Words & Vision 05.4

28 Pages·27.8 MB·English

by  UFV FSA

WORDS VISION
&
UCFV Faculty & Staff Association Newsletter
Vol. 5 No.4
January 1998
and apparently there's already a interactive electronic virtuality can
In this issue
disturbing shortage of French be a seductive distraction . . . and
champagne for that once-in-a worse. Nightmare scenario # 1: my
lifetime midnight toast. students sit there, semi-listening as I
From the Editor . . . . . . . . . 1
blather on about some sort of
But my own sense is that the language stuff; meanwhile, they're
Reports
millennium has already passed. The scanning their e-mail, checking out
-President . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
most significant thing about 1997 select chat rooms, playing a quick
-Faculty Grievance Report 3
was the surging growth of the hand of Solitaire, and/or perusing
-Staff Grievance Report . . 6
World Wide Web. The Internet has some extreme XXX pix, if I'm being,
-OH&S Chair Report 8
now definitively taken over from TV like, so boring today. And once
as the instant gratification inter you've turned the machines on, there
Articles
continental mega-info-beast; the is no going back, of course.
-Identity Crisis Revisited 8
implications of that perceptual leap
-A Tale of Two Restaurants 10
are just starting to sink in. What worries me, I guess, is the
-A Poem ... ......... 13
sinking feeling that the currently
vaporous barriers between Education
and Entertainment are about to
Notes and Notices . . . . . . . 13
vanish. What next, 3-D headsets?
From the Editor Then, I suppose, I could lecture more
'interactively' against a backdrop of
ever--changing imagery programmed
Shift Happens
for various thematic purposes: e.g.,
boiling lava rivers in Hawaii for
You know, the punchline to the
As far as teaching goes, I'm not discussions of returned mid-terms,
old joke: "what did one paradigm say
quite sure, yet, how I feel about this Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons for
to the other?"
brave New Age. Right now, my making fine semantic points,
students can be plugged
1998 may be a bit of a problem
in in class, transmogrifying
in that regard. I mean, the big news illtlt,IIIJ.11ta111
our beloved shared teaching
seems to be that the magic year 2000
environment into a kind of, well,
is just twenty four brief months
multimedia yard sale.
away. Everywhere the millennium is
anticipated - in a TV series named
In some ways it's great; after all,
for it, not to mention the ominous
every kind of data is just a click
computer bug, plus regular
away. You can get help on any topic
newspaper columns on the topic, and ::: :!; J!lt=ll'l'J!;,~,i.id :
as you go, not to mention connect
so on. All the hot spots for 1999
in-class discussion 'directly and ::: 1111111~1•1~~-, :: :
New Year's Eve parties are booked meaningfully' to the wide world. i
- leaving only places like the Odd !J~1tM#i##[email protected]~rM?i
Fellows' (Persons'?) Hall free - ?t##lf~JQ f~lt:tfP $#Q, : '
On the other hand, this

2 January 1998
the menacingly blank beach balls President's Report significant vehicle for members to
from The Prisoner series for rabid have input into the way that UCFV,
speculations about the real agenda of formerly FVC, has been run. The
Microsoft Inc, and so on. When I do As a New Year's resolution, our evidence for this is in the number of
my geezerology unit on the seething editor (Richard) and his able times .the FSA is asked to provide
legacy of the 60s, I could feature assistant (Fenelia) have vowed to representatives to committees and
important cultural heros like Twiggy, enforce copy deadlines, a move that task forces that are working on the
Tiny Tim, and Freddie and the I heartily endorse even though it will development of policy. As I speak to
Dreamers. Groovy. sometimes force me to write before my counterparts at the various
the pen is truly ready. Our deadline colleges and university colleges
That's not exactly the point, for this issue - absolutely firm - around the province, I see that this
though, to make learning more and is January 16th, which means that kind of participation by the local
more like a fun computer game: is not very much has happened in FSA union is quite unusual, and I'm
it? But maybe we're all being business since our last Words & certain that it is this involvement of
'bought off' by this slick info Vision issue. So, I'm going to use the employees that has made the
technology - to the detriment of our the President's column this month to labour climate at UCFV well known
capacity to think critically - do some thinking out loud - or for its congeniality.
