Volume 27, No. 3 Editor: Mark Langer November, 1996. Renewal, the Senate and Lay-Offs Renewal and Senate On November 8 Senate held the first of two meetings on the Renewal Report and its recommendations. Dean Adam opened with a half-hour presentation, after which senators were permitted to ask questions or make observations. The president required all interventions to be limited to 4 minutes. If one excludes the president's introduction and the dean's presentation, there were just over two hours of discussion. Although there were some probing questions, most remarks were directed to local concerns or matters of detail. In regard to the Report's key enabling provisions, "Action #4" (specifying the financial viability of programs) and "Action #5" (recommending program closures), the president and the dean made it clear that the Administration intends to use the Report's list of criteria for program closures (p. 13) as guidelines only. The president stated explicitly that the criteria listed with "Action #5" will not be applied according to a standard procedure to the academic units that will be considered for elimination or amalgamation. While we do not expect the Administration will ignore the listed criteria, their announced approach to implementation suggests that a high degree of management "flexibility" will characterize the process of program elimination. Renewal and lay-offs The Renewal Report has put forward many good ideas for the reorganization of the University, but its treatment of the human costs of renewal is disingenuous. The Report supplies just one example of suggested program closures, but in that example redundant colleagues are re-assigned to other academic units, not laid off. In the real world it is not going to happen that way, at least not for everyone. The Renewal Report is not an abstract exercise in structural reorganization, but rather an attempt to get the University out of its reputational and financial difficulties. Cutting back on labour costs is central to the Administration's financial strategy, and labour costs cannot be cut through reassignments. How many lay-offs? It became clear at the Senate meeting that the number of faculty departures noted in the Report (69, of which at least 27 lay-offs) is only a rough estimate, and will remain just an estimate until Queen's Park discloses the amount of the provincial grant. The president said we would probably not know this before January and that the actual number of lay-offs will not be known before February. Thus the academic reorganization urged by the Renewal Report is just the first shoe. A very big other shoe is going to hit the ground when the human costs of renewal start to become apparent. We all need to be fully aware of this fact right from the start. At one point in the discussion on November 8, the president reminded senators that the Administration could close programs and lay-off academic staff whether Senate approved the Renewal Report or not. In his words, "The Report is in itself neither necessary nor sufficient. If necessary we will cut whole departments." What the president neglected to add is that without Senate approval of program redundancies (the details of which must then be negotiated with CUASA), lay-offs can only be carried out according to the terms of Article 17 of the Collective Agreement (declaration of financial stringency), which neither the Administration nor CUASA want to see invoked. A rather hurried process of consultation followed the first Senate meeting, and we trust the comments of faculty members on the academic and financial implications of the Renewal Report will be given full consideration when Senate takes up the matter again on Friday, November 29. CUASA strongly urges you to continue to make your views known to senators, Faculty Boards, and the Administration. CUASA WEB PAGE The CUASA Web page has moved. The new address is http://www.carleton.ca/cuasa/. Many thanks to Jack Coghill of the Public relations department for making this possible, A guide to sabbaticals is now included on CUASA's web page. This guide was put up on the web by Memorial University in Newfoundland, but many of its ideas and principles apply to the Carleton situation. To find it go to the main CUASA Web Page (http://www.carleton.ca/cuasa/) and follow the links to the CUASA Documents on the web page. A draft of the new CUASA Benefits Booklet is also available on the web. The final version is currently being revised by management. Once again follow the links from the main CUASA web page to CUASA Documents. EMAIL Does CUASA have your email address? CUASA runs a listserve for its members informing them of important union news as well as keeping them informed about university issues. Members who wish to be added to the CUASA mailing list please send email to the list maintainer, Deanna Toxopeus, at dtoxopeu@ccs.carleton.ca. CUASA Scholarship The 1996 CUASA Scholarship, valued at $1500, has been awarded to Mr. Guillermo Tempo. Mr. Tempo completed his most recent year in the Bachelor of Computer Science with an 11.90 G.P.A. Housing Notices CUASA provides a list of housing notices as a service to its members. Notices must be submitted to the CUASA office in writing, either by mail, by fax or by email. Housing notices will not be accepted over the phone. CUASA cannot guarantee the placement of notices. FOR SALE OR RENT - HUNT CLUB AREA: Townhouse, 3 BR, end unit with fireplace. New roof, windows, doors, vinyl floors, furnace, paint. Large finished basement room, and new high efficiency furnace. Call: 828-7187 or Carleton x2165. FOR RENT: Faculty farmhouse. Available winter term. 15 km from Carleton (20 min). Furnished, 2 BR, two studies, major appliances, oil furnace. Ski or walk 131 acres, woodlot. Prefer experience country folk, no pets or small children. Rent negotiable. (613) 692-4455. OVERLOOKING PARK/CANAL: 72 Greenfield Ave. 5 minutes walk to Ottawa University. Share with one person. Bright, modern, 4 bedroom townhouse in quiet area. Includes private third floor with 2 large rooms, skylight and 1 bathroom. $675/m. (incl. parking, utilities, etc.) Available January 1, 1997. 991-8203 (day), 230- 6905 (eve.) FOR RENT: Canal/Echo. Elegant, Colonel By Terrace Home, 2 bedroom, 2 full baths, appliances, fireplace, private courtyard, indoor parking. Convenient central location neighbouring the Canal, just steps to downtown, the Queensway, and close to all amenities. $1300/month -- Available NOVEMBER 1 - For viewing call: 943-0764 or 457-2076.