Weekly Update – August 28

August 28, 2020

Weekly Update – August 28

Carleton Community Updates

Plans for Winter Term

This week, Carleton President Bacon announced that at a special meeting of Senate last Friday, the Carleton University Scenario Planning (CUSP) working group presented a draft recommendation for the Winter 2021 semester to proceed online, with some leeway for selected optional instruction on campus (e.g. labs, capstone projects, etc.) if circumstances allow. President Bacon says Senate was supportive of this direction and a more formal announcement will follow.

Updated Mask Policy

The University has updated its Mask Policy to comply with the Mandatory Mask By-law adopted by the City of Ottawa and the recommendations of public health officials. All faculty and staff are required to read and familiarize themselves with the policy. Click here to read more.

New Physician at Health and Counselling Services

Health and Counselling Services has announced the appointment of a new family physician to the campus clinic who will be dedicated to serving employees of the University. Dr. Michael Power begins work August 31st with virtual appointments only. He will relocate to Ottawa in 2021. CUASA members who currently do not have a family physician are asked to call 613-520-6674 to book an appointment for an initial assessment.

Library Reopening

The MacOdrum Library has announced a limited reopening for current students and faculty only. Level 2 (ground level) will be open weekdays from 9:00am to 5:00pm with limited staff. Entering and leaving the library will be from the Level 2 main entrance only, and anyone wanting to enter will need to have their student/staff ID card. Wearing a mask will be required, per the University’s mask policy. Click here for more information on the limited opening.

Faculty Office Access

A reminder that as of August 11, 2020, restricted access to individual faculty offices is permitted in certain areas. Faculty members request access to their offices by e-mailing their Dean, who will complete all notifications as required through the COVID Portal. If the office is not in an access control building, Campus Safety must be contacted. For more information and requirements for accessing faculty offices, click here.

CUASA Business and Events

Nominations for Steering Positions

We are still accepting nominations for the following Steering positions:

  • Communications Officer
  • Chair, Nominations and Elections
  • Chair, Internal Affairs
  • Instructor Representative

Information on the nominations process can be found on our How to Volunteer page. The work of the Association continues, despite the current environment we find ourselves in. Remember that our Association is only as strong as its membership, so we count on the time and commitment of our members to achieve our goals. Some of these positions come with a course release subject to the availability of funds.

Call for Volunteer: JCEE

We are seeking one CUASA member to serve on the Joint Committee on Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JCEE). Details on the mandate of this important committee can be found here. If you are interested in serving on the JCEE, please email [email protected].

Labour Community Updates

From the Ottawa and District Labour Council:

Labour Day was officially recognized in Canada in 1894. The city of Ottawa is on record as being one of the first cities in Canada to hold a Labour Day March. It took place on September 3, 1872 when seven Ottawa area unions organized a parade a mile long headed by the city’s firefighters. Since its founding in 1872, the Ottawa Labour Council, its affiliates and the community we serve have been moving forward together.

A Labour Day March and/or Picnic has not always been held every year in Ottawa since then for various reasons and this year will be one of those times.

Please join us online Monday September 7, 2020 at 11 am EST at www.ottawalabour.org for our Virtual Labour Day March & Picnic.

OCUFA Invitation for Worldviews Lecture 2020:
“The Myth of Meritocracy: From Satire to Social Inequality”

Taking place on September 18, the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations and the Centre for the Study of Canadian International Higher Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, (OISE) are proud to be hosting the sixth annual Worldviews Lecture on Media and Higher Education as a live online event.

The Myth of Meritocracy: From satire to social inequality

Speaker: Professor Jo Littler

Date and time: Friday, September 18, 2020, 11am (EST)
Location: Online
Registration: This is a free public event but advance registration is required.

[REGISTER HERE]

“The concept of meritocracy suggests that anyone can ascend the social and economic ladder if they work hard enough, regardless of their social position. This rather ambitious claim originated as a satirical take on social mobility in the 1950’s. And yet meritocracy is now embedded at the heart of our economic, social, cultural, and academic institutions in a way that obscures the role meritocracy plays in social exclusion.”

This year’s Worldviews lecture will attempt to make meritocracy satire again.

The discussion will open with a talk by Professor Jo Littler of City University of London and author of Against Meritocracy: Culture, Power and Myths of Mobility. Her talk will be followed by a conversation with a dynamic panel of experts and academics, featuring Rupa Banerjee, Carl James, and Wayne Lewchuk.

Moderated by Trish Hennessy, panelists will explore the ways merit creates social and economic barriers and address its intersections with class, race, gender, and immigration status.

The event is free and open to the public but registration is required. We hope you will join us for what promises to be an engaging conversation.

For more information and to register, please visit: http://worldviewsconference.com

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