overwhelmed by the sheer behemoth thinking in print.
bulk, brazenness, and potential Some of our members have
beauty ofit David Morosan's Faculty criticized the FSA for concentrating
Grievance Chair report last month more on its professional association
Does easy access to unlimited on the dual roles of activities to the neglect of its labour
information, presented in an program/department heads pointed union responsibilities, and have been
entertaining way, necessarily make out a number of issues that arise out encouraging the FSA to act like a
you smarter? No, but it sure keeps of our members having traditional trade union. It might be
you busy ... and pretty soon you may responsibilities that may, at times, easy to assume that it's faculty in
even believe you are understanding conflict. This caused me to think general who prefer the professional
the time of your life about the dual role that the FSA association model, whereas staff are
plays within UCFV. We call more supportive of a strong union.
Meanwhile, In Another Part of the ourselves an association, and many However, many of our staff members
Forest. .. of us see the FSA as our own support the activities of our
professional association, expecting professional assoc1at1on, have
All this millennial expectancy may that it will do those things that parti~ipated on various committees,
make the here-and-now seem a trifle professional assoc1at1ons do: and find that this makes their jobs
anti-climactic, but I'm sure we're in develop policy, set and police interesting and fulfilling and makes
for another exciting period at UCFV, standards of competence, etc. them feel a vital part of the
with more institutional dilemmas and However, the FSA is also certified institution (something not reported by
new directions than you can shake a as a labour union, and so it has the their counterparts around the post
new president at - i.e., the same responsibility to represent its secondary system). And on the other
old round of change and uncertainty. members in collective bargaining side, faculty are often heard to ask
So brace yourself, gentle reader; and and in enforcing the collective "why don't you guys (the FSA) DO
congratulations for surviving yet agreement with the employer. something about __ (name an
another year without going postal. Occasionally these roles seem to issue)? Grow up and be a real
come into direct conflict, and there
union!"
We start anew with a bevy of is an increasing tension between
bolstering reports from the front them as our members express their Frequently, this dual role places
lines, more cogent cogitations on opinions that the FSA should be the FSA in awkward positions. As
identity, a provocative poem - and more of one and less of the other. we had often done in the past, the
the usual much much more. FSA Executive appointed an official
It's as a professional association
representative to the committee that
-Richard Dubanski that the FSA has provided the most was struck to create a Harassment
•
3 January 1998
Policy. After a great deal of work problems directly with the second easy; it's clear that the FSA must
and several drafts, all of which were party, to avoid taking advantage of respond as a union. But a recent
vetted through the FSA Executive, power relationships, could only issue again illustrated the dilemma:
the new Policy was approved by benefit the institution and each of us Peter Jones becoming a member of
UCC and the· Board. The FSA who works within it. Right? Well, faculty. A labour union response
officially supported the policy what happens to the FSA member would · have been quick and
through mention in a clause of the who is found to be in contravention unequivocal: over our collectively
Collective Agreement. The Policy is of the ethics code and is subjected to dead bodies. Other colleges have
essentially a good one, requiring a bit discipline, and what if, in defending grieved similar situations, and even
of tweaking here and there, but the member, the FSA finds that the taken them to arbitration. But as
nothing beyond what might be application/enforcement of the code colleagues, as faculty and staff who
expected in a comprehensive policy was somehow unfair? If the FSA have worked alongside Peter for 11
on a sensitive issue. And thus the part1c1pates actively in the years, the correct response was less
FSA fulfilled its professional development of the code, something obvious. In the end, I believe that we
association role. that a professional association reached a compromise that allows us
would certainly do, would this to wear both our union and our
However... what happens now to weaken our member's defense later professional association hats with
our members who find themselves on? Again, I'm not sure of the some pride.
