Whether its involvement in the USFA or involvement in our university, it matters. In this issue of Collectively Speaking, USFA Chair Geraldine Balzer offers suggestions on ways you can become involved. She provides one member’s take on the benefits of being involved in university governance and offers insight into why more and more faculty association… Continue reading Collectively Speaking May 2023 – Involvement Matters
Articles
Let’s Join our PhD students and Postdocs in their National Walkout Campaign 11:00 a.m. on May 1 in the Bowl
Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers across Canada are planning to walk out at 11:00 a.m. on 1 May in protest at government-funded salaries that have remained flat since 2003. Support our Science, a grassroots group, is organizing a national student walkout hoping to get the attention of decision makers in Ottawa. “Federal scholarships – $17,500 for a master’s… Continue reading Let’s Join our PhD students and Postdocs in their National Walkout Campaign 11:00 a.m. on May 1 in the Bowl
Workers Day of Mourning April 28th
Because the day is “important as a means of mourning for the dead while fighting for the living,” professor and graduate chair Liz Quinlan with the Department of Sociology will lay the USFA wreath at the Saskatoon & District Labour Council’s ceremony as she has for the past 5 years. Show your support for workers… Continue reading Workers Day of Mourning April 28th
Important Event: General Academic Assembly April 6 at Noon, Convocation Hall
The USFA Executive Committee encourages members to get involved, not just in the USFA but in the governance of the University. One of the easiest ways to be involved is to attend the annual meeting of the General Academic Assembly (GAA). This year, the GAA meeting is at Noon this Thursday, April 6 in Convocation Hall. The GAA is established… Continue reading Important Event: General Academic Assembly April 6 at Noon, Convocation Hall
Council Elections: still murky
There is no reason to object to Deans as College Representatives on University Council. In fact, Council Bylaws, and the Act, are written to allow Deans to be a College Representative when there are no nominations under the appropriate section. There is, however, every reason to object to an impromptu reinterpretation of the Bylaws of… Continue reading Council Elections: still murky
Your Council: It’s not over yet
On Monday the University Governance Office sent an email to faculty members, specifying that, “Upon recommendation of the Governance Committee of Council, in light of interpretations of The University of Saskatchewan Act, 1995, and University Council Bylaws (2022) that occurred after the original call for nominations was open, nominations for University Council will remain open until March… Continue reading Your Council: It’s not over yet
Collectively Speaking – March 2023 Teaching Evaluations
Our latest issue of Collectively Speaking is about teaching evaluations. Anxiety inducing for faculty, particularly untenured faculty and faculty seeking promotion, the Association regularly receives questions about teaching evaluations from members. This issue of Collectively Speaking poses some of those questions and offers information and advice in response. Download Collectively Speaking
USFA Members, Take Back Your Council!
This week we heard some disturbing news from USFA members who had chosen to run for University Council as college representatives. Questions are being asked as to whether there is an attempt to manipulate council elections. There are 28 college representative position vacancies (two for each of the 14 colleges), as defined under article 53(2)… Continue reading USFA Members, Take Back Your Council!
Be the voice of experience and change
The University Secretary recently emailed an invitation for nominations to replace 46 faculty members of University Council whose terms expire on June 30, 2023. Deadline for nominations is February 24th at 4:30 p.m. If you wish to nominate yourself or have been nominated by a colleague, you can go to the following link to fill out… Continue reading Be the voice of experience and change
Sessional Lecturers Bargaining Update: USask admin forcing vote on final offer
We learned last week that members of CUPE 3287, which represents sessional lecturers at the U of S, are in the midst of a forced vote on an “Employer Best and Final Offer to Settle Tentative Agreement.” Voting concludes March 7. The union’s bargaining team is not recommending acceptance of the offer. In fact, it… Continue reading Sessional Lecturers Bargaining Update: USask admin forcing vote on final offer