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 FPSE Statement on the War in Gaza

As a FPSE member, the ECUADFA is represented in the following FPSE statement on the War in Gaza, shared on December 4, 2023:

The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of British Columbia (FPSE) is deeply saddened by the events of the past few weeks, and we demand a ceasefire. The escalating conflict across the Middle East region in Israel, Palestine, and Gaza is having deep impacts within our community and the world. We unequivocally condemn the attacks against innocent civilians. Our students, faculty, and staff, many with ties to the region, may be experiencing fear, sorrow, anger, and feelings of unsafety. Our classrooms should be a place of compassion and peace where painful subjects can be discussed with respect and insight. We need to assure our colleagues and students that we are committed to ensuring a safe and inclusive community for all and that we denounce all acts of violence, hate, and discrimination.

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Executive Working Committee Report 2023

The following is an abridged summary of the Executive Working Committee Report. Please find the complete report here.

We began this year, once again, in full preparation mode for bargaining. In the summer of 2022, Ben Unterman devoted extensive time in gathering much needed data on workload, spending ratios, and other key work condition patterns across our sector. That data has proved extremely valuable at the negotiation table. We remain focused on the mandate of priorities as voted on by the membership last year, including workload and job stability (list attached at the end of this report). We prepared 20 robust proposals to submit at the bargaining table. These proposals not only clearly outlined the changes needed, but also provided where possible, the steps for implementation, and clear rationale as to the benefits of these changes, not just to faculty, but also to the larger university community. 

We began bargaining on August 31 – the first in our federation (Federation of Post-Secondary Educators) to begin. Our FPSE representative is Tim Armstrong. He has been at the table with our faculty association before and he is our liaison with FPSE legal support, working with our stewards on grievances so he knows our situation well. Being first out of the gate at FPSE also meant that we were able to request additional bargaining support, and we have had one of the two bargaining coordinators that FPSE contracted this bargaining round. These coordinators have been working with the 20 unions in FPSE to analyse their collective agreements and compare all of the agreements. This is a huge advantage. Robin Wylie is one of the coordinators (originally from Douglas College) and his breadth of knowledge and experience in the sector has been beyond helpful at the table. He has not been able to be at every session, but he has been at most and we have benefitted from his participation.

We have had 15 bargaining sessions since August and we will be walking into session 16 immediately following our 2023 Faculty Association AGM. It has been a long, long haul, with many additional days dedicated to bargaining prep, ongoing training, continued research as we develop counter proposals to administration’s proposals (of which there were three) and counter proposals to their counter proposals to our 20 initial submissions. It is a detailed process and we have done everything possible to provide the language needed for the administration to communicate our proposals to the provincial government. We are also updating our job action policy.  Thank you to all the faculty who’ve dropped in to observe a bargaining session; your presence helps, and we encourage faculty to drop in when they can, to learn more about how the bargaining process works.

We continued working to keep our financial house in order and implemented the membership-approved motion to move the FA defence fund to VanCity. With that move has come additional financial training and info sessions with VanCity for members of the FA executive. Our secretary and treasurer, Sunny Nestler has done an amazing job, taking on the challenge of our FA finances with additional training from FPSE. 

We held several Faculty Affairs discussions with topics including a three-term academic calendar (proposal from the University), definition of anti-semitism and academic freedom, the faculty exhibition, faculty organizing, climate action task force, and how to better sabbatical allocations.

Ahead of all the committee reports and summaries, we wanted to thank all of the faculty who served on the wide range of committees that are required to support our collegial governance. We are hugely grateful for your time, thoughtful consideration, tireless dedication and support. Your work is essential to our membership and to the University community. We also want to thank all of the faculty and staff who continue to show up – show up to meetings, to workshops, to training sessions, to hallway conversations that lead to new ideas and solutions that make a difference to our working lives. You have shown up in countless Zoom rooms, in person, and via email. You have shown up for each other. Thank you. 

We would like to thank and acknowledge Art Perry and Arni Haraldsson, who will be retiring from Emily Carr this year. Thank you for your many years of service to this community, and for reminding us how important it is to connect with and celebrate each other.

The FA Executive for 2022-2023 included: 

President: Cameron Cartiere 

Vice Presidents: Lindsay McIntyre and Ben Unterman 

Members at Large: Rubén Möller, Valérie D. Walker, Hillary Webb, Sue Shon, Magnolia Pauker 

Co- Stewards: Rita Wong, Nick Conbere 

Secretary and Treasurer: Sunny Nestler 

Thank you to members at large who served in 2022: Gilly Mah and Vanessa Kam

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Executive Working Committee Report 2022

The following is an abridged summary of the Executive Working Committee Report. Please find the complete report here.

