Author: Sarah Hay

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News Solidarity

Solidarity Fund for Non-Regular Faculty

We feel a responsibility to show support for our members through these difficult times, specifically non-regular faculty who are facing increased uncertainty and stress. We have created a mutual aid fund by drawing from our Faculty Association savings to distribute up to $50,000 to faculty with the following parameters: 

  • non-regular faculty who have taught at least one course in two of the past four academic years (2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-2020, 2020-2021).
  • non-regular faculty who are experiencing financial stress. 
  • Maximum of $400 per disbursement. 

To apply, simply fill out this editable PDF form, save with your surname added to the file name and email to ecuadfa@gmail.com.

Please note: If a digital signature is not possible, your typed name will do. If you have trouble opening or editing the form, please send a note to ecuadfa@gmail.com. We have tested the form with Acrobat and Preview.

The applications will be reviewed on August 1, 2020. After this point, applications will be reviewed on an ongoing regular basis until the funds run out.

Disbursements will be reviewed by a small committee composed of the Faculty Association executive. All disbursements are confidential, and applicants’ privacy will be protected. 

Categories
News

New FA Executive Team

Following the Annual General Meeting held remotely on April 20, the new Executive Committee and Members at Large roles have been assigned.

Co-Presidents – Jay White, Rita Wong

Co-Vice Presidents – Lindsay McIntyre, Alex Hass

Treasurer – Henry Tsang

Secretary – Sunny Nestler

Co-Steward – Jay White, Rita Wong

Members at Large – Ruben Moller, Joe O’Brien, Valerie d. Walker, Keith Langergraber, Arni Haraldsson, Gina Adams

Chris Hethrington and Daniel Drennan ElAwar have stepped down, and we would like to thank them for their service.

Categories
News

COVID-19: Government Support Resources

Federal Support

Employment Insurance

The Government of Canada is taking immediate, significant and decisive action to help Canadians facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/canadas-covid-19-economic-response-plan-support-for-canadians-and-businesses.html

If, as a sessional, you have taught 630+ hours over the last 52 weeks you are eligible for EI.*

One 3-credit studio course = 112 hours
One 3-credit academic course = 140 hours

To apply for EI, contact our Payroll department directly to request a Record of Employment (ROE). Turnaround time is pretty quick.

* It is possible to get approval for higher number of hours. There are occasions where people can report higher numbers that accurately reflect what was actually worked.

EI Application:

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-regular-benefit.html

CERB

If you have stopped working because of COVID-19, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) may provide you with temporary income support. The CERB provides $500 a week for up to 16 weeks.

CERB Application:

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html

https://twitter.com/the_doodle_news

Provincial Support

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020PREM0013-000545

BC is the only province so far to provide financial relief to renters. The Temporary Renter Supplement will pay up to $500 per month (for 4 months) directly to landlords on behalf of workers who qualify for the federal CERB.

Temporary Rental Supplement Program:

https://bctrs.bchousing.org/

Other broad-based BC measures include free bus trips in Metro Vancouver via TransLink and the rest of BC Transit operations across the province.

Taking stock of COVID-19 economic policy measures in BC

Find the benefits relevant to you

https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/coronavirusbenefits

Get information on what’s available to: those who have lost income; renters and homeowners; families; seniors; students; businesses; Canadians abroad. There’s also a personal finance section with information on tax and utility bill deferrals. This guide provides the basic benefit information you need to apply for subsidies.

This includes:

  • Who can apply
  • Date available
  • How to apply
  • Links or phone number to make a claim

If you have any questions or additional support resources, please leave a comment below or email ecuadfa@gmail.com

Categories
News

COVID-19: Info + Updates for Staff + Faculty

https://www.ecuad.ca/about/news-and-media/covid-19/staff-faculty

A screenshot of ecuad.ca website on April 3, 2020. A lone technician working in the softshop. Go Jen!
Categories
News Pedagogy

COVID-19: Nobody Signed Up For This

Some principles and guidelines for teaching through an unprecedented and interrupted semester – adapted from this article: www.chronicle.com/article/Nobody-Signed-Up-for/248298

1. Nobody signed up for this.

  • Not for the sickness, not for the social distancing, not for the sudden end of our collective lives together on campus.
  • Not for an online class, not for teaching remotely, not for learning from home, not for mastering new technologies, not for varied access to learning materials.

2. The humane option is the best option.

  • We are going to prioritize supporting each other as humans.
  • We are going to prioritize simple solutions that make sense for the most.
  • We are going to prioritize sharing resources and communicating clearly.

3. We cannot just do the same thing online.

  • Some assignments are no longer possible.
  • Some expectations are no longer reasonable.
  • Some objectives are no longer valuable.

4. We will foster intellectual nourishment, social connection, and personal accommodation.

  • Accessible asynchronous content for diverse access, time zones, and contexts.
  • Optional synchronous discussion to learn together and combat isolation.

5.We will remain flexible and adjust to the situation.

  • Nobody knows where this is going and what we’ll need to adapt.
  • Everybody needs support and understanding in this unprecedented moment.
Categories
News Regular Sessional

Students & fair labour at ECU: Talk by Terra Poirier

Tuesday Feb 11, 11:30am to 12:30pm The Working Studio, which is located in the atrium in the east end of the 2nd floor.  Emily Carr University Wheelchair accessible.  

In 2018, student Terra Poirier became concerned with the under compensation and lack of job security faced by most of her instructors and decided to make labour issues at Emily Carr University the focus of her graduation project.

She created a photographic installation outside the president’s office to draw attention to the lack of work space for sessional instructors (underpaid contract faculty), and she created the artist book “Non-Regular: Precarious academic labour at Emily Carr University of Art + Design” in collaboration with 26 instructors and other artists (published by UNIT/PITT Projects). The project earned local and national media attention and was launched to a standing-room-only audience.

Unfair labour practices continue to be a concern at ECU. Join Poirier for a talk on her process and motivations, and a discussion of what students can do to educate and mobilize on these issues.

The facebook event is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/489350455297849/  

Books will be available at a discounted rate for students.  

This talk is presented by the ECU Faculty Association as part of their The Work of the Work faculty exhibition which runs until February 14: https://www.facebook.com/events/1490533891104861/  

Emily Carr University is on unceded Coast Salish territories, specifically the lands belonging to the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

Categories
News Regular Sessional

The Work of the Work

The theme of this exhibition—which features work by Emily Carr University of Art and Design instructors—focuses on the relationship between labour and creative practice, inspired by “the challenging working conditions faculty face at this institution.”

  • January 31–February 14, 2020
  • Opening: Thursday, January 30th 4:00 – 7:00
  • Emily Carr University, 2nd Floor

Organizers are still looking for more faculty contributors to include images of your studio and projects that you are working on. There will also be a working studio where you can create work in person for any duration while the show is up. Get in touch with Alex Phillips <bphillips@ecuad.ca> for more info and to participate. 

The Work of the Work

https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/02/04/Emily-Carr-Faculty-Art-Zing-Employer/

Categories
Bargaining News

Happy New Year

We would like to wish all faculty a happy new year!

The big news here is that Collective bargaining at ECU has begun! Not only is this a time to reflect on all the work we put into our various roles as members of the Faculty Association, it is also a time for action. Some important things we are focusing on in this round of bargaining are Right to Available Work, Compensation, and Teaching Load.

Join us at the monthly Faculty Association meeting to hear updates in person and let us know if you have questions.