As per yesterday’s Senate decision, the University is moving ahead with plans to reopen classes in LAPS and FES on Monday, March 23. This meeting also confirmed that it is up to individual faculty members to determine whether the academic integrity of their classes can be maintained if they are held during the strike. The Senate Executive is asking all faculty members in LAPS and FES, including CUPE Unit 2 members, to report to their Chair (or Dean’s office) by 4pm today whether or not they believe, in their professional opinion, that their classes can be resumed.
If you believe that your class cannot be resumed, you must provide a rationale as to why you think the academic integrity of the course cannot be ensured. Given the ongoing strike, the fact that TA and GA teaching team members are still on the picket lines, and that many students refuse to cross these lines, we encourage our Unit 2 members to provide such a rationale, explaining that the academic integrity of a course cannot be maintained under these conditions.
Whatever your decision is, it should not be reversed, or questioned, by your department or Dean’s office. If you are asked to resubmit your report or rationale, or to reverse your decision, we encourage you to get in touch with the Union first. CUPE 3903 will defend the right of members to make their own decisions about the academic integrity of their courses, and will of course do everything we can to fight any reprisals against members for making such decisions.
Lastly, we again call on the University to return to the bargaining table, so that we can come to an agreed settlement, and get all classes back up and running.