This year we spent a significant amount of time on bargaining preparations including the faculty bargaining questionnaire, consolidating bargaining points, extensively reviewing the ECUFA Collective Agreement, meetings with our FPSE bargaining consultants, poured over numerous collective agreements of other FPSE locals and other universities including OCAD, NSCAD, and ACAD, and participating in training courses offered by CAUT. These courses included: Organizing 101, Bargaining, and Organizing 201. We drafted the protocol agreement that sets the terms of how we will be negotiating with the University and submitted that draft to HR. As many are aware, the bargaining process is a long road with many steps, but the journey has begun. We want to thank all the faculty members who served on the various pre-bargaining committees with administration that helped pave the way for our negotiations in the Fall. 

We also worked on some financial upkeep (motions to move to VanCity, increase dues, increase stewards). The last COVID variance we negotiated expired in Dec 2021, but some of it applies till August 2022. Remember to access Curriculum Benefits Fund and Decolonization and Indigenization Fund by August. 

We held Faculty Affairs discussions on the following topics: precious working conditions, bullying and harassment, bargaining, effect of changing university policies on faculty rights and responsibilities.

We would like to thank and acknowledge Elizabeth Mackenzie, who after 22 years of teaching, is not re-applying to teach at Emily Carr. Because of the precarious nature of this work, we know that retirement or leaving Emily Carr looks and feels different for our non-regular faculty, and can often go unnoticed. Thank you Elizabeth for your many years of service to this community, and for reminding us how important it is to connect with and celebrate each other.

We also want to acknowledge the sudden passing of our colleague, Thomas Groppi. Many of us are still in shock from the news. As Rita Wong noted in her email to the faculty about Thomas, “His candour, sense of humour, generosity of spirit, and dedication to the community was well known to so many of us, and he will be deeply missed.” The Faculty Association sent condolences and a donation to the BC Children’s Hospital in memory of Thomas. 

Ahead of all the committee reports and summaries, we wanted to thank all of the faculty who served on the wide range of committees that are required to support our collegial governance. We are hugely grateful for your time, thoughtful consideration, tireless dedication and support. Your work is essential to our membership and to the University community. We also want to thank all of the faculty and staff who continue to show up – show up to meetings, to workshops, to training sessions, to hallway conversations that lead to new ideas and solutions that make a difference to our working lives. You have shown up in countless Zoom rooms, in person, and via email. You have shown up for each other. Thank you.

The FA Executive for 2021-2022 included:

Presidents: Rita Wong (Fall 2021), Cameron Cartiere (Spring 2022)

Vice Presidents: Ben Unterman and Lindsay McIntyre

Members at Large: Rubén Möller, Valérie D. Walker, Gilly Mah, Keith Langergraber, Magnolia Pauker 

Co-Chief Stewards: Rita Wong (Fall 2021), Ana Diab (Spring 2022)

Treasurer: Maria Lantin Secretary: Sunny Nestler

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New FA President

Following the bi-election during the General Meeting held remotely on Oct 25, 2021, Cameron Cartiere was elected to be the new FA President, starting Spring 2022. It is with much gratitude that we welcome Cameron to the executive, congratulations Cameron!

The current FA Executive is as follows:

President – Rita Wong (Fall 2021), Cameron Cartiere (Spring 2022)

Co-Vice Presidents – Joe O’Brien and Lindsay McIntyre

Treasurer – Maria Lantin

Secretary – Sunny Nestler

Co-Chief Stewards – Rita Wong (Fall 2021), Ana Diab (Spring 2022)

Members at Large – Rubén Möller, Valérie D. Walker, Gilly Mah, Keith Langergraber, Magnolia Pauker

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New FA Executive Team

Following the Annual General Meeting held remotely on April 19, 2021, the new Executive Committee and Members at Large roles have been assigned.

Co-Presidents – Rita Wong (Fall 2021), Justin Langlois/Diyan Achjadi (Spring 2022)

Co-Vice Presidents – Joe O’Brien and Lindsay McIntyre

Treasurer – Maria Lantin

Secretary – Sunny Nestler

Co-Chief Stewards – Rita Wong (Fall 2021), Ana Diab (Spring 2022)

Members at Large – Rubén Möller, Valérie D. Walker, Gilly Mah, Keith Langergraber, Magnolia Pauker

Jay White, Alex Has, Henry Tsang, Arni Haraldsson, Gina Adams have stepped down from the Executive team – many thanks and gratitude for your service.