facing discipline as a result of being outcome.
on the responding end of a But what do )'.QY think? What role
harassment complaint? What would This duality of FSA roles is at do you believe the FSA should play
happen if the FSA, in representing the base of many of the conflicting in our institution? Should we
the member, determined that either roles that our members find continue to attempt to walk the
there were problems in the policy themselves in. As professionals, w.e tightrope between two extremes?
itself, or (more likely), problems in are more than capable of guiding Should we leave the professional
its implementation? Could the and directing our programs and association activities to a body like
FSA's official involvement in the departments. But as union the UCC? Do you think that the
development oft his policy jeopardize members, this role often finds us in FSA should be more of a labour
the chance of success should a opposition to other members of the union, or less so?
subsequent disciplinary action lead to FSA As people who are committed
a grievance and arbitration? I'm not to our students, to our departments, Your responses, either to me
sure that I know the answer, }?ut and to the mission of UCFV, we personally or, better yet, to this
certainly the outcome would depend want to sit on SACs, to ensure that newsletter, will be read with interest.
on the details of the individual case. the right person is chosen for a
position. But where does this leave -Kim Isaac
UCC will soon be looking at the FSA member - an internal
developing a code of ethics for applicant - when her union Faculty Grievance
UCFV. In discussing this with the brothers and sisters on the SAC
Executive, I think I can say that we choose an outsider for the position? Chair Report
all see value in having such a code. The outcome of a grievance in this
Certainly those of us who deal with kind of situation again would
Issues prominent in the business
the day-to-day issues of the FSA depend on the facts of the individual
of the Faculty Grievance Chair this
know that some of the most difficult case but the FSA reps on the SAC
month:
and painful problems our members would certainly be questioned as to
encounter are not problems with whether they were in agreement
Overloads
management; rather, they are with the decision.
problems with other members. A
This ongoing issue has become a
document that would remind each of As your President, I spend a fair
perennial prominent concern of part
us to treat everyone we encounter amount of time worrying about the
time and sessional instructors.
with respect and courtesy, to refrain appropriate role for the FSA. Some
Department and program heads also
from malicious gossip, to discuss issues that come to my attention are
4 January 1998
complain that they receive pressure other cases, we have been asked by ordinarily be granted an interview
from faculty members who want to management to waive the SAC unless there is consensus among
do overloads and are inquiring about process on an emergency basis. SAC members that the candidate
the upcoming spring session. In spite Diversions from the SAC process does not meet the criteria deemed to
of FSA protests of overload are at risk of becoming epidemic, be central to the position. Criteria
assignments last year, complaints and 'emergencies' seem to result must be set, and should be
persist. This month I will grieve the from management's absence of prioritized, before the applications
assignment of two overload sections forethought, which in tum results are viewed.
this academic year (August '97 to from a disregard of the collective
June '98) to a full-time employee. agreement. Protests and threat of In a related matter, a
This will be followed later this month grievances to individual question arose regarding
by an open letter to management and administrators has proved futile (see how SAC members
FSA members advising management Kim's letter to Acting President should treat
that the FSA will automatically Bate), resulting in the open letter information
grieve the assignment to any full-time from Kim, Bev and me, appearing gathered about
employee of a second overload below. Please read this letter. It internal candidates
section in a single academic year. has the effect of warning FSA from sources outside
The FSA will gneve these members (and non-members) who the SAC process.
assignments as individual cases, are approached to accept a position My answer is that
asking as restitution that a sum of which could potentially last more SAC members
money equivalent to the salary paid than four months. If you accept should take great
for the overload be distributed to such a position without undergoing care to prevent this
regular part-time and sessional an SAC, the FSA will publicly information from
employees in the area, as grieve your appointment, and will biasing their comparison
compensation for work lost by them seek to control the SAC process for of the candidates during the SAC
or other employees. a subsequent re-hiring of the process. SAC members who feel
position. they are unable to do this should
The FSA will also pursue contract dismiss themselves from the SAC.
