Weekly Update – April 1, 2022
April 1, 2022
Weekly Update – April 1, 2022
Carleton Dropping Vaccine and Mask Requirements
The University announced this week that it will be dropping vaccine and mask requirements on May 1, 2022. However, it has said that while individuals will no longer be required to wear a mask on campus after May 1, it does recommend doing so when indoors and when physical distancing can’t be maintained.
Also, while proof of vaccination will no longer be required, Carleton is maintaining a requirement for faculty and staff to attest to their vaccination status and, if vaccinated, to upload proof to cuScreen. The requirement to continue to attest to vaccination status is in case it might be necessary to bring back proof of vaccination requirements on short notice.
CUASA joins the University in reminding everyone that it is important to remember that the pandemic is not over, and the situation can change at any time. Please take care of yourselves and be supportive of others, while respecting individuals’ personal choices regarding mask-wearing after May 1.
Proposed Constitutional Amendments
In case you missed it, this week the first of two official notices was given that a vote will be held on a series of proposed amendments to the CUASA Constitution. As required by Article XIV, these amendments were endorsed by 15 members of the Association and subsequently passed by a majority of CUASA Council at its meeting of March 24, 2022.
A document outlining the process, including the vote questions, text of the proposed amendments and their rationale, can be found here.
We will be holding two information sessions on Thursday, April 14, from 1:00-3:00pm, and Wednesday, April 20, from 10:00am-12:00pm (Zoom details to follow).
The vote will be administered electronically from Wednesday, April 27, at 12:00pm to Friday, April 29, at 12:00pm.
Note: Only members who have joined the Association are eligible to vote. Membership in the bargaining unit is not the same as membership in the Association. If you haven’t filled out your membership card yet, or aren’t sure if you’ve filled one out before, you can do so using the form found here.
The CUASA Office must have received your membership application by 4:30pm on Monday, April 25, 2022, for you to be eligible to participate in the vote.
Nominations for Steering Positions
We are accepting nominations for the following Steering Committee positions for terms beginning on July 1, 2022 (click on the position title to view the description):
- Treasurer
- External Relations Officer
- Chair, Grievance Policy and Administration
- Instructor Representative
- Librarian Representative
Nominations for the above positions are due by Friday, April 29, 2022. All nominations must be made using the form found here (PDF) or here (Word).
Information on the nominations process can be found on our How to Volunteer page. 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 (please ask if interested).
If you have any questions about the positions or the process, please contact CUASA’s Chair, Nominations and Elections, Marylynn Steckley, at [email protected].
Academic Community Updates
Our chance to ensure what happened at Laurentian never happens again
When Laurentian University filed for protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), it became the first public university in Canada to do so. The upcoming federal budget is our chance to make sure it is also the last.
Both the CCAA and Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA) are federal pieces of legislation specifically designed for private-sector corporations, not public institutions. However, as they are currently worded, these acts can still be used to dismantle and restructure public institutions.
If other public institutions, like universities and hospitals, are allowed to invoke the CCAA or BIA, the results will be devastating. At Laurentian, where the CCAA was used, students lost access to more than 60 programs, over 100 faculty and staff jobs were cut, years of important research was forsaken, and the university has abandoned its commitments to local Francophone and Indigenous communities. Terminated employees were denied severance and instead have to get in line behind big banks, whose profits have soared during the pandemic. Students have had to change programs or transfer to other universities.
The federal budget is an opportunity to remind the Liberal government of their promise to reform the CCAA and BIA to make public institutions exempt and ensure that Canada’s vital public services are protected through proper funding.
A 1-minute action to make PSE issues ballot box issues
This provincial election we’ll have an opportunity to make post-secondary issues, ballot box issues.
Please take a minute to use OCUFA’s email action to send a message to your local Ontario election candidates to tell them it’s time to revitalize public post-secondary education in Ontario. Ask them to show their support for fairness for contract faculty, increased student aid, and robust public funding for Ontario’s universities.
Click here, fill in your name, institution, email address, and postal code and click “Add Your Voice”. Let your colleagues, friends, and family know how to participate as well by posting on social media or sending an email.
This election presents a valuable opportunity to put post-secondary education on the agenda and build a better future for Ontario. Each political party is making promises that will impact faculty and the whole university community.
Together, let’s make sure the next provincial government prioritizes post-secondary education.
Labour Community Updates
Spring into ACTion: Health & Safety Forum
There is still time to register for the upcoming Spring into ACTion – Health & Safety Virtual Forum being held on Friday, April 8, commencing at 8:30am. This year’s event is free.
More information can be found here. Registration is required for this Forum; to do so, click here.
