Dear OCADFA members,
At the end of January, some news you can use!
JANUARY SOCIAL
Come out to our January WTF Social (What the Flow?!) this Friday Jan 31st from 2-4pm at the Lambert Lounge (rm 187) at 100 McCaul. We want to hear your concerns regarding Flow curricular changes. We’ll be serving hot chocolate, warm patties and a taste of justice!
Many members have raised concerns & questions about Flow and the curricular changes underway at OCAD U. Conceived in the spring of 2019 in response to fiscal concerns, the majority of OCAD U programs will complete the Flow process within the next three years. We have seen some positive, creative and long-overdue ideas emerge from Flow. However, concerns have been raised: increased class sizes, increased workload, job losses, reduced course offerings and weakened studio-based learning. Come out to our social to learn more about Flow and ways we can organize to ensure the quality of studio-based education at OCAD U is supported.
OCADFA BoD APPOINTMENTS
We are pleased to announce two interim appointments to the OCADFA executive:
Interim Grievance Chair: Associate Professor (FoLAS/SIS) Suzanne Stein https://www2.ocadu.ca/bio/suzanne-stein-0
Director at Large: Instructor (FoD, Industrial Design) Laura Lovell-Anderson
https://www.lauralovellanderson.com
These are interim appointments. We will hold elections for these and other positions at OCADFA’s fall AGM.
Please note that our Associate Grievance Chair, Camille Isaacs is on leave of absence until July 1, 2020.
Bill 124 Charter Challenge
With strong support from the OCADFA executive, the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) has voted to join ten unions, led by the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) representing more than 250,000 Ontario workers to launch a coordinated Charter challenge against the Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act – formerly Bill 124. This Ford government legislation unduly interferes with the rights of workers to free and fair collective bargaining. It threatens pay equity and benefits for contract faculty and other marginalized workers, and will erode the foundations of Ontario’s important public services – including our outstanding public education system.
Ontario’s university faculty and academic librarians firmly believe in the right to free and fair collective bargaining. It is through this process that equity is fostered; ensuring that good jobs and fair pay are provided to traditionally under-compensated groups, including women-identified, racialized, and contract faculty. In addition, OCUFA will be making the case that this legislation undermines university autonomy and independence by imposing a province-wide regime of bargaining.
Ontario currently has the lowest per-student and per-capita funding in the country and constraining collective bargaining rights will only deepen that crisis. OCUFA will work with our colleagues across the education and broader public sector to hold the Ford government to account and defend the rights of all workers to fair pay, safe working conditions, and job security. We will challenge Ford’s attacks on workers’ rights in the courts and work in our communities to show the Ford government that Ontarians reject its austerity agenda.
EQUITY SURVEY
Please take a moment to fill out the Equity Survey. It is confidential, takes less than 10 mins, and will provide the hard data we need to do the necessary work on equity and decolonization. As a community, we have many steps to go. The equity survey is one small tool we can all wield to be part of the changes we want to see in our world, and certainly in the OCAD U community.
Employment Equity Workforce Survey.
INDIGENOUS COMPETENCY TRAINING
Check out Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 of the Indigenous Cultural Competency Training (ICCT) next month on February 13th (Cycle 1) and February 25th (Cycle 2). The ICCT is facilitated by the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centre (OFIFC). Cycle 1 of the training focuses on the early relationship in Canada with Indigenous people, intergenerational trauma and an introduction of the OFIFC’s relationship framework. Cycle 2 builds on the first cycle to take a deeper look at historical narratives and recent efforts to re-frame relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.
This is an excellent training opportunity for all OCAD U faculty and staff. We highly encourage you to take part. You can register using the links below and note that you will be required to log in with your OCAD U email credentials in order to register.
CYCLE 1 – Cultural Competency Training, Thursday, February 13, 2020. 9:30am – 4:30pm. 113 McCaul St, Room 512
CYCLE 2 – Cultural Competency Training, Tuesday, February 25, 2020. 9:30am – 4:30pm. 113 McCaul St, Room 512
EDVANTAGE
Dues paying members are entitled to special offers, exclusive events, and savings for the education community though OCUFA. Edvantage through OCUFA offers us a corporate rate through Good Life Fitness. To register for an OCUFA Edvantage card please go to the OCUFA website www.ocufa.on.ca and hit the red Edvantage button on the bottom on the right hand side of the screen. A free card will be sent to you. If you have problems, please contact the office and ask Connie Reid for assistance. conniereid@ocadu.ca
Abrazos,
Min Sook Lee
OCADFA President