and/or policy language to require Access to Minutes of FSA This is particularly important in
regular part-time (RPT) and Meetings situations where a griever might
sessional instructors to declare establish that the SAC was tainted in
outside work, and for this additional A member has asked where the favour of a candidate, or against a
work to be taken into account when FSA minutes are stored and where candidate's favour, because an SAC
assigning work to RPTs and they can be accessed easily by member brought a conflict of interest
sessionals. I will be available to members. The answer is that they to the SAC. For the same reason,
receive input and to answer questions have been kept in several locations. biasing statements in favour of a
about this issue in Abbotsford in See the list of these locations posted candidate or against a candidate,
room A225 (Boardroom) February 2 at the end of this issue. which are based on personally
from 11:30 to 1:00 pm, and in acquired information must not be
Chilliwack in Room D 131 on Conduct of Members of SA Cs shared in the SAC discussions since
February 2 from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. they serve to bias the discussion of
Comments or questions can be sent I have been asked to clarify the candidates and prevent the equal
to me by mail or phone as well. nature of grievances that I anticipate consideration of the candidates'
could result from SACs where performances in the search process.
Appointed Positions internal candidates are involved. I It is important to reinember that a
am happy to discuss this with grievance citing the use of personal
In the past few months the FSA members anytime. One question likes or dislikes to taint an SAC can
has been approached with concerned the obligation of the SAC be brought by unsuccessful
information that new positions have to grant interviews to internal candidates, by SACs members who
had employees appointed to them, on applicants. Internal applicants will participated in the process, or by any
an interim or permanent basis. In other FSA member who feels.t hat the
5 January 1998
successful candidates for a job in was successful in requesting these this UCC decision is that proposals
their workplace was not chosen notes be removed. Department and strongly linked to existing programs
fairly. Program Heads were instructed to should be granted priority over new
exclude this information from programs applying through PPP.
Dismissal of Sessional departmental files. Another
instructor was successful in having It is not yet clear to me what
A sessional instructor who had all documents pertaining to a might be the implications of a
letters of appointment to teach two dismissed case of alleged potentially inconsistent application of
courses in January was dismissed harassment removed from all UCFV this precedent, or its adoption as
from work late in December, due to administrative files. UCC policy, for the FSA's grievance
poor evaluations. Our collective of future layoffs.
agreement ·provides very little for Unhealthy Work Environment
sessionals in this circumstance, since Committee on Changes in
UCFV is bound by the contract, not Several FSA members Faculty Workload
the letters of appointment. Program complaining of unhealthy air in their
and department heads are reminded workplace were removed from their A very preliminary scan of the
to be very clear with sessionals that work location. Members are questionnaires reveals a list of topics
the faculty evaluations are reminded that it is their right to that respondents have identified as
paramount in determining whether refuse to work in an environment deserving public discussion. Here is
their employment will continue, even they have reason to believe is an unsorted list. Note that other
if they are in possession ofletters of unhealthy or unsafe. The FSA topics will be identified when the
appointment. would certainly support you in any committee reviews the questionnaires
such case, and UCFV would be in detail (beyond the first page), and
Conversion of Long-serving very unlikely to challenge a sincere other opportunities for discussions
RPTs claim of this type. will be announced.