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Decolonization and Indigenization Fund

It’s ready! We are pleased to announce the new Yearly Decolonization and Indigenizarion Fund! This joint Initiative of the Faculty Association and Emily Carr administration makes use of the Provincial Government’s Service Improvement Allocation for the intended benefit of all regular and non-regular faculty. Funds are available up to $250 per faculty member each fiscal year, and will be allocated to applications that fulfill the requirements on a first-come first-served basis. We have aimed to make this fund as accessible as possible. Please feel free to provide us with feedback on the process so that we can make improvements on it in the years to come.

Decolonization and Indigenization Fund

Proposals must demonstrate tangible benefits to students and must support decolonization and Indigenization within the university community.
Proposals that meet this requirement shall be granted. $250 per year for each faculty member (Non-Regular or Regular) is available.

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Scholar Strike and Teach-In Sept 9 – 10, 2020

The Emily Carr Faculty Association supports the Scholar Strike and Teach-In (https://scholarstrikecanada.ca/) scheduled for September 9-10, 2020. Professors and students are outraged at the relentless police killings of Black, Indigenous and racialized people in the US and in Canada. We understand that these violent killings result from normalizing white supremacy and that we need to work together to build a culture and society that ends the systemic racism creating the conditions for this constant devaluing of racialized lives.

In the midst of a triple pandemic – corona virus, climate crisis and the systemic racism inflicted by colonization – we realize it is important to work together with honesty, compassion and care for one another, so that we can face the challenges of our times. There are many ways to connect to the larger social movements for justice that we are part of.

Some faculty are attending and encouraging their students to attend public events posted at https://scholarstrikecanada.ca/schedule/
Some faculty will make space in their online classes for a discussion around how to contribute towards building racial justice.
Some faculty are sharing materials on how to address these topics in our different courses.
Some faculty and students may take the days to rest and reflect on these questions in whatever ways are healthy for them.

This is an evolving moment that will be whatever we collectively make of it. We are living through what could be considered growing pains, as we hopefully mature towards a culture that truly respects the lives and lived experiences of Indigenous, Black and racialized peoples.

We respect that faculty and students will do what makes sense for them in their contexts. We voice our solidarity with and gratitude for the people out in the streets refusing to accept unjust violence. We feel not only rage and grief, but also love and care for the ones who’ve been lost and who continue to be endangered by systemic racism. We are grateful to be living on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples, the homelands of the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, Sto:lo, where we strive to become better relatives with the people and the land.

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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. 

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Statement on Anti-Blackness and Racism

The Faculty Association at Emily Carr University of Art + Design joins with millions of people to voice our solidarity with Black and racialized communities in response to the unlawful killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, D’Andre Campbell, and many more Black people. We situate these recent murders in the context of historical and ongoing state-sanctioned violence against Black communities in North America. We acknowledge and feel the pain and anguish caused by these murders and by the repeated denial of justice and human rights to Black Canadians, Americans and people the world over. We assert that Black lives matter.

The Faculty Association commits to dismantling the obstacles that prevent Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Colour from living full lives, and in some cases, from just living. We believe that efforts that focus on individuals, opinions, or points of view may fail to address the root of the problem that faces us. We call on the ECU community to reflect on the issues of anti-Black racism and racialized oppression on a systemic level. 

Such an approach must begin with addressing and educating those within our own communities, including ourselves. We recognize that as an institution, ECU perpetuates a culture of anti-blackness and systemic racism. We recognize, with grief, that faculty have contributed to, or been complicit in, normalizing this violence in conscious and unconscious ways. This is further evidence of the systemic nature of what we are fighting, and the structural factors that prevent active change. To this point, many of us have been struggling with the contradictions between our commitments to justice and the institutional norms that have systemically obstructed these commitments. 

If we are to address unjust systems, then we need to build communities and support networks grounded in respect, mutual aid, and care for one another across our differences. This includes:

  • Recognizing the historic settler colonial attitudes in the nation-building of Canada that pervades to this day, with structural racism practiced implicitly as well as explicitly in its governing bodies and institutions;
  • Building curriculum that focuses on the struggles of Black and other marginalized communities, and practicing an active pedagogy of liberation and resistance to these oppressions;
  • Practicing intersectional solidarity and recognizing that it takes work and dedicating resources to the dismantling of these unjust systems; 
  • Acknowledging that this work is done on unceded Coast Salish territories, and we have a responsibility to decolonize and build better relations with one another;

In addition to these actions for which we must hold ourselves accountable, the Faculty Association supports faculty and student agency in actively planning for, and achieving comprehensive equity, diversity and inclusion. The Faculty Association understands that faculty members and students in the Social Justice Working Group (formerly the Intersectional Working Group of the past two years) have long been calling for an open community forum to build the changes we need as a community. We support this open community forum as a crucial first step.

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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.