Conciliation Update! April 1, 2025
Please sign and share this petition! Show the Employer that CUASA members and our Carleton Community stand behind the CUASA Negotiating Team. Your support goes a long way at the bargaining table!
CONCILIATION UPDATE!
Last week CUASA and the Employer entered into conciliation. We met with the conciliator appointed by the Ministry on March 26th and 27th. Conciliation is a time in bargaining where both sides are asked to re-evaluate the articles on the table and determine if and where compromises can be reached. Articles were exchanged on tenure and promotion, workload, rights and responsibilities, leaves, grievances, health, safety and security, and transfers. Productive conversations on a number of topics including Student Experiences Questionnaires (SEQs) and Career Development Increments (CDI) were had.
We return to conciliation on April 8th, 9th and 10th. CUASA remains committed to achieving a fair and equitable collective agreement.
Over the next few updates we will be providing information on issues still at the table, specifically what we are bargaining for and why. Last week we started with Career Development Increments (CDI). This week we are looking at Student Experience Questionnaires (SEQ)
WHY ARE WE BARGAINING TO REMOVE STUDENT EXPERIENCE QUESTIONAIRES (SEQs) FROM CAREER DECISIONS?
CUASA members understand that our teaching methods and practices can benefit from the feedback of our students. Students should have a strong voice in the processes of their education. At Carleton the Student Experience Questionnaire (SEQ) is an important opportunity for students share their experiences in the classroom with their profs and the university admin.
While SEQs are a common method to collect classroom feedback from students they are problematic when used for career decisions. Research proves that SEQs are a place where bias and discrimination are inevitable, particularly towards equity deserving faculty.[i] Academic Associations across Ontario have removed SEQs from career decision processes as they create unfair disadvantages to already marginalized faculty members. It is time to do the same at Carleton.
In light of the 2018 arbitration decision between Ryerson University[ii] and the Ryerson Faculty Association, which states that student experience questionnaires are “almost impossible to adjust for bias and stereotypes,” and “(s)tudent and faculty gender affects outcomes, as does grade expectation,” CUASA is bargaining to have SEQs removed from career decisions.
Aware of the current scholarship and arbitration decision, the Employer has continued to insist that because the SEQs are currently the only way to gauge student experience in their learning, they must remain part of career decision processes.
CUASA’s position remains that Carleton’s maintenance of any system that is proven biased and discriminatory is unacceptable; that teaching effectiveness is not determined in SEQs scores is not up for debate. They must be removed from career decision processes.
[i] Kreitzer and Sweet-Cushman, 2022; Mitchell and Martin, 2018; OCUFA Report; CAUT Report; and Ryerson University v Ryerson Faculty Association, 2018 CanLII 58446 (ON LA)
[ii] Now Toronto Metropolitan University.
HOW CAN I SUPPORT THE NEGOTIATING TEAM?
Follow, like and share CUASA on social media on Bluesky, Twitter and Facebook!
Drop by the CUASA tables in the Atrium of Nideyinàn (in front of the Starbucks) chat with members of the bargaining team and pick up stickers and posters on April 1, 2, & 7 between 11am and 2pm.
Questions about bargaining? Visit the FAQ page or write to us at [email protected].
The 2021-24 Collective Agreement remains in force until a new agreement is ratified by both parties, or until a lockout or strike. CUASA will continue to regularly inform its members on collective bargaining.