Two instructors who had been UCC Reviews and Changes The following two topics of
long-serving members of a PPPs Initial Decision interest will become the focus of
department beginning prior to the public discussion early in February.
implementation of a degree program A recent decision was made by They will be widely publicized prior
in their area were granted regularized University College Council (UCC) to their occurrence, but in the
part-time contracts. Their to regard program proposals by meantime, you are asked to prepare
qualifications had been sufficient to Chemistry and Physics as yourself for the following
secure a position prior to the exceptions to the normal Program discussions:
beginning oft he degree program, but Planning and Priorities (PPP)
they were judged to be not procedures, in part because they • Course release At this point in
competitive with candidates who had constitute continued support of the evolution of our degree
more updated qualifications. Since developing programs, and in part programs, are we ready to identify
their regulariz.ation should have taken because they were argued to be cost a new or additional way of
place prior to the change in neutral. allocating courses release, besides
programs, they were awarded 'B' automatic section releases for
contracts conditional upon an The parameters of these each upper division course? That
upgrading of their qualifications. exceptions have not been set, is, should class size, revision of
leaving open the possibility that courses, lab components, travel
Documentation in Personnel other programs fearing lay-offs or time, marking load, etc., be a
Files Clarified elimination of their programs in the factor in deciding the matter?
near future might gain approval for Should we be advocating a simple
An instructor who found their proposals by appealing by the seven course work load, with
unflattering notes about his teaching same criteria. This possibility relatively few additional releases
performance in a departmental file exists because the implication of for specific circumstances?
6 January 1998
• Qualifying duties related to to which areas of the collective definitely increased and become a
instruction Can we find ways to agreement need these types ~f serious problem." And there we left
quantify the . workload attention are welcome. Send e-mail it. UCFV didn't really hire any more
implications of corruruttee work, or Aspen. people to lighten the load and the
independent studies courses, -David Morosan Union really didn't push it. Money,
practicum supervision, student of course, or lack of it, was the
adv i.s m. g, e t c .?. reason for no new hires. Same story
for evaluations. Most of us agree
The raw list of suggested topics our evaluation process is inadequate
for public forums: Staff Grievance but we don't seem to be doing much
about it. In this case our excuse for
_ increases in class size Chair Report being unable to revamp the process is
- student advising in applied lack of time due to over work (don't
programs these two tie in nicely?). We accept
Greetings and Happy New Year.
_ field work in applied programs the situation with a 'it'll never
So far 1998 is shaping up to be an
_ provincial and national meetings change' attitude, but complain
extremely interesting year for
for applied programs, allowances nonetheless. And it is probably true,
UCFV. With both local and
for professional development . these situations will never change
provincial negotiations starting up
inconsistent workload (c lass size, unless we decide they must and take
soon, and a new President and
upper level release) some action. Within a few weeks
Library Director about to be hired,
_ credit for scholarly activity members will be asked what they
we could be in for some big changes
_ supervision of directed studies, would like to see negotiated. I hope
in the way we do things around
individual projects beyond regular staff work load and evaluations will
here. And I'm happy about that
teaching load be a top priority.
because for the most part I think
_ inequities between small and
change is a good thing. When life
larger departments ( course release The Dilemma
goes on in the same way day after
for upper leve~ new courses, more
day we become complacent and
than five preps per year) I just love those unexpected at
bored _ not to mention boring.
_ course release for revised courses home bonus days - you know, when
Change keeps us on our toes, it fires
(rather than upper level courses) UCFV, the schools and a lot of local
people up and gets them involved
_ balanced distribution of course businesses are closed after a heavy
and interested in their world. How
releases, not upper level release_ snow· because the road conditions are
does that old saying go -
_ lab instructor workload m hazardous. Usually I would stay
something like, "If you want to be
sciences interesting, be interested." indoo~s , tucked up snug and wa. nn, ,
_ inconsistent workload in sciences and revel in the fact that there 1sn t
(upper level release, class sizes, any thing I ~ to do, so I ~ do
The Situation
contact time) whatever I want, which is most likely
_ travel time as workload a whole lot of nothing.
