Constitution and By-Laws (with highlighted changes)
Electronic Voting Timelines
» October 14, 2011
Ratification Results - 81% in Favour
At the ratification meeting held this
afternoon, Friday, October 14, 2011, the members voted 81% in
favour of ratifying the amendments as recommended for renewal of
the Collective Agreement between the Kwantlen Faculty
Association and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
» October 13, 2011
KFA Presentation to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services
On October 11, 2011, Joel Murray, Vice-President—Grievances, made a presentation on behalf of the KFA to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. In his submission, Joel drew attention to access to and affordability of post-secondary education and suggested priorities that need to be strengthened in the 2012 provincial budget.
The full presentation is available
here.
» October 7, 2011
2010-2011 Year in Review
The
latest edition of Kwantlen Faculty Association's newsletter,
KFActs, is now available online.
In this special
Year in Review issue of KFActs, we take a
look back at the events and issues that have occupied us -- and,
of course you, too -- for the past academic year.
To view archives, click here.
»
October 3, 2011
Update on the Elimination of the Employee Lounge
As previously reported, the KFA has enquired about the elimination of the employee lounge. The Employer is proposing to install a fridge in the faculty work room and a sink in the cafeteria. This solution is unsatisfactory to our members. The KFA is continuing to advocate for an alternative lounge space
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