Actually, we need a lot more
Unfortunately that was not the case
Clarification of Collective changes at UCFV. For starters we this time as my son had an important
need to do something positive about
Agreement early morning appointment in
the issues we have been complaining
Chilliwack. We didn't want to
about for so long. Staff work load
I have been given a course release cancel and take the chance he would
and evaluations are two that come
this semester to identify past not be rescheduled for months, so off
to mind. Staff have been griping
practices regarding areas of ~e we went to town. The Cultus Lake
about heavy work loads ever since
collective agreement that reqmre roads weren't too bad, but once out
we became a University College. A
considerable interpre~tion, and to oft he park conditions were awful -
few years ago UCFV and Union set
write more user-friendly versions of slushy and slippery - we slid all
up a task force, to look into staff
some of the most cloudy areas of the over the road. We made it there and
workload, and what we came up
collective agreement. Suggestions as back safely, but it was a rather
with was "Yup, staff workload has
unpleasant trip.
7 January 1998
The next morning UCFV, the to decide whether I should stay advantage of a situation. They do not
schools, and I would guess home and risk being thought lazy, or want to be seen as disloyal or
Chilliwack's businesses, were open. attempt the trip and risk an untrustworthy. So, how do we
According to the local radio station, accident. In the end I usually go to convince our members they will not
the storm was over and road clean-up work, as I did that day. I guess I'd be viewed that way, by the Union or
well on the way. I was a little rather take the chance of crashing UCFV? How do we convince them
disappointed because those my car than be thought a lazy wuss. that the very few unkind judgmental
unexpected at home bonus days are Maybe I should be in therapy! people who do make them feel
such a - well, nice bonus - and uncomfortable about their decision to
one is never enough. I was also The really ridiculous part of this stay home, are not worth worrying
somewhat surprised to hear that whole thing is that when other about? I don't know the answer, but
every thing was pretty well back to people decide to exercise their right this question is on the agenda of our
normal because the Lake roads were on not traveling in severe weather first Shop Steward meeting next
ten times worse. My own street was conditions, and stay home, I think, week. Maybe the group of us will be
a skating rink. Just getting from the 'now isn't that sensible'. I would able to sort it out. For my own part
back door to the car, a whole 25 feet, never consider them lazy or taking I will say this, the next time I am
was an exercise in terror (not to advantage of the system. Why can't intimidated by bad weather or bad
mention grace and agility, that triple I apply the same logic to myself? I air. .. I stay home. (Yea, sure.)
Lutz I did upon stepping off the last do take comfort, though, in the fact
stair was definitely Olympic that numerous other UCFV The Shop Steward Story
material). Actually I didn't even employees react the same way as I
make it to the car; half way there I do in this situation. They too drive As of this writing we have thirteen
decided it was crazy to drive, and to work in weather conditions that Shop Stewards representing
crawled back into the house. any reasonable person would t:hin,k Chilliwack and Abbotsford - eight
dangerous. Unfortunately we don't staff, five faculty - some of whom
Standing at the kitchen window, act reasonably if we think others are have done Steward work before and
watching my neighbour make several going to ridicule us for it. many who are new to it. Not only
unsuccessful attempts at getting his were David and I really pleased with
car on to the street, I was beginning This 'I don't want to look the tum out to the December 12 Shop
to get that 'Oh God, what do I do deficient' thinking really became Steward workshop, but also very
now' feeling. apparent during the bad air grateful to these people for
problems we had in Abbotsford volunteering. As a group we
I mean, it was obvious that the Campus at the beginning of decided to go with an 'At Large'
highway and main city streets were December. Both UCFV and the Steward system rather than an area
okay or UCFV and schools would Union told people to go home if rep one. Part of the reason for that
not have been open. I did not want to feeling ill or concerned about the decision is the fact that we do not
risk an accident, to my car or person, situation. But most didn't go; they have a reps from Mission, Hope, or
but I also did not want to call into the complained but didn't go. UCFV the Marshall Road Success Centre.
office saying I wouldn't be in. I made arrangements to move people We could use a few more Faculty
convinced myself that no one would from affected areas to non affected Stewards too, but, feel we're off to a
believe the Cultus Lake roads were ones, but some didn't want to move. good start.
as bad as they really were, and that A few had to be forced out.
people would just think I was making The Stewards will be our front
an excuse for another little holiday. As stupid as it seems for liners. We're hoping that members
employees to insist on staying in an with complaints or concerns, who
This conversation I was having area where others are getting sick, otherwise might be reluctant to come
with myself was a repeat of one I or traveling to work on treacherous to the Union Executive directly, will
have had many times over the years. roads when the employer does not feel more comfortable contacting one
Whenever the road conditions are expect nor want them to, I do of the Stewards. The most important
bad, but UCFV is not closed, I go understand their thinking. They do aspect of a Shop Stewards role is to
through it. I absolutely hate having not want to be seen as taking support members by: listening,
8 January 1998
identifying the issues, referring Occupational Health solving our ongoing air quality
complainants to the appropriate problems.
people, and keeping conversations & Safety Committee
confidential. Our Stewards will be Aside from the air quality
handling disputes between members, Chair problems, if anyone has any
and disputes or controversy between workplace concerns, please do not
UCFV and FSA, at the informal hesitate to contact me or anyone else
It was nice to have such a long
stage (Articles 7.0 and 7.1 Grievance who represents you on the OH&S
break over Christmas; I think we
Procedure of the Collective Committee.
all needed it.
Agreement). Anything stepped up to
a formal stage will be turned over to -Colleen Olund
This is going to be a very short
the Grievance Chairs. This does not
report. I am sure everyone has
mean that a Steward is expected to
heard about the air quality problems
handle a grievance at the informal we had in Abbotsford in early Identity Crisis
stage if she/he is uncomfortable with
December. So, attached you will
it. At any time a Grievance Chair Revisited
find the results of the air quality
may be called in by the complainant,
testing and report that was
or by the Shop Steward. Also, if a
grievance does go formal the Steward completed. This was posted in three The thoughtful pieces by Eric
may still be involved by request of areas in B Building on the Davis, Moira Gutteridge and David
either the complainant, as a support Abbotsford Campus, but Kim and I Morosan in the November issue of
person, or the Grievance Chair, as a did promise to publish it in this Words & Vision have been on my
reference. issue. Just bear in mind when you mind ever since I read them, and even
read this report, the testing was not though there has been an intervening
Your Shop Stewards are: done until a minimum of 24 hours issue of this newsletter with a
after the initial incident and all the response from Gloria Wolfson, I
Staff venting to the area was closed off. would like to submit my own
thoughts.
I would like to remind anyone
Doug Rasmussen .... 447 7
Lynn Best .......... 4244 who was ill the first week of I was struck by the different
Colleen Olund . . ..... 4524 December who has not already perspectives brought to the issues
Mary Grace Grant .... 4272 reported it, to please do so. You under discussion. It's exciting and, I
Lynda Town ........ 4477 can either call me at local 4524, e believe, a sign of a maturing
Ellen Dixon ......... 4264 mail me, or just drop by the university college when an historian,
Business Office.
Gloria Borrows ...... 4282 a philosopher, a psychologist, and a
Lenora Gaib ........ 4735 social worker can engage in an
The issues surrounding the air animated discussion about where
Faculty quality problem have not been we've come from and where we may
'swept under the carpet' and we will be headed as an educational
Val McDonald ....... 4316 not allow them to be. There are institution.
ongoing discussions to see what
Robin Anderson ...... 4282
actually happened and how to
Vicki Grieve ...... . . 2439 I'm a librarian by profession, and
prevent it occurring in the future. I
Wendy Burton ....... 2413 following my profession's
will keep you updated on what
Leslie Wood ........ 4284 commitment to (some might say
transpires.
fixation with) classifying knowledge
Steward recruitment will be and making it accessible, I would like
ongoing. If you are interested but As a point of interest, WCB has to address what I see as the two main
new guidelines regarding air quality
unable to volunteer at this time, keep points raised by Eric in his initial
that come into effect on April 1,
it in mind for the future. piece: a) the need for a change in
1998. Hopefully these will set culture leading to a system that
some sort of standard to help us in
-Bev Lowen emphasizes due process, and b) the
9 January 1998
definition of a university college, and response. The problem is that as we Where I agree that we have some
more particularly, UCFV. grow and as new people come on way to go in the implementation of
board, this system of personal due process is in the area of labour
A) Due Process contact becomes unworkable, partly relations my area of
because of the sheer volume of responsibility. When I was first
With apologies for over- issues, partly because many people elected FSA President, I was struck
simplifying subtle arguments on just do not feel comfortable by the number of times I was
complex issues, I understood the operating in this kind of hallway approached by both management and
major concern in Eric's initial piece chat manner, and mostly because members, and asked to make binding
to be that despite the growth and this kind of informal and decisions on issues that I really knew
change that have taken place in this undocumented system does not little about. Whereas I realize that
institution · over the past years, stand up to any kind of objective at times it's absolutely appropriate
business is conducted in an outdated test of fairness. for the union president to make a
manner, with deals taking place decision or speak on behalf of the
behind the scenes between the major In the 10 years that I've been membership as a whole without
players, rather than out in the open, employed at UCFV, we've come a taking a vote., my feeling after being
according to democratically agreed long way toward implementing in this position for 7 months is that
upon and preferably written transparent procedures that anyone there is too much of an expectation
procedures. can access. Whereas formerly the that problems can be solved with a
instructional deans were the major quick conversation between a dean
I've heard different colleagues players in determining which and the FSA President. Many of
complain that they simply cannot programs received approval within these problems are ones that recur on
understand how decisions are the institution and were then sent on a fairly regular basis, and the
reached at UCFV. They feel as to Victoria for funding, we now absence of documentation means that
though they are cut out of the loop, have bodies such as the University we are doomed to repeat both the
and wonder how it is that some College Council and the Program problems, and the search for
people who work here seem to have Planning and Priorities Committee solutions as well.
their problems addressed quickly and that make those decisions, with
their ideas actualized promptly, input from a broad cross-section of Recognizing this, Employee
whereas their's just seem to be employees. Whereas it used to be Relations and the FSA will be
unnoticed by their dean or the FSA. left largely to the discrimination of working this winter to try to
Other colleagues express puzzlem~nt the dean as to how to react when document some of the practices that
when anyone indicates that UCFV is there was a complaint against an have become, in fact, informal,
anything but a wonderful place to employee, we now have policies in unwritten policies regarding a wide
work, with terrific labour relations place such as the Harassment Policy variety of activities: RPT hirings,
and a receptive management. These and the Student Complaint Policy SAC procedures, etc. David
people sometimes bristle at the idea which allow both the complainant Morosan, Bev Lowen, Moira
that there needs to be more of a and the respondent some assurance Gutteridge and Barry Bompas will be
paper-oriented, bureaucratic that there is a process to be meeting to try to produce
approach to doing business. followed. We still have work ahead documentation that may become part
of us; policies and processes will oft he Collective Agreement or some
In some ways I feel that I have continue to need time and creative other procedures manual.
one foot in each of these camps. I energy from all os us. And it's
know that our rather informal way of members of the FSA such as It's interesting that one of the
dealing with problems has served at Virginia Cooke, Ian McAskill, great strengths of this institution -
least some ofus well for many years, Elizabeth Asner and Linda our ability to work with management
and that this is probably one of the Matwichuk, among many others, to create quick and effective
major reasons why UCFV has who are largely to thank for the solutions to problems, rather than
enjoyed a pleasant labour climate; we development of these more getting tied up in legalistic,
can approach our deans or even our transparent processes. confrontational situations - is also
president, and expect some kind of one of the weaknesses of the